London Scene: The must-sees of London's stage and screen this week

Laugh, or the polar bear gets it | COMEDY

In aid of the Friends Of The Earth charity, this comedy benefit stars the esteemed talents of Stewart Lee (right), irony-fan Ed Byrne, cock-fan Richard Herring, Edinburgh complaint letter-writer Danny Bhoy, Canadian wild man Tony Law and music from beatboxing star Beardy Man. Think of the cuddly polar bears for god’s sake. 

Hammersmith Apollo |  £25+  
45 Queen Caroline Street, W6 9QH. Nov 22.
Tube | Hammersmith 
foe.co.uk/events 
 

By Royal Appointment | EXHIBITION

What could be more fitting to see out the end of this year than an exhibition which simultaneously celebrates both the Queen’s style and elegance, and that of British fashion in general? The sumptuous couture of royal designers to Her Maj, Norman Hartnell, Hardy Amies, and Frederick Fox are given centre stage.

Fashion and Textile Museum |  £7+ 
83 Bermondsey Street, SE1 3XF. Until Feb 23.
Tube | London Bridge 
ftmlondon.org 
 

Daddy Long Legs | THEATRE

Managing to stay just the right side of saccharine, this likeable small-scale 2009 musical-romance arrives in London with the original American cast of two intact. Based on Jean Webster’s century-old epistolary novel, it exudes period charm, lightly spiced by heroine Jerusha Abbott’s independence of spirit. LK

St James Theatre |  £30+
21 Palace Street, SW1E 5JA. Until Dec 8.  
Tube | Victoria 
stjamestheatre.co.uk  
 

Gambit | FILM

Alan Rickman gets naked, Colin Firth gets punched in the face a whole bunch of times and Cameron Diaz is the all-southern cowgal at the centre of their crafty art-stealing conspiracy. Scripted by the Coen brothers, this quirky and offbeat caper is loaded with the sort of one-liners and oddball characters not seen since
the brothers’ Burn After Reading.

 On general release Nov 21 
 

People | THEATRE

At 78, playwright Alan Bennett has become
as much of an institution as the English stately homes that are the subject of his latest work, a frequently funny if loosely shaped satire. Like his smash hit The History Boys, it bemoans the passing of old values, but without the same freshness and verve. LK

Lyttelton Theatre at the National Theatre |  £12+ 
South Bank, SE1 9PX. Until Apr 2.
Tube | Waterloo 
nationaltheatre.org.uk