John Wick Experience Review – Going Excommunicado in thrilling immersive show
Keanu Reeves‘s hit action franchise is six films and counting, expanding the John Wick world into spin-offs and video games. The incredible world-building is one of the main reasons why the series continues to be so popular and continue to engage audiences. The underworld of assassins, with its gentlemanly code of conduct and untraceable, gold-coin money, is a place of style and mystery. Continental hotels are located in every major city around the world. Hitmen can stay there without worrying about their business taking place on Continental property. The official John Wick Experience lets fans enter a Continental hotel and play the role as an excommunicado assassin alongside John Wick. In the John Wick films we have seen not only the New York City Continental but also assassin hotels from Rome, Casablanca Osaka, and Prague. The John Wick Experience takes place in the Las Vegas Continental located just off the Strip at Area15. Before I even entered the venue, there was a bouncer in character greeting me and my partner at the reception. A dry, amusing concierge welcomed us inside and gave us an underworld coin as a souvenir. The John Wick experience had a high-quality
set, which was far superior to the temporary immersive experiences I have seen in London. Secret Cinema is the only thing that comes close to the John Wick Experience. It works with studios and brings the worlds of popular franchises to life. After the reception we were led into the stylish bar of the Las Vegas Continental. After choosing a signature drink called the Elder, I watched the barman perform a spectacular flaming mix. After we had finished our cocktails, we headed to the elevator where the operator welcomed and explained our mission. What followed was an exciting cinematic experience throughout the hotel. A variety of actors played various staff members who guided you around the venue as you were “excommunicado”, ie banned and hunted by other assassins. The fact that this was not a generic Continental but rather one in keeping with its Vegas location was very special. The manager welcomed our group into his office while wearing a western hat and playing a one-armed bandit. You can even play against your friends in the classic casino section. There were some mini-escape rooms, and others had virtual gunfights with Disney theme park level thrills. All the while, you’re being chased by fellow assassins. This is one of my favorite immersive experiences. It’s well worth a visit when you are in Las Vegas. If only Winston would open up the London Continental on the other side of the pond. Bookings for the John Wick Experience Las Vegas are available
. The world of the
action franchise is expanding to include video games, spin-offs and more. Its incredible world building is a big reason why the series has been so successful. The underworld of assassins, with its gentlemanly code of conduct and untraceable, gold-coin money, is a place of style and mystery. Continental hotels are located in every major city around the world. Hitmen can stay there without worrying about their business taking place on Continental property. The official John Wick Experience lets fans enter one of these hotels and play the part of an excommunicado assassin alongside John Wick. In the John Wick films we have seen not only the New York City Continental but also assassin hotels from Rome, Casablanca Osaka, and Prague. The John Wick Experience takes place in the Las Vegas Continental located just off the Strip at Area15.
Before we even got to the venue a bouncer dressed in character was at the front door welcoming me and my friend into the hotel reception. A dry, amusing concierge welcomed us inside and gave us an underworld coin as a souvenir. Hollywood It was immediately apparent that the John Wick experience had a high-quality
set, which is a far cry away from the temporary immersive show I experienced in London. Secret Cinema, a studio-based company that works closely with major film studios to bring their worlds to life, is the only one that I can think of. After the reception we were led into the stylish bar of the Las Vegas Continental. After choosing a signature drink called the Elder, I watched the barman perform a spectacular flaming mix. After we had finished our cocktails, it was time for us to get into the elevator. There, the operator welcomed us and told us about our mission. What followed was an exciting cinematic experience throughout the hotel. Using state-of the-art special effects as well as actors who played various members of the staff, you were guided through the venue by the actors while being “excommunicado”, ie banned and being chased by other assassins. The fact that this was not a generic Continental but rather one in keeping with its Vegas location was very special. The manager, wearing a western hat and playing a one-armed bandit in his office welcomed us. You can even play against your friends in the classic casino section. There were some mini-escape rooms, and others had virtual gunfights with Disney theme park level thrills. All the while, you’re being hunted down by fellow assassins. This is one of my favorite immersive experiences. It’s well worth a visit when you are in Las Vegas. If only Winston would open up the London Continental on the other side of the pond. Bookings for the John Wick Experience Las Vegas are available
after today’s announcement. Fellowship Entertainment, which will include Kingdom Come: Deliverance and Tomb Raider as well as Lord of the Rings, will concentrate on a range of IPs. Embracer’s focus will be on “a more efficient structure and tighter control of costs”. spin off Fellowship Entertainment “The main reason to spin-off Fellowship was to increase the management focus in order to capture the joint potential of IPs, communities, and some of best game developers around the world.” wrote Wingefors. Asmodee, Coffee Stain and Fellowship Entertainment
are examples of businesses that we think will flourish by becoming their own stand-alone business. I’m confident that Fellowship Entertainment can achieve industry-leading profits and healthy organic growth over the long term. We aim to maintain a lean overhead for both groups. In 2023, the separation was planned to take place by 2027. Fellowship Entertainment, on the other hand, has a much stronger product pipeline. Layoffs affected more than 1,400 people, resulting in the closure of stepping down as CEO last June, open letter to shareholders,
, and
. Embracer has also sold
and [which were spun off in April 2024]. Eidos-Montreal, which had 124 positions cut and studio head David Anfossi departing the studio, was the
. Wingefors said that, “After the significant adjustment we made to our workforce in 2023, it was decided to not do a ”US corporate style’ reduction of headcount, but instead to give studios and IPs a chance to prove themselves.” We have and still are adjusting to the new industry post pandemic in order to drive value. As stated earlier, it is a rare opportunity to build the future Embracer. The past decade of experience has taught us many valuable lessons, and I, as chair, will ensure we apply them as we build the foundations of the next decade for both future companies. Fellowship Entertainment, which is now chair of the board, will concentrate on a number of IPs including Kingdom Come Deliverance, Tomb Raider and Lord of the Rings. Embracer’s focus will be on “a more efficient structure and tighter control of costs”.
