ARTS DANCE UMBRELLA: MICHAEL CLARK COMPANY
MICHAEL CLARK CELEBRATES TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OF HIS COMPANY WITH A NEW WORK INSPIRED BY A ROCK ‘N’ ROLL TRIUMVIRATE: DAVID BOWIE, IGGY POP AND LOU REED. CLARK HAS ALWAYS DRAWN ON ROCK AND PUNK MUSIC AS A FOIL TO HIS CLASSICAL DANCE ROOTS AND THE RESULT IS FREQUENTLY ANARCHIC, OUTRAGEOUS AND DIVINE. DATE: UNTIL SAT NOV 7 PLACE: BARBICAN THEATRE, SILK ST, LONDON, EC2Y 8DS PRICES: £10-£35
WEBSITE: www.barbican.org.uk
HAMMER FESTIVAL
EXHIBITION ABOUT THE HAMMER FILM COMPANY, WHICH CORNERED THE HORROR MARKET BETWEEN THE 1950S AND THE 1980S AND IS ABOUT TO RELEASE A NEW FILM, ‘LET ME IN’. ON SHOW ARE ORIGINAL POSTERS, RARE PHOTOGRAPHS OF HAMMER STARS INCLUDING CHRISTOPHER LEE, PETER CUSHING AND URSULA ANDRESS AND OTHER EPHEMERA. A SERIES OF RELATED TALKS, TOURS AND SCREENINGS IS ALSO TAKING PLACE; SEE THE WEBSITE FOR DETAILS. DATE: UNTIL SUN NOV 15 PLACE: IDEA GENERATION, 11 CHANCE ST, LONDON, E2 7JB FREE PRICE: FREE
WEBSITE: www.ideageneration.co.uk TURNER PRIZE 2009
THE TURNER PRIZE IS AN ANNUAL PRIZE PRESENTED TO A BRITISH VISUAL ARTIST UNDER THE AGE OF 50. SINCE ITS BEGINNINGS IN 1984 IT HAS BECOME THE UNITED KINGDOM’S MOST PUBLICISED ART AWARD. ALTHOUGH IT REPRESENTS ALL MEDIA, AND PAINTERS HAVE ALSO WON THE PRIZE, IT HAS BECOME ASSOCIATED PRIMARILY WITH CONCEPTUAL ART. DATE: UNTIL JAN 3, 2010 PLACE: TATE BRITAIN, MILLBANK, LONDON, SW1P 4RG WEBSITE: www.tate.org.uk/britain PRICES: £8/£6
FOOD AMAYA
GLAMOROUS, STYLISH AND SEDUCTIVE, AMAYA IS SLEEKLY APPOINTED WITH SPARKLY CHANDELIERS, SPLASHES OF MODERN ART AND A GROOVY BAR.THIS RESTAURANT’S CALLING CARD IS ITS SOPHISTICATED INDIAN CREATIONS FROM A MENU THAT CLEVERLY LINKS DRESSED-UP STREET FOOD WITH REGAL SPECIALITIES. IF YOU FANCY A TABLE WITH A VIEW, BAG ONE BY THE OPEN KITCHEN AND WATCH THE CHEFS WIELD LADEN SKEWERS AND SLAP ROTIS AGAINST THE WALLS OF THE TANDOOR. OF OUR SELECTIONS, WE LOVED A MELTINGLY TENDER CHICKEN TIKKA FOR ITS SMOKY, LEMONY FLAVOUR AND SUBTLE MARINADE OF ROSE-SCENTED GINGERY YOGHURT. GOOD NEWS CONTINUED WITH A GIGANTIC MADAGASCAN PRAWN STEEPED IN CHILLI-SPIKED LIME JUICE AND COOKED TO PERFECT PINKNESS;THE ROBUST JUICES WERE GRATEFULLY MOPPED UP WITH HOT NANS. AN EARTHY RICH STAPLE OF CREAMY SPINACH PASTE SPICED WITH GINGER AND GREEN CHILLIES WAS ELEVATED TO FINE-DINING STATUS AND SENSIBLY SERVED WITHOUT ANY EXPERIMENTAL FLOURISH. SERVICE WAS FAULTLESS. ONLY MANGO TIRAMISU (PIPED ON TO A SPONGE FINGER) WAS LESS THAN OUTSTANDING – A LITTLE TOO CLOSE TO HOME COOKING TO WIN ACCOLADES. AMAYA IS A MAGNET FOR DEEP-POCKETED KNIGHTSBRIDGE SUITS AS WELL AS ROMANCING COUPLES. PLACE: 9 MOTCOMB STREET, 15 HALKIN ARCADE, KNIGHTSBRIDGE, SW1X 8JT
WEBSITE: www.realindianfood.com