Things to do this week is sponsored by ABBA: Super Troupers.
All week
FIFA WORLD CUP: Looking for somewhere to watch the World Cup? Check out our full guide here.
HEART OF HOLLYWOOD TOUR: Attention all cinephiles — don't miss out on the chance to experience the glamour of Hollywood's golden age at an exhibition of priceless film memorabilia, art inspired by the heartland of US film-making, and even part of the Hollywood sign itself. O2 Arena (North Greenwich), £20, book ahead, 21 June-17 July
WILSON DIXON: Yee-haw — here comes the cowboy comedian all the way from Cripple Creek Colorado. Following a nine-year absence, Wilson Dixon brings his unique brand of laconic storytelling and side-splitting songs to Soho Theatre. From £10, book ahead, 25 June-30 June
NEW ROUTES: The bright young things of Chickenshed Theatre have banded together to create a festival. Featuring workshops, talks, and performances of new productions, you decide how much dough you're willing to part with to get in on the action. Chickenshed Theatre (Cockfosters), pay what you want (from £3), book ahead, 25 June-14 July
HEROES: The year is 1972, and the soundtrack to the summer is David Bowie's The Rise & Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars. Two friends leave home to see the Starman himself live in concert, in what becomes a story of self-discovery where the lines between hero worship and friendship blur. Sydenham Centre (Sydenham), £14, book ahead, 8pm-11pm, 27 June-1 July
MIDSOMMAR: Last Thursday was the longest day of the year, and it kicked off a 10 day festival from Absolut at Last Days of Shoreditch. There are cocktail masterclasses, Swedish flower crown workshops and so much more. Last Days of Shoreditch, various prices, book ahead, 21-30 June
Monday 25 June
GIN OFF: Graphic Bar's quest to find the nation's best gin is heating up, and they need your help. This time, Bols, Nordes, Monkey 47, and Brooklyn will be vying for your affections by whipping up four delicious cocktails for you to sample and appraise. It's a tough job but someone's gotta do it. Graphic Bar (Soho), £10 (which includes four cocktails), book ahead, 6pm-10pm
HANDPAINTED HISTORY: This mile-long investigation of Holloway's ghostsigns is less scary than it sounds. Instead of hunting for ectoplasm, you'll be seeking out the faded advertisements hand-painted directly onto building exteriors before the advent of modern signage. Meet in Holloway, £12, book ahead, 6.30pm-8pm
TIM WINTON: From one of Australia's most revered writers comes a story of survival, solitude, and unlikely friendship. Hear author Tim Winton discuss his new novel, The Shepherd's Hut, with fellow author Ross Raisin. The British Library, £12, book ahead, 7.15pm-8.30pm
Tuesday 26 June
BORING TALKS: Who would have thought a series of discussions dedicated to life's pointless mundanities would prove so popular? Boring Talks celebrates subjects often considered trivial, with tonight's guests waxing lyrical about Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station, the Panacea Society, and empty London Underground stations. The British Library, £12, book ahead, 7pm-8.30pm
THE BOMBADILS: Canadian-Celtic-Americana comes to Camden in the form of folk duo The Bombadils. Expect reconfigured Irish pub songs, lyrical fiddle playing, and the dulcet tones of the claw-hammer banjo. Green Note (Camden), £10, book ahead, 7pm-11pm
SHAME: The shameful, the shameless, and the art of shaming all take centre stage in the appropriately-titled Shame. Revisit the Monica Lewinsky debacle, see a pitch for a (hopefully fake) Aleppo-themed Hollywood blockbuster, and take a casual stroll through one woman's internal trauma. Pleasance Theatre (Islington), £9, book ahead, 7.30pm
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Last chance to get tickets this immersive ABBA exhibition
Mamma Mia! Extended by popular demand, ABBA: Super Troupers is now on until 29 July, giving you one last chance to immerse yourself in the story of the Swedish pop sensations.
The guided tour, narrated by Jarvis Cocker, charts the band’s journey to stardom through iconic memorabilia and nine themed rooms — including a recreation of the Brighton hotel room where they celebrated their Eurovision win.
Some of the band's most dazzling costumes will be on display too, along with personal notes and other never-before-seen items from the archives. It's a great chance for superfans to explore the music, lyrics and lives of one of the world’s most unforgettable bands — so don't miss out.
ABBA: Super Troupers is on at Southbank Centre until 29 July. Tickets start at £15. Click here to book.
