Five Reasons to Leave the House This Weekend

Lou Damars

Compagnie Hervé Koubi at the ICA

In a performance at the Institute of Contemporary Art, the Compagnie Hervé Koubi will perform a combination of modern dance, gymnastics, street dancing, and ballet. The all male cast is made up of 12 French-Algerian and African dancers. Entitled Ce que le jour doit à la nuit, meaning What the Day Owes the Night, the show debuts in Boston this weekend.

$40, Friday March 11 8:00 p.m., Saturday, March 12th 8:00 p.m., Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, 100 Northern Ave, Boston, icaboston.org.

Photo of A.O. Scott by Carmen Henning

Author Event with A.O. Scott: Better Living Through Criticism

Creative criticism is central to contemporary life, argues New York Times film critic A.O. Scott in his new book, Better Living Through Criticism: How to Think about Art, Pleasure, Beauty, and Truth. In his book, published this February, he explains why we need criticism, using his own movie reviews as examples. Scott will be discussing the book and signing copies at the Brattle Theatre in an event hosted by Harvard Book Store. He’s been a chief film critic at The New York Times for over ten years, as well as writing for a variety of other publications. 

$5.00, Friday, March 11th, doors open at 5:30 p.m., Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Cambridge, harvard.com.

16th Annual Irish Film Festival

4 days, 45 films: It’s the 16th Irish Film Festival at the Somerville Theatre. There’s a documentary about a paralyzed athlete, a series of short films exploring 100 years of being Irish, and even a documentary about Boston Mayor Marty Walsh. Older Than Ireland tells the story of 30 Irish centenarians in honor of the 100 year anniversary of Ireland’s independence. Festival director Dawn Morrissey points out that because these films aren’t distributed in the U.S., “You only get to see these films once a year—you can’t see them in the general cinema.” Various Irish directors and filmmakers will be there, including Casey Sherman, author of The Finest Hours. According to Morrissey, there are social events after the screenings at local venues like Saloon and The Burren.

$12.00 – $15.00 (General admission), $85.00 (all access pass), Thursday March 10th – March 13th, Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville, irishfilmfestival.com.

Kathy Griffin’s “Like A Boss Tour”  

The 6 time grammy-nominated comedian and TV host is coming to the Wilbur for her “Like A Boss Tour.” Griffin is famous for her unrestrained and brash comedy, which sometimes becomes controversial. No one is safe, though Griffin typically enjoys poking fun at politicians and celebrities. Current targets include Caitlyn Jenner, the Duggars, and the 2016 presidential candidates.

$50.00 – $72.00, Saturday March 12th, 7:00 p.m. and 9:45 p.m., The Wilbur, 246 Tremont Street, www.thewilbur.com.

Courtesy of Yamato

Yamato The Drummers of Japan Present: “Bakuon – Legend of the Heartbeat”

Drummers will use cymbals, vocals, bamboo flutes, and of course, drums, in their show at Berklee College of Music. The group uses Taiko drums, a traditional Japanese instrument dating back centuries, to create rhythms, and their sound is meant to mimic the human heartbeat. Since its formation in 1993, Yamato has performed in dozens of countries around the world. 

$30.00 – $58.00, Sunday, March 13th, 3:00 p.m., Berklee Performance Center, 136 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, berklee.edu.