Things to do this week is sponsored by London School of Economics.
All week
QUANTUM JUNGLE: Last chance to see the Young V&A's festive installation, Quantum Jungle. The interactive artwork by artist, engineer and designer Robin Baumgarten is made from 800 tactile springs which light up when touched, in celebration of festivals of light around the world. FREE, until 19 January
HERE YOU COME AGAIN: Dolly Parton's biggest hits — including Jolene, 9 to 5, Islands in the Stream, and I Will Always Love You — feature in musical Here You Come Again at Riverside Studios in Hammersmith, telling the story of a diehard Dolly fan. It runs every day until Saturday. Until 18 January
FRANCIS BACON: The National Portrait Gallery's display Francis Bacon: Human Presence closes this weekend. It showcases more than 55 works from the 1950s onwards, which demonstrate how the artist challenged the traditional definitions of the portraiture genre. Until 19 January
MAKING A RUKUS!: The joy, friendship, resistance and art of Black LGBTQIA+ people in Britain is explored in Somerset House exhibition Making a Rukus!, which closes on Sunday. Over 200 objects, including archive materials, contemporary artworks and brand-new commissions, feature. Until 19 January
WHY AM I SO SINGLE: Two best friends, Oliver and Nancy, drink, laugh, and cry while attempting to answer the impossible question of why they are so single, at the Garrick Theatre. Judging by the trailers we've seen for Why Am I So Single?, the songs are seriously catchy. Until 19 January
CHLOE PETTS: Comedian Chloe Petts is back at Soho Theatre with her latest show, How You See Me, How You Don't, in which she explores her own identity through topics spanning gender, trolls, sport and her school days. 13-25 January
PLAY OF THE WEEK: When it was on at Jermyn Street Theatre last year, Roy Williams' adaptation of classic postwar Caribbean caper The Lonely Londoners garnered rave reviews, the Standard praising it as "bold and timely". It's now transferred to the Kiln Theatre in Kilburn, where you can catch it for a short while. Until 22 February
EAT OF THE WEEK: This month only, popular Sri Lankan/South Indian eatery Hoppers is putting a vegan spin on its signature bone marrow varuval curry. The bone marrow's gone, with slow-simmered calabash stepping into the fray. The curries are £10 a pop, and available in all Hoppers branches (Soho, Marylebone, King's Cross). Until 31 January
Monday 13 January
£1 COFFEE: Get yourself a £1 coffee today. To celebrate the launch of its new coffee subscription service, chain Yolk is offering coffee for £1 across all of its sites for one day only. It has locations in Canary Wharf, London Bridge, Soho and Strand among others — find the full list here.
LUNCHTIME RECITAL: Head to Blackheath Halls for a performance of Sergei Prokofiev’s musical fairy tale Peter and the Wolf, by The Blaze Ensemble with special guest narrator Beatrice Prokofiev. 1.10pm
2025 WORLD BRIEFING: Panellists get together at the Frontline Club in Paddington to discuss what lies ahead for 2025. The World Briefing looks at the effects of various elections around the world last year and how they could shape the coming 12 months globally. BBC News journalist Paul Moss, London-based writer Isabel Hilton, AP reporter Emma Burrows, and former Washington Post reporter Liz Sly all take part. 7pm
QUIZ NIGHT: Every Monday, the Old Blue Last in Shoreditch holds a quiz night, with prizes and a jackpot up for grabs. Maximum six people per team, with entry £2 per person. 7pm
KID A: To mark the 25th anniversary of Radiohead's genre-bending album, Rick Simpson performs his own jazzy version of the album in full, alongside tracks from Amnesiac and In Rainbows. It's happening at Camden's Jazz Cafe. 7pm-10.30pm
Tuesday 14 January
SPANISH CABARET: Ever heard of Copla? It's a form of Spanish song originating in Andalusia, telling the experience of LGBTQ+ and migrant communities. Copla: A Spanish Cabaret comes to The Other Palace, with Queer migrant performer Alejandro Postigo deconstructing the traditional songs and sharing their historical significance. Witness Postigo's rebirth as alter ego La Gitana. 14-26 January
LATINX LATITUDES: The National Maritime Museum opens its collections to showcase a selection of items which tell the history and culture of Latin America through maritime histories. The collection spans five centuries and includes colourful sea charts made by Jesuits and pirates, and watercolours painted onboard HMS Beagle during Darwin’s famous voyage. FREE, 10.30am-1.30pm
