Things To Do This Weekend In London: 17-18 November 2018

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Things to do this weekend is sponsored by Southbank Centre.

All weekend

Immerse yourself in traditions old and new at Hyper Japan

BITA VAKILI: Check out Bita Vakili's solo exhibition to see why her work made her the most expensive female artist in the Middle East. Her works features incredible detail and mixed-media pieces. CAMA Gallery (Westminster), free, just turn up, 15 November-17 December

HYPER JAPAN: Celebrate all things Japanese at the largest showcase in the UK. Immersive exhibition Hyper Japan boasts cosplay, anime, Harajuku fashion, traditional culture and plenty of sake. Olympia, £19-£52, book ahead, 16-18 November

WRITE IDEA: This east London literary bonanza brings together top speakers like Michael Rosen, New Statesman editor Jason Cowley and Viv Albertine for a weekend of talks, workshops and plenty of storytelling. Best of all, it's totally free. Idea Store (Whitechapel), free, book ahead, 16-18 November

CHINESE DESIGN: Head to this pop-up for a slice of designer heaven from a showcase of 32 leading Eastern brands that fuse Chinese aesthetics with contemporary design. 9 Shorts Gardens (Covent Garden), free, just turn up, 16-25 November

JAZZ FESTIVAL: Catch a show at the EFG London Jazz Festival. Events take place around London, but Southbank Centre is one of the hubs, hosting acclaimed artists and brand new talent paying homage to all things jazz. Southbank Centre, various prices (many free shows), book ahead, 16-25 November

WINTERVILLE: This Christmas festival in Clapham Common opens this weekend, bringing an ice rink, funfair, market, food stalls and more to south London. Entry prices vary, booking required for some attractions, 15 November-23 December

ICE SKATING: Plenty of London's seasonal ice rinks are now open, including Natural History Museum, Canary Wharf, Somerset House and John Lewis. Here's our complete guide to ice skating in London this winter.

Saturday 17 November

See the best in British variety through BSL

BOOK CLEARANCE: The Amnesty International book clearance is back, helping charity and bank balances by packing shelves to the rafters with high-quality books at bargain prices. Get ready to rummage and read to your heart's content. Church of the Ascension (Blackheath), free, just turn up, 10am-4pm

OKIDO: The OKIDO team are at Winterville to explain why things fall down instead of up and why we aren't all flying off into space. Learn science with the little ones at this interactive workshop exploring all things gravity. Winterville (Clapham), £5-£8, book ahead, 11am-12.30pm

HEDGEFEST: Get down at a music fest in aid of our favourite prickly friends. Expect face painting, spoken word and hedgehog themed cocktails, along with plenty of music and the proceeds go towards keeping urban hogs roaming. Sebright Arms (Hackney), free (donations encouraged), just turn up, 12pm

STORIES FROM EL SALVADOR: Experience Spanish storytelling and Salvadoran food tasting at an awareness raising afternoon centred on saving the Latin Village and preserving its rich cultural heritage. Seven Sisters Indoor Market (Seven Sisters), free, book ahead, 12pm-2pm

JORDAN MATTER: Meet legendary dance photographer and YouTube sensation Jordan Matter during the launch of his Born To Dance book, containing bold images of incredible dance feats from young people. Danceworks (Mayfair), free, just turn up, 3.30pm-5.30pm

COMEDY SHOW: Comedians Maddie Campion and Nathan Roberts test out new material to see exactly which jokes hit and which ones miss at this work in progress show. The Bill Murray (Islington), £3.50, book ahead, 4.30pm-6pm

PAINT JAM: Practice your paint skills at this Bauhaus-themed arty workshop. Set in a secret location, it's a quirky and sociable night of getting creative, with all art materials, a bar and DJ set provided to get you going. Secret Venue (announced to ticket holders by email), £30-£35, book ahead, 7pm-10pm

FILM CLUB: The Video Art Film Club is back and they’re showing eye-popping experimental movies and the best in homegrown talent. Three screens and plenty of popcorn make this culture night an absolute star. Leyden Gallery (Liverpool Street), £8, book ahead, 7pm-10pm

