From the BFI London film festival to Taylor Swift: your complete entertainment guide to the week ahead
BFI London film festival8 to 19 October The annual smorgasbord of cinema returns to the UK capital (and beyond, via various regional satellite screenings), offering a selection of the best major international festival premieres, from Cannes to Venice.Catch the latest from Richard Linklater and Lynne Ramsay, as well as Guillermo del Toro’s new Frankenstein.UrchinOut nowHarris Dickinson has been making a name for himself as a homegrown British star on the rise able to hold his own opposite the likes of Zac Efron (The Iron Claw) and Nicole Kidman (Babygirl).But here he steps behind the camera for his directorial debut, about a young hustler (Frank Dillane) struggling to make a life for himself on the streets of London.HimOut nowStarring Marlon Wayans, Tyriq Withers and Julia Fox, this new sports horror from Jordan Peele’s production company … wait, what? “Sports horror”? Yep, that’s the genre, mashing tropes from sports movies and horror together, to give us a story about a would-be American football star who enters a world that isn’t all it seems.
PlainclothesOut nowWinner of a Special Jury award at the Sundance film festival, Carmen Emmi’s debut sees an undercover cop (Tom Blyth) in 1990s New York tasked with entrapping gay men, only to fall hard for one of his targets (Russell Tovey).Catherine BrayJohn GrantDublin, today; touring to 17 OctoberLast seen on a UK stage in July as part of Jonathan Watkins’s reimagining of Christopher Isherwood’s A Single Man, John Grant returns to his more usual fare with this run of gigs.That involves digging into a vast discography of experimental but deeply emotional vignettes anchored by his soulful baritone.Michael CraggNo Bounds festivalVarious venues, Sheffield and Rotherham, 10 to 12 OctoberCelebrating “art, music, technology, community, and radical joy” across 16 venues, this experimental fest boasts headliners including electronic producer Joy Orbison, while the support is stacked with dancefloor-based noise merchants including Factory Floor, Beatrice Dillon and Sheffield-born DJ 96 Back.MCArnie Somogyi and Mark Edwards: The Ellington Piano Project7 to 12 October; tour starts Manchester Imaginative and very experienced UK instrumentalist composers Arnie Somogyi (bass) and Mark Edwards (piano) co-lead a subtly personal tribute to Duke Ellington – adapting ideas from his last album to celebrate his magic anew, with a fine contemporary band including fast-rising young Dutch sax newcomer Gideon Tazelaar.
John FordhamDublin JackDublin, 7 October; London, 9 October; Belfast, 14 NovemberThe Belfast Ensemble give the first performances, in concert, of Conor Mitchell’s latest opera,It’s a darkly comic portrait of Jack Saul, described as “one of Ireland’s most infamous erotic exports”, whose work as a rent boy in Victorian London led to his notorious trial,Andrew ClementsBetty ParsonsDe La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill on Sea, 4 October to 18 January Best known as a Manhattan gallerist who championed the freewheeling work of Jackson Pollock, Parsons gets her due as a painter in her own right,She escaped from the art business into her studio as often as she could,Her paintings are abstract and colourful, transporting you to America’s golden age.
Gilbert & GeorgeHayward Gallery, London, 7 October to 11 JanuaryThe pioneers of performance made their name in the 20th century, with compelling, mysterious actions such as The Singing Sculpture and “pictures” that commented on Britain in the age of punk.Here, their 21st-century works are brought together, starring London alongside themselves in images of urban mayhem, desire and death.Nordic NoirThe British Museum, London, 9 October to 22 MarchNot the TV genre – but apparently it’s just caught up with the British Museum’s prints and drawings department, which uses the well-worn term for a show of Scandinavian art.Edvard Munch’s prints live up to the title.There are also works by Olafur Eliasson, the GRAS Group and more.
DownlandWiltshire Museum, Devizes, 4 October to 24 JanuaryBritain’s Neolithic landscapes have inspired land artists and visionaries, past and present.William Blake and John Constable both depicted Wiltshire’s most famous monument, Stonehenge.This exhibition curated by archaeologist and artist Dr Rose Ferraby explores how this and other Wiltshire sites still inspire art, with work by Paul Nash included.Jonathan JonesHamletNational Theatre: Lyttelton, to 22 NovemberNew deputy artistic director Robert Hastie – whose productions always have such gusto and spirit – starts his tenure at the National with a fearless and funny take on Shakespeare’s momentous tragedy.Hiran Abeysekera stars.
Miriam GillinsonLost AtomsCurve, Leicester, 4 October; touring to 28 FebruaryIt’s the last night at the Curve ahead of a major tour for Frantic Assembly’s 30th-anniversary production.Anna Jordan’s show explores how love shapes our lives and memories and is infused with the company’s trademark physicality and flair.MGBallet Black: ShadowsWatford, Wednesday; touring to 29 NovemberIf you’ve read Oyinkan Braithwaite’s hit novel My Sister, the Serial Killer then this double bill from Ballet Black will be worth seeing.Artistic director Cassa Pancho has made a dance take on the darkly comic thriller.You might not think of ballet and crime scenes going together, but it works.
