Recommendations

Season of fruitfulness

The critics GARDENS The number of gardens open to visitors falls off markedly in October but Kent remains fruitful territory. For example, Stoneacre, which is a Tudor house, owned by the National Trust at Otham near Maid- stone, is open until 28 October, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, from 2 – 5 p.m. This garden has been restored by Rose- mary Alexander, a well-known garden designer who is the forceful principal of the English Gardening School at the Chelsea Physic Garden. Ursula Buchan DANCE Dance Umbrella 95 opens with double bills of solo work by much admired performers from Britain and America, till 21 October (ICA, 0171 930 3647).

If you prefer group action, try Merce Cunningham's breath-taking cyber-dancers, either at Riverside Studios, 24 – 26 Octo- ber (0181 741 2255), or Sadler's Wells, 28 29 October (0171 713 6000).

Jann Parry OPERA Rusalka London Coliseum 17, 24, 27 Octo- ber. Glorious Dvorak fairy-tale opera in David Pountney's classic production, with a strong cast and the excellent Richard Hick- ox conducting (0171 632 8300).

Jenufa. Grand Theatre, Leeds, from 11 October. Janacek's searing first master- piece, directed by Tom Cairns for Opera North, with Josephine Barstow as the Kostelnicka. (0113 245 9351).

Giitterdammeruhg. Royal Opera House, from 14 October. Final instalment of the controversial Richard Jones production of Wagner's Ring. (0171 304 4000) Owen Wingrave. Glyndebourne, from 19 October. GTO begins its season with Robin Phillips's new production of the least performed of Britten's later operas. Time for a reassessment of its disputed merits? (01273 812321). Rupert Christiansen THEATRE The Maitlands (Orange Tree, Richmond from 13 October, 0181 940 3633). Once again rediscovering a dramatist that the National and other better-subsidised the- atres should have got around to years ago, the Orange Tree turns back to Rodney Ackland's contemporary Ronald Macken- zie, and a 1934 family drama in which Giel- gud scored an early hit.

The Master Builder (Theatre Royal Hay- market from 13 October, 0171 930 8800). Alan Bates and Gemma Jones lead for the Peter Hall all-stars in Ibsen masterpiece. Son of Man (Barbican Pit from 17 October, 0171 638 8891). RSC obit-tribute to Dennis Potter is his alternative gospel show.

A Patriot for Me (Barbican from 18 Octo- ber, 0171 638 8891). RSC obit-tribute to John Osborne is his gay debut, following dubious posthumous outing.

Sheridan Morley POP MUSIC Squeeze (touring until 27 October). In the midst of a well publicised renaissance in British pop, Squeeze's continuing semi- obscurity remains a bit of a mystery. Yet Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook, used to being underrated by both fickle public and trend-crazed press, have quietly amassed a back catalogue of stunning depth and tune- fulness. Not to be missed.

Marcus Berkmann CINEMA Braveheart (`15', selected cinemas). Mel Gibson takes off his trousers and rewrites Scottish history. American critics accused the film of homophobia, but were unper- turbed by the outrageous Sassenachphobia. Still, Englishmen with a guilt complex will enjoy it, as will Scotsmen with a kilt com- plex.

Nine Months (`15', selected cinemas).Hugh Grant's latest picture, not his gaol sen- tence.

The Bridges of Madison County (`12', select- ed cinemas). Meryl Streep goes Italian, as a Midwestern Gina Lollobrigida genially lolling by the bridges. But it's Clint East- wood's movie. For anyone who believes duff source material makes the best films, here's one that proves it in spades.

The Young Poisoner's Handbook (`15', selected cinemas). Exquisitely detailed evo- cation of the awfulness of lower middle class English suburbia in the 60s — though it raises the question of whether you can ever have a successful film industry which despises the culture it lives in. Mark Steyn EXHIBITIONS Death, Passion and Politics: Van Dyck's Por- traits of Venetia Stanley and George Digby. Van Dyck painted the Caroline courtesan and beauty Venetia Stanley in life, death and allegorical apotheosis. This exhibition will examine those beautiful and poignant pictures, and others of her mourning hus- band, Sir Kenhelm Digby and his brother. Dulwich Picture Gallery, London SE1, 18 October to 14 January 1996.

Carrington: the Exhibition. Dora Carrington was a painter of considerable, though largely unfulfilled, promise; but the most exuberant, and enjoyable, things on show `Well, you wanted me to buy a "halfivay decent" outfit.' are the wallpapers, illustrated letters, furni- ture, ceramics, and reconstructed interiors — including Lytton Strachey's library. Bar- bican Art Gallery, London EC2 until 10 December.

Africa: The Art of a Continent. It may be debateable whether there is any artistic unity in the many cultures of Africa, or indeed whether many of the exhibits were intended by their makers as art. Nonethe- less, this promises to be a beautiful and revealing blockbuster of a show. Royal Academy, London W1, until 21 January.

Martin Gayford CRAFTS The Paul Smith exhibition at the Design Museum sounds fun — a humourous but hagiographic look at the life and times of the Nottingham fashion designer who emerges, in the title of the exhibition, as a True Brit. The Chelsea Crafts Fair runs from 17 – 22 October in Chelsea Old Town Hall. Beautiful plain things have to be searched for, but look out for Edmund de Waal's ceramics and Angela Bielenberg's jewellery and much else. Background at the 'Diorama Gallery, 34 Osnaburgh Street shows new work by Paul Astbury from 11 October – 3 November. He had operated these long years as a sculptor but is cate- gorised as a ceramicist. Result — no review or critical attention. He deserves a big cheer for bravery in the defiance of cate- gories. Tanya Harrod