MOVIES
From the glorious nation of Kazakhstan comes the heartwarming tale of a pet mouse … wait, wrong movie. “Flushed Away” may have a bathroom-humor title, but the characters’ dental work gives it away. This animated feature is Aardman Studios territory (the Wallace & Gromit folks) with the oomph of DreamWorks’ CG muscle. When Roddy St. James takes an unexpected porcelain ride into London’s sewer system, he lands in a rat-infested metropolis full of characters and mischief. Toad (voiced by Ian McKellen) is trying to retrieve from scavenger rat Rita (Kate Winslet) a goodie he needs to carry out a very bad deed. Indeed. Written with the snap and pop of a locker-room towel, “Flushed Away,” has fine banter for adults and plenty of inventive action – and serenading slugs – for the kids. | Lisa Kennedy
CLASSICAL MUSIC
The art songs of Charles Ives can be variously witty, quirky, folksy and idiomatic, but they all are brimming with an unmistakably American spirit. While it might take a little time for first-time listeners to become accustomed to Ives’ musical language, the appeal of these little masterpieces quickly becomes apparent. Voice faculty at the University of Colorado at Boulder will present a selection of the songs during a free concert at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in CU’s Grusin Music Hall, 18th Street and Euclid Avenue. 303-492-8008 or colorado.edu/music. | Kyle MacMillan
STAGE
Authors often use memory plays as a one-way revenge for the damage done years before by their parents or church. That or they paint a saccharine picture that can’t possibly seem real. Tom Dudzick’s “Over the Tavern,” a Polish Catholic drama set in 1950s Buffalo, N.Y., swings wildly between these extremes, but director Jane Page and her Arvada Center creative team keep the pendulum modulated. There’s plenty of knowing, nostalgic comedy, and plenty of identifiable angst expressed through an impossibly wise 12-year-old navigating the glaring contradictions in his pre-Vatican II Catholic teachings. Final performances 2 and 7:30 p.m. today; 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 1 p.m. Wednesday; and 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Nov. 12, at 6901 Wadsworth Blvd. $36-$46 (720-898-7200 or arvadacenter.org). | John Moore
TELEVISION
“The Simpsons” treat us to their 17th annual “Treehouse of Horror,” at 7 tonight on Fox, with Dr. Phil, Fran Drescher and Richard Lewis lending their voices to the goofy trilogy. The most blatant political statement in the series’ astonishing history, an anti-war jab that feels almost too literal, is included in the parody of Orson Welles’ “War of the Worlds” radio broadcast. | Joanne Ostrow
VISUAL ARTS
No country has a hotter contemporary art scene than China. Works by 16 of the country’s top talents are featured in “Under the Radar: Chinese Contemporary Art,” an exhibition that opened this weekend at the Robischon Gallery, 1740 Wazee St., and runs through Dec. 30. Several, including Yue Min Jun and the Luo Brothers, are also represented in a current Denver Art Museum show highlighting the collection of Kent and Vicki Logan. An opening reception is set for 6-8 p.m. Thursday. 303-298-7788 or robischongallery.com | Kyle MacMillan
POPULAR MUSIC
Bonnie Raitt’s appearance at the Broomfield Event Center on Thursday will be more than just a concert; it represents the first performance at the hotly anticipated venue. Raitt’s powerful blues-rock voice will be a worthy test of the acoustics at the 6,000-seat space, which is slated to host about 130 events per year. 11450 Broomfield Lane, 7:30 p.m., $39.50-$69.75. Call 303-410-8197 or visit broomfieldevent center.com. | John Wenzel
NIGHT LIFE
The diverse and refreshingly mature lineup at Lannie’s Clocktower Cabaret will welcome “the most hilarious comedy drag show since Marilyn Musgrave took office.” Ouch. “Demented Divas,” a Las Vegas-style comedy act from La Cage Aux Fowl, opens Tuesday and continues for an open-ended run at Lannie’s, skewering Cher, Bette Davis, Britney Spears and other highfalutin female celebrities. Audience members will also be clued into the “Four Secrets to Divadom.” 1600 Arapahoe St., 8 p.m., $10. 303-293-0075 or lannies.com. | John Wenzel
