Things To Do This Week In London: 27 March-2 April 2023

Things to do this week is sponsored by The National Wedding Show.

All week

INDUSTRY TAKEOVER: London-based music organisation UD brings communities together around Black music and Black music culture — and this week it's running various free talks, classes and panels at its new east London home, the Talent House. Guests include the Rio Ferdinand Foundation and Warner. FREE, 27 March-2 April

KIM NOBLE: How dark do you like your comedy? If the answer is 'darker than Vantablack', then Kim Noble's Lullaby for Scavengers might just be for you. We've seen this Soho Theatre show, and frankly don't know what to make of it — there is rampant nudity, dead foxes falling from the heavens, maggots all over the shop... and that's just the light relief. Live at the Apollo this ain't. You have been very warned. Until 8 April

PETER RABBIT: Easter isn't until next weekend, but the seasonal activities have already kicked off in Covent Garden, with a family-friendly Peter Rabbit Easter Adventure. It's a quest through the market, accompanied by various Beatrix Potter characters, in a bid to save Jemima Puddleduck using notes, maps and other clues. Puppetry and live performances also feature. Various dates until 16 April

ZIPPO'S: The circus is in town! The clowns and acrobats of Zippo's Circus are back in Blackheath for the Easter holidays, before moving on to other parts of town. Until 17 April

MEDEA: The ever-brilliant Sophie Okonedo stars alongside Ben Daniels in Euripedes' enduring revenge tragedy at new West End theatre @sohoplace. Discover the story of a complex woman whose grief and rage at the men who abandoned her leads to utter devastation in Medea, directed by Dominic Cooke. Tickets start at £25 - get 'em quick because the play's in its last four weeks! Until 22 April (sponsor)

STATUS QUO: A reminder that Barbican Library has a free Status Quo Exhibition at the moment, celebrating seven decades of the British rock band. See tour posters, photographs, memorabilia and more. FREE, until 22 May

BIJIJOO: Saatchi Yates Gallery in St James's hosts the inaugural solo exhibition of Bijijoo — also known as American TikTok star Michael Todd Horne. The exhibition, Viral Monsters, consists of the large-scale paintings of amorphous, colour-drenched monsters for which Horne gained his online following. FREE, until 28 May

SCI-FI EXTENSION: Good news, sci-fi fans! The excellent Science Fiction: Voyage to the Edge of Imagination exhibition at the Science Museum has just been extended. Originally due to close in early May, the theatrical exhibition features iconic treasures from film and TV, including Star Wars, Star Trek and Doctor Who. Until 20 August

CINEMA OF THE WEEK: Catch French films old at new at Institut Francais's Cine Lumiere in South Ken. On the line-up this week are The Beasts, The Five Devils and — pour les enfants — Little Eggs: African Rescue.

PUB OF THE WEEK: Canadian bars and restaurants are given short shrift in London, but the Maple Leaf is an exception to the rule — chilly tankards of shellfishy tomato juice, livestreaming hockey, poutine aplenty. It's pretty good, eh.

Monday 27 March

RYE LANE: Seen newly-released film Rye Lane yet? Set in south London and named after the Peckham road of the same name, Barbican Cinema offers a Parent + Baby Screening of it this morning, giving parents and carers with little ones a chance to see it, accompanied by a pre-recorded Q&A with filmmaker Raine Allen Miller. 11.15am

SWEDISH PHILHARMONIA: Head to Fairfield Halls in Croydon for a performance by the Swedish Philharmonia, accompanied by soloist Serbian violinistNemanja Radulovic. The programme includes work by Tchaikovsky and Sibelius. 7.30pm

COMEDY BY CANDLELIGHT: London's packed full of comedy venues, but Shakespeare's Globe is a pretty special place to get your chuckle fix. The Sam Wanamaker Playhouse hosts comedians Vittorio Angelone and Ania Magliano who offer previews of their Edinburgh shows by candlelight. 7.30pm

THE GUILTY FEMINIST: Last chance to catch the current run of The Guilty Feminist at Soho Theatre. Deborah Frances-White and a co-host chat to A&E doctor Maddy Lucy Dann about 21st century feminism, in a live version of the hit podcast. 7.30pm