PICASSO'S WOMEN: Find out how artist Pablo Picasso’s emotional life influenced what he painted and how he painted, in a free Guildhall Library talk. Arts Society lecturer Val Woodgate discusses the seven most important women in his life, and the effect they had on his artistic output. You can attend in person, or watch online. FREE, 2pm-3pm
THE CONVERSATION: St Martin-in-the-Fields launches The Conversation, a new literary event featuring weekly conversations with 15 of the UK's brightest minds tackling some of the biggest political, social and environmental challenges of our time. All are available to watch in person or via livestream, with Channel 4 News' International Editor, Lindsey Hilsum headlining the first event tonight. 6.30pm
MEDIEVAL WOMEN: Tying in with the current Medieval Women exhibition, the British Library hosts author Lauren Groff for an online event discussing her novel Matrix. It tells the story of Marie de France who is cast out of the royal court by Eleanor of Aquitaine and sent to England, with themes of female creativity, violence and religion. Groff chats to historical novelist Stephanie Merritt, aka S.J. Parris. 7pm-8.15pm
HIPPODROME: The Leicester Square venue — a mix of performance space, casino and bar/restaurant — is now 125 years old. Author Lucinda Gosling is at the Hippodrome tonight to explore its remarkable history, which includes plunging elephants, Houdini’s handcuff challenge, Julie Andrews’ first stage performance and Judy Garland’s last. With live music accompaniment. 7.30pm-10pm
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Free talks at LSE: Catch leading names on politics, the economy and more
"The economy isn’t broken — it’s working exactly as planned." That's the backdrop to Grace Blakeley's new book Vulture Capitalism. The political commentator talks to LSE researcher Dr Michael Vaughan (13 Jan) on why the economy is “a toxic melding of public and private power”, why it can't be fixed, and why it must be replaced. Heady stuff.
That's just one of many fascinating lectures at London School of Economics over the coming months, all free and open to the public. Catch some of the biggest names in economics, social science and politics at the central London campus, or watch for free online.
The talks address highly topical themes, including artificial intelligence, US foreign policy, trans lives, climate capitalism, sustainability and solving Britain's class inequality. The packed programme even finds time for music, with regular lunchtime classical concerts. And all of it for free — that's our kind of economics.
Browse the full list of Winter Term events or follow hashtag #LSEEvents
Wednesday 15 January
SORTING OFFICE: The Postal Museum opens new exhibit Sorting Office, featuring artworks on a mail theme from 12 artists, including Gilbert & George, Lolly Batty and Joseph Beuys. Set in a fictional sorting office, some pieces have already made their way through the postal system, some may enter it in the future, and a few pieces will never reach delivery. 15 January-4 April
TAMPOPO: Japan House screens 1985 film Tampopo, about a widow who enlists an unlikely team in her goal to create the perfect bowl of ramen. It's shown in Japanese with English subtitles, and is part of a series of foodie film screenings coinciding with the current Looks Delicious! exhibition about Japan's food replica culture. FREE, 6pm-8pm (repeated 26 January)
SMITHFIELD MARKET: It's been in the news a lot recently, as the London Museum prepares to move in, and the famous meat market is moving out. Now, learn more about Smithfield Market on a guided walk by the London Museum. An expert takes you past famous landmarks, telling the stories behind them, including Charterhouse, St-Bartholomew-the-Great and the meat market itself. 3pm-4.30pm
BLOOMSBURY BOMBSITES: Dr Gabe Moshenska, Associate Professor at University College London's Institute of Archaeology, gives a talk about the bombsites of Bloomsbury. Head to the London Archives to trace the points of detonation as well as memorials, marked masonry, and modern architecture which tell the story of Bloomsbury during the Blitz. FREE, 5.30pm-7pm
