What to do in 2014

‡25 ANNUAL CLASSICS

• The Aldeburgh Literary Festival 28 February to 2 March
• Crufts 6 to 9 March 
• Cheltenham Festival 11 to 14 March
• The Grand National 5 April 
• Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race 6 April 
• Royal Windsor Horse Show 14 to 18 May
• Glyndebourne Festival 17 May to 24 August
• RHS Chelsea Flower Show 20 to 24 May
• The Cartier Queen’s Cup 20 May to 15 June
• Hay Festival 22 May to 1 June
• Derby Day, Epsom 7 June
• Trooping The Colour 14 June
• Royal Ascot 17 to 21 June
• The Championships Wimbledon 23 June to 6 July
• Goodwood Festival of Speed 26 to 29 June
• Henley Royal Regatta 2 to 6 July
• RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 8 to 13 July
• The Open Championship 17 to 20 July
• BBC Proms 18 July to 13 September
• Royal International Horse Show 29 July to 3 August 
• Edinburgh Festival Fringe 1 to 25 August
• Cowes Week 2 to 9 August
• Burghley Horse Trials 4 to 7 September
• Goodwood Revival 12 to 14 September
• Cheltenham Literature Festival 3 to 12 October

THEATRE by Georgina Brown

• Wolf Hall, Bring Up The Bodies Hilary Mantel’s gripping historical novels about Thomas Cromwell and the court of Henry VIII on stage. Swan Theatre, Stratfordupon- Avon, from 8 January: 0844-800 1110, www.rsc.org.uk
• The Duchess of Malˆfi Gemma Arterton in the lead role of the revival of Webster’s tragedy, the inaugural production of the indoor Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. Shakespeare’s Globe, from 10 January: 020-7401 9919, www.shakespearesglobe.com
• King Lear Sam Mendes directs Simon Russell Beale in Shakespeare’s tragedy. National Theatre, from 14 Jan: 020-7452 3000, www.nationaltheatre.org.uk
• Happy Days Juliet Stevenson is buried up to her chin in sand in Samuel Beckett’s masterpiece. Young Vic, from 23 January: 020- 7922 2922, www.youngvic.org A Taste Of Honey Lesley Sharp and Kate O’Flynn star in the Shelagh Delaney classic. National Theatre, from 10 February: 020-7452 3000, www.nationaltheatre.org.uk
• Fatal Attraction Stage adaptation of the 1987 thriller following a married man in the aftermath of his in˜ delity. Theatre Royal Haymarket, from 8 March: 020-7930 8800, www.trh.co.uk
• Henry IV, parts I and II Antony Sher is Falsta™ , Jasper Britton is King Henry in the new RSC artistic director’s revival of Shakespeare’s best history plays. Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, Part I from 18 March; Part II from 28 March: 0844-800 1110, www.rsc.org.uk
• A Streetcar Named Desire Tennessee Williams’s play with Gillian Anderson as Blanche DuBois. Young Vic, from June; dates tbc: 020-7922 2922, www.youngvic.org

Dance by Gillian Spickernell

• Sadler’s Wells If you haven’t seen it yet, there’s still time to catch Matthew Bourne’s awardwinning Swan Lake. Until 26 January: 0844-412 4300, www.sadlerswells.com
• The Royal Ballet Petipa’s classic, The Sleeping Beauty, runs from February to April, followed by the world premiere of The Winter’s Tale. Mixed programmes include Victorian melodrama Sweet Violets. Royal Opera House: 020-7304 4000, www.roh.org.uk
• Scottish Ballet Hansel & Gretel continues its Scottish and Irish tour with a score by Engelbert Humperdinck. Romeo & Juliet returns from April to May. Various venues: 0141-331 2931, www.scottishballet.co.uk
• Birmingham Royal Ballet The Prince Of The Pagodas and Penguin Café make a welcome appearance, as well as the ever-popular La Fille Mal Gardée. Various venues: 0121-245 3500, www.brb.org.uk
• English National Ballet Le Corsaire continues its tour. Younger family members will love My First Ballet: Coppélia. Lest We Forget at the Barbican in April commemorates the First World War and there’s Romeo & Juliet at the Royal Albert Hall (June): 020-7581 1245, www.ballet.org.uk
• Northern Ballet Cinderella, Cleopatra and A Midsummer Night’s Dream are on tour as well as the delightful Three Little Pigs. Various venues: 0113-220 8000, www.northernballet.com
• Rambert Dance Company This contemporary dance company tours in the spring with works including Merce Cunningham’s Sounddance and Rooster: 020-8630 0600, www.rambert.org.uk

