Things to do this week is sponsored by St Paul's Cathedral.
All week
QUEER EAST: Asian LGBTQ+ film festival Queer East continues at venues across London this week. Highlights include the UK premiere of What Happened To The Wolf?, about two women who meet in a hospital, and Memento Mori, a Korean horror film from the late 1990s. Until 30 April
SUPERNOVA: Though it only ran for three nights at this year's VAULT Festival, Supernova — about a girl, a boy, and an unhealthy obsession with space — was a big hit, and now it's settling in for a few weeks at Omnibus Theatre. No excuse not to catch it this time. 25 April-13 May
VINTAGE ANIMATION: Four Legs Good, Two Legs Bad: The Extraordinary Animaland of Arthur Humberstone is a new exhibition at the Horse Hospital in Bloomsbury, looking at the work of the late British animator. Famed for work such as Animal Farm, Yellow Submarine, Watership Down and The BFG. Entrance by donation and prebook. Until 5 May
ANDY WARHOL: The fabulous Fashion & Textile Museum in Bermondsey currently has an exhibition dedicated to pop artist Andy Warhol. See some of his textiles designs from when he worked as a commercial designer in the 1950s-60s, with patterns featuring objects including ice creams, buttons and... clowns. Until 10 September
LOST EAST END: The current exhibition at Oxford House in Bethnal Green is Lost East End, a display of photographs from the 1970s by local photographer Philip Cunningham. Depicting people, places and community activism, some of these photos haven't been seen for almost 50 years. FREE, until 27 October
CORONATION AFTERNOON TEAS: It won't have escaped your notice that there's a coronation coming up, and plenty of restaurants and hotels are celebrating early with special regal-themed afternoon tea menus. If tucking into teeny crowns, orbs and sceptres appeals to you, get booking, as most places will likely be sold out for the coronation week itself.
BANK HOLIDAY: This weekend and next are both bank holidays, so probably worth bookmarking our guide to spending bank holiday weekend in London. We've covered walking tours, cycling routes, secret gardens, sporting endeavours, pubs, Sunday roasts, family-friendly activities, and plenty more.
BLUEBELLS: Out with the pink and in with the blue, as cherry blossom season gives way to bluebell season. The lilac hues usually crank up a notch towards the end of April and into May, as bluebell season takes hold. Here are the best places to find bluebells in and around London.
THEATRE OF THE WEEK: From live music to magic, Millfield Theatre in Edmonton always has something to delight audiences. This week's a good one for the rockers: on 29 April, Queen tribute The Bohemians are playing all the classics, while on 30 April, the Johnny Cash Roadshow moseys onto the stage.
BAR OF THE WEEK: Secretive City cellar bar Discount Suit Company has launched a new menu of cocktails for spring, including Mr Susan, a Japanese inspired pisco sour, made with plum sake, black sesame and crème de noyaux.
Monday 24 April
LAST CHANCE ABBEY: Today is the last chance to visit Westminster Abbey before it closes to prepare for the coronation on 6 May, and unfortunately, entry tickets to see the main Abbey including Poets' Corner, the Royal Tombs, the grave of the Unknown Warrior and the Diamond Jubilee Galleries are already sold out. HOWEVER, follow our guide to visiting parts of the Abbey, including the Cloisters and College Gardens, for free, no ticket required — it's completely above board, but today's also your last chance to do so before the coronation. FREE, 9.30am-4pm
ONE FINE MORNING: Barbican Cinema hosts a Parent & Baby Screening of One Fine Morning, a 2022 French film (with English subtitles) about a widowed mother, her father, and her lover. It's for parents and carers with a baby in tow, and has lower sound and higher lighting levels that usual film screenings. Find other baby-friendly events for grown-ups in London. 11.15am
LONDON EMBIGGENED: Should London get bigger? That's the divisive question at the heart of tonight's free London Society debate. Join a panel of London experts to hear about the pros and cons of an expanded capital. FREE, 6.30pm
WRITING ABOUT ART: Want to know how to get into writing about art? Londonist's own art editor Tabish Khan appears on a panel, alongside author Ruth Millington, Sarah Bolwell of The Burlington Magazine, and art-critic comedian Verity Babbs, discussing the different ways of writing about art, the sort of jobs it can lead to, and who decides what gets published. 7pm
COMEDY BY CANDLELIGHT: The Sam Wanamaker Playhouse at Shakespeare's Globe hosts an evening of comedy by candlelight, featuring Luke Kempner and Pierre Novellie, who both offer previews of their Edinburgh shows this year. 7.30pm
HAPPY MONDAYS COMEDY: Alternatively, get your laughs over at the Amersham Arms in New Cross, where the regular Happy Mondays Comedy takes place. Steve Hall, Stefano Paolini and Sadia Azmat are among those on the schedule this week. 8pm
Tuesday 25 April