“The main reason to spin-off Fellowship was to increase the management focus in order to capture the joint potential of IPs, communities, and some of best game developers around the world.” wrote Wingefors. Asmodee, Coffee Stain and Fellowship Entertainment
are examples of businesses that we think will flourish by becoming their own stand-alone business. I’m convinced Fellowship Entertainment will be able to achieve industry-leading profitability, and have healthy long-term growth above industry average. We want to run each group with a lean, efficient overhead. In 2023, the separation was planned to take place by 2027. Fellowship Entertainment, on the other hand, has a much stronger product pipeline. The layoffs affected over 1,400 employees, leading to the closures
, Volition Games, and Free Radical Design as well. Eidos-Montreal, which had 124 positions cut and studio head David Anfossi departing the studio, was the Campfire Cabal . Wingefors stated that after analyzing the huge adjustment made in 2023 we decided not a do a “US Corporate style” headcount reduction but rather to give some studios and intellectual property the opportunity to prove themselves. We have and still are adjusting to the new industry post pandemic in order to drive value. This is the best opportunity for the future Embracer, as stated previously. As chairman, I will ensure that we use the hard and valuable learnings from the past decade to lay the foundations for the future of both companies.
Subnautica 2 is a game that’s all about finding materials and crafting them into new items to conduct further research on the submerged planet, and Enameled Glass is one of the first crafting recipes you’re going to want to get your hands on. Enameled Glass is a basic component that’s used to craft some of the most essential items in Subnautica 2, from new Bioscanners to Feedback Resonators and even a Vehicle Fabricator to start constructing your own transportation.
While Subnautica 2 doesn’t do a great job of explaining where to get this early game item, it’s actually pretty easy to come across once you know how. Here’s what you need to know about Enameled Glass in Subnautica 2 and how to get it.
How to craft Enameled Glass in Subnautica 2
To craft Enameled Glass in Subnautica 2, you’ll need one piece of Glass and two pieces of Creature Enamel. You’ll discover this recipe as soon as you pick up your first piece of Creature Enamel in the game.
As for where to find Creature Enamel, your best bet is to look out for Large Mineral Deposits. These look like large crystals growing out of rocks.
Swim up to them with a Sonic Resonator to mine out the Creature Enamel.
For the Glass, you’re best off crafting this from scratch at the Fabricator. The recipe requires two Quartz and two Salt, which are found nearby to the starting area of the game.
Once you’ve got both Glass and Creature Enamel, head over to the Fabricator to start crafting Enameled Glass to use in other crafting recipes.
Which item are you crafting first with Enameled Glass in Subnautica 2?
Subnautica 2 is currently available on PC in early access. There’s currently no word on when a PS5 or Xbox Series X|S version will release.
Subnautica 2 is a game that’s all about finding materials and crafting them into new items to conduct further research on the submerged planet, and Enameled Glass is one of the first crafting recipes you’re going to want to get your hands on. Enameled Glass is a basic component that’s used to craft some of the most essential items in Subnautica 2, from new Bioscanners to Feedback Resonators and even a Vehicle Fabricator to start constructing your own transportation.
While Subnautica 2 doesn’t do a great job of explaining where to get this early game item, it’s actually pretty easy to come across once you know how. Here’s what you need to know about Enameled Glass in Subnautica 2 and how to get it.
How to craft Enameled Glass in Subnautica 2
To craft Enameled Glass in Subnautica 2, you’ll need one piece of Glass and two pieces of Creature Enamel. You’ll discover this recipe as soon as you pick up your first piece of Creature Enamel in the game.
