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# 100 reasons to be excited about 2011
## Whether it's a new breed of 'edgy' period dramas, a Royal Wedding in 3D,
some borrowed Leonardos or Take That on tour, we present the cultural gems
guaranteed to make this year a good one
![Green Hornet][1]
Image 1 of 4
Seth Rogen as the Green Hornet, with his trusty sidekick Kato (Jay Chou), in
Michel Gondry's 'The Green Hornet' Photo: Jaimie Trueblood
![The Hour][2]
Image 1 of 4
A British rival to 'Mad Men?' Ben Whishaw as Freddie in BBC One's Fifties-set
drama, 'The Hour' Photo: BBC/Kudos Film & TV/Nick Wall
![London 2012 Olympics: Jacquelin Magnay's Diary
][3]
Image 1 of 4
Huge: Anish Kapoor's ArcelorMittal Orbit tower Photo: Arup
![Boardwalk Empire][4]
Image 1 of 4
'Boardwalk Empire', a television drama produced by Martin Scorsese, is set in
Prohibition-era Atlantic City Photo: HBO
By Mike McCahill, Andrew Graham-Dixon, Louise Levene, John Allison, Tim
Walker, Bernadette McNulty, Horatia Harrod, Alastair Smart, Tom Gockelen-
Kozlowski and Alex Varley-Winter 4:18PM GMT 03 Jan 2011
[Comments][5]
**1** **Zen**
Rufus Sewell stars in what looks set to become staple Sunday night fare:
_Zen_, an adaptation of Michael Dibdin's best-selling Roman detective stories,
begins on BBC One on January 2.
**2 [The King's Speech][6] **
This mesmerising, beautifully judged film - the story of the relationship
between Australian actor-turned-speech therapist Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush)
and the stuttering King George VI, his reluctant pupil - is expected to sweep
the boards at the Oscars in February (January 7).
**3 [127 Hours][7]**
## Related Articles
* [Batman, the stage spectacular][8]
03 Jan 2011
* [Aron Ralston's story of survival][9]
06 Jan 2011
* [Rufus Sewell interview][10]
03 Jan 2011
* [Glee's true star: Jane Lynch][11]
10 Jan 2011
* [The King's Speech: the real story][12]
05 Jan 2011
* [Wrinkles have helped my acting career][13]
13 Mar 2011
The ubiquitous James Franco is gripping in the role of Aron Ralston, whose
extreme hiking trip to a remote Utah canyon in 2003 almost cost him his life -
and did cost him a limb - in Danny Boyle's supercharged (and occasionally
grisly) film (January 7).
**4 [True Grit][14]**
The Coens head into remake territory again, corralling some heavyweight acting
talent (Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin) for their take on the Charles
Portis novel that inspired the 1969 John Wayne western. Has to be better than
2004's _The Ladykillers_, surely (January 14).
**5** **Infernal Dance - the music of Bartok **
The Philharmonia Orchestra's latest blockbusting series,_ Infernal Dance_,
promises to take us inside the world of the great Hungarian composer Bela
Bartok. Esa-Pekka Salonen conducts all the major works throughout Britain and
Europe between January and November ([philharmonia.co.uk][15]).
**6 [Black Swan][16] **
Having celebrated the exertions of sweaty he-men in _The Wrestler_, it's time
for a change of bodily emphasis for director Darren Aronofsky: Natalie Portman
is the ballerina on the verge of a breakdown in his new, hallucinatory
psychothriller (January 21).
**7 The return of Glee **
The clean-cut boys and girls of the world's favourite glee club reappear on
our television screens in January (Channel 4). Even more thrillingly for
gleeks around the nation, Finn, Rachel, Kurt et al. will be crossing the
Atlantic for a series of live engagements in the summer (June 22-July 3,
[gleetour.com][17]).
**8 NEDS**
It's been nine years since Scottish polymath Peter Mullan got behind the
camera - but early word suggests this tale of Seventies Glasgow tearaways
(Non-Educated Delinquents, according to the acronym of the title) is every bit
as admirably scabrous as 2002's _The Magdalene Sisters_ (January 21).
**9 The Children's Hour **
Keira Knightley returns to the London stage after her promising debut in _The
Misanthrope_. Lillian Hellman's 1934 work was considered controversial in its
day because it was about two teachers accused by a pupil of having a lesbian
relationship. Ian Rickson's Comedy Theatre production also stars Ellen Burstyn
(January 22-April 2, [ambassadortickets.com][18], 0844 871 7622).
**10 Modern British Sculpture **
British modern art remains relatively undervalued, but the Royal Academy's
winter exhibition aims to set the record straight. From the world of the late
Victorians to the vitrines of Damien Hirst, this promises to be an engrossing
survey of an underappreciated tradition (January 22-April 7,
[royalacademy.org.uk][19], 0844 209 0051).
**11 Roxy Music **
Bryan Ferry leads the original line-up of enduring art rock rakes - bar Brian
Eno - back on the road. Warm-up shows at summer festivals revealed there was
plenty of life in the besuited old dogs yet, amid their trademark mix of
soulfulness and surrealism (January 25 - February 7, [seetickets.com][20],
08700 603 777).
