Cultural Life: Miranda Raison, actress

Theatre: I went to see my friend Hannah Stokely in 'After the Dance' at the National. It is a seldom-done Terence Rattigan play that I had never heard of, let alone seen before, and it is an absolutely sublime production. Han and I were at drama school together and were laughing about what a relief it is when a friend's show is good and you don't have to rehearse a believable compliment on the way up to the dressing room.

Television: My favourite show is 'Weeds'. Mary-Louise Parker (below) is simply the coolest woman on television and the rest of the cast are brilliant, bar none. Particularly when filming, box sets of series can really get you through the day. Series five of 'Weeds' recently landed on my doorstep. I feel like I should keep the plastic on it until the next time I'm cold in a caravan in the rain waiting to go on set – it makes such a difference to passing the time. The second series of 'True Blood' recently finished on Sky and I've just seen a trailer online for the third series airing in the States. It's really sexy and dark and Alexander Skarsgard is a fine actor.

Books: 'Henry VIII's Last Victim' by Jessie Childs about Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (cousin to Anne Boleyn) was a really fantastic read. I picked up 'Scoop' by Evelyn Waugh late the other night, for bedtime reading. It's short and hilarious.

Visual Arts: Nicholas Bowlby's London exhibition of young up-and-coming artists Kate Osborne, Millie McCallum and Pete Hawkins. Sometimes, the most exciting exhibitions are those showcasing undiscovered talent. If some of it is for sale and affordable, even better!

Miranda Raison stars as Anne Boleyn at Shakespeare's Globe (020-7401 9919; shakespeares-globe.org) to 21 August