From Queer to Snoop Dogg: a complete guide to this week’s entertainment in the UK
NEWS | 16 December 2024
Going out: Cinema Queer Out now Daniel Craig continues to shake up his post-Bond image, here playing an American expat in Mexico City who falls hard for a young ex-Navy guy (Drew Starkey), in this adaptation of William Burroughs’ 1985 autobiographical novella from Luca Guadagnino (Challengers, (Call Me By Your Name). Lord Of The Rings: The War of the Rohirrim Out now Set 183 years before The Lord of the Rings, and fleshed out from details about the history of Rohan in the margins of Tolkien’s epic, this animated adventure has assembled a classy voice cast (Miranda Otto, Brian Cox) to tell the story of Helm Hammerhand and his daughter in a conflict that threatens to obliterate Rohan. Pamela Phatsimo Sunstrum Presents … The Barbican, London, 14 and 18 December In response to her exhibition at the Barbican’s Curve Gallery, artist Pamela Phatsimo Sunstrum has picked two films to play in the cinema: Alfred Hitchcock’s classic Rear Window; and Woman of the Dunes, Hiroshi Teshigahara’s masterful mix of suspense, sex and social commentary. Kraven the Hunter Out now Aaron Taylor-Johnson stars as the titular hunter, historically part of Spider-Man’s rogues’ gallery, in the first Marvel movie from Sony to garner an R rating in the US. Directed by JC Chandor (Margin Call), the pitch here is a darker, more grown-up type of comic-book adventure. Catherine Bray Going out: Gigs View image in fullscreen Licensed to chill … Theo Bleak. Photograph: Marilena Vlachopoulou Theo Bleak King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow, 19 December Scottish singer-songwriter Theo Bleak makes the kind of music that feels like it should soundtrack a gritty British drama set on the moors. Recent singles In My House and Like a Thorn are swathed in eerie backing vocals and a chill wind that should make her captivating live. Michael Cragg Claire Martin’s Cool Yule Pizza Express Soho, London, 14 & 15 December A gift for making familiar lyrics sound like spontaneous insights have always marked out the enduring class and hipness of British vocalist Claire Martin. Martin’s annual remix of standard-song classics and Christmas faves returns to Pizza Express, with guitar master Jim Mullen in attendance. John Fordham Baroque Christmas St Martin-in-the-Fields, London, 17 December The renowned early-music specialist Christoph Rousset takes over the Monteverdi Choir and the English baroque Soloists for their seasonal programme, which pairs music from France and Germany, such as Marc-Antoine Charpentier’s exquisite Messe de Minuit pour Noël and Bach’s Advent Cantatas. Andrew Clements AG Cook 15 to 20 December; tour starts Glasgow It’s been quite a year for AG Cook. Having co-produced the majority of Charli xcx’s pop-culture swallowing Brat, and its recent remix opus, he also found time to chuck out his own 24-song, three-part album Britpop. Expect the latter to be celebrated in all its gonzo glory. MC Going out: Art View image in fullscreen Color and Ink, 2023 Hand-coloured etching with charcoal and acrylic paint. Photograph: Courtesy Jim Dine and Cristea Roberts Gallery, London Jim Dine Cristea Roberts Gallery, London, to 18 January The veteran American artist is still making prints at 89. This show explores his fascination with handtools from the 1970s to now, in images of hammers, handsaws and other everyday, down-to-earth equipment. Dine paradoxically marries a pop concentration on simple objects with a delight in complex technique. Romance to Realities Laing Gallery, Newcastle upon Tyne, to 26 April Northern landscapes inspired the Romantic movement, from poets in the Lake District to Turner taking a steamboat to see Fingal’s Cave. This exhibition looks at how artists have depicted the landscapes of the north of England and Scotland from then to now, starring John Martin, Joan Eardley and more. William Morris and Art from the Islamic World William Morris Gallery, London to 9 March The world of the Victorian designer and socialist visionary William Morris can often seem tinted by Gothic stained glass, Arthurian romances and other echoes of medieval Britain. But this pioneering show reveals how he also drew on the symmetry and splendour of Islamic tiles, carpets and ewers in his creations. Jakkai Siributr Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester to 16 March This Thai artist uses textiles to communicate historical and political perspectives and tell his own stories. His exhibition doesn’t so much “embroider the truth” as tell truths with embroidery. Tales of the pandemic and private grief sit alongside There’s No Place, a complex continuing project about the plight of refugees. Jonathan Jones Going out: Stage View image in fullscreen Stepping into Christmas … Sheeps. Photograph: Tom Kingsley The Little Prince DanceEast, Ipswich, 14 & 15 December; The Place, London, 18 to 24 December Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s classic story comes to life in the hands of Protein Dance and choreographer Luca Silvestrini. The show weaves dance, song, spoken word and humour into its sweetly surreal tale of friendship and love. Made for children but enjoyable for adults too! Lyndsey Winship Sheeps Moth Club, London, 16 & 17 December The superlative sketch trio, who have long specialised in ingeniously stupid songs, are releasing a Christmas album; if lead single My Baby Looks a Lot Like Santa Claus is anything to go by, it might be the funniest festive soundtrack around. Join them plus guests Rose Matafeo and Emma Sidi. Rachel Aroesti Sh!t Actually vs Sing-a-Long-a Muppet Christmas Carol Camden People’s theatre, London, to 