The New Cross Inn

We’ve spent the past week going through East London’s listings with a fine-toothed comb and assembled the finest collection of events to suit any tastes.

If you’ve got any suggestions or recommendations, please tweet us @eastlondonlines or leave a comment on this article. Enjoy!

FRIDAY May 18

SYMPOSIUM: AND WILL EUROPE BE STUNNED? – Whitechapel Gallery, 77-82 Whitechapel High Street, E1 7QX

And Europe Will Be Stunned (2011) is a trilogy of films by Israeli artist Yael Bartana. The films revolve around the Jewish Renaissance Movement which calls for the return of three million Jews to Poland. The Symposium after the showings will present the opportunity for the discussion of these highly ambitious and contentious films.

£15, 2pm onwards.

SATURDAY May 19

HAVEN’T STOPPED DANCING YET – St. Swithun’s Church Hall, Hither Green, SE13

A night of 70s and 80s funk, soul and disco classics. With a playlist including Aretha Franklin, Chic, James Brown and undoubtedly the late, great Donna Summer, this is an evening for those who remember the tunes the first time round and still want to party. The night begins at 7.30pm with a disco dancing class for those who want to brush up on their skills. Prizes will be given for the best retro outfits.

£10 – 7.30pm

SUNDAY May 20

JON WINDLE (LITTLE MAN TATE) – New Cross Inn, 323 New Cross Road, SE14 6AS

You may remember Little Man Tate, one of the better bands to come out of Sheffield shortly after the Arctic Monkeys made the city a musical hotspot. Former frontman of the band Jon Windle is now forging a solo career and will be appearing at the New Cross Inn to play new material.

£6/£7, 7.30pm

MONDAY May 21

ROOFTOP FILM CLUB PRESENT FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF – The Queen of Hoxton, 1-5 Curtain Road, EC2A 3JX

Arguably the greatest film ever made about a teenager in Chicago bunking off school, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is being shown on the roof of The Queen of Hoxton as part of The Rooftop Film Club. It’s one of many films being shown as part of the project, and full listings can be found here.

£10 – 9pm.

TUESDAY May 22

LAUGHING BOY COMEDY CLUB- Up The Creek, 302 Creek Road, SE10 9SW

A stellar line-up including Jon Richardson, Josh Widdicombe, Andrew Lawrence and Seann Walsh, this is one of ten work in progress shows for the line-up of Channel 4′s Stand Up For the Week to test topical material. Tickets are ridiculously cheap for such a good line-up and it’ll be well worth a little walk out of Lewisham into Greenwich for this.

Here’s Josh Widdicombe at last year’s Edinburgh Festival.

£5, 7pm

WEDNESDAY May 23

FROM THE JUNGLE – Victorian Vaults, 82 Great Eastern Street, EC2A 3JF

This innovative project fuses text, dance and even cookery to tell urban migration tales. The stories focus on women of south-east Asian origin, with a Malaysian curry being cooked on stage during one piece.

£7, 7.45pm

THURSDAY May 24

 JOOLS HOLLAND AND HIS RHYTHM AND BLUES ORCHESTRA w/ SPECIAL GUEST GREGORY PORTER, feat. GILSON LAVIS – Fairfield Halls, Croydon, CR9 1DG

The legendary Jools Holland is coming to Croydon on Wednesday and bringing his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra with him! He’ll be joined by Grammy-nominated Gregory Porter. Tickets are quite pricy but it promises to be a great evening.

7pm, £30.

Breakin Convention workshops and activities

East London Lines presents the best mix of events in the four boroughs to suit all discerning tastes over the next seven days.

Tweet us @eastlondonlines or leave a comment if you’ve got any further recommendations.

Friday May 4th – Sunday 6th May

Music Festivals in Camden and Dalston

The upcoming weekend is filled with music festivals.  Fans should visit either Camden or Dalston to breathe with good musical vibe and enjoy the tunes despite the weather.  Everyone should find something  to suit their tastes and preferences with a wide variety of beats on offer.

