Things to do
LONDON ART FAIR: The capital's art scene swings into action for the year at the London Art Fair. Focus is on modern and contemporary pieces, with galleries from all over London and beyond exhibiting. There's an impressive programme of talks and tours too, including a look at art in science and technology. Business Design Centre (Islington), various prices, book ahead, 22-26 January
MACBETH: A new interpretation of Shakespeare's Macbeth begins today. The energetic production of the tragic play features a soundtrack of songs by the likes of Johnny Cash, The xx and The Rolling Stones. Wilton's (Limehouse), £10-£29, book ahead, 22 January-8 February
LIGHTOPIA: Lightopia — the new incarnation of the Magical Lantern Festival — comes to Chiswick House & Gardens. Acrobats, musicians and three-storey high lanterns all feature, and the festival has an interactive element too, with a button on the floor that can be stepped on to control music, and a tree surrounded by drums which can be used to change its colour. Chiswick House and Gardens, £20/£13, book ahead, 22 January-1 March
CARS: Brendan Cormier, curator of Cars: Accelerating the Modern World, gives a free talk about the development of the exhibition. Find out why some of the specific vehicles were chosen to feature in the exhibition, due to the impact they had on the world of motoring. V&A Museum (South Kensington), free, just turn up, 1pm-1.45pm
GRIDLOCKED: With increasing demand for electricity, a stress on supply and demand is inevitable. Hear from a panel of experts about how they're planning for the future, with ideas including fossil fuel alternatives to help meet demand. The Building Centre (Store Street) free, book ahead, 6pm-8pm
BURNS FIRST AID: No, not a first aid lesson, rather a history talk based on former first aid techniques. Hear from two experts about the different ways that burns and scalds have been treated over the past two centuries, with treatments including spider's web, lead paint and mutton dripping. Museum of the Order of St John (Clerkenwell), free, book ahead, 6.30pm
COMEDY: Jake Farrell headlines this week's budget-friendly comedy night at The Taproom. He performs his Edinburgh show, Limits, one final time before turning his attention to new material for this year. The Taproom (Islington), £1, book ahead, 7pm-8pm
FORGOTTEN ARCTIC EXPLORER: Ever heard of Benjamin Leigh Smith? Find out about Britain's 'forgotten Arctic explorer' from his great-great-great niece, who uses archive photos to tell the story of the five expeditions he led in the 1870s and 1880s. Pushkin House (Bloomsbury Square), £10, book ahead, 7pm-9pm
CAR PARK LIFE: Gareth E Rees believes that the retail car park has as much mystery, magic and terror as any mountain, meadow or wood — and he wants to prove it to you in tonight's talk. Hear him wax lyrical about his journey to walk the car parks of Britain, and the oddities he encountered on the way. Conway Hall (Holborn), £7/£5, book ahead, 7.30pm
PAIN AND GLORY: Catch a screening of Pedro Almodóvar's semi-autobiographical 2019 film, Pain and Glory, about a filmmaker recounting his past in order to rediscover his love and passion for cinema. Penelope Cruz and Antonio Banderas star, and it's preceded by a screening of BAFTA Nominated short film In Her Boots. Harris Academy South Norwood, £8/£7/£5, book ahead, 7.45pm-10pm
Tube ponderings with Barry Heck
Our resident tube fancier dishes out daily thoughts on the London Underground.
Time once again for my sort-of-fiendish puzzle, where you have to identify the tube station based on a Street View screengrab from the exit. Where am I this week? The first person to tweet the correct answer to @HeckTube wins the tiny foil disc that guarded the nozzle aperture on my new tube of toothpaste. Well, I don't know what else to do with it.
Good cause of the day
Book ahead for this Australia Day Bushfire Fundraiser in Canary Wharf on Saturday, organised by Australians living in London. Aussie music, pizza, raffles and an auction are all part of the event, which aims to be a fun afternoon while also helping those in need, with money raised going to the Australian Red Cross. Find out more and book tickets.
What we're reading
- House of Lords could leave Westminster... for York.
- Plans for a new sleeper train between Sweden and London.
- Recycling household waste in London 'impossible'.
- A sonic boom over London apparently shook houses and cracked windows..
