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THE SHOW ?I like large parties. They’re so intimate. At small parties there isn’t any privacy.? This famous line from F Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby may well apply at Alexander Wright’s immersive adaptation of the seminal Jazz Age novel, as it shimmies and smoulders across all the nooks and crannies of Dublin’s Gate Theatre. It stars Paul Mescal as Jay, Charlene McKenna as Daisy – and I’m already drooling at the mere thought of Peter O’Brien’s costumes. In a Gate theatre first, seats will be removed from the auditorium to help create a proscenium-free party atmosphere, while cocktails will be served to audiences dressed in 1920s-style glad rags. Dress fancy or stay home. Previews from tonight, and runs until September 16. gatetheatre.ie
THE HOTEL Channel your inner A-lister at Hollywood Proper Residences, which has just introduced four wish new penthouses. Depending on how long you want to be in LA – indefinitely? – there’s the choice of furnished and unfurnished apartments, each equipped with top-end appliances, an achingly cool combination of vintage and contemporary furniture and blockbuster, floor-to-ceiling views of the Columbia Square neighbourhood. livehollywoodproper.com
THE EXHIBIT For the first time ever, the works of American artist Chuck Close are on display in a solo show in Britain’s north-east. Renowned for his monumental, close-up portraits rendered in paint and print, Close’s new works follow the same style and composition, except they are – here’s the twist – woven tapestries. Barack Obama and artist Cindy Sherman feature in this six-piece installation in St Cuthbert’s Chapel on the historic Ushaw estate in Durham until September 30. ushaw.org
THE LIDO Situated across two hectares of land across Santa Monica State Beach in California, Annenberg Beach House is nothing short of storied. Originally developed for actress Marion Davies by her beau William Randolph Hearst in the 1920s, it has evolved to become a community public pool that still maintains original oh-so-glam features. The complex also includes a children’s play area, canopies and beds, as well as beach courts for volleyball and football. Or – cool off in the Marion Davies Guesthouse, where art exhibitions and cultural activities run throughout the year. annenbergbeachhouse.com
THE SCENT Are fashion brands finally copping on to travel-size fragrances or is Miu Miu Mini L?Eau Bleue Eau de Parfum at 20ml an anomaly? Hopefully not. Its teeny, beautifully designed bottle is the perfect size for hand luggage, taking up very little space in those pesky plastic bags at airport security. Inhale those fresh notes of Lily of the Valley, Honeysuckle and akigalawood on your minibreak and enjoy. €44.50.