We bring you our guide to living well in the world’s capitals, from exhibitions to cinema, food, drink, fashion, music and beyond. Just call it culture and take it, it’s yours.

LONDON, FRIDAY 7th AUGUST – SUNDAY 9th AUGUST 2015

From Verona to East London

“Two households both alike in dignity in fair Verona/Where we lay our scene/From ancient grudge break to new mutiny/Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean/From forth the fatal loins of these two foes/A pair of star crossed lovers take their life”

Shakespeare penned these lines back in 16th Century England, setting the scene for his ultimate tragic lovebirds, Romeo and Juliet. Fast forward four decades to 1996, when Baz Luhrmann flipped the play on its head, transporting the Montagues and Capulets to Mexico. It comes complete with skinheads, drag queens, designer pistols and a young, floppy haired Leonardo DiCaprio – igniting teenage crushes worldwide.

Odds are that you’ve probably already seen the film, but we doubt you’ve ever watched it on a London rooftop lazing on beanbags with a cocktail in hand. Well that’s what’s on offer this Sunday evening courtesy of Pillow Cinema.

So get down early to choose the comfiest seat, as Shakespeare himself once said, “Better three hours too soon than a minute too late.”

Romeo and Juliet (1996) is being shown at Pillow Cinema al fresco on Sunday 9th August.

No sympathy for the devil; keep that in mind. Buy the ticket, take the ride
Ralph Steadman’s ink splattered illustrations provided the perfect imagery to Hunter S. Thompson’s Gonzo writing, and the cartoonist’s iconic style and zany imagination continues to flourish today.

A new exhibition at the Lazarides Editions Gallery is not only showing over 30 works from from Steadman’s archives, spanning his illustrious career, but there are also four new limited edition prints from the artist’s latest book, Nextinction. The book is a collection of drawings of birds that are on the brink of extinction in collaboration with conservationist Ceri Levy. 

Ralph Steadman, Printin’ Backwuds is at Lazarides Editions,W1T 1HR, until August 13th

Visionary
As festival season approaches it’s annual climax do not fear, for Visions festival is here for the third consecutive year, with another stellar line up.

The one day festival spans six venues across Hackney boasting a bill including HERO favourites Fat White Family, Ho99o9 and Oscar, as well as many other must see acts such as Hinds, Theo Verney and Holy Fuck. Kanye, who?

And on top of all that ear ringing goodness there’ll also be street food, screen print classes, and art exhibitions and installations from local artists.

Visions festival takes place on Saturday 8th August, buy tickets here

“Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t.”
A double dose of updated Shakespeare this week for you. Bagging Benedict Cumberbatch for the role of Hamlet proved to be a masterstroke for Barbican, with tickets selling out left, right and centre. Beginning this weekend and running through to October 31st there are a few ways you can still catch this highly in demand show:

Tactic #1: Head to the Barbican super early and do what us Brits do best, queue, queue, and queue a bit more, as there will be a selection of tickets available on the door each morning. We advise wearing comfy shoes and taking an extra hot flask of coffee with you – you don’t want to fall asleep and some sneaky sod steals your place in the queue. Go hard or go home.

Tactic #2: Wait until October and watch a live broadcast at a cinema near you.

Tactic #3: Don your best Shakespearean getup and try sneak in through the backdoor.

Beg, steal, or borrow. This is a big’un.

Hamlet runs until 31st October at Barbican.

Food for thought
If after all that queuing you find that the person directly in front of you gets the last remaining ticket don’t despair, take a breath and drown your sorrows with a mega chicken burger at Bonfire London, a new bar and restaurant at Barbican.

Spend all the potential Cumberbatch ticket cash on some good grub instead.

Bonfire London is at Barbican on level 1