TUNED IN: Get swept away at a night of Nordic folk music, featuring the incredible sounds of singer songwriters Ösp Eldjarn, Helga Ragnarsdottir and Elimarit. The Lodge (Rotherhithe), £8-£14, book ahead, 7.45pm

BSL VARIETY: A text-based show combining drag artists, spoken word, masters of puns and BSL poets, What Words Are Ours? is bringing variety back with a bang. Roundhouse (Camden), £10, book ahead, 8pm-10pm


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Rumpelstiltskin gets a rocking revamp

Bragging fathers, big promises, and an imp that can spin straw into gold... we all know how the famous fairy tale goes. But we're betting you haven't seen Rumpelstiltskin like this before.

Aussie singer and cabaret legend Paul Capsis stars as our eponymous antihero in a supremely silly reimagining of the Brothers Grimm classic, which has its UK premiere at the Southbank Centre on 13 December. With rocking music, lavish costumes, and a spectacular set - not to mention mayhem aplenty - it's the perfect Christmas treat for all the family.

See Rumpelstiltskin at the Southbank Centre, 13 December-6 January. Tickets start at £20 and can be bought here.


Sunday 18 November

Destress at a club making ironing cool

MIDCENTURY MODERN: Missed out last time? Never fear! Midcentury Modern has returned to spread the interior décor joy it has in droves with a Dulwich College takeover spanning 85 top furniture dealers. It’s less rough, more diamonds. Dulwich College (Dulwich), £5-£9, book ahead, 10am-4pm

ENCHANTED CHRISTMAS FAIR: Feeling festive yet? A visit to Chelsea Old Town Hall's magical shopping wonderland will sort you out. As well as beautiful gifts, there's face-painting, yuletide grub and operatic renditions of your top Christmas bangers. Better yet, Londonist readers get free entry with the code XMASFAIR. Chelsea Old Town Hall (Chelsea), free with code, book ahead, 10am-6pm (sponsor)

IRONING CLUB: Touted as the oldest way to relax, and pipping yoga and meditation to the post in the calming pass time stakes, The Ironing Club teaches crease gliding moves and deep breathing amongst the smell of fresh laundry. Don your comfiest clothes and get cracking. Hilton Garden Inn (Heathrow), free, book ahead, 11.30am-12pm

BLITZ WALK: See how the Blitz effected London on a stroll through the streets destroyed during the second world war, take in monuments ransacked and restored, plus new additions that form part of the rebuilding of our far more spacious city. Moorgate Station, £9-£12, book ahead, 11.30am-1.30pm

LIVE MUSIC: Witness one of the finest New Orleans music makers at an intimate afternoon concert with Diz 'Honey Bear' Watson, as part of the EFG London Jazz Festival. Hideaway (Streatham), £10, book ahead, 12pm-4pm

MURDER MYSTERY THEATRE: Create your very own Agatha Christie-inspired masterpiece before watching it all come to life on stage courtesy of the hilarious team Degrees of Error. Improv meets murder mystery with plenty of audience participation at Murder, She Didn’t Write. Leicester Square Theatre (Leicester Square), £15, book ahead, 4pm-5.40pm

A CHRISTMAS CAROL: Forget being a Scrooge, hear an enchanting retelling of A Christmas Carol by the great man's grandson, Gerald Dickens. The classic festive tale is read in the atmospheric surrounds of Kenwood House, giving it a truly Christmas-y vibe. Kenwood House (Hampstead), £20, book ahead, 6pm-7.30pm and 8.30pm-10pm

DARK RIVER: Relish in a spine-chilling evening of entertainment as you get acquainted with the ghosts of the River Thames, as told by storytellers Olivia Armstrong, George Hoyle and Vanessa Woolf aboard the Cutty Sark. The Cutty Sark (Greenwich), £15, book ahead, 7pm

DALLAHAN: Catch Dallahan for their Smallworld album release tour, playing songs old and new that blend jazz, funk, pop and folk for a seamless musical montage. The Slaughtered Lamb (Clerkenwell), £10, book ahead, 7.30pm