Lyndsey WinshipEmma DoranBangor, today; touring to 24 AprilOn her socials, the Irish standup reports from motherhood’s frontline with a mixture of bone-dry humour, gossipy divulgence and a mild whiff of chaos,It’s the vibe she brings to this tour Emmaculate, which covers her unusual family life – she had her eldest at 18 – plus plenty of universal parenting conundrums,Rachel AroestiSign up to Inside SaturdayThe only way to get a look behind the scenes of the Saturday magazine,Sign up to get the inside story from our top writers as well as all the must-read articles and columns, delivered to your inbox every weekend,after newsletter promotionFilm ClubBBC Three & iPlayer, 7 October, 9pm Sex Education’s Aimee Lou Wood has been the magic ingredient in many a TV drama; now she’s created her own, alongside Ralph Davis.
Two best friends, Evie (Wood) and Noa (Nabhaan Rizwan), watch a film together every week – but rather than cinephilia, the pair are motivated by a secret love for each other.The Celebrity TraitorsBBC One & iPlayer, 8 October, 9pmThe original UK version of The Traitors benefited no end from the decision to cast civilians rather than the Z-listers and reality stars who populate the rest of the franchise.It also meant this long-awaited celebrity spin-off has been able to attract a magnificent cast – Alan Carr! Jonathan Ross! Celia Imrie! – guaranteed to have you in stitches.Victoria BeckhamNetflix, 9 OctoberHer cameos in her husband’s eponymous Netflix documentary were pure gold, so hopes are high for Posh’s own fly-on-the-wall series.Ostensibly, it will chronicle her fashion brand, but the actual draw is the tabloid-friendly domestic rollercoaster that’s long been the real family business.
The Last FrontierApple TV+, 10 OctoberIn this nightmarish Alaska thriller, when a prison transportation plane crash-lands on his turf, rounding up the violent inmates is the sole responsibility of US marshal Frank Remnick (Jason Clarke).But when one terrifying escaper named Havlock (Dominic Cooper) begins targeting him, a wider conspiracy unfurls.RABattlefield 6PC, PlayStation, XBox; out 10 October Expect booms, rat-tat-tats and no small quantity of kablammos from this latest entry in the long-running military multiplayer series, in which 64 players at a time lay waste to vast, beautiful and entirely destructible environments.Little Nightmares IIISwitch, PC, PlayStation, XBox; out 10 OctoberDon’t let the cutesy visuals fool you; this phantasmagorical platform puzzle-horror is often genuinely scary, plucking imagery straight out of your most mattress-dampening childhood night terrors.If you’re a bit of a wuss, it’s OK: you can team up with a pal in co-op mode.
Luke HollandDodie – Not for Lack of TryingOut nowThe Essex-born singer-songwriter returns with this belated follow-up to her Top 3 2021 debut, Build a Problem,While the tellingly capitalised and punctuated I’M FINE! is elegant symphonic soft-rock, it’s on I Feel Bad for You, Dave that Dodie experiments, pairing bossa nova with a takedown of a sad keyboard warrior,Upchuck – I’m Nice NowOut nowRecently signed to Domino records, the Atlantan punk rabble return with this Ty Segall-produced third album,Politically charged, gloriously abrasive and coiled like a spring, songs such as Tired and Forgotten Token highlight singer KT’s ferocious delivery,Taylor Swift – The Life of a ShowgirlOut nowOn her 12th album, and fifth since 2020, Swift reconnects with Swedish pop hitmakers Max Martin and Shellback for the first time since 2017’s Reputation.
It’s an intriguing move, suggesting the global megastar and cultural omnivore is keen to somehow become more ubiquitous,Sabrina Carpenter is the only guest on the 12-track album,Say She She – Cut & RewindOut nowSay She She, AKA Piya Malik, Sabrina Cunningham and Nya Gazelle Brown, tackle near-future dystopia (She Who Dares) and bigotry (Disco Life) on this follow-up to 2023’s breakthrough, Silver,The political themes are couched in elegant three-part harmonies, sleek disco and a unique blend of psychedelic soul and funk,MCFrom the Minds of Jazz MusiciansPodcastJazz historian Dave Schroeder’s dive into the lives of great improvisers begins with a tribute to the late saxophonist David Sanborn.
Another highlight of the series is Billie Holiday collaborator Mike Mainieri sharing his tales.How Comedy Was Destroyed by an Anti-Reality Doomsday CultYouTubeDon’t be fooled by the dramatic title.This video essay from anonymous channel The Elephant Graveyard is an incisive and expertly researched analysis into the current wave of populist American comedy spearheaded by podcaster Joe Rogan.Global Dancefloor: SaigonBBC World Service, 9 October, 9.30amFollowing 2024’s episode on the nightlife of Tbilisi, Frank McWeeny returns with dancefloor tales from Saigon.