SWEENEY TODD: A new production of Sweeney Todd comes to the stage at Wilton's Music Hall this week. With an orchestra of ten musicians, and music penned by British opera composers of the Victorian age, it tells the story of Fleet Street's infamous barber as it would have been told originally, at the nearby Britannia Theatre in Hoxton. 25-29 April
MARYLEBONE FOOD FESTIVAL: Good news for London's foodies: Marylebone Food Festival is back, featuring masterclasses, tasting menus, supper clubs and tours — all celebrating the area's food and drink businesses. Taste your way through coffee, chocolate, gin, tequila and mezcal, tour a farmers' market, or learn how to decorate cakes or whip up a Sunday lunch. 25-30 April
ABOUT TIME: Author David Rooney is at Stanfords in Covent Garden to discuss his new book, About Time: A History of Civilization In Twelve Clocks. He explores the history of timekeeping and how it's shaped our world — better not be late for this one, then. 6.30pm-8pm
BEASTLY: Author Keggie Carew chats to wildlife presenter Kate Humble about her new book, Beastly. The online event looks back on 40,000-years of human-animal relationships, and is well-timed to coincide with the British Library's new exhibition, Animals: Art, Science and Sound. 7pm-8.30pm
BRIXTON WINE CLUB: It's Tuesday night and you deserve a drink so head to Effra Social for Brixton Wine Club. It's a wine tasting event for anyone (18+, obviously), whether you're already a connoisseur, or don't know the first thing about wine. Your ticket gets you a flight of five wines, plus the accompanying tasting sheet, guided by a sommelier. 7.30pm
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St Paul's Cathedral commemorates Sir Christopher Wren
This year marks 300 years since the death of Sir Christopher Wren — polymath and architect, most famous for building St Paul's Cathedral. Naturally, his magnum opus is marking the occasion, with a new exhibition celebrating his life and work.
Christopher Wren: The Quest for Knowledge uses materials from St Paul's Cathedral's extensive archives to explore Wren's early life and career, showcasing his lesser-known achievements in mathematics, astronomy and physiology. The design and building of the Cathedral is covered too, with drawings, photographs and historical objects personal to Wren himself on show.
The exhibition is part of a whole series of events, talks and activities across the year to commemorate Wren 300.
Christopher Wren: The Quest for Knowledge opens in the Crypt at St Paul's Cathedral on 27 April, and it's included in the sightseeing admission price.
Wednesday 26 April
LONDON BENGALI FILM FESTIVAL: The 6th London Bengali Film Festival kicks off today, with the UK premiere of The Golden Wings of Watercocks shown at Barbican Cinema, accompanied by a talk by director Muhammad Quayum. It's the story of the livelihoods and struggles of the peasant rice farmers living in Bangladesh's marshland regions. Other screenings take place at various venues throughout this week. 26-30 April
CARIBBEAN INFLUENCERS: As part of Croydon's tenure as London Borough of Culture, catch Citizen UK: Caribbean Influencers, a free exhibition at the Museum of Croydon. It explores the stories and influence of Croydon residents who have shaped the borough through their Caribbean roots, but are often uncredited or underrepresented, including the Metropolitan Police’s first female Black police officer, Sislin Fay Allen, sibling champion boxers Clinton and Duke McKenzie, and Jamaican musician Desmond Dekker. FREE, 10.30am-3.30pm, every Wednesday and Friday until 18 June
GARDEN OF VICE: Guildhall Library offers a walking tour around Covent Garden area, focusing on its history from Anglo-Saxon times to the present day, via monks, vegetables, Punch & Judy, and cafe culture. 11am-1pm
THAMES FUTURE: Museum of London Docklands hosts a panel of experts to discuss the future of the River Thames. Find out about the history of pollution in the river, and whether it's too late to reverse the damage done. Plus, ask your questions to Joe Pecorelli, Project Manager at Zoological Society of London; Vanessa Taylor, Senior Lecturer in Environmental History at the University of Greenwich; and Charlie Wood, Area Director for London at the Environment Agency. 6.30pm
LAUGH TRAIN HOME: MC Ben Van Der Velde is at the tiller for a night of chuckles at Laugh Train Home at Four Thieves in Battersea, feat. Peter Flanagan, Kae Kurd, Ed Kear and Dee Allum. 8.30pm-10.30pm
Thursday 27 April
EXPLORE CRYSTAL PALACE: Join guide Richard Watkins for a tour of the Crystal Palace triangle and the streets around it. 2.30pm
NURSING BEYOND BORDERS: The Royal College of Nursing stays open late for a free evening of talks and activities on the theme of international nursing. Hear about the lives and careers of British nurses internationally, find out why so many British nurses were enquiring about working abroad in the 1960s, and tour a new resource showcasing the international achievements of British nurses. FREE, 5.30pm-8pm
