Culture Diary w/c 15-07-13
Monday – Little Shop of Horrors Director’s Cut 9pm @ FACT
Frank Oz directs this darkly comic musical, starring Rick Moranis as Seymour, a timid florist’s assistant who discovers (surprise, surprise) that a carnivorous alien plant can be a curse as well as a blessing. Feed me Seymour!!!
Tuesday – In the Fog 6pm @ FACT
The Guardian critic Peter Bradshaw called this Russian World War II drama “a haunting depiction of the hidden tragedies of war”. Based on the novel by Belarusian author (and erstwhile member of The Red Army) Vasil Bykaŭ, In the Fog takes as its starting point a man wrongfully accused of collaboration with the invading Nazis, the consequences of which lead to revelations about the terrible choices faced by people during war.
Wednesday – 20:20 @ the Bluecoat
The 20:20 Print Exchange exhibition, now in its third year and established by Salford-based Hot Bed Press, is the culmination of the work of 30 print workshops across the UK and Ireland. The touring exhibition –demonstrating “the strength and breadth of current printmaking” – comes to the Bluecoat (one of the participants) this week.
Troker 8pm @ the Kazimier Garden FREE
Troker, a self-proclaimed “Mexican instrumental jazz-rock band with a strong tequila flavor,” time their visit to the Kazimier Garden superbly, their modern take on the form serving as the perfect compliment to the current gifts from the weather gods. Allaboutjazz.com described them as “noisy, chaotic, sprawling, messy, and all together wonderful”. That’s tequila for you.
Thursday – Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer 4.20pm @ FACT
With the fallout from feminist art collective Pussy Riot’s performance in Moscow’s Christ the Saviour cathedral still ongoing, this film represents a timely look at their motivations and the knee-jerk reaction of the orthodox Russian state. With contributions from band members and some of those closest to them, Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer is a useful primer for those interested in the case. Read our review.
PICK OF THE WEEK: Friday – DLA Piper Series: Constellations @ Tate Liverpool FREE
This week sees Tate Liverpool unveil the final phase of a new representation of the works in its collection. Including pieces by modern masters Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Man Ray and Jackson Pollock, it bears testament to the strength in depth at the disposal of the gallery. The opening is accompanied by a number of talks around the artworks, beginning at 2.30pm with artistic director Francesco Manacorda discussing Man Ray’s, L’Enigme d’Isidore Ducasse.
Saturday – Shangaan Electro: A One Day Carnival of African Street Vibes 4pm @ the Kazimier Garden £10.50
The Guardian recently called it “the Soweto dance craze that’s about to go global“. Brilliant then that Deep Hedonia and the Kazimier have teamed up to present an hour long dance workshop led by the Shangaan dancers to accompany their performance and European tour. With support from Scottish Album of the Year nominee Auntie Flo and a host of other acts contributing, this has feel good summer vibes written all over it.
Sunday – Casablanca 6pm @ FACT
How can you account for the seemingly endless popularity of the Michael Curtiz-directed Casablanca, a film loved by each new generation discovering it? That central pairing of Bogart and Bergman, the memorable score and the oft-incorrectly reproduced dialogue all help; throw heartbreak and heroism into the mix and you begin to understand there’s no real mystery to that blanket popular and critical acclaim. Play it again, Sam…
