Explore the best part of the city – from artwork and comedy nights to community dance and theatre
Feeling Blue in Greenwich
In this 45-minute tour, assistant curator Maya Wassell-Smith will unpack the rich narratives in Alberta Whittle’s work, which speaks to a global history of migration, melancholy and mythology.
Feeling Blue is a site-specific commission, made by Alberta Whittle and Dovecot Studios. When designing the tapestry, Whittle visited Royal Museums Greenwich, delving into the collections at the National Maritime Museum and exploring the tapestry at the Queen’s House.
Weaving together sailor traditions, Windrush stories, ocean ecologies and musical themes, the piece speaks to the multiple histories represented at the Museum, and imbalances of power evoked by the Queen’s House.
Date: Tuesday 14 May 2024, 3:30pm
Tickets: £5
Park Row, Greenwich, SE10 9NF
www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/queens-house/feeling-blue-curator-tour
The Laugh Bath – Free stand-up
Fancy a night of free stand-up comedy? The Laugh Bath offers a laugh a minute at Deptford’s Endeavour every Wednesday evening.
Grab your mates, grab a pint, and grab a giggle at this weekly comedy event.
Date: Every Wednesday (1 May, 8 May, 15 May), 7:30pm
Tickets: Free
Endeavour, 39 Deptford Broadway, SE8 4PQ
www.eventbrite.com/e/the-laugh-bath-free-stand-up-comedy-in-deptford-tickets-790181773957
Community dance session in Woolwich
Bulgarian-born, Woolwich-based choreographer and dance artist, Stephanie Handjiiska, is hosting community dance sessions at Woolwich Works this spring.
The sessions cater to individuals from all backgrounds; no prior dance experience is needed. Stephanie guides participants through a free dance session, offering thoughtfully structured instructions that build upon each other to inspire movement. Revel in the music’s rhythm and let it drive your emotions and transformations.
There’s no set choreography to memorise, no specific movements to repeat. Dance in unison, fully present in the moment, connecting with the music, joy, and the sense of community.
The session is for those 18+, or 15+ with a parent present and dancing. It can also be conducted seated and is accessible for wheelchair users.
Dates: Sunday 12 May and Sunday 16 June 2024
Tickets: £8, concession £6.50
Coopers Studio, The Fireworks Factory, 11 No. 1 Street, SE18 6HD
www.woolwich.works/events/dancer-in-the-community-2024
Hilarious Tarot reading in Bromley
Want to know your future? Because comedians Carly Smallman and Sarah Iles already do.
The duo will be joined by a special guest for a real – and hilarious – tarot reading.
There will also be card readings for the audience, too, in this fully interactive hit show, which won the ‘Best Audience Interaction’ Award at the 2022 and 2023 Brighton Fringe Festivals. So, what do the cards have in store for you…
Date: Thursday, 2 May 2024, 8:15pm
Tickets: £9.50–£11.50, 16+ event
Churchill Theatre, High Street, BR1 1HA
Sunday Yoga in the park
Calling all yogis, join in a restorative session of yoga in Greenwich Park.
Whatever your experience – whether you’re new to yoga or perhaps you’re an experienced yogi looking to get out of the studio – this is the class for you. Everyone is welcome; all you need is a mat, a bottle of water and an open mind.
Dates: Sundays (5 May, 19 May, 26 May, 2 June, 9 June), 5pm
Tickets: £5
Greenwich Park, SE10 8QY
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/park-yoga-greenwich-park-everybody-is-welcome-tickets-865348439477
Free live music in historic pub
Greenwich’s Trafalgar Tavern hosts evenings of free live music every week (Fridays and Saturdays from 8pm, Sundays from 7pm).
Enjoy the sweet serenades of some fantastic artists from across London as the pub is joined by performers who keep the party going. Listen to some classics while taking in views of the river, pub garden season has just begun after all.
Dates: Every weekend
Tickets: Free
The Trafalgar Tavern, Park Row, SE10 9NW
www.trafalgartavern.co.uk/event/live-music
London Craft Week
NOW Gallery is hosting a craft making workshop, Table Tapestries by Jaixia Blue, to mark London Craft Work.
