Entertainment
Salem’s Lot to Rivals: a complete guide to this week’s entertainment
Going out: Cinema
Salem’s Lot
Out now
This new adaptation of the 1975 novel by Stephen King stars Lewis Pullman (nepo-watch: son of Bill) as writer Ben Mears, who returns to his childhood home town of Jerusalem’s Lot in Maine, hoping inspiration will strike, only to find it providing an all-you-can-drink buffet for a vampire.
Buffalo Kids
Out now
Orphaned Irish siblings Tom and Mary emigrate to the US, where they make friends with a non-verbal young wheelchair user named Nick and hope to reunite with their uncle in New York, in this family animation set in the 19th century. With voicework from Gemma Arterton and Sean Bean.
Terrifier 3
Out now
Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton) returns in time for Halloween with a Christmas adventure (go figure). This time, Sienna (Lauren LaVera) is attempting to rebuild her life, but Art and his disfigured victim turned accomplice Victoria (Samantha Scaffidi) have holiday plans that may just get in the way.
Transformers One
Out now
A new animated adventure based on the ever-popular Hasbro toys, this one boasts a voice cast that would be even more exciting if this weren’t a Transformers movie. Reporting for money duty, step forward Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Steve Buscemi, Laurence Fishburne and Jon Hamm. Catherine Bray
Going out: Gigs
Ms Lauryn Hill & the Fugees
Co-op Live, Manchester, 12 October; The O2, London, 14 October
Having spent 2018 touring the 20th anniversary of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, the singer returns for its 25th birthday. This time she’s bringing her Fugees bandmates along for the ride, with the promise of a focus on 1996’s The Score. Michael Cragg
Patrick Cornelius
Eastside Jazz Club, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, 17 October
New York alto saxist Patrick Cornelius has sharp instincts for joining lyrical postbop melodies to the contemporary edginess of his improv dispositions. On this tour, Cornelius features a fine ensemble including sometime Pat Metheny keyboard partner James Francies. John Fordham
Kafka Fragments
New College Chapel, Oxford, 12 October
Cities of Song is the theme of this year’s Oxford international song festival. But there’s contemporary music, too, including György Kurtág’s 55-minute song cycle made up of 40 miniatures, performed by soprano Claire Booth and violinist Tamsin Waley-Cohen. Andrew Clements
Soft Play
15 to 31 October; tour starts Brighton
After three albums as Slaves, Isaac Holman and Laurie Vincent relaunched as Soft Play in 2022. This year’s Heavy Jelly album showed they had lost none of their bite, with febrile single Punk’s Dead mocking those who criticised the name change. MC
Going out: Art
Hew Locke
British Museum, London, 17 October to 9 February
This creator of provocative, carnivalesque assemblages that mix and mismatch finds from past and present has been let loose in the British Museum. Locke shows objects including a rectified bust of Queen Victoria as he explores the museum’s collections and their complex relationships with the history of the British empire.
Letizia Battaglia
The Photographers’ Gallery, London, to 23 February
A retrospective of the Palermo-born photographer’s compelling shots of Sicily, starting in the 1970s and documenting an era of change and violence when her city saw corrupt building projects, mafia rule and eventually a courageous revolt against organised crime. Her pictures capture raw reality from beach life to trials.
Anya Gallaccio
Turner Contemporary, Margate, to 26 January
In the 1990s, when young British artists were notorious for showing rotting cow heads, kebabs and unmade beds, Gallaccio stood out from the urban crowd with her leafy installations in the tradition of British land art. This retrospective sees her bring flowers, apples and an ash tree into the gallery.
