Kate Mason

Critics, curators, and art lovers worldwide are gearing up for the massive international art exhibition opening next week: the Venice Biennale. These two words conjure visions of cutting-edge contemporary art and glittering Italian socialites. But for the art-world outsider, visiting the Biennale can be a daunting prospect. Here's our guide to what you need to know and our top tips for what to see.

Orlando Seale and the Swell filled Hall Two at Kings Place with the sound of orchestral indie-folk-rock. This eight-piece band gave an energetic performance of multi-layered arrangements, soundscapes, and catchy anthems for their home city of London.

American-flag centipedes, bleach-splattered collages, and monumental stalagmites dripping with bright pink urethane will entice passers-by into Hauser & Wirth's Savile Row gallery. There is more to LA-based artist Sterling Ruby's practice than a mischievous punk aesthetic, however: his complex ceramic pieces and collages make this exhibition worth a look.

A provincial French town is caught by a sudden mass hysteria after a rhinoceros stampedes through the streets, and lonely hero Béranger stands as a symbol of the individual against radical conformity when men turn to beasts. Theatre de la Ville-Paris' French production of Ionesco's absurdist classic, Rhinocéros, was elegant and stylish. At the Barbican Theatre.

Kate Mason visits the London Art Fair and gives us some of the highlights. Don't miss the Art Projects on the upper floor for a slice of contemporary galleries, or ALISN's SUBLET project, showcasing works from emerging artist-led spaces.

Ladybird at the New Diorama Theatre is a gritty and realistic portrait of life in a dumpy post-Soviet town. These young slummers are tough as the toughest cockroaches, yet – despite a touch of overblown acting – you can't help but feel sympathy for the utter sadness of their lives.

Danil Kharms was a Russian surrealist writer of bizarre short fiction, as well as a fake-moustache-wearing dandy – seemingly the perfect subject for a short piece of absurd physical theatre. How a Man Crumbled is a mixed bag of grotesque humour and experiments with form, but neither are taken to a provocative or groundbreaking level. At the Battersea Arts Centre.

Kate's holiday in Madrid was basically a chance to gorge on its fantastic art galleries (and tapas). Safely back in London, she reflects on this Spanish city's main art attractions – including many, many Goyas, Miros, Dalis, and Picassos, and a scale model of the Tower of Babel.

Featuring a variety of unusual instruments and a highly unorthodox use of children's toys, Alan Tomlinson, Stewart Lee, Tania Chen and Steve Beresford experiment with the elements of chance in performance, and they blur the lines between contemporary concert and art – as well as between absurdity and high seriousness. At the Battersea Arts Centre.

London this Autumn will be buzzing with new exhibitions - but even more exciting is the number of contemporary art fairs coming up in September and October, hosting galleries and artists from around the world. Here is our top list and guide to the fairs worth seeing this season.