With 70% of the Vietnamese population under 35, he discovers a generation defining themselves away from war.Ammar Kalia
Premier League rivals and big-name racing owners set to splash cash at Tattersalls auction
Racing continues its nervous wait for next month’s budget and the potential impact of changes to the tax regime around gambling, meaning the sport’s senior figures may hope that the chancellor’s attention is elsewhere when the Book 1 sale at Tattersalls, Europe’s most exclusive yearling auction, gets under way at the firm’s historic sales ring in Newmarket on Tuesday.You can explain until you are blue in the face that breeding and racing are not the same thing, or that the elite top tier of the yearling market, like the market for limited-edition Ferraris or 1,000-acre country estates, has always been wholly detached from what the rest of us would call day-to-day reality. The simple fact of it is that the numbers flying around at Tatts this week will be jaw-dropping, both for the average individual on the Clapham omnibus and the average politician in Westminster, many of whose constituents are still gripped by the cost-of-living crisis.A total of 345 yearlings were sold at last year’s Book 1 sale, generating a record turnover for the three-day event of 127m guineas (£134m), a 33% increase on the previous year’s figure of 95.3m gns (£100m)
English rugby unveils plan to build on women’s glory: ‘The stakes have never been higher’
The Rugby Football Union has promised to “keep its foot on the gas” after unveiling an ambitious five-year action plan to build on the momentum of the Red Roses’ Women’s Rugby World Cup victory.The strategy, called Every Rose: Our Time, includes the goal of becoming the first England team to win back-to-back Rugby World Cups, and getting 100,000 women and girls playing the game across the country by 2030, up from the 60,000 who participate now.English rugby’s governing body is also aiming to double its revenues from the women’s game to £60m so it can invest more in the grassroots, and to have 3 million Red Roses fans.“The stakes have never been higher,” Alex Teasdale, the executive director of the women’s game, told an audience of government and sports officials. “The opportunity has never been greater, but sitting still is not an option because the wheels are now fully in motion
Everyone wants answers for former rugby players like Lewis Moody but they are hard to come by | Andy Bull
Lewis Moody, 47, is the latest in a long line of players who has been diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disease that may or may not be linked to his career in collision sport. Over the past decade I’ve interviewed more of these men, and their friends and families, than I ever wanted to. Many of them chose to first reveal their diagnoses in the Guardian. First there’s the shock, then the sorrow, then the expressions of sympathy and support. And after all that, a lot of hard questions that are left unaddressed
Rugby world rallies round former England captain Lewis Moody after MND diagnosis
The rugby world has rallied around the former England captain Lewis Moody, who has revealed he has been diagnosed with motor neurone disease. The 47-year-old 2003 World Cup winner admitted he was having trouble accepting what his diagnosis means for the future but that he intends to stay positive.Among the most decorated forwards to play for England, he earned 71 caps and led his country at the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand, earning the nickname “Mad Dog” as an all-action, hard-hitting flanker.Since revealing his diagnosis, tributes have poured in from a host of teammates, the Rugby Football Union and the British & Irish Lions. His former Leicester teammates Geordan Murphy and Leon Lloyd have set up a GoFundMe page for Moody’s family and associated causes
Israel-Premier Tech to change its name and move away from ‘current identity’
The Israel-Premier Tech cycling team, whose participation in the Vuelta a España triggered a series of pro‑Palestinian protests that resulted in the race’s premature end last month, has announced it will change its name and move away from “its current Israeli identity”.The decision comes three weeks after World Tour cycling teams suggested they may boycott races against Israel-Premier Tech because of the team’s refusal to withdraw from the Vuelta and the lack of protection from the International Cycling Union (UCI) for its own commercial and sporting interests.The team’s sponsors had also urged a change of name and image after the team became a focus for protesters demonstrating against Israel’s offensive in Gaza.Anger over Israel-Premier Tech’s Vuelta participation intensified after the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, offered his backing to the team, which is owned by the billionaire entrepreneur Sylvan Adams. Netanyahu said: “Great job to Sylvan and Israel’s cycling team for not giving in to hatred and intimidation
British breakthroughs and India pride amid empty seats and controversy at para athletics worlds
The headline, slightly stuffily, read “heartiest congratulations”. Underneath, an effusive Narendra Modi posted congratulations to his country’s para-athletics team. “A historic performance!” the Indian prime minister wrote on social media, celebrating a record 22-medal haul for his country at the World Para Athletics Championships in Delhi, which ended on Sunday. “I am proud of each and every member and wish them the very best for their future endeavours,” he said. “Hosting the tournament in Delhi has also been an honour for India
Ineos to cut a fifth of Hull jobs, blaming ‘dirt-cheap’ imports from China
Australia Post releases footage of posties being hit by cars as it urges drivers to ‘keep an eye out’
‘We want justice’: workers at Amazon warehouses in Saudi Arabia still waiting on financial redress
‘Obedient, yielding and happy to follow’: the troubling rise of AI girlfriends
Trevor Lawrence’s trip and score TD leads Jaguars to thrilling late win over Chiefs
Marnus Labuschagne dropped from Australia ODI squad to face India