If  you enjoy dancing and break dancing as well as listening to the music, perhaps the Breakin’ convention festival is the best place for you to be. It’s held during this weekend to Monday 7th May, in North East London, then starting a tour around the country.

Land of Kings Festival

In Hackney, to be more specific in Dalston, on Friday 4th and Saturday 5th of May you can enjoy the Land Of Kings festival. It’s not only a music festival spread through 15 venues, but also a cultural event.

Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th in Camden are the days for Camden Crawl Festival.

The Camden Crawl Bank Holiday Weekend

This year’s novelty is filling the day time with a comedy scene on a bigger scale and all sorts of activities such as the Rough Trade Shop Pop Quiz  ’who killed Bambi?’

Cinema Listings

Hackney Picture House

Friday and Saturday they will celebrate 35th anniversary restoration ‘Taxi Driver’  by playing it at 11pm both evenings.  Late night quality screening for all real cinema fans.

Also we recommend to taste European cinema with French ‘Goodbye, First Love’ Spanish ‘Juan of The Dead’, Swedish ‘ She Monkeys’

L'Atalante at the Hackney Picture House

Tuesday for French movie from 1934 ‘ L’ Atalante’ at 6.45pm.

If this is not enough for you Hackney Picture House is holding three free (!) events’ BoardGames and Beyond on Tuesday 9th May,  ”Reminescence Archive Programm: Jubilee Special” on Thursday, May 10th and later that day Launch Party of  ‘ Salt. Sweat. Sugar On The Dancefloor’

Also on Thursday

Boutique Film Club in Stoke Newington

Boutique Film Club is coming to Stoke Newington Hall with ‘Red Schoes’ classy musicial/drama movie from 1948 ; that’s the first one from all upcoming list of movies all adapted from novels; 10 May for 10 & or 8 (depends on seating)

Hosted by The Flicker Club , the fortnightly events will take place in the Art Deco Council Chamber of Stoke Newington’s Town Hall, and run throughout the year.

Tours

In Tower Hamlets  ‘ The Evening Olympic Walk‘ just started. The Blue Badge Tourist Guides organized the tour through Olympic Park some time ago.

Guided Olympic Tours

Now people who are spending the whole day at work have a chance to take a look at the  Olympic stadium, Orbit tower, aquatics centre, copperbox, broadcasting centre and the Olympic village.

Recycling

M & S SwhopLab at the Old Brewery

Only until Wednesday 8th of May M&S Fashion Lab is held at Old Truman Brewery. Visitors are more then welcome to donate an unwanted  bit of clothing which will then be ‘re-arted’  by a team of fashion talents.

Social History and Exhibition

London Museum May Day on the Docks

On Bank Holiday Monday, Museum of Docklands is organizing May Day On The Docks . This day will be filled with family friendly events in the truly English folkloric style. That will also be a good occasion to watch a display of 20 images showing major changes  to the environment during the work to build the Olympic Park in East London.

Sport

Tennis Squash and Croquet Open Day in Lewisham

Bank Holiday in Lewisham will be more sport concentrated with a Tennis, Squash & Croquet Open Day which will be held from morning hours till early afternoon. Organisers are trying to develop entertaining ways to encourage people to take up sporting activities.  The proof of the playing as well as the eating is that if you go along you should be able to sign up for three free tennis lessons.

Comedy, Live Music and Real Ales at the Amersham Arms. Photo: Marja Giejgo

East London Lines presents the best mix of events in the four boroughs to suit all discerning tastes over the next seven days.

Tweet us @eastlondonlines or leave a comment if you’ve got any further recommendations.

FRIDAY 27th APRIL 2012

NEW CROSS & DEPTFORD FILM FESTIVAL 

Old Deptford Police Station, 114 Amersham Vale, SE14 6LG.

