Things to do in London this week

The Brutalist is a major work of art that asks something from its audience but gives back in spades. Weighing in at a meaty 210 minutes, complete with an old-school opening overture and a 15-minute intermission, it’s like a trip to the pictures circa 1962. Brady Corbet’s epic can handle the hyperbole. This is a monumental parable about the false promises of the American dream, as well as the act of creation and its uneasy relationship with money, all underpinned by a rich and complex love story. It’s a new world symphony.

In US theaters Dec 20 and UK cinemas Jan 24, 2025.

In the early twentieth century Brazil was a country shackled by artistic conservatism but bursting at the seams with vibrant indigenous and immigrant cultures, so the modernists decided to create something new and totally Brazilian. That new Brazilian cud is on display here, and it’s gorgeous. The 10 artists in this show mash together indigenous aesthetics, art history and influences from the new European avant garde with a social consciousness and desire to address the challenges of life in Brazil. Poverty, racism, immigration, radicalism and more colour than your eyes can handle.

Jackson Boxer’s fish-forward Ladbroke Grove restaurant Orasay, has been re-edited and renamed as Dove. The menu is less serious, a playful offering of what Boxer feels like experimenting with at any given time, but, largely, it’s comfort classics with flair. There is a burger, a big, beefy doorstop of a thing that laughs in the faces of the city’s weedy, pulverised smashburgers. There are grenades of lasagna, immaculate roast herb-fed chicken with yielding Tokyo turnips, and ricotta dumplings drenched in pink lobster and lime-leaf cream. Orasay was all well and good, but Dove might just be the dose of sheer pleasure that Ladbroke Grove needs.

Kyoto, by Joe Murphy and Joe Robertson, is so indecently entertaining it almost feels like the result of a bet to choose the dullest, worthiest subject imaginable and make it as fun as humanly possible. The play is about the Kyoto UN climate change conference of 1997, at which every country on the planet eventually agreed to curb its greenhouse emissions. The secret is that Kyoto is actually a play about a total bastard. Don Pearlman was a real oil lobbyist whose fingerprints were all over climate conferences in the ‘90s. US actor Stephen Kunken is terrific as Pearlman with boundless cynicism and endless lawyer’s tricks. It’s a total thrill ride. 

The Princess of Wales Conservatory at Kew Gardens is getting a Peruvian makeover this February, courtesy of the latest annual mind-bending orchid display that takes over the iconic glasshouse each year. As ever, the exotic display will celebrate the natural beauty and biodiversity of its subject country: Peru is home to over 3,000 varieties of orchids, plus vast amounts of other flora and fauna. Look out for sculptures of native animals carved out of plants, plus a cornucopia designed to resemble the iconic Lake Titicaca. 

Now in its 79th year, this weird and wonderful annual service sees dozens of clowns descend on Haggerston’s All Saints Church dressed in full costume for a gathering celebrating the lives and artistry of recently deceased clowns from the community, and honouring the King of the Clowns, Regency era entertainer Joseph Grimaldi (1778-1837). The service starts at 3pm, and spectators are also invited to stick around after for a free clown show and a slice of cake. It’s best to arrive nice and early, as the church tends to be packed out for the occasion. 

In The Lonely Londoners, Roy Williams lifts the words from the pages of Sam Selvon’s seminal 1956 novel about the Windrush generation in London and sears them onto the stage. Moses (Solomon Israel) is our eyes and ears into the city as he greets – and quickly shows the ropes to – other immigrants from the Caribbean seeking a new life. From the novel’s picaresque shape, Williams crafts a story that touches on Black immigrant experiences without patronising his characters. We feel their rage in a postwar UK that has exploited their citizenship for gain but treats them like dirt. 

The Southbank Centre kicks off an exciting new partnership with Switzerland’s Montreux Jazz Festival this winter, via a weekend of events celebrating the legacy of legendary Nina Simone. The main event is a Friday night concert with the Nu Civilisation Orchestra, where special guests including Corinne Bailey Rae and Laura Mvula will perform some of the American jazz and blues singer’s biggest hits. Elsewhere you can catch saxophonist and rapper Soweto Kinch premiering his new album, join a celebration of writer and activist James Baldwin and get down with gender-diverse musical platform Peng Femme Jam at a Saturday night afterparty. 

