What's on in Sweden: November 14 - 20

What's on in Sweden: November 14th – 20th. Ron Sexsmith & DV8 Physical Theatre in Stockholm; Cirkus Cirkör and English farce in Gothenburg; Lambchop and Dirty Pretty Things in Malmö.

• What's On in Sweden: September 3rd - 9th (2 Sep 10)
• What's on in Sweden: May 1 - 7 (29 Apr 09)
• What's on in Sweden: January 23 - 29 (22 Jan 09)

STOCKHOLM

Ron Sexsmith (CAN)

Canadian singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith comes to Nalen on Monday.

Since his debut album Grand Opera Lane and his self-titled follow up in 1995, Ron Sexsmith has gone from strength to strength and won praise from many of his musical idols such as Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello, Radiohead and John Hiatt. Ron Sexsmith is quite simply an artists' artist.

His latest album “Exit strategy of the soul” was released in July 2008 and his music is generally melancholic pop folk with elegant melodies. True to form, Sexsmith has a take on the big questions: “The meaning of life is to experience and not to abstain...We were given this thing called free will and what you choose to do with it.”

If your “free will” extends to joining Sexsmith at Nalen on Monday you are unlikely to be disappointed.

Price: 240 kronor
Location: Nalen, Regeringsgatan 74
Time: Monday November 17th, 9pm
Tickets: www.tickster.com
More information: http://www.nalen.se

DV8 Physical Theatre – To Be Straight With You

To Be Straight with You is a poetic but unflinching exploration of tolerance, intolerance, culture, religion and homo/sexuality. The performance is based on more than 80 interviews with men and women living in the UK by the cult modern dance company DV8.

DV8’s new production gives a frightening picture of reality and questions how society can unite religious beliefs with the human rights that apply to all regardless of sexuality, gender and cultural background.

In connection with DV8's visit to Dansens Hus, four of the company's prize-winning films will be also on show: Dead Dreams of Monochrome Men, Strange Fish, Enter Achilles and The Cost of Living.

The films will be shown on Monday & Tuesday, two films per evening starting at 6pm, tickets are free of charge and available an hour before.

Price: 270 kronor (discounts for those under-26)
Location: Dansens Hus, Barnhustorget
Time: Thursday November 20th - November 22nd, 7pm
More Information: DV8 Physical Theatre

Salem Al Fakir

The multi-talented Salem Al Fakir comes to Berwaldhallen this weekend accompanied by Sveriges Radio's Symphony Orchestra.

The accolades and awards just haven't stopped coming for this former child prodigy with Swedish-Syrian roots since the release of his debut album, "This is who I am", in 2007.

Al Fakir is joined by a special guest: jazz pianist Anders Widmark.

Price: 140-395 kronor
Location: Berwaldhallen, Dag Hammarsköldsväg. 3
Time: Friday November 14th & Saturday November 15th, 7pm
Tickets: www.ticnet.se
More information: Salem Al Fakir

Zidane – A 21st Century Portrait

"To be recognised by a whole country is incredible. This is massive." Zinédine Zidane.

The celebrated art film documenting one of the most graceful practitioners of 'the beautiful game' is on show at Stockholm Konsthall until December 14th.

Douglas Gordon and Phillippe Parreno employed 17 cameras to follow Zinédine Zidane in a match for Real Madrid against Villareal on April 23rd 2005. The sweat, the tears, the intensity, the joy, the drama of “Zizou” are captured in a way that invites the voyeur into the action.

This is no football film but an art documentary which transcends the genres, all set to the soft musical tones of Scottish group Mogwai.

Price: 40 kronor
Location: Magasin 3 Stockholm Konsthall, Frihamnen
Time: Until December 14th, 11am-7pm
More Information: Zidane – A 21st Century Portrait

Cine Français at Zita

Zita is Stockholm's foremost cinema for world film and has been showing independent film for 15 years.

Cine Français on Tuesdays at Zita aims to present the latest from French cinema and will this week be showing Les Glaneurs et la glaneuse by Agnès Varda.

Varda's film depicts a journey from Paris to the Pyrenees to document those living outside of consumer society. She meets “the pickers” who gather, and use, that which society deems superfluous.

