The best things to do this May bank holiday in London

Denise Gough’s astounding performance in Duncan Macmillan’s addiction drama won her an Olivier Award for Best Actress when it transferred from the National Theatre to the West End back in 2016. Seven years after last touring the play, the critics’ favourite reprises her role as chronically unreliable drug-addled actress Emma in this 14-week West End run opening over the bank holiday weekend, with director Jeremy Herrin also returning. Expect a masterclass in nuance and subtlety from Gough, in what is arguably the best stage performance since Mark Rylance in ‘Jerusalem’.

Is it warm enough to swim outdoors yet? Well, kinda? The end of May marks the crossover between the period where only the truly hardcore swim outside, and the period where hobbyists in impractical swimwear flood London's watering holes. It's the perfect time to test your nerve, before the crowds descend.

From swanky skyscrapers to casual warehouse hangouts and hidden pub terraces, London has a real crush on a rooftop bar. To enjoy a heatwave high, we are blessed with all kinds of rooftops which offer a winning combination of wicked city views and perfect drinks. So take your pick from stylish Shoreditch, buzzing Soho and Covent Garden, trendy Peckham and more – it’s time to soak up those sunsets, with rooftop bar season now upon us.

There’s perhaps nothing more magical than seeing a play or musical in the open air, and London is absolutely the city for it. In defiance of the weather gods, our outdoor theatre season now stretches from March to late October: we’re are just that tough. Or at least, optimistic about the weather. Substantially it revolves around a few key theatres. There’s Shakespeare’s Globe, which will be staging an Elizabethan dress production of ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ by in-house artistic director Sean Holmes over the bank holiday. And there’s the delightful Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, which is also staging a Shakespearian comedy over the bank holiday; a version of mistaken identity shipwreck jaunt ‘Twelfth Night’ helmed by RSC veteran Owen Horsley.

When it comes to baby animals to cuddle up to in spring, tiny lambs are obviously the GOAT. Surrey Docks Farm, a sweet little site right next to the Thames with its own blacksmithery, puts on lamb-feeding sessions almost every day during the season. You’ll have to book your slot a week in advance in case the little guys need a rest (they’re pretty tiny after all).

BBQ connoisseurs will know all about From The Ashes, the meat-sizzling duo behind some of the city's most mouth-watering pop-ups and festivals. Great news – the team have found a permanent home for their smoky fare at Hackney's Five Points Courtyard, creating the perfect combo of pints and piles of meat. Get down to the brewery for moreish, veggie-friendly starters and sides and all the delectable, smoky slices you can fit in your belly.

Peckham Fringe returns for its third year with over 20 productions created by local artists and members of Peckham’s community. The programme promises inventive, enthralling storytelling, from Time Fly’s, a time-travelling adventure back to the south-east London of old, to Last Goal Wins, an award-winning piece about five men trying out for the Nigerian national football team.

‘Little fish, big fish/swimming in the water/come back here man/gimme my daughter’ hissed a demonic 25-year-old Polly Jean Harvey in her 1995 hit ‘Down By the Water’. That was a long time ago. But where so many middle-aged pop stars’ forays into musical theatre feel like bored attempts to crack new markets, the cycle of 13 songs Harvey has written for the National Theatre’s adaptation of Charles Dickens’s ‘Our Mutual Friend’ slot seamlessly into her body of work. ‘London Tide’ deliberately plays to non-traditional strengths. With all its parts combined, this story from the city is something special: Dickens’s late class drama turned into a work both elemental and righteous.

Yet another bank holiday means there’s yet more kid-friendly fun to find, but it’s alright – the Museum of London Docklands has, as usual, a packed itinerary of family-centred activities. Free drop-ins over half-term week kick off on bank holiday weekend, and include ‘fashion with flares!’ where little ones can jazz up a pair of flares with jewels before a tailor sews them together, and ‘digital dress up’ where you can create your own clothes with an iPad. The week’s activities are all inspired by Fashion City, one of the museum’s exhibitions.

The Natural History Museum’s big exhibition for 2024 is this massive new celebration of our avian pals. As you can doubtless glean from the title, ‘Birds: Brilliant & Bizarre’ focuses on the weirder end of the feathered spectrum, from actually strange-looking birds to exploring things like the links between pigeons and T-rex, or daring you to sniff a stinky seabird egg. While some of the NHM’s permanent exhibitions can look a little tired these days, its big temporary exhibitions are typically cutting-edge, interactive and hugely fun.

The British Library is running events and talks all about food throughout May, but bank holiday weekend is the best time to really sink your teeth into some convos about the glorious stuff. It’s all inspired by cookbooks and culinary manuscripts, and there are some sumptuous events planned. Live recording of Jessie and Lennie Ware’s award-winning Table Manners podcast is on the menu, as is a talk by author of Wintering, Katherine May, all about eating through the seasons. There’s even a talk where you can learn all about how rice travels around the world. Grab your knife and fork and get ready to fill your plate. 

‘Boys from the Blackstuff’ is, of course, Graham’s adaptation of Alan Bleasdale’s seminal ’80s drama about five unemployed men trying to negotiate their way through Thatcher’s decade. Kate Wasserberg directs the show, which will return to Liverpool for a run prior to a short transfer to the Olivier theatre for 21 performances only then straight on to the West End’s Garrick Theatre.