New Cross & Deptford Free Film Festival

The launch of the FREE New Cross & Deptford Film Festival will feature short films and information on how to get involved in the festival, which runs until Sunday 6th May.

You can read more about the festival here and here.

SATURDAY 28th APRIL 2012

IN IT TO SWING IT Ft. SHIRT TAIL STOMPERS and Swing Patrol Class. 

Hackney Attic, 270 Mare Street, E8 1HE.

Hackney Attic. Image: http://www.picturehouses.co.uk

An old school jazz band will try to pick up your attention and calm your nerves after the long week with their own raucous yet suave take on swing music. A swing dance lesson starts at 7.30pm for those who want to be truly prepared for an evening of vintage music and cocktails.

£6, £5 Concs, £4 Members.

Swing Patrol Class: 7:30-8:30pm.

SUNDAY 29th APRIL 2012

FUTURE CINEMA PRESENTS BUGSY MALONE

The Troxy, 490 Commercial Road, E1 0HX.

Future Cinema and Bugsy Malone

The LAST CHANCE for you to see Future Cinema’s all-singing, all-dancing homage to Bugsy Malone. Dress in your finest suits, spats and flapper dresses as the art-deco Troxy is filled with gangsters, showgirls and of course, splurge-guns. As well as immersing yourself in the world of Bugsy, the film itself will be shown.

12pm, £25, students and Freedom Pass holders £17.50, under-17s £10

MONDAY 30th APRIL 2012

HAPPY MONDAYS 

Amersham Arms, New Cross Road, SE14 6TY

Amersham Arms in New Cross. Photo: Alex Adey

One of the finest comedy nights in London hosts a Sketch Special featuring hotly tipped collective Cardinal Burns who are soon to be appearing in their own show on E4. Also featuring regular MC Holly Walsh and Lucy Montgomery.

8pm, £5.

TUESDAY MAY 1st 2012

BABA SHAKESPEARE 

Arcola Tent, 2 Ashwin Street, E8 3DL

Baba Shakespeare at the Arcola

Actors, Indian dancers and puppeteers from across London unite as part of the RSC’s Open Stages Initiatives. The Tower Theatre Company’s new production is a musical play inspired by ’60s Merchant Ivory Film ‘Shakespeare Wallah’.

7.45pm, £12 or £10 concs.

WEDNESDAY 2nd MAY 2012

TRACY TJ HIGGS – SPIRITUAL MEDIUM

Croydon Fairfield Halls, Park Lane, CR9 1DG

Tracy TJ Higgs Spiritual Medium at the Fairfield Halls

Tracy TJ Higgs is a psychic medium, author and lecturer who will be appearing in Croydon to give spiritual readings.

7.45pm, £15.50-£17.50

THURSDAY 3rd MAY 2012

AUTOBIOGRAPHER

Toynbee Studios, 28 Commercial Street, E1 6AB

Autobiographer at the Toynbee Studios in Tower Hamlets

One of the last chances to catch this critically acclaimed piece in Tower Hamlets. Melanie Wilson’s innovative performance poem depicts a 76-year-old woman’s struggle with dementia, and reviews have called it harrowing and beautiful.

7.30pm, £15 or £10 concs.

Additional cultural handpicking by Olga Chwilowicz.

Record Store Day 11 releases. Over 400 limited editions are due this year. Pic: Aurelien Guichard

To celebrate the UK’s fifth official Record Store Day this Saturday, EastLondonLines has trawled the wires to bring you the stores, gigs and events to look out for. And we’ve also got the usual mix of cultural picks to whet your appetite.

THURSDAY, APRIL 19

Secret 7, Idea Generation Gallery, 11 Chance Street, Shoreditch, London, E2 7JB (From 10am to 6pm, Free)

The Idea Generation gallery is exhibiting around 700 unnamed 7” sleeves inspired by tracks from the Cure, Florence + the Machine, Bombay Bicycle Club, CSS, DJ Shadow, Noah & the Whale and Ben Howard. It will be a mystery who design the sleeves and which of the seven tracks is etched on the record.

