The Week’s guide to what’s worth seeing and reading

Showing now

Scythians: warriors of ancient Siberia at the British Museum, London WC1 (020-7323 8181). From around 900BC to 200BC nomads from the Russian steppes rampaged across Asia. This exhibition of objects from the Scythian empire (on loan from the Hermitage, St Petersburg) includes a piece of tattooed human skin. Ends 14 January.

Angel at the Arcola Theatre, Dalston E8 (020-7503 1646). Henry Naylor’s one-woman play was a sell-out in Edinburgh. Inspired by true events, it tells the story of a female Kurdish law student who shot 100 Isis fighters while defending the town of Kobane. “I would see it again, in an instant” (Times). Ends 7 October.

Book now

Ian Mckellen plays King Lear on the small stage at Chichester. 22 September-28 October, Minerva Theatre, Chichester (01243-781312).

Some 200 films are showing at the BFI London Film Festival, including On Chesil Beach and Loving Vincent, a unique animated feature made up of 65,000 frames painted, in oil, in the style of Van Gogh. 4-15 October, various London venues (www.bfi.org.uk).

Just out in paperback

Citizen Clem by John Bew (Riverrun £12.99). In this biography, Bew has managed to bring to life Clement Attlee – a prime minister who shaped to a large degree the society we live in – making him “oddly lovable” (Sunday Times).