What's On: Entertainment Previews

GIG
Madonna, The O2 arena

It's the norm when writing about Madge to squeeze as many of her song titles into the text as possible.

So here goes. The material girl will be bringing a ray of light to The O2 this week as her Sticky And Sweet tour rolls into town.

Despite constantly changing her image and attracting some criticism for adopting African children she's seldom out of vogue.

Now 50, she's an old hand at getting into the groove be it for performances of classic hit Like A Virgin or for tracks taken from latest album Hard Candy.

Her forthcoming shows are likely to feature plenty of both.

July 4-5, 7.30pm, £65-£175, 0844 856 0202, theo2.co.uk, Jubilee: North Greenwich

GIG
James Taylor, The O2 arena

He's sold more than 40million albums, won five Grammys and is one of the men most likely to be the subject of Carly Simon's You're So Vain.

And now Sweet Baby James is coming to The O2 to sing a bunch of songs written by other people.

Promoting his forthcoming album Covers, which (you guessed it) is a collection of songs Taylor did not pen, the singer-songwriter will perform a selection of ditties including Hound Dog, Wichita Lineman and Road Runner.

Of course Taylor's biggest hit to date - You've Got A Friend - was also a cover. It remains to be seen if these are as good.

July 6, 6.30pm, £50, 0844 856 0202, theo2.co.uk, Jubilee: North Greenwich

STAGE
Naked Splendour, Hackney Empire

People attending this rather unusual performance should be prepared to get a little artistic.

Sketch pads and drawing materials will be provided on the door for those keen to record the musings of Philip Herbert in the most appropriate way.

Why? Well because he's been a life model for more than 30 years and will be appearing as nature intended to offer what effectively amount to his memoirs.

We're promised anecdotes aplenty - cold rooms, stroppy students and difficult tutors - all delivered from a number of different poses.

July 3, 7pm, 9pm, £12.50 (£10.50), 020 8985 2424, hackneyempire.co.uk, Rail: Hackney

STAGE
Something Wicked This Way Comes, Greenwich Playhouse

The phrase "good vs evil" can be used to sum up a vast number of plays in the most simplistic fashion imaginable.

But not this one. This one's is simply, well, "evil".

Those heading down to Greenwich Playhouse for this production should take care for it features the worst of the worst from Shakespeare's plays.

Macbeth's witches conjure forth a succession of characters from the bard's plays with the aim of investigating evil.

Iago, Shylock, Angelo and Edmund, they're all here.

Whether their evil will make any sense without a counterpoint, who knows?

July 7-12, various times £12 (£10), 020 8858 9256, galleontheatre.co.uk, DLR: Greenwich