CLIMATE CRISIS: Watch new film Radio Dadaab, made by the Environmental Justice Foundation. It shows the climate refugee crisis unfolding in the Horn of Africa through the eyes of a young female journalist, Fardowsa, born and raised in a refugee camp. The screening is followed by a panel discussion about the human cost of climate change around the world. Takes place at the Frontline Club in Paddington. 7pm-8.30pm
WHALE TALES: Hear myths, folktales and legends surrounding whales and dolphins, in an online talk by Professor Joanna Page (University of Cambridge). She discusses stories from ancient Greece to modern-day Brazil, via the Old Testament, the Qu’ran, Scottish folklore, and the First Nations tribes of the Pacific Northwest, diving into how ancient depictions of the creatures as sensitive and intelligent are backed up by modern-day science. 7.30pm-9pm
Thursday 16 January
EVENING OF DRAGONS: Celebrate the release of author S. F. Williamson's debut, A Language of Dragons, at Waterstones Piccadilly. It's set in an alternate Bletchley Park, with mythical beasts on the loose, and Williamson chats about it with Taran Matharu, author of Dragon Rider, and BookTokker and blogger Sam Soar. 6.30pm
SCOTTISH CEILIDH: Get warmed up for Burns Night next week at the National Army Museum's Scottish Cèilidh. Cèilidh caller Simon Wales leads an evening of dancing for all abilities, accompanied by a live Scottish band. Need a breather? Take the time to view the special display of items relating to the Scottish regiments of the British Army. 6.30pm-10.15pm
PINCH, SWIPE, TAP: Hear from Hanna Kops, Head of Experience at TfL Digital, about her experiences in creating TfL Go, the organisation's new travel app, which has been shortlisted for several design awards. Hear about the challenges of combining iconic design with innovative uses of live data. Watch in person at the St Bride Foundation (Fleet Street) or online. 7pm-8.30pm
LIVE MUSIC: Singer, songwriter and rapper Graziella headlines a night of live music at Mama Shelter in Bethnal Green, accompanied by London-based soul singer Carmy Love and songwriter Laville. 7pm-10pm
LOBBY LATES: Brick Lane Jazz Festival resident DJ and founder Juju K takes over One Hundred Shoreditch for Lobby Lates, accompanied by a selection of guest DJs. Head to the hotel's lobby bar for an evening of jazz, hip-hop, African rhythms, broken beat and garage music... and £10 cocktails all night. 7pm-11pm
Friday 17 January
LONDON SHORT FILM FESTIVAL: January is ideal for snuggling down in the cinema watching films, which is where London Short Film Festival comes in. Taking place at several independent cinemas around the capital, the programme boasts a wealth of new drama, documentary, comedy and animation short films, competition-winning films, and industry events, such as Q&As and speed-pitching sessions. It begins today with Radical Short Films of the 1990s, and comedy programme Funny Shit. 17-26 January
TAYLOR SWIFT TRAIL: Remember the Taylor Swift Songbook Trail which took over the V&A Museum last summer? Today there's a chance to hear from the trail's curator, Theatre and Performance Senior Curator, Kate Bailey, about the practicalities of displaying Swift's instruments, costumes and awards in various locations throughout the museum. 1.30pm-2.30pm
FREE TEA FRIDAYS: Every week, the Museum of the Home in Hoxton hosts drop-in Free Tea Fridays, where you can taste locally made tea brands, created by local residents. Linger over your cuppa and take part in creative activities, or just drop-in briefly. FREE, 1.30pm-3.30pm
TWILIGHT TOUR: Stay at the Sir John Soane's Museum after hours for a twilight tour, and see it in a whole new light. A museum guide leads the tour, highlighting certain treasured objects from the collection as you go. 6pm-7pm
NOT KATE BUSH: The music of Kate Bush is celebrated in tribute show An Evening Without Kate Bush at Jacksons Lane in Archway. Sarah-Louise Young takes on the role of the singer, performing hits including Wuthering Heights and Hounds of Love. 7.30pm (repeated tomorrow)
Saturday 18 January
GARDEN OPEN DAYS: The first garden open days of the year at Hampton Court Palace are this weekend, meaning you can visit the gardens without paying the usual admission fee. The Great Fountain Garden, the Privy Garden and the Pond Garden are among the areas included in the offer, but note that if you want to visit the palace itself, the Maze, or the Magic Garden Playground, the normal admission fee applies. FREE, 18-19 January
