By Rowena Lindsay, deputy inside editor
Entry of the Week: Monday, Nov. 17
Enjoy a free visit to the newly renovated Harvard Art Museum, which is reopening after its 2008 closure. This Monday and Tuesday, the museum is opening its doors free of charge to the public. New galleries include paintings, sculptures, ceramics, drawings and photographs from all around the world, and masterpieces from the Fogg, Busch-Reisinger and Arthur M. Sackler collections. Tickets must be reserved ahead of time, with up to six people per reservation. Reservation times are set for 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. Plan your visit at tickets.harvardartmuseums.org. 32 Quincy St., Cambridge; free.
Thursday, Nov. 13
Experience the new movie “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” at the Coolidge Corner Theatre this Thursday night. The dark comedy tells the story of a washed-up actor, played by Michael Keaton, famous for his role as the iconic superhero character Birdman, as he attempts to start a new Broadway play. As opening night of the actor’s musical approaches, he must overcome his inflated ego and attempt to recover his family and career. The movie also stars Emma Stone and Zach Galifianakis. It was directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, who also directed ‘Biutiful’ in 2010. Watch the trailer at coolidge.org/content/birdman. 290 Harvard St., Brookline; 11 a.m.; 1:45, 4:15, 7, 9:30 p.m.; $10.25.
Friday, Nov. 14
This weekend marks the end of the 2014 Boston Comedy Festival, and on Friday, the final rounds of the Stand Up Comedy Contest will take place at the Davis Square Theatre. See comedians from all over the country who made it to the final round perform their best stand-up. The festival has been around for over a decade, showcasing up-and-coming comedians, and creating a publicity opportunity for the performers. In the past, the festival has also hosted improv and sketch comedy shows. 255 Elm St., Somerville; 7 and 9 p.m.; $20.
Saturday, Nov. 15
You may not have enjoyed reading Shakespeare’s plays in high school English class, but you’ll appreciate this alternative take on “Hamlet.” Experience the classic tragedy through a different point of view in Tom Stoppard’s absurdist comedy “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.” The show follows the lives of two minor characters whom fate has doomed, despite being mostly uninvolved in the action. The pair are the main source of Shakespeare’s characteristic witty slapstick comedy, even when moving unavoidably toward death. Durrell Theatre, 820 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge; 8 p.m.; $10.
Sunday, Nov. 16
If you have never been to the Lizard Lounge’s Poetry Jam and Slam, now is the time to check it out. Every week, this staple of Boston culture features a poet and The Jeff Robinson Trio, a band of local musicians, provides a musical background to the poems and spoken word performances. Joyce Cunha, Arthur Collins and Jeff Robinson host the show. If you wish to participate and read your own poem, arrive early; The Lizard Lounge takes the first eight poets for the slam and the first 20 poets for the open mic. 21+; 1667 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge; 8 p.m.; $7.
Tuesday, Nov. 18
See English indie rock band Alt-J this Tuesday at the Orpheum Theatre as it tours for its most recent album, “This Is All Yours.” The album immediately reached number one on the U.K. charts, and their previous album, “An Awesome Wave,” released in 2012, won a British Mercury Award. The band members met at Leeds University, where they formed Alt-J in their dorm room, producing their music on GarageBand. Since then, the band has developed a nuanced and distinct sound that has been criticized for being inaccessible but has earned them a distinct following among college students. 1 Hamilton Place; 8 p.m.; $36-38.
Wednesday, Nov. 19
Artisan’s Asylum is opening its electronics and robotics lab for free to people of all levels of experience at its Circuit Hacking Night. The event will include a free soldering lesson, with experienced engineers available to answer any questions and provide assistance. Electronics kits will be for sale for those interested in making something outside of the lesson. Experienced attendants are welcome to bring their own projects to work on. Artisan’s Asylum is a non-profit organization that provides resources and education to fabricators and engineers. There is limited capacity in the studio, so RSVP at eventbrite.com. 10 Tyler St., Somerville; 6 – 8 p.m.; free.
Photo courtesy Daderot, Creative Commons
