Things To Do
Guide
Things to do in London This Week: September 14 – 20
Looking for things to do in London this week? We've got you covered
If you’re in the English capital and looking for ways to pass the time, look no further. Whether you’re after a Monday night gig, a midweek matinee or an activity to keep the kids busy after school on Friday, this weekly guide is packed with fun activities to enjoy with your friends, family or on your own. Highlights from this week 14 September – 20 September) include new hits on the West End, up-and-coming comedy stars, and plenty of fun events for the entire family.
Best London Events this Week
Fall under the influence of stand-up Jack Whitehall
- Where? Richmond Theatre, The Green, Richmond, London, TW9 1QJ.
- When: Wednesday 16 September
It’s already out there: comedian, actor and host of The BRIT Awards 2026 Jack Whitehall is tired of behaving himself; so he’s unleashing his Bad Influence in the form of a brand-new arena tour, landing in the UK in early 2027. Before that, though, the massively popular stand-up is road-testing his best material in safer, rough-around-the-edges doses in a series of local work-in-progress shows. Catch him this Wednesday as he lays bare raw and riotously funny truths about parenthood, running and other awkward moments — and you get to have the first laugh.
Get tickets to Jack Whitehall at Richmond Theatre
Come fly with Frank at Sinatra the Musical
- Where? Aldwych Theatre, Aldwych, London, WC2B 4DF.
- When: Five days a week
Regrets, he’d had a few, but if anything, Frank Sinatra did it his way. Meet the revered crooner on New Year’s Eve 1942, as a dazzling performance gives way to a scandalous affair that threatens to tear his career and family apart. A magnetic Joel Harper-Jackson steps into Sinatra’s shoes and sings over 20 classics in true Ol’ Blue Eyes style, including ‘Come Fly With Me’, ‘My Way’ and, of course, ‘New York, New York’. Tony Award-winning writer Joe DiPietro, and Olivier Award-winning and Tony Award-winning director-choreographer Kathleen Marshall have expertly mixed biographical drama and showmanship, sprinkling generous doses of New York glamour in the heart of the West End.
Get tickets to Sinatra The Musical at Aldwych Theatre
Roam freely at the Chelsea Arts Festival
- Where? Sloane Square, Duke of York Square and roaming up and down King’s Road.
- When: Saturday 19 September
From panel talks to music and comedy, the Chelsea Arts Festival returns from 16-20 September with a wealth of ticketed entertainment, but also a day of free outdoor thrills for culture vultures of all ages and artistic persuasions. Roaming walkabouts, puppetry, bandstand performances, experimental theatre and more surprises will be crossing paths along King’s Road and around the neighbourhood, this Saturday from 10 am. Just show up and keep an eye and ear out — you just never know what might pop up round the corner.
Find out more about Chelsea Arts Festival
See London from above with an iconic Chimney Lift
- Where? Battersea Power Station, Circus Rd W, Nine Elms, London SW11 8DD.
- When: Ongoing
The Battersea Power Station is one of London’s most eye-catching landmarks, today sitting at the heart of a bustling new riverside neighbourhood. But how did it all really come to life? Find out at the striking Art Deco Turbine Hall A, where The Exhibition gathers a host of historic and hands-on treats, including the original 1920s office of the station’s architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott and an interactive illustrated wall delving into the icon’s construction. The experience culminates with a fascinating ascent 109 metres high, to the top of the north-west chimney, where the breathtaking London skyline awaits — complete with a bird’s eye view of the Power Station itself, of course.
Get tickets for the Chimney Life at Battersea Power Station
Theatre & Comedy
Enjoy a sarcastic 40-year special with Jack Dee
- Where? The London Palladium, Argyll Street, London, W1F 7TF.
- When: Friday 18 September
He wrote and starred in the sitcom Lead Balloon, won Celebrity Big Brother and hosts the hilarious panel game parody I’m Sorry, I Haven’t A Clue. Known as one of Britain’s greatest and grumpiest comedians, Jack Dee and friends celebrate 40 years since his debut performance at an open mic night at The Comedy Store, back in the ‘80s. Delight in a deluge of deadpan observational comedy, dry sarcasm and ruthless roasting, for one night only this Friday — with all profits donated to St Christopher’s Hospice and The North London Hospice.
Get tickets to Jack Dee at the London Palladium
Embark on a great folk odyssey with Woody Sez: The Life & Times of Woody Guthrie
- Where? Underbelly Boulevard, 6 Walker’s Ct, Soho, London, W1F 0BT.