‘Vogue: Inventing the Runway’ takes you on a journey through the evolution of fashion shows, from intimate salons to today’s epic, celebrity-filled spectacles. Step into the front row and backstage at some of fashion’s most iconic moments, all projected on Lightroom’s massive 360-degree walls. With immersive animations, a killer soundtrack, and jaw-dropping visuals, this exhibit celebrates the creativity and drama that turned runway shows into cultural milestones. Save up to 33% with student tickets at £10 and adult tickets at £19.

Get adult tickets for £19 (down from £25), or student tickets for just £10, only through Time Out Offers.

In the short, dark days of midwinter, it’s pretty rare you get a chance to bask in the sun’s warm glow. That is, unless you pay a visit to Greenwich’s Painted Hall over the next couple of months to catch Luke Jerram’s latest installation. A to-scale sculpture of our sun, complete with sunspots and filaments, Helios is the most recent addition to the British artist’s ongoing series of large-scale celestial installations. Accompanied by a soundscape created by acclaimed composers Duncan Speakman and Sarah Anderson, the seven-metre-tall sculpture is suspended from the ceiling of the Old Royal Naval College’s magnificent Baroque dining hall. 

Sometimes, it’s necessary to embrace your emotions fully – and GothBoiClique provides the perfect outlet. Comprising of Lil Peep (who passed away in 2017), Wicca Phase Springs Eternal, Cold Hart, Døves, Fish Narc, Horse Head, JPDreamthu, Lil Tracy, Mackned and Yawns, the nine-member-strong emo collective has churned out brooding tunes to suit every mood, from country ballads to turn-up anthems and heart-wrenching croons. Now, for the first time since forming in 2012, all living members of the GothBoiClique will come together for just three worldwide gigs. Given the significance of their reunion, you can only expect this show to be an emotional rollercoaster. 

Troxy, E1 0HX. Fri Jan 31, 7pm. From £35.81.

Some of the most potent symbols of queerness come from the natural world: like pansies, fruits, and especially, lavender. This fragrant herb is getting a moment in the spotlight at ‘A Dash of Lavender’, Chelsea Physic Garden’s collaboration with Queer Botany in honour of LGBTQ+ history month. Visitors to the garden can pick up a printed map which shares stories about plants from a queer perspective, and get stuck into various activities across February all exploring queer ecology. Look out for botanical drawing workshops, poetry evenings, folklore circles and more. 

Eats Everything concludes his XOYO residency with an all-night long party. He’ll be joined by special guests who’ll go b2b with him on the decks – and will be announced soon. Whether you’ll be emerging from a month of Dry January or are on a party roll already, Eats Everything All Night Long promises to be a spectacular night of DJs, dancing and good vibes.

Head to The Lost Property Hotel's Found Bar & Restaurant for a unique dining experience. Whether it's a romantic dinner or a casual lunch with friends, indulge in three courses of contemporary delights. Start with options like Scottish smoked salmon & champagne parfait or truffle champignons on toasted brioche. For mains, savour dishes like pan-fried fillet of sea bass or herb-roasted cauliflower steak. End on a sweet note with crepes Suzette or a rich chocolate fondant. Pair your meal with a glass of red or white wine for the perfect touch.

Get three courses and a glass of complimentary glass of wine the Lost Property Hotel for £29.95, only through Time Out Offers.

Steven Soderbergh is on the upswing again with this highly original ghost story about a non-specific presence. We view everything from the perspective of something that’s confined to an empty house. It’s not clear how long it’s been there, nor what it wants, but through Soderbergh’s creeping camera we see everything it sees. And what it mostly sees is a family suppressing ghosts of their own. This is very effective, experimental filmmaking – and at 85 minutes it never becomes indulgent – and the most exciting thing Soderbergh’s done in quite some time.

In cinemas worldwide Fri Jan 24.

The business district will glow brighter than usual in January thanks to the addition of sparkling illuminations created by artists from around the world. The Winter Lights Festival returns for its ninth edition with a new set of dazzling artworks, installations and interactive experiences, plus some old favourites from previous years. There’ll be 11 immersive illuminations dotted across the area as well as sweet treats and hot drinks to warm you up. 

The annual celebration of the UK’s best art graduates returns, this time in a new venue. New Contemporaries is always a chance to see what the art schools are churning out, an opportunity to spot some potential stars of the future and to take the pulse of young art in the UK right now. 

New Contemporaries is at the ICA, Jan 15-Mar 23 2025. More details here.