Things to do this week is sponsored by The Place.
All week
EDVARD MUNCH: Time’s running out to see British Museum’s blockbuster Edvard Munch exhibition. A copy of the artist’s most famous work, The Scream, is on display, but it’s also a chance to see some of his lesser-known paintings in an angst-filled show. British Museum, £17, book ahead, until 21 July
SUMMER SERIES: The Courtyard at Somerset House hosts a series of live music gigs, offering a platform to up-and-coming artists from all backgrounds. Some shows have still sold out but tickers are still available for LA-based artist collective Soulection, and garage punk band Gossip, among others. Somerset House, various prices, book ahead, until 21 July
MEZCAL WEEK: Celebrate the agave spirit at London Mezcal Week, a series of Mexican themed events. Take part in boozy seminars, workshops, supper clubs and tastings, designed to show off the complexity and history of the drink. TT Liquor (Shoreditch), various prices, book ahead, 15-21 July
WHODUNNIT: Whodunnit [Unrehearsed] is a murder mystery play, with a further mystery attached. The voices of Ian McKellen, Judi Dench and Miriam Margolyes all feature in the play, as well as a different celebrity in each performance, taking on the role of the Inspector. These mystery celebrities do so without any rehearsal and without ever having seen the script — and you won't know who's appearing until they walk on stage. Park Theatre (Finsbury Park), £10-£85, book ahead, 15-27 July
BARBER SHOP CHRONICLES: Following two sell-out runs at the National Theatre and a world tour, Barber Shop Chronicles comes to the Roundhouse. The play leaps from Peckham to Johannesburg via a host of other locations, looking at the tradition of African men gathering in barber shops to discuss world news. Roundhouse (Camden), £15-£59.50, book ahead, 18 July-24 August
Monday 15 July
LONDON UNPLUGGED: Designed as an anthology about modern Londoners, London Unplugged is a series of 10 short films from diverse, mainly female, film makers. Themes of isolation, asylum, unmanageable rents and identity are covered — and look out for plenty of familiar locations. Genesis Cinema (Mile End), free, book ahead, 6.30pm
JELLYFISH: The team behind superb play Jellyfish (read our 5-star review) talk about the challenges and triumphs of putting the production together. It’s the story of a young woman with Down’s syndrome, her boyfriend, and her protective mother. National Theatre, £7/£5, book ahead, 4.30pm-5.30pm
DIETS DON'T WORK: Find out why so many diets are doomed to fail at this talk by nutritionist and food blogger Pixie Turner. She uses scientific evidence to explain why so many fad diets don’t work, and why there’s so much misinformation about nutrition out there. Conway Hall (Holborn), £8/£4, book ahead, 7.30pm-9pm
Tuesday 16 July
COMEDY: Comedian John-Luke Roberts serves up an hour of daft comedy ahead of the Edinburgh Fringe — he completely sold out at last year’s fringe, so we’re expecting good things. Battersea Arts Centre, £7/£5, book ahead, 7pm
SCIENCE OF BANKNOTES: Sarah John, Chief Cashier of the Bank of England, talks about the scientists nominated to be the face of the next £50 note. She also looks at the science of the notes themselves, talking about what’s being done to prevent fraud. The Royal Institution (Mayfair), £16/£10/£7, book ahead, 7pm-8.30pm
SPOKEN NERD: Matt Parker headlines tonight’s An Evening Of Unnecessary Detail, detailing the life-changing mathematical mistakes he chronicled in his new book, Humble Pi. Plus, comedian Bec Hill appears to talk about a trip to the future. Backyard Comedy Club (Bethnal Green), £11.11/£8.88, book ahead, 7.30pm-10.30pm
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Boogie your way to Family Dance Day
Dancing shoes at the ready — a jam-packed day of performances, creative workshops, and pop up surprises comes to The Place this Saturday. This annual celebration from one of London's leading dance spaces is all about getting kids aged 0-8 and their families excited about the power of movement.
Highlights include Storytelling Through Kathak Dance, where your tots will don traditional ankle bells and explore classical Indian dance, and a hair-raising show featuring 56 wigs and a lot of wiggling. There's plenty to entertain the littlest ones, too — like Nest, a stunning multi-sensory experience for babies and their grown-ups.
Family Dance Day also includes an array of exciting free activities, including a Leonardo da Vinci inspired storytelling session from the British Library, a teaser performance of The Little Prince dance show, and face painting. Summer holiday fun doesn't get much better than this.
Family Dance Day, Saturday 20 July at The Place, King's Cross. Click here to find out more and book.
