What’s on in London this week: 10 - 16 February 2025
Discover our pick of events in London this week: 10 - 16 February 2025.
Outspoken Southbank
Out-Spoken returns to the Southbank Centre this week, curated by award-winning Joelle Taylor. This popular poetry and live music night brings together emerging voices and world-renowned artists on a shared stage. Hosted monthly by Taylor, Out-Spoken features poetry performances alongside live music, with this edition showcasing poets Oluwaseun Olayiwola, Ella Frears, and Pádraig Ó Tuama, and reggae, soul, and R&B tunes by Sam ‘Junior’ Bromfield.
Date: 13 February 2025. Time: 7.45pm. Location: Purcell Room, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX. Price: from £17. Book now.
Out-Spoken returns to the Southbank Centre this week.
Much Ado About
A new adaptation of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing opens at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane this week, starring Tom Hiddleston as Benedick and Hayley Atwell as Beatrice. Directed by Jamie Lloyd, this production promises a savagely funny and beautifully tender battle of wits between the two characters. The show runs from 10 February to 5 April.
Date: 10 February - 5 April 2025. Location: Theatre Royal Drury Lane, Catherine St, London WC2B 5JF. Price: from £60. Book now.
Late at Tate: 80s Valentine’s Special
Tate Britain’s Late this Friday will be an ’80s Valentine’s Special, celebrating love and nostalgia with live music, performances, and creative workshops inspired by The 80s: Photographing Britain exhibition. Expect a vibrant, retro-themed evening filled with art, culture, and entertainment.
Date: 15 February 2025. Time: 6pm - 10pm. Location: Tate Britain, Millbank, London SW1P 4RG. Price: Free. tate.org.uk.
Click here for our guide to art experiences to discover in London this Valentine’s Day.
The 80s Photographing Britain installation view at Tate Britain 2024. Photo © Tate (Jai Monaghan).
Sketches of Spain Madrid Philharmonic Orchestra
The Madrid Philharmonic Orchestra brings the spirit of Spain to London with a programme celebrating the country’s rich musical heritage. Marking the tenth anniversary of legendary guitarist Paco de Lucía’s passing, the concert features Joaquín Rodrigo’s El Concierto de Aranjuez, alongside works by Manuel de Falla, Isaac Albéniz, and Francisco Tárrega. Music inspired by Spain, including pieces from Carmen and The Barber of Seville, also features. With guitarist Alejandro Hurtado and flamenco dancer Inmaculada Salomón, the orchestra promises an evening of vibrant sights and sounds.
Date: 16 February 2025. Time: 7.30pm. Location: Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS. Price: £30 - £85. Book now.
Sean Shibe Guitar; Sasha Savaloni Guitar
Expect creative sparks to fly when the charismatic Sean Shibe duets with Sasha Savaloni, trailblazing champion of contemporary music. Ludwig Senfl’s spinetingling Renaissance works raise the curtain on new scores by the Glasgow-based David Fennessy and Croatian composer Sara Glojnarić.
Date: 14 February 2025. Time: 7.30pm. Location: Wigmore Hall, 36, Wigmore Street, London,W1U 2BP. Price: £18 - £48. Book now.
…blackbird hour at the Bush Theatre. Photo credit Seye Isikalu.
…blackbird hour
…blackbird hour is a poignant exploration of a queer Black woman’s journey to self-love in a world where love is in short supply. Premiering at the Bush Theatre, the play is written by babirye bukilwa, a writer and actor who has received multiple prestigious award nominations and is known for her work across stage, audio, and screen. Click here for our full review.
Date: until 1 March 2025. Location: Bush Theatre, 7 Uxbridge Rd, London W12 8LJ. Price: from £15. Book now.
