Reviews round-up

Arab Nights

Six writers from across the Middle East bring the Arabian Nights stories into the era of the Arab Spring. The characters brought to life by Queen Shahrazad include a modern Sinbad the sailor and a dictator’s wife.

Be warned—the Metta Theatre company is known for audience participation. The show plays Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre as part of a tour also taking in London, Stratford-upon-Avon, Bury St Edmunds and Exeter. Go to www.mettatheatre.co.uk

Rage Against The Machine: XX

To mark 20 years after their self-titled debut album, rock’s favourite rebels Rage Against The Machine have released a box set of their earliest self-produced demos.

Some of the tracks have appeared on earlier collections or the internet. But they still fizz and burn with the fury that helped radicalise a generation. You can pre-order the set at www.ratm.com