The weekend’s just around the corner and there’s no shortage of things to enjoy in the capital. From celebrating women to discovering the treasures of the Punjab, we give you the lowdown…
Vanessa Bell (1879-1961)
If your little sister’s one of the most famous authors of the 20th century, chances are your own achievements might be overlooked. But Virginia Woolf’s sibling was a prolific artist and trailblazer for modernism in her own right. This dazzling exhibition is the first major retrospective of Vanessa Bell’s work, and shines a long overdue light on her talent. Focusing on her most distinctive period of experimentation in the 1910s, it features 100 of her paintings, ceramics, fabrics and photography.
Until 4 Jun, £7-£14, Dulwich Picture Gallery, Gallery Road, SE21
Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf?
James Macdonald directs a new production of Edward Albee’s award-winning masterpiece. Mining the fertile ground of a marriage unravelling over the course of an evening, what follows is a night of vicious, boozy battles and black comedy. The brilliant Imelda Staunton returns to the West End as one half of the warring couple, alongside Games of Thrones’ Conleth Hill. Imogen Poots and Luke Treadway also star as the young couple drawn into Martha and George’s toxic games.
Until 27 May, £15 upwards, Harold Pinter Theatre, Panton Street, London, SW1Y 4DN
Lockwood Kipling: Arts and Crafts in the Punjab and London
This little gem of an exhibition explores a fascinating chapter in the history of art and design. A passionate campaigner for the preservation of Indian arts and crafts, John Lockwood Kipling’s generous donations shaped much of the V&A’s own collection. It was a visit to the Great Exhibition in 1851 that sparked Kipling’s interest in all things Indian. And now some of these treasures can be seen here alongside paintings, photographs, wall hangings, jewellery and trinkets – as well as furniture designed for royal residences, Bagshot Park and Osborne.
Until 2 April, Free, Victoria and Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 2RL
Gillian Anderson and Jennifer Nadel, WOW Festival
The Women of the World festival, now it its eighth year, celebrates the achievements of women and girls across the world – as well exploring the hurdles they face. As always, there’s a fantastic line-up and on Friday you can catch Gillian Anderson and journalist Jennifer Nadel in conversation with the festival’s director, Jude Kelly. Longtime friends, Anderson and Nadel have co-authored a new book, WE: A Manifesto for Women Everywhere. A practical guide for the modern sisterhood, it offers a fresh vision for how to live a more compassionate and happier life.
10 March, £15-£25, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX
America after the Fall: Painting in the 1930s
Parched landscapes, black cotton pickers, Wrigley’s gum, Ford motorcars, Thanksgiving turkeys and Jean Harlow all make an appearance in the Royal Academy’s blockbuster exhibition. It’s America in microcosm: a world where the rural past is giving way to an industrial future. A spellbinding story of a nation in the grip of transformation, it’s one that’s told – richly and movingly – through 45 iconic images by masters such as Jackson Pollock, Georgia O’Keeffe and Edward Hopper.
Until 4 June, £8-£13.50, Royal Academy, 6 Burlington Gardens, London W1S 3ET
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