Art Attack: Affordable Art, Comic Korean Cooks, Tosca and Thomas

I'm currently debilitated by a pinched nerve, but that doesn't stop you from going out this weekend and getting some well-priced art in 798, laughing yourself silly to the tune of banging pots and pans, or finally catching that Zhu Wen flick with the dogs, wire-fu and aliens, now does it?

First off, if you've ever thought about collecting Chinese contemporary art, or decorating your walls with anything other than what they've got at IKEA, then you'll want to check out Affordable Art Beijing this weekend (see our Feature on the art fair in our May issue). There will be nearly 1000 pieces on offer ranging from 200 to 20,000 kuai, but we hear there will be tons of people this year, so go early. (Who knows, in ten years, the piece you pick up might be breaking records on Sotheby's too.) Here's a couple more of the items you might see:

Also, Electric Shadows' Summer Cinema series kicks off next Thursday (May 19) with a rooftop showing of classic comedy Some Like it Hot at the Bookworm. They'll be mixing Manhattans for RMB 20, so kick back and relax with Marilyn (Monroe, not me) before heading over to our Bar + Club Awards after-party.

See more info on these and other events below, and if you're on the fence about shelling out the red paper Maos for Tosca, I can tell you it's quite a ride. Look for a review in a couple hours.

This week:

May 13-15

Opera: Tosca
Puccini’s tale of love and political conspiracy. Directed by coveted director Giancarlo del Monaco, this production marks a serious upping of the ante by the folks at the NCPA. Get your tickets here. RMB 180-800. 7.30pm. NCPA Opera House (6655 0000)

May 14-15

Affordable Art Beijing
Find exciting new Chinese contemporary art without record-breaking price tags. Free. 10am-6pm. 798 Space (5978 9180)

May 15

Comedy Performance: NANTA Cookin’
Kitchenware percussion, pantomime, acrobatics and slapstick comedy. And no words. See why Korea’s longest-running musical is earning accolades around the world. Tickets here. RMB 100-680. 7.30pm. Poly Theatre (6500 1188)

Film: Thomas Mao
Director Zhu Wen’s dream-like film about two unlikely companions in Inner Mongolia. Also see our Feature on this film. RMB 40, RMB 30 (students and seniors), RMB 25 (members). 7.30pm. BC MOMA (8438 8258)

May 19

Summer Cinema: Some Like it Hot*
Electric Shadows kicks off its summer series with the classic screwball comedy starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon. Free. 7.30pm. The Bookworm (6586 9507)

*Please note that this event was incorrectly listed for Sunday, May 15, but the event actually occurs on Thursday, May 19.