No time better than the present to study up on how past cultures have resisted oppressive rule, and Disobedient Subjects: Bombay 1930-31, a new exhibit at The Center for Documentary Studies, offers one such chance. In partnership with the Alkazi Foundation for the Arts in New Delhi, this exhibit of 55 photographs traces the history of India’s Civil Disobedience Movement against British colonial rule, which was launched by Mahatma Gandhi in 1930.
Acts of civil disobedience and nonviolent resistance were pivotal in India’s struggle for independence, as shown in these photographs—on display for the first time in the U.S.—that “spotlight the contributions of everyday citizens and anticolonial activists,” according to exhibit materials. At this opening reception, curators Avrati Bhatnagar and Sumathi Ramaswamy will deliver remarks alongside special guest Rahaab Allana, curator at the Alkazi Foundation for the Arts. The photographs will be on display through January 19. —Sarah Edwards
Just in time for Halloween, local theatre troupe Scrap Paper Shakespeare is producing a bloody rendition of Titus Andronicus, believed to be Shakespeare’s first tragedy. Titus Andronicus is the story of a Roman general returning home from war with several prisoners, some of whom vow their revenge.
The troupe has not added unscripted violence, but the play is Shakespeare’s goriest work, so Scrap Paper Shakespeare does not recommend attendance for those under 18. While promotional material notes that the fake blood that may splash audience members is a fully washable recipe, it is nevertheless recommended that no one wear their fanciest dry-clean-only designer. —Eva Flowe
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Children and adults alike can celebrate Halloween with haunting movies in the comfort of a dark field. Frankenweenie, directed by Tim Burton, will play during the children’s screening. The PG-rated flick is a fresh take on the classic Frankenstein story, and depicts a boy’s attempt to use a science experiment to bring his beloved dog back to life.
The adult screening of Halloween, meanwhile, shows Laurie Strode’s confrontation with killer Michael Myers, who has haunted her for four decades after she narrowly avoided his killing spree one ill-fated Halloween night. The R-rated film, directed by David Gordon Green, is one of the franchise’s 13 films. Attendance for both movies is free. –Kennedy Thomason
It’s the end of the road for Dante High, the highly danceable musical project from Chapel Hill’s Ari Picker (Lost in the Trees) that draws influences from Blue Öyster Cult to The Police to David Bowie—though when I listen to a bop like “Parking Lot Soul,” all I hear is The Boss’s gritty baritone blasting through.
Wherever Dante High’s sound lands for you, though, it’s sure to take you back to some bad boy’s neighborhood garage concert in the 1980s, the smoky stubs of cigarettes scattered around lawn chairs, regardless of whether that’s a place you’ve ever been. Picker says he’s hanging up his hat at this show—the project has been going since 2021, with two albums and a handful of fun singles like 2024’s “White Wine Spritzer”—so throw on your letter jacket and catch Dante High while you can. Cage Bird Fancier opens; tickets are $20. —SE
Celebrate the cycle of life and death in a modern-day community ritual inspired by the death positivity movement. At the Death Faire Revival, you can paint sugar skulls, join a drum circle, or listen to a ceremonial grief concert. Visualize life and death at the art show or listen to a panel on the end of life.
Attendees will also have the chance to listen to keynote remarks by Grammy-nominated artist and grief advocate Nnenna Freelon, author of Beneath the Skin of Sorrow, and guest Pierce Freelon. The event also serves as the book launch of Welcome to Death Faire: Love, Loss, and Healing in a Small Southern Town, a collection by faire organizer Tami Schwerin and 33 poets, artists and healers. From opening to closing prayer, explore an often-avoided topic and reflect on your mortality. General admission tickets are available online for $23. —KT
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