Culture Diary w/c 01-07-13
Monday – Rufus Wainwright 7.30pm @ Liverpool Philharmonic £29.50-£50
It seems a long time since Rufus Wainwright shot to prominence, due in part to covering Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah. Since then the Canadian-American singer-songwriter and composer has only looked upward, along the way, cementing his position as one of the great male vocalists of his generation.
PICK OF THE WEEK: Tuesday – Space/Sound Quadrasonic Environments with Lucky Dragons 7pm @ the Bluecoat £7
You may be familiar with LA based duo Lucky Dragons owing to their work being featured during last year’s Liverpool Biennial in Doug Aitken’s The Source at Tate Liverpool. Their experimental performances involving music, projections and audience collaboration make them a great fit for the latest Drawing Ensemble event (with live visuals created by Jon Barraclough and Madeline Hall), also featuring poet Nathan Jones.
Wednesday – The Act of Killing + Director Q&A 6.30pm @ FACT
Documentary The Act of Killing is especially challenging. Dealing with the Indonesian military coup of 1965, director Joshua Oppenheimer draws out the chilling realities of events at the time. His method of getting to the truth? Persuading former death-squad leaders to talk about and re-enact their brutal killings. That Werner Herzog is listed amongst the production credits gives further clues to the nature and quality of the film.
Mean Jean/Twin Bee/River Caves 7.30pm @ the Lomax £3
We’ll be honest, our attention was drawn to this gig by virtue of the band in the middle of the running order taking their name from an old Super Nintendo game. Finding on closer inspection that Twin Bee count former members of boss-poppers Elle S’appelle in their ranks sealed the deal. They’re joined by the pop-punk of Mean Jean and Husker Du-inspired River Caves.
Thursday – Summertime 7.30pm @ Liverpool Philharmonic Hall £6/£7
Starring Katharine Hepburn as a lonely soul on her ‘dream’ holiday in Venice, Summertime is said to be the personal favourite of its director David Lean. Not bad when you consider other credits to Lean’s name include Brief Encounter, Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago.
Citizen Kane 9.30pm @ St. Luke’s Bombed Out Church £2
Orson Welles’ first feature, Citizen Kane – until last year Sight & Sound’s Greatest Films of All Time – has become as infamous as it is celebrated, its position as the top of the pile somewhat diverting attention from the film itself. With its crown recently taken by Hitch’s Vertigo, perhaps now is the right time to view it on its own terms. Full preview.
Friday – A Field In England Satellite Premier + Q&A 6.30pm @ FACT
With blanket critical acclaim for his derivative, whistle-stop tour through British film tropes that was Kill List, Ben Wheatley doubtless made a name for himself. He confidently followed that breakthrough success with last year’s Sightseers and now continues his journey with this psychedelic trip of a period piece.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream 7.30pm @ Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre £27.50-£45
While some may question the logic of staging an outdoor theatre experience in the north west of England, the ambition, quality and repute of the productions will be enough to entice audiences to Chester for some open air theatre this summer. Kicking off proceedings with A Midsummer Night’s Dream and variously described as “idyllic” (the Guardian), “delightful” (the Telegraph) and “stunning” (The Stage), the risk of showers looks more than worth it.
Saturday – I exist (in some way) exhibition tour 2pm @ the Bluecoat
Exploring the contemporary Arab world, artists living in the Middle East, Europe and the USA make up exhibition I exist (in some way). With huge potential to fall into political stereotype territory, the artists shun temptation and instead tend to focus on subjective ideas of self. A great opportunity to learn more from photographer and multimedia artist, Sara T’Rula.
Sunday – Stand By Me 6pm @ FACT
A strong week for cinema is brought to a fine, if syrupy end, by perennial favourite coming-of-age drama, Stand By Me. Starring the late River Phoenix alongside Wil Wheaton and Corey Feldman, this journey of discovery for a group of boys is high on camaraderie and the pulling of heart strings, and rarely fails to raise a sentimental smile.
