Return to Noir Ville
Fri–Sun various times; Cinema 21
Nosy detectives, dangerous dames, ill-gotten loot and a whole lot of trenchcoats will be on parade during the 13-day run of Cinema 21's film noir fest, featuring post-war thrillers like Gun Crazy (pictured), The Big Heat, and Night and the City, along with more recent attempts at the genre, such as the Coen Brothers' dastardly Blood Simple. 

classical music

Falstaff
Fri at 7:30, Sun at 2; Keller Auditorium
If the Twitter response from the media preview earlier in the week is any indication, Portland Opera has a high-larious hit on its hands with this wink-wink, nudge-nudge take on Shakespeare's favorite buffoon, set to Verdi's magnificent music.  

COMEDY

Russell Peters
Fri at 8; Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
Apparently being picked on by a diverse assortment of bullies is character-building! Indian comedian Peters grew up in a black neighborhood in Toronto so he got pushed around by both blacks and whites, which helped to form the foundation of a very, very lucrative comedy career. This is why he's at the Schnitzer instead of Harvey's. 

SPECIAL EVENTS

Black Swan "Unplucked" 
Sat at 6:30; Hollywood Theatre
Dancers from the Oregon Ballet Theatre will be on hand for this screening of Darren Aronofsky's controversial ballet/horror film that stars Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis. The evening includes the dancers performing their own excerpts from Swan Lake, as well as a discussion and Q&A with OBT interim artistic director Anne Mueller. It's a benefit show and proceeds will be divided between the ballet theatre and the movie theater. 

Live Wire!
Sat at 7:30; Alberta Rose Theater
Comedian, podcaster, and sit-com star Marc Maron is among the guests for the latest installment of Live Wire. Portland author Monica Drake will talk about The Stud Book, and local psychedelic sensations Genders will summon some "feel good" music. Read our interview with Marc Maron from last year.

THEATER

My Children! My Africa!
Fri–Sat at 8, Sun at 2; Theater! Theatre!
Profile Theatre's salute to South African playwright Athol Fugard enters the home stretch with the final show of the season. My Children! My Africa! brings the question of revolution—nonviolent or bloody—to a high-school debate in Johannesberg.  

Aloha Say the Pretty Girls
Fri–Sat at 8; Theater! Theatre!
Several sets of restless Gen-Xers travel, occasionally overlap, and search for fulfillment—or at least temporary adventure—in Naomi Iizuka’s comedy from 1999. There’s not much dramatic structure to hang your hat on here; instead, enjoy the zesty language and surprising turns that befall the cast of offbeat characters.

Concerts

Richmond Fontaine
Fri–Sun at 7; Al's Den
An opportunity to see international alt-country heroes Richmond Fontaine in an unplugged environment should not be missed. The band, fronted by writer, singer, and chronicler of lost souls Willy Vlautin, is wrapping up a weeklong residency at Al's Den, and will welcome friends and drinking buddies to the stage to swap tunes and tales. 

Kurt Vile
Fri at 9; Doug Fir Lounge
Like the smell of patchouli or clove cigarettes, the music of Kurt Vile is subtly capable of whisking you away to another time and a cooler place. A tuneful troubadour with a tight band in tow, Vile can be a captivating acoustic strummer reminiscent of a sweet summer day in the early 70s, or fuzzy and wild like a guided tour of 60s garage sales. 

Of Montreal
Sat at 8; Wonder Ballroom
This versatile Athens, Georgia combo is the musical equivalent of a brilliant pu-pu platter; they bring variety to the table, but it's not a jarringly inconsistent, as the band's pop smarts shine through no matter how the songs are plated. Live shows often involve multi-media pageantry and artsy flourish.