**12 Gustavo Dudamel conducts the LA Philharmonic**
We once knew Dudamel as the brilliant young conductor of Venezuela's Simon
Bolivar Youth Orchestra. We now know him as the brilliant young conductor of
the Los Angeles Philharmonic, in London for two nights only to perform
Beethoven's Seventh Symphony at the Barbican (January 27-28; 020 7638 8891;
[barbican.org.uk][21]).
**13 Clybourne Park**
Bruce Norris's spiky dissection of liberalism and race in middle-class America
was a hit at the Royal Court; it transfers to the Wyndhams Theatre from
January 28-February 5 ([delfontmackintosh.co.uk][22]; 0844 482 5120).
**14 Dulwich Picture Gallery's Bicentenary**
The nation's first public art gallery celebrates its 200th birthday by
borrowing a different monthly masterpiece, including Vermeer's _The Music
Lesson _(March) and El Greco's _The Vision of Saint John_ (April;
[dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk][23], 0208 695 5254).
**15 NME Awards tour **
The annual showcase of indie idols promises some excitement, for a change,
this year. Dubstep supergroup Magnetic Man prove that speaker-wobbling
basslines can carry a tune, while Crystal Castles' feral lead singer Alice
Glass is compulsively watchable (February 3-19, [nme.com/tickets][24], 0871
230 1094).
**16 Rabbit Hole**
Nicole Kidman is back on our cinema screens and, in case you'd forgotten, she
can act. This is a wrenching, bleakly funny account of a couple trying to
recover from the death of their son (February 4).
**17 Now everyone can become an HBO bore**
We all know an HBO Bore: the exhausted, heroic figure who's spent the past
week watching box sets of _The Wire_ or _The Sopranos_, the guy or girl who
corners you at a party to discuss the finer points of _Six Feet Under_ or
repeat their favourite lines from _Curb Your Enthusiasm_. Even your most
conventional male (_Entourage_) and female (_Sex and the City_) friends were
not exempt from HBO-mania. All these people quivered with excitement when Sky
announced that they'd bought the rights for five years' worth of HBO content,
to air exclusively on Sky Atlantic. That means British viewers can watch HBO
shows almost as soon as they air in the United States, without resorting to an
illicit bit of middle-class downloading. In 2011 alone Sky Atlantic viewers
will get the first glimpse of David 'The Wire' Simon's New Orleans-set drama
_Treme_; Martin Scorsese's Prohibition-era look at Atlantic City, _Boardwalk
Empire_ (above); the fantasy adventure _Game of Thrones_, with Sean Bean and
Lena Headey; _Luck_, a horse racing drama with Dustin Hoffman; the Kate
Winslet-starring remake of _Mildred Pierce_; and the brilliant Ted Danson-
Jason Schwartzman comedy _Bored to Death_. Terrestrial viewers with an
antipathy to the Murdoch Empire can always wait for the box sets.
**18 [The Fighter][25]**
This biopic of boxer 'Irish' Micky Ward has been Mark Wahlberg's pet project
for the past seven years. Wahlberg and co-stars Christian Bale and Amy Adams
have already attracted Oscars buzz for what promises to be a tough but moving
crowd-pleaser (February 4).
**19 Frankenstein **
The National will attempt to breathe new life into the story of Dr
Frankenstein and his monster, in a new adaptation of Mary Shelley's novel.
Danny Boyle, the man behind _Slumdog Millionaire_, will direct; Benedict
Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller will alternate in the roles of the monster
and his creator (February 5-April 17, [nationaltheatre.org.uk][26], 020 7452
3000).
**20 The Wizard of Oz**
Danielle Hope (Dorothy) and miniature Schnauzer 'Dangerous Dave' (Toto) won
BBC One's talent show _Over the Rainbow_ last May; now they make their West
End debuts alongside Michael Crawford (the Wizard), in Andrew Lloyd Webber's
production of the 1939 musical at the Palladium (February 7-September 17,
[wizardofozthemusical.com][27]; 0844 412 4655).
**21 Awards shows**
As a new year dawns, the most talented members of the film and music industry
are busy writing their acceptance speeches and practising their 'I'm so happy
for you' smiles in advance of the awards season. First up is the Golden Globes
(January 16) a potentially spectacular night for British film _The King's
Speech_, which leads the field with seven nominations. Next come the Grammy
and Bafta ceremonies (both February 13) and then the grand finale, the Oscars,
on February 27. Expect even more luviness than normal. For the first time
since 1985, actors - Anne Hathaway and James Franco - instead of comics have
been chosen to host the show.
**22 A super year for superheroes **
While Batman and Superman gather their strength for films slated for 2012, a
whole cast of pretenders lay their claim to the superhero throne this year.
