Looking for something fun to do today? Something eye-opening to watch tonight? Something delicious to eat tomorrow? Our guide to things to do this week in London is personally curated, ensuring there's always a diverse range of events for you to choose from. Get stuck in!
All week
MRS WARREN'S PROFESSION: See Imelda Staunton and her real-life daughter Bessie Carter in Mrs Warren's Profession at Garrick Theatre, about a mother and daughter living through estrangement. The former is stuck in the old, patriarchal ways, while the latter is ahead of her time. Until 16 August
NYE: Michael Sheen stars in Nye at the National Theatre about the life of former Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Nye Bevan, and his contribution towards creating the NHS. Until 16 August
BRIXTON CALLING: Play Brixton Calling tells the true story of the 23-year-old who bought a derelict cinema for £1 in 1983, called it The Academy, and built legendary music venue, the Brixton Academy. See it at Southwark Playhouse. The same venue also shows The White Chip, about living with addiction and coming alive through recovery. Both until 16 August
PALACE OF WESTMINSTER TOURS: Take a tour of the Palace of Westminster (aka the home of the UK Parliament) this summer. Choose between a self-guided audio tour and explore at your own pace — a great shout for families, with every full paying adult getting a free child’s ticket — and the guided tour, with a chance to ask questions as you go. Both tours visit iconic spots including Westminster Hall, Central Lobby (often seen on the news), the House of Commons Chamber and the House of Lords Chamber. Weekdays and Saturdays (sponsor)
SWIMMING EXHIBITION: Last chance to dive into Splash!, Design Museum's exhibition about the history of swimming. It's fashion-heavy, tracking the designs of swimwear through the years, with a few nods to lido architecture and other aspects of the sport along the way. Until 17 August
SUMMER SOUNDS: Free music festival Summer Sounds is back at King's Cross until the end of the week, with live concerts every evening, and family sessions on Sunday afternoon. There's a Queer Britain takeover on Monday, lively renditions from the Brass Rascals on Wednesday, and YoLanda Brown in a Bob Marley tribute on Friday. FREE, until 17 August
TO THE SEASIDE: Time's running out to visit To The Seaside!, a free outdoor exhibition curated by the Photographers' Gallery and on display in Granary Square and Pancras Square in King's Cross. View seaside-inspired photos and artworks by artsits Max Miechowski, Sophie Green and Ben Thomas, as well as images from the John Hinde Archive Collection. FREE, until 20 August
SING STREET: You’ve got just a couple more weeks to see one of the most joyful shows of the summer at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre. Sing Street is an ode to young love and the uplifting power of music set in 1980s Dublin, and based on the beloved coming-of-age film of the same name. Tickets from £15! Until 23 August (sponsor)
HOUSE OF KONG: Ahead of Gorillaz's upcoming (sold out) live shows at the Copper Box Arena, the same venue hosts House of Kong for a month — an exhibition "like no other". In truth, it's light on details, although if you're a fan of Gorillaz, chances are you'll like it. Until 3 September
MARYLEBONE VILLAGE CHARM: The Cocktail Bar at the five-star Marylebone hotel is serving a new drinks menu, inspired by the Marylebone area. Tipples include the Sherlock, paying homage to the fictional Baker Street resident; the Eau de Perfume, a nod to the Beauty Hall at nearby Selfridges; and the Inner Circle, inspired by the roses of Queen Mary's Gardens in Regent's Park. Full menu available to read online.
PUB OF THE WEEK: Speaking of Marylebone, the latest boozer to be added to our ever-swelling pub database is the Portman — a shoo-in for a pint after visiting Frameless or Moco Museum. Historically, it was also where the condemned supposedly enjoyed a last tipple before being taken onwards to the nefarious gallows at Tyburn.
