It’s a good weekend for theater, with an NPR-approved drama about the NY Times and Washington Post facing off against the US Supreme Court over the Pentagon Papers, a liquor-lacquered take on Shakespeare’s Hamlet and then (oh, the extremes) a proper production of Handel’s Messiah by Beijing's International Festival Chorus.

There’s also a talk on Beijing’s crippled soul and the debut of independent filmmaker Lu Sheng’s stunning three-part film that explores life and longing in Paris, Shanghai and … a mysterious forest. Read on for the deets.

If you were lucky enough to catch Beijing Playhouse’s sold-out production of Love, Sex and the IRS, you’ll know they’re delivering great entertainment as Beijing’s only English-language Broadway theater group. Their next production, Oklahoma!, will be a grand ol’ time in the tradition of the classic, award-winning musical. It starts this week and we’ve got a pair of tickets to give away, so enter now!

Lentil soup, stuffed pigeon, Egyptian shawarma chicken and rokak dough. Got your attention? We’re giving away a voucher for two free buffet dinners as part of the Egyptian Culture & Food Festival, where the Renaissance Beijing Chaoyang Hotel has flown in a guest chef from Egypt to create a spread of legume-rich delights.

The International Festival Chorus, Beijing’s only homegrown choir, has been giving us reasons to sing since 2002, with their choral-symphonic performances, fundraising concerts, outreach and education programs, and performance tours all around China. This Saturday night, they celebrate ten years with a rousing rendition of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana.

This is your chance to kill about five birds with one stone (the poor birds): It’s a JUE Festival and Bookworm Literary Festival event with hip hop, slam poetry, comedy and neo-folk performances at one of Beijing’s most beloved underground venues. And you’re getting a chance to go for free, so read on!