Famous for traditional, long-standing successes and contemporary productions, London's West End is hard to beat when it comes to musicals. Nearly every street in central London's Theatrel and boasts its own performance venue, so choice isn't an issue here. Listed below are some of our current faves. There's something to suit every kind of musical taste.
Forthcoming Events for the month of Oct 2009!
No Love Lost 14 Oct 2009 -
24 Jan 2010
Damien Hirst goes back to basics with a paintings exhibition in the lavish surrounds of the Wallace Collection.
Featuring 25 new paintings by Damien Hirst, the No Love Lost exhibition at The Wallace Collection puts a contemporary twist on the age old tradition of representing death and the theme of mortality in works of art.
14 Oct 2009 -
24 Jan 2010. 10:00 - 17:00
Wallace Collection
Free
Frieze Art Fair 2009 (+44 (0)20 3286 9990)
Regent's Park. 15-18 Oct
£15 to £60 (Adult), £10.00 to £15(Concession)
Frieze Art Fair is one of the world's most influential contemporary art fairs.
As well as Frieze-commissioned projects, you can discover work by more than 1,000 innovative artists, some displayed in the fascinating Sculpture Park in Regent's Park.
This year, there are 164 contemporary art galleries.
Highlights of the Frieze Art Fair 2009 include:
Frame: an exciting addition to Frieze is Frame, a new section dedicated to solo artists. Frame works with galleries from around the world that are less than six years old
Prestigious art talks: previous guest speakers at Frieze have included Boris Groys, Yoko Ono, Dave Hickey and Roni Horn
Jordan Wolfson's site-specific work from this year's Cartier Award winner. The American conceptual artist was chosen from more than 450 emerging artists from outside the UK to present a major work at the fair
Time: 15 - 17 Oct 2009 Thu - Sat 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM; 18 Oct 2009 Sun 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Anish Kapoor Exhibition
Royal Academy of Arts
Till 11 Dec 2009
Tickets £12 (Adult), £4 (12 - 18),
free (under 7)
A major retrospective of the international acclaimed artist and Turner Prize winner, the Anish Kapoor exhibition London event is taking over the Royal Academy of Arts from September - December 2009. The gallery's largest ever exhibition dedicated to a single living artist, the show features large scale art installations and sculpture, some displayed to the public for the first time.
One of the highlights of the Anish Kapoor exhibition London event is a giant wax installation titled Svayambh, a Sanskrit word roughly translated as auto-generated. The monument work is made of a huge mass of wax which moves very gradually throughout the building on sunken rails. The work leaves a residue in its wake on the walls and floor of Burlington House, so that the installation and the exhibition space literally change and leave their marks on each other.
Gymnastics Championships
The O2
13 Oct to 18 Oct 2009
£10-£60 (Get 4 for 3)
See the world's finest gymnasts in London for 2009's Artistic Gymnastics World Championships at The O2.
This event attracts world-class competitors from the recent Beijing Olympics, as well as showcasing emerging talent in the lead up to London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Apparatus Finals (Men's Vault, Parallel Bars & High Bar; Women's Balance Beam & Floor): 18 Oct
Time: Tues & Wed - 10am to 10pm; Thurs & Fri - 6.30pm to 9pm; Sat & Sun - 1pm to 4pm
Maharaja: The Splendour of India's Royal Courts
The Victoria and Albert Museum
10 Oct-17 Jan £11.00
The maharajas (literally translated as "great kings") were Indian princes who inhabited a lavish world in colonial India. This exhibition tells their story from the 18th century when their great era began, to the end of British rule in 1947.
The exhibition portrays the increasing influence of European tastes on the maharajas' lives, their embrace of the avant-garde, and how a new Anglo-Indian style developed.
Time: Mon - Thu, Sat, Sun 10:00 AM - 5:45 PM; Fri 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM Closed Boxing Day,Christmas Day
Dance Umbrella 2009
Various venues +44 (0)844 412 4312
6 Oct-7 Nov £16.50 (Adult) £15 (Concession), £9.50 (Child)
London's annual festival of dance returns with exciting new performances from across the world, taking place everywhere from Sadler's Wells to a London car park!
Bodies in Urban Spaces: colourful, temporary body sculptures on an hour-long body trail starting at London Bridge, 16-18 Oct
Cabane: a new duet from Canadian Paul-Andre Fortier, performed in various unusual London spaces including an office building and a car park 7-12 Oct
African Crossroads: a bold programme of dance by African performers from Mali, Senegal, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Congo and Kenya, various venues, 9-24 Oct
Common Dance: large-scale work by leading British choreographer Rosemary Lee with 120 performers aged 8-80, Greenwich Dance Agency, 29 Oct-1 Nov
Michael Clark Company: UK premiere of a new work inspired by the music of David Bowie, Iggy Pop and Lou Reed, Barbican, 28 Oct-7 Nov
Mark Morris Dance Group: two dance programmes from the Brooklyn-based company, including two UK premieres, Sadler's Wells, 27-31 Oct
The Wine Show
Business Design Centre
22-25 Oct 2009 £12.50-£40
At The Wine Show in Islington, you'll be able to meet celebrity wine experts and share their passion. You can also sample and buy wines from across the globe, as well as being able to partake in the fabulous Wine Show features.
Highlights of the 2009 Wine Show include:
The Coutts Private Cellar: true wine fanatics can share their tastes with an intimate audience in this special area
An Hour with Oz: Oz Clarke takes to the stage and entertain an audience of wine enthusiasts in a personal "Oz style" wine tasting
Tasting Theatre: join an audience of enthusiasts and take part in a wine tasting session in the Tasting Theatre
Wine Walks: Join one of a team of experts (including Oz Clarke, Tim Atkin MW, Robert Joseph, Susy Atkins and Chris Scott) as they guide you around the show
The Wine Market: visit this quirky area of the show to explore and stock up
Turner Prize 2009
Tate Britain
6 Oct 2009 to 16 Jan 2010
The annual Turner Prize exhibition features work by the artists shortlisted for one of Europe’s most prestigious art awards. Established in 1984, the Turner Prize is awarded each year to a British artist under 50.
Each artist is judged on exhibitions of his or her work over the past year. The winner receives a prize of £25,000, while the remaining three finalists get £5,000 each.
This year's Turner Prize winner will be announced on 7 December. In the meantime you can view the finalists' work at Tate Britain and judge for yourself.
The Lion King, Till 31 Jan 2010
Lyceum Theatre, Covent Garden, £20 to £59
The award-winning adaptation of Disney's film features music by Elton John and Tim Rice, plus outstanding costumes and special effects. Set against the majesty of the Serengeti Plains to the evocative rhythms of Africa, The Lion King will dazzle all ages.