Today's events: Monday 11 August
COLONISE THIS: Part of this year's Camden Fringe festival, Colonise This at Shoreditch's Coutryard Theatre turns the British Empire on its head, taking a satirical look at what would happen in the former colonies came and took their revenge — told through the story of two sisters from a remote Pacific island. 11-13 August
MAHLER'S THIRD: Treat your ears to a rendition of Mahler's Third at the Royal Albert Hall, on this year's BBC Proms programme. The BBC National Orchestra of Wales, the Orchestre National de Bretagne, the CBSO Children’s Chorus, the upper voices of the National Chorus of Wales and mezzo-soprano Beth Taylor join forces for the performance. 7pm
HAPPY MONDAYS: Regular comedy night Happy Mondays offers a double bill of work-in-progress/preview shows tonight, with Esther Manito's Slagbomb, and Currer Ball's Neighbours. See them at the Amersham Arms in New Cross. 8pm
500 DAYS OF SUMMER: Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt star in 2009 romance film 500 Days Of Summer, which is being shown at Rooftop Film Club in Peckham tonight. A hopeless romantic reflects on relationships as his most recent girlfriend dumps him suddenly. 9.45pm
MONDAYS IN LONDON: For more things to do today, or any other Monday of the year, bookmark our guide to spending Monday in the capital. It's packed with regular events including walking tours, live music shows, comedy, pub quizzes and more. We've got all the other days of the week covered too.
Today's events: Tuesday 12 August
CASA SOHO FESTIVAL: Casamigos Tequila hosts CASA-SOHO, a two-day festival of music and socialising at various Soho venues. Among the many events on the programme: a Soho Radio takeover at the Teal Posts on Tuesday, and a Real Housewives of Clapton Pub Quiz at the same venue on Wednesday, along with various live music performances and happy hour drinks deals at bars including the Black Tap and Sucre. 12-13 August
WUTHERING SHITES: Drag queen and RuPaul star Kate Butch brings comedy jukebox musical Wuthering Shites to Soho Theatre Dean Street. Described as "kind of like if Mamma Mia! had a nervous breakdown", it features the music of Kate Bush, along with comedy, live vocals and lip sync extravaganzas. 12-16 August
THREE BILLION LETTERS: Theatrical performance Three Billion Letters is created from the show teams’ personal DNA test results, mixing data and text to look at how heritage defines us. Find out how DNA influences our current situations and our futures, at Riverside Studios in Hammersmith. 12-17 August
BEING MR WICKHAM: Actor Adrian Lukis played Mr Wickham in the BBC's 1995 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, a role he's reviving for Being Mr Wickham at Jermyn Street Theatre, marking 250 years since Austen's birth. It picks up George Wickham's story 30 years after the novel ends, offering his own take on the famous literary events as he approaches his 60th birthday. 12-30 August
CLAPHAM GRAND TOUR: As part of Wandsworth Borough of Culture, take a tour and hear a talk about the history of the Clapham Grand, which opened as an entertainment venue in 1900 and is still going strong today. Manager, producer and programmer Ally Wolf leads the two-hour tour, telling stories of furniture, confetti and a golden staircase while showing how the venue has adapted through the decades. Followed by a Q&A session and a chance to view and exhibition of memorabilia. 11.15am-1.15pm
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You can find all sorts of special offers — up to 50% off! — and events on AfternoonTea.co.uk. Fancy a slice of fantasy alongside your petit fours? Be enchanted by The Waldorf Hilton’s Beauty and the Beast-inspired afternoon tea, available now for 25% less. Or book a table for four or more at The Georgian House Hotel for the Wizard Afternoon Tea and receive a complimentary glass of prosecco.
Craving something with a bit of a twist? Enjoy 50% off the InterContinental London Park Lane’s Royal Picnic Afternoon Tea, featuring all the fun of this quintessential summer pastime, minus the threat of wasps. Got the kids in tow? Take the whole family to Tales Over Tea at Fortnum & Mason’s iconic Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon, featuring interactive storytelling and a special children’s menu. Prefer to leave them at home? Make your afternoon tea experience a sparkling one with Rubens at The Palace’s Afternoon Tea Cocktail Masterclass (complete with a complimentary glass of champagne), or unleash your creativity by painting your own Saicho bottles at the The Cadogan x Saicho Sparkling Tea Workshop.
