1984: Live

If the world's that just bit too cheerful for you at the moment and you're free on Tuesday, then get a load of this: a staged reading of the entirety of George Orwell's epochal dystopian masterpiece 'Nineteen Eighty-Four', performed at Senate House (aka the inspiration for the novel's Ministry for Truth). Directed by Hannah Price, the 50+ readers at the event – who will be augemented by actors and projections – will include Orwell's son Richard Blair, musician Billy Bragg, activist Jack Monroe and playwright Mark Ravenhill. It runs for 12 hours, 9am to 9pm and is totally free, though if it hits capacity you will have to queue.