Something for the Weekend (17-19 October 08)

Monkey business
After performing the sell-out Julius Caesar show last year, the Everyman and Playhouse Youth Theatre return with a production of Monkey, a story based on the ancient Chinese novel, Journey to the West.

The characters were recently reborn forming the BBC’s Beijing Olympic ads but back in the 1970s Monkey was a cult TV hit, and even last year Damon Albarn did a new version for the Manchester International Festival.

Adapted for the stage by Daniel Cambridge, the story focuses on a rock that becomes pregnant and one day splits open giving birth to an unruly monkey.

As ever, expect energy and enthusiasm in abundance from the 40 talented youngsters, along with singing and stilt-walking in a light-hearted performance.

Monkey runs at the Everyman until Sat 18th Oct, 7.30pm, tickets, £6.50, £4.50 concessions, to book call 0151 709 4776

Snappers' delight
A fascinating retrospective of work by celebrated Welsh photographer Phillip Jones Griffiths opens at the Conservation Centre this weekend. Recollections is the first display of Griffiths work since he died in March this year.

Made famous for his captivating depiction of the American action in Vietnam- images of which feature in a slideshow made for this exhibition- Griffiths is remembered as one of the greatest, most influential news photographers of the 20th century.

Highlights of Recollections include bustling street scenes of 1950s Liverpool- along with the obligatory 1960s Beatles stills- bleak shots of the Northern Ireland conflict and portraits of protests and political figures Harold MacMillan and Tony Benn.

Recollections runs at the Conservation Centre, Wuntil March 2009, the centre is open daily 10am-5pm, entry is free

Zing along
“Sourz” has always been the alcopop of shots, one for the wimps, if you like. Keen to shake off this lousy image, Sourz have relaunched with a new label, a new blackcurrant flavour and a new way to consume the drink: mixed. Try cranberry juice with the apple variety, coke with the cherry, lemonade with the blackcurrant, the possibilities are endless, they tell us.

Anyway to shout about all this newness, Sourz are touring UK cities, stopping at Nation on Friday night after a rave-reviewed Glasgow slot last week. Expect an extravaganza of music, performance and dance, an impressive light show and complimentary samples of the calorific tall-drinks.

Sourz Zing City @ Nation, Wolstenholme Square, Fri 17th Oct, 10pm-2am, tickets £5

Liverpool Irish Festival
This weekend Dr. Ian McKeane (Liverpool University) and Greg Quiery (Liverpool Great Hunger) will be guiding groups discovering the Liverpool Irish connections in both the north and south areas of the city centre.

The two walks come as the pair’s contribution to the Liverpool Irish Festival, which runs across the city until 2nd November.

Saturday concentrates on the north, taking you from the bombed out church in Leece Street to Scotland Road, whilst Sunday looks at the south, concentrating on Hope Street. Both tours promise to give a new perspective on the city’s well known places whilst revealing a few hidden gems on the way.

Find the Liverpool Irish Tours @ St Luke’s Gardens, Leece Street, Sat 18th and Sun 19th Oct, 2pm, tickets £7, £5 concessions