The critical list

Camilla Long, Edward Porter and Olly Richards

Theatre

THEATRE PICK — IN THE HEIGHTS
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical is a slice of Hispanic New York, with killer choreography that hits the heights. See review, in this section. DJ
King’s Cross Theatre, London N1, until Jan 3

MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Joe Hill-Gibbins’s absurdist production brings out the perversity of Shakespeare’s play. See review, in this section. MS
Young Vic, London SE1, until Nov 14

MEDEA
Rachel Cusk’s update of Euripides, starring Kate Fleetwood, is a ferocious and intense portrait of a modern marriage in ruins. CH
Almeida, London N1, until Nov 14

THE FATHER
In this merited transfer of Florian Zeller’s play, Kenneth Cranham and Claire Skinner give indelible performances as a disorientated father and his daughter. DJ
Wyndham’s, London WC2, until Nov 21

Christopher Hart, David Jays and Maxie Szalwinska

Art

ART PICK — THE WORLD OF CHARLES AND RAY EAMES
A celebration of the premier couple of 20th-century American design and architecture, who exerted unparalleled influence on how we live — and sit, of course.
Barbican, London EC2, from Wed until Feb 14

JEAN-ETIENNE LIOTARD
After MC Escher at the Dulwich Picture Gallery (until Jan 17), another hit show from Edinburgh reaches London. The wry, elegant portraits by the Swiss-French artist (1702-89) are the epitome of the enlightened age.
Royal Academy, London W1, from Sat until Jan 31

PETER LANYON: GLIDING PAINTINGS
Lanyon’s flights fuelled a surge of creativity for the Cornish landscape painter before his death in a gliding accident in 1964. This is the first exhibition to focus on them.
Courtauld Gallery, London WC2, until Jan 17

ALBERTO BURRI AND LUCIO FONTANA
Two greats of Italian postwar art. You can see more than 60 works by the spatialist Lucio Fontana (1899-1968) at the new Tornabuoni gallery; Alberto Burri (1915-95), a luminary of arte povera, is at the Mazzoleni.
Fontana, Tornabuoni Art, London W1, until Dec 5; Burri, Mazzoleni Art, London W1, until Nov 30

GOYA: THE PORTRAITS
More than 70 pictures of the Spaniard’s friends, lovers, patrons and courtiers feature. Essential.
National Gallery, London WC2, until Jan 10

JAMES TURRELL
This is your last chance to see the light artist’s takeover of Lord Cholmondeley’s Palladian home.
Houghton Hall, Norfolk, until Sat

Louis Wise

Comedy

COMEDY PICK — ALISTAIR McGOWAN
McGowan’s impressions are faultless, and he’ll do well in these political times. But with the hold of a classic tea clipper becoming London’s latest comedy theatre, he’ll have to work hard not to be topped by the venue.
Cutty Sark Studio Theatre, London SE10, Fri

JAMES ACASTER
The man’s improving in front of our eyes. This is a beautifully constructed, drily performed demolition of jury-room drama.
Junction, Cambridge, Fri; West End Centre, Aldershot, Sat

NISH KUMAR
Sharp, clever, politically tinged comedy, as Kumar pitches for jobs — from the first non-white James Bond (he’s even recorded a theme song) to replacing Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader.
Colston Hall, Bristol, Wed; Arts Centre, Norwich, Thu; Dome, Brighton, Sat

JO BRAND
Brand is back, slightly mellowed. “Men,” she grumbles. “They’re not as bad as I first thought.”
Cornerstone, Didcot, Thu; Court Theatre, Tring, Fri

Stephen Armstrong

Dance

DANCE PICK — MATTHEW BOURNE’S SLEEPING BEAUTY
Bourne’s witty reimagining of Tchaikovsky’s classic has its first revival: an ingenious gothic fairy-tale romance.
Theatre Royal, Plymouth, until Sat; touring until Apr 30

ROYAL BALLET
Wayne McGregor’s curious fairy tale, Raven Girl, and Alastair Marriott’s Connectome are revived on a double bill. The exciting young star Francesca Hayward makes her debut as Juliet, to Matthew Golding’s Romeo, in Kenneth MacMillan’s classic.
ROH, London WC2: double bill, Tue, Thu, Sat (mat); Romeo, Fri

INTO THE HOODS: REMIXED
Kate Prince’s award-winning production for ZooNation returns with new choreography, a remixed soundtrack and fresh designs.
Peacock Theatre, London WC2, from Fri until Nov 14

