Taking London's Pulse: Vauxhall was once a pleasure-seeker's paradise. In the past decade, the area best known as a transport thoroughfare again became a pull for the party people. Meanwhile, neighbour Battersea attracted the yuppie overspill from across the Thames... more
Roll over, Jackie Collins. Showgirl Immodesty Blaize's new "bonkbuster" novel, Tease (Ebury), lifts the lid on burlesque - a world of 18in corsets, jewelled merkins, bawdy humour and camp cabaret... more
One prides itself on the freedom to experiment, thinking differently and individuality. The other represents a slice of the solid values of middle England - a slice of jam sponge, that is... more
In our last extract from her inspiring new book Sheila Hancock revelas how she finally found peace after the death of her husband John Thaw - and made a life-changing decision.... more
As a 20-year old dancer, I invented my alter ego, Lavish. I was dancing in heels every night in La Cage Aux Folles - a musical about drag queens - so a glamorous, female alter ego was a fitting way for me to shine.... more
Entertainment ... My Arts! might land soft punches on obvious targets, but at 30 minutes and a fiver a pop it is hardly fleecing fans in terms of time or wallet.... more
A seriously weird American family, inventive stand-up Dan Antopolski and two successful acts returning from Edinburgh make up Bruce Dessau's comedy picks.... more
Guess who said this a few years back: "Svengalis holding talent searches, finding a girl who looks right and can carry a tune, then figuring out a way to market her. I really don't know where we're going with the world."... more
Bruce Dessau previews the best comedy shows in London, including performance art pranksters Noble & Silver and John Hegley's return to Hackney for a show compered by Julian Clary.... more
Rufus Wainwright amps up the campometer to 11 in his new show, which even includes Rising Damp's Miss Jones. Sell a relative to get a ticket, says John Aizlewood.... more
Listing ex-lovers, proposing Kylie For Pope and singing about Dick Cheney's wife locking eyes with Saddam, Taylor Mac has the gay, cross-dressing, ukelele-strumming satirist's market cornered.... more
If Boy George had illusions about just how far he has slipped, Koko's closed top tier and a hardly heaving dancefloor would have soon dispelled them, says John Aizlewood.... more
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
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