Unmissable Things to Do In London in April 2019

Thought we’d all be wallowing in post-Brexit gloom by now? More FOOL you! Yeah, yeah, the Brexshit Show carries on, but that’s no reason not to carry on regardless with some of these Unmissable Things To Do in London this month…

Exhibitions

Hen | Herrick Gallery | 1-7 April

2019 is a key year in discovering the spectrum of gender and Bex Day’s free exhibition is a great way to get to know the older generation of the UK’s trans community.

Queer Spaces: London, 1980s – Today | Whitechapel Gallery | From 2 April | FREE

Delve into rarely seen archives of LGBTQ+ venues to keep the history alive.

Accumulate: Youth Culture | Autograph | 10-13 April | FREE

A pop-up display, featuring new work by young Londoners who are affected by homelessness. 

Cabaret & Performance Art

Cyst-er Act | Artsadmin | 3 April | 7:30pm | £12

Gospel , blues, punk and even death metal fuse for this musical exploration of the wonders of the womb, via Catherine Hoffman’s experiences of having a cyst and ovary removed.

Little Death Club | Underbelly Festival Southbank | From 18 April | Times Vary | From £16.50

A Neo-Weimar feast of cabaret, circus and comedy.

NSA: A Queer Salon | Sutton House, Hackney | 18 April | 7.30pm | £15

Push your inhibitions to the side for an in yer face night of provocation from an insane line up including Double Pussy Clit F-ck, George Heyworth & Matthew Poxon, Istanbul Queer Art Collective, Moa Johansson and Monsur Mansoor.

Blunderland | Bethnal Green Working Mens Club | 25 April | 9pm | £13

NYC’s finest hedonist dive HOUSE OF YES comes to London in this night out for freaks.

Festivals

Ecofutures Festival | East London | 4-19 April | Times Vary

70 artists, activists and theorists explore climate change, extinction, pollution, health and sustainability through an intersectional, feminist and queer lens.

Haramacy | The Albany | 23-27 April | £18

A south London showcase of  artists from marginalised communities.

Brixton Disco Festival | 27 April | From £25

Get your dancing shoes on for a celebration of 40 years of Disco, with live music, DJs, screenings, talks, roller disco, record fair and food & drink. 

Music

unDISTURBED | Royal Albert Hall | 5 & 6 April | 7:30pm | £16.13

The Royal Albert Hall breaks out of its stuffy image with this mini-festival of inclusive programming from young people. Our picks include Drag Syndrome (pictured above) and female beatboxer Kimmy Beatbox.

Cro Cro Land | Urban Xchange Croydon | 6 April | From 1pm | £26

Punk returns to Croydon with this brand new DIY multi-stage music festival. Read our interview with the founders here

Community Service: A Queer Band All-Dayer | The Shacklewell Arms | 13 April | 4pm-10pm | FREE

An All-day Queer Rock Show in association with It’s Female Trouble, Nice Mover, WIMP, Inferno and Transmissions.

Brix & The Extricated + Big Joanie | Borderline | 25 April | 7pm | £18.50

Female-fronted punk riffs at the Borderline.

Circus & Magic

A Simple Space | Underbelly Festival Southbank | From 5 April | Times Vary | From £19

The best circus show we’ve seen for years. Do not miss this flurry of close-up wonderment.

Magical Bones: Unboxed | Underbelly Festival Southbank | 10 April | 9:15pm | From £17

Prepare to get your mind turned upside down with Magical Bones, the break dancing magician.

Film

My Friend the Polish Girl | ICA | 9 April | 6:30pm | £15

Polish film festival Kinoteka exposes the lives of migrants in post-Brexit referendum London.

BFI & Radio Times Television Festival | BFI Southbank | 12-14 April | Times Vary

The ‘most prestigious’ TV festival in the UK welcomes the writers of Derry Girls, Bodyguard and Charlie Brooker to over 30 special events.

Women & Cocaine Presents… Paid (1930) | The Cinema Museum | 12 April | 7:30pm | £10.02

“My father warned me about men & booze, but he never mentioned a word about women & cocaine” – Tallulah Bankhead.

A chance to see a rarely screened Joan Crawford crime and revenge classic. The film was made in the time before censorship where women were depicted in roles with a frankness and sex-positivity that remains rare even today.

Brexshit

Brexageddon at the Shaftesbury | The Shaftesbury Tavern | 12 April | From 8pm

‘The EUpocolypse is looming’ but why not head to the gorgeous Shaftesbury Tavern for a pint to drown your sorrows.

Comedy

Sex Shells | Soho Theatre | 12 & 13 April | 9:15pm | From £11

We are gagged that London’s hottest queer musical sketch comedy foursome have hit the big time with these extra shows at Soho.

WeGotTickets 2019 Musical Comedy Awards Final | Bloomsbury Theatre | 13 April | 8pm | £17

11 finalists compete in the hunt for the next Musical Comedy Superstar. We’ll be there with our judging hats on so why not join us for a laugh to the beat.

Femmes of Colour: West End Showcase | Phoenix Arts Club | 16 April | 7pm

Kemah Bob’s underground comedy club for femmes of colour is the comedy night we all deserve. FUCK THE PATRIARCHY.

Talks & Discussions

It’s Not About the Burqa: Calling Time on Lazy Stereotypes | The Guardian | 24 April | 7pm | £20

Fans of the stereotype shattering cult book ‘It’s Not About the Burqa’ are in for a treat with a panel including our fave Mostly Lit podcaster Raifa Rafiq.

Did we miss something? Leave a comment…