Frieze has effectively and actually come of age, turning 21 this 12 months. To mark the event, the world-beating artwork truthful is making strikes and altering issues up for the 60,000 art-lovers who go to. Smaller galleries providing lesser-known gems are set to have extra prominence — your likelihood to discover a new favorite — and a brief stroll away is Frieze Masters, displaying historic greats. Till October 13, frieze.com
Artwork Repair: Francis Bacon, Nationwide Portrait Gallery
Regardless of his fame as each a flâneur and bon viveur, Francis Bacon’s artwork speaks to an outlook on life as bleak and brutal as concrete. This exhibiting of greater than 55 works explores his genius from the Fifties till his demise in 1992. It’s, in a method, a exhibiting of his life, with topics together with Lucian Freud, Isabel Rawsthorne, in addition to his lovers Peter Lacy and George Dyer, of whom Bacon’s portraits are unusually tender. Till January 19, npg.org.uk
Sizzling Desk: Café Francois, Borough Yards
Steadily however assuredly, Maison François has grown into its personal pores and skin since opening in 2020, and in doing so has change into one in every of London’s finest eating places. Now its workforce are utilizing that have for Café François, which presents one thing akin to its French-leaning sibling, albeit extra relaxed. A two-floor, all-day operation, go for pastries for breakfast, steak sandwiches and rotisserie hen baguettes at lunch, and within the night marquee dishes, like lobster or prime rib. Unusually, larger teams are very welcome. cafefrancois.london
Much less coming of age, extra coming of rage: tailored from CJ Skuse’s comedian thriller, Sweetpea follows the story of Rhiannon Lewis, an neglected wallflower needing extra out of life. Her answer? Homicide. Clearly. Ella Purnell stars within the six-part sequence, which, instructed from Rhiannon’s fabulously sweary perspective, is a hoot. A darkish one, thoughts. October 10
Movie: Exhausting Truths, London Movie Pageant
On the BFI London Movie Pageant rolls, and with it comes Mike Leigh’s newest, Exhausting Truths. His first movie in six years, and already feted as one in every of his best, it intimately particulars the strained bond between sisters Pansy (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) and Chantal (Michele Austin). Pansy’s crotchety, crucial nature is pushed by psychological torment, however is pushing all these near her away. A compassionate, densely layered have a look at the ties that bind. October 14, 16 & 20
The Huge Learn: Unleashed by Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson’s much-anticipated memoir is out at the moment. Love him or detest him, his e book is the speak of the city (Johnson has a knack for attracting consideration — you might have seen). It covers his battles with coronavirus, the travails of his canine Dilyn and his mooted plan to launch an invasion of the Netherlands — consider it or not. Out now
Hear: Charlie XCX, Brat and It’s Utterly Completely different However Additionally Nonetheless Brat
Thought Brat summer time was over? Assume once more. Charli XCX’s snot inexperienced period is ready to roll on as her hit album has been reimagined totally. Lorde and Billie Eilish have already performed their bit, however pay attention out for the Tinashe and Bon Iver takes, too. Your subsequent Uber trip goes to be a jam. October 11
Guide Now: Expendable, Royal Court docket Theatre
Emteaz Hussain’s new play Expendable shines its gentle on the often-overlooked voices of Pakistani ladies, rigorously charting the tales of younger ladies sexually exploited by predatory gangs within the UK’s northern cities. Hussain says its plot isn’t particular to, say, the Rotherham scandal — her poetic model presents a broader telling of those narratives — and as an alternative, she goals to fight “the erasure and silencing of girls on the coronary heart of this expertise”. Not set to be a simple watch, then, however a profoundly affecting one. Opens November 21, royalcourttheatre.com
Don’t Miss: Roots/Look Again in Anger, Almeida Theatre
John Osborne’s seething, era-defining play about class warfare — the one which gave rise to the thought of “indignant younger males” — has been introduced again on the Almeida, paired with a revival of Arnold Wesker’s Roots. Each modified theatre; when you haven’t seen them but, take this opportunity. Operating in tandem, they share a solid, with Morfydd Clark, Iwan Davies and Billy Howle showing in each. Till November 23, almeida.co.uk
