Culture Digest
The Politics Festival
This festival returns for its second iteration, and puts the country’s leading voices in conversation with top journalists. Hear Emily Thornberry, John Major, Keir Starmer, Nick Clegg interviewed by the likes of Helen Lewis and Ian Birrell. Plus, Charlotte Caldwell, mother of Billy Caldwell, speaks on the need for medicinal cannabis-based medicine.
Until 24 June, Kings Place, London
Dangerous Liaisons
The inimitable John Butt directs the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment in this programme of music from the time of Roi Soleil. Expect Lully, Charpentier, Campra, and Rameau to be brought to life not just by the players of the OAE, but with choreography devised by Hubert Hazebroucq.
26 June, Southbank Centre, London
Imogen Cooper
The seasoned English pianist juxtaposes works of the Classical period by Beethoven and Haydn with Schoenberg’s 6 Little Piano Pieces, which despite the time gap have more in common than you might think and show the strand that linked the Classical and Romantic periods with atonality. She tackles the mighty Diabelli Variations in the second half.
Nederlands Dans Theatre 1
Arguably the world’s greatest dance company returns to Sadler’s Wells with a programme that had its audience at the 2017 Edinburgh International Festival go wild. Sol León and Paul Lightfoot have created Shoot the Moon (set to music by Philip Glass), and Stop-Motion, a breathtaking, cinematic piece set to a score by Max Richter.
26-29 June, Sadler’s Wells, London
Outliers
This multimedia show ponders questions of social, public, and political consciousness thought a combination of hip-hop, choreography, and video. It’s been devised by Michael Asante, composer and driving force behind the acclaimed hip-hop troupe, Boy Blue, Artistic Associates at the Barbican Centre.
30 June, Barbican Centre, London
Edinburgh Film Festival
The world’s longest continually-running film festival kicked off again this week, with an exciting raft of premieres in its programme. Highlights include The Devil Outside, Return of the Hero, The Secret of Marrowbone, and Puzzle.
Until 1 July, various locations, Edinburgh
Falstaff
Verdi’s take on Shakespeare’s tale sees the sleazy Falstaff outwitted by the merry wives of Windsor, leading to his ultimate downfall. Richard Farnes makes his debut at Garsington, with Henry Waddington and Mary Dunleavy in the lead roles.
Until 22 July, Garsington Opera, Buckinghamshire
Anthea Hamilton: The Squash
The piece of performance art all stems from a single photograph Hamilton found from 1960, and has its roots in improvisational theatre and participatory art. It’ll be unlike anything you’ve seen in the Tate before, with vegetable creatures move gracefully around a tiled Duveen Gallery.