As for where to find Creature Enamel, your best bet is to look out for Large Mineral Deposits. These look like large crystals growing out of rocks.
Swim up to them with a Sonic Resonator to mine out the Creature Enamel.
For the Glass, you’re best off crafting this from scratch at the Fabricator. The recipe requires two Quartz and two Salt, which are found nearby to the starting area of the game.
Once you’ve got both Glass and Creature Enamel, head over to the Fabricator to start crafting Enameled Glass to use in other crafting recipes.
Which item are you crafting first with Enameled Glass in Subnautica 2?
Subnautica 2 is currently available on PC in early access. There’s currently no word on when a PS5 or Xbox Series X|S version will release.
The 2017 masterplan places a greater emphasis on town centre living and leisure, as opposed to traditional retail uses, in continuing the regeneration of Rotherham town centre.
Having previously converted the former Post Office on Main Street, created a boutique hotel in the historic George Wright Building, and restored the Empire Theatre, attention turned to an unused underground building next to the George Wright.
The Bunka opened earlier this year – a premium underground VIP golf simulator and leisure venue located on Snail Hill featuring state-of-the-art TrackMan technology, in-house PGA coaching and a members-only bar. A spa in the building is set to follow.
With the underground conversion well underway, things are looking up, with applicant, Mark McGrail of SME Holding Ltd, now unveiling plans for two padel courts to be constructed over the hotel’s car park that sits above the Bunka.
The plan involves the installation of a simple metal deck for two padel courts over the existing car park.
Advertisement
Plans, drawn up by Just Architecture, state: “The site is currently underutilised and offers an opportunity to enhance the character of the area.
“The development includes two padel courts accessed from the GW [George Wright] courtyard. It is believed that with this part of the development a sense of cohesiveness will be achieved given the access to the GW Hotel, Spa and simulated golf, all located within the same complex.
“The proposal for 2 No Padel Courts represents a sensitive and sustainable development opportunity that respects its historical context, makes efficient
use of underutilised urban land, and delivers an additional element to this urban entertainment venue.”
Given that the site is within the town’s conservation area, and the George Wright is a listed building, the plans state that the height and massing have
been sensitively designed. The required fencing and protective panels around the courts will be covered by canopies, which the plans state: “although quite high in relation to the GW Hotel it will have little impact upon the GW Hotel given its semi-transparent nature.” The development is also easily reversible due to its construction.
LED lighting is also proposed and to fit in the courts, the structure would go over the Snail Hill access road “but at a height that would not have any impact on vehicle access.”
The 2017 masterplan places a greater emphasis on town centre living and leisure, as opposed to traditional retail uses, in continuing the regeneration of Rotherham town centre.
Having previously converted the former Post Office on Main Street, created a boutique hotel in the historic George Wright Building, and restored the Empire Theatre, attention turned to an unused underground building next to the George Wright.
The Bunka opened earlier this year – a premium underground VIP golf simulator and leisure venue located on Snail Hill featuring state-of-the-art TrackMan technology, in-house PGA coaching and a members-only bar. A spa in the building is set to follow.
With the underground conversion well underway, things are looking up, with applicant, Mark McGrail of SME Holding Ltd, now unveiling plans for two padel courts to be constructed over the hotel’s car park that sits above the Bunka.
The plan involves the installation of a simple metal deck for two padel courts over the existing car park.
Advertisement
Plans, drawn up by Just Architecture, state: “The site is currently underutilised and offers an opportunity to enhance the character of the area.
“The development includes two padel courts accessed from the GW [George Wright] courtyard. It is believed that with this part of the development a sense of cohesiveness will be achieved given the access to the GW Hotel, Spa and simulated golf, all located within the same complex.
“The proposal for 2 No Padel Courts represents a sensitive and sustainable development opportunity that respects its historical context, makes efficient
use of underutilised urban land, and delivers an additional element to this urban entertainment venue.”
Given that the site is within the town’s conservation area, and the George Wright is a listed building, the plans state that the height and massing have
been sensitively designed. The required fencing and protective panels around the courts will be covered by canopies, which the plans state: “although quite high in relation to the GW Hotel it will have little impact upon the GW Hotel given its semi-transparent nature.” The development is also easily reversible due to its construction.
LED lighting is also proposed and to fit in the courts, the structure would go over the Snail Hill access road “but at a height that would not have any impact on vehicle access.”
From Normal to Ania Magliano: your complete entertainment guide to the week ahead
Going out: Cinema
Normal Out now Ben Wheatley (Sightseers) returns with an action crime thriller starring Bob Odenkirk as a man serving as interim sheriff in the fictional little town of Normal, Minnesota, a place that turns out to have some unexpectedly big secrets involving the yakuza. Also starring Henry Winkler and Lena Headey.