Les Illuminations
Wilton’s Music Hall presents Les Illuminations, a one-hour performance by the Chromatica Orchestra, featuring four works by British composers inspired by Italian Baroque and French Romanticism. The concert will showcase tenor Robin Tritschler as the soloist in Britten’s Les Illuminations, conducted by Peter Manning. This exquisite programme blends classical refinement with the passionate expressiveness of the Romantic era.
Date: 11 February 2025. Time: 8pm. Location: Wilton’s Music Hall, 1 Graces Alley, London E1 8JB. Price: £12.50–£27. Book now.
Cinema
Pather Panchali (U)
Satyajit Ray’s celebrated debut film Pather Panchali will be shown at the Barbican this week. Coinciding with Citra Sasmita’s Into Eternal Land exhibition at the Curve, the artist has selected Pather Panchali to complement her work. Set in rural Bengal, this deeply moving tale follows young Apu and his family as they navigate the hardships of poverty and loss. Adapted from Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay’s novel, the film is a lyrical exploration of innocence, survival, and the beauty of everyday life, featuring remarkable cinematography and a score by Ravi Shankar.
Date: 10 February 2025. Time: 6.10pm. Location: Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London. EC2Y 8DS. Price: £13 + BF. Book now.
Satyajit Ray’s celebrated debut film Pather Panchali will be shown at the Barbican this week.
Arts & Culture
Opening this week
Linder: Danger Came Smiling
Linder’s first London retrospective will open at the Hayward Gallery, showcasing 50 years of the feminist artist’s work and exploring society’s fascination with the body and its representation. The exhibition spans her early punk-era photomontages from 1970s Manchester to new digital montage pieces, marking her continued evolution.
Date: 11 February – 5 May 2025. Location: Hayward Gallery, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, London SE1 8XX. Price: from £19. Book now.
Derrick Adams: Situation Comedy
Artist Derrick Adams will showcase Situation Comedy at Gagosian, an exhibition exploring Black Americana through everyday moments of leisure. Using acrylic and fabric collage, Adams draws inspiration from sitcoms and pop culture, blending nostalgia with reflections on cultural rituals and identity.
Date: 13 February – 22 March 2025. Location: Gagosian, 17–19 Davies Street London W1K 3DE. Price: Free. More info.
Linder, Principle of Totality (Version I), 2012, detail. Image: © Linder. Courtesy of the artist; Modern Art, London; Blum, Los Angeles, Tokyo, New York; Andréhn-Schiptjenko, Stockholm, Paris and dépendance, Brussels.
Flowers – Flora in Contemporary Art & Culture
Saatchi Gallery presents an exploration of flowers’ lasting influence on creativity and human expression. Featuring over 500 artworks and objects, the exhibition spans multiple mediums and highlights how flowers are depicted in art, fashion and music.
Date: 12 February – 5 May 2025. Location: Saatchi Gallery, Duke of York's HQ, King's Rd, London SW3 4RY. Price: from £12. Book now.
Goya to Impressionism: Masterpieces from the Oskar Reinhart Collection
The Courtauld Gallery will present the Oskar Reinhart Collection ‘Am Römerholz’, a remarkable exhibition featuring masterpieces by some of the most iconic artists in history, including Goya, Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh, Picasso, and Cézanne. This exhibition offers a rare opportunity to explore the rich tapestry of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works, complemented by key precursors that shaped the development of modern art.
Date: 14 February – 26 May 2025. Location: Denise Coates Exhibition Galleries, Floor 3, Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 0RN. Price: from £16. Book now.
Paul Cézanne, Still Life with Faience Jug and Fruit, c. 1900. Image: The Swiss Confederation, Federal Office of Culture, Oskar Reinhart Collection “Am Römerholz”, Winterthur.
Donald Rodney: Visceral Canker
Whitechapel Gallery presents a major survey exhibition of the late British multimedia artist Donald Rodney, spanning his works from 1982 to 1997. The exhibition touches on themes of racial identity, Black masculinity, chronic illness, and Britain’s colonial history, showcasing oil pastels on X-rays, kinetic sculptures, and rare archival materials.
