WHERE TO GO, WHAT TO SEE, WHAT TO DO

A Brit crop?

Oscars: The Academy Awards Ceremony opens its doors to give us the annual, ample glimpse into Tinseltown. This year could be special. The English Patient has 12 nominations, Mike Leigh's Secrets & Lies follows closely behind. Watch Ralph Fiennes from The English Patient beat off Tom Cruise (Jerry Maguire) for best actor and Emily Watson of Breaking the Waves win with Best Actress. Live on BBC2 with Barry Norman, 2-6am. Highlights 10-12pm BBC1, Tuesday.

Virtual sport

Exhibition: The Science of Sport at London's Science Museum - an introduction to the role that science and technology is playing in our sporting life. From Friday it will be open to the public to experience the simulated thrill of Grand Prix racing, or the desperate emotion of a penalty shoot- out a la Gareth Southgate, using audiovisual equipment. 10am-6pm. pounds 8.95 adults, pounds 3.20 children, concs pounds 2. 0990 661 030 (+75p booking fee)

Pitching up

Film: New Lad icons will be up for the film premier of Nick Hornby's soccer saga Fever Pitch on Wednesday. Expect to see the Arsenal team, David Baddiel, Martin Clunes, and the stars Colin Firth and Ruth Gemmel. Has anyone done more for the gentrification of soccer than the Arsenal- obsessed Hornby? UCI Empire, Leicester Square, 7.30pm. General release: 4 April.

Film talk: Get steamed up over a new version of The Railway Children at London's Barbican Cinema on Wednesday. You can meet the stars - Bernard Cribbins, Jenny Agutter and the director Lionel Jeffries. (Wed only, then opens nationwide on the 28th): Adults pounds 20, children pounds 12

Toughs at the top

TV: There are three footballing legends who make our current crop seem like lads in the park. In a three-part series starting on Easter Friday and running over the weekend, Hugh McIlvanney looks at The Football Men - Matt Busby, Jock Stein and Bill Shankly. As his brother, the novelist William McIlvanney, says: "Those men brought from their backgrounds an instant ability to command respect. You knew these were people not to mess around with". BBC2 9.30pm

More TV: Channel 5 arrives on Sunday (5pm), though not for those yet to be tuned into this brave new view.

Let's twist again

Fun: A massive `Twister-thon' to celebrate the 30th birthday of this limb-tangling game (five million sold to date and many a party enlivened by the colour-dotted plastic sheets) is taking place in London's Broadgate on Tuesday. One-time world champion Rick Burney takes on the equally famous, evil Twister Man Tim "Iron Spider" Maguire. 12pm

Egging on

Easter: Country houses are scattering eggs all over their gardens in an attempt to draw the crowds. At Appuldurcombe House on the Isle of Wight on Sunday, thousands of eggs will be hidden in the lawns and foliage of the 11-acre grounds. From 10am. Adults pounds 2, children pounds 1, concs. pounds 1.50. 01983 852484. At Carlisle Castle on Sunday there will be luxury "medieval" eggs decorated with heraldic and Celtic-influenced designs made from almond paste. Ends 31 March. pounds 2.70 (adults). pounds 2 (concs), pounds 1.40 (children). 01228 591992

Blues bother

Sport: The end could be nigh for Cambridge's recent domination of the Boat Race. For once, the crews are mostly culled from within the limits of these shores. The Cambridge crew, at 6ft 51/4, will be the tallest in the event's history. Start 4pm. Putney to Mortlake.

Best of Britten

Music: The 4th annual Aldeburgh early music festival takes place on the 27th and has rapidly built on the status conferred on the town by Britten back in the Fifties. At the Snape Maltings Concert Hall. Ends 31 March. Concert on 28th is sold out. pounds 4-pounds 14, 01728 452935.

Circle in round

Installation: The celebrated American choreographer William Forsythe has created a vast new piece of installation art, Tight Roaring Circle, at the Roundhouse in London's Camden, in collaboration with Dana Casperson. They specialise in integrating language, architecture and technology, and both have been involved in ballet work. Chalk Farm Road, 5-9pm, weekends 3pm-8pm. Opens Wednesday, ends 27 April. pounds 4.50, concs pounds 2.50. 0171 336 6803

Revue: Then Again at the Lyric Hammersmith on Thursday promises to be simply wonderful, darling, with writers such as Julian Clary and Harold Pinter and performers including Dawn French and Sheila Hancock. 7:30pm (except 27th: 7pm). Sat mat 2:30pm. pounds 10-15 (sold out all Mons/closed Easter w/e) 0181-741 2311

At last ...

It's British Summer Time on Sunday, with clocks to be put forward one hour from 2am.

Rock `n droll

Pop: The Greatest 70's Rock Show Ever - although you don't have to believe everything you read in the publicity - begins a two-month tour with those matey greats, Showaddywaddy, and the heroically ubiquitous Alvin Stardust, above. Tonight: Plymouth Pavilions. 7:30. 01752 229922 . pounds 9.50-pounds 13.50. Nationwide to 19 April.

Goodrich Castle, Hereford and Worcs, stages a folk festival on Sunday and Monday with bagpipes to the fore. From midday, pounds 2.30 adults, pounds 1.20 children, pounds 1.70 concs. Under-fives free. 01600 890538.

Or you could try and be a bit more up-to-date by going to see the new band Spacemaid, tipped to be the next big thing - by `Q' magazine amongst others - with their collection of catchy tunes and semi-punk sound at London's Camden Palace tomorrow night, 9pm. pounds 3, pounds 5. 0171 387 0428