Going out: Cinema
Enys Men
Out now
Set on an isolated Cornish island, British film-maker Mark Jenkin’s folk horror follows in the footsteps of the likes of The Wicker Man, in making the most of location and atmosphere to deliver a disquieting, hallucinatory journey into the centre of one person’s fraying reality.
Tár
Out now
Cate Blanchett is one of the most gifted actors working today, as capable of breaking hearts in a doomed romance (Carol) as she is strapping on elf ears (The Lord of the Rings). The role of charming, toxic, ice-cold composer Lydia Tár in this psychological drama is perhaps her greatest yet, and should scoop her an Oscar.
M3gan
Out now
A hotly anticipated slice of high-concept horror from acclaimed producers Blumhouse, this is the story of the frighteningly realistic child robot M3gan, designed to act as a companion to a real-life child. What could possibly go wrong?
The Greatest Films of All Time season
BFI Southbank, London, to March
Last year, Sight & Sound ran its once-a-decade critics’ poll to find the greatest films of all time, and now we get to watch the results, with this BFI season gathering together (some of) the films deemed the best of the best. Catherine Bray
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Going out: Gigs
TSHA
Colour Factory, London, 20 January
Brit dance producer Teisha Matthews, AKA TSHA, capped off a stellar 2022 with the release of debut album, Capricorn Sun. Mixing house, garage, R&B and pop, it was the perfect encapsulation of Matthews’ ability to imbue her music with emotion; these hectic live shows will be a must.
The Delgados
20 to 25 January; tour starts Brighton
Having built a cult fanbase thanks to their grand, symphonic indie rock, and endorsements from the likes of John Peel, the Scottish four-piece split in 2005 after fifth album, Universal Audio. Now, 18 or so years later, they’re back, testing the waters with five gigs around the UK. Michael Cragg
Rogers, Parker, Sanders & Yeoh
The Vortex, London, 20 January
Fearlessly free-improvised jazz rarely sounds more vividly coherent than in the hands of these four – seldom heard together as an ensemble. Thunderous bassist Paul Rogers, improv-sax master Evan Parker, dynamic pianist-composer Nikki Yeoh and drums powerhouse Mark Sanders can convert the toughest doubters. John Fordham
Least Like the Other
Royal Opera House: Linbury theatre, London, 15 to 19 January
Subtitled “Searching for Rosemary Kennedy”, Brian Irvine’s opera tells the story of John F Kennedy’s mentally ill older sister, whose treatment at the hands of doctors remained a closely guarded secret for many years. Irish National Opera’s production features singer Amy Ní Fhearraigh, and actors Stephanie Dufresne and Ronan Leahy. Andrew Clements
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Going out: Art
London Art Fair
Business Design Centre, London, 18 to 22 January
A huge range of galleries participate in this accessible and varied fair. Less ostentatiously cool than Frieze, it welcomes small, regional and newer commercial dealers such as Virginia Visual Arts as well as working with leading museums. This year its special museum partner is the Ben Uri Gallery which celebrates Jewish and migrant art.
Doctor Who Worlds of Wonder
National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, to 1 May
At the start of the science fiction classic’s 60th-anniversary year, this exhibition reveals the science facts behind it. The possibility of time travel according to Einstein’s theory of general relativity and the fantastical technology of teleportation are explored. And of course there is a gallery of recent and rarer monsters.
Joseph Beuys
Thaddaeus Ropac, London, 19 January to 22 March
The great German sculptor and performance artist, who created a personal mythology of felt, fat and shamanism, was also a dab hand at drawing. Beuys worked out his symbolist vision in an endless flowing stream of suggestive, sensual, inspired sketches. This survey of his life on paper should be entrancing.
