Film: Fans of director Michael Winterbottom’s Tristam Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story are likely to get a kick out of the ad lib road comedy The Trip, for he has again enlisted the duo of Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon in a sly verbal romp. As in the earlier film, the two British actors play themselves, or at least a comic exaggeration of themselves, on assignment to find and review the best eateries in Northern England. So off they drive, amusing themselves along the way with witty banter, a bit of jealousy and some sublime celebrity impersonations. The feature film version is a re-edit of a six-part television series, and you can see how this material might work better on the small screen, but chances are you will remain amused throughout the almost two-hour ride. Opening this weekend at Mos’Art Theatre in Lake Park.
Theater: The region has other playwrights, but none as prolific as Davie’s Michael McKeever, whose latest work, Stuff, about those infamous Harlem hoarders Homer and Langley Collyer, makes for a diverting comedy with a dark underside. McKeever looks beyond the brothers’ need to collect stuff to the eccentricities of the wealthy, the gap between the haves and have nots in our society and the tragedy of squandered lives of promise. In addition to writing one of his best scripts, McKeever demonstrates his skill as a performer as Homer, the older, but less stable of the brothers. Also impressive is Angie Radosh as Momma Collyer, who wields a genteel, but iron will keeping her boys in line, at least while she is alive. Continuing in a world premiere production at the Caldwell Theatre in Boca Raton, through July 31. Call: (561) 241-7432 or (877) 245-7432 for tickets.
Music: Before you know it, the season will be here, and knowing that, the folks at Palm Beach Opera have scheduled their usual summer season preview. This time, three recent Young Artist singers – soprano Greta Ball, mezzo Irene Roberts, and tenor Evanivaldo Correa – will be on hand next Tuesday at the Harriet Himmel Theater in CityPlace with a program of selections from next season’s operas, as well as other pieces. Correa will sing Addio, fiorito asil from Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, which will open the company’s 50th anniversary season Dec. 16-19, and he will join Ball for the duet O nuit divine, from Gounod’s Romeo et Juliette, set for Feb. 24-27. Ball also will sing Regnava del silenzio, from Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, planned for March 23-26, and Ch’il bel sogno di Doretta, from Puccini’s La Rondine. Roberts will sing Que fais-tu, from Romeo, and the always popular Chacun a son gout, from Johann Strauss II’s operetta Die Fledermaus. Joining the three will be veteran local baritone Graham Fandrei, who will sing Enrico’s Cruda funesta amara, from Lucia. The concert, which also is a music education benefit evening, is set for 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Harriet. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students. Call 833-7888 or visit www.pbopera.org for more information.
The country singer Jason Aldean grew up in Macon, Ga., with his mother, but he spent summers in Homestead with his father. This Saturday, he returns to South Florida for a concert at the Cruzan Amphitheatre after years of major country music success, with songs such as She’s Country and Big Green Tractor. Like many of today’s country stars, his music has a distinctly hard-driving rock edge, a fertile ground for genre-mixing that is proving popular and lucrative. Opening for Aldean is the deep-voiced young singer-songwriter Chris Young (Tomorrow, Voices), nominated last year for top new vocalist by the Academy of Country Music. The concert starts at 7:30 at the Cruzan; tickets are $38-$67 (after fees), available through LiveNation.com.
Coming next week to Delray Beach’s unique Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens is a major exhibit of ceramics that has toured France, Sacramento, Calif., Washington, D.C., Denver and Dallas over the past three years. Soaring Voices: Recent Ceramics by Women from Japan features 87 pieces by 25 different artists including Etsuko Tashima (b. 1959), who teaches at the University of Arts in her native Osaka. Curated to reflect the growing prominence of women artists in a traditionally male artistic culture, the exhibit holds works by pioneering women potters and contains work by ceramicists who look to Japan’s Noh and literary past for inspiration. Soaring Voices opens Thursday, July 21, and runs through Oct. 2 at the Morikami, which is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day except Monday. Admission is $12, $11 for seniors, and $7 for students and children ages 6 to 17. Call 495-0233 or visit www.morikami.org for more information.