- When: 13-19 September
Four actor-musicians, more than a dozen instruments, one legendary folk hero — famously, to the likes of Bob Dylan and Billy Bragg. Woody Sez: The Life & Times of Woody Guthrie straddles the line between concert and theatre, foot-stomping joy and social protest, bringing to life the story of “America’s greatest ballad maker” through his songs. ‘This Land Is Your Land’, ‘Deportees’ and ‘Pastures of Plenty’ tell all-time favourite tales of defiance and hope, the Dust Bowl troubadour’s powerful message still painted on his guitar: “This machine kills fascists”.
Get tickets to Woody Sez at Underbelly Boulevard
Laugh and “be kushi” with Desi Central
- Where? Redbridge Drama Centre, Churchfields, South Woodford, London, E182RB.
- When: Saturday 19 September
This Saturday, comedy supremos Desi Central invite you to leave your worries at the door and enjoy a night full of laughs. In other words, come join them if you want to “be kushi and never gham”. Preet Singh (British Comedian of the Year Semi Finalist), Samira Banks (So You Think You’re Funny? winner), Mark Silcox (BBC, ITV) and Nabil Abdulrashid (Live at the Apollo, QI) join forces in another class act from the award-winning touring crew, rotating sharp-witted commentary, Desi-licious punchlines and hilarious crowd work proudly popular with fans from all ages and backgrounds.
Get tickets to Desi Central at Redbridge Drama Centre
Find out How the Other Half Loves
- Where? The Old Vic, The Cut, London, SE1 8NB.
- When: Until 19 September
One of Britain’s finest and most prolific playwrights, Alan Ayckbourn established his reputation with How the Other Half Loves, his 1969 marital farce doubling as a sharp, laugh-out-loud commentary on sex, class and domestic absurdity. His pen cuts with timeless mastery as the Phillipses, the Featherstones and the Fosters get entangled in a marital web of secrets and lies that threatens to turn well-mannered dinner parties into minefields. Phillip Breen directs this intimate revival In The Round, with a stellar cast of six, led by Roger Allam and Dorothy Atkinson, dancing a dance of innocence and infidelity with flawless comic timing.
Get ticket to How the Other Half Loves at The Old Vic
Make the most out of life — and death — at Beetlejuice The Musical
- Where: Prince Edward Theatre, Old Compton Street, London, W1D 4HS.
- When: Six days a week
Are you possessed with Tim Burton’s ‘80s immortal comedy classic? Get ready to juice up your life this week, as the hit Broadway stage adaptation of the film has just crossed over to the West End. Enter broody, black-clad teen Lydia Deetz, who has just moved into a home haunted by newly-deads Adam and Barbara Maitland — and she’s the only one who can actually see them. The unfortunate couple decide to invoke bio-exorcist, aka the “ghost with the most”, Beetlejuice to drive the Deetzes out, unleashing side-splitting chaos and calypso-fuelled catastrophy. Let the haunting begin.
Get tickets to Beetlejuice The Musical at Prince Edward Theatre
Music & Nightlife
Sing To Be Free with Sam Smith
- Where? London Coliseum, ST Martins Lane, London, WC2N 4ES.
- When: 8-9 & 11-12, 15-16 & 18-19 September
One of British pop’s most charismatic voices, Sam Smith released their fifth record, Hazel Eyes, this past August, a love letter to their adopted home of New York penned in sensuous blues, soul, gospel, folk and jazz tones. The irresistibly romantic record included the electric ‘To Be Free’, a song that also gave its name to their recent Brooklyn residency, with live guests like Ed Sheeran bringing that extra dash of stardust. Starting this Tuesday, the singer’s original hometown is getting its own To Be Free moment with an eight-night residency at the London Coliseum, a sanctuary for soulful escapes filled with the magnetic pop melodies and love that soundtracked the album process.
Get tickets to Sam Smith at London Coliseum
Discover ‘What Dreams Are Made Of’ with Hilary Duff
- Where? The O2, Peninsula Square, Greenwich, London, SE10 0DX.
- When: Tuesday 15 September
After a sold-out show last week, Hilary Duff is back on the O2 stage this Tuesday for a second wave of stardust-sprinkled pop and feel-good ‘00s nostalgia. A young talent who shot to fame in the Disney comedy series Lizzie McGuire, Duff was the first in a generation of actors turned singers — and she got a Billboard No. 1, 2003’s Metamorphosis, to show for it. But she didn’t stop there. Revisit break-up anthem ‘So Yesterday’ and other highlights from across her catalogue; do the viral dance of the 2007 hit ‘With Love ’; and sing along to grown-up challenges courtesy of her 2026 album luck…or something. This is truly what millennial pop dreams are made of.
Get tickets to Hilary Duff at The O2
Travel down memory lane with Boyce Avenue
- Where? Scala, 275 Pentonville Road, Kings Cross, London, N1 9NL.