Embroidery practice has been embedded into Caribbean communities since the 19th century and this event intends to bring women together through textiles as a network for social and economic change.
In this workshop, participants are encouraged to embrace any mistakes that may occur and steer away from perfection. Each person will be given their own square of material and will be guided through a brief meditation and visualisation exercise to connect with a joyful memory or personal motto that they would like to leave behind.
Date: Sunday 19 May 2024, 12pm and 3:30pm
Tickets: Free
NOW Gallery, The Gateway Pavillions, SE10 0SQ
nowgallery.co.uk/events/london-craft-week-table-tapestries-by-jaixia-blue
Caribbean takeover
The Caribbean Social Forum is back at the National Maritime Museum with a family-friendly celebration of Caribbean culture, featuring music, games, talks, Caribbean food, history, workshops and dancing.
Expect a curated day of activities across the grounds outside the Queen’s House and the National Maritime Museum, with a small number of talks and activities taking place inside.
Date: Saturday 18 May 2024, 11am to 5pm
Tickets: Free
National Maritime Museum Gardens, Romney Road, SE10 9NF
www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/national-maritime-museum/caribbean-takeover
Greenwich Summer Artisan Market
Each weekend this summer, you can explore a treasure trove of makers at the Greenwich Summer Artisan Market on the King Charles Lawns.
From the first May bank holiday weekend and through August, spend your weekends browsing 40 skilled artisans, curated by Travelling Artisan Popup, located by the scenic riverside grounds of the Old Royal Naval College.
Discover a variety of unique handmade items and contemporary crafts among the offerings from the broad selection of talented creatives.
Dates: Weekends from Saturday 4 May to Monday 26 August 2024
King Charles Lawns, Old Royal Naval College, SE10 9NN
ornc.org/whats-on/greenwich-summer-artisan-market
My Fair Lady in Eltham
Ferrier Operatic Society presents a performance of My Fair Lady, adapted from George Bernard Shaw’s play and Gabriel Pascal’s motion picture Pygmalion.
It tells the tale of Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney flower girl, who takes lessons from a phonetician, Professor Henry Higgins, who has made a bet with his friend Colonel Pickering that he can turn her into a refined lady within six months. Now say it with us, the rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain…
Dates: Thursday 23 May to Saturday 25 May 2024, 2:30pm and 7:30pm
Tickets: £17
Bob Hope Theatre, SE9 5TG
www.bobhopetheatre.co.uk/myfairlady.html
He’s behind you in Blackheath
Tom Fletcher’s interactive adventures for big imaginations are leaping from page to stage as the beloved Who’s in Your Book? series makes its debut as a brand-new musical show.
A group of performers are preparing to start their show, but quickly discover they are not alone on stage. Little Monster wants to be part of the fun, too. With an invitation to his friends, Dragon, Alien and Unicorn to join him, you can expect comedy and chaos as they help to create a magical show, learning about the joy of books and friendship along the way.
Dates: Saturday 25 May to Sunday 26 May 2024, 11am, 2pm and 4pm
Tickets: £16, under-14s £14
Blackheath Halls, 23 Lee Road, SE3 9RQ
www.blackheathhalls.com/whats-on/theres-a-monster-in-your-show-2
Bridgerton afternoon tea
The talk of the ton: transport back to Regency-era London with an affair fit for Lady Whistledown herself.
Step into the world of Bridgerton and indulge in an al fresco afternoon tea experience amid the grandeur of the historic colonnades, where many scenes from the Netflix show were filmed.
You’ll find delicate finger sandwiches and homemade scones with clotted cream and jam, plus cakes and sweet treats with a Bridgerton twist. With loose leaf teas, prosecco or champagne to finish the affair. Delightful.
Dates: Last Sunday of the month (May to September), 1:30pm, 2:30pm and 3:30pm
Tickets: £60
Colonnades, Old Royal Naval College, SE10 9NN
ornc.org/whats-on/bridgerton-afternoon-tea-on-the-colonnades
