Things to do in London this week

After two years and a £85 million spend, the National Gallery’s refurbished Sainsbury Wing is now fully completed and opens along with the ‘Wonder of Art’: a major rehang of around 1000 works in the gallery’s collection of European painting. The new-look Wing is a sanctuary from Trafalgar Square; all neutral limestone shades and vast expanses of glass encompass a wide, open foyer. Your eyes are immediately drawn to digital HD screens showing a slow-moving pan of a painting housed on the floor above, which shows every crack of oil paint and immaculate stroke. Now this is a proper welcome to one of the world’s greatest art museums. Lively and inviting, the result is a triumph.

Stephen Sondheim didn’t finish his final musical Here We Are, something we can easily determine by the fact there aren’t any songs in the second half. He did however give his blessing for it to be performed, and so here we are. Sondheim’s last gasp is a relatively breezy mash-up of the plots of two seminal Luis Buñuel films, with music and lyrics by the great man and book by US author David Ives. Sondheim’s lyrics are delightfully flippant, spiky and modern, and enormous credit must go to Ives, who has created something deft, funny and perceptive, if relatively restrained. 

If this Brixton Village institution feels decidedly old-school, that’s because it is. The yellow-fronted Caribbean joint has roots in ‘80s America, as Trinidad-born owner Brian Danclair worked in a Washington, D.C restaurant of the same name back in the day. Danclair’s move to the UK in 2012 led him to open a London version: think communal outdoor tables and no-nonsense Caribbean fare from jerk chicken and fried plantain to their patented reggae wings (chicken doused in fiery tamarind sauce and served with a stack of cooling pineapple). Naturally, the reggae-heavy restaurant soundtrack is second-to-none and you can’t beat Fish, Wings & Tings for atmosphere.

Nicolas Cage plays an Aussie-born, American-raised finance schleb – referred to only as ‘The Surfer’ in a script fond of cult-movie grammar – who just wants to take his teenage son surfing on the enticing Aussie beach where he once rode waves as a kid. But as Irish director Lorcan Finnegan (Vivarium) charts with fish-eyed lenses and ramping intensity, it doesn’t take much for it all to fall apart spectacularly. A gang of intimidating surf bros, led by the charismatic Scally (Julian McMahon), block him and his son from the surf leaving Cage’s thwarted white-collar joe to retreat and slowly shed his belongings, and his sanity, under the baking Australian sun. It’s an exploration of the thin line that separates man from beast; a lurid psychological horror that’ll thrill midnight movie crowds. 

The Natural History Museum always has fun with its big, slick exhibitions: for 2025 it poses one of the big questions of our times – are we alone out there? Could Life Exist Beyond Earth? won’t be getting bogged down in what aliens might want from us, but it will be focussing on the geological side of space: the NHM’s collections contain some of the world’s most important space rocks, many of which will be on display here. Snap a selfie with a piece of Mars, touch a fragment of the Moon and lay your hands on the Allende meteorite, which is, remarkably, older than Earth itself. Listen to the sounds of Mars and smell the smells of outer space.

Treat yourself to a Mediterranean feast in the heart of Soho at Maresco, where Scottish seafood meets bold Spanish flavours. With this exclusive deal, you’ll get two courses, house sourdough and a glass of wine for under 20 quid – a serious steal in central London. Whether you're craving jamón ibérico, fresh octopus or rich paella, this buzzing spot brings sunshine to your plate without breaking the bank.

Get two courses with sourdough and wine, for £19.95 (originally £31), only with Time Out Offers.

Singer Ezra Furman is putting together an extra-special full-day event at EartH. A World of Love and Care will take over the east London venue this weekend featuring performances by Du Blonde, Modern Woman, Westside Cowboy, Jasmine.4.t, alongside a Q&A, acoustic set and a full-band performance from Ezra herself. It’s an experience indie girls will not want to miss. Have a listen to her twinkling new pop tune ‘Power of the Moon’ to get in the mood ahead of time. 

EartH, N16 8BH. Sun May 18, 1.30pm. From £41.20.

Organised by three Londoners to reflect a ‘year of discussion’, this exhibition is set to explore the shared approaches and creative dialogues between a wide selection of artists. Featuring works that recall specific shows at Raven Row itself, the art you’ll see tends to play on realism, making use of found objects and reused materials – you might see everyday household items or DIY tools incorporated, for example. Expect to see works by artists including Terry Atkinson, Rachal Bradley and Andrea Büttner.

Doing something genuinely original with Romeo and Juliet is no mean feat, but Sean Holmes’s latest Globe version transposes fair Verona to the rootin’ tootin’ American West, the cast donning stetsons and petticoats befitting a trad production of Oklahoma! as the sighs of our star-cross’d lovers are scored by a banjo and intercut with the odd ‘yee-haw!’ This Romeo and Juliet is remarkably unafraid to have fun. The Western theme is wrung tightly to eke out every last drop of comic potential. You have to admire the Globe’s commitment to doing something different. 