Bringing a retro gloss to the genre are _Captain America: The First Avenger
_(July 29), which is partly set in Forties Brooklyn (and filmed in
Manchester), and_ X-Men: First Class_ (June 2), Matthew Vaughn's Sixties
prequel to the first three_ X-Men _films. The unlikely figure of Seth Rogen
takes on the guise of [_The Green Hornet _][28](January 14), a playboy
publishing mogul with a lethal Asian sidekick, Kato (the original inspiration
for the Kato of _Pink Panther_ fame), while the even more unlikely figure of
Kenneth Branagh directs [_Thor _][29](April 29), a take on the Marvel comic
books based on Norse mythology. Meanwhile, Ryan Reynolds stars in [_The Green
Lantern_][30] (June 17), which looks to bring a dash of suitably overblown
theatrics and silliness to the superhero season. And on that theme, there's
_Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark_ ([spidermanonbroadway.marvel.com][31]), Bono,
the Edge and Julie Taymor's Broadway extravaganza - the most expensive musical
in history - which, after many delays, is finally expected to open next month.
**23 The Umbrellas of Cherbourg**
Jacques Demy's stylish 1964 musical romance is given the theatrical treatment
by the UK's best touring company, Kneehigh (Curve Leicester, February 11-26,
West End in the spring; [umbrellasofcherbourg.com][32]).
**24 The resurrection of Mel Gibson**
Although his cameo in _The Hangover 2 _(May 27) was vetoed, apparently by his
co-stars, Gibson takes the lead in loyal pal Jodie Foster's _The Beaver_
(February 11). He plays a deeply troubled 'loser' who comes to rely on a
charming cockney-accented hand puppet to communicate with the world.
**25 Book-to-screen adaptations that work **
Keira Knightley, Andrew Garfield and Carey Mulligan recreate the eerie
melancholy of Kazuo Ishiguro's [_Never Let Me Go_][33] (February 11), Tilda
Swinton tries to work out why her son became a high school shooter in _We Need
to Talk About Kevin_, and Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy gets a Hollywood
reboot from David Fincher: _The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo_ stars Daniel
Craig, Rooney Mara and Robin Wright (December 26).
**26 EO Hoppe **
OK, so he was German really, but we've long since claimed EO Hoppe as our own.
The photographer took portraits of early-20th century luminaries such as Henry
James, Vaslav Nijinsky and King George V (February 17-May 30;
[npg.org.uk][34], 020 7306 0055).
**27 Anna Nicole **
Richard Thomas, co-creator of _Jerry Springer: The Opera_, has chosen another
lovably lowbrow subject for this opera, which looks at the life and death of
the late _Playboy_ Playmate Anna Nicole Smith (February 17-March 4;
[roh.org.uk][35], 020 7304 4000).
**28 The Mikado **
Twenty-five years after its premiere, the ENO revives Jonathan Miller's take
on Gilbert and Sullivan's _Mikado_, which transposes the action from the
Orient to an English seaside hotel (February 26-March 11; [eno.org][36], 0871
911 0200).
**29 PJ Harvey **
The thrill of Polly Jean Harvey is you never quite know what version of her
you're going to get. From punky confrontation to choir-girl restraint, Harvey
is a musical shape-shifter. Her live performances, though, are consistently
thrilling (Troxy, London, February 27 and 28, [troxy.co.uk][37], 020 7790
9000).
**30 Alice's Adventures in Wonderland**
The Royal Ballet's schedules are dominated by box office-friendly revivals,
but in March comes the world premiere of a full-length version of Lewis
Carroll's story created by Christopher Wheeldon. It features Sergei Polunin as
the Knave of Hearts, Steven McRae as the Mad Hatter and Simon Russell Beale as
the Duchess. There's a contemporary score by Joby Talbot and designs by Bob
Crowley (March 2-15, [roh.org.uk][35], 020 7304 4000).
**31 Afghanistan: Crossroads of the Ancient World, British Museum**
Proof that there's rather a lot more to the country than Taliban insurgency,
this exhibition shall - via 200 loans from the National Museum in Kabul -
consider ancient Afghanistan's role as a trading and cultural hub (March
3-July 3; [britishmuseum.org][38], 020 7323 8181).
**32 In a Forest, Dark and Deep**
_Lost_ actor Matthew Fox makes his UK theatre debut playing opposite Olivia
Williams in the world premiere of Neil LaBute's new play. LaBute is something
of an acquired taste and this production, which he will direct himself at the
Vaudeville Theatre, is billed as 'a dark comedy' (March 3-June 4,
[nimaxtheatres.com][39], 0844 412 4663)
**33 Justin Bieber **
Bieber-fever grips the nation as the floppy-fringed teen idol arrives for his
first British tour. The Canadian-born star will have just celebrated his 17th
birthday, but his boyish charms will hopefully still be intact (March 4-24,
[aeglive.co.uk][40]).
**34 Anish Kapoor**
For better or worse, it's getting nigh on impossible to ignore the Mumbai-born
master of mirrors. He's just been named _GQ_'s Cultural Icon of 2010, and,
following his much talked-about exhibitions in Kensington Gardens and the
Royal Academy, in London, he's currently staging his first-ever shows in his
homeland - to great fanfare. This year promises to be even busier than last,
with a new exhibition at Manchester Art Gallery (March 5-June 5,
[manchestergalleries.org][41]; 0161 235 8888), as well as a commission for
Paris's Grand Palais, and the unveiling of his giant Orbit tower for London's
Olympic Park.