From April 21 to 22, each of the one-of-a-kind 7” records will be available to buy for a minimum donation to Teenage Cancer Trust of £40. Every penny profited from the sale of these exclusive vinyl records is going to the charity. See more at secret-7.com.

FRIDAY, APRIL 20

The Jackathon with Heidi and Benoit & Sergio, Factory 7, 13 Hearn St, London, EC2A 3LS (From 6pm to 4am, £10)

Treat yourself to a warehouse party as the Easter holidays come to an end. The line up includes Heidi, Benoit and Sergio and the Krankbrothers. See more.

SATURDAY, APRIL 21

**Record Store Day 2012: various events**

Independent record stores across the UK, and the world, celebrate their unique culture with special limited edition releases and in-store gigs. Be sure to check trains and get down to your local store early if you want to get your hands on your favourites. See more on the RSD official website.

Customers outside Rough Trade East on RSD 09. Pic: Tom McShane

Rough Trade East, Dray Walk, Old Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane, London, E1 6QL (Opening from 8am till late)

Store events: Keane, Wet Nuns, Becoming Real, Hohnny Flynn, Little Boots and others, plus the British Record Shop archive will exhibit a collection of vintage/retro record shop bags. See more at Rough Trade.

Kristina Records, 44 Stoke Newington Road, Dalston, London, N16 7XJ (Open from 10am till 9pm)

Store events: DJ sets by Veronica Falls, Raime, Blackest Ever Black, Auntie Flo, Cage and Aviary and House of Traps. Visit the website.

Flashback Records, 50 Essex Road, Islington, London, N1 8LR

Store events: at 7pm, the Fair Ohs play a live set at Flashback’s Islington store. Visit the website.

Casbah Records, 320-322 Creek Road, Greenwich, London, SE10 9SW (Open from 10am); Facebook page.

SUNDAY, APRIL 22

London Marathon, various parts of London

This year’s London Marathon route begins at Greenwich Park and takes participants on a scenic tour of the capital, through Docklands, Canary Wharf and past the Tower of London, before finishing at St James Park. If you are not involved in the 26.2 mile run, there are plenty of good spots to observe and show your support. Much of the route is covered by DLR stations, and Time Out has a nifty map with spectator spots.

MONDAY, APRIL 23

William Shakespeare. Pic: Steve Evans

World Shakespeare Festival 2012, various venues in London

The Royal Shakespeare Society is celebrating the work of the famous playwright with almost 70 productions across the UK, and the festival forms part of the 2012 Cultural Olympiad. The festival officially begins today, and in London you can look forward to productions of King Lear, Twelfth Night and Romeo and Juliet to name but a few. Participating venues near east London include the Almeida Theatre and the Barbican. See more.

Baba Shakespeare, Arcola Theatre, 24 Ashwin Street, Hackney, E8 3DL (From 7.45pm till 10pm, £12)

The Arcola present a romance between an Indian boy and an English girl, inspired by a film that recreates the real travels of Felicity Kendal and her family who toured India putting on Shakespeare plays. See more.

TUESDAY, APRIL 24

Wood Wharf Landscape Exhibition, Lobby, One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5AB (Open daily, Free)

Over 120 designs were submitted for a landscape competition launched six months ago by Canary Wharf Group, the Landscape Institute and Townshend Architects. All 14 shortlisted entries will be on display in the lobby of One Canada Square alongside details of the development of the winning scheme, which is due for completion at Wood Wharf this summer. See more.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25

Home Office of the Fan Fiction Empire, The Residence, 229 Victoria Park Road, Hackney, E9 7HD (From 11am to 6pm, Free)

For an afternoon in the grip of flamboyant, macabre visions of consumer culture visit the Home Office of the Fan Fiction Empire. This exhibition, which runs till May 27, features work from over 20 artists looking to confuse and amaze, including Darren Coffield, Paul Sakoilsky and Corinna Spencer. See more.

pic: Ragged School

We have put together a video guide of what’s going on in the museums and galleries along the East London Line over the Easter holidays. Click on the pinpoints on the map to find out more about what each venue has on offer.

