Things To Do In London: Wednesday 18 February 2015

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Singalong to the classic film at Hackney Empire

Tea Break

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SCHOOL HOLIDAYS: Wednesday is hump day, which means we're halfway through half term. If your bunch are getting restless, why not try grave-robbing, Lego or a Frozen singalong to keep them happy?

BEER FESTIVAL: The Clapham Junction Beer Festival begins today at Clapham Grand. Expect over 200 cask real ales, plus new wave craft brewers and an international bottle bar, plus craft cider. £6, prebook (but pay on the door), until 20 February. Psst... get the lowdown on the rest of this month's London beer festivals.

THE RAILWAY CHILDREN: Edith Nesbit's classic children's tale puffed into a specially made theatre — complete with steam locomotive — before Christmas, and has been thrilling audiences old and young ever since (see what we thought of the production ★★★★☆). Originally running until March, the run has now been extended for a further six months. Prebook, until 6 September

JEWISH EAST END: Tour guide Stephen Burstein leads a guided walk around Stepney and Whitechapel, in association with London Jewish Cultural Centre. See the secret 300 year old Jewish cemetery hidden within an astonishing modern setting, meet a Jewish boxing champion and a world renowned hairdresser and stand on the very spot where a young Winston Churchill directed the notorious 1911 Siege of Sidney Street against Jewish anarchists. £15, prebook, 10.30am

TREASURE ISLAND: Rich Mix screens National Theatre's Treasure Island, a stage adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic seafaring  novel. We gave it ★★★★☆ when we saw it live on stage. Age 10+. £7.70/£6, prebook, 1pm

PUB SCIENCE: The topic covered in this month's PubSci meet up at the Old King's Head in Borough is baby laughter. Special guest is Dr. Caspar Addyman works who at the Babylab at Birkbeck, University of London. He specialises in the study of learning in the first few years of life and has researched such topics as how we learn our first words and how our sense of time develops. Donations welcome, just turn up, 6pm for 7pm start

UTOPIA EXPERIMENT: Stanfords in Covent Garden is the venue for an evening with Dylan Evans, author of The Utopia Experiment. In 2006, Evans left his job and moved to the Scottish Highlands to found a community called The Utopia Experiment. £3, prebook, 6.30pm

DISCOVERING PLACES: As part of Royal Geographical Society's Discovering Places series, the focus is on Uzbekistan. The evening features a panel of experts on Uzbekistan who talk about their experiences and answer questions from the audience. Exhibitor stands provide further information, travel ideas and inspiration. Given you wanderlust? Travel the world without leaving London. £12/£7, prebook, 7pm-9pm

THE MAN WHO: Neurological vignettes based on the Dr Oliver Sacks novel The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat, courtesy of upcoming theatre group Pooka Productions. Upstairs at the Bussey Building, Peckham. £8 plus booking fee, prebook, until 21 February

CALEDONIAN PARK CLOCK: Hear all about plans to conserve the grade II listed Caledonian Park Clock Tower and reopen it for local people, and build a visitor centre. Takes place at Islington Town Hall, organised by Islington History Society. £1, 7.30pm

COMEDY: Katherine Ryan headlines Knock2Bag at Bar FM in Shepherd’s Bush, plus sets from Brian Gittins, Matthew Crosby, Yuriko Kotani, Cheekydinner and Spencer Jones. £8, prebook, 7.30pm

MUSIC HALL: Lauderdale House in Highgate recreates the traditional Victorian music hall, with songs and dancing. £5, just turn up, 8pm

LIVE MUSIC: The Hermes Experiment, a contemporary quartet made up of harp, clarinet, soprano and double bass, play a gig at The Forge in Camden, which is themed around rhythm and explores influences from jazz to minimalism. See other great gigs happenings in London this week. £10/£8, prebook, 8pm


For more things to do around London, why not try…

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This week’s Things To Do In London is sponsored by Wingit.


Good Cause of the Day

Head to Hackney Empire tonight for a singalong screening of The Sound of Music, hosted by Christopher Biggins and celebrating the film’s 50th anniversary. Book your tickets here.

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