Before we get to what’s happening for events around Maine this weekend, let’s cut right to the matter at hand: it’s crazy out there. The spread of COVID-19 around the world has sown widespread uncertainty and no small amount of fear, regardless of where you are. And with the first case confirmed in Maine, it may seem even scarier.
Does that mean you shouldn’t leave the house? Right now, it doesn’t. But you absolutely should still be careful if you plan to go out — whether it’s to a grocery store, or to a local concert, play, movie, or community event. If you feel even a little bit sick, don’t go. Try to stay six feet away from people when you’re out in public. Wash your hands as often as possible and bring sanitizer with you if you’ve got it. Check with local venues and organizers to make sure the thing you want to do is still happening.
With all of that in mind, here’s your weekly list of stuff to do in eastern Maine. Use your best judgment. You can still have fun, even in this uncertain time in history.
On Friday night in Bangor, you can laugh your worries away with improv troupe The Focus Group, which performs at 8 p.m. at the Bangor Arts Exchange. Elsewhere, jam band the Barefoot Brotherhood is at Paddy Murphy’s, and Wyatt Jenkins performs at the Geaghan’s Tap Room in Brewer. And out at Morgan Hill Event Center in Hermon, Randy from beloved Canadian comedy “Trailer Park Boys” brings his “Cheeseburger Picnic” comedy show.
Also this weekend, two Maine theater groups will premiere two new shows. Penobscot Theatre Company opens “Safety Net,” a searing new drama, with performances all weekend at the Bangor Opera House. In Belfast, the Belfast Maskers premiere Shakespeare’s “As You Like It,” set in the summer of love in 1967; performances are set for the Basil Burwell Community Theater on Court Street in Belfast.
In movie theaters, new flicks include “Bloodshot” and “The Hunt.” But let’s face it — if you’re going to be watching something, you’re probably going to do it at home. So let’s do a more thorough breakdown of what’s new and cool on streaming services, shall we? New series this weekend are “The Pale Horse,” a mystery series on Amazon starting on Friday, and on Sunday, the premiere of season three of sci-fi brain teaser “Westworld” starts on HBO.
But what else can you watch? Most of us know the feeling of having “nothing to watch,” despite the fact that there are literally hundreds of thousands of hours of content on multiple streaming services. So what’s good out there right now, aside from watching “The Office” or “Breaking Bad” for the 40th time?
First off, if you’ve never seen “The Good Place,” it’s a delight to watch, and three out of the four seasons are on Netflix right now, and all of it is on Hulu. It’s thought-provoking without being dark or depressing, and come on — Kristen Bell and Ted Danson. Feeling romantic? Most of “Outlander” is on Netflix right now as well. Have you watched “Peaky Blinders”? If you like both crime dramas and British TV, you’ll love it. And if you need something much more comforting, you could sign up for Disney+, if you haven’t already, and dig into countless Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars movies and shows.
You can watch classics on Netflix, too, like “Bladerunner,” “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” “Goodfellas,” “Pulp Fiction” and “The Shawshank Redemption.” Real Hollywood classics from the 1930s, 40s and 50s are harder to find if you don’t have a cable subscription, but Amazon Prime has quite a few if you search hard enough.
Basically, if you think you’ve run out of stuff to watch, you haven’t. And as we all move through this thing together, we’ll need a distraction, won’t we? Stay safe out there, friends.