A round-up of cultural highlights this week features new cinema releases, live music events, art exhibitions, stage performances, streaming recommendations, video games, albums, and informative podcasts.
In cinemas now, four films have attracted attention. "The Friend," starring Naomi Watts and Bill Murray, adapts the acclaimed novel about a New York writer coping with a friend's suicide and his large great dane that causes unexpected complications in her life. Huw Wahl’s documentary "Wind, Tide & Oar," shot over three years on real film, celebrates the art of sailing and rowing across the coasts of France, the UK, and the Netherlands. Dea Kulumbegashvili’s Venice prize-winning drama "April" focuses on an obstetrician in Georgia who risks her safety by assisting women with illegal abortions, with her professional and underground lives poised to intersect amid an investigation. Meanwhile, the video game adaptation "Until Dawn" explores a survival horror scenario involving a time loop where a person wakes up after being killed, facing ongoing threats.
Music enthusiasts can attend Polygon Live, a three-day outdoor spatial audio event at Crystal Palace Park, London, from 2 to 4 May. The event features legendary Tuareg group Tinariwen and electronic artist Jon Hopkins performing inside a hemispherical dome. The Royal Opera House presents Wagner’s "Die Walküre" from 1 to 17 May, featuring Christopher Maltman reprising his role as Wotan, with Marina Prudenskaya as Fricka. Chase & Status begin their tour in Glasgow on 29 April, with their drum’n’bass hits anticipated to energise arenas until 8 May. The Neil Cowley Trio marks their long-awaited comeback with a UK tour starting 26 April in Gateshead, blending jazz, funk, and electronica.
Several art exhibitions open this week. London's British Museum hosts "Hiroshige" from 1 May to 7 September, showcasing the vibrant woodblock prints of the Japanese artist famed for his depictions of nature and everyday life. The Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh presents "The World of King James VI and I" from 26 April to 14 September, exploring the life and court of the monarch known now for his close relationships with male courtiers. Tate Modern's "Do Ho Suh" exhibition, running until 19 October, features architectural sculptures by the Korea-born London artist that evoke ideas of home and identity. The Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool displays works by Graham Crowley until 13 July, with striking explorations of space through contrasts of shadow and bright colour.
On stage, comedian Sarah Silverman performs her new show "Postmortem" at the London Palladium on 28 April, tackling themes of loss with humour and heart. The Royal Shakespeare Company’s experimental new musical "Hamlet Hail to the Thief" runs at Aviva Studios in Manchester from 27 April to 18 May, combining Shakespeare’s tragedy with Radiohead’s album "Hail to the Thief." "Little Deaths," a drama about the complexities of lifelong friendship by Amy Powell Yeates, shows at Theatre503, London, from 29 April to 3 May. The national tour of Indian classical dance solo "Songs of the Bulbul" by Aakash Odedra begins at Curve Theatre, Leicester on 29 and 30 April, continuing until 19 July.
For those staying in, Netflix releases "The Four Seasons" on 1 May, a comedy adaptation of Alan Alda’s 1981 play about three couples holidaying together, featuring Tina Fey, Will Forte, and Steve Carell. Apple TV+ premieres "Carême" on 30 April, a series chronicling the life of 19th-century French celebrity chef Antonin Carême, noted for his culinary influence and charisma. The final series of the BBC Three comedy "Man Like Mobeen," which follows a reformed drug dealer navigating new threats after prison, is available from 1 May. Channel 4’s Taskmaster returns with series 19 on 1 May at 9pm, featuring a diverse cast including US comic Jason Mantzoukas and podcaster Rosie Ramsey.
In gaming, "Badlands Crew," launching on 28 April for PC, lets players build armoured vehicles and battle rival gangs in a post-apocalyptic setting with cartoonish visuals. Another PC release, "Skin Deep," arrives on 30 April, offering a comedic take on space shooters with unconventional weapons ranging from guns to banana skins.
New albums this week include "A Complicated Woman" by Self Esteem, released now, featuring emotionally charged pop songs and dance tracks. Femi Kuti’s "Journey Through Life," also out now, captures the Nigerian musician’s personal reflections and family influences across 11 studio tracks. Samia’s third album "Bloodless," out now, continues her indie folk style with intimate lyricism on songs like "Pants" and "Lizard." The Swedish post-punk band Viagra Boys present their fourth album "Viagr Aboys," noted for its surreal introspection, currently available.
For those seeking enriching content, sportscaster Pablo Torre's podcast "Pablo Torre Finds Out" explores sports stories with curiosity and depth. YouTube channel Hochelaga offers brief video essays on obscure but fascinating subjects, such as a 3,400-year-old song only notated recently. Radio 4 airs a three-part series "Indispensable Relations" on Mondays at 11am, hosted by Tom Bateman, detailing the historical relationship between Israel and the US from 1947 onwards.
This week offers a rich array of cultural experiences across mediums and genres, catering to diverse tastes in the arts and entertainment.
Source: Noah Wire Services