Hackney

V&A Museum of Childhood

Located just a short walk from Bethnal Green tube station, the V&A Museum of Childhood boasts a collection of artefacts relating to childhood spanning from the 17^th century through to present day.

The museum was built after the Great Exhibition of 1851 and it was officially opened as the Bethnal Green Museum on June 24 1872.

It started to become the Museum of Childhood in 1922, when the head curator noticed that the building was often filled with noisy children, so he set about making the space more child-friendly.

Geffrye Museum

The Geffrye Museum shows a selection of English middle-class living rooms in the confines of a converted warehouse.

The museum opened in 1914 and its purpose was to serve as a reference collection of furniture of a: “Fine standard of technical and artistic excellence” in order to educate and inspire local workers.

It is a walk through time, from the 17^th century up to a contemporary late 20^th century space; from the splendour of Georgian period furniture enjoyed by the Victorians, to a 1990s flat.

Visitors can also enjoy the award-winning walled herb garden and a series of period gardens.

Back to map

Tower Hamlets

Ragged School Museum

Housed beside the Regent’s Canal in what was once London’s biggest Ragged School, this unique venue offers hands-on exhibits and talks commemorating the experience of the East End’s poor a century ago.

A Victorian classroom has been recreated in one of Dr Barnardo’s original classrooms, as well as a domestic kitchen as it would have been in 1900.

The Museum of London Docklands

The Museum of London Docklands houses over two million objects relating to the capital city and its people.

It explores the story of London’s river, port and people beginning with prehistoric times through to modern day and the recent regeneration of the Docklands area.

The museum opened in 2003 and visitors can explore a vast variety of artefacts, including dress and fashion, photography, and pottery and bone discovered during dredging operations of the Thames in the 19^th and 20^th centuries.

The Royal London Hospital Museum

"You could attend a different spoken word night every night of the week in east London" pic: Thomas Hawk

On Pick of the Line this week we bring you our guide to spoken word events in east London.

Spoken word is an upcoming form of poetry performance. Across east London artists and enthusiasts gather in halls, pubs, bars and restaurants to share their love of spoken poetry.

Following a thoroughly enjoyable night at Jawdance in Bethnal Green, EastLondonLines felt compelled to share enough spoken word events to fill your week.

From simple, unaccompanied performance, to band-backed free-styling in east-end restaurants, the variety found in spoken word ensures you’ll keep finding new elements of the art form to enjoy.

Use our categorized listings to discover an event to suit you.

Events with open mic

These are open slots for you to take the mic and have a go. Sign up early if you want to perform; you usually need to arrive half an hour before the night starts, and you’ll be given a slot of between one and four minutes. The number of available slots vary, and some nights are always over-subscribed. We have provided contact details where possible so check with the host beforehand if you’re keen to perform. Open mic is not, of course, compulsory, but if you’re feeling inspired it can be a great way to show off your work.

Feature spot

Nights which feature line-ups with professional and renowned poets and performers.

Live music, DJ sets and other media

Here you can find events that feature live music between poetry performances, or live bands to accompany spoken word pieces. You can also expect film screenings, and projections. If you’re keen for a night that includes dancing, you can find events which include DJ sets here too.

Stand-up

Spoken word is not always a serious art form, and many poets incorporate humour or stand-up routines into their performances.

Slam

A competition where artists perform short sets which are judged by the audience. Sometimes the competition is between professionals, sometimes just open mic-ers. Check with the promoter to be sure.