Date: 12 February - 4 May 2025. Location: Whitechapel Gallery, 77-82 Whitechapel High Street, London E1 7QX. whitechapelgallery.org.
Donald Rodney, Autoicon 1997-2000 CD ROM, digitally transferred dimensions variable. Image © The Donald Rodney Estate.
The Face Magazine: Culture Shift
The exhibition celebrates The Face magazine, which shaped youth culture and style from 1980 to 2004. With over 200 photographs by more than 80 photographers, it offers a rare opportunity to view these iconic images beyond the pages of the magazine.
Date: 13 February – 1 June 2025. Location: National Portrait Gallery, St. Martin’s Pl, London WC2H 0HE. Price: £23 / £25.50 with donation. Book now.
Girls on Bikes (Sarf Coastin’), by Elaine Constantine, styled by Polly Banks, December 1997, © Elaine Constantine.
Mickalene Thomas: All About Love
All About Love at the Hayward Gallery showcases two decades of Mickalene Thomas’s work, featuring vibrant paintings, photographs, collages, and installations celebrating Black women. Inspired by European art history and feminist literature, Thomas reclaims space for Black and LGBTQIA+ individuals in a male-dominated tradition. The exhibition, paying homage to bell hooks, also includes bespoke wallpapers and textiles reflecting her 1970s childhood, exploring themes of love, glamour, and empowerment.
Date: 11 February – 5 May 2025. Location: Hayward Gallery, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX. Price: £19. (concessions available). Book now.
Hardeep Pandhal: Inner World
Hardeep Pandhal’s Inner World will be his first solo exhibition in a public London gallery. Drawing from religion, video games, comics, and music, Pandhal creates mythical narratives that explore race, class, and power. The exhibition will feature a site-specific wall drawing wrapping around the gallery, alongside new and earlier works. Pandhal’s art delves into themes of migration, colonialism, and cultural assimilation.
Date: 13 February – 13 April 2025. Location: Drawing Room, Unit 1B New Tannery Way, London SE1 5WS. Price: Free. More info.
Hardeep Pandhal, Thugs and Vandals: Charmed by Gorgoroth 13, 2021, Indian ink on paper, 56 x 76 cm, courtesy Jhaveri Contemporary and the artist.
Last chance to see
Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael: Florence, c. 1504
A rare and extraordinary exhibition uniting the works of three Renaissance titans—Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and Raphael—at a defining moment in their artistic journeys. Featuring exquisite drawings, paintings, and sculptures, this show illuminates the creative rivalries and groundbreaking innovations that shaped art history.
Date: until 16 February 2025. Location: Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BD. Price: from £19. Book here
Turner Prize 2024
As one of the UK’s most prestigious contemporary art awards, the Turner Prize exhibition showcases bold and experimental work from four shortlisted artists: Pio Abad, Claudette Johnson, Jasleen Kaur, and Delaine Le Bas. In December 2024, Jasleen Kaur was named the winner for her deeply personal sculptures, crafted from everyday objects to explore cultural heritage and personal identity. This exhibition is the last chance to see the work of all shortlisted artists before it closes.
Date: until 16 February 2025. Location: Tate Britain, Millbank, London SW1P 4RG. Price: from £14 (free for members). Book here
Jasleen Kaur © Tate (Oli Cowling).
Taylor Wessing Photo Portrait Prize 2024
This renowned competition highlights the most compelling portrait photography from around the world. From intimate personal moments to striking social commentary, the exhibition presents a diverse collection of images capturing the human experience.
Date: until 16 February 2025. Location: National Portrait Gallery, St. Martin's Pl, London WC2H 0HE. Price: from £8.50. Book here
Looks Delicious! Exploring Japan’s food replica culture
Don’t miss your final chance to explore the fascinating world of shokuhin sanpuru—the hyper-realistic food replicas displayed outside restaurants in Japan—at Japan House. This exhibition showcases expertly crafted models from the Iwasaki Group, featuring dishes from all 47 prefectures, from Okinawa’s goya chanpur to Hokkaido’s Ainu ohaw. Visitors can also enjoy an interactive zone where they can create their own replica bento box.
