Free & Cheap London Events: 10-16 February 2014

By Silvia Baretta Last edited 121 months ago
Free & Cheap London Events: 10-16 February 2014

Interesting and unusual things to do for a fiver or less this week.

National Theatre Bookshop on the Southbank. See details below

Monday 10 February

SOUTHBANK: A children's choir from one of Southbank Centre's associate schools performs Martin Creed's Work No. 409, the famous Singing Lift, live in the glass lift of the multi-function centre. Free, just turn up, 11am-3pm

RESEARCH: Stem Cells and Human Health is the topic of the public lecture about regenerative medicine happening at the Royal Society. Free, just turn up, 6.30pm

FREE GIG: Female duo Just Julia, and solo singers Pete Hickman and Will Robert will be on stage at The Finsbury in Manor House. Free, prebook, 7pm

POETRY: Poetry publisher The Tall Lighthouse hosts a free open mic night at The Poetry Cafe. Free, just turn up, 7.30pm

STORYTELLING: Spark London Storytelling takes place at the Picturehouse in Hackney. Tonight's theme is Living Together: true stories of sharing the flat with...whoever. £4, prebook, 7.30pm

Tuesday 11 February

GENDERS: Why gender still matters in the modern world is the title of the lecture taking place at King Alfred School, Hampstead Heath. Free, just turn up, 3pm

WRITING: Drink Shop Do hosts That Night Where They Do Writing, giving up and coming authors the chance to showcase their work. This month's writers are Essie Fox, Samantha Ellis, Anna Whitwham and Ben Johncock. Free, prebook, 7pm

PUZZLED PINT: It's like a pub quiz, but with a difference: you have to solve a puzzle to get to the pub, even better if you've got your team. This month's theme is Spinal Tap: you can find hints on the website. Free, just turn up (if you can!), 7pm

CELTIC MUSIC: Jam session of heritage Celtic music, led by Alastair Caplin, will warm up the old-fashioned Jamboree in Limehouse. Donations are welcome for musicians. Free, just turn up, 7pm  

POETRY: The monthly Liars’ League takes place at the Phoenix, with actors telling new stories written specifically for the night along the theme of You & Me. If that's not enough, join in the famous half-time book quiz (£5, just turn up, 7.30pm) while The Poetry Society hosts Poetry Unplugged, a weekly open mic night (£5/£4, just turn up, 7.30pm)

ELVIS: An evening with Chinese Elvis, yes, really! The Shoreditch-based Drunken Monkey offers a different version of The King, with a Chinese dinner menu available for bookings. Free, just turn up, 7.30pm

Wednesday 12 February

LUNCH BREAK: GoToMidtown Walks offers a free guided walk around Holborn and inside the Conway Hall. Meeting point outside Holborn station, booking required as places are limited. Free, prebook, 1pm *please note that this event is now sold out*

READ & TALK: Author Joanne M Harris (Chocolat) discusses her new fantasy novel The Gospel Of Loki at Waterstone's Piccadilly (£5/£3, prebook, 6.30pm) and Loose Muse, London's only regular event for women writers of all genres, takes place at The Poetry Cafe, followed by an open mic (£5/£3, just turn up, 8pm)

LGBT: Incite at The Phoenix Artists Club is an LGBT poetry night hosted by award-winning poet Trudy Housan, featuring performance poetry followed by an open mic. Free, just turn up, 7pm

CYBER WORLD: Quiz 'N' Paste is the interactive and comic quiz taking place at the Picturehouse in Hackney. The evening is all about cyber and tech. £4, prebook, 7pm   

Thursday 13 February

RICH MIX: IdeasTap Takeover:Love is the five-day creativity festival taking place at Rich Mix in Bethnal Green. Expect a mix of readings, theatre, dance, film, live music, comedy and so on. A lot of free events. Until 16 February

ON THE THAMES: National Theatre Bookshop starts a new season of live pop-up music on Thursdays. Lucy Elizabeth performs acoustic, folk, rock and pop covers. Free, just turn up, 5pm

LONDON PULSE: Hear the stories and the secrets behind West London's development over the last 150 years. Kensington Central Library hosts an evening of discovering and entertainment. Free, prebook, 6pm

DEBATE: A board of experts and scholars from the LSE Department of Media and Communications lead this lecture about ethics and media at the Sheikh Zayed Theatre in Holborn. Free, just turn up, 6.30pm

TALK ART: Artist Marc Camille Chaimowicz discusses his work for the new edition of Flaubert's classic novel Madame Bovary published by Four Corners Books, at South London Gallery in Peckham. £5/£3, prebook, 7pm

STAND-UP AND LAUGH: The multi-purpose pub The Dogstar in Brixton hosts a night of stand-up tragedy (which is actually funny), tickets are cheaper if booked in advance. £5, prebook, 7.30pm

CANNIBAL: It's not a question of taste is a talk about cannibalism, shipwrecking, the customs of the sea and historical evidence. Organised by South East London Folklore Society at The Old King's Head in Borough. £2.50/£ 1.50, prebook by email, 8pm

Friday 14 February

ON THE MOVE: London Transport Museum launches London Stories, an exhibition featuring the best 50 entries for The Serco Prize for Illustration 2014, linked to the year of the bus. Free (with paid entry), until 6 April

ART: The 19th century Chapel of St Barnabas is the setting of The Anathomy of Melancholy, the solo exhibition of artist Dr Viktor Schroeder. Booking is required for viewings because of the nature of the venue. Free, prebook by email, until 22 February

TALK & WALK: For Valentine's Day, Guildhall Library hosts Book Lovers, a talk about historical London lovers. There will be a themed walk afterwards. Free, prebook, 2pm

ANTI-VALENTINE: Some of London's best poets bring their verse to the Picturehouse in Hackney for an evening of Anti-Slam: Anti-Valentine. You'd better not bring your date! £5/£4, prebook, 7.30pm

Saturday 15 February

HERITAGE: Property owner? Then find all the best advice to manage your property during the two-day-long Listed Property Show taking place at London Olympia. Free, prebook, until 16 February

ARTY FAMILY: Winter Family Day at the Whitechapel Gallery aims to bring families together and let them have fun, with art and creativity. To turn parents into children, again. Free, prebook, 12pm

CHILDREN'S BOOK SWAP: Tired of your books? Bring them to Shoreditch Trust’s Waterhouse Restaurant and swap them with someone else's. Adults must be accompanied by children. Free, just turn up, 12pm

GREECE: The Hellenic Centre in Paddington hosts two-days of screenings about the development of Greece from post-war to modernisation. Free, prebook by email, 1.15pm & 3.15pm

LIVE PERFORMANCE: Performance artists and storytellers Akleriah resurrect the story of Emma Hamilton, Lord Nelson’s mistress, at The Queen's House in Greenwich. Free, just turn up, from 12pm

AT THE PUB: Drunken Night is the live performance event to launch new emerging London artists' careers and get people drunk — eventually. The venue is The Oval Tavern. Free, just turn up, 7.30pm

Sunday 16 February

FASHION: Chelsea Town Hall goes vintage, with thousands of cool clothes from the past. The event is called Frock Me and brings together some of the biggest vintage traders in town. £4, prebook, 11am

GUIDED WALK: Fancy a walk...in a cemetery? Then head to Tower Hamlet Cemetery, which is also a Local Nature Reserve, for a free guided walk. Free, just turn up, 2pm

Check out our map of free things to do in London for more frugal fun.

Last Updated 09 February 2014