Things to do this week is sponsored by Cabi.
All week
SISTER ACT: 1992 Whoopi Goldberg film Sister Act is performed on stage. Impact Theatre's musical version features the film's original music, plus plenty of dancing, and raises money for the Amy Winehouse Foundation. ArtsDepot (North Finchley), £22.50/£18.50, book ahead, 8-11 May
PAINTER IN THE WOODS: The Garden Museum opens a new exhibition of the paintings of Ivon Hitchens. He specialised in richly coloured landscape paintings of his wild Sussex garden, which he moved to after his studio in Hampstead was bombed in 1940. Garden Museum (Lambeth), included in admission (£10), just turn up, 8 May-15 July
ELIZABETHAN TREASURES: Time's running out to see Elizabethan Treasures, an exhibition of miniature paintings by famed artist Nicholas Hilliard and his pupil Isaac Oliver — who created likenesses of royalty and high society. It's the first time we've been handed a magnifying glass on the way into an exhibition, and we'd recommend visiting at a quiet time to get a glimpse of the tiny works. National Portrait Gallery, £10, booking recommended, until 19 May
MED LONDON: Four-day festival Med London aims to get Londoners excited about all things medicine. Talks, tours and exhibitions cover topics as diverse as medicinal plants, the history of nursing and the discovery of penicillin. Many events free, some charge, 9-12 May
DULWICH FESTIVAL: Talks, tours, fairs and open art studios are just some of the events taking part for Dulwich Festival, which celebrates the cultural offerings of the local area. There's a lot to wade through on the programme, but our picks include a street art tour, a fair in Dulwich Park, and a talk about the area's pubs. Various Dulwich locations, 10-19 May
Bank holiday Monday 6 May
COVENT GARDEN GHOSTSIGNS: Get an insight into what the West End was like in the early 20th century, when Covent Garden was still a bustling fruit and veg market and Soho was still basically a village. On this guided walk, learn about the businesses that used to line the streets, from printers to billiards halls. Covent Garden station, £12/£9, book ahead, 2pm-4pm
WINGS OF THE WORLD: Tuck into a selection of chicken wings, with flavours from all over the world at a one-off bank holiday banquet. Eat your way through unlimited wings, washed down with whiskey sours. Clutch (Shoreditch), £35, book ahead, 2pm-11pm
Z-LIST CELEBRITY: Back in 2018, musical comedian Micky P. Kerr impressed audiences — and more importantly, Simon Cowell — on Britain's Got Talent. But a year on, he's back to being a Z-list celebrity, a situation he milks in his new show full of music, social commentary and laughs. Leicester Square Theatre, £16.25, book ahead, 7pm
Tuesday 7 May
FRIENDSHIP BOOKS: Centuries before Facebook, friendship albums were used to keep track of your mates. Learn about the history of these books — which contained scrawled messages from acquaintances — in an illustrated talk by Professor June Schlueter. British Library, £12/£8, book ahead, 7.15pm-8.30pm
DISSECTING THE JOKE: Comedy meets health at a night of medical-themed laughs. A group of comedians, medical students and doctors take to the stage for short acts about medicine and the NHS. Backyard Comedy Club (Bethnal Green), £6.50/£5, book ahead, 7.30pm-10.30pm
Sponsor message
Boutique shopping... in your living room
Love clothes, but find shopping for them a bit of a drag? Cabi reckons it can help. This clever women's designer clothing brand — the largest social selling one in the USA — finally crosses the pond this week to show Londoners a new way to buy.
Cabi works by connecting shoppers with one of its 3000 stylists, who transform your living room into your very own private, pop-up boutique for you and your friends. Here, they'll present the latest cabi collection — dishing out styling tips along the way — before you and your guests have at it.
If that's piqued your curiosity, don't miss cabi's UK launch this weekend. On Friday and Saturday, 11am-8pm, you have the chance to get a closer look at cabi's spring collection, meet the head designer, and get the inside scoop on the brand from its stylists at cabi's pop-up Marylebone boutique — more details here.