VIRTUAL FLEET STREET TOUR: Footprints of London tour guide David Charnick offers a virtual tour of the Fleet Street area, to be enjoyed from the comfort of your own home. In particular, he focuses on the life and work of writer Samuel Johnson, and the local locations linked to him. 9pm-10pm

ALEX KEALY: Whip-smart comedian Alex Kealy is back at Soho Theatre by popular demand — performing his show about advertising, addiction and tech — Winner Takes It All, tonight (and again tomorrow). 9pm-10pm

Tuesday 28 March

FROM PIAF TO POP: Head to Wilton's Music Hall for Paris! From Piaf to Pop, the latest show by chanteuse Christine Bovill. It sees her travel into the 60s and the Americanisation of French music: le yé-yé. 28 March-1 April

NATIVE AMERICAN PORTRAITS: Today's Gresham College lecture is given by Dr Stephanie Pratt, who talks about portraits of Native Americans. Between 1600-1850, artists in England and North America depicted distinguished Native American tribal leaders, diplomats and warriors, but these portraits are often misunderstood — this is a chance to find out about the context behind them. Watch in person at Barnard's Inn Hall or online. FREE, 6pm

DESERT ISLAND IMAGES: Head of School and Chief Executive of the London School of Architecture Neal Shasore is at Barbican Library to discuss his 'Desert Island Images'; images that stay with you long after you've seen them. They could be inspiring, haunting, or memorable for other reasons — head along tonight to find out which pictures he's chosen. 6pm

LIFE DRAWING: Tuesdays at the Hope & Anchor in Brixton mean life drawing and drinks. It doesn't matter if you're a budding Frida Kahlo or haven't picked up a pencil since primary school — this is a fun way to hone your skills and have a pint or two. 7.30pm

SUZI RUFFELL: Comedian Suzi Ruffell is doing the rounds with her brand new show, Snappy, about settling down (but not settling) and becoming a mother (without becoming mumsy). Catch her at Soho Theatre tonight and selected other dates. 9.30pm

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Wednesday 29 March

LONDON FOG: Bloomsbury's Charles Dickens Museum opens a new exhibition, Dickens and the London Fog, today, looking at how the capital's 'pea souper' years inspired the author, with the thick fogs featuring in his novels including Bleak House and David Copperfield. From 29 March

OPERATION MINCEMEAT: Set in 1943 and telling the story of a secret mission that helped win the second world war, the seriously hilarious Operation Mincemeat: The Musical opens its West End run at the Fortune Theatre. From 29 March

SHAKESPEARE IN THE ABBEY: With just six performances across three days, Shakespeare in the Abbey is a rare chance to experience Shakespeare's words inside Westminster Abbey. It's a promenade show, meaning you wander around the Abbey encountering actors bringing some of the Bard's most famous passages to life. 29-31 March

LONDON GAMES FESTIVAL: Thumbs at the ready for the return of the London Games Festival, which celebrates all aspects of the video gaming industry here in the capital. The programme includes networking events, exhibitions, an awards ceremony and, of course, plenty of gaming sessions. 29 March-9 April

MIFFY POP UP: A new pop-up shop dedicated to cartoon rabbit Miffy opens today at 78 Shaftesbury Avenue. It's part of Chinatown's ongoing celebrations for the Year of the Rabbit, and will sell gifts, limited edition items, and merchandise that's never been sold in the UK before. Open daily, 12pm-10pm until 3 July

LITTLE AMAL: Remember Little Amal, the larger-than-life puppet who walked across the UK to raise awareness of the plight of refugees? She's back, with two days of appearances in London this week. Today, catch her in the City of London, walking through Paternoster Square, Bloomberg Arcade and Leadenhall Market, before being welcomed to the Tower of London by the Yeomen of the Tower. See Sunday for details of her next appearance. FREE, from 11am

MOORFIELDS WALK: Guildhall Library offers a walking tour of the Moorfields area, led by guide Pete Smith. Meet at Liverpool Street station and head to the area once known for poverty. Find out how its Bone Hill burial ground (now Bunhill) became populated by dissenters, why the Old Street church was known as 'Lousy St Luke’s', and how the oldest regiment in the British Army came to be based there. 11am-1pm