BLOODIED VICTORIANS: Following its reopening last week, the Old Operating Theatre hosts a museum late, offering a chance to see the displays and exhibitions after hours. Enjoy special talks, take part in interactive experiences (details being kept under wraps, but not too interactive we hope, given the setting), or simply enjoy a drink in the Apothecary Bar. 6pm-8.30pm
TRAID FUNDRAISER: Charity shop TRAID Dalston stays open late for a fundraising event to mark the 10 year anniversary of the Rana Plaza garment factory collapse in Bangladesh. The takings from every sale made will be donated directly to the Bangladesh Centre for Worker’s Solidarity, and the event also includes a live DJ and activism embroidery and print workshop. Everyone's encouraged to bring along a piece of clothing to donate too. 6pm-9pm
CARIBBEAN COOKING: TV chef and former singer Andi Oliver is at Southbank Centre for the launch of her debut cookbook, The Pepperpot Diaries: Stories From My Caribbean Table. She chats with her daughter, TV presenter Miquita Oliver, about the food she grew up eating, and her journey towards writing her first cookbook. 7.30pm
LONDON BY GASLIGHT: Join Footprints of London guide Jane Parker for a walking tour around central London, from Victoria to Covent Garden via The Mall, following an evocative trail of gas-powered street lighting. Take a look at some of London's more charming street lights before they're modernised and lose their soft glow. 8pm-10pm
Friday 28 April
CHARITY GUIDED WALKS: Westminster has a new cohort of guides! This year's graduates from the City of Westminster Guide Lectures Association will be taking to the streets today, Saturday and Sunday to present their favourite walks. Today's are a walk along the canal with Lesley Mcalpine (11am) and a stride along the Strand with David Lloyd. Ticket sales from the walks will be donated to charity. Check the website for details of walks over all three days. 28-30 April
**Speaking of tour guides, we hear that Lambeth Tour Guides are now booking for places on their September course at Morley College, where you'll learn to become a professional tour guide.
KOREAN DANCE FESTIVAL: The annual Festival of Korean Dance is back at The Place in Euston from Friday. The opening performance is a double bill by the Korea National Contemporary Dance Company; Mechanism by Jaeyoung Lee and Everything Falls Dramatic by Sung Im Her. 28 April-11 May
AUGUST IN ENGLAND: Lenny Henry makes his playwriting debut — and also performs — in August in England, which focuses on lives affected by the Windrush Scandal. It's the story of August Henderson, who faces the prospect of deportation back to a country he has no memory of living in. See it at Bush Theatre from today. 28 April-10 June
CORONATION HISTORY: The National Archives team up with Westminster Abbey for a look at the history of the pageantry connected with royal coronations. It's an online talk, using records dating back as far as the 12th century, looking at how the celebrations have changed through time. See other coronation-themed events in London over the next couple of weeks. 2pm
THIS IS ELVIS: Singer Ben Portsmouth brings his Elvis Presley tribute act This Is Elvis to Fairfield Halls in Croydon. He was crowned Worldwide Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist at a special event in Memphis in 2012, so it should be a good show. Doors 7pm
FREE LIVE MUSIC: Every Friday night, Poplar Union stays open late for the Friday Sessions, a free-entry evening of live music in the cafe. Tonight, The Grand Union Re:Generation Band — a collective of musicians who met, grew and trained through The Grand Union Orchestra — perform pieces of music from various world traditions. FREE, 7.30pm
RU PAUL'S DRAG RACE: All 12 Queens from series four of RuPaul's Drag Race UK appear at the Royal Albert Hall tonight, as part of the show's UK tour. Brace yourself for a raucous evening in the company ofBaby, Black Peppa, Cheddar Gorgeous, Copper Top, Dakota Schiffer, Jonbers Blonde, Just May, Le Fil, Pixie Polite, Sminty Drop, Starlet and reigning winner Danny Beard. 8pm
Saturday 29 April
HISTORY FEST: Rupert Everett and Lucy Worsley are two of the guest speakers at HistFest 2023, a weekend of history talks at the British Library. Topics range from Oscar Wilde to Indigenous Americans to Agatha Christie. 29-30 April
CANALWAY CAVALCADE: If you go down to the canal over the May Day bank holiday, you're in for a big surprise. Dozens of canal boats moor up in Little Venice for the Canalway Cavalcade, a vibrant festival with live music, children's activities and boat-based fun. FREE, 29 April-1 May
EID CELEBRATIONS: Trafalgar Square is the setting for Eid in the Square, London's official Eid celebration to mark the end of Ramadan for the Muslim community. FREE, 29 April. Meanwhile, Westfield in Shepherd's Bush hosts London Eid, the largest Eid celebration in Europe, with Halal street food stalls, in-store activities, shopping stalls, live entertainment, and more. FREE ENTRY, 29 April-1 May