Obsession Out now In this literal “be careful what you wish for” horror movie, Bear works in a music store and has a crush on co-worker Nikki. When given the opportunity he makes a magical wish for her to love him more than anyone else in the world, leading to an extreme version of the condition mentioned in the title. Orphan Out now Set in the aftermath of the failed 1956 revolution in Budapest, an angry young teenager, Andor (Bojtorján Barabas), is raised on idealistic stories of his missing father, but struggles with family secrets when a man appears claiming to be him – and falls far short of the image in Andor’s head. Historical drama from director László Nemes (Son of Saul).
The Christophers Out now Director Steven Soderbergh teams up with Ian McKellen and Michaela Coel for an art world caper in which the two unscrupulous adult children of a highly acclaimed elderly artist hire a younger artist to finish off some of his incomplete paintings – so that they can be sold off as the genuine article. Catherine Bray
Going out: Gigs
More than a feline … Doja Cat.
Doja Cat 19 to 29 May, tour starts Dublin While last year’s sleek funk-pop opus Vie hasn’t hit the commercial peaks of the LA rapper and singer’s previous output, Doja Cat still knows how to put on an eye-popping show. Expect 27 songs, high-cut leopard print leotards and a provocativeperformer taking cues from 80s superstars such asPrince and Janet Jackson. Michael Cragg
Get Together Various venues, Sheffield, 16 May Southend goth overlords the Horrors join the likes of Welsh-Cornish wonder Gwenno and Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor feature in this city-wide festival. Other highlights include “wonk pop” practitioners Lime Garden and London-based noise merchants Factory Floor. Michael Cragg
Tosca Glyndebourne, nr Lewes, 21 May to 22 June & 4 to 30 August The UK’s premier summer opera festival opens with its first ever production of Puccini’s classic thriller. Staged by US director Ted Huffman in Glyndebourne’s exquisitely intimate theatre, this Tosca promises to be up close and personal. Robin Ticciati conducts, with soprano Caitlin Gotimer leading two rising-star casts. Flora Willson
Submotion Orchestra The Wardrobe, Leeds, 21 May Leeds jazz festival’s fifth year boasts genre-fluid pianist-organist Kit Downes (25 May) and sax star Emma Rawicz (24 May) among the luminaries of its six-day run. The now 16-year-old Submotion Orchestra’s fusion of electronica, jazz and soulful ambience will be a big highlight of the opening-night gigs. John Fordham
Going out: Art
Godfried Donkor’s St Ike Quartey, 2023. Photograph: Godfried Donkor/Gallery 1957
Godfried Donkor Firstsite, Colchester, 22 May to 30 August Travel from Colchester to west Africa and the Caribbean as this London-based Ghanaian artist weaves together stories of resistance from Boudicca to Yaa Asantewaa. Donkor mixes collage, painting and textile to talk about how identity, power and trade shape our world.
Delcy Morelos Barbican, London, to 31 July This Colombian installation artist is making a big muddy mess, filling the Barbican with huge mounds of earth. Morelos uses soil, clay and spices to totally transform spaces into heady immersive environments, inviting viewers to contemplate mud as the very material of life, all based on ideas gleaned from ancestral Andean and Amazonian knowledge.
Phantasmagoria Henry Moore Institute, Leeds, to 30 August Video games and digital art aren’t necessarily what you’d associate with a gallery named after Britain’s most famous sculptor, but this exhibition deals with some seriously traditional subject matter: folklore, the occult and witchcraft. Artists including Most Dismal Swamp and the brilliant Joey Holder will drag enchantment, myth and magic into the present day.
