In conversation: Alexandra Damiani

"On tour we had the audience singing along – at a dance show – with ‘Hallelujah' and ‘Marianne'… My heart just melted"

If you love Leonard Cohen and dance, here's an irresistible offering. Dance Me: Music by Leonard Cohen – presented by Ballets Jazz Montréal (based, as the name suggests, in Cohen’s home city) – sets the bard's rich and profound work to movement, video and more. The company has already toured the world and now it’s London’s turn to thrill to their glorious and moving interpretation, which was actually approved by the man himself when it was first conceived by then artistic director Louis Robitaille. In a revealing chat with Cohen devotee Judi Herman, Alexandra Damiani, current artistic director of BJM, spoke about the show, the ideas behind it and Damiani’s own career.

Dance Me: Music by Leonard Cohen runs Tuesday 7 – Saturday 11 & Tuesday 14 February. 7.30pm, 2.30pm (Thu & Sat only), £33.75-£84.38. Sadler’s Wells, EC1R 4TN. sadlerswells.com

Read our five-star review of Dance Me on the JR blog.

In conversation: Arthur Smith

ARTHUR SMITH TALKS TO JUDI HERMAN ABOUT HIS NEW SHOW, LEONARD COHEN AND HIS MOTHER

In the October issue of Jewish Renaissance, Arthur Smith gave Judi Herman the not-so-sweet lowdown on his show, Arthur Smith Sings Leonard Cohen, with which the gravel-voiced wit makes his debut at JW3 in December. Here you can hear an extended version of his conversation with Judi. The two share a love of Leonard Cohen and they compare notes on their mothers, both of whom are living with dementia – indeed Arthur’s mother Hazel has become a vital part of his show.

Arthur Smith Sings Leonard Cohen – The Extended Remix is on Thursday 3 December. 7.30pm. £16-£20. JW3, 341-351 Finchley Rd, NW3 6ET; 020 7433 8988. jw3.org.uk

To read Smith's poem about his mother and listen to him reading it, head to the JR blog.