Things to do
FASHION FREAK SHOW: Jean Paul Gaultier brings his exuberant Fashion Freak Show to the capital. The fashion designer's theatrical work is a cross between catwalk show and revue, telling the story of his life from childhood and early career through to his greatest fashion shows to date. Southbank Centre, £30-£120, book ahead, 23 July-2 August
JEAN PAUL GAULTIER: Coinciding with the opening night of Fashion Freak Show (above), designer Jean Paul Gaultier himself is in conversation with TV presenter Anita Rani. Hear him talk about his work in the fashion industry, and his latest show. Southbank Centre, £20-£25, book ahead, 6pm
PORTRAIT PAINTING: Ann Witheridge, founder of London Fine Art Studios, creates a live portrait painting of Army veteran Betty Webb MBE. Webb served in the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) from 1941 to 1946, and talks about her life and military career to the audience, while the portrait painting takes place. National Army Museum (Chelsea), £10/£8, book ahead, 6pm-8pm
FRASIER NIGHT: It's less Goodnight Seattle and more hello London at this Frasier night, which marks 15 years since the final episode of the American sitcom aired. Selected episodes are screened, followed by indepth discussions about them, plus there's a quiz and a themed drinks menu. Genesis Cinema (Mile End), £2, book ahead, 6.30pm
CHEESE AND CHAMPAGNE: What a combo! If you've never considered pairing cheese and champagne (no, your Saturday night Quavers + pinot snack doesn't count), get to this masterclass to learn about ideal combinations. Taittinger Champagne is paired with high-quality French cheeses from the region. Riding House Cafe (Fitzrovia), £40, book ahead, 6.30pm-8.30pm
OUTDOOR CINEMA: La La Land is the latest film to be shown for free on an alfresco screen at Wembley Park. Watch Ryan Gosling as Sebastian, a jazz pianist and Emma Stone as Mia, an aspiring actress, as they meet and fall in love while pursuing their dreams in Los Angeles. Wembley Park, free, book ahead, 7pm-10pm
ALL THAT SCRATCH: This curated theatre scratch night gives emerging musical theatre writers and artists a stage to present their work for development and feedback. All performances on the night are recorded and released as a podcast, including interviews with the creatives. The Other Palace (Victoria), £7.50, book ahead, 7pm
FORBIDDEN PLANET: Science Fiction Theatre focuses on 1956 film Forbidden Planet. Before the screening, Dr Glyn Morgan from the Science Museum talks through the history of the film, its innovations, and the works it inspired. The Castle Cinema (Homerton), £10/£8, book ahead, 7pm
PATSY AND QUEENIE: Authors Nicole Dennis-Benn and Candice Carty-Williams discuss their novels Patsy and Queenie with arts critic and editor Lucy Popescu. Patsy tells the story of a woman who moves from Jamaica to America, leaving behind her daughter, to pursue a better life, while Queenie is about navigating contemporary London life as a millennial black woman. Foyles Charing Cross Road, £18/£8/£5, book ahead, 7pm-8pm
POPBITCH QUIZ: Pop culture gossip newsletter Popbitch hosts its regular quiz. Expect to be challenged on all manner of trivia, not just pop culture — although we imagine plenty of that will come up — along with puzzles and music. Prizes include bar tabs and theatre tickets Smiths of Smithfield, £5.50, book ahead, 7.30pm
MOTH STORYSLAM: 'Bold' is the theme of this month's The Moth StorySlam, so get up on stage and tell your own true 5-minute story about a big statement or moment of courage. A panel of judges scores each performance — or if you're not quite bold enough to have a go yourself, sit back and watch other people tell their tales. Rich Mix (Shoreditch), £12, book ahead, 7.30pm
Tube ponderings with Barry Heck
Our resident tube fancier dishes out daily thoughts on the London Underground.
True fact: Gloucester Road station has a waiting room designed specifically for hobbits. It seemed to be locked on my most recent visit. Elf and safety, I suspect. Follow Barry Heck on Twitter @HeckTube. He's usually more interesting than this.
Good cause of the day
Vegan cafe The Canvas near Brick Lane is crowdfunding to redevelop its space to make it even more useful for the local community. Planned changes include improved access for wheelchair users and the hearing impaired, a new community growing project in the garden, and a larger kitchen to allow more meals to be made and stored for the homeless. Find out more and make a donation.
What we're reading
- Why parts of London smell of semen at this time of year.
- London officials ban segregated play areas in future housing developments.
- The broderers of St Paul's.
- Dust levels are causing delays to Crossrail construction at Bond Street.