Wednesday 8 May
JACK THE RIPPER: Historian Hallie Rubenhold discusses her new book, which tells the life stories of each of the five women known to be victims of East End serial killer Jack the Ripper. She wrote it after realising that we rarely hear more than the basic facts about each of the victims. The London Library (St James's), £18/£12, book ahead, 6.30pm-8.30pm
THE ANGINA MONOLOGUES: Cardiac surgeon Samer Nashef recounts true medical stories to journalist Sathnam Sanghera. Hear tales about the the transporting of a donor’s heart up the motorway hard shoulder, and a traumatic trip to bring advanced cardiac surgery to the Palestinian West Bank. Royal Institution (Mayfair), £16/£10/£7, book ahead, 7pm-8.30pm
MONEY AND DADDY: Film lecture Dr Julia Wagner looks at representations of Jewish women in film, specifically the 'Jewish American Princess' stereotype of young protagonists from wealthy families who use their privileged positions for social good. Private Benjamin, Dirty Dancing and Clueless all feature. Jewish Museum (Camden), £8.50/£6.50, book ahead, 7pm
Thursday 9 May
AFFORDABLE ART FAIR: Add to your art collection (or get one started) without having to dig too deep, at the Affordable Art Fair. Thousands of original contemporary artworks from all over the world are available to buy, and there are workshops, talks and tours to take part in alongside browsing. East Heath Road (Hampstead), £8-£25, book ahead, 9-12 May
THE CRAFT OF GAMES: Videogames as a contemporary craft is the subject of a late night opening at William Morris Gallery. Sophia George, former V&A games designer in residence, Roisin Inglesby, curator of the William Morris Gallery and James Morgan of Small Island Games are some of the experts taking part in discussions, and there are also live performances by musicians and composers who have worked on video game tracks. William Morris Gallery (Walthamstow), £12/£8, book ahead, 7pm-9.30pm
BOMB TO BEATLES: The 20 years after the end of the second world war are the focus of Juliet Gardiner's talk. She looks at the social and cultural developments that took place across two decades, from mini skirts to the Rolling Stones to the Festival of Britain. National Archives (Kew), £12-£15, book ahead, 7.30pm-9pm
Friday 10 May
DOLLSHOUSE FESTIVAL: Running for over 30 years, Kensington Dollshouse Festival brings dollshouse enthusiasts from all over the world together, along with makers who can recreate just about anything in miniature. The event is open to everyone, whether dedicated collectors or dollshouse amateurs looking to get started. Kensington Town Hall, £11-£16, book ahead, 10-11 May
TERRARIUMS: No garden? No problem, learn how to make your own terrarium at this workshop. As well as creating your own mini garden to take home, get an insight into the details of terrarium ecosystems, including why activated charcoal is so important. Bargehouse (OXO Tower), £45, book ahead, 11.15am-1.15pm
FUNNY WOMEN: London's most amusing ladies gather in Hoxton for the first hear of the Funny Women Awards 2019. See the next generation of female comedy talent go head to head to try to win a place in the grand final — past participants have included Katherine Ryan, Sara Pascoe and Sarah Millican, so the standard is very high. Hoxton Hall, £10/£8, book ahead, 7pm (heats continue tomorrow)
Saturday 11 May
FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE: Celebrate Florence Nightingale's birthday at London's museum dedicated to the Crimean War nurse. The first 50 visitors get some free birthday cake, and special activities include a chance to meet actors playing the Lady with the Lamp, telling her story. Florence Nightingale Museum (Lambeth), included in admission (£8/£4), just turn up, 11-12 May
FASHION BOOT SALE: She Inspires Me is a high-end fashion car boot sale, raising money for Women For Women International. Your ticket gets you access to a range of designers, style influencers and celebrities, all selling past season and pre-loved high end fashion at bargain prices. Brewer Street Car Park (Soho), £10, book ahead, 1pm-5pm
LUCHA LIBRE: A popular form of entertainment in Mexico, Lucha Libre sees professional wrestlers go head to head in the ring, weaving in acrobatic manoeuvres and wearing colourful costumes and masks. For one night only, the spectacle comes to London pitting Mexico's top wrestlers against each other. Roundhouse (Camden), from £20, book ahead, 2pm/7pm
HIP HOP KARAOKE: Tate Modern stays open late for an evening of music and beer. The latter comes in the form of craft beer on tap from FourPure Brewery, while hip hop karaoke opens the floor to any wannabe rappers. Tate Modern, £10, book ahead, 7pm-11pm
Sunday 12 May
SPITALFIELDS TOUR: Join tour guide Rachel Kolsky for a guided walk around the Spitalfields area, visiting sights of the Jewish East End that have inspired both Jewish and non-Jewish writers. Hear short passages from the work of Israel Zangwill, Jack London, Arnold Wesker and Emmanuel Litvinoff as you wander. Spitalfields, £15, book ahead, 11am
AMAZING GRACE: Unseen for 47 years, footage of Aretha Franklin recording her bestselling album Amazing Grace has been compiled into a documentary of the same name. Watch the film — recorded in New Temple Missionary Church in Los Angeles — in which Franklin is backed by the Southern California Community Choir. The 4pm screening has a live introduction by the London International Gospel Choir. Bertha DocHouse (Bloomsbury), £12.50/£10, book ahead, 4pm/8.30pm
PIATTI QUARTET: Constituting 2x violin, viola and cello, the Piatti Quartet perform a concert of classical music by Haydn, Elgar and Mendelssohn to end the weekend on a sophisticated note. Conway Hall (Holborn), £10, book ahead, 6.30pm-8.30pm
