Unmissable Things to Do In London in February 2019
Ah, February: the month of love! Well, it’s time to extend your arms, reach out and hug London with our February recommendations.
Comedy & Cabaret
Babylon Festival | Bush Theatre, Shepherds Bush | 4-9 Feb
A celebration of Black and Brown cultural innovators including a Voguing workshop, a session with hot collective Gal-Dem and a panel with female Muslim creatives.
Maawan and Friends | The Taproom, Islington | Thu 7 Feb | 7.30pm | £3/5
A funtastic comedy nighty with Mawaan featuring special guests: Jen Brister, Alex Theo and Sophie Duker.
Hackney Comedy Experience with Tim Key | EartH, Dalston | Thu 8 Feb | 7pm | £17.60
Amazing line up for this night in one of our secret wonders of London including Viceland’s JAMALI MADDIX and Comedy Central regular EVELYN MOK.
Flight Paths | Stratford Circus | 8-9 Feb | Thu 8 Feb | Various Times | £14
‘Three visually impaired performers from Japan, Nigeria and the US follow the example of The Goze to tell contemporary stories of migration to the UK.’
Elf Lyons: Love Songs to Guinea Pigs | Vault Festival, Waterloo | 13-15 Feb | 9.15pm | £10
A heartbreaking tale of love and loneliness from offbeat comedienne Elf Lyons. ‘In the style of a 1980s Elton John rock concert.’
$exquisite | Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club | Sat 16 Feb | 9pm | £5/7 + fee
A FIERY FEMINIST CROSS ARTS NIGHT PERFORMED BY ARTISTS WHO WORK IN THE SEX INDUSTRY.
Transmissions | VFD, Dalston | Mon 18 Feb | 7.30pm | £8.97
A night to promote trans inclusion in fashion.
Lou Sanders: Shame Pig | Soho Theatre | 25-28 Feb | 9.30pm | From £14.50
Lou Sanders’ new show is channeling her inner shame to deal with the pig in the room.
Festival
Barbican OpenFest: Art 50 | Barbican | Sat 23 Feb | Free
A nice yet quite confusingly pitched excuse to wander and wonder at the Barbican Centre.
Theatre & Performance
All About Eve | Noel Coward Theatre, Charing Cross | Booking until | Free
A glorious chance to see the power of Monica Dolan and Gillian Anderson live in the flesh in the ultimate showbiz catfight. We saw the first preview on 2 February and it’s a powerhouse of female performance including music by PJ Harvey. Sultry, witty and the perfect post #MeToo play, Anderson (Margo) and Lily James (Eve) hit on the horizon if they can find a tad more comedy in the script. We recommend watching the movie with Bette Davies and a star turn cameo from Marilyn Monroe as a preview. The lines are hilarious and it feels so now.
Photography by Jan Versweyveld
Sh!t Theatre Drink Rum With Expats | Vault Festival, Waterloo | Sat 10 Feb | 3.25pm | £10
Sh*t Theatre aka Becca and Louise go all ‘Brits Abroad’ in the 2018 European Capital of Culture in Malta and present their findings in this show.
MT Fest | The Other Palace, Victoria | 11-23 Feb | Various Times | £12.50
A showcase of new musicals including ones themed around cult TV classic Murder She Wrote, progressive teen romcom But I’m a Cheerleader, porn and nerds.
Binaural Dinner Date | Rich Mix | 11-23 Feb | Various Times | £10-20
Want to find love in 2019. Go on a date like no other in this part interactive performance, part First Dates, Binaural Dinner Date invites genuine applications from individuals looking for love, or existing couples who simply want a very different dating experience.
And the Rest of Me Floats | Bush Theatre | 20 Feb-16 Mar | Various Times | From £10
A anarchic night of gender exploration. Challenge your ism.
Screamphone | Vault Festival, Waterloo | 20-24 Feb | Various Times | From £15
80s hits x Dreamphone dating theme = hilarious fun.
Talks & Thinking
Show and Tell – Inspiring Mini Talks | Queen Mary University of London, Mile End | Wed 6, 13, 20 & 27 Feb | 6pm | Free
An inclusive mix of speakers from London’s creative industries give TED-style talks in East London.
The Guilty Feminist Science Special | Science Museum | Wed 27 Feb | 7.30pm | £15
A one-off special science-themed live recording of the smash-hit podcast ‘The Guilty Feminist’ with the legendary astronomer and presenter of The Sky at Night, Maggie Aderin-Pocock MBE.
Hairy Femmes Forever! | LCB Depot, Leicester | 28 Feb | 7.30pm | £15
Meet Soof our fave illustrator with a tash at this series that celebrates hairy femmes, subverting notions of femininity and reclaiming ideas of masculinity and celebrates body hair.
Did we miss something? Leave a comment…
I am Joint Editor at To Do List. I like free, cheap & offbeat London, especially: cabaret, art, theatre, pop-ups, eating out, quirky films, museums, day trips, social enterprise & much more.
