The Naked Magic Show is exactly what it sounds like
Christopher Wayne
MAGIC
The Naked Magic Show
Thursday through Saturday
Shubert Theater
265 Tremont St., Boston
$38, 866-348-9738
Supposedly, a viewing of the film “Magic Mike” inspired these two fine young male specimens from Australia to spice up their magic act by making their clothes disappear. A simple idea, but one that, judging from all the positive reviews they’ve garnered, gets a lot of mileage. Seems like ideal “ladies’ night out” fare, and more proof than nudity improves all things.
MUSEUMS
The Glass Flowers
Ongoing; re-opens Saturday
Harvard Museum of Natural History
26 Oxford St., Cambridge
$10-$12, 617-495-3045
One of Harvard University’s most remarkable possessions is this collection of almost miraculously realistic glass models of flowers, created by two German artisans, Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka, between 1885 and 1936. The Harvard Museum of Natural History recently renovated this exhibit, a longtime attraction, making it look better than ever, and including some specimens they haven’t displayed for many years.
COMEDY
Oh, Pairs
Saturday, 7 p.m.
ImprovBoston
40 Brattle St., Cambridge
$12, 617-576-1253
Improv is a team sport, but this evening reduces the teams to just two people—four teams of two people, to be exact. Each couple has a different angle, but a good amount of the comedy will be musical. The full lineup includes M&N: Musical Improv, Rod & the Hat, Perfectly Stupid and Pat and Misch Break Up.
MOVIES
The Sleeping Beast Within
Friday, 9 p.m.
Harvard Film Archive
24 Quincy St., Cambridge
$7-$9, 617-495-4700
hcl.harvard.edu/hfa
Part of a series of screenings of films by Japanese master Seijun Suzuki, this 1960 thriller begins with a daughter hiring a reporter to find her businessman father, who vanished mysteriously after returning from an overseas trip. Soon our intrepid investigator finds himself deep down a dark rabbit hole of drug smuggling and religious fanaticism.
THEATER
Dogfight
Through June 4
Calderwood Pavilion
527 Tremont St., Boston
$25-$60, 617-933-8600
This musical starts on the evening of November 21, 1963—tomorrow, President Kennedy will be shot. But for now, three Marines are celebrating their last night before being shipped to Vietnam. For some weird reason, it amuses these cocky boys to make a bet to see who can get the ugliest date. One of them, however, gets more than he bargained for.
Peter and the Starcatcher
Friday through June 26
Lyric Stage Company
140 Clarendon St., Boston
$34-$69, 617-585-5678
This prequel to “Peter Pan” tells how Peter, once mortal, became the permanent pre-teen we know and love, and introduces an earlier female companion, Molly, who meet the boy while accompanying her father on a nautical voyage—he’s tasked with protecting a precious cargo of stardust. You may find some other familiar characters as well, but we won’t spoil it all.
MUSIC
Somerville Porchfest
Saturday, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Various locations
Somerville
Free, 617-625-6600 ext. 2985
For this annual festival, folks open up their front porches to performances from a variety of musical acts, in styles ranging, according to the Somerville Arts Council, “from Bollywood funk, cosmic Americana, killer blues, Moroccan, Balkan, gospel, American space rock and clawhammer banjo.” The performances will be broken up into three regions—the full schedule’s at the link above.
ART
Emerge
Saturday through July 9
13FOREST Gallery
167A Mass. Ave, Arlington
Free, 781.641.3333
The six area artists in this exhibition—Dena Bach, Christopher Frost, Raul Gonzalez III, Nancy Popper, Michael Seif and Mark J. Stock—each explore the theme of metamorphosis, “be it mythical, cultural, intellectual or physical,” as the synopsis puts it. The show is inspired by a Japanese mythical creature called the Kitsune, foxes who can turn themselves into humans.
Beach Slang
Thursday, 7 p.m.
The Sinclair
52 Church St., Cambridge
$15, 18+, 800-745-3000
Beach Slang, another success story from Philadelphia’s famously gritty current indie rock scene, suggest surf with their name, but their music is much closer to Jawbreaker than Dick Dale. Their debut album, dropped in October 2015 and intriguingly titled “The Things We Do to Find People Who Feel Like Us”, delivers a 26-minute shot-in-the-arm of high energy, gravely-voiced melodic punk.
Arbor Labor Union
Friday, 9 p.m.
Cantab Lounge
738 Mass. Ave., Cambridge
$10, 21+
We’re not sure if “Arbor Labor Union” refers to a union of arborists or to a labor union formed by actual trees, but we hope it’s the latter. The Atlanta band’s music befits a tree—big, thick, solid, slightly hippie-ish hard rock, hearkening back to the 70’s, but not so much that it feels like a “classic rock” pastiche. It just rocks.
Curren$y
Tuesday, 8 p.m.
Middle East Downstairs
480 Mass. Ave., Cambridge
$30, 18+, 866-777-8932
This New Orleans MC was an original member of Lil’ Wayne’s Young Money stable. Mainstream success has eluded him, but not for lack of rap flow or musical activity. His stage name evokes greenbacks, but he often dwells on that other green stuff, giving his records a decidedly spaced-out vibe. His most recent album, “Canal Street Confidential”, attempted a harder-edged style.
SCHOOL BUS SPORTS
1st Annual Boston Thumb Wrestling Tournament
Saturday, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Pop Allston
89 Brighton Ave., Allston
Free
Were you the undisputed champion of the school bus when it came to thumb wrestling? See if you still have the chops at this eccentric competition. There will also be music from Bearkilla, raffles, vendors selling a variety of arts, crafts and oddities, and a beer and cider bar. Yes, this is real. The more important question is, are your thumbs for real???
OUTDOORS
Opening Weekend at the Lawn on D
Saturday and Sunday
The Lawn on D
420 D. St., South Boston
Free,
signatureboston.com/lawn-on-d/community-activities/special-events
The Lawn on D opened in 2014 as a novel outdoor venue for a variety of arts and community events, as well as a general hangout spot. 2016’s opening weekend features activities and performances for kids and adults alike. You can also play season-long lawn games like cornhole, bocce, Jenga and ping pong, and get in some quality “Swing Time.”
DANCE
Some Pulp
Wednesday and May 26
Arts at the Armory
191 Highland Ave., Somerville
$15-20, 617-718-2191
armory-some-pulp-wednesday.eventbrite.com
Ian Berg, director of the dance troupe Subject:Matter, teamed up with big bang composer Steve Bass to bring us this swingin’ tap dance performance. While swing, and even tap, are often perceived as historical (i.e. dead) art forms, Berg and Bass have created entirely new dances and music for the show, while remaining reverent toward their respective traditions.