Film by Fiona Hicks

• The Railway Man Colin Firth plays a former World War Two prisoner of war who, in later life, must come to terms with his harrowing experiences. From 1 January
• I, Frankenstein The corpse-like creature is caught up in a battle between two clans. Bill Nighy stars. From 24 January
• The Monuments Men Second World War drama starring Hollywood heavyweights George Clooney and Cate Blanchett. From 14 February
• Winter’s Tale Romantic fantasy with Russell Crowe and Downton Abbey’s Jessica Brown Findlay. From 21 February
• The Grand Budapest Hotel A tale of the friendship between a concierge and a lobby boy, from famed director Wes Anderson. From 28 February 
• Noah The Biblical story retold, starring Russell Crowe and Harry Potter’s Emma Watson. From 28 March
• X-Men: Days Of Future Past Hugh Jackman returns for the latest in the superhero franchise. From 22 May
• Maleficent Disney reimagines the Sleeping Beauty story from the perspective of the evil villainess Maleficent. From 30 May 
• The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 The third instalment of the popular Hunger Games series, with Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence. From 21 November
• The Hobbit: There And Back Again Bilbo Baggins returns in his quest to reclaim Erebor and the treasure. From 17 December

ART by Sam Taylor

• Turner And The Sea The 120 artworks on display include some of Turner’s most celebrated pieces, from his Royal Academy paintings of the late 1790s to the unfinished, experimental seascapes he produced towards the end of his life. He once had himself lashed to the mast of a ship in order to be able to paint an oncoming storm. It is unlikely that this cleverly constructed tribute to him will ever be equalled. National Maritime Museum, until 21 April: 020-8312 6565, www.rmg.co.uk
• The Great War In Portraits Formal portraits of generals, German expressionistic works, British and German films on the battle of the Somme, as well as images of prisoners of war and soldiers shot for cowardice or desertion, gathered from collections from all over the world. There will also be familiar faces, including the soldier-poet Wilfrid Owen. National Portrait Gallery, London, from 27 February to 15 June: 020-7306 0055, www.npg.org.uk
• Mondrian And His Studio: Abstraction Into The World Dutch abstract artist Piet Mondrian was one of the biggest influences on the modern art world at the beginning of the 20th century. This is what promises to be one of next summer’s biggest exhibitions in a show that will focus on the connection between his work and architecture, with the added benefit of a full-scale reconstruction of his studio. Tate Liverpool, from 6 June to 5 October: 0151-702 7400, www.tate.org.uk

MUSICALS by Richard Barber

• Oh What a Lovely War The Theatre Royal Stratford East is reviving Joan Littlewood’s Oh What a Lovely War in the centenary year of the outbreak of hostilities. From 1 February: 020-8534 0310, www.stratfordeast.com
• I Can’t Sing Written by comedian Harry Hill, I Can’t Sing is an affectionate spoof of The X Factor with Nigel Harman (Anna’s assailant in Downton Abbey) giving us his Simon Cowell at the London Palladium. From 27 February: 0844-412 4655, www.reallyuseful.com 
• Miss Saigon Having taken more in advance bookings in one day than any production in the history of the West End, Miss S is back at the Prince Edward Theatre from 3 May: 0844-482 5151, www.delfontmackintosh.co.uk
• Porgy and Bess This powerful story of love and betrayal is next summer’s open-air offering at Regent’s Park. From 17 July to 23 August: 0844-826 4242, www.openairtheatre.com
• Look out, too, for musical versions of Slumdog Millionaire, Made In Dagenham, Bend It Like Beckham, Bridget Jones (with original music by Lily Allen) and Sandi Toksvig’s take on the life of the peerless Dusty Springfield.
• Dirty Rotten Scoundrels A musical comedy with Robert Lindsay, based on the hit film about two conmen on the French Riviera. From 10 March at The Savoy Theatre: 0844-871 7687, www.savoytheatre.org