Replicas, rubber ears and the sacred ring itself – for Tolkien fans this exhibition is a fantasy come true. Boasting more than 650 exhibits, including a 5m replica of a cave troll, Galadriel’s gossamer gown and three of the rings of power, the Lord of the Rings Motion Picture Trilogy Exhibition is a sight to behold. Fans can go behind the scenes of the trilogy’s special effects, come face-to-face with life-size models of gruesome creatures and hear the cast’s insights into the movie-making process. [More]

There was a celebratory mood at the Old Vic during the opening matinee of Sean Mathias’s tremendous production of Aladdin…Ian McKellen first appears as Widow Twankey in a psychedelic, neon-bright fur coat, swinging a lime-green, patent-leather handbag. He looks like Edna Everage’s blushing English first cousin several times removed. He is a shopaholic with a smile as relentlessly switched on as Regent Street’s Christmas lights. [More]