ONE: Celebrating William Gladstone in the park

A PLAY in Gladstone Park will celebrate the life of the four-time Prime Minister it is named after, whose birthdat bicentenary is this year.

The al fresco performance, beginning at 2pm and 5pm, on both days this weekend, talks about William Gladstone, the Liberal MP who was born in 1809, and who often retreated to his Dollis Hill House to get away from the travails of Westminster politics. Martin Redston, chairman of Brent Arts Trust, said: "It's full of interesting facts, fun, music and dancing. It's being performed outdoors and starts in the middle of the park and promenades up towards the house.

"The crowd follows the cast and the route Gladstone would have taken on his strolls around the grounds. It features an amalgam of professional and community actors and musicians."

The specially-commissioned family-friendly show, penned by Amy Bonsall and Michael Redston, is free and lasts 90 minutes.

What? Play about William Gladstone

Where? Outside The Stables Gallery and Arts Centre,Gladstone Park,Dollis Hill Lane, Dollis Hill

When? 2pm and 5pm, on Saturday and Sunday, July 11 and 12

Cost? Free

See: Art gallery on 020 8452 8655

TWO: Concert of love

A VOCAL group features a tenor who sang at Pinner Parish Church as a boy. He is to star in a charity concert in North Harrow. Voices of Cambridge Ensemble (VOCE) will return to St Alban's Church in The Ridgeway on Saturday for a concert called If Love Now Reigned.

The evening will include music by Bruckner, Byrd, Barnard, Tavener and Henry VIII.

VOCE began life 12 years ago as a group of friends who had been students together at Trinity College, Cambridge, and sang together there in the chapel choir.

Nicholas Yates, now a family law barrister, is manager of VOCE, as well as being a tenor in the group. He grew up in Pinner and sang in the parish church there as a boy chorister.

Proceeds from the concert will be shared between the international health charity PHI (Partnerships in Health Information) and the Mayor of Harrow's chosen charity, Easy Riders Wheelchair Project.

What? Voices of Cambridge Ensemble

Where? St Alban's Church, The Ridgeway, North Harrow

When? Saturday, July 11, at 7.30pm

Cost? Tickets are £9 (£7 concessions) and are available at the door

Contact: 020 8429 1383

THREE: Comic Jimmy Carr

JIMMY Carr is working on new material for his national tour this year, so you lot can be the guinea pigs.

A great chance to see the birth of a joke, as Carr - quite literally - tries a new one on the audience from a scrap of paper.

A bit like seeing the birth of a star through the Hubble telescope, or not.

The TV and radio presenter and stand-up will be warming up his routine of deadpan, satirical and dark humour.

You saw it here first.

Over-16s only.

What? Jimmy Carr - Work in Progress

Where? Beck Theatre, Hayes

When? Monday, July 13, at 8pm

Cost? £13

See: www.becktheatre.org.uk

FOUR: The best hits from Hollywood musicals

THE best hits from Hollywood musicals will be performed by Connaught Opera.

The Gems of the Silver Screen, an hour-long afternoon concert, will feature fun, frivolous songs, easily recognisable by the over-60s.

Singers Maria Arakie and Glenn Wilson, accompanied by pianist Carol Wells, will perform numbers from the cinematic versions of musicals such as South Pacific, The King And I, Oklahoma and a medley from Guys And Dolls.

An eternally-popular medley of songs from Walt Disney animations rounds off the bill. Ms Arakie said: "It's very lively and colourful. I have about six costume changes."

What? Connaught Opera

Where? Elliott Hall, Harrow Arts Centre,Uxbridge Road, Hatch End

When? Thursday, July 16, at 2pm

Cost? £3 (includes tea and light refreshments) although if you buy 10 tickets you get one free

Contact: Call the box office on 020 8416 8989 or email harrowartscentre@harrow.gov.uk

FIVE: Dig Harrow exhibition helps you understand the borough's past

LEARN about the historic finds discovered in Harrow - and how they help us understand life from thousands of years ago - at a new summer exhibition.

Dig Harrow will be on display at Harrow Museum and Heritage Centre, in Pinner View, Harrow, until August 20.

Museum manager Lottie Collins says: "Half of the exhibition is about archaeology in general.

"It's not just digging in the ground, but going into your garden or the fields; looking at the landscape.

"The other half looks at archaeological sites that have been excavated between the Stone Age and to the Saxons before 1066."

Two of the most famous locations are Brockley Hill in Stanmore, where a Roman pottery kiln was unearthed, and the Bronze

Age roundbarrow, on Stanmore Common. Ms Collins added: "It's a family exhibition. "All the text is very child-friendly."

What? Dig Harrow

Where? Harrow Museum and Heritage Centre,Headstone Manor Recreation Ground, Pinner View,Harrow

When? Until August 20. Museum is open noon to 5pm Monday to Friday (except Tuesday) and 10.30am to 5pm Saturday and Sunday

Cost? Free

Contact: Call the museum on 020 8861 2626