Visit AfternoonTea.co.uk to explore them all and take advantage of the site’s daily giveaway countdown to Afternoon Tea Week. More giveaways are taking place during the week, too — so keep tabs for more delicious deals.
Today's events: Wednesday 13 August
ALL IN WHICH YOU LIVE: Taking place at Nunhead Cemetery Chapel, All In Which You Live is a site-specific installation and participatory performance exploring memory, intention-setting, and ancestral connections. The artist creates a multi-sensory environment using highly symbolic materials, with visitors invited to step into an immersive mandala. 13-17 August
TAYLOR SWIFT MUSICAL: Be at the first London performance of new show Delicate: Their Musical, described as blending "the raw emotional pulse of Grey’s Anatomy with the lyrical heartbreak of Taylor Swift". It's still in development at the moment, so this is a chance to see Act 1 in a workshopped performance at the Phoenix Arts Club, with Swift's music performed under a live performance license. 6.15pm-7.15pm
EAGLE DAYS: Historian Dr Victoria Taylor is at the Imperial War Museum to discuss her latest book, Eagle Days, offering an account of the Battle of Britain from the perspective of the Luftwaffe. Catch her in conversation with IWM Curator James Taylor about the story of the Luftwaffe over the summer of 1940. 6.30pm-9pm
IAGO BANET: Virtuoso Spanish guitarist Iago Banet performs live at the Green Note in Camden, part of his tour for his recent third album, fusing styles, ranging from gypsy jazz, blues, Americana, country and dixieland, to swing, pop and folk. 7pm
GO WEST: Stanfords Covent Garden hosts author and cyclist Steve Silk to talk about his book, Go West, and his experience of cycling from London to the Welsh Coast, covering 300 miles over eight days in the saddle. On the way he visits castles and museums, and takes a diversion down the River Wye via canoe. 7pm-8.30pm
THE BAREBACK KINGS: Taking place at the Bill Murray in Angel, The Bareback Kings present a comedy show featuring a not-so-regular group of women who impersonate regular blokes. Dressed as men, they tackle various topics relevant to life in the 21st century, including gender roles, politics, and pop culture. 9.30pm
Today's events: Thursday 14 August
FEMININE RAGE: Equal parts slumber party and horror story, Feminine Rage takes three true cases of femicide and brings the three victims together, in the afterlife. The thought-provoking play is on today, tomorrow and Saturday at the Courtyard Theatre, as part of the Camden Fringe. 14-16 August
GREAT EAST END EATS: Some of east London's best-loved cafés, pubs and restaurants join forces to fundraise for St Joseph's Hospice through dining experience The Great East End Eats. Each venue offers a chosen dish or drink with a portion of the profits going to the hospice: think £1 donated from every banana bread loaf sold at Violet Cakes in Dalston, 10% donated from every pizza sold at the Red Lion in Stoke Newington, and £1 donated from every E3 burger sold at E3 Vegan in Bow. Plus, London restaurant app EatClub is donating £3 for every in-app offer redeemed in their 137+ restaurants around Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets and the City across the 10 days. 14-24 August
FINDING FRED: Ever heard of Frederick Tibbs? He began his service in the City of London Police in the 1920s, but during the Second World War he was assigned to work in the force’s photography unit alongside Arthur Cross. They recorded the bomb-damaged landscape created by the Luftwaffe’s aerial bombardment, resulting in the ‘Cross and Tibbs Collection’ of several hundred wartime photographs. The London Archives offers a lunchtime talk telling Tibbs' story. Watch in person in Clerkenwell, or online via livestream. 12.30pm-1.30pm
CLOTHBOUND BOOKS: Celebrate the publication of Penguin's 100th clothbound classic, The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe, at Waterstones Piccadilly. Illustrator and designer Coralie Bickford-Smith talks about creating the special editions, and will also be hand-printing and signing a selection of designs for customers using an Adana letterpress machine. 6.30pm
