Things to do in London this weekend

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. 

Mums are some of the hardest workers out there. It goes without saying that our mas and matriarchs deserve high praises year-round, but every March, Mothering Sunday gives us the ultimate opportunity to show them much we really appreciate everything they do. It can be easy to get caught off-guard and be left rushing out on your lunchbreak to post a naff card that you can only pray arrives in time. Not this year! Get organised and plan a proper celebration of your mother for Sunday March 30 2025 with our comprehensive guide.

Canal-side dining has long been an east-London failsafe, and Inis (which means ‘island’ in Irish) has now boldly entered the chat. Run by Lynsey Coughlan, the former director of Ginger Pig butchers, and her partner, Lindsay Lewis, it offers a warm, neighbourly embrace – everyone at Inis is greeted like an old friend. Irish flourishes decorate a menu of seasonal fare, with the occasional full-throttle modern Gaelic dish, such as a raucous starter of potato scallops (aka, massive thick cut wedges halfway between crisps and chips) accessorised with a pot of creamy curry sauce. Roast duck is the champion dish of the night. Community hubs are rarely this delicious. 

You can officially add a 30-year-old Latvian with a laptop to the list of the world’s most dazzlingly imaginative animators. Flow’s Gints Zilbalodis is now a Latvian with a laptop and an Oscar, and boy, is it deserved. His DIY animation, made partly with freely-available open-source software, is a survival epic full of mysteries and magic. Set in the aftermath of an inexorable, unexplained flood, it follows a small band of animals floating on a small sail boat towards an uncertain future. It’s been ages since anything articulated the wonder and spirituality of the natural world as breathtakingly as this. The perils are profound but nothing is over-dramatised, including the soothing score by Zilbalodis and his co-composer Rihards Zaļupe. The beguiling, magical realist ending lifts the soul without breaking the spell.

Costa Book Award-winning novelist Caleb Azumah Nelson, acclaimed music journalist Emma Warren and screenwriter Nathan Bryon are just a few of the names on the line-up for the latest edition of Deptford Literature Festival, a four-day bonanza celebrating the diversity and creativity of southeast London. Sponsored by Arts Council England, The Albany Theatre and Lewisham Council, this year’s programme features 48 separate events (45 of which are free to attend) ranging from talks and readings to creative workshops and walking tours. Look out for more details on the programme soon. 

José María Velasco is making big moves, even over 100 years since his death. The beloved Mexican artist is getting his first UK exhibition this year, in what is also the first display dedicated to a historical Latin-American artist at the National Gallery. In it, you’ll find Velasco’s sweeping portrayals of the Valley of Mexico and detailed panoramic views that bottle a moment in time for a country then moving towards industrialisation, while capturing the natural beauty that surrounded him in exquisite detail.

Playwright James Graham has updated his smash Gareth Southgate drama Dear England following the final tournament of his subject’s tenure as England men’s team manager. A new cast hasn’t radically changed the vibe either. Graham has written deeper and more important plays than Dear England. But the secret of its success is that – unlike the actual England men’s team – it is consistently, relentlessly entertaining. Taking a kaleidoscopic, broad-brush approach to depicting the England team themselves Goold’s kinetic production conjures the mania of the country in the grip of a national tournament: stupid songs, stupid mascots, embarrassing politicians. A third run for Dear England is an indulgence, but it’s a well-earned one.

Dive in and get your paws on vintage treasure at this popular market bringing more than 40 hand-picked traders together in Peckham’s bustling Copeland Park. Grab a bite to eat at one of the many local restaurants and keep an eye out for 20th-century furniture, salvaged French homeware, vintage clothing, kitschenalia and reclaimed industrial fixtures, perfect for giving your pad a fresh look on the cheap. 

There’s a determined effort to make Disney’s animated Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs feel modern in this live-action remake. The retooled version still begins with a young princess, Snow White (Rachel Zegler), confined to a life of servitude when the widowed king marries a wicked sorceress (Gal Godot). After the king disappears, the evil queen, jealous of Snow White’s beauty, casts her stepdaughter into the forest to die. Instead, she’s taken in by a group of seven strangers. From here, it tries to undo all the iffy outdated bits. Snow White is now a strong young woman who wants to reclaim her crown and lead her people, rather than a helpless naif who does housework for strangers. It’s cute and cheerful make that’s respectful to the original and relevant to a new audience.

From tattoo art to TikTok readings, in recent years tarot has infiltrated popular culture in ways that were previously unimaginable. In 2025, tarot is cool. And this is London’s first major deep-dive into its history. A small but mighty exhibition, Tarot – Origins & Afterlives looks at how the function of tarot has shifted over the centuries while showing how card designs have also evolved with the times. It offers up various theories as to tarot’s origins and how it became adopted by the occult, all through some truly gorgeous, intricate etchings and card drawings. 

