What we're reading:
- Cycling 1000 miles on a Boris bike.
- The search is on for the next Purr Minister.
- Everything you need to know about what happened at London Fashion Week.
Things to do:
HARD TRUTHS: Bear witness to humanitarian crises, societal change, and breaking news from around the globe at this exhibition of prize-winning photography from The New York Times. The photojournalists have travelled to Venezuela, Iraq, Syria, the Philippines, Cuba and Iran to uncover the human stories behind the headlines. LSE (Houghton Street), free, just turn up, until 26 October 2018
BLACK MIRROR: This art exhibition may not actually be affiliated with the Charlie Brooker series of the same name, but it features work with a similar satirical slant, speaking to the anxieties of our modern age. Saatchi Gallery (Chelsea), free, just turn up, until 13 January 2019
THE LAST TSAR: If your knowledge of Russia's last imperial family mainly stems from the Disney-esque 90s animation Anastasia, it's time for another history lesson. Discover the lavish lives of the Romanovs and the truth of their relationship with the infamous mystic Rasputin through artefacts, documents and photographs, some never before displayed in the UK. Science Museum (South Kensington), free, book ahead, until 24 March 2019
MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH: Suicide, grief, male infertility and poverty may not be the easiest topics to talk about, but that's all the more reason to start opening up. Four speakers present a surprisingly life-affirming evening of taboo-smashing talks. Linden House (Hammersmith), £8.50, book ahead, 6pm-10pm
STORY CIRCLE: Who's up for some good old fashioned storytelling? If you've got a yarn to spin, London Dreamtime wants to hear it. But no worries if you're feeling shy — newbies can simply sit back, relax, and let more seasoned raconteurs inspire you with myths, legends and folklore. Library London (Covent Garden), £7.06, book ahead, 6.30pm
WITCHY DANCE CLASS: Bust a move like Bette Midler and shake your stuff like SJP at a supremely spooky dance class dedicated to cult Halloween classic Hocus Pocus. Leave your broomstick at home, and pack your trainers because you'll be dancing the night away to Bette's rendition of I Put a Spell on You. Drink, Shop & Do (King's Cross), £15, book ahead, 7pm-9pm
ABANDOMAN: Got a love, pet hate or weird dream to share? Ireland's finest hip hop comedian will turn it into a song in no time. Join Rob Broderick for a journey peppered with audience interaction and razor sharp improv. Soho Theatre (Dean Street), £20, book ahead, 7.30pm, until 6 October
TIMELESS: Thanks to a disastrous trip to the dentist a decade ago, Martin is incapable of making new memories — leaving his partner with the unenviable task of explaining that it's no longer 2008 every single day. Basically, Mixed Up Theatre's Timeless is bit like 50 First Dates, except with a London cabbie in the place of Drew Barrymore. Theatre N16 (Tottenham Hale), £12, book ahead, 8.30pm
EXIT NUMBER 8: Life with OCD ain't no picnic, as Katie Sherrard's latest one woman show makes clear with humour and pathos. Prepare to have to preconceptions about obsession, mental illness, and London life thoroughly challenged. King's Head Theatre (Islington), £15, book ahead, 9.30pm-10.30pm
INSUFFICIENT MEMORY: Comedian Matthew Highton invites you on a trip down memory lane, celebrating the moments in life that are unique to each and every one of us. Oh, and he'll be using his granny's dementia as a springboard — which he promises is funnier than it sounds. The Bill Murray (Islington), £5 to reserve a seat, pay what you want OTD, 9.30pm-10.30pm
Good cause of the day
Camp out on the Kia Oval for The Big Issue Foundation's Big Sleep Out. It costs £25 to enter, and you've got until the big day itself on Friday 16 November to raise £350 in sponsorship. All of the money raised will support Big Issue vendors in their paths towards brighter futures.
