Arts Ahead 20-26 September

Roberta Marquez and Valeri Hristov in Emeralds, part of Jewels. Photo by Johan Persson

What a gorgeous photo. I think Jewels at the ROH is a real hot ticket for dance fans this week.

Elsewhere, theatreland feels like it's finally woken up after its summer snooze: there's another Tempest, two musicals, Mike Leigh's new play and more to choose from this week.

Plus, the V&A's latest blockbuster, and all the fun of the London Design Festival.

As for me, I'm headed to a preview of the Playboy of the Western World at the Old Vic. Which gives me the opportunity to share another gorgeous photo.

Robert Sheehan. Photo by Jay Brooks

Ahem.

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Arts Ahead 14- 20 December

Look-y! It's a dancing squirrel!

Yes, silly season is definitely here. "It's Christmas!" as someone once shouted, and everything's gone a bit fast and loose.

And in case a dancing squirrel isn't enough to convince you everything's gone a little bit screwy on London's cultural caledar, here's some more evidence:

• David Hasselhoff's in panto in Wimbledon
• CBBC stars are doing something called Potted Panto at the Vaudeville
• the Old Vic isn't doing a panto at all, but some farce called A Flea in Her Ear

In fact, it's the latter that I'm looking forward to seeing this week. I'm taking JC and hoping that Tom Hollander lives up to the excited look on LK's face every time we talk about this show at work...

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Image shows Royal Ballet: Tales of Beatrix Potter. Photo by Johan Persson

Arts Ahead 14 to 20 September on londonist

Great picture, right?

I'm still desperate to see another Matthew Bourne ballet after completely loving his Nutcracker! at the New Wimbledon Theatre a couple of Christmasses ago. That time, we were lucky enough to hear a Q&A with the man himself. Despite a few years of chasing, I've never been able to secure an interview with him for Visit London... Maybe one day...

Anyway, that's only the tutu on the top of what's happening in London this week. It's a packed one, and I've got two shows to look forward to.

• Complicite's A Disappearing Number with the in-laws-to-be (heh!)
• AND Design for Living with Moriarty at the Old Vic

On top of that, this week's Arts Ahead gave me the chance to link to one of my fave reviews from last year: Morecambe. Sometimes these things just write themselves. This is an example of one that did. I'm still proud of it a year later. (Ah, the small pleasures of your author.)

Maaan, I hope A Disappearing Number is good. There's so much hype about this show. And you know how I can sometimes react to hype. Fingers crossed for me, everyone.

Read the rest of this week's Arts Ahead on londonist