Things To Do Today In London: Friday 20 January 2017

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The London Model Engineering Exhibition opens on Friday. Photo: Alexandra Palace

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Things to do

CARNABY DOVES: Get your hands on your very own Carnaby dove — taken from last year's Christmas installations. You can also win £100 to spend at any Carnaby store when you share a picture of your dove. Be quick though, there are only 125 up for grabs. Free, just turn up, noon-4pm

EVENING MUSIC: Relax at Southbank Centre with the Sirkis/Bialas International Quartet. Drawing on contemporary classical, Polish folk and Middle Eastern influences, the quartet offer an evening of soulful melodies and atmospheric songs. Free, just turn up, from 5.30pm

SPACE ADVENTURE: Discover the possibilities of life on distant planets, at the Royal Institution. Go on a space adventure with Giovanna Tinetti and find out what these planets could be like, with Brave New Worlds. £14/£10, book ahead, 6pm-7.15pm

BISHOPSGATE BALLROOMS: Spend the evening swaying on the dance floor with Bishopsgate Ballroom. Suitable for all levels, you'll get a brief taster session before letting loose in the beautiful Great Hall. £10/£8, book ahead, 7pm-11pm

JOAN BAKEWELL: Joan Bakewell has made her mark on the world from broadcasting on religion, the arts and issues surrounding ageing. Join her as she sits down with Peter Hennessy this Friday to discuss her life and work in Witness to Our Times. £10/£7, book ahead, 7pm-8.30pm

Joan Bakewell speaks at the British Library this Friday. Photo: British Library

BURNS NIGHT: Shake off the January blues with Battersea Art Centre's Burns Night Ceilidh. Expect traditional Scottish food, dance and live music. Tartan highly encouraged. £30, book ahead, 7pm-10pm

CONFETTI FUN: Sparkling fun is what Drink, Shop & Do has to offer this Friday. Let loose with all the best party tunes at Confetti Fun Friday. Warning: you may still be shaking glitter out of your hair on Sunday morning. Free entry until 10pm, £3 after, just turn up

MODEL ENGINEERING: One of the UK's leading model shows, the London Model Engineering Exhibition returns to Alexandra Palace this January. Admire mini steam locomotives, traction engines and more, at this family friendly day out. £11.5510.45/£3.30, book ahead, until 22 January

MAGIC LANTERNS: Celebrate Chinese New Year with The London Magical Lantern Festival. Chiswick House Gardens is peppered with lantern installations themed on the Silk Road. You can also enjoy ice-skating, food from around the world and games. £16.50/£10.50, book ahead, until 26 February

Stage review: Hip hop with a stirring, social twist

Photo: Carl Fox

Calling Blak Whyte Gray a hip hop production is a bit of a misnomer. It's a much broader piece, with bold choreography and ear-numbing electronic beats that centre around social messages such as oppression and anti-capitalism. Told in three parts, it begins with stilted movements seen through dark shadow and slowly revs up to ensemble pieces that are so beautifully staged, we shed a few tears. The finale was rewarded with a standing ovation, further iterating its potency. Blak Whyte Gray, Barbican Centre, Silk Street, EC2Y 8DS, 19.45/ 14.30. £15-£25, until January 21 ★★★★☆ Tiffany Pritchard

Art review: Objects found in the Thames

Franziska Lantz finds objects discarded from the Thames at low tide, from clothing to animal bones. All of these works are then suspended from the gallery ceiling and these 'dead' items are brought back to life. Franziska Lantz: expanding arid zones is at Supportico Lopez hosted by Rodeo, 123 Charing Cross Road, WC2H 0EW. Free, until 11 February ★★★☆☆ [Tuesday-Saturday]

Good cause for the day

SAVE THE BIRDS: Join Look Up, for an evening of choral music and inspiration talks from the wildlife conservation world. A night dedicated to birds and the love of nature. Adults £10/children go free, book ahead, 7pm-9pm