Winter Arts Calendar 2012 The Observer’s critics pick the season’s highlights JANUARY 6 10 11 12 13 16 17 20 CLASSICAL DANCE FILM DANCE FILM NIGEL SURVIVOR WAR HORSE HOLISTA CORIOLANUS; KENNEDY In his first collaboration Michael Morpurgo’s STRATA/HAPTIC W.E.; The Orchestra of Life with another artist, children’s novel (and its A leading light of the J EDGAR and the violinist’s own the cult Israeli National Theatre stage Japanese avant garde, A big week for NK Band play his ever choreographer- version) about equine Hiroaki Umeda marries complex biopics evolving smash-hit composer Hofesh heroism in the first butoh-minimalist street sees Ralph Fiennes version of Vivaldi’s Four Shechter creates a world war gets the full dance to cutting-edge directing himself in Seasons and more. At soundscape in a visual Hollywood treatment sound and image. At the a modern version the Regent, Ipswich landscape constructed from Steven Spielberg. Royal Opera House to of Shakespeare’s tonight,then touring to by sculptor Antony Newcomer Jeremy 17 January. Coriolanus; Madonna 23 January. Gormley. Their theme: Irvine (below) stars. celebrating the romance the fight for existence. of Wallis Simpson and FILM THEATRE THEATRE At the Barbican to POP ART Edward VIII in W.E.; and THE IRON MAN IN THE TRAVELLING 14 January. THE HORRORS HAMISH Leonardo DiCaprio LADY MIDDLE LIGHT The black-clad misfits FULTON portraying J Edgar Meryl Streep (above), Billed as “a Wikiplay, Antony Sher (above) is a scour away the January Fulton has walked the Hoover, creator of working again with sourced from the public director looking back on blues with their third world for decades for the FBI, under Clint Phyllida Law, director domain, refracted and his early east European album’s psychedelic art’s sake. His first show Eastwood’s direction. of Mamma Mia!, adds redacted by playwright life and the beginnings alienation. At the Liquid since 2002 records Margaret Thatcher Ron Elisha”, Man in of movie-making. A Room, Edinburgh journeys through Kent (in her prime and her the Middle tells Julian new play by Nicholas tonight, and touring to in words and images at dotage) to her personal Assange’s story at Wright directed by 22 January. Turner Contemporary, portrait gallery. Theatre 503, London to Nicholas Hytner at Margate to 7 May. 4 February. the National to 6 March. FEBRUARY 1 2 3 5 8 9 ART THEATRE DANCE POP ART DAVID SHRIGLEY: ROMEO AND THE RODIN NME AWARDS LUCIAN FREUD: BRAIN ACTIVITY JULIET PROJECT TOUR PORTRAITS Shrigley is best known A bold staging is Russell Maliphant Two Door Cinema Club A posthumous for wry drawings that promised at the Company’s new work headline, but the real celebration of Freud’s make witty observations Nuffield, Southampton. (at Sadler’s Wells) is grist is down the bill fleshy figures, of everyday life, but Co-produced by inspired by the work of with opener Azealia spanning more than 70 this retrospective at Headlong, Nottingham the visionary French Banks and Metronomy years, at the National the Hayward includes Playhouse and the sculptor, Auguste Rodin, (below). Glasgow O2 Portrait Gallery to tragic-comic animals Nuffield, in collaboration and set to a specially Academy tonight; 27 May. (below) and sculptures with Hull Truck, it runs to commissioned score by touring to 25 February. too. To 13 May. 18 February then tours. the Russian composer Alexander Zekke. THEATRE FILM ART THE KING’S CARNAGE YAYOI KUSAMA SPEECH Polanski’s black The maverick Japanese Charles Edwards is the comedy (based on artist, famous for mammering monarch in Yasmina Reza’s play) covering everything The King’s Speech. David sets two middle-class in her trademark dots, Seidler’s play, which couples (Jodie Foster will fill a floor of Tate inspired the movie, is and John C Reilly, Modern with sculptures, directed by Adrian Noble above, Kate Winslet labyrinths, mirrors and at the Yvonne Arnaud, and Christoph Waltz) at spacey installations. Guildford, to 11 February each other’s throats in a To 5 June. then tours. Brooklyn apartment. MARCH 1 3 4 6 9 12 14 16 THEATRE CLASSICAL THEATRE FILM CLASSICAL FILM A PROVINCIAL TRISTAN AND MICHAEL FRAYN SALMON FISHING MISS FORTUNE ONCE UPON LIFE ISOLDE SEASON IN THE YEMEN UK premiere of Judith A TIME IN Cardiffian Peter Gill As part of a four- Opening night for Ealing-style comedy Weir’s opera based on ANATOLIA directs a Chekhov short Wagner event to Benefactors and (adapted from Paul a Sicilian folk tale at In Turkish film-maker story for the National mark Symphony Hall Copenhagen, part of the Torday’s bestseller by ROH, London. Directed Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s police Theatre of Wales. At Birmingham’s 21st Michael Frayn season Full Monty screenwriter by Chen Shi-Zheng procedural, lawmen Sherman Cymru in anniversary, Andris running at Sheffield Simon Beaufoy) about a (Monkey: Journey to