Things To Do This Week In London: 12-18 August 2024

Things to do this week is sponsored by London Transport Museum.

All week

AFTERNOON TEA WEEK: Not that we ever need an excuse to tuck into a scone and a couple of cakes, but Afternoon Tea Week is upon us. Why not celebrate at one of London's best themed afternoon teas, or perhaps the best afternoon teas near London's tourist attractions, and combine it with a day of sightseeing? We also know the best afternoon teas for children, and, if it's all sounding a bit expensive, we've got a guide to London's most affordable afternoon teas too. 12-18 August

LAIKA FRAME X FRAME: The BFI opens a free exhibition, Laika: Frame x Frame, telling the story of stop-motion studio Laika through the lens of its five feature films to date (Coraline, ParaNorman, The Boxtrolls, Kubo and the Two Strings, and Missing Link), using storyboards, costumes, puppets, props and sets. It's part of the BFI's wider stop-motion season, which runs until October. FREE, 12 August-1 October

FRIENDS EXPERIENCE: Oh. My. GOD! A new Friends experience opens at the ExCeL Centre on Monday, celebrating the beloved US sitcom, in a new, permanent home. Experience recreations of the Friends set, including the two main apartments in which the show is based. Relax on Chandler and Joey's recliners or take on your own friends in a game of foosball. From 12 August

GETT AROUND TOWN: Whatever you’ve got going on this week, if you’re looking for a seamless (and stylish!) way to get you there, you can’t go wrong with a black cab, with their access to bus lanes and unrivalled driver knowledge. Gett makes this quintessential London experience even easier — the ride-hailing app for black cabs has an average pickup time of just four minutes in central London. The app’s even got an E-Black Cab option for a more environmentally conscious ride. (sponsor)

SUMMER EXHIBITION: Time's running out to see one of the highlights of the London art calendar. This year's Royal Academy Summer Exhibition displays works by Nicola Turner, Clare Woods, Ibiye Camp... and comedian Joe Lycett. Until 18 August

SUMMER HOLIDAYS: School's (still) out for summer, so bookmark our guide to things to see and do in London in the summer holidays, with suggestions for all the family. We also know of a few completely free ways to keep kids entertained, from museums to mazes.

EAT AND DRINK OF THE WEEK: A new twofer for the Royal Exchange: Engel and Jang are two separate-yet-in-cahoots establishments occupying the first floor of either side of the venue. Engel trades in 1920s Berlin-style trappings; think live cabaret-style music on Wednesday and Thursdays and elegant cocktails like the Skandal, a frothy concoction sipped from a vessel shaped like a beautiful face that's then spray-painted gold. Its Asian-style neighbour Jang brings more opulence via caviar-top Korean fried chicken and black miso cod.

CAMDEN FRINGE: A reminder that Camden Fringe festival is still ongoing at venues around north London. Highlights this week include a dark comedy about four Eastbournians, FML, marathon-centric theatre show 26.2 Reasons To Stay Alive, interactive and improvised sitcom show The Pilot, and all-female show Imbokodo The Musical, among many, many other options. Until 25 August

Monday 12 August

MUSEUM BEACH: A mini beach pops up on the forecourt outside the British Museum, for under-5s and their families. Paddling pools and sand appear, alongside sensory activities, including archaeological excavations in the sand. Remember your towel and a picnic. FREE, 11am-2pm

FAMILY FARM DAY: The residents of Vauxhall City Farm head north for a day in Covent Garden. The Family Farm Day is a chance to get close to some of the farm's larger animals and feed them. There are also storytelling sessions, face painting, workshops and other entertainment. Find it outside St Paul's Church. 12pm-5pm

BERNADETTE PETERS: American actress and singer Bernadette Peters is at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane for a performance of her new show, Bernadette Peters – Live From London. Expect to hear songs from Broadway shows as well as Peters' own albums, and standards and classics from Rodgers & Hammerstein, Stephen Sondheim and Jerry Herman, among others. 7.30pm

SHAKESPEARE IN MUSIC: Head to Opera Holland Park for a one-off performance by Barts Choir, of a programme of music inspired by the works of William Shakespeare. The show spans works by British composer Vaughan Williams, as well as Sonnets by Sir George Shearing, and a choral suite from Bernstein and Sondheim’s West Side Story. 7.30pm

HAPPY MONDAYS COMEDY: Comedians Esther Manito and Hatty Ashdown both offer preview looks at their work-in-progress shows at this week's Happy Mondays Comedy at the Amersham Arms in New Cross. As always, Sion James hosts. 8pm

Sponsor message

Celebrate South Asian stories after-hours at London Transport Museum

It's the final week of South Asian Heritage Month, and London Transport Museum is marking it in spectacular style — with roti-making, Odissi dance, virtual reality adventures, and so much more.