**35 Pop princesses **
Who's the fairest of them all? With tours by Katy Perry (March 17-April 9,
[katyperry.com][42]) and Kylie Minogue (March 25-April 12, [kylie.com][43])
two top contenders will prove their credentials, while Britney Spears seeks to
regain her tarnished crown with a new album in March.
**36 Cause Celebre**
Anne-Marie Duff won pretty much every award going, playing the title role in
the National Theatre's _Saint Joan_ in 2007. This year she appears in Terence
Rattigan's final play as Alma Rattenbury, who, in 1935, was put on trial with
her 18-year-old lover for the murder of her husband (Old Vic, March 17-June
11, [oldvictheatre.com][44]; 0844 871 7628).
**37 The Most Incredible Thing**
The key event of the contemporary dance year will be the final performance by
the late Merce Cunningham's dance company, at the Barbican next autumn
([barbican.org.uk][21], 020 7638 8891), but in the meantime there is always
Javier de Frutos and the Pet Shop Boys who have composed an orchestral score
for a full-evening work based on a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale,
starring ex-Royal Ballet prince Ivan Putrov (March 17-26,
[sadlerswells.com][45], 0844 412 4319).
**38 [The Eagle][46]**
Rosemary Sutcliff's beloved novel _The Eagle of the Ninth_ gets the big screen
treatment in _Touching the Void_ director Kevin Macdonald's new film (March
18). Channing Tatum stars as the Roman soldier searching for the standard lost
by his father's legion in the wilds of northern England.
**39 Betty Blue Eyes **
At the Novello Theatre, the first original musical Sir Cameron Mackintosh has
produced in 10 years. Based on Alan Bennett's _A Private Function_, it stars
Sarah Lancashire and Reece Shearsmith, with Richard Eyre directing (March
19-October 22, [delfontmackintosh.co.uk][22], 0844 482 5170)
**40 Robin and Lucienne Day**
The glamorous designer couple's beautifully crafted, low cost, post-war
furniture and textiles make them the Welfare State equivalent of their
American counterparts Charles and Ray Eames. Pallant House shows a selection
of their light-hearted, thoroughly modern work from March 26 to June 26
([pallant.org.uk][47]; 01243 774 557).
**41 Intermezzo, Scottish Opera **
Beleaguered it may be, but Scottish Opera is bravely staging Richard Strauss's
rarely seen domestic drama, _Intermezzo_, which fictionalises the composer's
volatile relationship with his wife ([scottishopera.org.uk][48], March
26-April 2 at Theatre Royal, Glasgow; 0844 871 7647. April 7-9 at Festival
Theatre, Edinburgh; 0131 529 6000).
**42 Ghost The Musical **
Undeterred by the mixed reviews he received for his stage adaptation of _The
Lord of the Rings_, Matthew Warchus will have a go at turning the film _Ghost_
into a musical; Richard Fleeshman and Caissie Levy play Sam and Molly (March
28-May 14, [manchesteroperahouse.org.uk][49], 0844 847 2295).
**43 The Who play Quadrophenia**
After a critically acclaimed performance of their seminal album for the
Teenage Cancer Trust last year, Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey are hoping to
tour the show in spring.
**44 The Cult of Beauty, V&A**
A show about the flamboyant and bohemian Aesthetic Movement of the late-19th-
century should offer an escapist tonic in these austere times. The Pre-
Raphaelites, Oscar Wilde and William Morris all feature, darling (April 2-July
17, [vam.ac.uk][50]; 020 7907 7073).
**45 Hanna**
The luminous Saoirse Ronan is reunited with director Joe Wright for this
distinctly un-_Atonement_-like film about a 14-year-old trained assassin
forced to go on the run. Think teen Jason Bourne (April 8).
**46 U2**
U2 will be releasing a new album this spring, before beginning their US tour
in May. Their crown as 'biggest band in the world' currently appears
undisputed.
**47 Attack the Block **
It's hoodies versus aliens - a cast-iron movie conceit - in the first feature
from writer/director Joe Cornish, one half of 6 Music favourites Adam & Joe.
This year's _Shaun of the Dead_, providing it isn't this year's _Scott
Pilgrim_ (April 8).
**48 The new iPad**
Apple will be hoping to prove that its tablet computer is more than just a big
iPhone when it unveils a new version, probably in the spring. The company has
been coy about the details, as always, but our money is on a bigger screen and
an extra camera.
**49 Stravinsky 3D**
Only seen twice before in Britain, Klaus Obermaier's menacing, light-streaked
virtual take on _The Rite of Spring_ returns for two performances each at the
Birmingham Symphony Hall (April 21, [thsh.co.uk][51]; 0121 780 3333) and the
Southbank Centre (April 23, [southbankcentre.co.uk][52]; 0844 875 0073).
**50 [Royal Wedding][53] in 3D**
Don't worry if your invitation to Westminster Abbey got lost in the post, Kate
and Will's big day could be the most realistic televised royal wedding ever
if, as expected, it is broadcast in 3D.