THE NASH SESSIONS: Spend the evening in the Nash Conservatory in Kew Gardens, enjoying a candlelit concert by L'Inviti Singers, a chamber choir consisting of performers from the country's top ensembles including St Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Cathedral and Westminster Abbey. They perform a wide variety of works by Handel, Gershwin, John Rutter, and more moderns such as Sting's Fields of Gold. 6.30pm-9pm
RUM TASTING: The Golden Hinde may be drydocked, but that won't stop you from swaying slightly as you take part in a craft rum tasting on board. Experts RumCask set up several different rum stations featuring a minimum of 20 (!) unique rums for you to sample throughout the evening. Hic! 6.30pm-9.30pm
AFRO FUNK: Camden's Jazz Cafe hosts a night of Afro Funk, with live performers and DJs specialising in the genre. The evening is headlined by Orchestre Poly Rythmo de Cotonou, a multi-genre orchestra from Benin who blend afro-funk, fiery afrobeat, and Latin grooves. 7pm-10.30pm
Today's events: Friday 15 August
ALL POINTS EAST: Chase & Status, RAYE, The Maccabees... just a few acts on the impressive line-up at this year's All Points East Festival in Victoria Park, which begins today, headlined by Cleo Sol. The In The Neighbourhood free programme of events on non-gig days returns on Sunday, until Wednesday. 15-24 August
CANONBURY TOWER: Ever been up the Canonbury Tower? The Tudor building, Islington's oldest, is occasionally open for tours courtesy of Islington Guided Walks, and today is one such day. 11am
VJ DAY: Mark VJ (Victory in Japan) Day at Chelsea's National Army Museum. Author and filmmaker Phil Craig gives a free lunchtime talk about some of the geopolitical implications of the Allied victory in the Second World War, as portrayed in his latest book, 1945: The Reckoning. FREE, 12pm-1pm
SEX AND THE STAGE: Another chance to catch Laura Agustin's guided walk around the Covent Garden area, looking at the links between the theatre and the sex industry. 1pm
QUEER CEILIDH PARTY: LGBTQIA arts organisation Queer Folk hosts a lively and inclusive ceilidh party for all ages at Barbican. Do-si-do, strip the willow and get folky, with someone on hand to lead you through the steps of each dance, and a live band providing the soundtrack. 2pm/3pm
IBIZA ORCHESTRA: Start your weekend on a high — literally — at a lively party at a rooftop bar overlooking St Paul's Cathedral. The Ibiza Orchestra pitches up at Madison along with a DJ and a singer, bringing the party spirit of the White Isle to central London. 6pm-1am
SWIFTOGEDDON: Shake It Off as Taylor Swift-themed club night Swiftogeddon returns to Between the Bridges on South Bank, offering four hours of non-stop Taylor tunes. Plenty of chart toppers for casual fans, as well as some lesser-known songs, deep cuts and vault tracks for the more dedicated Swifties. One of the friendliest and most relaxed club nights we've ever been to. 7pm-11pm
Today's events: Saturday 16 August
IMBERBUS: Alright, so it's not in London, but it is a top-notch (and very popular) event featuring London buses, so indulge us for a second. Imberbus is an annual parade of double-decker London buses from Warminster to Chitterne, via Salisbury Plain and a collection of bucolic villages. Why? It all dates back to residents of the small village of Imber being turfed out of their village by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in 1943, and never being allowed to return — full story here. Services run from 9.30am
HIPPODROME: Take a tour of the Leicester Square area, culminating in a look around the historic Hippodrome building, courtesy of Amazing London. Complimentary tea/coffee will be served at the end. Other dates available on Saturdays and Sundays through August. 10am
FOLK IN THE PARK: Richard Thompson, Eddi Reader, The Tom Robinson Band and Thea Gilmore are among the acts playing Folk in the Park, in Sutton's Manor Park today. There are also workshops and family activities. From 11am
