What to do in London this weekend, from Frank Auerbach to Drumsheds

Does experimental theater fill you with fear? Consider Nassim Soleimanpour’s project, which has an A-list cast. The premise: every night, different actors will take the stage without rehearsing or even looking at a script. What happened next is anyone’s guess. Who is willing? Minnie Driver, Toby Jones, Michael Sheen, Daisy Edgar-Jones and others.

Frank Auerbach famously referred to London as “this raw thing . . . This extraordinary and poorly painted City.” Not painted? He soon paid for that, and this event brings together arguably London’s best work, selected from a sprawling, seven-decade career. See the crowds of Oxford Street, the great greens of Hampstead Heath and more through the eyes of one of Britain’s truly great artists.

Let’s look at the first food, which was put together by Adam Simmonds (Ynyshir, Le Manoir et al). At what used to be Odette, Simmons promises a dinner worthy of a two-star experience, albeit at a premium, with six courses of modern British cooking for £65. But Home Kitchen is about something else: Simmons aside, it will be staffed by homeless people, who will be paid above the London Living Wage, receive full training, and have travel expenses covered. Something to raise the page for.

In theaters from October 4

Back in January, it was the 2024 release that everyone was talking about. And the chatter was still, just for a slightly different reason. In an effort to lighten the mood of Joaquin Phoenix’s gloomy first Joker (why so serious?), Lady Gaga has been brought on board and, now, it’s a musical. At the Venice premiere last month, the crowd didn’t like the bonkers concept. Worth a look, if only for the audacity of it all.

From October 6 on BBC One

After an acclaimed first season, Showtrial returns with a new look, moving from student deaths to climate activists. Found in the grip of death, he manages to eliminate his killer as a serving policeman. It becomes a media circus, which defense lawyer Sam Gill (Adeel Akhtar) has to deal with. It promises to be a terrific, talk-about-the-office episode.

Out now in all good bookstores

If it’s good enough for Shakespeare, it’s good enough for us. Acclaimed medieval historian Helen Castor (She-Wolves, Joan of Arc) returns after a decade hiatus with the tragic story of Richard II and Henry IV (also the subject of a play by Billy from the Midlands). Eagle and Hart brings the 14th century in all its gaudy colors, bloodletting horror and high drama. Books for parties.

The ever-versatile DJ and producer Dan Snaith is back with his first Caribou in four years, and this time he wants us to cut the carpet. More dancefloor-focused than previous outings, Madu is a love letter to late nights in the club, combining grimy basslines, garage flavors and some house thumping, all tied together by playful vocal samples. Don’t skip the collaboration with Four Tet’s Kieran Hebden.

After directing The Remains of the Day to widespread acclaim, director Christopher Haydon returns to Kazuo Ishiguro’s back catalogue. If it’s not broken…This time, Haydon will release Never Let Me Go, which asks: what if your reason is not only about your own life, but to make it possible for others? Dreams, loves, desires, all suddenly become irrelevant. Great, meaningful theme to enter – and all the perfect food for a heart-warming night at the theatre.

Celebrating one of the most successful club nights to ever hit the UK, Bugged Out! returned to London to celebrate its 30th anniversary. Starting in ’94 at Manchester’s now-closed club Sankeys Soap, this big night went on to platform names including Daft Punk and the Chemical Brothers. The line-up at Drumsheds this November features a DJ set from the latter, alongside Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor, Modeselektor and a live performance from Octave One.