James McNeill Whistler Tate Britain, London, 21 May to 27 September Tate Britain’s major summer show is the biggest European exhibition of this US painter’s work for more than 30 years. Whistler created some of the most instantly recognisable images of the 19th century: perfectly poised portraits, hauntingly penumbral landscapes, austere images of his own family, all with a haunting, innovative approach to painting. Eddy Frankel
Going out: Stage
On the box … Ania Magaliano. Photograph: Antonio Olmos/The Observer
Ania Magliano 21 May to 15 November; tour starts Reading She was already a rising star but being cast in SNL has cemented Magliano’s place in the comedy firmament. Now the 28-year-old is hitting the road with Peach Fuzz, a show inspired by her newfound connection to her body and inability to relate to Sabrina Carpenter. Rachel Aroesti
Mother Courage and Her Children Shakespeare’s Globe, London, to 27 June The Globe’s artistic director and powerhouse performer, Michelle Terry, stars as Mother Courage, dragging her cart through a wasteland ravaged by war. Anna Jordan adapts a modern staging of Brecht’s defiant protest play. Miriam Gillinson
Little Shop of Horrors Northern Stage, Newcastle upon Tyne, to 23 May; touring to 20 June A new actor-musician production of Alan Menken and Howard Ashman’s cult hit, with Amena El-Kindy as Audrey and Kristian Cunningham as Seymour, the flower shop assistant who stumbles across a truly monster plant – feeeeeeed me! MG
Uncaged+ The Mount Without, Bristol, 18 to 22 May A coup for the Bristol dance venue, a guest performance from former Royal Ballet principal Edward Watson (18 & 19 May only) in works by choreographer Antonia Franceschi (ex-New York City Ballet, best known as the ballet dancer in the movie Fame). The venue itself is worth a visit, it’s a beautiful church conversion. Lyndsey Winship
Staying in: Streaming
Horsing around … Lu Richardson and Emilia Clarke in Ponies. Photograph: Katalin Vermes/Peacock
Ponies Sky Atlantic & Now, 22 May, 9pm Haley Lu Richardson (The White Lotus) and Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones) are two bereaved wives who take over their late husbands’ jobs as CIA spies in Soviet Moscow in a 1970s-set cold war thriller that doubles as a goofy buddy comedy. Adrian Lester co-stars as their handler.
The Boroughs Netflix, 21 May A new supernatural horror set in a retirement community where a malign entity is attempting to steal “time”. Cue wisecracks about how little the residents have left anyway, despite the stellar cast – Bill Pullman, Geena Davis, Alfred Molina – looking far too sprightly for such gags to land.
Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed Apple TV+, 20 May From Euphoria to Margo’s Got Money Troubles, online sex work is TV’s current fixation, but this thriller takes a slightly different angle. She-Hulk’s Tatiana Maslany stars as divorced mother Paula who strikes up a rapport with a “cam boy” whose attempt to scam her results in murder.
Falling Channel 4, 19 May, 9pm Remember Fleabag’s hot priest? Well now we’re getting a hot priest and a hot nun courtesy of prolific screenwriter Jack Thorne. Keeley Hawes leads as the latter, whose romantic feelings for Paapa Essiedu’s man of the cloth leads them both into temptation. RA
Staying in: Games
Capers … Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight. Illustration: TT Games/Warner Bros
Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight PC,PS5, Xbox, Switch 2; out 22 May The caped crusader is back in Lego form as we follow the origins of the character, from newbie to Gotham legend. We’re promised a vast explorable city, a fresh, high-impact combat system and some classic foes.
Forza Horizon 6 PC, Xbox; out 19 May The globe-trotting open-world racer returns, this time taking its fleet of exotic cars to Japan, where neon cities and Ghibli-esque rural landscapes provide the backdrop to an array of circuits and challenges. Keith Stuart
Staying in: Albums
Original pirate material … Genesis Owusu. Photograph: Isaac Brown
Genesis Owusu – Redstar Wu & the Worldwide Scourge Out now Released last September, Pirate Radio, the lead single from the third album by the Ghanaian-Australian rapper and singer, is a coiled spring of anger, aiming barbs at Elon Musk and Kanye. Its furious melding of punk and synthpop also permeates the galloping recent single Stampede.
Dua Saleh – Of Earth & Wires Out now The LA based, Sudanese-American polymath – as well as writing poetry, Saleh got their break playing Cal in Sex Education – returns with this lush second album. Bon Iver adds his quivering croon to Flood, while I Do, I Do fuses alt-R&B and Sudanese folk.
Drake – Iceman Out now Having survived Kendrick Lamar’s eviscerating takedown Not Like Us, Drake returns with his first solo album in three years. Originally teased back in 2024, then again in 2025, its release date was eventually confirmed via a giant melting ice sculpture in Toronto.
Rostam – American Stories Out now The erstwhile Vampire Weekender and producer for Haim and Clairo returns to his solo career with this follow-up to 2021’s Changephobia. Celebrating his Persian roots, alongside elements of Americana, it stretches out like a perfect road trip. MC
Staying in: Brain food
Space man … Daniel Kaluuya. Photograph: Tristan Fewings/Getty/Red Sea International Film Festival
Making Space Podcast North London’s Roundhouse venue presents this enlightening series of conversations featuring guests such as the actor Daniel Kaluuya on the value of youth programmes, and former youth poet laureate Cecilia Knapp on exploring authentic human stories.
Five By Nine YouTube This design-focused YouTube channel posts engaging and clearly written guides to improving your home layout and colour palette. Its video The Psychology Behind Why Some Homes Feel Good But Most Don’t is a key primer.
