Evening Standard - Entertainment

Whitney Houston was dead before she went under the water

David Gardner and Louise Jury — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 12:26:10 GMT

Singer Whitney Houston died from a mix of drugs and alcohol - and did not drown in her hotel bath, according to reports

Iron Lady Meryl's gift to feminism

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 12:01:04 GMT

Margaret Thatcher inadvertently helped fund a new National Women's History Museum in Washington DC

A Hackney hero scoops his first Bafta

Louise Jury and Alistair Foster — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:57:24 GMT

Adam Deacon, the east London star of gritty low-budget dramas spoke of his thrill at officially hitting the big time

Gregory Porter, Pizza Express Jazz Club - review

Jack Massarik — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:46:21 GMT

Male jazz vocalists of real talent have never been abundant, so good things are forecast for Gregory Porter, an outsize singer-actor unknown until recently outside Broadway and off-Broadway stage circles

The Tales of Hoffmann/ENO, Coliseum - review

Barry Millington — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:27:30 GMT

Richard Jones's inspired new production mixes a potent cocktail of image and reality, illusions and fantasies, with his trademark surreal humour

Shadow Dancer - review

Derek Malcolm — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:22:26 GMT

Berlin Film Festival: Films about the Irish troubles may have limited appeal at the box-office but James Marsh's Shadow Dancer deserves to break through prejudices more than most

The King's Speech, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre - review

Henry Hitchings — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:11:46 GMT

While it's easy to quibble about whether a stage version of The King's Speech is necessary, the results are satisfying

British artists hold their own at Picasso show

Louise Jury, Chief Arts Correspondent — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 09:47:20 GMT

The best British artists hold their own against Pablo Picasso even though he remains the single most influential figure of 20th century art

Triumph for Adele as she finds her voice on tragic night at the Grammys

Louise Jury and David Gardner — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:08:10 GMT

Adele made a triumphant return after vocal cord surgery to win a record six Grammy Awards

The Artist dominates the Baftas as Meryl Streep wins best actress

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 07:55:52 GMT

Silent film The Artist made a big noise at the Bafta film awards winning seven, including Best Film, Leading Actor and Best Director

Hot tickets: weekend gigs, exhibitions and comedy

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:19:44 GMT

What to do and where to go this weekend...

In the Land of Blood and Honey, Berlin Film Festival - review

Derek Malcolm — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:58:18 GMT

No one could complain of a lack of audacity in Angelina Jolie's first film as director. It's a very brave and far from obviously commercial effort, from a film-maker who clearly knows what she's doing behind the camera

Absent Friends, Harold Pinter Theatre - review

Henry Hitchings — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:39:05 GMT

First night: Absent Friends makes grief funny - a rare feat. And although Alan Ayckbourn's 1974 play is a period piece, its sharp understanding of psychology feels up-to-date

James Morrison, Hammersmith Apollo - review

John Aizlewood — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:34:59 GMT

Like everyone who doesn't quite understand how to harness their gifts, Morrison sometimes looked lost. But when he let himself go, the big stage was his. Things may get more fascinating still

The Black Keys, Alexandra Palace - review

Rick Pearson — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:13:22 GMT

Clattering drums and raw guitar riffs - in our era of airbrushing and auto-tuning, this Ohio duo are a definitive argument for keeping things rugged and real

I'm afraid of falling flat on my face, says Oscar hope Jessica Chastain

Alistair Foster, Showbusiness Correspondent — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:07:11 GMT

US star has capped a hugely successful 12 months by earning a nomination for best supporting actress at the Oscars

Yayoi Kusama, Tate Modern - review

Ben Luke — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:59:29 GMT

Yayoi Kusama's polka dots have become so ubiquitous on the global art scene that they have, to an extent, suffocated her own history

La Traviata, Upstairs at Gatehouse - review

Kireon Quirke — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:37:53 GMT

Here's a repertoire standard relocated and sexed up for a modern, Basque-obsessed audience

CDs of the week: Emeli Sande, Speech Debelle and Field Music

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:15:22 GMT

Our critics guide you through the week's best new releases...

Flame and glory: Rammstein set to light up London

David Smyth — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:47:29 GMT

Sound check: German industrial metal band Rammstein literally play with fire in their live performances - and now they are about to unleash their singeing spectacle on London. Watch out for your eyebrows

The Muppets - review

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:23:32 GMT

Though rather too long and more than a bit uneven, this film reminds us that this insane group of toys are capable of wit and sophistication as well as farcical comedy

The Woman In Black - review

Derek Malcolm — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:12:00 GMT

James Watkins's film, which looks good, is a ghost story as much as a horror movie and yields up its secrets at an even pace. It all works reasonably well but it lacks real punch

A Dangerous Method - review

David Sexton — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:03:12 GMT

Film of the week: Keira Knightley dazzles as the young patient who sparked Freud and Jung's intense rivalry in David Cronenberg's pyscho drama

Pitt Cue Co (Soho) - review

Victoria Stewart — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:43:20 GMT

From BBQ trailer to Soho restaurant, Pitt Cue Co is a foodie talking point on Twitter, and a glutton's paradise

The Floating Palace, Barbican - review

David Smyth — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:28:07 GMT

Supergroups might be more highly regarded if they followed the blueprint laid down by Robyn Hitchcock's wide-ranging crew - existing for one night only and playing songs we already like