Created in partnership with TfL's Raising Awareness of Culture and Ethnicity Colleague Network Group (RACE CNG), this Museum Late is all about celebrating the stories of Londoners and transport workers from South Asian communities. Highlights include a poetry reading and Q&A with Jaspreet Kaur (AKA @‌behindthenetra on Instagram), a moquette craft workshop that invites you to reimagine the iconic tube seat fabric, and the chance to don a Meta Quest VR headset and get up close to incredible South Asian landmarks.

It all takes place on Friday 16 August, 6.30pm-10pm. With a live set by DJ Ritu MBE and a banging selection of refreshments, it's sure to get your weekend off to a flying start. Get your tickets now.

Tuesday 13 August

COCKFOSTERS: After three sold-out runs, tube-based comedy show Cockfosters returns, opening at the Turbine Theatre in Battersea. It's the story of two strangers who meet at Heathrow, and encounter various commuters and characters at each tube stop. We spoke to the show's creator, Tom Woffenden, about the inspiration behind it. 13-31 August

KENTISH TOWN TALK: The changing face of Kentish Town is the subject of a free talk at Guildhall Library. Origins, industry, retail, transport, class, immigration and public figures all feature in the whistlestop tour from the medieval period through to today. Watch in person at Guildhall Library, or online. FREE, 2pm-3pm

BEN POPE: Comedian and musician Ben Pope is at the Bill Murray in Islington for an Angel Comedy Club show, offering a preview look at the show he's currently working on. We're told to expect "new stuff, old stuff, trial, error, metaphors and gossip". 6.30pm

INDIANA JONES: 2023 film Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is screened for free at outdoor festival Summer by the River. Head down to The Scoop in plenty of time to bag yourself a spot — bars and pop-ups nearby sell food and drink to enjoy while the film is on. FREE, 7pm-9.45pm

CELEBRATING FLEETWOOD MAC: The Rumours album is thrust into the spotlight at Camden's Jazz Cafe, in a show celebrating the work of Fleetwood Mac. The band themselves aren't involved in the show: instead, tribute group Transatlantic Rumours take to the stage to perform well-known hits. 7.30pm

Wednesday 14 August

MONSTER SHOW: The 'Who's In Your Book?' series of children's books by Tom Fletcher come to life on stage, aimed at little Londoners and their families. There's A Monster In Your Show is a new 55-minute musical about a group of performers who discover a monster who wants to join them on stage. 14 August-1 September

GEORGE PEABODY: Join City Highlights guide John Finn for a walking tour about Victorian philanthropist George Peabody. Start at Christ Church Spitalfields and visit Peabody's first social housing estate, as well as other attempts to solve the area's housing crisis, hearing about his life and how he made his fortune as you go. 11am-1pm

CITY BY THE BOOK: Guildhall Library offers a guided walk through the Square Mile, focusing on the many authors and poets who have been inspired by the area. City of London Guide and Lecturer Jill Finch takes you past the skyscrapers of the Financial District, looking beyond the money and power of the area today. Starts near St Paul's tube station. 11am-1pm

QUEER AS FOLKLORE: The Queen's House in Greenwich stays open late for an evening celebrating new book Queer as Folklore, by writer, historian and community organiser Sacha Coward. Hear about examples of mermaids and pirates in the museum's own collection, and queer histories of folklore more broadly, and learn about "female sailors", people raised as women who went on to sail as men in the 19th century. 7pm-9.30pm

21ST CENTURY SOUNDTRACKS: The BBC Proms are still ongoing. Tonight at the Royal Albert Hall, Edith Bowman presents 21st-Century Soundtracks, featuring music from contemporary film scores including Poor Things, Everything Everywhere All At Once, All Quiet On The Western Front and Tár. The London Contemporary Orchestra performs. Read our guide to the BBC Proms for all you need to know. 7.30pm

PLANTAGENET KINGS: The story of the power struggle betweenthe first Plantagenet king, Henry II, and his four sons is told in an online talk hosted by the National Archives. Historian Nick Barratt explores how Henry II and the next two generations of his family governed England, while at war with themselves. 7.30pm