The Prodigy. Pic: Marcel Hauri, Flickr

EastLondonLines has handpicked the best events in the boroughs to match everyone’s tastes in our round-up of the next seven days.

THURSDAY 22 MARCH

We Are Legend

The Brickhouse, 152c Brick Lane, London, E1 6RU

Come along and enjoy a night of cabaret and tributes to the likes of Freddy Mercury, Amy Winehouse or Prodigy. The show will include performances from Luna Rosa, Johnny Electrolux and more.

9pm (doors 6.30pm)

£35/£40 inc four-course meal; £10 show only

FRIDAY 23 MARCH

Pamper Session

St Aiden’s School, Portnalls Rd, Coulsdon CR5 3DE

The venue will host a selection of stalls including: Nails Inc Manicures, Sprinkles, Reflexology, Avon, Partylite, Indian Head massage, Pamper Chef, Phenix cards, Facial, Body Shop and more.

A glass of wine and a raffle ticket is included in the cost of the ticket which must be prebooked by emailing sachalouisekearns@yahoo.com.

7.00-10.30pm: £5.00

SATURDAY 24 MARCH

Hoxton Street Market

Hoxton Street, N1. Located in the Shoreditch Part of the Borough, off Old Street.

The market sells fresh food, clothing and household goods. Set in one of London’s quirkiest streets, Hackney locals gather for weekend shopping and bargain-hunting. Refreshments are served until 5pm. Best thing about it? It’s absolutely free.

SUNDAY 25 MARCH

The Bootleg Sixties

Ashcroft Theatre, Fairfield, Croydon, CR9 1DG

The Bootleg Sixties are on tour with their ‘sight and sound’ show. The group are returning to the Ashcroft Theatre with some new songs and images.

To book a ticket contact the Box Office on 020 8688 9291

7.45pm: £17.50

MONDAY 26 MARCH

Our Country’s Good

Greenwich Theatre, Crooms Hill, SE10 8ES

Aden Gillet stars in the revival of Timperlake Wertenbaker’s Our Country’s Good . The play is about a group of Royal Marines and convicts in a penal colony in New South Wales in the 1780s.

The play shows the class system in the convict camp and discusses themes such as sexuality, punishment and the Georgian judicial system. To book tickets contact: 020 8858 7755.

7.30pm:£15-20

Spitalfields Market. Pic: Stephen McKay, Flickr

TUESDAY 27 MARCH

Spitalfields Traders Market

Brushfield Street,
 London E1 6AA

Spitalfields Traders Market has up to 110 stalls ranging from contemporary and vintage fashion, music, bespoke children’s toys, jewellery and accessories and home interiors. Situated underneath a glass canopy the market is weather proof and wheelchair and push chair accessible.

10am-4pm

WEDNESDAY 28 MARCH

The Stuff that Matters

Raven Row, 56 Artillery Lane, London, E1 7LS

The exhibition features a collection of historic textiles assembled over the past 30 years by Seth Siegelaub for the Centre for Social Research on Old Textiles. Items include fifth-century Coptic, Pre-Columbian Peruvian, late-medieval Asian and Islamic textiles. The entry is free.

11am-6pm.

Rosie Wilby pic: Andrew Stawarz, flickr

EastLondonLines presents our weekly round-up of the most exciting and interesting events in East London over the next seven days.

THURSDAY 15 MARCH

Rosie’s Pop Diary, Albany Centre & Theatre, Douglas Way, SE8 4AG

Acclaimed comedian Rosie Wilby will be visiting Deptford’s Albany Theatre with her show Rosie’s Pop Diary, which is based on her personal story of chasing fame as a former musician, and the column she used to write for Making Music magazine.

The show includes stand-up, personal stories and renditions of her own songs.

7.30 PM; tickets from £6

FRIDAY 16 MARCH

Lewisham LIVE Voices, Catford Broadway Theatre, SE6 4RU

Lewisham Live Voices, which is part of the Lewisham Live festival, will be highlighting the talents of young choirs and vocalists in Lewisham.