The Black Power Station BBC Sounds, 21 May Luthando Zingela’s delightfully uplifting documentary journeys into an abandoned power station in South Africa that has been transformed into a makeshift musical hub. Ammar Kalia
Going out: Cinema
Normal Out now Ben Wheatley (Sightseers) returns with an action crime thriller starring Bob Odenkirk as a man serving as interim sheriff in the fictional little town of Normal, Minnesota, a place that turns out to have some unexpectedly big secrets involving the yakuza. Also starring Henry Winkler and Lena Headey.
Obsession Out now In this literal “be careful what you wish for” horror movie, Bear works in a music store and has a crush on co-worker Nikki. When given the opportunity he makes a magical wish for her to love him more than anyone else in the world, leading to an extreme version of the condition mentioned in the title. Orphan Out now Set in the aftermath of the failed 1956 revolution in Budapest, an angry young teenager, Andor (Bojtorján Barabas), is raised on idealistic stories of his missing father, but struggles with family secrets when a man appears claiming to be him – and falls far short of the image in Andor’s head. Historical drama from director László Nemes (Son of Saul).
The Christophers Out now Director Steven Soderbergh teams up with Ian McKellen and Michaela Coel for an art world caper in which the two unscrupulous adult children of a highly acclaimed elderly artist hire a younger artist to finish off some of his incomplete paintings – so that they can be sold off as the genuine article. Catherine Bray
Going out: Gigs
More than a feline … Doja Cat.
Doja Cat 19 to 29 May, tour starts Dublin While last year’s sleek funk-pop opus Vie hasn’t hit the commercial peaks of the LA rapper and singer’s previous output, Doja Cat still knows how to put on an eye-popping show. Expect 27 songs, high-cut leopard print leotards and a provocativeperformer taking cues from 80s superstars such asPrince and Janet Jackson. Michael Cragg
Get Together Various venues, Sheffield, 16 May Southend goth overlords the Horrors join the likes of Welsh-Cornish wonder Gwenno and Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor feature in this city-wide festival. Other highlights include “wonk pop” practitioners Lime Garden and London-based noise merchants Factory Floor. Michael Cragg
Tosca Glyndebourne, nr Lewes, 21 May to 22 June & 4 to 30 August The UK’s premier summer opera festival opens with its first ever production of Puccini’s classic thriller. Staged by US director Ted Huffman in Glyndebourne’s exquisitely intimate theatre, this Tosca promises to be up close and personal. Robin Ticciati conducts, with soprano Caitlin Gotimer leading two rising-star casts. Flora Willson
Submotion Orchestra The Wardrobe, Leeds, 21 May Leeds jazz festival’s fifth year boasts genre-fluid pianist-organist Kit Downes (25 May) and sax star Emma Rawicz (24 May) among the luminaries of its six-day run. The now 16-year-old Submotion Orchestra’s fusion of electronica, jazz and soulful ambience will be a big highlight of the opening-night gigs. John Fordham
Going out: Art
Godfried Donkor’s St Ike Quartey, 2023. Photograph: Godfried Donkor/Gallery 1957
Godfried Donkor Firstsite, Colchester, 22 May to 30 August Travel from Colchester to west Africa and the Caribbean as this London-based Ghanaian artist weaves together stories of resistance from Boudicca to Yaa Asantewaa. Donkor mixes collage, painting and textile to talk about how identity, power and trade shape our world.
Delcy Morelos Barbican, London, to 31 July This Colombian installation artist is making a big muddy mess, filling the Barbican with huge mounds of earth. Morelos uses soil, clay and spices to totally transform spaces into heady immersive environments, inviting viewers to contemplate mud as the very material of life, all based on ideas gleaned from ancestral Andean and Amazonian knowledge.
Phantasmagoria Henry Moore Institute, Leeds, to 30 August Video games and digital art aren’t necessarily what you’d associate with a gallery named after Britain’s most famous sculptor, but this exhibition deals with some seriously traditional subject matter: folklore, the occult and witchcraft. Artists including Most Dismal Swamp and the brilliant Joey Holder will drag enchantment, myth and magic into the present day.