BOTTOMLESS RUM BRUNCH: Caribbean foodie pop-up Limin Southbank serves the Coconut Grove Bottomless Rum Brunch, offering 90 minutes of bottomless Caribbean cocktails, along with your choice of a Caribbean starter and main dish — think rum-glazed wings, spicy BBQ chicken or masala-spiced fish, washed down with a beach berry mojito or two. 12pm/2.30pm
SOUNDS OF REGGAE: If you're more about the sounds of the Caribbean than the food, head to the Soho Photography Quarter (outside the Photographer's Gallery) for Sounds of Reggae. Dr Aleema Gray, founder of House of Dread hosts an afternoon of live music tracing the roots of reggae, with Black Obsidian Sound System and live DJ sets. FREE, 12pm-4pm
JERK N TINGS: Yet another celebration of Caribbean culture (anyone would think it's Notting Hill Carnival next week or something) comes to the grounds of the Horniman Museum in the form of Music Jerk 'n Tings. Dance along to calypso, reggae and dancehall sounds, plat games, check out the arts and crafts stalls, and refuel with food from a range of Caribbean traders. 1pm-6pm
CANDLE MAKING: A chandler from Reverie Candle will guide you through crafting your own soy wax candle; you'll choose a signature scent, and hand pour it. At Hart Shoreditch. 3pm-5.30pm
NEON NAKED LIFE DRAWING: The Phoenix near Oxford Circus hosts Neon Naked Life Drawing, an unusual art session where you can choose to either pose as a glowing model, or be the one creating colourful artworks (or alternate between both), all under UV lights. Models arrive early to be decorated in UV glowing body paint, then the artists use the UV paints to recreate the scene in front of them on paper. 8pm
Today's events: Sunday 17 August
CHEESE MARKET: The monthly Chiswick Cheese Market is back in the Old Market Place on Chiswick High Road, with 200+ different cheeses, chutneys, crackers, olives and other accoutrements available to browse and buy, and many producers offering tastings. This time round, the spotlight's on Cornish cheese, with special tastings of Cornish Gouda. Sounds like a gouda day out to us. 9.30am-3pm
BANDSTAND MUSIC: As part of the ongoing Regent's Park Music Festival, there's a double bill of free performances at the park's bandstand, situated on Holme Green by the boating lake. Things get underway with the Sid Boland Big Band (12pm-2pm). They're followed by the South London Jazz Orchestra (3pm-5pm). FREE, 12pm-5pm
TWICKENHAM 1960s DAY: Swing along to Twickenham for an afternoon of free 1960s themed fun, on Church Street, with live music from The Eel Pie All-Stars, The Carnaby Army, The 60's All-Stars and The Terraplanes. There are also 60s themed stalls and activities. Groovy, baby! FREE, 12pm-5pm
VINCENT: Vincent: His Quest To Love And Be Loved is a pocket musical telling the story of artist Vincent Van Gogh, , exploring his pursuit of artistic fulfilment and genuine human connection, through popular musical theatre, pop, rock and jazz songs. It makes its West End debut at Phoenix Arts Club, following a run at Edinburgh Fringe. 1pm
POPUP PAINTING: Try your hand at creating your own version of Paul Cézanne's Bay of Marseilles, at PopUp Painting at the London Art Bar in Holborn. All materials are provided, and an experienced artist is on hand to offer tips and advice as you whip up your masterpiece, with a drink included in your ticket. 3pm-5.30pm
HITCHCOCK FILMS: Hunker down at the Prince Charles Cinema for a selection of films by Alfred Hitchcock, showing throughout the afternoon. The films (Rear Window, Vertigo, Psycho and The Birds) are ticketed individually so you can pick and choose which ones you watch. 12.15pm/ 3pm/6pm/8.30pm
MAN IN THE MIRROR: Michael Jackson tribute act Man in the Mirror moonwalks onto the stage at Bromley's Churchill Theatre. Tribute artist CJ is joined by a whole host of musicians and performers in recreating one of the late singer's legendary concerts, featuring hits including Thriller, Billie Jean and Smooth Criminal. 7.30pm