**51 Shrek: The Musical**
Before U2's Spider-Man show appeared on the Broadway horizon, Sam Mendes'
adaptation of the DreamWorks franchise was rumoured to be the most expensive
theatrical production ever. We Brits will get the opportunity to witness the
spectacle at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, with a cast that includes Amanda
Holden and Richard Blackwood (from May 6, [shrekthemusical.co.uk][54]; 0844
871 8810).
**52 Abi Morgan pens the British 'Mad Men'**
Along with the likes of Steven Moffat and Russell T Davies, Abi Morgan is a
reason to be excited about British television. Up until now she's been known
for crafting brilliant and minutely researched one-off dramas like _Sex
Traffic_, _Tsunami: The Aftermath_ and_ Murder_. This year, however, she's
behind what BBC Two is ambitiously billing as a British _Mad Men_: a six-part
series called _The Hour_, set in a mid-Fifties London TV newsroom. There's a
brilliant cast in place - Romola Garai, Dominic West and Ben Whishaw taking
the leads - and if anyone can grapple with the complexities of social change
in post-war Britain, it's Morgan. Also in the pipeline are three films she's
scripted: _The Iron Lady_, her bound-to-be-controversial take on Falklands-era
Margaret Thatcher, with Meryl Streep wielding the handbag; the long-awaited
adaptation of Sebastian Faulks' _Birdsong_ (currently destined for a 2012
release); and _Shame_, artist-turned-filmmaker Steve McQueen's follow up to
the award-winning Hunger.
**53 A Delicate Balance **
Nobody does angst quite like that great actress Penelope Wilton, and she will
have every opportunity to demonstrate the skill in James Macdonald's
production of Edward Albee's Pulitzer-winner about a group of strained middle-
class suburbanites (May 5-July 2, [almeida.co.uk][55], 020 7359 4404).
**54 John Cleese - The Alimony Tour **
Astoundingly, Cleese has never toured Britain before but is set to take his
Alimony Tour (a reference to his 2008 divorce settlement of £12million) around
the country after successful runs in the United States and Canada (tour begins
in Cambridge, May 6, and finishes in Bristol, June 21).
**55 Polymath movie directors**
Terry Gilliam takes on _The Damnation of Faust_ at the English National Opera
(May 6-June 7, [eno.org][36]; 0871 911 0200); Mike Figgis gets his teeth into
Donizetti's _Lucrezia Borgia_ (January 31-March 3), also at the ENO; and Mike
Leigh directs his 1979 play _Ecstasy_ at the Hampstead Theatre (March 10-April
9, [hampsteadtheatre.com][56]; 020 7722 9301).
**56 Roger Waters tours The Wall **
With communism well and truly collapsed, Pink Floyd's 1979 album _The Wall
_may have lost some of its allegorical power but Waters' extensive new tour -
which visits London, Manchester and Birmingham - is a thrill for Pink Floyd
fans nonetheless (May 11-21; June 27-28, [livenation.co.uk][57]).
**57 [Pirates of the Caribbean 4][58]**
In a year of hardly pressing sequels (_Big Momma's House 3_, anyone?), the
return of Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow will doubtless be the most prominent and
money-spinning. It's in 3D, too (May 18).
**58 Tracey Emin, Hayward Gallery **
Emin is so adept at self-publicity that her Hayward Gallery retrospective (May
18-August 29, [southbankcentre.co.uk][52]) needs no more than a passing
reference here. Likewise the gouache-painting collaborations with her idol,
the late Louise Bourgeois, on show at Hauser & Wirth (February 18-March 12,
[hauserwirth.com][59]; 020 7287 2300).
**59 Die Meistersinger **
Glyndebourne's season opens with its second-ever Wagner opera, his comedy _Die
Meistersinger von Nurnberg_. Vladimir Jurowski conducts David McVicar's
production, with Gerald Finley branching into new territory as Hans Sachs (May
21-June 26, [glyndebourne.com][60]).
**60 [Hay Festival][61] **
Bill Clinton dubbed the Welsh literary festival (May 26-June 5) the 'Woodstock
of the Mind'. A thrilling new sponsor (_The Telegraph_) and an expanded
programme of worldwide literary events (from Cartagena to Zacatecas) should
only heighten its reputation.
**61 Take That **
After the giant elephant of 2009's record-breaking _Circus_ tour, who knows
what the manband - with Robbie Williams back in the fold - will come up with
to wow their army of devoted fans? (May 27-July 9, [ticketmaster.co.uk][62],
0844 847 2011)
**62 Six knockout performances from Jessica Chastain **
Looking like Jessica Rabbit made flesh, the red-haired, porcelain-skinned
actress Jessica Chastain is set to be the breakaway star of 2011, not least
because she's got six films coming out this year. She's already had gushing
reviews for her role as the younger incarnation of Helen Mirren's Mossad agent
in thriller _The Debt _(February 11), and she plays Brad Pitt's wife in the
director Terrence Malick's new film, _Tree of Life_ (May). You can also catch
her in Ralph Fiennes' Shakespearian directorial debut, _Coriolanus_, and Al
Pacino's _Wilde Salome_, where she plays the femme fatale who demands the head
of John the Baptist in an adaptation of Oscar Wilde's play.
