The Critics: Critics ' Choice

Art

CHARLOTTE MULLINS

Rembrandt by Himself

National Gallery, WC2 (0171 747 2885) to 5 Sept

Sixty self-portraits by the 17th-century Dutch master.

1999 NatWest Prize

Lothbury Gallery, EC2 (0171 726 1642) to 27 Aug

Includes the pounds 26,000 winner Jason Brooks. See feature, page 1.

As Dark as Light

St Ives International (01736 333024) to 31 Oct

Ambitious exhibition inspired by the 11 August eclipse.

Opening this week

Alexander Thomson: The Unknown Genius

The Lighthouse, Glasgow (0141 287 7346) Fri to 22 Aug

Opening exhibition of the flagship project of Glasgow 1999: UK City of Architecture and Design.

The Value of

Courtauld Gallery, WC2 (0171 848 2549) Thurs to 30 Aug

Fifteen pairs of unlabelled work - which of the two is worth more and why?

Film

ANTONIA QUIRKE

Human Traffic (18)

This is a funny, wise film, as alive to the attractions of drugs as it is to their associated problems.

A Simple Plan (15)

Sam Raimi's film stars Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thornton as brothers who find $4m.

Opening on Friday The Mummy (12)

Hurrah! Indiana-type

Valley of the Kings adventure. Rogue Trader (15)

Ewan McGregor and Anna Friel in a biopic of the fall of Barings slayer Nick Leeson.

The Debt Collector (15)

With Billy Connolly and Ken Stott.

Theatre

ROBERT BUTLER

Troilus and Cressida

Olivier, SE1

(0171 452 3000) in rep to July

Trevor Nunn's magnificent staging of Shakespeare's bitter take on the Trojan Wars.

The Real Thing

Donmar Warehouse, WC2 (0171 369 1732) to 7 Aug

Stephen Dillane and Jennifer Ehle in David Leveaux's sexy revival of Stoppard.

Opening this week

Perfect Days Vaudeville, WC2 (0171 836 9987) Mon to 25 Sept Liz Lochhead's comedy transfers to the West End, with Siobhan Redmond in the lead.

Ricky Jay and his 52 Assistants Old Vic, SE1 (0171 928 7616) Tues to 17 July The remarkable sleight-of-hand artist arrives in London for only 20 performances. Directed by David Mamet.

Opera

MICHAEL WHITE

Garsington Festival Garsington, nr Oxford (01865 361636) to 11 July David Fielding directs Strauss's Die Liebe der Danae, Sat.

Opening this week

Longborough Festival Opera Longborough, nr Stow-on-the-Wold (01451 830292) Fri to 17 July ENO voices in reduced-scale shows of Wagner's Rheingold and Walkure.

Concerts

MICHAEL WHITE

Wardour Festival Wiltshire (01747 8208722) to 27 June Including Richard Rodney Bennett's children's opera, All the King's Men.

Spitalfields Festival Christ Church, E1 (0171 377 1362) to 30 June Highlight: Christ Church Oxford Choir sing Bach, Wed.

Hampstead & Highgate Festival

Various venues, London (0171 435 9910) to Sat

New venture, with a Rautavaara premiere, Tues.

Opening this week:

City of London Festival Various venues, London (0171 638 8891) Tues to 15 July Brahms's German Requiem in St Paul's Cathedral, Wed.

Dance

JENNY GILBERT

Traboule

Highbury Fields, N5 (0171 689 0200) today to 27 June

The latest physical-theatre circus from France.

Rambert Dance Co

Theatre Royal, Norwich (01603 630000) Thurs to Sat

Triple bill including a new revival of the Christopher Bruce classic, Ghost Dances.

Swan Lake

Royal Albert Hall, SW7 (0171 589 8212) to Sat, then touring

Derek Deane's in-the-round staging for ENB.