Things To Do Today In London: Thursday 1 June 2017

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Things to do today is sponsored by London South East Colleges.

Southbank Sinfonia at Waterloo Festival

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Things to do

WATERLOO FESTIVAL: Waterloo is celebrating its seventh annual festival and this year's theme is Sacred Spaces. Feast your eyes on art exhibitions, lunchtime and evening concerts, dance, poetry, debate and its first sustainable flower festival. St John's Waterloo, both free and book ahead events, 10am-6pm

SPOKEN WORD: Get the kids' imaginations fired up at Roundhouse's half term 2-day workshop that will help develop skills in creative writing and performance, and grow confidence. Led by experienced artists, 7-11 year olds will explore themes of home, family and community, then perform the work they create in front of friends and family. Roundhouse, Chalk Farm Road, £5, book ahead, 10am-5pm

TRUCK-TASTIC: It's London Food Month and Westfield London is kicking things off with the launch of a Food Truck Festival. Taste flavours and dishes from some of London’s best food trucks as well as sampling an array of new concept food from the centre’s restaurants. Westfield London (Shepherd's Bush), free, just turn up, 12pm-8.30pm (and until 4 June)

Twelfth Night at St Mary Aldermanbury's Garden

POETRY FOR MANCHESTER: The Poetry Society is hosting an open mic as a celebration of Manchester, and poets are invited to bring poems on that theme. As the symbol for Manchester is a ‘bee’, bee poems are also welcome. St-Giles-in-the-Fields (60 St Giles High Street), free, just turn up, 3pm-5pm

FINANCIAL CRISIS: The last in a series of talks on the aftermath of the financial crisis, Professor Jagjit Chadha will be talking about what the policy responses should be. Barnard's Inn Hall, free, just turn up, 6pm-7pm

TWELFTH NIGHT: Witness an inventive take on Shakespeare’s comedy play Twelfth Night. Expect all manner of musical instruments to get involved and if you get down early you can see Guildhall Library’s copy of the play’s First Folio, dating back to 1623. St Mary Aldermanbury’s Garden, £14/£12.50/£10, book ahead, 6pm for the First Folio, performance starts 7pm

HOUSE PARTY: Forget your midweek blues with a night of hilarity, stories, and mischief at Thom Foole's House Party. With absurd character comedy acts, cabaret performances and DJs, prepare for an evening full of surprises. Upstairs at The Old Queens Head, 44 Essex Rd, £8, book ahead, 7pm - 11pm

PLAY THAT SAX: Alan Barnes and Tony Kofi, two of the greatest saxophone players anywhere, will be blowing away their audience with some hard swinging jazz in a special evening performance. Lauderdale House, £12/£10/£7, book ahead, 8.30pm  


Sponsor message

Are you the next Van Gogh or Jamie Oliver?

Curious about how to make a decent curry? Always wanted to give bricklaying a go? Want to get to grips with DIY or perhaps you’d like to flex your creative muscles. Whatever you want to learn, one of the adult short courses at Greenwich Adult & Community Learning will be right up your street.

With everything from first aid to ceramics, coaching, creative writing to make-up, there are plenty of classes to add a string to your bow and make your CV stand out. Greenwich Adult & Community Learning are also one of the few places that have their own darkroom, so if you think you’re a bit of a pro with a camera, this is the place to take on a photography course.

Courses run in Greenwich, Eltham, Woolwich and other locations in Greenwich – take a look at the full range of opportunities here.


Art review: lighting up a new gallery

Work by Adolf Luther. Image courtesy Art Circle.

A new, high quality pop-up gallery has appeared in Mayfair, in an upstairs warehouse-style space. Particularly effective is Adolf Luther’s 1960s work that uses a smoke machine and concave mirrors to give light the illusion of appearing solid. Focusing Room is at ArtCircle, 48 Albemarle Street, W1S 4DH. Until 30 June, free. ★★★★☆ (Monday-Friday)

Food review: Korean street food

On The Bab's queue out the door is well deserved with their high quality Korean street food delivering on both taste and style. Their menu holds all the tried and tested favourites that you’d expect to see at the bustling market stalls of South Korea: top-notch toppoki, colourful bibimbap, delicate bulgogi and comforting jjigae. Their chimaek (yangyum chicken and beer) is an experience not to be missed, considering the amazing dispenser full of the ice cold beverage they bring to your table. Top tip: bring friends for an excuse to try every flavour of chicken on the menu. On the Bab, 33 Wellington Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 7BD. ★★★★★ Eleana Overett

Theatre review: game on

Skilfully performed as three interconnected monologues, Killology uses the subject of brutal video games to examine father/son relationships, violence and revenge. Like the writer’s award-winning Iphigenia in Splott, it’s also a tightly scripted, layered and compassionate social commentary about a section of society rarely depicted. Author Gary Owens is one to watch as alternate reality and truth merge and the audience is played with too. Killology, The Royal Court Theatre, Sloane Square, SW1W 8AS, £15-30 until 24 June 2017 ★★★★★ (Mondays to Saturdays) Chris Bridges

Good cause for the day

Walk 50km to raise funds for Dimbleby Cancer Care

FIFTY KILOMETRES: Join Dimbleby Cancer Care in raising vital funds for improving the lives of people with cancer. Walk a 50km dusk-dawn route through central London, starting at St Thomas' Hospital, taking in the sights along the way and finally ending at Guy's Hospital. St Thomas' Hospital, £20 per person, £300 minimum fundraising target, book ahead, 9-10 June

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