**63 The anti-Downtons **
Although it's verging on the treasonous to dislike newly-minted National
Treasure Julian Fellowes' indulgent _Downton Abbey_ (which returns for a new
series), this year offers an alternative breed of period dramas to his cosy
Sunday fare. Andrea Arnold, acclaimed for her grittily realistic take on
modern British society in _Red Road_ and _Fish Tank_, has directed a new
cinematic adaptation of _Wuthering Heights_. Kaya Scodelario of _Skins_ will
play Cathy to virtual unknown James Howson's Heathcliff; Howson will be the
first black actor to take the role on screen. Meanwhile, director Cary
Fukanaga takes on the work of another Bronte sister with his version of _Jane
Eyre_, which looks set to ramp up the Gothic machinations of the novel and
stars the intense Michael Fassbender (Mr Rochester) opposite the ethereal Mia
Wasikowska (Jane Eyre). On television, period drama stalwart Andrew Davies has
penned a three-part adaptation of Winifred Holtby's _South Riding_ for BBC
One, a raw and honest look at post-First World War, rural Britain.
**64 Jerry Seinfeld **
For the first time in 13 years, the iconic comic and actor - co-creator of
_Seinfeld_, if you hadn't worked that out - graces British shores with his
presence. It's one date only at the O2, so tickets will go fast (June 3,
[kililive.com][63]; 0844 856 0202).
**65 Elton John **
Last year saw Sir Elt gain plaudits from all quarters for his collaboration
with the legendary Blues pianist Leon Russell, and the 63 year-old will look
to maintain the high standard with a series of live dates in Britain. His UK
tour kicks off in Cardiff on June 8, or catch him in concert with
percussionist Ray Cooper at the Royal Opera House on Jan 28
([eltonjohn.com][64]).
**66 The return of Pulp **
Bum-wiggling social commentator Jarvis Cocker has rounded up his old band and
will show us what we've been missing with a series of large-scale concerts,
kicking off at the Isle of Wight Festival (June 11,
[isleofwightfestival.com][65]; 08444 999 955).
**67-69 The Tates**
As ever, an impressive panoply of shows is promised by that towering consortia
of national museums: the empire Tate's buildings. At Tate Britain, The
Vorticists looks at early 20th-century Britain's only true avant-garde (June
14-September 4); for its part, Tate Modern has Joan Miro, painter pre-eminent
of the whiskery, weird, fantastical pond-life of the mind (April 14-September
11); and Tate Liverpool looks at the many double-takes of Belgian surrealist
Rene Magritte (June 24-October 16, right), the inventor of such strange
phenomena as The Non-Existent Pipe, The Giant Apple and the Rainstorm of
Businessmen ([tate.org.uk][66]).
**70 Toulouse-Lautrec and Jane Avril, Courtauld Gallery **
Jane Avril (above) was more than just the cancan girl of Toulouse-Lautrec's
posters, she was also one of his closest friends. The pair shared everything,
from a bed to a workplace (the Moulin Rouge), as this exhibition about their
relationship will show (June 16-September 18, [courtauld.ac.uk][67]; 020 7848
2526).
**71 The Infernal Comedy **
John Malkovich plays real-life Austrian serial killer, Jack Unterweg,
alongside two sopranos singing Baroque arias. 'Probably not a show to take a
person to on a first date,' says the Barbican's artistic director, Graham
Sheffield (June 17-18, [barbican.org.uk][21]; 020 7638 8891).
**72 Adventurous animations**
If you don't have a child, grab a friend's for what's shaping up to be the
best animated film of the year, _Rango_ (March 4), in which a chameleon
dressed like Hunter S Thompson and voiced by Johnny Depp tries to become a
Wild West lawman. In the absence of an entirely new Pixar movie, and with the
eagerly anticipated Muppets film delayed until Febrary 2012, we'll make do
with a series of superior sequels, in the form of _Kung Fu Panda 2_ (June 17),
_Cars 2_ (July 22) and _Happy Feet 2_ (December 2). A new Disney animation,
_Tangled_ (January 28, above), is a re-do of the Rapunzel story, while _Rio_
(April 8) concerns a small-town macaw causing chaos in Rio de Janeiro.
**73 Richard III, Old Vic**
This might be a very cold winter of discontent, but be of good cheer: in May,
Sam Mendes and Kevin Spacey work together again for the first time since both
bagged Oscars for 1999's _American Beauty_. The former directs the latter,
with Spacey in the title role (June 18-September 11, [oldvictheatre.com][44];
0844 871 7628).
**74 Daft Punk **
Long before the Stig gained notoriety, this French DJ duo proved that crash
helmets could be a hot fashion accessory. Having recorded the movie soundtrack
for _Tron: Legacy_ they are heavily tipped to announce an extensive world tour
this year.
**75 Treasures of Heaven**
A morbid but must-see show at the British Museum. Its subject is the medieval
world of saint's relics and the rich but little-regarded art designed to house
these myriad fragments of sacred bone or hair. Some haunting objects will be
on display, including the birth amulet of a 13th-century Valois princess: an
amber-encased thorn from Christ's crown, as she believed it to be, for
clutching in her palm for blessing during the bloody labour of childbirth
(June 23-October 9, [britishmuseum.org][38], 020 7323 8181).