Wednesday 27 June
STREETWISE OPERA: Take in an exhibition of Indian art while listening to the stirring sounds of charity Streetwise Opera. To complement Splendours of the Subcontinent: Four centuries of South Asian Paintings and Manuscripts, they will perform excerpts from Philip Glass's Satyagraha, Samuel Barber's Peace, and The Flower Duet by Delibes. The Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace, £12, book ahead, 12pm/2pm
THE EMBERS COLLECTIVE: Get on board The Golden Hinde and get swept away on a tide of merry myths and music from around the world with storytellers The Embers Collective. The Golden Hinde (Bankside), £8, book ahead, 7pm
OVERHEARD: Nothing testifies the fact that us Londoners are a delightfully odd bunch quite like the snatches of conversation you overhear while out and about. Christopher Adams, Philip Rouse and Jessica Lazar have turned their eavesdropping into an art form, bringing you a performance of verbatim conversations recorded out and about in London. RADA (Bloomsbury), £10, book ahead, 7pm (repeated tomorrow)
AWKWARD AGE: You may be brave enough to revisit your old Myspace profile pics or dust off your teenage diary, but do you have what it takes to open up about your adolescent angst in front of a live audience? The Children's Society and storytellers Spark London are inviting you on walk down memory lane in support of their Seriously Awkward campaign for vulnerable 16-17-year-olds. Dogstar (Brixton), £10, book ahead, 7.30pm
Thursday 28 June
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Here's something to chew over — how has food changed London's built environment? And, while we're on the topic, how has London changed food? Hear what an expert panel of foodies, academics, and entrepreneurs make of it, before enjoying a superb spread of food courtesy of Borough Market's lovely traders. Borough Market, £12.50, book ahead, 6.30pm-8.30pm
ROYAL BALLET SCHOOL: Discover the future shining stars of ballet as they show off their Royal Ballet School training. Tonight it's the turn of the Upper School to demonstrate their finesse in a mixed programme of classical ballet repertoire, contemporary and character pieces. Holland Park Theatre, from £15, book ahead, 7pm, until 30 June
CONSTELLATIONS: If you like rom coms and theoretical probability, odds are you'll love Nick Payne’s Broadway hit play Constellations. Taking a simple encounter between a man and a woman at a barbecue, he explores the infinite possibilities of their relationship. Hen & Chickens Theatre (Islington), £13.50, book ahead, 7pm-8.30pm, until 30 June
DEATH SPEAKS: Pulitzer Prize-winning composer David Lang gives Death a human voice in a haunting song cycle performed at Barts Pathology Museum. Listen to Death Speaks while browsing the 5000+ medical specimens that call this Victorian gallery home. Barts Pathology Museum (West Smithfield), £15, book ahead, 8pm-10pm
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Sounds Like London: our picks this week
June brings the Mayor of London's Sounds Like London campaign to the capital — a month-long celebration of both women in music and London's grassroots music scene. Here's our pick of this week's Sounds Like London events:
JAMES GILLESPIE: The man dubbed 'quietly explosive' shows off his oxymoron baiting acoustic pop tunes. Omeara, £13.20, 7pm, 25 June
ROCK THE BELLES: Ladies! Take a crash course in DJing from one of London's hottest female crews, Rock The Belles. Platform LDN, free to enter ballot, 6pm-8pm,26 June
ROYAL OPERA HOUSE: Opera fans should make their way down to Trafalgar Square to see Puccini's La Bohème up on the big screen. Here's hoping the traffic surrounding the square isn't too bad — we don't want honking horns drowning out those high notes. Trafalgar Square, free, 6.45pm-11pm, 26 June
CORDOVAS: Spend your Wednesday night alongside the music of American folk aficionados Cordovas, who spent the last three years writing their new album in Baja, Mexico. Borderline, £17, 7pm-10pm, 27 June
DAVID FORD: Dartford's David Ford was once dubbed "the best singer songwriter no-one's heard of". It's not a phrase he's particularly fond of, but see him in concert to understand where the "best" bit comes from. Omeara, £17.60, 7.30pm, 27 June
DIRTY BONES BEATS & BITES: They're rolling out the lawn at Newburgh, for people to lounge about as NYC restaurant Dirty Bones provide the beats and bites to help you revel. Newburgh Quarter, free, 5pm-9pm, 28 June
LAURA MISCH: Laura Misch presents a kind of jazz that looks to the future. Accompanied by mesmerising visual projections, she plays in a former boxing gym — now a trendy bar — in Soho. Jacks Solomons Club, £10, 7pm-10pm, 28 June