Tucked just behind Greenwich station, Vintners Lanes isn’t your average bowling spot. Recently named Best in the World (seriously) for its jaw-dropping design, this boutique six-lane venue brings together vintage vibes, industrial-chic interiors, and top-notch food and drink. With this exclusive offer, you’ll get a game of bowling, a burger (beef, chicken, veggie or vegan), crispy fries and a beverage, including a pint, wine, cocktail or soft drink. It’s the perfect way to strike up some fun.

Enjoy a beverage, bowling and a burger at Vintners Lanes for £24.95, down from £33.50, only with Time Out Offers.

Got a passion for pre-loved fashion? You’ll love this free festival popping up at both London branches of Westfield this month. The shopping centre has teamed up with Depop, Kiehl’s, Loanhood, and clothing repair business Sojo to stage a series of free workshops, masterclasses and eco-conscious experiences designed to inspire visitors to embrace sustainable shopping habits. Shop for new threads at the pop-up Depop Marketplace or learn everything from scrunchie making to denim repair. Catch it at Westfield London this weekend. 

In the Barbican’s new, light-filled gallery, the City of London skyline provides a fitting backdrop for the tall, wiry works of Alberto Giacometti beside the hybrid, fragmented figures of Pakistani-American sculptor Huma Bhabha. For ‘Encounters’, the Giacometti Foundation has lent some of the Swiss artist’s most elemental figures for an exhibition that will evolve in the coming months with responses from other artists, including Palestinian artist Mona Hatoum and American sculptor Lynda Benglis.The result? A lens through which the instability, impermanence, and human condition itself are explored.

There’s no need to be a fan of Icelandic singer-songwriter Emilíana Torrini – best known for ‘Gollum’s Song’ from The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers – to enjoy The Extraordinary Miss Flower. Artists and filmmakers Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard won accolades for their unconventional 2014 film about Nick Cave, 20,000 Days on Earth. This new film is a delight for the senses that is both deeply intimate and thrillingly cinematic. It takes its inspiration from the suite of songs on Torrini’s 2024 album Miss Flower, inspired by a collection of passionate and romantic love letters sent to a friend’s mother, Geraldine Flower, in the 1960s and 1970s. It conjures the mysterious lost loves of an elusive woman and evokes a pre-digital age when a letter was the best way to express one’s erotic desires and romantic yearnings. 

The home, migration, global displacement: these are all themes Do Ho Suh explores in his work, consisting of videos, drawings, and large translucent fabric installations of interiors, objects, walls and architectural structures. Often brightly coloured, skeletal and encompassing, this survey exhibition at Tate Modern will showcase three decades the celebrated Korean-born, London-based artist, including brand-new, site-specific works on display. 

Despite recently winning what seemed like every single award that had ever been invented, and turning round the faltering fortunes of the Royal Court Theatre, there was never a guarantee that Mark Rosenblatt’s debut play about Roald Dahl’s antisemitism – and the deep trenches of dispute about Israel – would work in the West End. But it does work, brilliantly with John Lithgow stooping and scowling his way into Dahl, who in 1983, has a bad back, his house is being noisily renovated, is recently engaged, and has aalso just written a very antisemitic review of a book about Israel’s bombing of Lebanon. Aided by Nicholas Hytner’s crystalline production, where humour is never many lines away, he demands arguments play out, stink and vitriol and all, I guess in the hope that we can stop arguing them on repeat for the next forty years.

Looking for a wholesome, creative night out that doesn’t involve a hangover (unless you BYOB)? Token Studio in Tower Bridge offers relaxed, hands-on ceramics classes where you can spin, shape and decorate your own pottery piece. Whether you fancy throwing a pot on the wheel (£32) or painting a pre-made mug or plate (£23), it’s the perfect mix of fun, mindful and surprisingly therapeutic. And to top it all off, you can sip while you sculpt as it’s BYOB and super chill.

Enjoy your Token Studio session from just £23, only with Time Out Offers. 

Discover Hackney’s fascinating past at this history festival packed with talks, walks and live events that'll show you the borough in a whole new light. Things kick off on Saturday at Round Chapel, with a day of talks exploring everything from cinema to migration to gentrification. On Sunday there’s a takeover of local National Trust property Sutton House, with punchy-sounding topics including ‘Invasion of the Middle Class Lefties’ and a pub quiz to test your local knowledge. 

Queer East Festival returns to London this spring with its biggest programme ever. This year, it’s expanding beyond cinema and into art and performance, showcasing theatre and dance, as well as film, from East and Southeast Asian makers. A vast programme of features, documentaries and shorts from 10 countries will be screened at venues including the Rio Cinema, BFI Southbank and ICA. Highlights include Crazy Love (Michio Okabe, 1968), an avant-garde cult classic, and We Are Here, (Zhao Jing, Shi Tou, 2015), a heartfelt documentary on lesbian advocacy. Look out for live and multisensory performances.