BRUNEL MUSEUM TOURS: As part of its 200th anniversary celebrations, the Brunel Museum in Rotherhithe offers guided tours on selected weekends throughout 2025. Get an in-depth tour of the Engine House exhibition and Grade II* listed underground tunnel shaft, in a tour lasting approximately 45 minutes. 18-19 January
MARIA: To celebrate new film Maria, starring Angelina Jolie as soprano Maria Callas, the Royal Opera House offers special themed tours. Find out about Callas's life, and her performances in the Covent Garden building, and see some of the costumes worn by Jolie in the film. 18-19 January
CATHEDRAL TOUR: Join a Cathedral Guide for a tour of Southwark Cathedral, delving into some of the building's 900 year history. Topics covered include links to Winchester, bishop burials, and Shakespearean actors. 11am-12pm
CURIOUS CORALS: Take the family along to the Grant Museum of Zoology for a workshop themed on corals. Take part in stories, games and crafts to learn about different types of coral and how they survive. 11am-3pm
WASSAIL DAY: London Wildlife Trust hosts a Wassail Day at Dulwich Village Orchard. It's an ancient custom of singing to apple-producing trees in cider orchards, and the event includes an orchard tour, live folk music, crafts and more. FREE, 12pm-4pm
FREE SPIRITED: New boutique/booze-free day Free Spirited comes to Meraki in Fitzrovia today. It's the creation of DJ duo SUNANA and lifestyle brand Sober & Social — and promises an electric party atmosphere, fuelled by great music and tasty mocktails. 2pm-5pm
PINK SINGERS: Europe’s longest-running LGBT+ choir, the Pink Singers, give a concert celebrating queer artists and queer stories at Cadogan Hall. Hear bespoke arrangements of songs by Queen, Chappell Roan, Joy Oladokun, and The Pet Shop Boys, and choral takes on works by David Bowie, Billie Eilish, and Jacob Narverud. 7.30pm
HOW DOES IT FEEL?: Regular club night How Does It Feel To Be Loved? is back at The Phoenix in Cavendish Square for a night of indie pop, northern soul, Tamla Motown, girl groups, and sixties heartbreak tunes. Tonight is a Ramones and Buzzcocks special, with plenty of tunes from both bands sprinkled through the DJ set. 10pm-2am
Sunday 19 January
STAGES AND CELLS: Take a walking tour through Covent Garden, starting at the Bow Street Police Museum, learning about the history of crime in the area. Find out how the arrival of theatres in the 17th century caused a significant increase in criminal activity, and hear stories of individuals including Charles Macklin, who used his acting skills to literally get away with murder. 11am-12.15pm
SHADOW PAINTING: Aimed at 3-12 year olds and their families, the Garden Museum holds a drop-in shadow painting session. Spend some time drawing the shadows of plants, then fill them in using watercolours. FREE, 11am-12.30pm
FLEA MARKET: Browse stalls from 60 different traders at the Big Winter Walthamstow Flea Market at Big Penny Social. Salvaged and vintage homewares are up for grabs, from across the UK and Europe. 11am-5pm
BOOK SWAP GROUP: Battersea Bookshop hosts a Book Swap and Book(ish) Group. Turn up with any books you no longer want, and swap them for books someone else has brought along. Drinks and biscuits are included, so why not linger a little longer and swap reading recommendations with other attendees. 1pm-3pm
TRANSPORTATION: Join Laura Agustin for a guided walk through Islington on the trail of two teenage girls, convicted of theft in 1825 and sentenced to transportation to Australia. The walk doesn't quite go *that* far, but it does take in many important locations from London's history of crime and punishment. 1pm
ROSAIC: The 1975 and Chappell Roan are among the inspirations for Rosaic, who headlines a Rough Edges showcase at the Star in Shoreditch this evening. A slew of other acts take to the stage too, including Anna Mo, Lorna Scarlett and Orange Comet. 6pm-11pm
BREWERY COMEDY: Russell Hicks, Micah Hall, Malinda Mukuma, Oriana Buckland and Olly Miller are among the comedians on the bill at a comedy night at Brockley Brewery, along with a special guest. There's the option to make a donation to Lewisham Foodbank when you buy your ticket. 7pm-10pm
PUB QUIZ: Round off the week by showing everyone just how clever you and your mates are, at the Wheatsheaf in Tooting's pub quiz. Bar tabs, Prosecco and bonus prizes are up for grabs. Doors 7.30pm
