Things to do
CHAPEL TOUR: Join a guide for a tour of Union Chapel, a chapel-turned-live-entertainment-venue in Islington. Learn more about its Gothic architecture, unique Willis organ, how it fared during the war, and how it was almost demolished in the 1980s. Union Chapel (Islington), £5.50, book ahead, 10.30am
SKATEBOARDING AND THE CITY: Hear from Iain Borden, Professor of Architecture & Urban Culture, about the history of skateboarding. Find out how the sport developed from 1960s California, through to later skate parks and competitions, to becoming a whole culture and an Olympic sport. Darwin Lecture Theatre (Gower Street), free, book ahead, 1pm-2pm
CIVIL SERVICE CHOIR: Treat your ears to a free lunchtime performance by the Civil Service Choir. They mark the end of the Christmas and Epiphany season with excerpts from Bach’s Baroque masterpiece, Christmas Oratorio. St John's Smith Square, free, book ahead, 1.05pm
ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL: Coinciding with Chinese New Year celebrations, BFI screens All's Well That Ends Well. Made in Hong Kong in 1992, the comedy film is a tale of sibling rivalry as three brothers fight to win parental approval. BFI Southbank, £10.20-£25, book ahead, 6pm
STEVE MCQUEEN: Steve McQueen's Year 3 exhibition caught public attention when it appeared on billboards around London. Tonight, hear a panel of experts discuss what the exhibition says about the future of London, and the status of arts education today. Writer and curator Ekow Eshun and primary school creative arts teacher Ben Jones are among the speakers. Tate Britain, £12, book ahead, 6.30pm-8pm
TONGUE FU: Spoken word event Tongue Fu returns to east London, testing the improv skills of storytellers, poets and writers. They've never met before, but they're put on stage together and asked to perform live, accompanied by the Tongue Fu band... what could possibly go wrong? Rich Mix (Shoreditch), £10, book ahead, 7.30pm
SANDI TOKSVIG: Comedian and soon-to-be-ex Bake-Off presenter Sandi Toksvig performs her one-woman comedy show National Trevor. Named after a misunderstanding with a friend, the show promises tall stories, fascinatingly funny facts, really silly jokes, a quick fire Q&A and a quiz. Southbank Centre, £22-£32, book ahead, 7.30pm
FILMS THAT MADE ME: Guardian journalist and film critic Peter Bradshaw discusses his book, The Films That Made Me. He talks about the films he loved, the ones he hated, and shares some passages from the book, which includes essays alongside some of his Guardian reviews. West End Lane Books (Hampstead), free, book ahead, 7.30pm
VAGINA MUSEUM: The world's first Vagina Museum opened in London last year — but why is it needed? Hear from the museum's director, comedian Florence Schechter, about why she chose to set it up, and some of the comments she's had along the way. There's a Q&A at the end too. Vagina Museum (Camden Market), £8/£6, book ahead, 7.30pm-9pm
DANE BAPTISTE: Comedian Dane Baptiste is back on the London circuit, and there's a chance to see his freshest material at a work in progress show. In it, he talks about the ever-growing (chocolate) chip on his shoulder. Pleasance Theatre (Islington), £5, book ahead, 7.45pm
Tube ponderings with Barry Heck
Our resident tube fancier dishes out daily thoughts on the London Underground.
Wandering along the Bakerloo platforms at Charing Cross this week, I was struck by this portrait of Henry VIII. It appears to document the tyrant's little-known New Romantic phase, sadly neglected by most history books. Legend has it, Henry told his guards that he wanted his queen's mascara. The men misheard, and instead ordered his queens' massacre. And so English history was made.
Follow Barry on Twitter @HeckTube. He's not normally this weird.
Good cause of the day
Book ahead for Bop To The Eighties, taking place in Wandsworth on Friday and raising money for the Mayor of Wandsworth's charities. A live band performs classic eighties tunes all evening, with a drag act, raffle, buffet and cash bar too. Find out more and book tickets.
What we're reading
- When the Isle of Dogs claimed independence.
- The climate challenges facing London.
- RuPaul's first DragCon UK was a bit of a disaster.
