The best things to do this week

Your weekly forecast of the capital's best events

With both Valentines' Day and the Lunar New Year less than two weeks away, let off some steam with a week jam-packed with laugh-out-loud comedy nights. Whether you'd like to test out your own comedy chops, or watch pros like Turner Sparks and Kyle Kinane drop some zingers, there's plenty to get you chuckling.

MONDAY

Thaïs

NCPA. Until Tue 6. 180-1,080RMB

Based on the Nobel Prize-winning novel by French writer Anatole France, tragic opera Thaïs was composed by Jules Massenet in the late 1800s. Telling the story of a young ascetic monk Athanaël who seeks to save the soul of a famous courtesan Thaïs, and then falls in love with her, the opera explores themes of spirituality and religious hypocrisy.

TUESDAY

Julie Byrne

Dusk Dawn Club. Tue 6. 120RMB; 100RMB (presale)

Singer-songwriter Julie Byrne's latest record Not Even Happiness won her a wave of adulation in February 2017, picking up a Pitchfork 'Best New Music' tag in the process. By the end of last year, the album would go on to make numerous best-of lists (including Pitchfork again), with critics spellbound by Byrne's beguiling finger-picked guitar tunes.

WEDNESDAY

Comedy Club China: Wednesday Open Mic

The Local. Every Wednesday until Dec 26. Free

Comedy Club China's weekly open mic night finds a new home at The Local. Whether you're a seasoned joke slinger looking to get in some practice, a relative newbie looking to give it a shot, or simply loaded up on plenty of liquid courage, everyone's free to get up and give it a go. If you just wanna watch, it's a great opportunity to get some free midweek laughs along with some cheap chicken wings (it's conveniently also The Local's Wing Wednesday).

THURSDAY

Gidon Kremer and Kremerata Baltica

NCPA. Thu 8. 100-580RMB

Kremerata Baltica was originally conceived as Gidon Kremer’s 50th birthday present to himself. Unveiled at Austria’s Lockenhaus Festival in the summer of 1997, this new orchestra arose out of the acclaimed violinist's determination to share his considerable experience with young musicians in the Baltic. Now entering its 21st season, this compelling music initiative has since become one of the world's finest chamber orchestras.

FRIDAY

Kyle Eastwood

Blue Note. Fri 9-Sat 10. 380RMB

A prolific composer, talented bassist and son of Clint Eastwood, Kyle Eastwood's latest release In Transit has been acclaimed by critics for its contemporary take on jazz and groove. Check him out over two nights at Blue Note where he'll be performing original compositions plus Count Basie, Thelonious Monk and Charles Mingus covers.

SATURDAY

Turner Sparks

The Great Outdoors. Sat 10. 100RMB (includes free drink)

ong time Kung Fu Komedy (Shanghai) veteran, multi-finalist in the HK International Comedy Competition and now New York comedy regular Turner Sparks makes his way back to Beijing for Comedy Club China's first-ever show at The Great Outdoors. Check out one of the funniest guys on the Chinese comedy circuit this Saturday night.

SUNDAY

Kyle Kinane

The Bookworm. Sun 11. 180RMB; 150RMB (presale); 100RMB (students)

Born and raised in the Chicago area, Kyle quickly became a favourite of the LA comedy scene with his distinctive delivery, conversational storytelling style and penchant for brutal self-deprecation. The London Evening Standard once called Kyle 'bleak and misanthropic', but he prefers to describe himself as a 'bag of garbage...a real pile of trash'.

For more crackin' things to do this week, hit 'Read more'.

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