LEYTONSTONE LOVES FILM: Barbican Cinema decamps over to Good Shepherd Studios in Leytonstone on Saturday, for a day of activities, workshops and film screenings. It's part of the Leytonstone Loves Film series of events, celebrating the cinema industry in the local area — it was Alfred Hitchcock's birthplace, so they know a thing or two about the big screen. FREE, 11am
STANLEY TUCCI: Actor Stanley Tucci makes a one-off appearance at the Royal Albert Hall, in an event raising money for food bank The Trussell Trust. With a special guest host (TBC) he discusses his career, recipes from his bestselling book Taste, and growing up in an Italian American family. 7.30pm
FROM GOLD TO RIO: Why be the tribute act of one band, when you can be two? From Gold to Rio perform the hits of both Spandau ballet and Duran Duran at the Broadway Barking tonight — in short, this is the jackpot for Duranies Spandies! 8pm
00S VS 10S PARTY: Dance the night away to tunes from two specific decades, at the Club de Fromage 00s vs 10s party. Taking place at O2 Academy Islington, it's a cheesy club night playing songs by the likes of Britney, Justin Timberlake, Beyonce, Lady Gaga, High School Musical, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Daft Punk, The Greatest Showman, One Direction, Dua Lipa and more with singalongs, confetti cannons, and other entertainment thrown in. 10.30pm-3.30am
1991:If your tastes are a tad more retro, Call It A Year: 1991 at Hackney's MOTH Club might suit your mood — as the name suggests, they're spinning tracks from that one year only, feat. the likes of Madonna, the Manics, Blur and Kylie. 11pm
Sunday 30 April
BLACKHORSE BEER MILE: Frankly any Sunday is good for a spot of brewery hopping around the Blackhorse Beer Mile, but this one's extra special — it's the one-year anniversary, and eight venues (including Renegade Urban Winery for the non-hopheads) are celebrating with tasting sessions, food, games and DJs. Check individual websites for opening times
GATHERING OF GEEZERS: This month's Sunday opening at Whitewebbs Museum in Enfield isn't a normal one. A 'Gathering of Geezers' is scheduled to take place in the grounds, with over 30 'hot rod' classic cars on display, and live music from Rockabilly Radio. The transport museum is open too — here's an idea of what to expect. 10am-4pm
VINTAGE KILO SALE: Refresh your wardrobe at the Brixton Vintage Kilo Sale, where you can shop for vintage clothes and accessories by weight. Head to Lambeth Town Hall to browse through up to 9 tonnes of goods, then pay for your picks at a cost of £20 per kilo, no minimum (or maximum) spend. 10am-4pm
CITY BURIALS: Join Caroline Swan (London tour guide and author of the Flickering Lamps blog) on a tour of the burial grounds on the western edge of the City of London, taking in 2,000 years of history and providing a new perspective on some of the City's most familiar landmarks. 11am
HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS: American exhibition basketball team the Harlem Globetrotters bounce their way into The O2 for a lively showcase of basketball skills, including plenty of jump shots, slam dunks and half-court hook shots. Door 6pm
WEST END DOES HOLLYWOOD: End your month on a lively note with West End Does: Hollywood at Cadogan Hall. Pretty much does what it says on the tin: performers from the West End stage (Come From Away, Six, Jesus Christ Superstar) tackling tunes from Hollywood films. 6.30pm
TEST MATCH SPECIAL: BBC Radio 5 cricket programme Test Match Special takes place live at Southbank Centre tonight — and it's an Ashes special. Presenter Jonathan ‘Aggers’ Agnew and Australia legend Glenn McGrath share stories, memories, and predictions ahead of the Ashes this summer, with a chance to ask them your questions too. 7.30pm
LOVE IN MIND: Tomorrow's Warriors, Chineke! Orchestra and the National Children's Orchestras of Great Britain are on the bill for Love in Mind at the Southbank Centre, the launch of a new trust supporting the mental wellbeing of young creatives. 7.30pm
Urban oddity of the week
Speaking of Christopher Wren (see sponsor message), did you know that part of one of his churches is hidden on a housing estate in south London? Close to Forest Hill library lurks the 330-year-old spire to St Antholin's. It once stood in the Square Mile, but was transported to its unlikely new home in 1850, when local businessman Robert Harrild saved it from demolition. Harrild's house is now itself long gone, and the spire is surrounded by housing. We told the full story in a previous article.
Good cause of the week
Join Parkinson’s UK on the runway for Catwalk to a Cure, a star-studded fashion and entertainment show at Proud Embankment, London on Tuesday 16 May 2023. Curated by model and influencer Charlotte Edwards, Catwalk to a Cure will see models living with Parkinson’s take to the runway, along with a range of acts. Tickets are available from £30 and money raised will help raise vital funds for Parkinson’s UK.
