Going out: Cinema
The Testament of Ann Lee
Out now
In Mona Fastvold’s critically acclaimed drama, Amanda Seyfried shakes things up as the founder of the restorationist Christian sect the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing. More commonly known as the Shakers, the egalitarian ecstatic worship group coalesced round the visionary female leader in the 18th century.
Scream 7
Out now
The Kevin Williamson-scripted Scream films (1, 2, 4) are probably the best in the franchise, and this time he not only writes but directs the antics of Ghostface et al. Neve Campbell, David Arquette, Matthew Lillard and Courteney Cox all make appearances, regardless of whether you thought their characters were dead or not.
Sirât
Out now
In the deserts of southern Morocco, a man searches for his missing daughter, enlisting the help of a group of partygoers who tell of a rave deep in the desert where perhaps she can be found. Óliver Laxe won the Cannes jury prize for this genre-defying drama, in which rave culture and survival thriller collide.
Glasgow film festival
Various venues, to 8 March
The audience-friendly film festival continues, and closes with James McAvoy’s feelgood directorial debut, California Schemin’, based on the true story of the Scottish rappers who successfully pretended (for a while anyway) to be from California. Catherine Bray
Going out: Gigs
MGK
5 to 12 March; tour starts London
The US artist formerly known as Machine Gun Kelly brings his hyper blend of rock, pop and hip-hop to various arenas in support of last year’s Bob Dylan-approved (no, really) Lost Americana album. As subtle as a sledgehammer, expect a cacophony of pummelling riffs, huge choruses and stylised moshing. Michael Cragg
London Symphony Orchestra/Tarmo Peltokoski/Yuja Wang
Barbican Hall, London, 1 March
Finnish 20th-century composer Einojuhani Rautavaara was hugely prolific, but his music is rarely programmed in the UK, which makes megastar pianist Yuja Wang’s performance of his Piano Concerto No 1 with the London SO a hot ticket. Flora Willson
Marius Neset
Ronnie Scott’s, London, 4 March
Norwegian saxophonist/composer Marius Neset has been a creative firebrand of European jazz since his startling emergence 15 years ago, fusing the flat-out sax power of New York postbop with the ethereal delicacies of the Nordic ambient jazz scene – and his exciting quartet, which includes drum star Anton Eger, is world-class. John Fordham
Lucy Rose
Gateshead, 28 February; Manchester, 1 March; London, 4 March; Birmingham, 5 March; Bristol, 6 March
After battling health issues, English singer-songwriter Lucy Rose returns to the live circuit for her first tour in seven years. It’s a delayed chance to showcase 2024’s This Ain’t the Way You Go Out album, as well as debuting new songs including January’s undulating Scared of Loving Wild Again. MC
Going out: Art
Rose Wylie
Royal Academy of Arts, London, 28 February to 19 April
The painter they couldn’t keep down gets free rein to strut her exuberant, unedited stuff. Wylie has a psychedelic sense of colour and a massive comic appetite for life. Her art is a vibrant carnival. But do all her grand hilarities leave you satisfied or hungover? Drink deep and decide.
Giants
National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, to 14 September
Look out it’s the Meg! The giant shark, Otodus megalodon, which swam in the world’s oceans from about 23m years ago until 3.6m years ago, is one of the massive creatures this exhibition recreates, using modern models to bring to life the period after the dinosaurs became extinct.
Don McCullin
The Holburne Museum, Bath, to 4 May
There is an eerie fascination to broken statues. When ancient Roman sculpture was first excavated in the Renaissance, it was usually restored to make it complete. But gradually people saw the tragic beauty of damaged antiquities. War photographer McCullin’s images of maimed Roman art clearly mirror the modern violence he has seen.
Chiharu Shiota
Hayward Gallery, London, to 3 May
Everyone loves a spectacular installation that plunges you into its world of colour and mystery – I am trying not to use the word “immersive”, but damn, I did. Shiota gathers constellations of real, everyday objects from keys to beds to door frames and tangles them in vast webs of wool. Jonathan Jones
Going out: Stage
Pierre Novellie
28 February to 31 May; tour starts Brighton
When it comes to back-to-basics observational comedy (no overarching themes, no heartstring-tugging payoff) vanishingly few can outdo this South African-born standup. Novellie’s latest show, You Sit There, I’ll Stand Here, reinvigorates well-worn topics – from dishwasher stacking to airport behaviour to house moves – with meticulously engineered and reliably side-splitting routines. Rachel Aroesti
Ballet Black at 25
Linbury theatre, Royal Opera House, London, 3 to 7 March, then touring
The 25th anniversary of Cassa Pancho’s Ballet Black is celebrated with a double bill featuring Ingoma, by Mthuthuzeli November, inspired by the 1946 South African miners’ strike, plus a joyful new work for the company by Hope Boykin, who was a longtime dancer with the Alvin Ailey company in New York. Lyndsey Winship
One Day
The Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh, to 19 April
There’s a playful and soulful creative team behind this musical adaptation of David Nicholls’s much-loved novel – with writing from David Greig, direction from Max Webster and music and lyrics from US band Johnnyswim. Actors Jamie Muscato and Sharon Rose bring Dex and Em’s love story to life. Miriam Gillinson
The Manningtree Witches
Mercury theatre, Colchester, 28 February to 14 March
Based on AK Blakemore’s novel, The Manningtree Witches is set in 1643 Essex and tells the true story of England’s first witchfinder general. But what of the women he killed? From Ava Pickett, whose debut play, 1536, was such a blinder. MG
Staying in: Streaming
Vladimir
Netflix, 5 March
Rachel Weisz is an English professor who becomes dangerously infatuated with her new colleague (One Day’s Leo Woodall) in this erotic thriller about desire, consent and power dynamics, adapted by Julia May Jonas from her own 2022 novel. John Slattery (Mad Men) and Ellen Robertson complete the cast.