examine their lives while Cardiff to 17 March. Nelsons (below) conducts Theatres from 1 to 24 Scottish scientist (Ewan the West). Expect escorting two killers in CBSO with Torsten Kerl March. McGregor) adrift in the great music, kebab search of their victim’s DANCE and Lioba Braun as the Arab world. vans and breakdancing. body. Shared the Grand DV8: CAN ill-fated lovers. To 28 March. Prix at Cannes. WE TALK ABOUT THIS? POP THEATRE POP ART DV8 founder Lloyd FLORENCE + THE GOING DARK ALL TURNER Newson looks at how MACHINE Sound&Fury, TOMORROW’S INSPIRED: IN THE freedom of speech With her second album, creators of the hit PARTIES LIGHT concerning Islam has Ceremonials, a roaring Kursk, explore the night This spring instalment OF CLAUDE been influenced by success, Florence Welch sky in a production of the alternative Turner’s most multicultural policy- makes like a hurricane featuring surround arts pow-wow, curated celebrated works are set making and liberal fear and whirls around the sound design and by Jeff Mangum, against the Italianate of giving offence. At country. Bournemouth episodes of includes Joanna landscapes of baroque the Brighton Dome International Centre complete darkness. Newsom, Low and the artist Claude Gellée. then National Theatre, tonight, and touring to At the Young Vic until Magnetic Fields. At the National Gallery London to 28 March. 16 March. 24 March. To 11 March. to 5 June. 20 THE NEW REVIEW | 01.01.12 | The Observer Winter Arts Calendar 2012 DESIGN POP FILM THEatRE ART CLASSIcaL DANCE 21 23 24 27 28 30 ART POP THEATRE CLASSICAL POP DAVID LANA SHE STOOPS TO TOTAL LEONARD COHEN HOCKNEY: A DEL REY CONQUER IMMERSION: “If one is to express the BIGGER PICTURE The internet Katherine Kelly – JONATHAN great inevitable defeat Britain’s best-loved sensation of late sad, alluring Becky HARVEY that awaits us all,” painter (below) in a last year becomes in Coronation Street This unmissable portrait says pop’s poet laureate lifetime’s survey of the most hotly – stars in Oliver of composer Jonathan (below) of Old Ideas, his his vivid landscapes anticipated Goldsmith’s 1773 Harvey, known for first album in eight including the recent debutante of the comedy. Sophie his exquisite, spiritual years, “it must be wraparound panoramas new one as her new Thompson plays her music, features films, done within the strict of East Yorkshire. At the single, “Born to Die”, is mother, directed at the talks and concerts at confines of dignity and Royal Academy to 9 April. released, followed by National by Jamie Lloyd. the Barbican. The BBC beauty.” Yes, please. an album of the same To 28 March. Symphony Orchestra name, next week. FILM performs and David Hill Expect haunted ennui THE and Martyn Brabbins and dusty lust. DESCENDANTS conduct. Alexander Payne, director of Sideways, leaves the contiguous United States to direct George Clooney (above) in a highly regarded family drama set in Hawaii. 10 13 14 15 21 22 25 26 FILM DANCE ART ART CLASSICAL THE WOMAN IN THE BLANCA PICASSO AND JEREMY DELLER: DEATH OF BLACK LI COMPANY: MODERN JOY IN PEOPLE KLINGHOFFER Daniel Radcliffe has his ELEKTRO KIF BRITISH ART Mid-career survey of London stage premiere first adult screen role The ever-inventive Li is a Investigates the direct the Turner prize-winning of John Adams’s 1991 in a movie version of cult figure in France, and influence of Picasso, artist at the Hayward, opera about a Jewish- Susan Hill’s terrifying here she presents the through 60 of his works, including his early-career American tourist killed supernatural thriller. distinctive and theatrical on Duncan Grant, Ben T-shirts (below), videos, on a cruise liner hijacked A stage adaptation has Parisian street-dance Nicholson, Moore, collaborations and the by Palestinian militants. been running in London style elektro. At the Bacon, Sutherland and famous re-enactment War Horse co-director since 1989. Playhouse, Nottingham Hockney at Tate Britain of the Battle of Orgreave Tom Morris directs. as part of a UK tour. to 15 July. on film. To 13 May. To 9 March at ENO. FILM POP THEATRE THEATRE FILM YOUNG ADULT EMELI SANDÉ THE RECRUITING AN OSCARS Charlize Theron plays The budding Scottish OFFICER APPOINTMENT The 84th Academy an emotionally retarded neuroscientist who Opening night for WITH THE Awards ceremony to be teen-fiction author forsook medicine for Josie Rourke’s first WICKER MAN presented for the 9th visiting her middle- soul reveals her first production as the This National Theatre time by Billy Crystal. western hometown in dozen songs with Donmar’s artistic of Scotland production a comedy reuniting the Our Version of Events. director. The cast pays homage to director (Jason Reitman) includes Nancy Carroll, the horror classic at and Oscar-winning Mackenzie Crook, Gawn His Majesty’s Theatre, screenwriter (Diablo Grainger and Rachael Aberdeen to 25 Cody) of Juno.