21 December A festive double bill from cult favourites, Sh!t Theatre. Sh!t Actually sees the pair’s anarchic takedown of the film, while Sing-a-Long-a Muppet Christmas Carol celebrates the greatest Christmas film of all. Kate Wyver The Suggestibles’ Impro Pantso Northern Stage, Newcastle upon Tyne, 19 & 20 December Most pantos have a few ad libs. This has nothing but. Made up on the spot, The Suggestibles’ Impro Pantso turns audience suggestions into dazzling drama and haphazard hilarity. Leave the kids behind and buckle up for a festive treat where you never know what’s going to happen next. 18+ only. KW skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Inside Saturday Free weekly newsletter The only way to get a look behind the scenes of the Saturday magazine. Sign up to get the inside story from our top writers as well as all the must-read articles and columns, delivered to your inbox every weekend. Enter your email address Sign up Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy . We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion Staying in: Streaming View image in fullscreen Strike: The Ink Black Heart. Photograph: Rob Youngson/BBC/Bronte Film & TV Strike: The Ink Black Heart iPlayer & BBC1, 16 December, 9pm Having dismissed a desperate cartoonist who is being harassed online by an ominous anonymous figure, private detective Robin Ellacott has a murder on her hands. Tom Burke and Holliday Grainger return for the sixth instalment of the reliably knotty detective drama, adapted from JK Rowling’s books. Wham! Last Christmas Unwrapped iPlayer & BBC2, 14 December, 8.35pm What better way to enter into the festive spirit than with this doc celebrating George Michael’s Christmas-themed anti-love song on its 40th birthday. With contributions from Wham! colleagues Andrew Ridgeley, Pepsi and Shirlie – plus peers Bob Geldof and Neil Tennant – expect a bittersweet paean to a pop genius. The Story of Panto With Gyles Brandreth Now & Sky Arts, 15 December A slightly less tasteful (but similarly camp) Christmas cultural artefact goes under the microscope in this one-off documentary. Knitwear king Brandreth delves into this British curio’s influences – commedia dell’arte, Victorian music hall – and component parts (slapstick, dames), with help from Julian Clary and Gary Wilmot. Tapped Out: Prank Stars Channel 4, 19 December Since their early-00s peak, prank shows have failed to capture the public imagination – could a fresh spin revive its fortunes? This special edition of YouTube hit Tapped Out – which challenges contestants to hold their nerve in humiliating tasks – recruits rapper ArrDee, comedian Fatiha El-Ghorri and JLS singer Aston Merrygold for a celeb-adjacent cringe-off. RA Staying in: Games View image in fullscreen Walls and bridges … Monument Valley 3 Photograph: ustwo games Monument Valley 3 Out now, smartphones via Netflix Shifting Escheresque architecture, a calming colour palette and pleasing geometry form the core of this puzzle sequel’s considerable appeal. It’ll warm your heart as well as fire up your brain in a cold December. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 + 2 Remastered Out now, all platforms The unexpected resurrection of a long-lost pair of fantasy-adventure games about a vengeful vampire. They always were way ahead of their time, so if you never played these in the 90s, this is your chance to suck ’em dry. Keza MacDonald Staying in: Albums Watch the throne … Snoop Dogg. Photograph: Ramona Rosales Snoop Dogg – Missionary Out now More than 30 years since the release of his classic debut Doggystyle, Snoop Dogg reunites with that album’s producer Dr Dre for the knowingly titled Missionary. Initially teased in 2022, this 20th album finds the sometime sports commentator focusing on music again, anchored by the MIA-sampling banger, Outta Da Blue. Stray Kids - Hop Out now The South Korean boy band phenomenon follows up this summer’s US No 1 album, Ate, with their first mixtape. Or rather a “SKZhop Hiptape”, with its 12 new songs mixing the Stray Kids sound of big K-pop melodies and electronic flourishes with a more prominent lean towards hip-hop. Daniel Blumberg - The Brutalist: OST Out now Director Brady Corbet’s forthcoming film The Brutalist is already being tipped as an Oscar favourite, anchored by a storming performance from Adrien Brody. Expect a nomination, too, for former Cajun Dance Party and Yuck member Blumberg, who has crafted a muscular and stirring soundtrack that flits between jazz filigirees and cacophonous drama. The National - Rome Out now This double live album, recorded this summer at the Italian capital’s stunning venue Parco Della Musica Ennio Morricone, acts as a career retrospective for the Ohio soft-rockers (below). Crowd favourites such as Fake Empire and Bloodbuzz Ohio rub shoulders with songs from all 10 of their albums. MC Staying in: Brain food Reclaimed Podcast Journalist Charly Edsitty hosts this urgent and illuminating series exploring the issue of water security for the Navajo nation. We hear how the Indigenous community is fighting to gain access to a sacred and scarce resource. Virtual St Peter’s Basilica Experience Online The Vatican’s Papal Basilica of St Peter is now the subject of an immense Microsoft-powered AI experiment, aiming to produce a detailed virtual map of the 17th century site. Julia’s Stepping Stones Netflix, Wednesday Best known for her Oscar-winning 2020 documentary, American Factory, the late Julia Reichert finds herself as the subject of this final film charting her remarkable journey from working-class New Jersey to 50 years of activist film-making. Ammar Kalia
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