James McNeill Whistler Tate Britain, London, 21 May to 27 September Tate Britain’s major summer show is the biggest European exhibition of this US painter’s work for more than 30 years. Whistler created some of the most instantly recognisable images of the 19th century: perfectly poised portraits, hauntingly penumbral landscapes, austere images of his own family, all with a haunting, innovative approach to painting. Eddy Frankel
Going out: Stage
On the box … Ania Magaliano. Photograph: Antonio Olmos/The Observer
Ania Magliano 21 May to 15 November; tour starts Reading She was already a rising star but being cast in SNL has cemented Magliano’s place in the comedy firmament. Now the 28-year-old is hitting the road with Peach Fuzz, a show inspired by her newfound connection to her body and inability to relate to Sabrina Carpenter. Rachel Aroesti
Mother Courage and Her Children Shakespeare’s Globe, London, to 27 June The Globe’s artistic director and powerhouse performer, Michelle Terry, stars as Mother Courage, dragging her cart through a wasteland ravaged by war. Anna Jordan adapts a modern staging of Brecht’s defiant protest play. Miriam Gillinson
Little Shop of Horrors Northern Stage, Newcastle upon Tyne, to 23 May; touring to 20 June A new actor-musician production of Alan Menken and Howard Ashman’s cult hit, with Amena El-Kindy as Audrey and Kristian Cunningham as Seymour, the flower shop assistant who stumbles across a truly monster plant – feeeeeeed me! MG
Uncaged+ The Mount Without, Bristol, 18 to 22 May A coup for the Bristol dance venue, a guest performance from former Royal Ballet principal Edward Watson (18 & 19 May only) in works by choreographer Antonia Franceschi (ex-New York City Ballet, best known as the ballet dancer in the movie Fame). The venue itself is worth a visit, it’s a beautiful church conversion. Lyndsey Winship
Staying in: Streaming
Horsing around … Lu Richardson and Emilia Clarke in Ponies. Photograph: Katalin Vermes/Peacock
Ponies Sky Atlantic & Now, 22 May, 9pm Haley Lu Richardson (The White Lotus) and Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones) are two bereaved wives who take over their late husbands’ jobs as CIA spies in Soviet Moscow in a 1970s-set cold war thriller that doubles as a goofy buddy comedy. Adrian Lester co-stars as their handler.
The Boroughs Netflix, 21 May A new supernatural horror set in a retirement community where a malign entity is attempting to steal “time”. Cue wisecracks about how little the residents have left anyway, despite the stellar cast – Bill Pullman, Geena Davis, Alfred Molina – looking far too sprightly for such gags to land.
Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed Apple TV+, 20 May From Euphoria to Margo’s Got Money Troubles, online sex work is TV’s current fixation, but this thriller takes a slightly different angle. She-Hulk’s Tatiana Maslany stars as divorced mother Paula who strikes up a rapport with a “cam boy” whose attempt to scam her results in murder.
Falling Channel 4, 19 May, 9pm Remember Fleabag’s hot priest? Well now we’re getting a hot priest and a hot nun courtesy of prolific screenwriter Jack Thorne. Keeley Hawes leads as the latter, whose romantic feelings for Paapa Essiedu’s man of the cloth leads them both into temptation. RA
Staying in: Games
Capers … Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight. Illustration: TT Games/Warner Bros
Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight PC,PS5, Xbox, Switch 2; out 22 May The caped crusader is back in Lego form as we follow the origins of the character, from newbie to Gotham legend. We’re promised a vast explorable city, a fresh, high-impact combat system and some classic foes.
Forza Horizon 6 PC, Xbox; out 19 May The globe-trotting open-world racer returns, this time taking its fleet of exotic cars to Japan, where neon cities and Ghibli-esque rural landscapes provide the backdrop to an array of circuits and challenges. Keith Stuart
Staying in: Albums
Original pirate material … Genesis Owusu. Photograph: Isaac Brown
Genesis Owusu – Redstar Wu & the Worldwide Scourge Out now Released last September, Pirate Radio, the lead single from the third album by the Ghanaian-Australian rapper and singer, is a coiled spring of anger, aiming barbs at Elon Musk and Kanye. Its furious melding of punk and synthpop also permeates the galloping recent single Stampede.
Dua Saleh – Of Earth & Wires Out now The LA based, Sudanese-American polymath – as well as writing poetry, Saleh got their break playing Cal in Sex Education – returns with this lush second album. Bon Iver adds his quivering croon to Flood, while I Do, I Do fuses alt-R&B and Sudanese folk.
Drake – Iceman Out now Having survived Kendrick Lamar’s eviscerating takedown Not Like Us, Drake returns with his first solo album in three years. Originally teased back in 2024, then again in 2025, its release date was eventually confirmed via a giant melting ice sculpture in Toronto.
Rostam – American Stories Out now The erstwhile Vampire Weekender and producer for Haim and Clairo returns to his solo career with this follow-up to 2021’s Changephobia. Celebrating his Persian roots, alongside elements of Americana, it stretches out like a perfect road trip. MC
Staying in: Brain food
Space man … Daniel Kaluuya. Photograph: Tristan Fewings/Getty/Red Sea International Film Festival
Making Space Podcast North London’s Roundhouse venue presents this enlightening series of conversations featuring guests such as the actor Daniel Kaluuya on the value of youth programmes, and former youth poet laureate Cecilia Knapp on exploring authentic human stories.
Five By Nine YouTube This design-focused YouTube channel posts engaging and clearly written guides to improving your home layout and colour palette. Its video The Psychology Behind Why Some Homes Feel Good But Most Don’t is a key primer.