Paula Rego
Lakeside Arts, Nottingham, to 5 January
This Hayward Gallery touring show takes a deep dive into English literature as seen by Rego. It includes her prints inspired by traditional nursery rhymes, JM Barrie’s Peter Pan and Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre. In a firm, clear style, Rego illustrates these texts with energy and the occasional shock. Jonathan Jones
Going out: Stage
Henry Rowley
16 October to 29 November; tour starts Exeter
Sending up your own poshness works wonders in mainstream arena comedy (Jack Whitehall) and – as Rowley has proven – on TikTok. In fact, the 26-year-old parodies all manner of privilege, combining standup with characters including deluded trustafarian Minty. Rachel Aroesti
Hips&Skins
The Tute, Cambois, Northumberland, 18 October
Experimental dance artist Jacky Lansley joins forces with choreographer Esther Huss in a new performance piece, Hips&Skins, a comical examination of sexism and ageism in the realm of women’s health. Part of Rude Health, a month-long free festival. Lyndsey Winship
Oedipus
Wyndham’s theatre, London, to 4 January
Wunderkind director Robert Icke tackles the mother of all tragedies. Mark Strong takes the lead and Lesley Manville stars as his mother/wife in this twisting, twisted tale set in the present day on Oedipus’s election night. Kate Wyver
Signal to Noise
Cambridge Junction, 16 to 17 October
The relentlessly innovative Forced Entertainment is celebrating its 40th birthday by bringing back some of its most striking shows. Here’s another chance to catch Signal to Noise, a kind of sensory shattering. KW
Staying in: Streaming
Rivals
Disney+, 18 October
Set in the (very erotic) fictional county of Rutshire, Jilly Cooper’s bonkbuster arrives on the small screen in rollicking camp style, as Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell) and David Tennant’s Lord Tony Baddingham battle for control of a TV network amid a sea of love triangles
The Office
Prime Video, 18 October
Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant’s 2001 Britcom remains the primary template for 21st-century TV comedy. But the show’s 13th remake comes with a twist: David Brent is now Hannah Howard (Felicity Ward), the desperately cringeworthy girlboss in charge of an unimpressed workforce in Australia.
Mr Loverman
BBC One & iPlayer, 14 October, 9pm
When Bernardine Evaristo won the Booker in 2019, she became an overnight success 20 years in the making. Now, one of her novels is getting a primetime adaptation. Mr Loverman tells the story of a 70-year-old Antigua-born Londoner (Lennie James) whose long-standing affair with his male best friend comes to light.
The Man Who Definitely Didn’t Steal Hollywood
BBC Two & iPlayer, 18 October, 9pm
How did a one-time Italian waiter buy the world’s most famous film studio? And why did he almost destroy it? This documentary about Giancarlo Parretti’s mind-boggling acquisition of MGM in 1990 relives the story via interviews with producers, actors and the man himself. RA
Staying in: Games
Metaphor: ReFantazio
Out now, PC, Xbox, PS4/5
From the makers of the brilliant Tokyo teen drama Persona 5, this painfully stylish role-playing game has you trying to claim the throne of a fantasy kingdom by travelling the land and picking up fans.
Neva
Out 15 October, PC, Xbox, PS5, Nintendo Switch
A girl and a wolf cub travel together through the foggy, pastel-painted landscapes of a cursed world in this emotionally charged adventure game, learning to trust each other (and draw upon each other’s power) as they go. Keza MacDonald
Staying in: Albums
The Linda Lindas – No Obligation
Out now
In 2021, teenage LA rock band the Linda Lindas, AKA Bela Salazar, Eloise Wong, and sisters Lucia and Mila de la Garza, scored a viral hit with the furious Racist, Sexist Boy, leading to support slots with the likes of Paramore. They continue to produce joyfully riotous pop on this second album.
Paul Heaton – The Mighty Several
Out now
After a run of collaborations with Jacqui Abbott, pub poet laureate Paul Heaton goes it alone. Sort of. Eight of the 12 tracks on The Mighty Several feature guest vocalists, including Rianne Downey on the playful bar-room bop Quicksand and Danny Muldoon on the folksy, politically minded Small Boats.
Charli xcx – Brat and It’s Completely Different But Also Still Brat
Out now
Brat summer rolls into autumn via this remix version of Charli xcx’s pop culture-swallowing sixth album. The rollcall of guest vocalists includes everyone from recent touring partner Troye Sivan to Robyn via Billie Eilish, but it’s Lorde who takes top spot on the frenemy classic Girl, So Confusing.
Samara Joy – Portrait
Out now
Since walking away with two Grammys, including the prestigious best new artist gong, in 2023, jazz singer Samara Joy has essentially been on tour. This fourth album, comprising a mix of standards and originals, was recorded in just three days with her incredibly well-honed touring band. MC
Staying in: Brain food
The Last of the Sea Women
Apple TV+, out now
This remarkable film follows the South Korean women diving near Jeju Island to harvest seafood. With their traditions in danger, they now take to social media to convince a new generation to join their way of life.
The Dead Divas Lounge
Podcast
Drag artist Amiss Tori hosts this riotous series analysing the unique factors that make an artist a diva while memorialising her favourite deceased stars. Among the discussed divas are Josephine Baker, Aaliyah and George Michael.
RSC: Shakespeare Learning Zone
Online
The Royal Shakespeare Company’s digital learning platform is an invaluable resource for students as well as curious adults, covering 16 (so far) of the Bard’s plays in three levels of increasing depth, from introductions to textual analysis. Ammar Kalia