From a reimagined monster classic to a chart-topping pop star’s latest album, this week’s entertainment offerings span the breadth of film, concerts, stage productions and more. Director Lee Cronin brings his horror expertise to The Mummy, whilst former One Direction member Zayn returns with fresh R&B material. Whether you’re looking for a trip to the pictures, a live gig or a West End show, or choosing to stay in with the newest streaming content and video game launches, our detailed guide has you covered. Read on to discover the essential entertainment moments heading your way over the next week, designed to guarantee you won’t overlook a single moment of the week’s finest entertainment.
Cinema: New Frights and Daring Retellings
Lee Cronin, the Irish filmmaker behind the highly praised indie horror The Hole in the Ground and the commercially successful Evil Dead Rises, brings his distinctive vision to a new interpretation on The Mummy. Rather than a direct remake, Cronin’s interpretation follows a journalist and his wife as they are brought back together with their child after eight years of being missing in the desert, with deeply unsettling consequences. Jack Reynor and Laia Costa lead the cast in what promises to be a compelling reimagining of the classic creature feature, showcasing Cronin’s mastery of building genuine dread and suspense.
Beyond Cronin’s chilling feature, this week’s movie selection delivers a broad selection of engaging dramatic films and character studies. Olivier Assayas’s The Wizard of the Kremlin presents an bold suspense film with Jude Law as Vladimir Putin, alongside Paul Dano as a fictional spin doctor, drawn from a acclaimed literary work. Meanwhile, Christian Petzold’s Miroirs No 3 provides a quieter, more personal story, with Paula Beer providing a subtle, layered portrayal as a classical piano student dealing with the aftermath of trauma in countryside isolation. Brian Cox also directs his first feature with Glenrothan, a lighthearted look of family reunion and healing set in Scotland.
- Lee Cronin’s The Mummy brings together a family with sinister supernatural repercussions in the desert.
- Jude Law transforms into Putin in Olivier Assayas’s bold political thriller drama.
- Christian Petzold’s Miroirs No 3 follows a pianist’s recovery journey through rural landscapes.
- Brian Cox directs his debut feature about estranged Scottish brothers pursuing redemption.
Live Music and Performances: Afrobeats through Experimental Jazz
This week’s live music schedule offers something for every refined listener, from engaging Afrobeats performances to experimental classical reimaginings. The American-Ghanaian singer Amaarae delivers her distinctive blend of Afrobeats, alt-pop and techno to London’s Roundhouse on 23 April, delivering a thoroughly immersive sonic journey. Those attending should note the strict all-black dress code requirement, creating an extra layer of theatrical anticipation to what promises to be a unforgettable night of modern music.
Classical music enthusiasts will find equally compelling offerings this week. The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment offers a collection of English early-20th-century masterworks by Vaughan Williams, Elgar and Peter Warlock, reconceived through advanced technology. Collaborating with immersive experience specialists Squidsoup, the leading period-instrument ensemble will play with a custom-built Concrete Voids 3D sound system, transforming the Queen Elizabeth Hall itself into an instrument and creating an entirely novel listening experience.
Standout Gigs This Week
- Amaarae at Roundhouse, London, 23 April: Afrobeats, alt-pop and techno blend with strict black dress code.
- Orchestra of the Enlightenment Period at Queen Elizabeth Hall, 22 April: Early-20th-century classics with immersive 3D sound.
- Dry Cleaning performing until 25 April: Off-kilter art-rock with mesmerising vocal delivery and post-punk sensibilities throughout performances.
- Post-punk revival acts present gloriously unconventional takes on noise and experimental musical storytelling this week.
Dry Cleaning maintains their unrelenting tour schedule, taking their brilliantly idiosyncratic art-rock to locations across the UK through 25 April, opening in Dublin. Their January-released Secret Love exemplifies the band’s distinctive fusion of post-punk’s unfiltered noise intensity with Florence Shaw’s hypnotic vocal delivery, crafting an utterly unique sonic landscape that defies conventional categorisation and justifies sustained engagement.
Visual Arts: Engaging Installations and Gallery Premieres
This week’s contemporary art landscape offers a compelling blend of engaging installations and major gallery premieres that promise to captivate audiences seeking innovative artistic experiences. From cutting-edge digital installations to conventional painting shows, galleries across the country are presenting pieces that challenge conventional perceptions of space, materiality and viewer engagement. These shows demonstrate the range of modern artistic expression, spanning established artists exploring new mediums to new artists making their gallery debut for the first time.
