Whose Sari Now?

Bold and powerful theatre that takes you beyond the Bollywood wet sari! By turns funny and poignant, five characters share their sari tales; from an old Asian woman whose saris are like her second skin, a young mother giving birth in a war zone wrapping her twin babies in her wedding sari, a Malaysian historian connects the sari with mythology, a transgender reflects on his girlfriend’s sari obsession, a low caste weaver and a character who contemplates the sari in her final hours.

Theatre Royal Stratford East, Gerry Raffles Square, E15 1BN, Thursday, November 24, to Saturday, December 17. Details: 020 8534 0310

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

Hamlet

Flute Theatre Company’s critically-acclaimed adaptation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet comes to the intimate space of Trafalgar Studios 2 this December in a co-production with English Touring Theatre. This thrilling and bold production makes its West End premiere after wowing audiences across Europe.

Flute Theatre’s Hamlet delves deep into the divided self of the protagonist. The unique company of just six actors keep the essence of Shakespeare’s tragedy, condensing the action into the single, bloody night of Hamlet’s mother’s wedding. By dawn only a gravedigger will be alive… This is Hamlet as you’ve never seen before.

Trafalgar Studios, 14 Whitehall, SW1A 2DY, Tuesday, December 6, to Saturday, December 31. Details: atgtickets.com/shows

East London and West Essex Guardian Series: DANGER A Chinese lantern

Magical Lantern Festival

London’s annual Magical Lantern Festival is back, with an all-new show transforming historic Chiswick House Gardens into a fairytale world of light sculptures, Chinese arts, virtual reality, games and food with a funfair and 600 square metre ice rink.

The restored 18th century gardens in West London will see its 65 acres packed with more than 50 illuminated, brand new installations, celebrating the Chinese New Year of the Rooster, its London host and this year’s theme, The Silk Road, including a 15-metre illuminated sculpture of the Houses of Parliament, a full-size replica of the ship that Chinese Admiral Zheng used on his trade explorations, and an ambitious, lantern adventure across the Silk Road, through Europe, Asia, Arabia, Egypt, Persia, India and Ancient China.

Chiswick House Gardens, W4 2QN Thursday, January 19, to Sunday, February 26. Details: magicallantern.uk/london