London culture round-up: what to catch in the capital between now and Easter

The January blues are so last month. It’s time to swap a night in with Netflix for a spot of culture. Here’s our guide to the capital’s must-see events and exhibitions in the run up to Easter.

Fashion
Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty at the V&A, 14th March-19th July 2015

After its three-month stint at the Metropolitan Museum in New York back in 2011, where it became the most popular fashion exhibition in history, this retrospective of the late Alexander McQueen’s unique talent comes to London’s V&A. Including the dramatic, gothic pieces from his later catwalk collections and his very early work as an MA graduate, the sizeable exhibition is beautifully curated and also offers fans an opportunity to see romantic creations from McQueen’s own London fashion house and those previously held in private archives.

Photography
Karen Knorr: BP Spotlight at the Tate Britain, until 29th March 2015

Feeding our fascination with the lives of the fabulously wealthy, Karen Knorr’s series of black and white portraits taken between 1979 and 1983 capture both domestic settings and gentleman’s clubs in London’s Belgravia, one of the world’s most moneyed districts. Accompanied by humorous captions, the images are intended as a tongue-in-cheek portrayal of the capital’s upper classes at the height of the Thatcher era. It makes you wonder how these characters would compare with the Chelsea socialites we see gracing today’s TV screens and pages of Tatler.

Theatre
Closer at the Donmar Warehouse, until 4th April 2015

If you were a fan of the 2004 film adaptation of Closer, starring Natalie Portman and Jude Law, then don’t miss your chance to catch this claustrophobic tale as it was originally intended to be seen – on the stage. Patrick Marber’s compelling play about the lives of four unlikeable London lovers has a cast of familiar faces, including Oliver Chris (of The Office and Green Wing) in a far darker role. When it first ran in 1997, this black comedy of sexual betrayal won Evening Standard, Olivier and New York Drama Critics’ Circle Awards – see it at the intimate Donmar Warehouse in Leicester Square until the 4th April 2015.

Art
Magnificent Obsessions at The Barbican, until 25th May 2015

From cupboards full of antique china to stashes of napkins stolen from every coffee shop in the Farringdon area, everyone it would seem, collects something. This new exhibition at the Barbican treats hoarding as an art form, with collections belonging to the likes of Jim Shaw and Peter Blake. Pore over Martin Parr’s Soviet space dog memorabilia, see Andy Warhol’s kitsch cookie jar collection and feel reassured about your own bizarre obsessions when you come across Hiroshi Sugimoto’s range of prosthetic glass eyes.

Dance
Flamenco Festival London at Sadler’s Wells, 16th February-1st March

With seven unique shows spread over a fortnight, iconic dance venue Sadler’s Wells hosts its annual festival celebrating the art of Flamenco. A fiery blend of Spanish folk music and dance, flamenco is rooted in 18th-century Andalusia, but this festival brings it bang up to date with performances from contemporary flamenco star Eva Yerbabuena and a show by the Ballet Nacional de España, featuring cutting-edge choreography, live music and 35 dancers.

Music
Women of the World Festival at the Southbank Centre, 1st-8th March

This unique festival champions the achievements of women worldwide, including contributions to sports, politics, business, art and music. As well as a number of other diverse events, the Southbank Centre is hosting a series of three gigs by prominent female artists. The first on 5th March is a performance by Tune-Yards, fronted by Nigerian singer Eno Williams. The band did the UK festival circuit last summer with their playful indie pop and afro-beat sounds and now you can see them in the Royal Festival Hall. You can also catch eccentric Brighton-based folk cellist Abi Wade at the Foyer Spaces on 8th March and the all-female Nu Civilisation Orchestra at the Purcell Room, also on the 8th March.

Film
Oscar Week at The Barbican, 27th February-4th March 2015

In celebration of the biggest event in the cinematic calendar, The Barbican Centre is hosting a series of post-Oscars screenings, which allow you to catch all eight of the Best Picture nominations for 2015 (in case you missed them the first time around). When it comes to booking it’s a pretty tough call, but our tips include the sweetly poignant Boyhood starring Patricia Arquette and Ethan Hawke, in which the actors were filmed over a span of 12 years (screening on 28th February); the beautifully filmed Steven Hawking biopic The Theory of Everything (screening on 1st March), and the intoxicating frenzy that is Whiplash, a gripping story of a jazz drummer and his sadistic teacher (screening 4th March). The Oscars take place on 22nd February, so this is the perfect opportunity to see if you agree with the judges.

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