Pick of the weekend (June 3-5)

No light undertaking
THEY are the most underrated emergency service and, like meeting the grim reaper himself, a face to face encounter with one is rarely going to be in your things-to-do list when you get your new diary for the year.

Now, Behind Closed Doors explores the world of the funeral director, whose call to action kicks in when we are grieving.

This is not a morbid exhibition - it looks at the life behind death rather than death itself, say organisers. So no bodies, no Gothic horror. Just life, but the bit of it most of us rarely consider.

It's all documented by Philip T McAllister who worked within the funeral industry for 16 years as an embalmer and it's showing as part of the LOOK 11 festival.

*Behind Closed Doors, St Luke's church, Leece St, L1, Thurs-Sun until June 26. 12noon-6pm. Free, but donate to keep the place open.

The Bish is back
ENCORE anyone? Back due to popular demand, John Bishop is returning to his home city for two more performances of his critically acclaimed show ‘Sunshine’ this weekend.

 Liverpool's latest conquering hero freely admits he effs and blinds a lot. And who doesn't like a good swear?

But it means this show for over 16s only. His x-rated vocabulary has caused him a few problems with the BBC, but plain-speaking Bishop, the greatest ever success of the Rawhide Comedy Club, knows we can take it.

Sunday is sold out, but at time of publishing, there are still tickets left for Monday's show at the Echo Arena.

The tour is called the Sunshine Tour because, according to Bishop, it is his chance to have a place in the sun. Ahhh.

*John Bishop Sunshine Tour, 5th-6th Jun, Echo Arena, Tickets £25 from usual outlets.

Chavasse Park turns into Hi-De-Hi
IT may be half term to you and us, or even Whit, but some PR companies somewhere have renamed it National Family Week.

Whatever you like to call it, it's coming to a close, cue a “two day fun-filled extravaganza” at Liverpool's Chavasse Park. The event promises entertainment, games, activities and giveaways.

On Saturday Merseyside's Fire & Rescue Service will be bringing their Fire Fit family assault course, climbing wall and cage football for all to try. You can also enjoy tag rugby, athletics, hand Ball, fitness fun and golf. Try Liverpool FC's football obstacle course and Everton FC's target goal and soccer matrix. “Everyone's ball skills are brought to the test”.

On Sunday, Sportacus from LazyTown gets everyone warmed up with a kicking keep fit routine; Dance Dynamix, and finalists from Got to Dance 2011 will do a turn.

Families can also get a slice of the stage action by joining in the Generation Game with fantastic prizes to be won and get in the groove with live music from Missing Eden.

It's like a holiday camp folks, and to top it all, you can perform on stage in My Family's Got Talent.

Can it possibly be any better than the TV show currently running? Oh yes.

*National Family Week fun weekender, 4th - 5th June 2011, Chavasse Park, Liverpool One. Free Entry.

Better Tate than never
ISN'T it time you finally got A Sense of Perspective?

It's the last weekend where one is up for grabs at Tate Liverpool. Its exhibition of the same title deals with the “in between” and the undefined.

It sounds as clear as mud, doesn't it? But it is undoubtedly better than that.

However: “through the works of international contemporary artists, including a number of new acquisitions never before exhibited in UK, this display challenges our tendency to define and limit our understanding of ourselves and others, and focuses on works which highlight cultural, generational and artistic difference”.

And on it goes. Making up a new word, the artworks on display “reflect on the state of 'betweenness' as an idea of youth as a period in between generations, migrating the experience of living between cultures, and thinking about physical space.”

Works include installation, sculpture, video and photography by artists such as Carl Andre, Sarah Lucas, Wolfgang Tillmans and Chen Zhen.

*A Sense of Perspective, until Sunday 5th June at Tate Gallery, Albert Dock, Free Entry