VORONIA
For the Dance Umbrella festival, La Veronal perform a work exploring evil, religion and “the deepest cave in the world” (in Georgia).
Sadler’s Wells, London EC1, Mon, Tue

David Dougill

Pop

POP PICK — EZRA FURMAN
Furman’s genre-wandering, gender-blurring pop performance is one of the revelations of the year. Well worth the detour.
Limelight, Belfast, Mon; Leeds University, Wed; O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London W12, Thu

THE STAVES
The Staveley sisters’ last album benefited from having Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon as producer, but as their shows will no doubt prove, their folky harmonies remain all their own.
Albert Hall, Manchester, Sat, touring until Nov 9

STORMZY
Touted as one to watch, Michael Omari is part of a resurgent wave of young UK grime artists. He’s just notched up his first Top 40 hit, so a move into the mainstream is imminent.
Rescue Rooms, Nottingham, Wed; O2 Academy, Oxford, Fri; Gorilla, Manchester, Sat; touring until Oct 30

FATHER JOHN MISTY
Josh Tillman returns to the UK to promote the travails of his louche alter ego. Two nights at the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, in London, are the finale.
Queen’s University, Belfast, Fri, touring until Oct 29

Classical

CLASSICAL PICK — LEIPZIG GEWANDHAUS ORCHESTRA
Riccardo Chailly conducts his orchestra in its latest Barbican residency. The three programmes each juxtapose Strauss tone poems with a Mozart concerto. PD
Barbican, London EC2, Tue, Thu, Fri

SAUL
Barrie Kosky’s sensational Glyndebourne staging of Handel’s biblical drama about the jealous rage of King Saul at David’s victory over Goliath will tour the land with an excellent new cast. Laurence Cummings conducts. HC
Glyndebourne, Sat

JENUFA
The Swedish soprano Ylva Kihlberg sings the pregnant village girl in this Opera North revival of Tom Cairns’s taut staging. Susan Bickley plays her fearsome stepmother, who drowns the baby to prevent Jenufa’s public humiliation, and the rising star tenor David Butt Philip sings Laca. Aleksandar Markovic conducts. HC
Grand Theatre, Leeds, Thu, Sat

CARMEN
The Russian mezzo Elena Maximova sings Bizet’s libertarian gypsy in this revival of Francesca Zambello’s literal production for the Royal Opera. Bryan Hymel returns as Don Jose, and the Australian soprano Nicole Car sings Micaela. Bertrand de Billy conducts. HC
ROH, London WC2, Mon, Wed, Sat

BERTRAND CHAMAYOU
The brilliant young pianist gives an all-Ravel programme: Pavane pour une infante défunte, Jeux d’eau, Sonatine, Gaspard de la nuit, Valses nobles et sentimentales and Le Tombeau de Couperin. PD
Wigmore Hall, London W1, Fri

Hugh Canning and Paul Driver

Book it now

MASTERS OF THE EVERYDAY: DUTCH ARTISTS IN THE AGE OF VERMEER
An exhibition that revels in the wealth, artistic and otherwise, of the Netherlands’ golden era. Scenes of day-to-day life by Vermeer, Pieter de Hooch and Jan Steen should make a compelling show.
Queen’s Gallery, London SW1, Nov 13-Feb 14

JOHN GRANT
The American singer-songwriter delivers more hefty emotion and wry introspection on his latest album, Grey Tickles, Black Pressure. He visits us this winter... it should be warming.
Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, Jan 26, then touring

MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
The National’s early 2016 season is now on sale: one highlight should be Dominic Cooke’s production of August Wilson’s jazz- and blues-infused play. Sharon D Clarke is Ma; Lucian Msamati and O-T Fagbenle co-star.
Lyttelton, National Theatre, London SE1, Jan 26-May 18

SANDI TOKSVIG LIVE! POLITICALLY INCORRECT
The illustrious Ms Toksvig has launched her own political force, the Women’s Equality party. It’s a no-brainer, then, that she’s doing fundraisers — fingers crossed, they’ll be funny.
Birmingham Town Hall, Feb 23, then touring

NEEDLES AND OPIUM
Robert Lepage reswizzles an early creation of his into something new: a dazzling piece dwelling on the nature of creativity and addiction, inspired by the lives of Jean Cocteau and Miles Davis.
Barbican, London EC2, July 7-16