IN THE POCKET: Blues Kitchen in Shoreditch launches its new jazz night, In The Pocket. Watch an improvised set led by multi-instrumentalist Solomon Douglas, and his house band — followed by an open call for the audience to get involved. Certain cocktails are £6 all night. 9pm

Thursday 15 August

POLARISING: Rising comedian Ola Labib performs her debut hour comedy show, Polarising, at Soho Theatre, based on her Sudanese upbringing in Portsmouth, her experiences working as NHS pharmacist, and a near death experience. 15-17 August

SUMMER SOUNDS: Summer Sounds free music festival is back at King's Cross, with live concerts every evening, and family sessions on Sunday afternoon. The London Show Choir, Barbs the Drag Queen, English National Opera artists, and YoLanda Brown are all on the line-up, which begins with ensemble Unicorn Frequency in Coal Drops Yard tonight. FREE, 15-26 August

WIZARD OF OZ: We're off to see the wizard... the stage adaptation of L. Frank Baum's beloved book is at the Gillian Lynne Theatre (Drury Lane) for a limited run. JLS member Aston Merrygold plays The Tin Man, with RuPaul's Drag Race UK winner and Dancing On Ice star The Vivienne as The Wicked Witch of the West. 15 August-8 September

THIRSTY THURSDAYS: As part of the ongoing Islander Festival, head to Orchard Dry Dock in Trinity Buoy Wharf and bag yourself a deckchair to watch live music performances as the sun sets. Drinks are available from the pop-up bar, which specialises in rose wine. FREE, 6pm-9pm

STUART BROAD: Former England cricketer Stuart Broad appears at Scott's in Richmond for an evening celebrating his career. Tuck into a three-course meal, followed by a Q&A session with Broad. 6.30pm

TWILIGHT TOUR: Strawberry Hill House stays open late for special twilight tours. Begin with a drink, then join a guide on a walk through Horace Walpole's gothic castle in Twickenham. 6.30pm

Friday 16 August

ALL POINTS EAST: Beabadoobee, Nas, Andre 3000, Mitski... just some of the impressive line-up at this year's All Points East Festival in Victoria Park, which also incorporates Field Day. Plus, look out for free festival In The Neighbourhood returning to the festival site next week, between the big headline performances. 16-25 August

HITLER'S VENGEANCE: The London Archives marks 80 years since the beginning of German 'Vengeance Attacks' on London in June 1944. London County Council bomb damage maps, police photos, civilian diaries and other sources are used as the basis for this talk about how Londoners responded to the 'revenge weapons' which fell on the capital. 12.30pm-2pm

SUNSET SESSIONS: Brigadiers in the Bloomberg Arcade has DJ Maddog on the decks playing a mix of garage, disco, RnB, and house by up-and-coming musicians from south London. Drinks and Indian BBQ food are also available at the Sunset Sessions. From 5.30pm

OUT OF THIS WORLD HIP HOP: "A night of mind-bending, genre-defying hip hop that's out of this world" goes the tagline for this Paper Dress Vintage experience, featuring Agents Of The Lexicon, Kayduff Bloom and htmljones. 7.30pm

ABSOLUTE BOWIE: Tribute act Absolute Bowie takes to the stage at the Half Moon in Putney for a performance of David Bowie's greatest hits, incorporating plenty of mid-set costume changes worthy of Bowie himself. 8pm

ICE DISCO: The ice rink at Alexandra Palace continues its series of summer ice discos, for ages 14+. Take to the ice beneath colourful lights, with a soundtrack of lively music to get your weekend started. 8pm-10pm

Saturday 17 August

IMBERBUS: Alright, so it's not in London, but it's a top-notch and very popular event featuring London buses, so indulge us for a second. Imberbus is an annual parade of double-decker London buses from Warminster to Chitterne, via Salisbury Plain and a collection of bucolic villages. Why? It all dates back to residents of the small village of Imber being turfed out of their village by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in 1943, and never being allowed to return — full story here. 17 August

PROSECCO WEEKEND: Raise a glass to National Prosecco Weekend at Chiswick House and Gardens. Across two days, take part in masterclasses to learn more about the bubbly beverage, and hear from experts including UK Ambassador to Prosecco DOC Neil Phillips, popularly known as the Wine Tipster. 17-18 August

FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE'S LONDON: Join a guide from the Florence Nightingale Museum on a walk visiting London locations linked to the pioneering nurse. Begin on Park Lane, and pass the house where she spent her last days, the hotel where she wrote Notes on Nursing, the statue of the Lady with the Lamp, and the hospital where she founded her nursing school. 11am

ISLINGTON DOUBLE BILL: Nigel Smith leads two walking tours of Islington today: Islington's Big Screens (11am) where you'll walk through more than 100 years of cinema-going and Evolving Islington (3pm) where you'll learn how today's Islington grew from a hub of dairy farming. 11am and 3pm

EMBODIED SURFACES: Chelsea Physic Garden hosts Embodied Surfaces, offering a different way to enjoy these stunning gardens, including live tattooing, leaf printing, pond dipping (for frogs and newts, that is — you don't go in yourself), and specially-designed cocktails and dishes. 11am-3pm

POPLAR PICNIC: Poplar Union's annual festival is a family-friendly event featuring live music, flamenco and puppet performances, stalls showcasing work by local artists, face painting, games, food and drink stalls, and other activities to bring the local community together. FREE, 12pm-4pm

WE ARE STILL YOUNG: Emo and alternative party We Are Still Young pitches up at Between the Bridges on South Bank for an evening of tunes by the likes of My Chemical Romance, Paramore, Blink 182, Avril Lavigne. All American Rejects and Sum 41. Street food is available to purchase from the various stalls on site. 5pm-11pm

BLACK HISTORY QUIZ: Pit your wits against other history and trivia buffs in a quiz about Black British history, hosted by The History Hotline podcast. The quiz takes place at popular Deptford venue Buster Mantis and is hosted by award-winning writer and presenter Chanté Joseph.

BOWIE EXPERIENCE: A second treat for David Bowie fans in two days: The Bowie Experience concert combines sounds and visuals to recreate a David Bowie concert. See it at Fairfield Halls in Croydon. 7.30pm

Sunday 18 August

DISCO STORYTELLING: Picture book author Sarah Tagholm is at Horniman Museum for a series of dance and storytelling sessions. Begin by learning some funky songs and dance moves, before settling down to hear Tagholm read her picture book, Sam Francisco King of the Disco. 10am-3pm

DEEP DIVE: Every month, the new Museum of Homelessness in Finsbury Park hosts Deep Dive, a current affairs programme which takes a look at specific aspects of homelessness. This time around, the issue of second homes and AirBnB properties is discussed, by the museum's directors Matt and Jess, as well as journalists Oliver Bullough and Samir Jeraj. FREE, 10.30am

CRYSTAL PALACE MUSEUM: Sunday's the only day of the week that the Crystal Palace Museum opens; see scale models of the spectacular building that once stood on this spot, and admire photos and souvenirs from a time when it was one of London's biggest tourist attractions. 11am-4pm

FITZROVIA FETE: Fitzrovia Community Centre is the venue for Fitzrovia Fete, part of Inside Out Festival. Watch the likes of Chris Leeds and the Valentino's Jazz Band live on stage, and take part in drama, giant knitting and cartoon workshops, build a Lego city, view a special exhibition, and several other ways to keep the family occupied. FREE, 1pm-5pm

FAMILY RAVE: As part of Barbican's Our Street programme of summer events, two Big Fish Little Fish family raves take place, aimed a 0-8 year olds and their families. DJ David Minns plays a club classics set from acid house to drum and bass, for the whole family to enjoy on the dancefloor together. Bubbles, foam and balloons are among the family-friendly adaptations from a regular club night. 2pm/3pm

OLCAY BAYIR: London-based British-Kurdish singer-songwriter Olcay Bayir is in the courtyard at Woolwich Works, performing a free set of music, infusing Anatolian sounds with modern elements and Kurdish-Alevi soul. FREE, 3pm

COMEDY: A ludicrously fun afternoon/evening of comedy awaits at Angel's Bill Murray, where there are consecutive sets from Jack Barry, Loremen and Lou Sanders. (These are three separate shows by the way.) 4pm, 5.30pm and 8.30pm

STUDIO GHIBLI CONCERT: Spirited Away, The Wind Rises, Princess Mononoke, and Howl's Moving Castle are among the films showcased in a concert of Studio Ghibli theme music. Ponyo, Kiki's Delivery Service, Castle in the Sky, and My Neighbor Totoro also feature in the concert at the Royal College of Music in Marylebone. 6.30pm

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