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The Culture 5 - your cultural highlights for the next seven days

Ryan Gosling stars as Ryland Grace in Project Hail Mary Photo credit: Jonathan Olley © 2026 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Ryan Gosling stars in Project Hail Mary

BOOK: KIDS, WAIT TILL YOU HEAR THIS!

There are icons, there are legends… and then there's Liza. Just in time to celebrate her 80th birthday, the long‑awaited memoir from Cabaret star Liza Minnelli - told in her own words to longtime collaborator Michael Feinstein - offers a dazzling, behind‑the‑scenes journey through fame, family, friendships, and resilience. It should be stressed that this diva doesn't mince words, particularly when it comes to some of her ex‑husbands (Hodder & Stoughton, out now)

STREAMING: THE IMMORTAL MAN

There will be cheekbones! Fresh from cinemas, the Peaky Blinders gang return for their first feature‑length outing, with Cillian Murphy’s semi‑retired gangster Tommy Shelby joined by Barry Keoghan as his errant son. Whether fighting Nazis or working through their own complicated family issues, watching two titans of modern Irish film go toe‑to‑toe makes this well worth a spin, for fans of the show and newcomers alike. Dripping in style, with a great soundtrack to boot (Netflix, now streaming)

ART: VISUAL POETRY

This new exhibition at the National Gallery of Ireland offers an insight into photographer John Minihan’s extensive career, spanning over sixty years and charting his evolution from Daily Mail press photographer at just 16 to his pivotal introduction to Samuel Beckett, and on to the deeply personal projects that define his later work. Minihan’s lifelong pursuit of photographing "what might have gone unnoticed" and his desire to draw out the poetry of everyday life are at the heart of this stunning retrospective (Hugh Lane Room, National Gallery of Ireland, until 11 October)

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John Minihan, Self-portrait in Paris

OPERA: RUSALKA

Timothée Chalamet mightn’t be an opera fan, but he hasn’t seen INO in action… Driven by her consuming love for a human prince, water nymph Rusalka abandons her realm to navigate his mortal world. A tale of longing, transformation, and the high cost of desire, Irish National Opera’s new production of Dvořák’s darkly poetic fairytale features Irish soprano Jennifer Davis in the title role, supported by a rich, lyrical score with the iconic Song to the Moon at its heart (Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Dublin, March 22–28)

FILM: PROJECT HAIL MARY

Science teacher Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) wakes up on a spaceship light‑years from home with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. As his memory returns, he begins to uncover his mission: solve the riddle of the mysterious substance causing the sun to die out. He must call on his scientific knowledge and unorthodox ideas to save everything on Earth from extinction… but an unexpected friendship means he may not have to do it alone. The first bona fide crowd‑pleaser of 2026 demands to be seen on the biggest screen imaginable - but did the trailers really have to give so much away? (Cinemas nationwide)

MUSIC: PENELOPE TRAPPES & KATIE KIM

An exquisite double‑header featuring two titans of the musical underground. Australian vocalist, producer, and multi‑instrumentalist Penelope Trappes released one of the standout albums of 2025, A Requiem, conjuring immersive sonic worlds of voice, drone, and atmosphere. She’ll be joined for this rare Irish show by ØXN member and creative powerhouse Katie Kim, one of Ireland’s most fearless sonic troubadours. (Bello Bar, Dublin, Friday March 27)

Hear The Culture 5 every Friday on Aedín in the Afternoon on RTÉ lyric fm, from 1pm - listen back here

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