**76 Two Boys **
Precocious American composer Nico Muhly may be the toast of New York, but
until now critics on our side of the pond haven't warmed to him. Will the
premiere of his first opera, inspired by a bizarre real-life crime hatched in
an internet chat room, change their minds? (ENO, June 24-July 8,
[eno.org][36]; 0871 911 0200).
**77 Queen's 40th anniversary**
Brian May's passion for the cosmos is almost as well known as his Charles II-
like hairstyle, but he's not the only one to have noticed that the stars have
aligned for Queen this year. Not only is it 40 years since Freddie Mercury
joined a band called Smile, changed their name to Queen and gave birth to one
of Britain's biggest rock acts, it's also 20 years this November since the
flamboyant star died after contracting Aids. To mark the anniversaries,
there'll be a film starring Sacha Baron Cohen and written by Peter Morgan
(_Frost/Nixon_, _The Queen_ and _The Deal_) plus an exhibition at the Old
Truman Brewery on Brick Lane (February 25-March 12, [trumanbrewery.com][68])
provocatively titled _Stormtroopers in Stilettos_, with memorabilia,
photographs and themed rooms. There'll also be a BBC documentary featuring May
and Roger Taylor, and - you can guarantee - many other special events.
**78 The Life and Death of Marina Abramovic**
The avant-garde superstar collaboration of the summer brings together the
Serbian-born 'godmother of performance art' with ethereal androgyne Antony
Hegarty (of Antony and the Johnsons) and craggy actor Willem Dafoe for a 'play
with songs' at the Manchester International Festival (July 9-16,
[mif.co.uk][69]; 0161 876 2198)
**79 Argerich at the Proms **
The Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France under Myung-Whun Chung appears at
the Proms in July with two programmes, including Beethoven's Triple Concerto.
**80 Kenneth Grange - Making Britain Modern**
Ever wondered what the AnglePoise lamp and high-speed Intercity trains have in
common? No, nor us. But the answer, all the same, is Kenneth Grange, arguably
Britain's leading product designer. He now gets a five-decade retrospective
(July 20-Oct 30, [designmuseum.org][70], 020 7940 8790).
**81 Batman Live **
With acrobatics, pyrotechnics, stuntmen, supervillains and screeching
Batmobiles on a 100ft-wide, 60ft-deep performance area, Batman Live promises
to be the theatrical spectacle of the year (July 20-October 8,
[batmanlive.com][71])
**82 The Mariinsky Ballet**
The Bolshoi's triumphant visit to Covent Garden last summer has set the bar
very high indeed for the Mariinsky Ballet, who return to the Royal Opera House
in July to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the company's sensational first
visit, when they were lured to the West by Victor and Lilian Hochhauser. The
Hochhausers have scheduled a three-week season featuring the usual canny mix
of bankable classics (most notably _Don Quixote_) and less familiar work.
Don't miss Xander Parrish, a Cornish lad who ran away to Russia having tired
of languishing in the chorus with Royal Ballet and who now dances principal
roles: the first British dancer to be employed by the Mariinsky (July
25-August 13, [roh.org.uk][35], 020 7304 4004, booking opens April 5).
**83 The Edinburgh International Festival **
This year the festival is to have a Far Eastern theme and features a visit by
the superb dancers of the National Ballet of China. They perform a ballet
version of the Chinese opera, _The Peony Pavillion_, the curious tale of a
girl who pines away after being deflowered in her sleep and who returns from
the grave to haunt the man of her dreams. The Eastern theme continues with the
Shanghai Peking Opera who bring _The Revenge of Prince Zi Dan_, a Chinese
reading of _Hamlet_ (August 12-September 4, [eif.co.uk][72], 0131 473 2000).
**84 Spielberg's War Horse**
The National Theatre's play has been reducing grown men to tears since it
premiered in 2007; Steven Spielberg will bring the First World War story of a
boy and his horse to the big screen with fine British actors such as Emily
Watson and Benedict Cumberbatch (September 9).
**85 Mumford & Sons**
Up for two Grammys in February, Marcus Mumford and co were the big band of
last year. Their second album is rumoured for an autumn release.
**86 A new King Lear**
Tim Pigott-Smith, acclaimed for his performance as Kenneth Lay in Lucy
Prebble's musical _Enron_, takes on the mantle of King Lear at the West
Yorkshire Playhouse (September 22-October 22, [wyp.org.uk][73]; 0113 213
7700).
**87 The next teen thing**
As if life weren't hard enough for teenagers, two of their favourite film
franchises are winding down: the final Harry Potter - _The Deathly Hallows,
Part II _(July 15) - and the first part of the Twilight finale, _Breaking
Dawn_ (November 18). What might replace them? The alien-themed_ I Am Number
Four_ (February 18), a film based on the novel by James Frey is a definite
contender, as is _Red Riding Hood_ (April 15), a new spin on a classic fairy
tale by ex-Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke.