The film will be shown with English subtitles.

Price: 230 kronor
Location: Zita, Birger Jarlsgatan 37
Time: Tuesday November 18th, 6.30pm
More Information: Zita

GOTHENBURG

Cirkus Cirkör – Inside Out

Inside Out is a circus show about something as simple as life. The new large scale production is the second part in a circus trilogy which began with 99% Unknown, which premiered in 2004.

Inside out follows three characters, each trapped in their own definition of safety and success. One terrified of failure, one seized by logic and a third doing his best to be hard. Their worlds are turned up side down in a tremendous journey upon meeting a circus company of ugly, monstrous and odd, but also magical, funny, warm and elegant characters.

Price: From 100 kronor
Location: Lisebergshallen, Örgrytevägen 9
Time: Friday November 14th, Saturday November 15th, 7pm & Sunday November 16th, 2pm & 7pm
Tickets: www.ticnet.se
More information: Cirkus Cirkör

Liseberg Christmas Market

An old-fashioned Christmas market at Sweden's premier amusement park opens on Friday.

During the festive season Liseberg is lit up by 5 million Christmas lights and awash with mulled wine and the scent of roasted almonds.

For those in need of stretching their legs, attractions include a ski slope for the children, a zoo and the haunted Hotel Gasten.

Those in search of evidence that the consumer society is alive and kicking despite the credit collapse may like to pay a visit to Tomtarnas Värld and watch Santa's helpers busily preparing for the Christmas rounds.

Price: 70 kronor (free for children under 7)
Location: Liseberg, Örgrytevägen 5
Time: Friday November 14th – Tuesday December 23rd, 4pm-10pm
More information: Liseberg

Noises Off

A farce in English about a farce. The play by Michael Frayn is about a theatre ensemble which is desperately trying to put together a play, Nothing On, while their private lives sabotage rehearsals and the performance.

Noises Off was awarded both the Evening Standard prize and Olivier Award for Best Comedy when it premiered in London.

The play is performed in English by the Gothenburg Drama Group.

Price: 120 kronor (100 kronor for students)
Location: Teaterhuset Mölndal, Baggaåkersgatan 8
Time: Tuesday November 18th – Thursday November 20th, 7pm; Tuesday 25th – Thursday November 27th, 7pm
Tickets: Noises Off Tickets
More information: Noises Off

MALMÖ/LUND

Dirty Pretty Things (UK)

Dirty Pretty Things is a UK rock band formed in 2005 by two former members of the Libertines. Carl Barat has managed to prove in that time that he is more than capable of thriving without his old drug-addled friend Pete Doherty.

The success of their debut album Waterloo to Anywhere has been followed up by the follow up Romance at Short Notice which was released in the summer.

Dirty Pretty Things have been described as a modern-day Jam and play Kulturbolaget on Monday.

Price: 240 kronor
Location: Kulturbolaget, Bergsgatan 18
Time: Monday November 17th, 8pm
Tickets: www.ticnet.se
More Information: www.kulturbolaget.se

Lambchop (US)

Nashville band Lambchop have been one of the heavyweight names on the alternative scene for several years and the original orchestra can be anything from 8-17 members but always with Kurt Wagner in the midst.

Wagner's deeply literary lyrics and precisely arranged songs are of the highest quality in the ears of Lambchop's apprecionados.

The band seems keen on Sweden and this is the fifth consecutive occasion that they have included our northerly climes on their tour map.

Price: 240 kronor
Location: Kulturbolaget, Bergsgatan 18
Time: Thursday November 20th, 9pm
Tickets: www.ticnet.se
More Information: www.kulturbolaget.se

Ron Sexsmith (CAN)

Canadian crooner Ron Sexsmith follows up his Stockholm gig with a performance at Kulturbolaget on Tuesday. Sexsmith is joined by special guest Steve Forbert and supported by Madison Violet.

Price: 240 kronor
Location: Kulturbolaget, Bergsgatan 18
Time: Tuesday November 18th, 9pm
Tickets: www.ticnet.se
More Information: www.kulturbolaget.se