Things To Do In London: Tuesday 19 January 2016

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Make Dorothy jealous at the V&A. Image: Mirona Iliescu

Start your day with these reads:

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Things to do today:

SHOES — PLEASURE AND PAIN: This V&A exhibition explores the history of footwear in Shoes, Pleasure and Pain — from the earliest sandals to shoes decorated with gold leaf, and many more. Get your shoe fix with over 200 pairs in this display. £12, prebook, 10am-5.45pm

TIBET'S SECRET TEMPLE: Inspired by murals in Lhasa’s Lukhang Temple, Tibet's Secret Temple at the Welcome Collection features over 120 objects including scroll paintings, statues, manuscripts and film. See three of the temple's murals recreated as life-sized digital artworks, by photographer Thomas Laird. Free, just turn up, 10am-6pm

HEY DUGGEE IN HACKNEY: Have a laugh with Hey Duggee at Hackney Picturehouse. Enjoy five episodes of the hit CBBC show at this Toddler Time showing for preschool kids and their carers. Based around a play school run by a huge dog called Duggee, follow their adventures in this fun 35 minute showing. £3 for children (accompanying adults are free), prebook, 11am

Spend Tuesday with some of the world's best graffiti. Image: Funzing

ART IN EAST LONDON: Discover the street art scene in east London with Jesse in a quirky tour exploring the secrets of this eclectic area. From its past as a criminal underworld, to its hipster present day incarnation, you'll see street art pieces from some of the world's most exciting graffiti artists, including Bansky, Space Invader and C215. End the tour at Brick Lane where you can refuel with a curry. £12, prebook, 11am

HS2 — EMBRACE THE TRAIN: HS2: embrace the pace or restrain the train? Get talking about the proposed£42bn high-speed rail link from Euston and the changes to the local community it would bring. Camden People's Theatre hosts a panel discussion on how arts and culture can respond to the HS2 plans, featuring Matthew Evans (The HS2 Project), Camden councillor Sally Gimson and Rupert Walker (HS2 Development Director). Part of the Whose London Is It Anyway? series of events. £5, prebook, 6pm

FANTASTIC FANTASY: Celebrating Den Patrick's newest novel, The Girl On The Liar's Throne, Blackwell’s bookshop in Holborn hosts a mysterious Q&A evening with three fantasy authors. Den Patrick, Jen Williams and Edward Cox will fly into the shop to discuss their latest works and answer questions. Free, prebook, 6.30pm

COMEDY: Grace Petrie, Nish Kumar, Danielle Ward and Chris Coltrane try out new material at Lolitics at Camden’s Black Heart. It will be topical, it will be friendly and it’s the club night’s fifth birthday so take cake or something. £3, just turn up, 7.30pm

SOUTH LONDON SOUNDSYSTEMS: Think you know about soundsystems? Authors Alex Wheatle MBE and Dr Lez Henry celebrate Sound System culture and the people who make it what it is, at South London Sound Systems: Back in the Day, in the Bussey Building’s basement cafe in Peckham. There'll be stories, music and big sounds. Free, just turn up, 7.30pm


Big London questions tackled by experts this week

Should London break away and become independent? Who owns the capital, anyway? How will we solve the housing crisis in the city? And what responsibility should artists take for the negative effects of gentrification? These thorny issues and more are being argued over by experts at a series of debates at Camden People's Theatre from 19-31 January. Tickets are £5 available, from the website.


Tickets and offers

Win a year's free travel, or a night at a hotel and dinner:

Head on over to our rather splendid new showcase site in partnership with Dot London — londonist.london — to find out more.

Good cause of the day

LAUGH TIL IT HURTS: Get belly laughing in aid of Save The Children this Tuesday. Bloomsbury Studio hosts hilarity from the likes of Paul Tonkinson, Felicity Ward, Nish Kumar and Mark Dolan. Tom Allen MCs this evening of comic brilliance, so give your money for something funny while helping a global children's charity. £15, prebook, 7.30pm