COMEDY
If you’re a hardcore comedy fan, this week offers a bountiful cornucopia of laughs. Wednesday John Hodgman brings his intellectual witticisms to the Neptune for a live episode of his dispute-settling podcast, Judge John Hodgman (with special guest Shabazz Palaces). Then the always-hilarious stand-up (and new morning radio host) Nikki Glaser stops by Tacoma Comedy Club for three nights of stand-up (Jan. 17–19). The weekend rounds out on Sunday with a tough choice between Jon Glaser (Councilman Jeremy Jamm on Parks & Recreation) at Columbia City Theater or the much more subtly uproarious Rhea Butcher at The Crocodile. SETH SOMMERFELD Check venues’ websites for details.
STAGE
Bohemia has a distinct double meaning as the title of Opal Peachey and Mark Siano’s theatrical extravaganza, returning after its premiere run a year ago: It refers literally to the western chunk of the Czech Republic and metaphorically to its 19th-century implications of artistic nonconformism (cf. Puccini’s La bohème, which has nothing to do with Prague). Their “macabre and mystical dream cabaret” suggests that the region’s most famous composer, Antonin Dvorak, is trying to cure his writer’s block with absinthe—and the resulting fantasy includes aerial numbers, dance, burlesque, piano music, comedy, original songs, George Sand and Sarah Bernhardt, the ghost of Chopin, Mucha-inspired decor, and green fairies of all kinds. GAVIN BORCHERT The Triple Door, tripledoor.com. $20–$45. Runs Jan. 17–26 (except Monday).
The Can Can’s dance dance cabaret Bonbon! offers all-ages brunch brunches and spicier evening show shows. GB The Can Can, thecancan.com. $25. Runs runs Wed.–Sun. Jan. 18–April 21.
Everybody is a modern take on a medieval morality play, in which for each performance the allegorical roles are assigned at random to the nine actors. GB 12th Avenue Arts, strawshop.org. $24–$36. 7:30 p.m. Thurs.–Sat. & Mon Previews Jan. 17–18. Jan. 19–Feb. 16.
Kendra Kassebaum and Peter Saide co-star in I Do! I Do!, a two-person musical that covers 50 years in a marriage. GB Village Theatre Issaquah, villagetheatre.org. Wed.–Sun. Jan. 19–Feb. 24.
If you’re looking for a local musical production that’s on par with its nationally touring version, check out the all-ages delight of Village Theatre’s Matilda the Musical. While it lacks a couple production flairs that the touring company version had during its 2015 debut at 5th Avenue Theatre (for example: printed cards fill in for the iron gate during the ABC signaling of “School Song”), this version is actually easier to follow due to superior sound production and the cast going for less extreme and harsh British accents. And when you have Tim Minchin’s wonderfully playful lyrics, an energetic ensemble of kid actors, and a show that should be engaging for children, shouldn’t clarity be the priority? SS Everett Performing Arts Center, villagetheatre.org. Wed.–Sun. Thru Feb. 3.
CLASSICAL, ETC.
The viola gets a bit larger share of the spotlight at this year’s Seattle Chamber Music Society Winter Festival, in music by Brahms, Martinu, Kodaly, and Debussy in which the instrument functions, uncharacteristically, as soloist or foundation. As always, the six concerts (7:30 p.m. Sat., 3 p.m. Sun.) are preceded by recitals one hour earlier. GB Benaroya Recital Hall, seattle chambermusic.org. $20–$55. Sat. & Sun., Jan. 18–27.
Here’s the breakdown for FHTAGN and Driftwood Orchestra’s performance: One’s a flexible-membership chamber ensemble; the other is exactly as advertised, musicians who play driftwood. GB Chapel Performance Space, Good Shepherd Center, waywardmusic.org. $5–$15. 8 p.m. Thurs., Jan. 17.
BOOKS & TALKS
Michelle Liu’s talk “The End of Atticus Finch?” examines the controversial 2015 release of Go Set a Watchman, Harper Lee’s long-awaited sequel to To Kill a Mockingbird, and how it altered our image of the novels’ adored hero (or was he?). GB Scarecrow Video, scarecrow.com. 7 p.m. Thurs., Jan. 17.
In (((Semitism))): Being Jewish in the Age of Trump, New York Times editor Jonathan Weisman explains how the fuck we got here and what the fuck we can do about it. GB Stroum Jewish Community Center, sjcc.org. $10–$25. 7:30 p.m. Thurs., Jan. 17.
FILM
Film villains can be scary, creepy, comic, hideous, what have you—but I can’t think of a villain as irritating as the sociopath Luther in the 1979 cult film The Warriors; that taunting bottle-clinking thing he does at the film’s climax is like an icepick in your ear, and his grating chant only shoves it deeper in. In this update of Xenophon’s Anabasis (Wikipedia says it is, and I believe them), Michael Beck plays the leader of a street gang framed for murder who has to lead his men back from the Bronx to their home turf, Coney Island, through a gauntlet of rival gangs, all stylized: one lesbian, one baseball-themed (!), etc. The Warriors got little love on its release, but its weird combination of urban grit and arty mannerism has raised it close to the pantheon of great dystopian NYC-in-the-’70s films, not far below Taxi Driver, Network, and Dog Day Afternoon. Central Cinema’s screenings celebrate its 40th anniversary. And if you also attend their Xanadu sing-along on Thursday the 24th, you can make it your own little Michael Beck Film Festival! GB 9:30 p.m. Fri., Jan. 18–Tues., Jan. 22, plus 4 p.m. Sat.–Sun. and 9:45 p.m. Wed., Jan. 23. $8. central-cinema.com.
The 2018 Sundance Film Festival Short Film Tour features seven shorts from South Korea, Sweden, Spain, and elsewhere. GB Northwest Film Forum, nwfilmforum.org. $7–$12. 8 p.m. Wed., Jan. 16; 5:15 p.m. Thurs., Jan. 17; 7:30 p.m. Fri., Jan 18.
MUSIC
They say asking a person to name their favorite Beatle is a good clue to their personality; I think asking them their favorite Monkee is an even better one. Related: Michael Nesmith heads to town to play with Ben Gibbard and Scott McCaughey. GB The Neptune, stgpresents.org. $48–$63. 8 p.m. Thurs., Jan. 17.
VISUAL ARTS
The Practice and Science of Drawing a Sharp White Background includes Danny Giles’ recent work in performance, video, and sculpture. GB Jacob Lawrence Gallery, art.washington.edu. Opening talk and reception 6:30 p.m. Tues., Jan. 22. Ends Feb. 28.
In A Body Among Bodies, works by Larry Calkins, Drie Chapek, Dana Mattson, and Meredith Hamm “all seek, in quite different ways, to explore the dynamic of existing as a physical being.” GB Kirkland Arts Center, kirklandartscenter.org. Opening reception 6 p.m. Fri., Jan. 25. Ends Feb. 16.
DANCE
The Seattle International Dance Festival Winter Mini-Fest features new dance works—some really new—by Cyrus Khambatta, Shura Baryshnikov, Gabriel Forestieri, and Danny Tan. GB Erickson Theatre Off Broadway, seattleIDF.org. $18–$23. 8 p.m. Jan. 18, 25, 26.
Whim W’him splits the choreographic bill in 3 x 3, which features new works by Zoe Scofield, Yin Yue, and founder/director Olivier Wevers. GB Cornish Playhouse at Seattle Center, whimwhim.org. $30–$55. Opens Jan. 18. 8 p.m. Fri.–Sat. Ends Jan. 26.
