Dear Player, here we are with a slimmed down, bite-sized edition of our haut insider culture picks. This is our final one for 2022. We'll be back with more recommendations from our culture partners as well as our own Guest Editors in 2023 - we can't wait!

But first, we have a few ticket competitions for our cinema loving readers. We're talking about Ailey, the award winning film chronicling Alvin Ailey, the trailblazing American choreographer. We also have tickets to see Rashomon at the BFI Southbank, a 1950's classic from Akira Kurosawa - considered to be his international breakthrough film, an innovatively structured, multi-perspective whodunnit. To recieve our next bulletin full of insider culture tips, free tickets, and editorial, sign up for free here.

Everyone likes a good old sing-a-long at this time of year. We have two musical reviews from writer Kerenza Evans who tells us about Dolly Parton's A Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol (until 8 Jan, Southbank Centre), and also Show Stopper! The Improvised Musical (on tour, nationwide).

Our final Guest Editor of 2022 is Gbolahan Obisesan, writer and Artistic Director of one of London's post-pandemic venues, Brixton House. 

Gbolahan has teamed up with the multi-award-winning theatre company Poltergeist to adapt Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland (until 31 December, Brixton House) - giving it a brilliantly modern spin. Yep, this is our tip for an alternative, cosmopolitan, and family friendly Christmas show, taking you underground via the Victoria line to experience the Queen, the Cheshire Cat, and all those characters we've grown to adore. 

Read Gbolahan's Run Riot interview with writer Natalie Knowlton, here.

Well, dear player, thanks for all your support this year. Happy Festivities to you, and Happy New Year! We'll write again in January. Bottoms up! RR x