Things to do in London this weekend

The National Gallery’s Sainsbury Wing is finally open again after being closed for refurbishment for two years. And what a relief that is, because the Sainsbury Wing housed some of London’s greatest art treasures. It was there that you could find gleaming, golden, Byzantine altarpieces and early Renaissance masterpieces. The refurbished wing will allow visitors to gaze adoringly at Piero della Francesca’s ‘Baptism of Christ’, their earliest painting, in a specially designed chapel-like room. There’ll also be Paolo Uccello’s ‘The Battle of San Romano’ returning from its three-year restoration process, and a whole room dedicated to the theme of gold.

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.

Get adult tickets for £19 (down from £25) and student tickets for £10 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.

London has a brand new literature festival. The Fleet Street Quarter Festival of Words will explore how words shape our world, all while celebrating its heritage as the home of London’s printing press. The headliners on the bill include Booker Prize-winning author Ben Okri and Kate Mosse OBE. Elsewhere there’ll be talks from screenwriter Ed Docx and author Mick Herron on the process of bringing TV hit Slow Horses to screens, Jeremy Vine will present new crime fiction series Murder on Line One and Nick Wallis (The Great Post Office Scandal) and Caroline Wheeler (Death in the Blood) will spotlight the power of long-form investigative journalism. Expect some especially insightful discussions. 

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. 

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. 

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.

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. 

Patrick Marber’s reputation as a playwright was sealed with 1997’s Closer, but wowee his debut Dealer’s Choice is good. ‘1995’ screams a giant projection at the start of Matthew Dunster’s production, but this isn’t a nostalgia fest. It’s a remarkably prescient play about men, under pressure, playing poker. I’s a lean and thrilling beast that centres on a group of blokes who work in the restaurant in which the after hours poker games are played. Nobody depicts blokes on stage quite like Dunster, who is pretty much the Guy Ritchie of theatre directors and he’s in his element with this grimy thriller, getting the best out of his cast for what is, ultimately, an enjoyable story of terrible male desperation.

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.

Japan’s Edo period – from 1603 to 1868 – is thought to have been mostly a time of civic peace and development, allowing new art forms to flourish. In the later part of that era, Utagawa Hiroshige produced thousands of prints capturing the landscape, nature and daily life and became one of the country’s most celebrated artists. This new exhibition at the British Museum offers a rare chance to see his never-before-seen works up close (this is the first exhibition of his work in London for a quarter of a century), spanning Hiroshige’s 40-year career via prints, paintings, books and sketches.

Having begun life as a whimsical jape in a Sydney bar, The Empire Strips Back is indeed a Star Wars-themed bulesque show that takes up residence at Riverside Studios for a walloping three-and-a-half months. We’re not entirely clear if it’s simply pitching to the horny nerd market or if there’s a bit more to it than that. But if your main takeaway from the original trilogy was the Princess Leia bikini scene the you’re definitely in luck.

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. 

The great Irish playwright Conor McPherson returns from his long absence with a bang with The Brightening Air, his first original play since The Night Alive in 2013. It’s a slow, wistful affair, the dial firmly tuned to ‘Chekhov’. The setting is a semi-dilapidated County Sligo farmhouse, at some point in the ‘80s, following a sprawling cast of characters centring on a trio of siblings who inherit their family farm from their father. It’s deft stuff, a slow-burn, bittersweet drama about a family finally disintegrating under forces that have been pulling at it for decades. 

Mohamed-Zain Dada’s new drama about a speed awareness course in Birmingham starts off in wilfully mundane Britcom territory, but ends up somewhere far more thrilling. Harleen, Samir and Faiza are a mismatched trio of British Asians who’ve each acquired nine points on their driving licences. This course is their last chance. Unfortunately, they have to contend with Nikesh Patel’s stupendously annoying Abz, the course leader. Despite the fact we never leave Tomás Palmer’s magnificently mundane hotel function room set, Dada takes us on quite a journey over 80 minutes. Things get tense. Then they get weird. It’s a thrill. 

Imagine indulging in all the dumplings, rolls, and buns you can handle, crafted by a Chinatown favourite with over a decade of culinary excellence. Savour Taiwanese pork buns, savoury pork and prawn soup dumplings, and luxurious crab meat xiao long bao. To top it off, enjoy a chilled glass of prosecco to elevate your feast. Cheers to a truly delightful dining experience at Leong’s Legend!

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. 

The Institute of Contemporary Arts hosts the first UK solo exhibition of Croatia-born, Amsterdam-based installation and performance artist Nora Torato this spring. Known for her text ‘pools’, created at yearly intervals using found language gathered from media, conversations, online content and overheard speech, the artist’s UK debut will feature site-specific new work that spans video, performance, graphic design, writing and sound. 

Ryan Calais Cameron’s fifties-set three-hander about a potentially commie actor has sharp suits, big pours of scotch and a haze of cigarette smoke. But to assume the play is a pastiche of a fast-patter period piece – is to underestimate Calais Cameron who smashed the West End with his beautiful play For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy. Because in walks Sidney Poitier, the guy who’d go on to become the first Black man to win an Oscar. He’s about to be cast in a big breakout role, but NBC’s lawyers want him to sign an oath that he’s not a communist. 

Leigh Bowery was a convention-shunning icon of 1980s London nightlife, taking on many different roles in the city’s scene, from artist, performer and model, to club promoter, fashion designer and musician. His artistry also took many shapes, from reimagining clothes and makeup to experimenting with painting and sculpture. A new Tate Modern exhibition will celebrate his life and work, displaying some of his looks and collaborations with the likes of Charles Atlas, Lucian Freud, Nicola Rainbird and more.

Time Out and W London are rolling out the red carpet for film lovers with the W London Film Club – a one-of-a-kind private screening experience in an intimate, 38-seater cinema. Nestled in London’s iconic West End, tickets start at £24 and include your screening, a handcrafted cocktail, and popcorn. For those looking to indulge further, upgrade to the £44 ticket, which adds a two-course meal and a glass of prosecco. Whether you're planning a date night, a stylish Sunday screening, or a special night out, get ready to sit back, sip on a cocktail, and escape into the magic of the big screen.

★★★★ 'Frameless has managed to create something genuinely exciting' - Time Out

Escape reality through maximum immersion and experience 42 masterpieces from 29 of the world’s most iconic artists, each reimagined beyond belief, through cutting-edge technology. Situated in Marble Arch, Frameless plays host to four unique galleries with hypnotic visuals and a dazzling score. Enjoy 90 minutes of surreal artwork from Bosch, Dalí and more for just £24!

Get £24.80 tickets (originally £31) to Frameless, only with Time Out Offers.