Scotsman critics’ choice: Five must-see shows on this week

ART: Modern Scottish Women: Painters and Sculptors 1885-1965

When Fra Newbery took over as director of Glasgow School of Art in 1885, he helped usher in a new era for women artists. Over a century later many are still lost from official histories of art in Scotland. This moment forms the starting point of curator Alice Strang’s eight decade survey of female painters and sculptors, many of whom are not the household names they ought to be. Moira Jeffrey

Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh, today until 26 June 2016, www.national galleries.org

CLASSICAL: RSNO: Vilde Frang

Violinists don’t come much classier than Norwegian soloist Vilde Frang, right, so don’t miss her appearances with the RSNO this week in Brahms’ towering Violin Concerto. Peter Oundjian directs this concert, which also features a full strings version of Webern’s Langsamer Satz and that pinnacle of Mozart symphonies, the Jupiter. Ken Walton

Caird Hall, Dundee, 12 November, 01382 434940; Usher Hall, Edinburgh, 13 November, 0131-228 1155; Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 14 November, 0141-353 8000

POP: Ricky Ross

Fresh from his recent theatrical endeavours, providing original music for Paul Higgins’ play The Choir, Deacon Blue frontman Ricky Ross, below, heads out on this solo tour of intimate venues and theatres. The Lyric Book Live is set to feature songs and stories from across the past four decades. “The stories won’t always be true,” says Ross, “but the songs will be”. Fiona Shepherd

Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh, tomorrow; Lemon Tree, Aberdeen, 9 November; Gardyne Theatre, Dundee, 11 November; Cottiers Theatre, Glasgow, 12 and 13 November, www.deaconblue.com/events

FILM: French Film Festival

With screenings in 14 cities across the UK over the next six weeks, the annual French Film Festival is a chance to catch the best in Gallic cinema. Highlights include this year’s Cannes opener Standing Tall; Michel Gondry’s latest collaboration with Audrey Tautou, Microbe & Gasoline; Spectre-star Léa Seydoux in a new version of Diary of a Chambermaid, and a retrospective of the world’s oldest film company, Gaumont, which is run by Seydoux’s great uncle, Nicholas Seydoux, and was responsible for producing Luc Besson’s early films, including The Big Blue, which is also screening. Alistair Harkness

Today until 13 December, various venues, Frenchfilmfestival.org.uk

THEATRE: Handbagged And The Importance Of Being Earnest

IT’S been a good week for powerful women of a certain age at the King’s Theatre, with The Queen and Margaret Thatcher striding the stage in Moira Buffini’s powerful political satire Handbagged; and the emphasis on handbags continues from Tuesday, as the wonderful Siân Phillips and Christine Kavanagh join Nigel Havers in a production which sees Oscar Wilde’s most frothy and perfectly-constructed comedy performed by a group of veteran actors bent on recapturing their youth. Lucy Bailey directs, and there’s spectacular design by another great vintage theatre-maker, William Dudley. Joyce McMillan

Handbagged, final performances today; The Importance of Being Earnest, King’s Theatre, Edinburgh, 10-14 November, 0131-529 6000 and at the Theatre Royal, Glasgow, 24-28 November, 0870 060 6647