Wednesday 17 July
AUTHOR EVENT: Authors Milly Johnson and Fanny Blake take part in a chat at Waterstones, each talking about their new novels and taking questions about them — and signing copies after the event. Chaired by Claire Frost, Assistant Editor at The Sun on Sunday's Fabulous magazine. Waterstones Tottenham Court Road, £7/£18, book ahead, 6.30pm-8.30pm
GOLDEN HINDE QUIZ: Bearded drag artist Mr Teds hosts an alternative comedy quiz on board a dry-docked boat. As well as general trivia, prepare for life drawing, lip syncing and costume making rounds. The Golden Hinde (Borough), £9.21, book ahead, 7.30pm-9.30pm
COMEDY: Life isn’t as easy as Brownies would have you believe, as comedian Lucy Porter knows. Her comedy show Be Prepared looks at why fisherman’s knots and emergency 10p coins can’t always help you in life. Battersea Arts Centre, £10/£8, book ahead, 8.30pm
Thursday 18 July
BEERFEST: Drinking beer in the name of charity? Don’t mind if we do. City BeerFest offers beers and ciders from a range of breweries, while raising money for three charities via the Lord Mayor’s Appeal — all in the gorgeous setting of Guildhall. Guildhall Yard, beer packages available from £13 in advance, 12.30pm-9pm
TROUBLING GENDER: Artists Ajamu, Holly Falconer, Amrou Al-Kadhi and Del LaGrace Volcano discuss gender, photography and society, looking at the ways in which queer artists from the 1980s onward have used photography to redefine commonplace definitions of gender and sexual identity. Southbank Centre, £12, book ahead, 7pm
HEN-NAH PARTY: A henna night is a traditional Turkish event, where a bride celebrates her wedding with her family before the big day. Rich Mix recreates the experience — without any of the stress of the actual wedding. Watch traditional dancing, hear poets reading their work, and listen to soulful tunes. Rich Mix (Shoreditch), £10, book ahead, 7.30pm
Friday 19 July
BELLY DANCING: The International Middle Eastern Dance Festival kicks off with a gala night, featuring the UK's biggest belly dancing competition, as well as local and international dancers. Throughout the weekend look out for Egyptian dance, Arabic music and other traditional performances. Rich Mix (Shoreditch), £20-£30, book ahead, 19-21 July
MOON FESTIVAL: There’s a double celebration of the Moon, as Moon Festival begins. It's a week-long celebration incorporating art exhibitions, music performances, pop-up science lectures, moon gardens, moonlit film screenings, night night food markets, and street parties. Woolwich, various prices, book ahead, 19-26 July. Meanwhile, the UK’s biggest exhibition dedicated to the Moon opens in Greenwich. Lunar samples and artworks are displayed side by side to see what the moon has meant to us and what we've learned from it. The future of our interaction with the moon is also charted out. National Maritime Museum (Greenwich), £9, book ahead, 19 July-5 January
JOHN WILLIAMS: He's probably the most famous film music composer of all time, and now you can hear John Williams' work performed live in a church, by an ensemble from the Royal Academy of Music, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Royal College of Music and Trinity Laban College of Music and Drama. Listen out for theme tunes of E.T., Star Wars, Jaws and Jurassic Park, among others. St John’s Church (Waterloo), £12/£8, book ahead, 7.30pm-9.30pm
QUEER BRUK: Non-stop bangers create a Pride/Carnival mash-up at Queer Bruk — a club night for queer people of col0ur. Expect dancehall, afrobeat and soca tunes pumping away until the early hours. Everyone welcome. £5.92, book ahead, 10pm-3am
Saturday 20 July
SCIENCE FESTIVAL: Kew Gardens takes the scientific research done in its labs out into the gardens for the public to get a better idea of what goes on behind closed doors. Across two days, the family-friendly Kew Science Festival features stalls, tours, talks and pop-up science stations. Kew Gardens, included in admission, just turn up, 20-21 July
NATIONAL PARK CITY: The National Park City Festival is a programme of events celebrating London's great outdoors, including fitness sessions, beekeeping and water sports. Browse the full programme — our picks include circus performances, a David Attenborough documentary, and a chance to get on a Carnaby rooftop. Various locations, free, 20-28 July
BUCKINGHAM PALACE: Get inside Buckingham Palace at the annual opening of the State Rooms. For two months every summer, the public can wander inside the Throne Room, Picture Gallery, Ballroom and other areas of the palace, and see the bling that usually remains behind closed doors. Buckingham Palace, £25, book ahead, 20 July-29 September
Sunday 21 July
CANAL SIDE WANDER: Join Living London for a wander along the canal from Warwick Avenue to Westbourne Park. Visit community gardens and London's oldest plant nursery on the way, hearing stories from the area as you go — and catch a glimpse of Erno Goldfinger's brutalist masterpiece, Trellick Tower. Warwick Avenue, £10, book ahead, 11am-1.30pm
SWING DANCING: Round off your week with a lively evening of swing dancing, open to dancers of all abilities — no partner required. Start with a beginners' class, then dance the night away to vintage DJs and a guest live band. Bishopsgate Institute (Liverpool Street), £10/£8, book ahead, 6.30pm
