Things to do in London this week

What to do and see in London this week, 15th October to 22nd October 2014: the coolest cultural current events, from Figaro to Dennis Hopper

Emma Roberts stars in James Franco's Palo Alto

1. THEATRICAL REVIVAL: 'Tis Pity She’s a Whore John Ford's still-shocking Jacobean tragedy centres on an incestuous love affair between a brother and sister. Expect a stage strewn with bodies at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. 

2. TALK: The Mad Pilgrimage of the Flesh, John Lahr
Tennessee Williams's latest biographer is John Lahr, and you can catch him talking about his Southern Gothic subject and National Book Award-shortlisted definitive account at the Conde Nast College of Fashion and Design. Culture Whisper members get a discount.

3. FOR CHILDREN: The Tale of Princess Kaguya
Studio Ghibli returns with master anime director Isao Takahata's final film, a charming, impressionistically rendered movie based on on a Japanese folk tale.   

4. CLASSICAL: Composers in Love: Rêverie, Simon Russell Beale and Lucy Parham
After Lear, Simon Russell Beale takes on Debussy, in a multi-disciplinary homage to the French composer with pianist Lucy Parham.

5. BLOCKBUSTER ART: Germany: Memories of a Nation
The British Museum explores the formation of modern Germany in an exhibition tracing its roots all the way back to the Holy Roman Empire and featuring exhibits from Dürer to the VW Beetle. 

6. ART HOUSE FILM: 
Palo Alto
Based on the short stories of James Franco, Palo Alto is Gia Coppola's debut: a poetic piece on disaffected Californian youth starring Franco himself, Emma Roberts and Jack Kilmer (son of Val).

7. PHOTOGRAPHY LAST CHANCE: Dennis Hopper
A lost album of photographs by the late Hollywood icon reveals his 1960s period as startling talented snapper more than working actor, capturing the spirit of the age and famous friends like Andy Warhol and Jane Fonda. 

8. OPERA: The Marriage of Figaro
Fiona Shaw's landmark production of Mozart's glittering sex comedy is revived at the ENO. David Stout is Figaro, Mary Bevan, Susanna and Benedict Nelson the Count.

9. THURSDAY LATE NIGHT SHOPPING: Red magazine x Anthropologie
Get 15% off Anthropologie clothes and homewares, plus the chance to buy work by Red's artists in residence embroiderer Laura Lees and illustrator Nina Fuga at this one-off event

10. FASHION: Dover Street Market
Rei Kawakubo's designer department store celebrates 10 years in business with a week's worth of fashion-focused events, including Vuitton bags reinvented by designers and artists from Christian Louboutin to Cindy Sherman.





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