What's on in East London and West Essex this weekend, 8th and 9th February, 2020

Macbeth

Three witches on a heath have a disturbing prophecy for a victorious warrior: Macbeth will be king of Scotland. As this wicked seed is planted, daring Macbeth and his determined wife Lady Macbeth draw bloody daggers and set out on a fateful path. But seizing the crown comes at a terrible price, as guilt grows, enemies draw close and the fight for survival hurtles towards a tragic conclusion. This epic and intensely terrifying period version of Shakespeare’s timeless classic warns of the effects of political ambition.

Queen’s Theatre, Billet Lane, Hornchurch, RM11 1QT, Friday, February 7, to Saturday, February 29, various times. Details: 01708 443333 queens-theatre.co.uk

Oliver

The streets of Victorian England come to life as Oliver, a malnourished orphan in a workhouse, becomes the neglected apprentice of an undertaker. Oliver escapes to London and finds acceptance amongst a group of petty thieves and pickpockets led by the cunning Fagin. The Tony and Olivier Award-winning show is one of the few musicals to win an Academy Award for Best Picture and is widely hailed as a true theatrical masterpiece.

Chelmsford City Theatres, Fairfield Road, Chelmsford, CM1 1JG, Thursday, February 6, to Saturday, February 8, various times. Details: 01245 606505 chelmsford.gov.uk

Kerry Goodyear School of Dance Showcase

Consisting of tap, ballet, street dance, singing and musical theatre, children aged between 3 and 18 will showcase their talent and hard work.

Redbridge Drama Centre, Churchfields, South Woodford, E18 2RB, Saturday, February 8, 3pm, and Sunday, February 9, 1pm. Details: 020 8708 8800 redbridgedramacentre.co.uk

Kojo Anim

Join 2019 Britian’s Got Talent Golden Buzzer comedy star Kojo Anim on his debut UK tour. After wowing the judges on BGT as a finalist, Kojo’s ready to hit the road with his new and exciting show. Enjoy as he shares funny observations about life, parenthood and family.

Queen’s Theatre, Billet Lane, Hornchurch, RM11 1QT, Sunday, February 9, 7.30pm. Details: 01708 443333 queens-theatre.co.uk

Radical Figures: Painting in the New Millennium

Since painting was pronounced dead in the 1980s, a new generation of artists has been revitalising the expressive potential of figuration. The paintings of Daniel Richter draw from current events – the migrant crisis or Taliban mythology – as do Michael Armitage’s narratives of politics and violence in East Africa. Nicole Eisenman’s protagonists occupy a brightly lit universe that is both dream and nightmare, while Dana Schutz’s contorted figures give form to unconscious drives. Tala Madani’s primal fantasies of abject men and children shift from comedy to debasement. Sanya Kantarovsky and Ryan Mosley look to art history, literature and children’s stories in their darkly humorous and carnivalesque scenes. Exuberant and explicit, each artist revels in the expressive potential of paint.

Whitechapel Gallery, Whitechapel High Street, E1 7QX, Thursday, February 6, to Sunday, May 10. Details: whitechapelgallery.org

An Introduction to Plant-Whispering

Join poet, folk musician and plant whisperer Jade Cuttle for a fun and fascinating introduction into the peculiar world of plant-whispering for beginners. Study the most breath-taking and bizarre examples of trees and think about the symbolism at play in natural phenomena. Listening to the music of plants and tapping into their wisdom, this workshop will spark exciting discussion about the consciousness of nature and the green world around us.

Queen of Hoxton, 1-5 Curtain Road, EC2A 3JX, Saturday, February 8, 11.30am. Details: queen-of-hoxton.eventcube.io

Heading for Extinction?

The planet is in ecological crisis: we are in the midst of a sixth mass extinction event this planet has experienced. Scientists believe we might have entered a period of abrupt climate breakdown. This is an emergency. How do we propose to deal with it? We feature two speakers: Extinction Rebellion and the Transition movement. XR will share the latest climate science on where our planet is heading, discuss some of the current psychology about climate change and offer solutions through the study of social movements. Transition Leytonstone has been working on local solutions to the climate change issues for the past ten years and is now creating an action plan for the next ten.

St John’s Church Hall, Leytonstone High Road, E11, Saturday, February 8, 8pm. Details: newsfromnowhereweb.wordpress.com

Chinese New Year Family Festival

Celebrate the Year of the Rat at this fun-filled family festival. Listen to classic Chinese folktales, enjoy performances, martial arts demonstrations and create beautiful artworks to take home. This family-friendly weekend is the perfect way to introduce the little ones to the traditions of the New Year and Chinese culture.

Museum of London Docklands, West India Quay, Hertsmere Road, E14 4AL, Saturday, February 8, and Sunday, February 9. Details: museumoflondon.org.uk

Chinese Arts Now

A celebration of performing arts by British-Chinese artists, including film, live performance, kids’ theatre and much more. CAN’s aim is to produce and present to the public work that explores Chinese themes, stories and art forms, and work that blends Chinese and other contemporary art forms.

Various locations, until Sunday, February 23. Details: chineseartsnow.org.uk