Things to do
THE PAPPYSHOW: All-male physical theatre ensemble The PappyShow brings its latest show, BOYS, to London for two nights. See the young male cast perform a dance showing the many facets of maleness, including tenderness, silliness, vulnerability and hope. Southbank Centre, £18, book ahead, 20-21 January
GEORGE IV: Gresham College marks 200 years since King George IV's accession to the throne with a talk about his reign. Did he have any real impact on the fast-changing, industrialising world around him? During his lifetime, the regent then monarch went from being viewed as a powerful figure, to someone with little influence, and Professor Stella Tillyard talks about why this was. Barnard's Inn Hall (Holborn), free, just turn up, 6pm-7pm
FRIENDS: More than 25 years since beloved TV show Friends first graced our screens, a new book has been written about it. Head to BFI for a celebration of the long-overdue analysis of the show, looking at why it became the success it did, with authors Simone Knox and Kai Hanno Schwind on hand to answer questions. BFI Reuben Library, £6.50, book ahead, 6.30pm
TS ELIOT PRIZE: Spend the evening discussing A Portable Paradise by Roger Robinson — the recently-crowned TS Eliot Prize winner. Find out how the judges reached their decision, and take a closer look at some of the poems in the book. Southbank Centre, £7, book ahead, 6.30pm
LONDON'S INFRASTRUCTURE: Hear from a series of expert speakers about how technological advances are likely to impact London's infrastructure in the future. They also offer an insight into how civil engineers could use new technology in their work. Institution of Civil Engineers (Westminster), free, book ahead, 6.30pm-8pm
BAJINGO BINGO: Play bingo while learning about the vagina at (where else?) The Vagina Museum. Bajingo Bingo is similar to regular bingo, with chances to win prizes — except this time, some knowledge of the misunderstood body part would come in useful. The Vagina Museum (Camden Market), £3, book ahead, 7.30pm-9.30pm
MEET THE AUTHOR: This month's Gothic Book Club has a special guest in the form of author Sharon Wright. She discusses her new book, The Mother Of The Brontës, a biography of the Cornish gentlewoman Maria Branwell, and her unlikely romance which resulted in the births of the Brontë sisters. Strawberry Hill House (Twickenham), free, book ahead, 7.30pm-9pm
NEON LIFE DRAWING: Brighten up your Monday with a neon life drawing class. Begin with some drawing exercises to get your creative juices flowing before turning your attention to the naked models, who are covered in neon paint and highlighted in UV light for a trippy experience. Drink, Shop & Do (King's Cross), £26.46, book ahead, 7.30pm-9.30pm
Tube ponderings with Barry Heck
Our resident tube fancier dishes out daily thoughts on the London Underground.
My Roundel of the Week is an old favourite. All the platform roundels at Bank and Monument are flanked by a pair of dragons, similar in style to those used on the City of London's crest. The campaign starts here to persuade the four tube stations in Enfield to adopt their own mythical creature, the enfield, as part of the roundel entablature.
Follow Barry on Twitter @HeckTube. He's not always this arcane.
Good cause of the day
Looking forward to the weekend already? Book ahead for The Bedford's Australia Day charity quiz on Friday night. Down Under is the theme of the questions, with money raised going to help people affected by the bush fires. Find out more and book tickets.
What we're reading
- IanVisits on London's newest train station.
- After decades of loss, London's LGBTQ clubs are starting to win.
- How the New River was built.
- London 'twist house' among renovation projects up for top award.
