A week of it

Jacqueline Smith. Photo / Natalie Slade

TV

They say time flies when you are having fun - it seems far too soon to snatch True Blood off the airwaves, but the third season draws to a close this week. It sounds like one hell of a big episode that will leave us thirsty for more.

After that, Prime gives us a sneak behind-the-scenes peek at its new vampire series Being Human which airs in October. The twist to this BBC teen drama is that it follows not only a vampire and a werewolf but also a ghost.

And as if Friday nights weren't already awesome, 7 Days returns to TV3 this week to give us extra reason to stay at home. Jeremy Corbett and his panel of comedians have become quite the regular fixture and Friday's felt rather lacking without them.

MOVIES

If you missed out on squeezing into the sell-out sessions at the film festival, catch notorious London street-artist Banksy's Exit through the Gift Shop which opens in most cinemas this week.

Another film festival favourite The Runaways also starts this week, see our review of the film on page 8, along with Peter Calder's five-star review of French crime-drama A Prophet, also out today.

For your animation hit, Despicable Me, starring the voice of Steve Carrell as the evil genius and our own Jemaine Clement as a critter that resembles a potato in overalls has a sneak preview screening at event cinemas this Saturday before rolling out next week. See our story on page 6.

MUSIC

First with the Silver Scroll awards, then Smokefree Rockquest, this week is one to recognise emerging acts - some already better known than others. The final of youth music competition Smokefree Rockquest will be held at Hamilton's Founders Theatre on Saturday, with performances by guests J Williams, Die! Die! Die! and Kids of 88.

This year's finalists are Dinosaur Goes Rawr, The Good Fun, Peasants of Eden, Malcolm Jack, Te Paamu or Auckland singer songwriters Kriston Batistich and Massad Barakat-Devine. So, who has what it takes to be the next Opshop, Evermore, Die! Die! Die! or Kora (all of whom won the competition, mostly under different names)?

Elsewhere, Annie Crummer is back, this time without an ensemble musical theatre cast behind her. Her show at Sale Street tonight is a chance for her to seduce her audience with a new collection of tunes - quite unlike the Rent numbers she sang earlier this year.

OR...

Sick of the bleak wet weather? Head to the sunshine and happiness of Africa. Touring circus Cirque Mother Africa opens at the Town Hall from Tuesday, bringing crazy contortion and balancing acts from all over the continent. With traditional music, costume and acts, the show is said to bring Africa to the world. Hmm, Africa is warm and dry. Right now, I couldn't imagine a better place to be.

- TimeOut