Date: until 16 February 2025. Location: Japan House, 101-111 Kensington High St, Kensington, W8 5SA. Price: Free. japanhouselondon.uk.
Click here to discover more art exhibitions closing in London in February 2025.
Looks Delicious! Exploring Japan’s food replica culture to open at Japan House.
Artist Talk
Mickalene Thomas in Conversation with Renée Mussai
Artist Mickalene Thomas and writer-curator Renée Mussai will be in conversation this week to discuss All About Love, Thomas’ first solo exhibition in a UK public gallery. Known for her vibrant, rhinestone-adorned portraits, Thomas explores Black female identity, race, and gender in Western culture.
Date: 11 February 2025. Time: 7 pm. Location: Level 5 Function Room, Green Side, Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX. Price: from £12. Book now.
Mickalene Thomas, 2023. Photo by Malike Sidibe.
Linder in Conversation with Marina Warner
Join artist Linder and cultural historian Marina Warner for an insightful discussion as they explore themes from Linder’s first London retrospective at the Hayward Gallery. From her roots in Manchester’s punk scene to her surrealist influences, Linder is renowned for her radical feminist photomontage, photography, and performance art, challenging ideas of gender, consumer culture, and representation.
Date: 14 February 2025. Time: 7pm. Location: Purcell Room, Queen Elizabeth Hall. Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX. Price: from £10. Book now.
#FLOFavourites: Pick of the Week
Free event of the week
Southwark Music: Orchestral Playing Day
Southwark Music: Orchestral Playing Day 2024.
Experience young musical talent as secondary schools from across Southwark perform a programme featuring composers such as Florence Price and Antonín Dvořák.
Date: 11 February 2025. Time: 5pm. Location: The Clore Ballroom, Level 2, Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX. Price: this free event requires no tickets.southbankcentre.co.uk.
Interview of the week
In conversation with Hannah Drakeford
Hannah Drakeford.
Hannah Drakeford is a London-based interior designer known for her bold and colourful interiors. She transitioned from a 21-year retail design career to interior design, and has gained popularity on social media where she now shares creative upcycling tutorials and encourages individuality in home decor.
Click here for the full interview.
Food of the week
Randall & Aubin
Randall & Aubin in Soho is offering a special Prix Fixe menu throughout February. Image credit MTotoe.
Randall & Aubin in Soho is offering a special Prix Fixe menu throughout February, available Monday to Friday from 12 pm to 4 pm. Enjoy two courses for £25 or three courses for £32. The menu features French-inspired starters such as Moules Marinière, Foie Gras d’Oie, and a vegetarian option of Salade de Roquefort. Main courses include Confit de Canard, Limande Sole à La Française, Steak Frites au Poivre, and vegetarian Spinach Ravioli. For dessert, choose from Crème Brûlée, Pot au Chocolat, and Brie de Meaux. The offer runs until 28th February, excluding Valentine’s Day.
Location: Randall & Aubin, 16 Brewer St, London W1F 0SQ. Website: randallandaubin.com Instagram: @randallandaubin
Cause of the week
Vauxhall City Farm
Vauxhall City Farm
Vauxhall City Farm offers a variety of volunteering opportunities for individuals aged 16 and over, with roles tailored to different skills and interests. Volunteers can assist as Front Desk Volunteers, welcoming visitors, or as Farmyard Volunteers, helping with animal care and farm tasks. Those with practical skills can support the Community Garden & DIY team with gardening and maintenance. Education & Training Volunteers assist with school groups, workshops, and special events. For those seeking flexibility, Event Volunteers can help with both on-site and off-site events.
Click here for details on how you can apply to volunteer at Vauxhall City Farm.