EVOLUTION OF ISLINGTON: How Islington went from a hamlet of 27 households (Domesday Book) to its modern sprawl is a fascinating tale of social, cultural and political history. Join tour guide Nigel Smith for a walk that takes in many of central Islington’s most fascinating sites - some well-known and others even locals may not be familiar with. 2pm-4pm

Thursday 30 March

PRINT FAIR: Print dealers and publishers from around the world gather at Somerset House for the 38th London Original Print Fair.Works by new artists are for sale alongside those by more established artists, with pieces by Picasso, Matisse and Emin all on display. 30 March-2 April

BBC EARTH: As announced last year, an immersive BBC Earth experience opens in Earl's Court, voiced but none other than Sir David Attenborough himself. It'll take you on an interactive journey through the seven continents, with a walk-through, 360-degree take on BBC show Seven Worlds, One Planet. 30 March-31 July

CORONATION: You may have heard... there's a coronation on the way. Before then, swot up on the hidden meanings of various aspects of coronation ceremonies, which were designed to denote regal power and religious authority. Tickets to attend the talk in person have sold out, but you can still tune in online. FREE, 2pm-3pm

RADICAL HOME: Museum late alert! Explore topics of love, self-care and resilience at the Museum of the Home's special evening event, feat. exclusive curator tours, an inspiring panel talk, and yummy vegan food. A live DJ and a well-stocked bar add some party vibes to this thought-provoking evening. 6pm-9.30pm (sponsor)

80s SINGALONG: Warm up your vocal chords for Choir! Choir! Choir!, a mass singalong of tunes from the 1980s. Hosts Nobu Adilman and Daveed Goldman teach you to sing in harmony, to songs by the likes of Prince, Madonna, George Michael, Bon Jovi, Whitney Houston and Journey. 6.30pm-10pm

TONGUE FU: Improvised show Tongue Fu puts talented musicians and spoken word artists on stage together, asking them to create a show with no rehearsal at all. The result is an evening of poems, stories, songs and comedy, hosted by poet Chris Redmond and taking place at Rich Mix. 7.30pm

Friday 31 March

SIGN LANGUAGE: Somerset House Studios unveils a new commission by American sound artist Christine Sun Kim. Edges of Sign Language looks at how sound is used in society, and explores the limitations of American Sign Language. FREE, 31 March-21 May

WATER: The National Maritime Museum is as suitable place as any to hold an exhibition about water, and more specifically, Our Connection to Water. Works by seven artists are on display, each exploring what water means to them. Aya Mohamed, Artemis Evlogimenou, Dafe Oboro, Giya Makondo-Wills, JIUN Collective, Paul Malone and Seba Calfuqueo use photography, film, installations and other mediums to explore the cultural and spiritual side of H2O. From 31 March

AIN'T TOO PROUD: Head to the Prince Edward Theatre for a new musical about the rise of soul and funk group The Temptations. Ain't Too Proud uses the band's own songs to tell their story, from 1960s Detroit to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. From 31 March

TITANOSAUR: One of the most anticipated exhibitions of 2023 is Titanosaur: Life as the Biggest Dinosaur at Natural History Museum, which opens today. The cast of a Patagotitan — one of the largest creatures ever to walk the earth — goes on display, along with an exhibition about how it lived, and a chance to learn about other giant creatures on the planet today. From 31 March

BERTHE MORISOT: The first major UK exhibition of work by Berthe Morisot is unveiled at Dulwich Picture Gallery. 30+ works by the trailblazing Impressionist artist are on show, along with pieces by Reynolds, Gainsborough and Fragonard. 31 March-10 September

Saturday 1 April

Believe nothing. Trust no one. Question everything. Check the date.