★★★★ '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.

It’s the dream of mums up and down the country to take on – and maybe even win – the Great British Bake-Off. Make your baking whiz of a mother’s wildest fantasies a reality by taking her down to The Big London Bake, a competitive baking event that’s as close as you can get to being judged by Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith. You and mum will have 90 minutes to bake and decorate your finest creation, and hopefully avoid any soggy bottoms or other disasters to be crowned the winning team.

The UK’s largest queer film event returns to the BFI Southbank (and to the BFI Player online) for its 39th edition. This year, the opening night gala boasts the international premiere of Andrew Ahn’s The Wedding Banquet, while the closing night gala will give Night Stage – the new erotic thriller from award-winning writer-directors Filipe Matzembacher and Marcio Reolon – its UK premiere. In between see the UK premiere of Shatara Michelle Ford’s Dreams In Nightmares, Divine Sung’s coming-of-age drama Summer’s Camera and Rebecca Lenkiewicz’s directorial adaptation of Deborah Levy’s bestseller Hot Milk. Elsewhere, cinephiles can expect a host of expanded-reality works, panels, Q&As and after-hours events.

The Yard Theatre’s artistic director Jay Miller is not a man afraid to throw out a lot of ideas and see what sticks, and this revival of Tennessee Williams’ masterpiece eschews period detail in favour of a dreamy no-place chased by contemporary music. The ’30s-set 1944 drama tends to depict ageing Southern belle Amanda Wingfield as a suffocating force of nature whose overbearing love has ruined the lives of her children, Tom (probably gay) and Laura (probably disabled). Miller upends this. Sharon Small’s Amanda is ultimately a decent sort and the engine of the play is her relationship with her troubled son. It’s a beautifully humane read on this classic. 

Leeds is another planet in this exhibition from veteran British photographer Peter Mitchell. A Londoner who moved to Leeds in 1972 and never left, Mitchell’s photos in this small but transporting exhibition take us on a tour of the backstreets and alleys of his adopted city, mainly during the 1970s, giving us proud shopkeepers and aproned artisans standing in front of crumbling premises, many of which look more Victorian or Edwardian than late-twentieth-century. It’s odd to imagine now, but when Mitchell was taking these photos, colour photography was barely respected, Mitchell was breaking new ground. Now a retro appeal – a chance to transport yourself to a long gone time and place – but to his contemporaries, this was strange and radical work, strikingly modern and engaging.

Amy Heckerling’s cult 1995 comedy is adapted into stage musical form by its original screenwriter, who makes a strong case for the enduring appeal of Clueless, her slyly clever valley-girl revamp of Jane Austen’s Emma. The songs are co-written by Broadway royalty lyricist Glenn Slater and ‘00s Scottish pop star KT Tunstall. Slater’s lyrics add something genuinely substantive to the characters, particularly Emma Flynn’s Cher. A sunny, guileless and eye-wateringly privileged 17-year-old, she is, nonetheless, a surprisingly complicated character. It’s a witty, charming musical that winningly celebrates a great film and even better book.

This luxury celebrity revival of Chekhov’s The Seagull is not your baboushka’s Chekhov: it begins with Zachary Hart’s luxuriantly Brummie accented Simon driving onto the stage on a quad bike, plugging in an electric guitar and launching into a heartfelt rendition of Billy Bragg’s The Milkman of Human Kindness. The show is directed by the great German Thomas Ostermeier and it has a stacked cast: Cate Blanchett, Emma Corrin, Tom Burke, Kodi Smit-McPhee and Tanya Reynolds all star. If you want to see Blanchett and some other world-class actors have a ball in an alternately irreverent and emotional three-hour production of The Seagull, directed by a genius who has clearly directed the play a few too many times… then you’re in for a treat. 

The Seagull is sold out, however a daily lottery via TodayTix distributes £35 tickets on the day of each show.

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!

We all know Edvard Munch’s masterpiece ‘The Scream’, but there was a lot more to him: this show at the National Portrait Gallery catalogues the great Norwegian expressionist through his portraits of family, friends, fellow artists, writers, art collectors and others in his lifetime. Intimate, energetic and deeply human, this exhibit is set to remind us why Munch had such influence in his sphere and far beyond.  

Punch is the perfect example of what playwright James Graham does best. It tells the poignant story of Jacob (David Shields), a lad from Nottingham who got into a totally pointless fight with James, a (never-seen) paramedic just a few years older than him. Jacob punched James precisely once. James went down, and a couple of weeks later he died. Graham’s script delves into this with typical deftness. Shields’ performance is a modulated study in the ferocity but also the innocence and vulnerability of a young offender. Punch is on the smaller side for a Graham play, but its climax will have you blubbing. 

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.