The Black Power Station BBC Sounds, 21 May Luthando Zingela’s delightfully uplifting documentary journeys into an abandoned power station in South Africa that has been transformed into a makeshift musical hub. Ammar Kalia
Picturehouse Entertainment acquires UK rights to A Town In Nova Scotia
Picturehouse Entertainment has acquired the UK and Ireland rights to A Town In Nova Scotia, the first feature film to have received investment from the LCR Production Fund.
The feature, directed by Babak Jalali and produced by Paradise City Films including Liverpool’s own Jennifer Monks of The Fold, stars Bill Nighy and Makram J Khoury. It is the first feature to receive investment from the LCR Production Fund and filmed across the Liverpool City Region earlier this year.
The film was co-written with Carolina Cavalli who collaborated with Jalali on Fremont. Further creatives include Saint Maud production designer Paulina Rzeszowska, Great Freedom cinematographer Crystel Fournier who also worked on Céline Sciamma’s movies Girlhood and Tomboy, Adolescence and Boiling Point costume designer Jessica Schofield, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie hair and makeup designer Caroline Rose and Aftersun BAFTA winning casting director Lucy Pardee.
The synopsis for the feature is as follows: Following a plea from his daughter to join her in Nova Scotia, widowed Irish senior Leon instead launches a crusade to make his aging Liverpool building safer after news of a tower fire in London. On a mission alongside his neighbour and closest friend, Saleh, Leon turns their fellow residents’ quiet lives upside down in a warm story of friendship, stubbornness and small acts of defiance.
Managing Director of Picturehouse Entertainment, Sara Frain, said: “Nighy is one of our most beloved actors working today, and as soon as we read this remarkable script, we knew we had to be involved. Writer/director Babak Jalali has created hilarious characters and a brilliant narrative that will truly resonate with UK audiences. It’s clever, humorous, and poignant.”
A Town In Nova Scotiais being produced by Naïma Abed and Émilie Georges for Paradise City (Call Me By Your Name), and Jennifer Monks for The Fold. The film is financed by BBC Film, BFI (awarding National Lottery funding), Liverpool Film Office (through the LCR Production Fund), Calculus, Hoopsa Films and Desmar.
Executive Producers are Kristin Irving for BBC Film, Ama Ampadu for the BFI, Christopher Moll for Liverpool Film Office, Sonny Gill and Peter O’Leary for Hoopsa Films, Naomi Despres and Michèle Marshall for Desmar, Brad Noel and Mariyah Dosani for Calculus. The film was developed with BBC Film.
Picturehouse Entertainment has acquired the UK and Ireland rights to A Town In Nova Scotia, the first feature film to have received investment from the LCR Production Fund.
The feature, directed by Babak Jalali and produced by Paradise City Films including Liverpool’s own Jennifer Monks of The Fold, stars Bill Nighy and Makram J Khoury. It is the first feature to receive investment from the LCR Production Fund and filmed across the Liverpool City Region earlier this year.
The film was co-written with Carolina Cavalli who collaborated with Jalali on Fremont. Further creatives include Saint Maud production designer Paulina Rzeszowska, Great Freedom cinematographer Crystel Fournier who also worked on Céline Sciamma’s movies Girlhood and Tomboy, Adolescence and Boiling Point costume designer Jessica Schofield, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie hair and makeup designer Caroline Rose and Aftersun BAFTA winning casting director Lucy Pardee.
The synopsis for the feature is as follows: Following a plea from his daughter to join her in Nova Scotia, widowed Irish senior Leon instead launches a crusade to make his aging Liverpool building safer after news of a tower fire in London. On a mission alongside his neighbour and closest friend, Saleh, Leon turns their fellow residents’ quiet lives upside down in a warm story of friendship, stubbornness and small acts of defiance.
Managing Director of Picturehouse Entertainment, Sara Frain, said: “Nighy is one of our most beloved actors working today, and as soon as we read this remarkable script, we knew we had to be involved. Writer/director Babak Jalali has created hilarious characters and a brilliant narrative that will truly resonate with UK audiences. It’s clever, humorous, and poignant.”
A Town In Nova Scotiais being produced by Naïma Abed and Émilie Georges for Paradise City (Call Me By Your Name), and Jennifer Monks for The Fold. The film is financed by BBC Film, BFI (awarding National Lottery funding), Liverpool Film Office (through the LCR Production Fund), Calculus, Hoopsa Films and Desmar.
Executive Producers are Kristin Irving for BBC Film, Ama Ampadu for the BFI, Christopher Moll for Liverpool Film Office, Sonny Gill and Peter O’Leary for Hoopsa Films, Naomi Despres and Michèle Marshall for Desmar, Brad Noel and Mariyah Dosani for Calculus. The film was developed with BBC Film.
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