Fabulous film and art lectures

Germain Greer, Chris Columbus and Tim Baker are giving lectures in London next week - catch them while you can...

Theatre

Threepenny Opera Tim Baker, director of the Threepenny Opera talks about Brecht and Weill's famous work, and asks what relevance it might have for society today.

Film

Chris Columbus This is the first Orange Word Screenwriters season, a so-called 'festival' which aims to offer Londoners insights into how writing a script translates into the movie. In the first talk, screenwriter Chris Columbus, (The Goonies, Mrs Doubtfire, the Harry Potter films and others) talks about his work, illustrating it with clips from some of his films. Followed by question and answer session.

Art

Kutlug Ataman Turko-British artist and filmmaker Kutlug Ataman is in town this week to promote his solo exhibition at the Serpentine Gallery, which consists of seven film and video installations about individual identity and society. Ataman talks to Irit Rogoff, professor of visual culture at Goldsmiths'. Clore Auditorium, Tate Britain Millbank, SW1 (020-7887 8888). Tue 11 Feb, 6.30pm, £6. Atalam will also give an introductory talk to one of his films, Never My Soul, after which it will be screened. The Other Cinema Rupert Street, W1 (020-7734 1506). Thur 13 Feb, noon, £4. For more information about linked events call 020-7402 6075.

Lord Byron Three events about Lord Byron in conjunction with the current exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery. The first, an all-day affair (Sat 8 Feb, 10am-4.30pm, £30, concs £20) stars Germaine Greer talking about The Inherited Stereotype: Byron And The Image Of The Poet. Other speakers include Dr Peter Cochran on Byron And The Movies, Dr Annette Peach on
Famous In My Time: Publicisation Of Portraits Of Byron, Dr Christine Kenyon Jones on Byron's Body and Tom Mull on Ways Of Seeing. The second (Sun 9 Feb, 3pm, £3, concs £2) features actors Eileen Atkins and Edward Fox reading extracts from Don Juan and some of his other poems. Lastly (Thur 13 Feb, 7pm, £3, concs £2) Sir John Mortimer whose own recent memoir, The Summer Of A Dormouse, was inspired by Byron's own journals, whence the title comes, gives a personal appraisal of Byron's work. Ondaatje Wing Lecture Theatre National Portrait Gallery, 2 St Martins Place, WC2 (020-7312 2463).

Giorgio de Chirico An informal talk based around the Giorgio de Chirico's series of Ariadne paintings, given by Matthew Gale, curator of collections at the Tate Gallery, entitled The Mystery And Melancholy Of Ariadne.

Durer: Drawing and Devotion Neil MacGregor, the new director of the British Museum, gives his first public lecture in the museum on this aspect of the new major exhibition, Albrecht Durer And His Legacy: The Graphic Work Of A Renaissance Artist.

Antony Gormley Antony Gormley is probably best known for his sculpture, 'Angel Of The North'. He talks to Tim Marlow about the inspiration for this and other projects.

Others:

Afghanistan

Sir Martin Ewans discusses the past, present and future of Afghanistan. Royal Over-Seas League Over-Seas Park Place, St James's Street, SW1 (020-7408 0214). Mon 10 Feb, 7pm-8.30pm, free.

Building the Humanities Digital Library Lunchtime lecture with Professor Susan Hockey.

Fame and Shame: Rushdie’s Place in Modern Literature A discussion about the significance and impact of Rushdie's novels on contemporary literature.