Dia Al-Azzawi
Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, to 11 June
Beauty blends with tragedy in tears of orange and blue in this survey of Al-Azzawi’s poetic art. He has lamented the violence of modern history for four decades. Recent works range from an artist’s book about the looting of Iraq’s heritage to a tapestry that mourns the city of Mosul. Jonathan Jones
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Going out: Stage
Guz Khan
15 January to 4 February; tour starts Salford
A teacher turned internet sensation turned sitcom star, Khan’s small-screen antics have allowed him to bypass the traditional live circuit. But his tales of a 90s Coventry childhood offer a masterclass in wistful observational comedy. Rachel Aroesti
London international mime festival
Various venues, 16 January to 5 February
The brilliant annual festival of visual theatre, dance, circus and puppetry opens with Through the Grapevine, a piece involving two dancer-acrobats balancing their bodies in endlessly inventive formations. Other highlights include Gandini Juggling and Materia, a duet between a man and multiple pieces of polystyrene. Lyndsey Winship
Saint Jude
100 Petty France, London, 16 January to 11 March
New location-based experience from the producers of Swamp Motel. This show blends theatre and AI and is set in a mysterious government building in Westminster. Miriam Gillinson
Five Children and It
Theatre Royal: The Egg, Bath, to 15 February
It’s your last chance to catch the traditional family show at The Egg, this year from Bucket Club theatre company. Based on the novel by E Nesbit, it’s about a group of kids who discover a very grumpy sand fairy with the power to grant wishes. MG
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Staying in: Streaming
That ’90s Show
19 January, Netflix
The sequel to That ’70s Show – which made the names of Ashton Kutcher, Topher Grace and Mila Kunis – moves on to the late 20th century to follow the gang’s teenage kids. Expect nostalgic single-camera sitcom vibes and appearances from the original cast.
The Last of Us
16 January, Sky Atlantic & Now
Years after a planned movie version, the revolutionary video game gets a TV adaptation. In a dystopian US decimated by a zombifying pandemic, a smuggler escorts an apparently immune survivor called Ellie (Game of Thrones’s Bella Ramsey) across the country. Is she humanity’s last hope?
Sex Lives of College Girls
19 January, ITVX
The first season of Mindy Kaling’s teen comedy-drama starred Pauline Chalamet (sister of Timothée) as Kimberly, an unworldly student looking to get her rocks off. Its second sees a marginally more experienced Kim, plus pals – rich kid Leighton, soccer star Whitney and Indian-American comedy nerd (and obvious Kaling proxy) Bela – return for more campus congress.
Hancock: Very Nearly an Armful
15 January, 8pm, Gold
Jack Dee hosts this tribute to the first king of British sitcom, reflecting on how the actor’s influence has shaped half a century of TV comedy. Fans including Eddie Izzard, Diane Morgan and Pete Doherty give their two pennies’ worth, while Hancock’s great-niece Lucy guides Dee through newly released personal correspondence. RA
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Staying in: Games
Persona 4 Golden
Out 19 January, XBox, PlayStation, Switch
A classic Japanese RPG about journeying through the subconscious minds of a bunch of misfit kids at a rural high school, newly rereleased.
A Space for the Unbound
Out 19 January, XBox, PlayStation, Switch, Mac, PC
A beautifully drawn adventure game about two high-school sweethearts in 90s Indonesia, whose supernatural powers can’t save them from the usual teen tribulations. Keza MacDonald
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Staying in: Albums
Margo Price – Strays
Out now
Across three albums, Price has channelled her eventful life story – drugs, homelessness, prison – into slow-burning, unsentimental country songs that have seen her compared to Loretta Lynn. On this fourth record she continues to tackle contentious issues, with the epic Lydia covering bodily autonomy and women’s rights.
Joesef – Permanent Damage
Out now
After a steady stream of well-received singles and EPs, and support slots with the likes of Rina Sawayama and Paolo Nutini, honey-voiced Scottish soul boy Joesef finally releases his debut album. The tellingly titled Permanent Damage showcases both his emotionally swollen voice and his ability to turn relationship detritus into soft-pop gold.
Gaz Coombes – Turn the Car Around
Out now
Having released three solo albums between 2012 and 2018, Coombes’ creative streak was interrupted in 2019 by the return of Supergrass, who played a handful of hit-heavy UK shows before Covid cut it all short. Returning to his studio, Coombes crafted this nine-track record, full of widescreen rock and baroque pop.
Circa Waves – Never Going Under
Out now
After seeing their last album, 2020’s Sad Happy, crash into the UK charts at No 4, the Liverpool quartet return with more anthemic indie. Recent single Carry You Home is built around a big romcom-soundtrack chorus, while Do You Wanna Talk skips around a lithe bassline and glossy handclaps. MC
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Staying in: Brain food
Break Point
Out now
From the team behind the Formula One series Drive to Survive, this documentary follows top tennis players as they compete in the gruelling grand slam circuit. Commentators paint a compelling picture of the rivalries behind the court-side tantrums.
UnReality
Podcast
Host Talia Augustidis’s beautifully crafted series wavers between art piece and narrative in her explorations of unusual topics. The first episode is a highlight, examining the world of her boyfriend’s dreams through recordings of his sleep-talk.
Channel
channel.somersethouse.org.uk
Somerset House’s new online space is a fascinating showcase of video, audio and text. The Path AI series features short films exploring how technology intersects with identity, while The Process podcast unpacks artistic inspirations. Ammar Kalia
