From Alien: Romulus to Ugly Sisters: to a complete guide to this week’s entertainment

Going out: Cinema

Alien: Romulus
Out now
Set between the events of Ridley Scott’s Alien and James Cameron’s Aliens, this new addition to the Alien canon sees a luckless crew of space colonists tangle with the meanest acid-blooded mother in deep space. Starring Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson and Archie Renaux.
Hollywoodgate
Out now
When the US withdrew from Iraq, they left behind billions of dollars worth of military equipment, much of it dismantled. But guess what: stuff that has been dismantled can be put back together again. This documentary shows how the Taliban evolved during this period into a heavily armed regime.

The Hypnosis
Out now
The label “cringe comedy” may call to mind Peep Show or The Office, but in Swedish director Ernst De Geer’s feature debut that sense of squirming on behalf of someone else is employed in the film itself, as a young entrepreneur starts to behave uninhibitedly after a hypnosis session, much to the discomfort of her boyfriend.

Only the River Flows
Out now
Police detective Ma (Yilong Zhu) must investigate a small-town serial killer mystery in Banpo Town, in this 1990s-set adaptation of a short story by the avant-garde Chinese author Yu Hua. Modern film noir from Wei Shujun. Catherine Bray

Going out: Gigs

Reading & Leeds
21 to 25 August, Richfield Avenue, Reading; Bramham Park, Leeds
The bank holiday blowout returns with Liam Gallagher, Lana Del Rey, Blink-182, Fred Again and Gerry Cinnamon topping the bill. If that mainly male smörgåsbord doesn’t tickle your fancy, there will also be sets from Raye, Flo and Dream Wife. Michael Cragg

Francisco Coll
Royal Albert Hall, London, 18 August
In an undistinguished year for new music at the Proms, the UK premiere of the Cello Concerto by Francisco Coll promises to stand out. It’s the latest in a series of works Coll has composed for the brilliant Argentinian cellist Sol Gabetta. Andrew Clements

Rye international jazz & blues festival
Various venues, 23 to 26 August
Charismatic singer-guitarist Eric Bibb, a performer immersed in vintage blues but also sharply contemporary, plays Friday’s opening night. Other guests include saxophonist Camilla George and postbop piano giant Monty Alexander. John Fordham

Mitski
Victoria Park, London, 18 August
All Points East continues with a headline slot from TikTok’s most unlikely superstar. Expect the viral ballad My Love Mine All Mine to be a highlight, but there’s more to Mitski than just soft sadness. Support comes from Ethel Cain and Beabadoobee. MC

Going out: Art

Take One Picture
National Gallery, London, to 1 September
Of all National Gallery pictures to inspire children to make their own art, the ideal choice has to be Henri Rousseau’s Surprised!. This 1891 painting of a tiger stalking in a rainforest is itself joyously “childlike” in its bold colours. Here are the responses it has unleashed from young artists.

El Anatsui
Talbot Rice Gallery, Edinburgh, to 29 September
This dream-weaving west African artist is heir to Robert Rauschenberg and Kurt Schwitters as a redeemer of trash and poet of the found. El Anatsui sculpts or paints – it’s hard to tell which – everyday stuff such as labels and bottletops, which he joins into shimmering, complex veils of beauty.

Turn It Up
Science Museum, London, to 1 September
Last weeks to catch this exhibition about the science of music, a summer treat for all ages that includes an improvising music robot called Haile, a Turing test that challenges you to guess if music is human-composed or AI-generated, and a digital glove that lets musicians magically control sound.

Home
Stills Gallery, Edinburgh, to 5 October
Ukrainian photographers explore the idea of home, at a time when people’s homes – and their very homeland – are under attack from Russia. It’s a snapshot of ordinary life struggling to endure in wartime, with pictures by Polina Polikarpova, Andriy Rachinskiy, Elena Subach, Igor Chekachkov, Alexander Chekmenev, Daria Svertilova and more. Jonathan Jones

Going out: Stage

Ugly Sisters
Underbelly, Edinburgh, to 25 August
It’s near impossible to pick one show from the 3,000 at the fringe, but if you’re seeking audacious ideas and blazing talent, try Ugly Sisters. Winners of the Edinburgh Untapped award, Laurie Ward and Charli Cowgill investigate sisterhood and transphobia. It should be a hot ticket this summer. Kate Wyver

Fern Brady
20 August to 20 November; tour starts Edinburgh
Brady was already an established standup when she published her 2023 memoir Strong Female Character, but the book’s success significantly boosted her career. Now she’s back with a new show, I Gave You Milk to Drink, about the disappointments of dreams coming true. Rachel Aroesti

Antony & Cleopatra
Shakespeare’s Globe, London, to 15 September
Performed in spoken English and British Sign Language, the Globe’s striking new production features Nadia Nadarajah as Cleopatra. All performances are captioned in this epic story of empire, passion and danger, directed by Blanche McIntyre. KW

Doorstep Duets
Market Square, Faversham, 20 August; touring to 31 August
Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures stages a series of free outdoor performances across the south-east of England, choreographed by Anjali Mehra. World-class dance in a bandstand, library or square near you. Lyndsey Winship