Things to do in London: January edition
Beat the January blues with an invigorating selection of London events and adventures. Or at least make sure nights in are spent watching the best films and TV shows
Musical magic: La La Land film
Does cinema come any more delightfully escapist than Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone in a romantic musical? La La Land is a glorious extravaganza that proudly wears its heart on its sleeve. It's every bit as feelgood as the trailer promises and exactly what your January needs.
Read more ...Graphic Works: Bacon and Freud
One was a hard-drinking nihilist whose grotesque paintings plumbed the depths of spiritual torment - The other was in love with flesh. This January, you can see the work of Francis Bacon and Lucian Freud side by side, when Bacon and Freud: Graphic Works comes to Mayfair.
Hard-hitting drama: Us/Them, National Theatre
Brussels Theatre Company BRONKs explore the way children cope with extreme situations in a play for young audiences based on the 2004 Beslan school siege. This frank, unflinching new play comes to the National Theatre after causing a stir at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Fresh fine dining: Mere, Fitzrovia
Monica Galetti, best known for her no-nonsense judging on BBC2’s Masterchef: The Professionals and her role as former senior sous chef at Le Gavroche, is finally opening her own restaurant. Mere brings fuss-free fine dining to Fitzrovia.
Read more ...Magical Lantern Festival, Chiswick House
Lights are not just for Christmas. It's in dark January when we need sparkly cheer most of all. Back again for 2017, the Magical Lantern Festival has vast, glittering lanterns and brightly illuminated creatures that light up the night's sky and the rolling gardens of Chiswick House.
Read more ...More than Marcel Marceau: London International Mime Festival
Bringing to town 17 international companies, the 40th London International Mime Festival will embrace circus-theatre, mask, physical theatre, cutting edge juggling and puppetry. And with 120 performances spread all over London, from orthodox venues such as the Peacock Theatre and the Barbican to newcomers such as Shoreditch Town Hall, there will be something within easy reach of everyone.
Read more ...A Brief History of Time: Stephen Hawking talk
In 1963, aged 21, Hawking contracted motor neurone disease and was given two years to live. This year, on the eve of his 75th birthday, is an unmissable chance to see the world's most famous physicist speak – forgive our morbidity – before it's too late.
Read more ...A Series of Unfortunate Events, Netflix 2017
Eight episodes of A Series of Unfortunate Events are set to be released this January on Netflix, and yet already it is being tooted as one of the likely stand-out TV shows of 2017. It's the perfect excuse to hibernate!
Read more ...One night stand: Sex With Strangers, Hampstead Theatre
‘Look, I’m giving you another chance to show the world how talented you are. Take it. It’s worth the risk’. The UK premiere of Sex With Strangers stars Emilia Fox as a writer who finds herself snowed in at a small B&B with a sex blogger for company.
Read more ...Choose life again: Trainspotting 2
'Choose life. Choose Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and hope that someone somewhere cares... Choose reality TV, slut-shaming, revenge porn, zero-hour contracts...'. Yes, that's an updated version of the sardonic dropout mantra from the original Trainspotting (1996). Danny Boyle's era-defining adaptation of Irvine Welsh's novel is getting a sequel in which life (should you choose it) is still terrible, and addiction to powerful Class-A drugs is still a tempting solution.
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