**88 New music**
Marques Toliver, a Brooklyn-based singer/violinist, is straight out of the
Joanna Newsom school of odd combinations. With a soulful voice and great bow
skills, he is preparing a debut album for 2011. Then there's Heathers - a
female duo who look set to follow in the footsteps of Mumford & Sons. They
pack even more of a punch, however, and will bring their raucous live act over
from Ireland. There's also the gipsy-tinged sound of Jil is Lucky; Pete
Lawrie's mercilessly catchy pop-rock; and the dramatic Anna Calvi, who's
already toured with Nick Cave's Grinderman and released the grandiose single
_Jezebel_.
**89 W.E.**
Wannabe English dame, Madonna, revisits the scandal that surrounded the affair
between Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson in her second film as director;
hopefully the release date won't clash with the royal wedding.
**90 Scorsese and Spielberg go 3D**
If you think that 3D is just a passing fad, well, Martin Scorsese and Steven
Spielberg would beg to differ: the veteran directors are both grappling with
the format in 2011. First up is Spielberg's Tintin movie, _The Secret of the
Unicorn_ (October 26), starring Jamie Bell as the intrepid, tufty-haired
reporter. Scorsese makes his first foray into children's films with _Hugo
Cabret_ (December), a turn-of-the-century Parisian tale of an orphan, his late
father and a collection of automata.
**91 Abbado at the Festival Hall **
Claudio Abbado returns to the Festival Hall for the first time in over a
decade, bringing his Lucerne Festival Orchestra in October with two programmes
featuring Bruckner.
**92 The Mummers**
The Mummers are a band for whom the past two years has seen jubilation,
tragedy and every emotion in between. Their 2009 debut, _Tale to Tell_, gained
the band critical praise, but their fairy-tale sound and spirit was soon
tragically overcome by events when keyboardist and arranger Mark Horwood
committed suicide. January sees the release of their first new material since
Horwood's death - the EP _Mink Hollow Road_. It returns to the fanciful
atmosphere of their early records but with added darkness and foreboding.
**93 Chatty men**
The weturn of Jonathan Ross, hosting a new chat show on ITV, should divide the
nation, while Piers Morgan - slipping on the red braces of Larry King -
befuddles our transatlantic cousins with his brand of televisual Marmite.
**94 Leonardo da Vinci: Painter at the Court of Milan**
A blockbuster offering from the National Gallery. With a scholarly catalogue
most definitely not written by Dan Brown, the show will aim to decode the work
of Leonardo's Milanese period, when he was the not-so-humble servant of the
Sforza dynasty. The gallery has been trumpeting 'the most complete display of
Leonardo's rare surviving paintings ever held', and tantalising reference has
been made to 'sensational loans never before seen in the UK'. The billion-
dollar question is whether the Louvre will be lending its most famous, much-
in-need-of-a-clean portrait of a woman smiling, the _Mona Lisa_. According to
information obtained exclusively by _The Sunday Telegraph_ at the very highest
levels of French cultural bureaucracy, the answer is: 'Non' (November
9-February 5, [nationalgallery.org.uk][74], 020 7747 2885).
**95 The Borgias**
All the magic ingredients that made _Spartacus_ great - blood, sex, scenery
chewing - look to be redoubled for Showtime's new series, in which Jeremy
Irons is Rodrigo Borgia, padre of 'The Original Crime Family'.
**96 Gamers' delights**
This spring, the classy-looking _LA Noire _(PS3, Xbox 360) will transport
players into the world of a rookie police officer in Forties Los Angeles.
Nintendo devotees, meanwhile, will get the _Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
_(Wii) and a new console, the 3DS, which promises 3D effects without the use
of special glasses ([e3.nintendo.com/3ds][75]). Sony looks likely to launch
the PSP Phone, too, though it remains tight-lipped about what it'll do.
**97 Return of the Red Hot Chili Peppers**
Almost five years have passed since _Stadium Arcadium_ topped the US and UK
charts, but the Californian funk rockers are hard at work on a new album.
**98 Life's Too Short**
After _The Office _and _Extras_, Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant will hope
to make it a hat-trick of successful sitcoms. Centred around the life of 3ft
6in Warwick Davis, the BBC Two series promises to be as cringe-inducing as its
predecessors.
**99 The space shuttle's last voyage**
After 135 missions in 30 years, Nasa's iconic reusable spacecraft will touch
down for the last time this year. From now on, if you want to go into orbit,
speak to Richard Branson.
**100 Another helping of Great British Television**
Britain's ability to bring countryside idylls and a variety of 'olden days' to
the small screen has never been in doubt, but it's long been accepted that
contemporary, groundbreaking drama is something you import from the US. Not
anymore. A new series of the BBC's much-celebrated _Sherlock Holmes_ -
starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Conan Doyle's sleuth and Martin Freeman as Dr
Watson - is expected to put its Hollywood rival (Guy Ritchie's second Holmes
feature film, due out in December) to shame. Matt Smith's re-energised_ Doctor
Who_ will return in spring, while the Whovian spin-off _Torchwood_ will also
reappear this year. Perhaps the most loved British dramas of recent times,
however, have been _Life on Mars_ and _Ashes to Ashes_, and the writers behind
them have a new project, _Eternal Law_, which is coming soon to ITV.
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