Things to do
ROBOT CHEF: Foxdog Studios are a pair of IT professionals-turned-comedians. In their show Robot Chef, the audience can use their phones to get involved in controlling the eponymous robot chef live on stage, cooking dinner on a gas stove and firing a sausage cannon. Soho Theatre, £13, book ahead, 30 January-1 February
MUSHROOMS: The common — and not so common — fungus is the subject of a new Somerset House exhibition. Mushrooms: The art, design and future of fungi contains the work of over 40 artists and musicians, celebrating all aspects of mushrooms, from their psychedelic legacy to their practical use in creating sustainable textiles.Somerset House, free, just turn up, 30 January-26 April
KING CHARLES I CEREMONY: The anniversary of the death of King Charles I — who was executed in 1649 — is marked in a special ceremony by the Society of King Charles The Martyr. It takes place at Banqueting House, the site of the execution, with wreath-laying, prayers, and a religious sermon. Banqueting House (Whitehall), free to watch, just turn up, 11.40am
LIVE MUSIC: Do something different with your lunch break, and enjoy a free concert. Chamber musicians The Galliard Ensemble perform four pieces in a free concert at LSE's Shaw Library. LSE (Holborn), free, just turn up, 1.05pm-2pm
DIGGING UP MILTON: Writer Jennifer Wallace talks about her darkly humorous novel, Digging Up Milton. It's set in 1790, over a century after the death of poet John Milton, and involves his bones, a gravedigger, a lock of hair, and John Keats. Keats House (Hampstead), £4.50, book ahead, 6.30pm-8pm
GRIME BALLET: In what claims to be a world-first event, grime fuses with contemporary dance. The evening consists of performances, talks and workshops looking at the future of both art forms, and the headline event is the debut performance of new piece, London Sketchbook. Boxpark Wembley, £10/£7, book ahead, 6.30pm-11.30pm
PLACENTA: What did your placenta ever do for you? That's the question posed and answered by experts Rosalind Aughwane and Andrew Melbourne. Find out the basics of what the placenta does, and hear about new therapies and technologies focussed on this crucial, if temporary organ. Royal Institution (Mayfair), £16/£10/£7, book ahead, 7pm-8.30pm
TUTANKHAMUN CURSES: Get the lowdown on the three curses of Tutankhamun at a talk and document display.Overwhelming popularity, damaging political blunders, and lingering ancient dark magic are said to be linked to the Egyptian Pharaoh, whose tomb was discovered in the 1920s. (Psst... seen the Tutankhamun exhibition yet?) National Archives (Kew), £12, book ahead, 7.30pm-9pm
LOUIE VEGA: House music icon Louie Vega and his band host an evening of dance, jazz, funk and soul music. Special guests include Zara McFarlane, House Gospel Choir, Tony Momrelle, Anané and Josh Milan. Southbank Centre, £30-£40, book ahead, 7.30pm
OUT-SPOKEN: Regular poetry and live music evening Out-Spoken takes place at Southbank Centre for the first time, with poet Robin Robertson as the headline act. Comic poet Rob Auton and Next Generation poet Jane Ye are also on the bill, with music provided by reggae and soul DJ Sam 'Junior' Bromfield. Southbank Centre, £10, book ahead, 7.45pm
Tube ponderings with Barry Heck
Our resident tube fancier dishes out daily thoughts on the London Underground.
It's well known that celebrity couple Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones share a birthday, 25 September (albeit separated by 25 years). Less well known is that Debden tube station also celebrates its anniversary on that date, along with Tower Hill, Ickenham, Epping and Theydon Bois. This is the most pointless fact you will learn all week.
Follow Barry on Twitter @HeckTube. He does get more interesting than this, he really does.
Good cause of the day
There's still to sign up to the Walkie Talkie Tower Climb on 29 February — and you can do so at a reduced fee until 31 January. Get sponsored to climb 36 floors (896 steps) in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity. Find out more and sign up.
What we're reading
- A decade of London in Google Street View.
- The Migration Museum has opened in Lewisham Shopping Centre.
- London's legs on the tube — in pictures.
- London's rail and tube map is out of control.
