THE EYE: CHOICE: BID FOR A PIECE OF HISTORY

Liz Taylor as Cleopatra, Joan Collins draped in fur, Marilyn Monroe lying down, leaning forward, at home, looking pensive, "with a glass balanced on her knee", "embracing a statue"... The obsessively photographed platinum blonde dominates the galaxy of Hollywood stars going under the hammer in Bonham's Visual Arts Auction on Thursday, although Marlene Dietrich's legs will also be up for grabs in a range of photographs expected to fetch between pounds 400 and pounds 2,000.

Among the famous photographers represented in the exhibition are Eve Arnold (whose eclectic and exquisitely composed character studies show an anthropogical range that takes in everything from Scottish crofters to Malcolm X rallying black Muslims in Washington in 1961), and glamour shooter Cornel Lucas, responsible for the recent portrait of Lord Grade (below right) and whose portrait of Cliff Richard does the impossible - making the young quiffster look mean and dangerous. Other photographic highlights include the first snap of Marilyn in the nude - a rare limited Golden Dreams image taken by Tom Kelley (see front cover), which is expected to command up to pounds 2,000.

Of course, if original art work is more your cup of culture, you might like to pitch for a fragment of a painting from Monet's Waterlily series, a piece of artistic debris that survived Monet's spring cleans of his Provence home (where he'd take unsatisfactory Impressionist dabbles and get his gardener to burn them). Just one problem - the pastel piece will set you back between pounds 20,000 and pounds 30,000.

Bonham's, Montpelier St, Knightsbridge, London (0171-393 3900) Thur 2pm

GET YOUR KICKS

FROM CAPOEIRA

"Of course you can learn a sense of rhythm," says Anthony Early. "Everyone's got a heartbeat, haven't they?" A student at London's School of Capoeira, Early has been practising the Brazilian dance for seven years. In South America, its history goes back to the17th century, when escaped African slaves would head for thick forests called "capoeira", and the word came to symbolise a style of combat. In a country where many lived with their hands chained behind their backs, the dance disguised a fighting technique which used kicks, foot sweeps and leg locks. Little of that violence has filtered through to the London School, although Early admits the combative moves are a form of martial art and that performers are "doing things which could hurt each other". Punters can see the dance in the flesh at tomorrow's Batizado, a celebration featuring international visiting masters and African dance by Ivory Coast company Kaago.

Riverside Studios, Crisp Rd, London W6 (0181-741 2255) tomorrow 4pm to 10pm.

Info: 0171-281 2020

THE BIG BANG

The American government may have put on some good firework displays at Three Mile Island in their time, but Uncle Sam's billowing mushroom clouds will be as nothing compared to the thunderous son et lumiere display planned for East London's Three Mills Island this week. Rick-necked crowds will be assaulted by a million and a half Chinese firecrackers, ground and aerial flares, and a rocket barrage, all lent extra sonic ballast by the thud of massive drums weighing over 1,000 pounds apiece. But this is no mindless misplaced bonfire night. Instead, Rights of Passage (right) aims to explosively bring to light many little known aspects of the Island's history. Directed by Paul Burwell, the event's pyrotechnical time-travel will include dancing gas explosions in memory of Sir William Congreve's rocket factory at Bow Creek and ethereal fire sculptures evoking other characters from the island's past. Although little visited up until now (except for filming purposes - London Bridge is filmed here), Three Mills Island has an intriguing history. Waterpowered mills provided flour for the capital from the 11th century, grinding to a halt only 50 years ago, while for 200 years, the island was also the site of a large gin distillery. As Burwell's display celebrates the Island's Rights of Passage (like so much of the Docklands), from industrial anachronism to heritage sight, visitors will find themselves moving between Dickensian tidal mills, oast houses, waterways and walking trails. So why not party in post-industrial London and paint the sky red?

The Green, Three Mills Island, Bromley-By-Bow, London E3. 15 May, gates open 7pm, show 8.30pm. Information: 01992-702207

TUNING IN TO BATH

Audiences are invited to Rattle, Tickell and Pine at the 48th Bath International Music Festival. As Sir Simon Rattle conducts the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in one corner of the city, Northumbrian piper Kathryn Tickell demonstrates the variegated nature of modern folk, and Courtney Pine will be jazzing up the contemporary horn section in another. This year also sees the festival honouring ground-breaking composer Iannis Xenakis (on his 75th birthday), while highlighting the output of a younger generation as well, such as pianist Rolf Hind performing Paul Newland's Phlegm, Blood and Bile and the work of young British composer Graham Fitkin. Alternatively, check out Tony Benn and folk guitarist Roy Bailey presenting The Writing on the Wall, an Anthology of Dissent in Words and Music, or Austrian Otto Lechner's Fifty Broken Promises, an accordion player (above left) who jams together the influences of cabaret, theatre, folk and jazz. And if that's too rococo for your tastes, head for Downside Abbey, where the monks will indulge in some plainsong in a programme centred around Taverner's Western Wynde Mass, interwoven with Gregorian chants and "followed by tea".

Bath Festival from 16 May to 1 Jun. Booking & info: 01225 463362