- When: 15 September
Florida brothers Alejandro, Daniel and Fabian Manzano have struck a chord with online audiences since posting their first covers on YouTube in 2007. They now count billions of views, bringing a heart-tugging acoustic honesty to hits by Ed Sheeran, Avicii, Coldplay and Oasis, alongside original melodies. But the trio are well-versed in bringing their unique chemistry on stage. After selling out venues like the Royal Albert Hall in recent years, they return this Tuesday for a London show full of warmth, memory and acoustic-leaning magic that keeps listeners coming back for more.
Get tickets to Boyce Avenue at Scala
Play Lusaint’s soulful ‘Wicked Game’
- Where? Oslo, 1A Amhurst Road, London, E8 1LL.
- When: 15 September
Manchester’s Lusaint grew up on a diet of Billie Holiday and Nina Simone. But she owes her first brush with success to En Vogue: her take on the R&B sizzler ‘Don’t Let Go (Love)’ broke the UK’s daily Shazam record. She then ftook the dreaminess to new heights with Chris Isaak’s ‘Wicked Game’. A soul-pop original with a smouldering voice that can warm up the coldest of hearts, Lusaint and her Apothecary Tour pass through London this Tuesday to sing old favourites, picks from her latest EP, and maybe even a surprise new track, included in a special vinyl drop coming later this week.
Get tickets to Lusaint at Oslo
Embark on a pop-fuelled ABBA Voyage
- Where? ABBA Arena, 1 Pudding Mill Lane, London, E15 2RU
- When: Ongoing
ABBA’s last public performance took place on December 11, 1982. Sadly, we can’t send you back in time to see the pop supergroup in their prime, but we do have the next best thing. Blending state-of-the-art technology and some of the most beloved pop records in history, ABBA Voyage sees Sweden’s fab four return to the stage of a purpose-built arena, in truly spectacular fashion — as digital avatars. Join the glitter-studded gang and their 10-strong live crew on a jaw-dropping, 100-minute voyage, fuelled by back-to-back choruses that hit all the right notes for an evening of high-spirited singalongs and dancing.
Sport
Witness an all-American football spectacle at the Union Jack Classic
- Where? Wembley Stadium, Wembley, London, HA9 0WS.
- When: Saturday 19 September
You don’t have to travel far from home to have the full American college football experience. Just head up to Wembley Stadium this Saturday for the Union Jack Classic, where two elite teams, the Kansas Jayhawks and the Arizona State Sun Devils, cross the pond for their very first great British face-off. Watch the future NFL stars in action on a thrilling night of cheerleaders and marching bands, tailgate parties and touchdowns — just like they do it at home. With thousands of US fans coming to London for the big game, the football fever is taking hold.
Get tickets to the Union Jack Classic at Wembley Stadium
Feel the pulse of summer at the Fulham Pier
- Where? Fulham Pier, London SW6 6HH.
- When: Ongoing
Craven Cottage has been the home of Fulham F.C. since 1896, but its recent revamp is not just for football fans. Fulham Pier last summer saw a once-inaccessible part of the riverside open to the community, which steadily flocks here for a raft of art, culture, fitness and family events. Apart from the free live football and Wimbledon screenings, their Summer at the Pier season amps up the energy every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, as riverside DJs trade sunny grooves and searing floor fillers. Mixing street food with interactive digital art, the Riverside Market food hall will also make sure you never run out of fuel.
Family
Get tricked at Piff & Pop’s Magic Shoppe
- Where? Indigo at the O2, 205 Peninsula Square, Greenwich Peninsula, London, SE10 0ES.
- When: Tuesday 15 September
What happens when a veteran magician with 50 years of service and “the greatest performing dragon of all time” get together? They play and slay at Piff & Pop’s Magic Shoppe. Piff the Magic Dragon, aka the viral “Loser of America’s Got Talent”, has headlined Las Vegas’s Flamingo Hotel and Casino since 2015. He is now joined by Penn Jillette of the legendary magic-and-comedy duo Penn & Teller, touring without his partner for the very first time. Prepare to have your mind boggled and jaw dropped.
Get tickets to Piff & Pop’s Magic Shoppe at Indigo at the O2
Let your creativity blossom at Green Shoots!
- Where? Southwark Park Galleries, 1 Park Approach, Southwark Park, London, SE16 2UA
- When: Until 11 October
A Grade II-listed park with a 150-year history in Bermondsey, Southwark Park offers peaceful moments to enjoy any time of year. But, this week and every second Saturday of the month, families have a fresh reason to visit, beyond the beautiful spring scenery. Join artists Abigail Hunt and Alexa Lowe at the Southwark Park Galleries for Green Shoots!, their free, drop-in family sessions exploring the flora and fauna in the garden of the Lake Gallery, then inviting kids to get down and dirty by creating their own eco-friendly masterpieces. Recommended for children up to 11.
