POP
Alanis Morissette
A quarter of a century after Jagged Little Pill, Morissette remains a warm, fierce and charismatic live artist – and an influence on a daring new wave of outspoken female artists, including Olivia Rodrigo and Billie Eilish.
Utilita Arena, Birmingham (alanis.com), then on tour

THEATER
Cabaret
What is the use of sitting alone in your room? The 1966 classic (derived from Christopher Isherwood’s Goodbye to Berlin) gets a stellar, site-specific staging from director Rebecca Frecknall: Jessie Buckley stars as Briton Abroad Sally Bowles, Eddie Redmayne as Shady Emcee, given the theater a head-to-toe transformation into Kit Kat Club.
Playhouse Theater, London WC2 (theplayhousetheatre.co.uk), reservation until March 5

November 16

THEATER
Manor
In the latest from playwright Moira Buffini – whose credits include recent Netflix hit The Dig – Nancy Carroll plays the owner of a dilapidated (and rather allegorical) coastal mansion, home to a group of people, including the chef. from an extreme right-wing group, from a storm. His sister Fiona is in charge.
National Theater, London SE1 (nationaltheatre.org.uk), until January 1

OPERA
Macbeth
Phyllida Lloyd’s striking Royal Opera production of Verdi’s Tragedy, complete with its ubiquitous witches, is relaunched with a solid cast spearheaded by Simon Keenlyside as Macbeth and Anna Pirozzi as his evil wife.
Royal Opera House, London WC2 (roh.org.uk), until November 30

November 18

THEATER
Four quartets
After a sold-out nationwide tour, Ralph Fiennes’s one-man show heads to the West End, bringing a down-to-earth charisma and a touch of Hollywood stardom to TS Eliot’s melancholy and gnomic masterpiece on life, the universe and everything.
Harold Pinter Theater, London SW1 (atgtickets.com), until Dec.

November 19

MOVIE
Top Gun: Maverick
Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer return to their star roles, as seasoned test pilots now forming a new generation of hotshots, in a long-awaited follow-up with Cruise’s Oblivion director Joseph Kosinski at the helm.

COMEDY
Ahir Shah
Shah’s last show, Dots, was an intelligent and moving hour that asked big questions about life, death, family, and religion. He sets the bar high for this follow-up.
Arts Center, Swindon (ahirshah.com) and on tour

POP
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss
Rock superstar Led Zeppelin and queen of bluegrass brought their surprisingly different voices together for a spicy effect on their 2007 duet album, Raising Sand. They return with a long-awaited follow-up, Raise the Roof.
Rounder records

OPERA
The Valkyrie
The English National Opera defies post-Covid caution with a production of Wagner’s gigantic Ring cycle, starting with The Valkyrie, directed by Richard Jones – a man whose previous Ring cycle was more hated than admired.
Colosseum, London WC2 (eno.org), until December 10

MOVIE
Drive my car
A smash hit at Cannes, this immaculately beautiful braiding of two Haruki Murakami stories makes Japanese director Ryusuke Hamaguchi a burgeoning global movie star.