Arts ahead

My Perfect Mind

Unity Theatre

Hope Street

March 5-9

Actor Edward Petherbridge, cast as King Lear, suffered a stroke during rehearsals that left him barely able to move. Yet as he struggled to recover Petherbridge (pictured above, right) discovered that the entire role of Lear still existed word for word in his mind. From being on the brink of playing one of Shakespeare's most revered roles to lying in a hospital bed, he had never imagined what tragedies and comedies lay in store for him. Directed by Kathryn Hunter and performed by Petherbridge and Paul Hunter, this play explores the resilience of the human spirit through the prism of Shakespeare's great tragedy. Tours nationally until April 20.

www.toldbyanidiot.org

Wales In London

English Folk Dance And Song Society

Cecil Sharp House

Regent's Park Road, NW1

March 10

This day-long celebration of Welsh culture combines traditional and contemporary folk dance, song and poetry. There'll be sets throughout the day and evening from high-energy bands like Calan (above), Jamie Smith's Mabon And The Rags and award-winning London based singer-songwriter Jack Harris. Welsh dancing is promised, along with tunes and songs from DnA, Cerdd Cegin, Blanche Rowen and Mike Gulston plus harmony group Parti Cut Lloi. Audience participation as singers or musicians is very welcome too.

www.efdss.org

Jo Spence

Cass School Of Art, Architecture & Design

Whitechapel High Street, E1

March 1-31

Part of Women's History Month in east London which runs throughout March, this exhibition by the late Jo Spence includes images made with The Hackney Flashers collective in the 1970s and her last work, The Final Project from 1991. The show is part of a huge range of events, exhibitions, performances, workshops, broadcasts and film screenings demonstrating the cultural diversity of east London from women's perspective.

www.alternativearts.co.uk

Hidden

People's History Museum

Left Bank

March 9-September 29

The aim of the Hidden project is to recreate the historic scenes involving the dissenters, revolutionaries, radicals and non-conformists who have often been hidden from history and these large scale reimagined photographic tableaux vivants (living pictures) by Red Saunders recreate great moments in the long struggle for rights and representation in Britain. Each scene is carefully planned and lit, using costumed models and together they suggest photographic "evidence" for events that occurred before the widespread adoption of camera technology. Recommended.

www.phm.org.uk