Pioneering Black playwright Michael Abbensetts’ play Alterations originally ran for a few weeks in 1978. There was a BBC radio adaptation too, but that looked to be it for his drama about Walker, a Windrush immigrant grappling with his dream of opening his own tailor shop in London. And yet its first-ever revival is at the National Theatre. Walker (Arinzé Kene) is an ambitious tailor struggling to get his business off the ground. But a potential jackpot has come along: Mr Nat (Colin Mace), an older German Jewish immigrant has offered him a warehouse’s worth of trouser alterations. But before that there are emotional crises to be surmounted. Abbensetts provides a window into a specific time in his characters’ lives. They’re immigrants on the cusp of middle age, who are now grappling with the idea of putting permanent roots down in Britain. It's a play about a generation now looking for meaning in the journey they made in their youths.

You’ve probably heard all about Versailles’ dazzling Hall of Mirrors and its gorgeous, well-manicured gardens – maybe you’ve even seen them IRL. But do you know about the role the French royal court played in not just spreading scientific knowledge, but making it fashionable, too? The Science Museum’s latest exhibition, ‘Versailles: Science And Splendour’, will uncover that lesser-talked-about side of the palace’s history, diving into the royal family’s relationship with science, women’s impact on medicine, philosophy and botany at the royal court, and showcasing more than 100 items that reinforce those stories – many of which have never been displayed in the UK before. 

Get tickets to Versailles: Science & Splendour, for just £5.40, down from £10.80, only through Time Out Offers.

For 23 editions, Kinoteka has been highlighting the creativity and magic of Polish cinema in London, taking over some of the most-respected cinema locations with offerings from the country. This year will be no different so get down to the likes of BFI Southbank, the ICA and more to discover some new cinematic treasures. The opening gala on March 6 will spotlight Damian Kocur’s ‘Under The Volcano’, which looks at the impact of war on a Ukrainian family’s lives as they holiday in Tenerife. Things will wrap up on April 26 with the closing gala, centred around Wojciech Has’ 1973 movie ‘The Hourglass Sanatorium’, while a retrospective of Has’ work will see his entire filmography screened across the festival.

Ditch the usual pub pint and get hands-on with clay at Token Studio near Tower Bridge! For just £32, enjoy a 90-minute session crafting pottery, from spinning the wheel to painting your own design. Prefer painting? Choose from already-fired mugs, plates, or bowls to customise for £23. The best part? You can BYOB! And if you love your masterpiece, come back in two weeks to pick it up for just £10.

Get the ultimate pottery experience from £23 at Token Studio, only with Time Out Offers.

Noah Davis, the Los Angeles painter known for his figurative works depicting dreamlike visions of everyday Black life, was not one to be pigeonholed: each canvas here is technically unique, yet they still work as a set, each brushstroke deliberate, considered. In this retrospective, we are taken into his personal life – ‘Painting for My Dad’ was created when he lost his father  – we discover his deep, well-referenced knowledge of art history and learn about his hopes and dreams, where vast canvases show scenes of his crime-striken neighbourhood transformed into a utopia where Black ballerinas dance in the street. Davis was an artist that played with paint, commanded it. The result? Quietly, yet urgently political art. 

Bridge boss Nicholas Hytner is back with the first new Bridge Theatre production in over two years: Richard II starring Jonathan Bailey. There’s a clear nod to Succession in Grant Olding’s stringy score. Bailey’s doomed king is a self-loathing fuck-up who at his best presents the air of a smug but inept middle manager and the strong suggestion that Bailey’s Richard knows he’s in over his head is an interesting one and he abuses substances to get through an insanely high pressure job that was forced on him at birth. It’s entertaining and a treat to see this play performed with a top-notch cast. 

By rights, Peter Hujar should be far more famous than he is. A contemporary of Robert Mapplethorpe and Nan Goldin, and a close friend of Paul Thek and David Wojnarowicz, he rubbed shoulders with countless artists and literary luminaries, photographing everyone from Andy Warhol, Susan Sontag and Wiliam S. Burroughs to Greer Langton, John Waters and Cookie Mueller. Many of these photographs are on display in this landmark exhibition, amongst a huge variety of tender, poised, enigmatic, compassionate photographs that cement Hujar’s reputation as a major force in 20th-century photography.

Americana London offers a soul-satisfying dining experience that brings the flavors of the American South to life. For just £25, enjoy a three-course meal and a glass of prosecco, all served in the vibrant ambiance near Piccadilly Circus. Start your journey with bold Buffalo Cauliflower Wings or Mamma’s 4-Cheese Macaroni, then savour hearty mains like the Bootlegger’s Moonshine Chicken or the Texas Red Brisket Chilli, perfectly paired with Southern Dirty Rice. For dessert, indulge in a comforting Torta della Nonna. 

Get a three course menu & a glass of prosecco for an exclusive price of £25, only with Time Out Offers.