Find out more about Green Shoots
Immersive Experiences
Time travel to 19th-century Paris at CHAT NOIR!
- Where? The Lost Estate, London W14 9PL
- When: Until 20 September
What if, for one night this week, you could leave London behind and step into the bohemian playground that was 1890s Montmartre? Enter CHAT NOIR! the birthplace of the world’s first cabaret, recreated by UK immersive masterminds The Lost Estate. A candlelit, velvet-clad, secret society of dancers, illusionists, musicians and mimes, with impresario Rudolphe Salis, at its pulsing core. A three-course banquet of French haute cuisine and naughty cocktails await for a delicious taste of Parisian Belle Époque. Just seat back, take a sip and let an anarchic mix of art and absinthe capture your senses. What happens in Paris, stays in Paris.
Step into a multi-sensory art experience at FRAMELESS
- Where? FRAMELESS, 6 Marble Arch, London W1H 7AP
- When: Open daily
When you really love a painting, you don’t want to just look at it — you want to live in it. An immersive experience redefining the concept of art exhibition as we know it, FRAMELESS assembles 42 famous artworks by great masters like Cezanne, Kandinsky, Dali, Klimt, Van Gogh and many more, turning each classic into a full-blown, multi-sensory spectacle. Across four distinct galleries, you can now step into a world Beyond Reality, see Colour in Motion, learn The Art of Abstraction and see stunning new perspectives of The World Around Us in a series of eye-popping displays that take each artwork to a whole new level.
London Museums and Galleries
Dig into Ramses and the Pharaohs’ Gold at Battersea Power Station
- Where? NEON at Battersea Power Station, Circus Rd E, Nine Elms, London, SW11 8DQ
- When: Open daily
Tutankhamun may be the bigger name, but Ramses the Great and his influential 67-year reign catapulted Ancient Egypt to new heights 3000 years ago, through striking monuments, targeted military tactics and skilful diplomacy. Be transported back to the Valley of the Kings and Egypt’s golden age through 180 invaluable treasures, including the coffin of Ramses II, colossal sculptures, gold masks, animal mummies and priceless jewellery, that have travelled directly from the Egyptian Museum of Cairo to London. They will be displayed alongside virtual reality experiences that give the journey fresh depth, for a limited time only.
Get tickets to Ramses and the Pharaohs’ Gold at Battersea Power Station
Rebel and rejoice at London’s new Museum of Youth Culture
- Where? MYOC, St Pancras Campus, 100 Royal College Street, NW1 0TH.
- When: Wednesday – Sunday
Centred around the rich archives that photographer Jon Swinstead has been collecting for over thirty years, the world’s first Museum of Youth Culture opened in Camden in June 2026 to celebrate teen life in all its rebellious drama and glory. Over half a century of real-life stories unfolds through visuals and rare, nostalgia-drenched objects once treasured by Teddy Boys, mods, skaters, break-dancers and goths, in Britain and beyond. It’s a moving and often hilarious exploration — and don’t forget to keep an eye out for special events, like MYOC’s Summer Youth Club for under 18s.
Wander spaces of grief and possibility at the Wellcome Collection
- Where? Wellcome Collection, 183 Euston Road, London NW1 2BE.
- When: 10 July – 7 February 2027
Rudy Loewe’s artistic meditations on Black people’s lived experiences with mental healthcare in the UK don’t come from a happy place. But, although their starting point is racist discrimination, his mission is to arrive to a place of hope. The sculptures, paintings, sound and more displayed in the free exhibition Intimacies of Care – Spaces of Grief and Possibility give glimpses of a system that is more equitable and supportive through alternative, more empathetic approaches to care, reflecting Loewe’s roots in resistance histories, African and Caribbean folklore. They are also powered by the community, in collaboration with grassroots organisations like ADHD Babes.
Discover gripping stories of Childhood in War
- Where? IWM London, Lambeth Road, London, SE1 6HZ.
- When: 31 July – 28 February 2027
We often hear stories of children in conflict, but we rarely get the chance to go behind the scenes and experience the world through their eyes. The Imperial Museum London’s free, interactive exhibition Childhood in War looks back in time, from 1914 to the present day, highlighting little-known chapters and tales of adaptability and resilience in the face of extraordinary challenges. Step into an evacuee train carriage or a Cold War-era kitchen, and discover how children spotted enemy ships, as books, installations and rare objects bring their unique minds and voices vividly to life.
Find out more about the exhibition