LEVEL UP: Women who are looking to get into the music industry, could do worse than attending this industry networking event, stuffed with well connected figures. Fabric, free (sign up to attend), 8pm-11pm, 28 June
JIMMY ALDRIDGE & SID GOLDSMITH: Sway along with the farm animals to the folk sounds of Jimmy Aldridge & Sid Goldsmith, as the duo's sensitive storytelling takes control. Spitalfields City Farm, £13, 7pm-11pm, 29 June
REN HARVIEU: Born in Salford, Ren Harvieu first heard traditional Irish music thanks to her father. Well we'd like to say thank you to her father as well, as this fascination with the style led to the genesis of a prodigious talent. Ziferblat, £10, 7pm-10pm, 29 June
RAY GELATO & HIS GIANTS: Swing, jazz and R&B. Ray Gelato's been doing it all as far back as 1988. Let the experienced entertainer get you moving with his high energy show. 100 Club, £16.50, 7.30pm, 30 June
Friday 29 June
SOUTH SOCIAL: Discover a slice of Latin America in Elephant & Castle, as South Social Film Festival crosses the Atlantic for a weekend of indie cinema, dance, world music, and regional cuisine. Today's programme is dedicated to Argentina. Elephant Park (Elephant & Castle), £7, book ahead, 5pm-10.30pm, continues tomorrow
COAT: Africa Writes literary fest kicks off with a special performance of COAT. The brainchild of Nigerian-British writer Yomi Sode, COAT explores themes of identity, migration and displacement via poetry while cooking up a stew live on stage. Talk about multitasking. The British Library, £12, book ahead, 8pm
DAVE GORMAN'S SCREEN GUILD: Noted powerpoint enthusiast and comic Dave Gorman returns to Hoxton Hall for the seventh season of his Screen Guild. He'll present what are in his opinion the finest acts on the comedy circuit, as well as using you as guinea pigs for his new material. Hoxton Hall, £14, book ahead, 8pm-10pm
TAIL & TWIST: Peckham's CLF Art Cafe is being transformed into a party paradise complete with lasers, mirror balls, and a pink disco haze for a night of disco delights. Bussey Building (Peckham Rye), £7, book ahead, 11pm-5am
Saturday 30 June
MODERN MONSTERS AND URBAN LEGENDS: Take the plunge into London's dark mythical underbelly with the London Fortean Society. Stories of Spring-heeled Jack, The Curse of the Crying Boy, and the city's subterranean secrets will leave you quaking in your boots. London Conway Hall (Holborn), £16, book ahead, 10am-5pm
THE WINE GANG: There are over 300 wines for you to quaff at The Wine Gang's Summer Festival. Don't worry if you're not exactly an expert when it comes to grape-based libations — their glossy tasting brochure to help you cultivate an oh-so-sophisticated palate in no time. Honourable Artillery Company (Old Street), £25, book ahead, 12.30pm-5.30pm
GROWING INDOORS: Horticulturalist Hannah Schlotter is here to help you become distinctly more green-fingered even if you're lacking your own sprawling garden (and let's face, who here in London isn't?). She'll teach you how to grow herbs, salads and ornamental plants entirely indoors and throw in a few goodies for you to take home. Nomadic Community Gardens (Shoreditch), £26, book ahead, 2pm-4pm
BALLS-OUT BOTTOMLESS: Picture a tennis ball machine that fires out small footballs for you to redirect to the back of the net and you've got TOCA football. Add two hours of unlimited prosecco and beer, and you've got one hell of a Saturday lined up. Arch 435 &436 (Hackney), £15, book ahead, 2pm/5pm/7.30pm
Sunday 1 July
TEDxLONDON: Be inspired and challenged to see the world in a whole new light at a day of TED-style talks from scientists, activists, social entrepreneurs, and artists. The theme of this edition is 'beyond borders', so get ready for an event about breaking boundaries in every sense of the word. Royal Festival Hall (Southbank), from £50, book ahead, 11am-8.30pm
WALK THE LINE: The royal blue line on your tube map reveals little about what's actually going on above your head during your commute. Find out where your journey really takes you as you walk the Piccadilly Line above ground from Green Park to Covent Garden. You'll take in loads of trivia along the way, including how London’s oldest 5-star hotel can help you evade the paparazzi and why Van Halen used to insist on a bowl of M&Ms with all the brown ones taken out. Meet by the statue of Diana, Goddess of the Hunt (Green Park), £8, just turn up, 2.30pm
DR DOLITTLE: Bring the whole family along to Fulham Palace's outdoor theatre for a performance of children's classic Dr Dolittle. Talking animals and a powerful message about environmental responsibility — what's not to love? Fulham Palace, £14, book ahead, 2.30pm