FAMILY FUN WEEKEND: It's that time of the month again, when Cutty Sark hosts a family fun weekend. It's included in the regular ticket price, and features workshops, songs and a chance to meet characters from the vessel's past, as well as the usual things to see and do on board. 1-2 April

SPRING FESTIVAL: Spring gets underway at Battersea Power Station with the launch of its Spring Festival, a programme of mostly free events over the next two weeks. From today, follow the giant flower trail for a chance to win prizes, and play in the Illustrated Playground (it's for all ages!). FREE, 1-16 April

SEWING MACHINE MUSEUM: The monthly(ish) opening of the London Sewing Machine Museum takes place today, giving you the chance to ogle 600+ of the objects. What's that? You didn't know London has a Sewing Machine Museum? Not many people do, but we visited in 2018 to take some of the mystery out of the place. FREE, 2pm-5pm

COMEDY MUSICAL GALA: Comedy meets music at the April Fool's Day Gala at Cadogan Hall, hosted by ‘the world’s first classical music hooligan’ Rainer Hersch. Evelyn Glennie, Zeb Soanes, Earl Okin and James Oldfield are on the programme, and the event raises money for charity Help Musicians UK. 7.30pm

DAVID BOWIE PARTY: Independent club night Scared To Dance takes over The Victoria in Dalston for a David Bowie special, with guest DJ Jessica Gladstone. Dance the night away to Heroes, Starman, Changes, Modern Love, Sound and Vision, Ashes to Ashes and more. 10pm

FOREVERLAND: If you're the kind of raver who doesn't get the party started till almost midnight, Foreverland: Dopamine Afterdark should be on your radar — starring Tough Love, Jess Bays, Gotsome and more, the glowstick-waving festivities go on through the night at Village Underground. 11pm-5am

Sunday 2 April

AMAL AGAIN: After her outing in the City of London on Wednesday, Little Amal leads an interfaith celebration for Londoners, as Easter, Passover and Ramadan coincide. Catch her at JW3 in North Finchley for Passover storytelling, a Christian celebration featuring gospel choirs and steel pans in South Hampstead, and a Ramadan lantern parade and Iftar event in King's Cross. FREE, 9.45am-6.30pm

CROYDON AIRPORT MUSEUM: Formerly London's main aviation hub, Croydon Airport doesn't see much action these days, but once a month its Visitor Centre hosts an open day. See inside the micro-museum to get an idea of the airport's history, including exhibitions inside the world's oldest air traffic control tower. 10am-3pm

STUFF & NONSENSE: Take the kids along to Big Penny Social in Walthamstow for Stuff & Nonsense Family Show, a comedy performance aimed at 6-10 year olds and their families. It features the Barmy Brothers, a rodeo cowboy, dancing chickens, a singing windmill and lots of pancakes. 10.30am-12pm

ELEPHANT ESCAPE: In 1884, two elephants broke free in Parliament Fields and went on a rampage through the streets of N19, only stopping when they got trapped in a basement. Hear the full story and follow the route they took on this walking tour with guide Jane Parker. 11am-1pm

MAX PORTER: Author of Grief is the Thing with Feathers, Max Porter is at Southbank Centre for a dramatic reading of scenes from his new novel, Shy, with actors Ruth Wilson, Toby Jones and David Alade. There's also a conversation between Porter and Wilson. 7.30pm

MUSICAL THEATRE RAVE: To mark this year's Olivier Award, Heaven is throwing a Musical Theatre Rave — pumping out all your fave theatre anthems, and featuring cameos by stars of the West End. 9pm

Urban oddity of the week

With Status Quo rockin' their own exhibition (see 'All Week'), did you know that the band have their own 'Square of Fame' tribute in Wembley Park. The band's two most famous members — Francis Rossi and the late Rick Parfitt — pressed their palms into the pavement back in 2006. Other stars remembered in this way include Madonna, Bryan Adams, The Police, Kylie Minogue — and Michael Flatley, who of course provided footprints rather than hand prints.

Good cause of the week

Foodbank volunteers needed! Hackney Foodbank has put out a call for help amid an unprecedented demand for the service. The charity, which provides emergency food parcels for around 500 people per week, needs volunteers to help in its warehouse and at food distribution centres throughout Hackney. You’d need to spare around three hours per week, be strong (there’s a fair amount of lifting), compassionate and kind, and passionate about helping people. To volunteer, fill in the charity's form here. Image courtesy Hackney Foodbank.

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