Things To Do Today In London: Thursday 19 September 2019

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Hear from Philippa Perry

Things to do

LONDON DESIGN FAIR: 550 exhibitors from 36 countries, including independent designers and established brands come together for London Design Fair. Exhibitions, talks and workshops all feature on the programme. Old Truman Brewery (Brick Lane), £12.50, book ahead, 19-22 September

POO BERGERS: The Bureau of Silly Ideas pops up with fun and games to mark the 200th birthday of Sir Joseph Bazalgette, the engineer responsible for the construction of London's sewers. Play with water, pipes, smells and sewers at the free, family-friendly event. Aldgate Square, free, just turn up, 19-22 September

AGE OF ANXIETY: Science Gallery opens a new exhibition about living in an age of anxiety. Artists and scientists have worked together to create works based on different experiences of anxiety, including the effects of sleep, and experiences of anxiety through sound and light. Science Gallery (London Bridge), free, just turn up, 19 September-19 January

London Design Fair begins today

PROTECT AND SURVIVE: Join a curator for a tour of the current Protect and Survive exhibition, which focuses on the Cold War. Learn about the impact the conflict had on Britain, both on top government officials and everyday citizens. National Archives (Kew), free, book ahead, 3pm-4pm

MUSICAL OPENINGS: Beethoven, Wagner and Debussy are among the classical composers who nailed the art of the memorable music opening —  but how did they do it? Music lecturer Jeremy Summerly gives a free talk about impressive music introductions from various historical periods. Barnard's Inn Hall (Holborn), free, just turn up, 6pm-7pm

CITY PAVEYARDS: Graveyards — or indeed, paveyards — may not be the obvious place to spend your Thursday evening, but this Cemetery Club tour promises to make them interesting. Learn about the history of these paveyards, including the headstones which used to reside there, and finish up with a little-known music hall song. Christchurch Greyfriars Gardens (St Paul's), £12/£10, book ahead, 6.15pm-8pm

Learn about London's sewers

DAGENHAM WOMEN ON STRIKE: Hear writer Luan Goldie read her short story about the Dagenham Ford Factory women’s workers strike, taken from new book Resist: Stories of Uprising. Hear about the 1968 strike — since made into a film and musical — from the point of view of someone who was there. LSE (Holborn), free, book ahead, 6.30pm-8pm

CLAY WORKSHOP: Learn the art of pottery from the masters — the Royal Society of Sculptors. This London Design Festival workshop covers the basics of working with clay, including throwing miniature porcelain ceramic works on a small wheel, and decorating them with coloured slips. Your work is fired in an electric kiln after the event and posted to you. Royal Society of Sculptors (South Kensington), £60, book ahead, 7pm-9pm

PHILIPPA PERRY: Psychotherapist and author Philippa Perry is live on stage discussing our relationships with our children. Eliminating the notion of a 'perfect parent', she focuses on what the really important parts of parenting are, and what to avoid. Southbank Centre, £15-£25, book ahead, 7.30pm

NINA SIMONE: Theatre show Black Is The Colour Of My Voice is a tribute to Nina Simone. It follows a successful jazz singer and civil rights activist, from young piano prodigy to life at the forefront of the Civil Rights Movement. ArtsDepot (North Finchley), from £12, book ahead, 7.30pm

COMEDY GOLD: Eshaan Akbar headlines a night of comedy at Usain Bolt's restaurant. Support comes from a host of other stand-up comedians including Hubert Mayr, Alexandra Haddow, Saida Azmat and Josh Weller. Tracks & Records (Spitalfields), £12.50, book ahead, 7.30pm-10.30pm

Tube ponderings with Barry Heck

Our resident tube fancier dishes out daily thoughts on the London Underground.

Did you know that the Isle of Wight has its own tube line... sort of. The Island line runs entirely overground around the east coast of the island, but it uses old rolling stop from London Underground. At the time of writing, the carriages in use are — staggeringly — pre-war 1938 tube stock. However, these will soon be replaced by updated D78 units from LU... which are only about 40 years old. Follow Barry on Twitter @HeckTube. Go on. He gets a bit lonely.

Good cause of the day

Head to Union Chapel tonight for an evening of menstrual-centred comedy, hosted by Jen Brister. Felicity Ward, Josie Long, Sophie Duker, Bridget Christie, Rosie Jones, Rose Matafeo and Ingrid Dahle all appear, raising money for period poverty charity Bloody Good Period. Find out more and book tickets.

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