Arts and Entertainment

The Hackney Empire – ‘the most beautiful theatre in London’ (Guardian) – is presenting its annual pantomime, which will run until 12 January. Dick Whittington and His Cat is directed by the doyenne of panto, Susie McKenna, and stars the Olivier Award-winning Clive Rowe as the dame. ‘Think Jack Sparrow meets Indiana Jones with more than a hint of ‘Hairspray’ in Medieval London’. Phew.  On 16 December the Empire is staging the Hackney Proms (see page 19) at 11.30am, followed at 3pm by stage illusionist Paul Kieve. Box Office 020 8985 2424, www.hackneyempire.co.uk.

The Rio Cinema is showing three blockbusters over the festive period.
7-13 December. The Darjeeling Limited (15) dir. Wes Anderson. Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, Jason Schwartzman, Amara Karan, Wally Wolodarsky, Angelica Huston. A year after their father's funeral, three estranged American brothers set off across India on the train of the title with a plan to find themselves, re-connect with each other, and perhaps find reconciliation with their mother, now living in a remote convent. A captivating comedy.
14 -20 December. The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford (15) dir. Andrew Dominik. Brad Pitt, Casey Affleck, Sam Rockwell, Paul Schneider, Jeremy Renner, Sam Shepard, Garret Dillahunt, Mary-Louise Parker, Zooey Deschanel, Ted Levine, James Carville, Nick Cave. With two extraordinary central performances, stunning visuals and a courageous script, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is the year's most compelling piece of psychological drama.
21 December-3 January. I’m Not There (15) dir. Todd Haynes. Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Richard Gere, Heath Ledger, Marcus Carl Franklin, Ben Wishaw. It's not only the times that are a-changing in Todd Haynes’ portrait of the life of Bob Dylan. Six different actors, from Richard Gere to Cate Blanchett, play six different variations on the life of the music legend: 11 year old African-American, antiestablishment poet, New York protest singer, womanising actor, sixties icon, ageing recluse.
020 7241 9410, www.riocinema.org.uk

The Arcola Theatre has a kids’ show running till 22 December in the late morning and early afternoon. Quicksilver Theatre presents Upstairs in the Sky, the story of Princess Veronica and her search for grandfather King Jim. Between 10 and 15 December at 8.15 at the theatre is a double-hander, Tales from the Underground. The first play, Birth of a Blues, is a satire on a white journalist meeting a legendary blues singer busking on the subway, while the second, Dutchman, is an encounter on the subway between a young black man and a seductive white woman. 020 7241 9410, www.arcolatheatre.com.

As usual, there’s a lot going on at the Geffrye Museum, including Christmas Past, 400 Years of Seasonal Traditions in English Homes, the museum’s annual exhibition, which runs until 6 January. Every year, the museum’s period rooms are decorated in authentic festive style, giving visitors a vivid and evocative impression of Christmas celebrations in English homes over the past four centuries. This year’s accompanying programme of events will focus on 20th century festivities. On 6 January there is AFarewell to Christmas between 4 and 5pm (free admission), the Geffrye’s annual Twelfth Night celebrations in the garden. Festivities include the burning of the holly and the ivy, stories about Epiphany, carol singing, and a taste of mulled wine and Twelfth Night cake. 020 7793 9893, www.geffrye-museum.org.uk