Things to do today is sponsored by House of Parliament.
What we're reading
- Five years on, the London Olympic Park battle still rages.
- Plans for a new Paddington office block cause worry for local A&E.
- Charred remains of Grenfell Tower to be covered with a giant wrap.
- Turns out that foxes take the tube, too.
- 10 year old boy spots error at the Natural History Museum.
Things to do
SCHOOL HOLIDAYS: Want to keep the kids busy on a budget? Check out our helpful list of free things to do with kids in London. Worked your way through those? Get stuck into our guide to things to do in the summer holidays.
BACKSTAGE TOUR: Go behind the scenes of the National Theatre and get an insight into how costumes and props are made in a busy working theatre, as well as preparation for the current shows. National Theatre, £10, book ahead, 9.45am
THE SECOND SEX: Are you, or is the woman you love, a lost feminist? This dark comedy show, part of Camden Fringe, focuses on the struggles women face in daily life. Etcetera Theatre (Camden), £8, book ahead, 12.30pm (until 2 August)
SECRETS OF FLEET STREET: This Look Up London walking tour will unravel scandalous stories, both recent and ancient, as you walk the steps of activists, hacks, cabbies and lawyers along Fleet Street. Temple tube, £12, book ahead, 6.30pm-8pm
QUIZTIANO RONALDO: With the new Premier League season getting closer, welcome it with a football quiz — one with a very punny name, too. Brush up on trivia about the Beautiful Game. The Old Queen's Head (Islington), £2, book a table, 7pm
WALK AROUND TASTING: Taste 10 wines from five different South African wineries at wine haven Vivat Bacchus tonight. It might be Monday night, but you'll be drinking like it's the weekend. Vivat Bachhus (London Bridge), £15, book ahead, 7pm-10pm
CRAFT NIGHT: Join in a friendly night of making things, getting creative, and of course, having a drink with The Make Escape, all in aid of MIND. Soundtracked by the Attic's in-house DJ's. Hackney Attic, free, just turn up, 7.30pm-11pm
BEATBOX BRILLIANCE:One is good with his fingers, the other is good with his mouth. Beatbox star of the most watched TEDx talk of all time Tom Thum joins forces with an award winning guitarist to create this unusual show. Underbelly Festival (Southbank), £16, book ahead, 7.45pm
DANCE CLASS: Kickstart your week with a dance class and live out your girlband dreams as you learn the moves to Little Mix's Touch. Complete beginners welcome. Drink, Shop & Do (King's Cross), £15, book ahead, 8.30pm-10pm
AI IMPROV: A loveable nerd and a dark humoured hacker team up to create an artificial friend (a robot whom they call A.L.Ex.) via transatlantic video link, in this improvised theatre show. Etcetera Theatre (Camden), £8, book ahead, 8.30pm, repeated tomorrow
REBEL AGAINST REALITY: Kevin moved to London the day before Brexit to become a famous comedian. Unfortunately, it hasn't worked out quite as he planned, so he's doing a show to distract himself from real life. Camden Comedy Club, £5, book ahead, 9.15pm-10.30pm
Sponsor message
Ever fancied taking a sneak peek inside Parliament?
Book yourself on a guided or audio tour this summer and you can do just that — follow the Queen’s processional route through the House of Lords before exploring the House of Commons in all its glory.
You’ll see the Speaker’s Chair and those all-important green benches where all manner of important debates have occurred. There’s even a special tour aimed at children, so it makes a perfect family day out. With fascinating stories, tons of history, and an insider’s view of how Parliament functions today, a tour of the Houses of Parliament should be on your to do list this summer break.
Art review: intimate photography
Documentary photographer Ivar Wigan has worked his way into the Jamaican dancehall communities. Capturing hard partying, domestic life and tranquil landscapes, he portrays all aspects of his subjects' lives, both public and private. Ivar Wigan: Young Love at PM/AM, 259-269 Old Marylebone Road, NW1 5RA. Until 11 September, free. ★★★☆☆ (Monday-Saturday)
Food review: matters of the platter
The seafood platter is a visual flagship for the foodie world; heaped with a kaleidoscope of crustaceans, themselves often strewn over a hill of ice, it is the stuff of still life paintings. The proof, though, will always be in the eating. To mark its 25th birthday, Belgian chain Belgo pulls out all the stops with its Lobsterfest seafood platter. Espresso cups of silky bisque preempt the great wave of fishy delicacies, which, in all honesty, turns out to be a mixed net. While the surprise winner is the grilled mullet (it crumbles creamily in the mouth, and we wanted more), things you'd have thought Belgo would have mastered, are a tad underwhelming. Take the mussels — not as fat or succulent as we'd hoped, and sitting in a rather sorry, semi-spicy broth. The half lobster is good, but again, lacks the buttery bombast you'd expect from a £50 dish. There are more goodies than baddies, but if you're an aficionado of the platter art form, maybe plump for a less extravagant main. Belgo Soho, 29-31 Old Compton Street, W1D 5JR. Lobsterfest menu also available at other London branches. ★★★☆☆ Will Noble
Theatre review: clockwork pork
When Enda Walsh’s Disco Pigs first appeared in 1997, its blend of dense patois, transgressive teens, nocturnal hijinks and contemporary club music made it a sibling of sorts to the previous year’s Trainspotting. Two decades on, this tale of the twisted relationship between Runt and Pig still occasionally packs an emotional punch but runs out of speed midway through. Unlike in Anthony Burgess’ Clockwork Orange, the made-up language here is as about as easy to comprehend as Walsh’s critically-derided flop Lazarusand this play frankly needs actors of a higher calibre than Evanna Lynch and Colin Campbell to surmount these obstacles. Disco Pigs. Trafalgar Studios, 14 Whitehall, SW1A 2DY. £15-£30+£3 transaction fee.★★☆☆☆ Until 18 August
Good cause for the day
STREAK FOR TIGERS: Run around London Zoo naked on a normal day, and you'd probably get in a spot of bother. Do it on 10 August though, and you can raise money for charity while you're at it. Result. London Zoo, £20 with minimum £150 funding, book ahead, 10 August, 7pm
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