Exhibitions

If you haven’t had a chance to get down to Beauty and Revolution, Kettle’s Yard’s current exhibition on the art and poetry of renowned Scottish artist Ian Hamilton-Finlay, then head to curator Professor Stephen Bahn’s talk, The Cambridge Connections (Tues 3rd Feb, 7pm, Kettle’s Yard) which will shed some light on the artist’s peculiar relationship with our fair city. Poetry-lovers are also encouraged to hit the Speakeasy (Sun 1st Feb, 8pm, ADC bar). Featuring both established spoken-word poets and an open poetry slam, this is a great opportunity to test the spoken-word waters in an informal environment.

Another chance to have your eyes/ears opened comes in the form of The Mendeley Debate: This House Believes Space Exploration is Worth the Cost (Thurs 5th Feb, 7.30pm, The Cambridge Union). Welcoming speakers from both NASA and the UK Space Agency alongside journalists and heads of charities, it will certainly get interesting.

If you just can’t choose between Poetry and Space then you have very much lucked out with new exhibition Graphic Constellations: Visual Poetry and the Properties of Space (Until Sat 21st Feb, 10am-4.30pm, Ruskin Gallery), which will demonstrate the dynamic interplay between text and image, and between poetry and graphic design.

Drama

Following the success of The 24 Hour Plays, CUMTS presents The 24 Hour Musical! (Sat 31st Feb, 11pm, ADC), in which teams will have 24 hours to write, learn and perform a show-stopping musical number. Hilarity and high notes are sure to ensue. If you’ve not had enough musical joy then there’s The Witches of Eastwick (Tues 3rd- Sat 7th Jan, 7.45pm, ADC). CUMTS have promised to take a “fresh look at the material” of this darkly funny show, focusing on the empowerment of its female leads. For some drama without songs, try Henry V (Weds 4th-Sat 7th Feb, 7.45 pm with matinees on Thurs and Sat, Cambridge Arts Theatre) – both Shakespeare’s most-loved historical play and a nice departure from the normal student theatres, it should be one of the highlights of the term. Also recommended is ‘one-man tragi-comedy’ Awkward Conversations with Animals I’ve F*cked (Tues 3rd-Sat 7th Feb, 9.30pm, Corpus Playroom).

Comedy

Continuing the current string of one-off comedy shows is Kenneth Watton’s Bedtime Chat-Show (Monday 2nd Feb, 9.30 pm, Corpus Playroom). It features a wealth of promising characters beyond the titular fictional host, two of whom are listed as ‘Bear (a)’ and ‘Bear (b)’, which is quite enticing. Meta-entertainment is also the theme of S.C.O.F.F.!: The Comeback Tour (Weds 4th -Sat 7th Feb, 11pm, ADC) which promises big laughs and, being this term’s ‘Footlights Presents’ show, a big audience. For professional comedy, try Flaws (Sat 31st Jan, 8pm, Cambridge Corn Exchange) the new tour show from Varsity Interviewee – and critically acclaimed comedian – Mark Watson.

Music

There are plenty of unusual nights out to be had this weekend, starting with Do You Even Swing!? (Fri 30th Feb,10pm- 3am, The Fountain Inn). Aside from a great name, this event promises 3 floors of “good music and good people”. Entry is a very reasonable £3, with a discount if you show up in fancy dress with a 1920s/30s or, enigmatically, ‘gypsy’ theme.

Saturday night is a great time to visit The Junction for Boomslang presents: Toddla T Takeover (Sat 31st Jan, 10pm-6am, The Cambridge Junction). It’s more than worth the pricey ticket and inevitable cab ride back. If you’d prefer to stay closer to home then the Trinity Hall June Event Launch is a safe bet; ONE NATION UNDER GROOVE (Sun 1st Feb, 10pm-3am, Fez Club) offers a rare Cambridge chance for some Funk, Soul and Rare Groove ‘n’ Motown.

The more classically inclined will enjoy pianist John Plowright (Thurs 5th Feb, 8pm, Kettle’s Yard) performing pieces by Bach, Brahms, Schuman and Liszt; or the lunchtime concert by CUMS Concerto Competition finalists (Tues 3rd Feb, 1.10 pm, West Road Concert Hall).

Film

Ahead of the release of Selma, The Interview and, of course, Shaun The Sheep The Movie, this is a relatively quiet week for new cinema releases. Use the down-time to catch up on the fantastic Theory of Everything, Birdman and A Most Violent Year. Alternatively, check out spy-comedy Kingsman: The Secret Service (released Thurs 29th Jan). Directed by Matthew Vaughn, the man who brought you Kickass, the trailer suggests an enjoyable romp with a star-studded cast and some pretty limited female roles. Also featuring guns and intrigue is Paul Thomas Anderson’s Inherent Vice (released Fri 30th Jan). This adaptation of Thomas Phynchon’s detective novel of the same name is set at the tail-end of the 60s and is described as “Part surf noir, part psychedelic romp”.