Molly vs the Machines
Channel 4, 5 March, 9pm
Eight years ago, 14-year-old Molly Russell took her own life. Ever since, her father, Ian, has been attempting to hold those he believes are responsible – namely, the social media platforms that fed Molly horrific content about suicide – to account. This film documents his efforts while explaining the harm the internet is doing to us all.
Young Sherlock
Prime Video, 4 March
Fans of punchy, cheeky period dramas (A Thousand Blows, House of Guinness) can get yet another fix courtesy of Guy Ritchie’s take on Holmes’s adolescent adventures. Starring alongside Colin Firth, Natascha McElhone and his uncle Joseph, Hero Fiennes Tiffin takes on the role of the fledgling detective during his time at Oxford in the 1870s.
DTF St Louis
Sky Atlantic/Now, 2 March, 9pm
This quirky murder mystery about midlife sexual liberation in the suburbs features David Harbour as a man whose involvement in a love triangle leads to his death. Could his wife and closest friend (Linda Cardellini and Jason Bateman, respectively) be responsible? RA
Staying in: Games
Pokémon Pokopia
Switch 2; out 5 March
If the white-knuckle intensity of the mainline Pokémon games is too spicy for you, this new, relaxing-to-the-point-of-soporific entry in the franchise takes its cues from pottering sims such as Stardew Valley, and tasks you with creating and maintaining the perfect habitats for your coterie of husbanded fuzzballs.
Marathon
PC, PS5, Xbox; out 5 March
Superflops such as Sony’s Concord (which was taken offline after just two weeks) show how risky it can be to birth another shooter into the crowded multiplayer market. The pedigree of Halo and Destiny creator Bungie is at least cause for optimism that this hectic brap-em-up will offer something to woo enough new players. Luke Holland
Staying in: Albums
Mitski – Nothing’s About to Happen to Me
Out now
On Mitski’s eighth album, the singer-songwriter, whose single My Love Mine All Mine unexpectedly went viral in 2023, channels the character of a reclusive woman in an unkempt house. In the case of the ballad I’ll Change for You that means dramatically mourning a lost love, while on Where’s My Phone? despair turns to rage.
Gorillaz – The Mountain
Out now
Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett’s virtual band returns with their ninth album, and first on their own label. Featuring songs sung in English, Arabic, Hindi, Spanish and Yoruba by guests including Sparks, Omar Souleyman and Kara Jackson, it’s a typically large-scale trip through various musical genres.
Iron & Wine – Hen’s Teeth
Out now
The spectacularly bearded Sam Beam returns with his eighth album of expertly crafted folk, a sibling record of sorts to 2024’s Light Verse. Featuring his touring band, alongside Americana trio I’m With Her, songs such as the elegant Roses and In Your Ocean sound like lost standards.
Bruno Mars – The Romantic
Out now
While it’s been a decade since the pint-sized hitmaker released his solo album 24K Magic, Bruno Mars’s chart ubiquity has barely slackened. Globe-straddling megahits with Lady Gaga (Die With a Smile) and Rosé (APT.) have paved the way for this new album, featuring recent US No 1, I Just Might. MC
Staying in: Brain food
Norah Jones Is Playing Along
Podcast
Norah Jones’s entertaining series sees the singer paired with a different, genre-spanning musician each week to talk about their creative lives and create a spontaneous cover version in the process.
LumoTV
lumotv.co.uk
Britain’s streaming service for deaf and sign-language content, LumoTV, is a treasure trove of lesser-known but fascinating programming. Highlights include the music documentary series Deaf Jams and Hold My Hand, a BSL reality dating show.
The Women of IS
BBC World Service/BBC Sounds, 5 March, 10.32am
This moving three-part series follows the ongoing and complex repatriation of the thousands of women and children who lived under the Islamic State caliphate and who are now housed in refugee camps in Syria. Ammar Kalia
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.theguardian.com ’
