Your Complete Entertainment Guide to the Week Ahead
From a dramatic retelling of football's infamous Saipan incident to nostalgic pop documentaries and cutting-edge art exhibitions, this week offers a rich tapestry of entertainment options across cinema, streaming, stage, and galleries. Whether you're planning a night out or a cosy evening in, our comprehensive guide highlights the standout cultural events to mark in your diary.
Going Out: Cinema Highlights
Saipan presents a sports drama loosely based on the real-life clash between Irish manager Mick McCarthy, portrayed by Steve Coogan, and star player Roy Keane, played by Éanna Hardwicke. Set against the backdrop of the 2002 World Cup preparations on a Pacific island, this film explores the tensions that erupted into one of football's most memorable fallouts.
In No Other Choice, Korean director Park Chan-wook teams up with Lee Byung-hun from Squid Game for a dark comedy about a redundant man driven to extreme measures. Meanwhile, H Is for Hawk adapts Helen Macdonald's novel, with Claire Foy starring as a Cambridge fellow grappling with grief through hawk training, supported by Brendan Gleeson and Lindsay Duncan.
The romantic drama The History of Sound features Paul Mescal and Josh O'Connor as lovers in the early 20th century, blending music and emotion in a story that premiered at Cannes.
Going Out: Must-See Gigs and Performances
Jason Derulo brings his arena tour to the UK, promising energetic performances of hits like Talk Dirty and Whatcha Say from 29 January. For experimental pop, Hannah Diamond's HD Heaven show at Phonox in London on 30 January offers a futuristic audio-visual experience.
Classical and folk enthusiasts can enjoy Earth and Other Planets, where the Britten Sinfonia collaborates with Delia Stevens, Will Pound, and Robert Macfarlane to reimagine Holst's The Planets, including a new Earth movement. In Brighton, the Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra performs Wynton Marsalis's Trumpet Concerto with virtuoso Aaron Azunda Akugbo on 24 January.
Going Out: Art Exhibitions to Explore
Andy Warhol's work is examined at Lakeside Arts in Nottingham from 24 January to 19 April, prompting reflections on his legacy in today's celebrity-obsessed culture. At the Barbican Centre in London, Julia Phillips's sculptures from 30 January fuse ceramic body casts with metal, evoking the unease of modern technology.
Georg Baselitz marks his 88th birthday with defiant paintings at Cristea Roberts Gallery in London until 28 February, while Caroline Walker's realist paintings at Pallant House Gallery in Chichester until 26 April poignantly depict motherhood and everyday moments.
Going Out: Stage Productions and Dance
The Paul Taylor Dance Company returns to the UK after two decades, performing at the Linbury Theatre in London from 27 to 31 January with classics and new works. Rosalie Minnitt's Clementine tours from 24 January, blending Regency parody with modern dating satire.
Tom Stoppard's Arcadia runs at the Old Vic in London from 24 January, directed by Carrie Cracknell, and Michael Sheen leads Thornton Wilder's Our Town for the Welsh National Theatre, touring Wales before moving to London's Rose theatre.
Staying In: Streaming and Television Picks
Marvel's Wonder Man debuts on Disney+ on 28 January, starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Ben Kingsley in a meta superhero story. For thrillers, Under Salt Marsh on Sky Atlantic from 30 January features Rafe Spall and Kelly Reilly in a Welsh-set mystery involving crime and climate issues.
Nostalgia reigns with Netflix's Take That documentary on 27 January, chronicling the band's peak and comeback. Channel 4's Mission to Space With Francis Bourgeois on 25 January follows the TikTok star's astronaut training adventures.
Staying In: Games, Albums, and Brain Food
In gaming, Dispatch launches on Nintendo Switch on 28 January, offering a witty superhero call-centre narrative, while TR-49 on PC presents a mystery involving a wartime computer. Music releases include IDK's mixtape Even the Devil Smiles, Ari Lennox's soulful Vacancy, Louis Tomlinson's upbeat How Did I Get Here?, and Agnes's pop album Beautiful Madness.
For intellectual pursuits, the Eye of the Duck podcast delves into The Lord of the Rings films, the University of Chicago's Assyrian Dictionary provides insights into ancient language, and BBC World Service's Hungary: The Alternative to Orban on 29 January examines political shifts ahead of elections.
This week's entertainment landscape is diverse and engaging, offering something for every taste, from high drama and nostalgic pop to thought-provoking art and innovative performances. Plan your cultural itinerary with these highlights to make the most of the days ahead.
