CRITICS’ CHOICES

WHAT TO SEE THIS WEEK

Film The Kingmaker

Filmmaker Lauren Greenfield has long been fascinated with the trappings of wealth and that makes Imelda Marcos a fitting subject. This fly-on-the-wall look at the former Philippine First Lady goes from Louis Theroux to Luis Buñuel in 60 minutes flat. A portrait of a lovable eccentric morphs into a surreally unnerving treatise on the deathlessness of strongman fascism.

Robbie Collin 15 cert, 101 min

Theatre Curtains

The London premiere of a 2006 musical by Kander and Ebb (who gave the world such sublime works as Cabaret and Chicago) that sends up the backstage murder mystery genre. Stand-up comedian Jason Manford has won praise during the regional tour for his performance as detective Frank Cioffi. Paul Foster directs.

Dominic Cavendish Wyndham’s Theatre London WC2 (0844 482 5120), booking to Jan 11

Pop Robbie Williams

On the back of number one album The Christmas Present (which features appearances from Rod Stewart, Jamie Cullum, and, less predictably, Tyson Fury), Britain’s favourite pop superstar stages two festive spectaculars, with special guests and other seasonal frivolity. Expect an evening of slick showmanship.

Neil McCormick Wembley SSE Arena, (ticketmaster.co.uk) Mon and Tues

Comedy Nina Conti

The ever-inventive ventriloquist improvises an entirely new show each night, with help from the audience (and her alter ego Monkey). In the past, this has proved both rewarding and disturbing, such as when she transformed audience members into life-size ventriloquist’s dummies with the use of grotesque giant masks.

Tristram Fane Saunders Soho Theatre, London W1 (020 7478 0100). Mon-Fri and Jan 2-4