Can I go clubbing? Only in New Zealand! Your guide to easing and the arts

Are seatless, stroll-through shows the future of theatre? Can one-way dancing save nightclubs? Could budding indie bands storm Wembley stadium? Scientists imagine the arts after Covid-19The day before museums began closing in Britain, I saw Aubrey Bear…

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This week’s best culture at home, from Paul Weller to a new Rite of Spring

The Observer’s critics recommend the best art, theatre, music and more on TV and online this weekMusicPaul WellerDelayed by the pandemic, On Sunset finally comes out this week, offering both familiarity and experimentation from the restless, evergreen …

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‘There’s no such thing as a socially distanced mosh pit’: artists on the thrill of the crowd

Poet laureate Simon Armitage and comedian Lolly Adefope love the buzz of performance. Here’s what we’re all missingReady, steady… Oh: Olympics, Glastonbury and Euro 2020 stars on the summer we’ve lost There can be no such thing as a socially distance…

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Honk if you like my arias: the summer of drive-in culture

With venues locked down, entertainment-starved audiences are getting in gear for a season of opera, comedy shows and movies experienced from your own car seat – but is it an artistic cul de sac? Britain has never been good at drive-ins. Historically ou…

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Edinburgh international festival announces citywide Ghost Lights celebration

The festival will roll out a series of ‘artistic interventions’ across the Scottish capital in AugustA series of “artistic interventions” has been announced by the Edinburgh international festival (EIF) to take place across the Scottish capital in Augu…

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Cancelled! Cancelled! Cancelled! Stars on the shows that couldn’t go on

How does it feel to see a show you’ve spent years working on being pulled? From Love Islanders to Foals, Laura Wade and Wayne McGregor, artists reveal their darkest days – and deepest worriesIain Stirling, voice of Love Island, standup comedianIf this …

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Coronavirus poses huge threat to entertainment industry

The sector is wrestling with issues such as staging plays with social distancing, or running rollercoasters half fullThe row between cinema chains and Universal Studios over the digital-only release of Trolls World Tour is one of may crises racking the…

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Sweat, tears and terrible gigs: why heavy metal is just like standup

Ed Gamble reflects on his lifelong love for the genre: it’s baffling, it’s noisy, but – like comedy – it’s a welcoming communityMy name is Ed Gamble, and I love heavy metal. I say it loud, and I say it proud. Ideally, I would scream it from the top of …

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Conan O’Brien remembers the late Adam Schlesinger, shows a classic Fountains of Wayne performance

Yesterday the music world lost a hugely influential man to the Coronavirus. Adam Schlesinger, a musician who was not only… MORE
Conan O’Brien remembers the late Adam Schlesinger, shows a classic Fountains of Wayne performance appeared …

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Now I’m Fine review – candid gem mixes standup and mesmerising music

Available onlineAhamefule J Oluo’s 2014 show about having an autoimmune disease is a moving hybrid of comedy, theatre and jazzSince venues closed their doors because of the coronavirus, a wealth of online theatre has emerged and the industry is finding…

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