After a long fashion month, the Weekend Combo is back in business – enjoy!

Directorial debut
It appears that there are very few things Harris Dickinson cannot do. With a stellar acting repertoire up his sleeve featuring standout performances in the likes of Babygirl, Triangle of Sadness and The Iron Claw, it was only a matter of time before the British actor found himself behind the camera. His directorial debut, Urchin, premiered at the 78th Cannes Film Festival to a resounding seal of approval from peers and critics. A story which follows the turbulent journey of a young addict on his road to recovery, the film stars Frank Dillane, offering a powerful insight into homelessness and addiction in the UK.

Urchin is out in cinemas now. 

Portrait of a nation
Opening this weekend, The Photographer’s Gallery presents a deep dive into the work of Polish photographer Zofia Rydet. In 1987, Rydet set out on a mission to capture the lives of her countrypeople up close, knocking on the doors of families in the hopes they would let her in. The project – titled Sociological Record – continued up until her death in 1997, and what remains is an intimate portrait of domesticity in her home nation. Although nearly 20,000 negatives were taken, just a fraction of them were printed in Rydet’s lifetime, with over 100 prints being exhibited at The Photographers’ Gallery, alongside a selection of books and personal letters.

Zofia Rydet: Sociological Record runs at the Photographers’ Gallery until February 22, 2026, more info here. 

It’s that time of year again…
BFI’s London Film Festival kicked off on Wednesday with Rian Johnson’s Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery at the Royal Festival Hall, marking the start of 11 days and nights of movies taking over an array of cinemas and venues across the capital. This year’s gala screenings consist of Bugonia, After the Hunt and Hamnet, while other highlights include The History of Sound and Frankenstein.

View the full LFF programme here. 

To be, or not to be?
Yes, you may have seen Hamlet before, but its enduring brilliance means the adaptation wheel is going to keep churning. The latest iteration of this Shakespeare classic entering the canon comes from the National Theatre’s new deputy, Robert Hastie, with Laurence Olivier Award-winning actor Hiran Abeysekera starring in the titular role. The tragedy is transformed for a 21st-century audience into a fun and imaginative take on the intense tale of Shakespeare’s most lauded prince.

Hamlet runs at the National Theatre until 22nd November, more info here. 

Speaking in Dreams
If you’ve exhausted all of what London’s galleries have to offer (rare, but it happens), then maybe a day trip to Warwickshire is in order. Renowned Hungarian-born, British artist Yulia Mahr is taking over Compton Marney, a restored Grade I listed 18th-century mansion surrounded by 120 acres of parkland in the British countryside. Best known for her immersive installations exploring politics, feminism, folklore and contemporary anxiety, Mahr’s latest project meditates on the porous liminality of dreaming and waking worlds.

Speaking in Dreams runs at Compton Verney until 2nd November, more info here. 

Posh pub grub
Public House Group are slowly but surely putting down roots in every borough, with The Pelican in Notting Hill, The Fat Badger on Golborne Road and The Hero in Maida Vale; the pub masters are opening up a new joint in W1. The Hart opens its doors in Marylebone this month, complete with the same chic yet hearty touches and furnishings of its counterparts. Named after the family who ran an establishment on the same spot in the 1840s, the menu prioritises British farmers and ingredients from the group’s Market Garden at Bruern Farms. Dishes such as Kedgeree, bubble & squeak, steak & potatoes, and banoffee pie are served up in the dining room, while behind the bar you’ll find pork scratchings and pints of Portobello Pilsner on tap.

The Hart is located at 56 Blandford St, W1U 7JA, more info here.