The week ahead provides particularly compelling possibilities for those engaged with innovative methods to visual storytelling. Several venues are emphasising engaging and participatory features, converting passive gallery visits into engaging interactive encounters. Whether through ambitious large-scale installations, intimate solo-artist shows or thematic collective exhibitions, the present programme demonstrates a wider curatorial shift towards designing settings that stimulate multiple sensory modes and encourage reflective, sustained observation rather than fleeting gallery encounters.
| Exhibition | Venue & Dates |
|---|---|
| Digital Futures: Contemporary Installation Art | Barbican Centre, London; Through 30 April |
| Colour and Form: Abstract Explorations | Whitechapel Gallery, London; 19 April – 2 June |
| Emerging Voices: New Institutional Commissions | Serpentine Galleries, London; Opens 22 April |
| Spatial Narratives: Photography and Place | The Photographers’ Gallery, London; Through 25 May |
Gallery-goers should give priority to reserving time slots in advance for the more popular displays, especially the interactive exhibits which operate at limited capacity to guarantee optimal viewing conditions. Many venues are extending evening opening hours this week to meet visitor numbers, allowing it to combine gallery visits with other night-time cultural activities across London’s vibrant cultural calendar.
Theatre and Dance: Honest Accounts and Welcoming Movement Practices
This week’s stage productions present a rich combination of personal character explorations and expansive group productions that are designed to engage audiences in London and surrounding areas. From darkly comedic investigations of family dysfunction to moving stories exploring modern social concerns, the theatre is filled with pieces that highlight genuine narrative and emotional impact. Directors are progressively creating productions that pull audiences into intensely individual universes, crafting performances that feels urgent and relevant to contemporary existence.
Dance programming remains equally vibrant, with companies advocating for inclusive physical vocabularies and diverse choreographic voices. Several performances scheduled present collaborations between established and emerging artists, stimulating creative conversation that expands possibilities and challenges conventional notions of physicality and expression. Whether you’re seeking avant-garde pieces that resist categorical boundaries or traditional narratives told via new viewpoints, the upcoming week offers theatre and dance that emphasises creative authenticity and meaningful audience engagement.
Stage Productions You Should See
- An close-knit domestic drama exploring reconciliation and unspoken truths with nuanced performances and witty dialogue across the piece.
- A physical theatre piece merging dance, verbal narrative and multimedia elements to deliver an engaging multi-sensory experience.
- A modern reinterpretation of a classic text featuring an all-women cast and bold directorial choices.
Streaming, Gaming and Music: Home Entertainment
For those choosing to remain cosily indoors this week, the online entertainment sphere offers engaging options across video streaming, gaming catalogues and audio releases. From prestige television dramas to smaller studio game titles, there’s considerable variety catering to different moods and interests. Video platforms maintain their aggressive release schedules, whilst digital gaming stores showcase both blockbuster titles and creative independent games that deserve attention. This convergence of quality content means staying-in options needn’t feel like a lesser alternative—it’s truly comparable with standard social outings.
Music releases this week cover genres and generations, with veteran performers and emerging talents alike dropping projects that merit your time. The week also delivers new gaming content spanning narrative-driven adventures to multiplayer competitive experiences, guaranteeing gamers of all tastes discover something worthwhile. Meanwhile, streaming services present fresh drama, comedy and documentary content that’s been attracting substantial interest. Whether you’re embarking on a weekend gaming marathon, exploring fresh music or binge-watching the newest acclaimed shows, domestic viewing provides authentic excellence and diversity.
Latest Releases On Multiple Platforms
- Zayn’s newest R’n’B album delivers slinky, loved-up tracks showcasing the ex-One Direction star’s musical evolution.
- A major streaming platform unveils an acclaimed drama series with group acting displays and sharp scriptwriting.
- Indie gaming studio drops long-awaited puzzle-adventure title combining story complexity with innovative gameplay mechanics.
- Documentary series exploring contemporary social issues premieres on major digital platform with widespread praise.
- Established musician unveils surprise EP featuring unexpected collaborations and experimental sonic directions throughout.
This current week’s entertainment at home shows that remaining at home doesn’t mean losing access to culturally enriching offerings. The wide variety of new releases—from Zayn’s sultry R’n’B album to groundbreaking gaming projects and acclaimed television—ensures something resonates with every viewer, listener and player. Whether you’re looking for escapist entertainment or thought-provoking content, online platforms provide strong incentives to stay comfortable at home.