They will be singing music from around the world, with both new songs and classics, to cater a range of musical tastes.

7 PM; £6, £3 concessions

SATURDAY 17 MARCH

St Patrick’s Day at the Water Poet, 9 Folgate St, E1 6BX

The Water Poet pub in Shoreditch will be a hosting a full day of celebrations for St Patrick’s Day. There will be traditional music, sports and Irish cuisine for sale throughout the day.

Music will be provided by musician Auburn Fox, while rugby fans can come along and watch England play Ireland in the Six Nations tournament, which is sure to provide plenty of drama.

11AM to 11PM; free

SUNDAY 18 MARCH

Olek's art pic: See-ming Lee, flickr

Olek at Tony’s Gallery, 68 Sclater St, E1 6HR

Tony’s Galley in Shoreditch will be hosting the first UK solo exhibition by the innovative artist Agata Olek, who hails from Poland but is based in New York.

Olek is best known for her use of crocheted yarn on everyday objects such as bicycles, prams and even human-shaped mannequins. The gallery’s walls and floors have been entirely covered in crochet, and all the work will be available for purchase by visitors.

10AM to 7PM; Free

MONDAY 19 MARCH

Happy Mondays, Amersham Arms, New Cross Road, SE14 6TY

The popular Happy Mondays comedy show at the Amersham Arms in New Cross has been described as the best comedy night in South London.

It is hosted by comedian Holly Walsh, who is known for her appearances on shows such as Channel 4’s 8 Out of 10 Cats.

Monday’s line-up includes Andy Parsons, a regular on BBC2′s Mock The Week.

8PM; £4

TUESDAY 20 MARCH

Pongathon at Rich Mix, Shoreditch

20th March: Pongathon at Rich Mix, Shoreditch 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, E1 6LA

Ping pong meets the arts as Rich Mix in Shoreditch host Pongathon, described as a “conceptual social playground of art, design, music and innovation all set around ping pong.” Ping pong tables will be accompanied by music from DJs Ronnie Joice and Alex Gromadzki, and live visual art from artist Coco.

5pm to 11pm

Reserve a table to compete on  www.pongathoncitychallenge.com.

WEDNESDAY 21 MARCH

Croydon Stagers, Ashcroft Theatre Croydon, Park Lane CR9

Croydon Stagers will be putting on a matinee performance filled with comedy, song and dance, which aims to bring the essence of West End musical to Croydon. Their website promises “a real step back in time in the tradition of the great British music hall.”

Croydon Stagers are an amateur theatrical group who have been based in Croydon since 1908. The show is one of their two annual performances.

2.30 PM; £10

THURSDAY, MARCH 8

Pic: cslewis20

The Civil Wars; Joy Williams and John Paul White, Rough Trade East, Brick Lane, Whitechapel

Award-winning act, The Civil Wars, consisting of Joy Williams and John Paul White are set to perform at Rough Trade, Brick Lane. Winner of two Grammy’s for best folk album and best country duo/group performance, the duo will perform alongside their backup band at this iconic venue. No wristband is needed for entry; attendees can just go along on the night.

FRIDAY, MARCH 9

Sarah Maple exhibition, Aubin Gallery, Redchurch Street, Bethnal Green

This is the last chance to see Sarah Maple’s quirky (and free) exhibition ‘It’s a Girl’. Not for the easily offended or prude, this exhibition shows the traditional expectations of women in society comically challenged in a tongue-in-cheek way. Pieces include Sleeping Beauty carrying out open-heart surgery, Beauty and the Beast’s Belle screaming encouragement at a football match and a number of photographic self-portraits.

SATURDAY, MARCH 10

Haven’t Stopped Dancing Yet, St Swithun’s Church Hall, Hither Green Lane, Hither Green

If 70s and 80s funk, soul and disco classics are your thing, then this is the event for you. Whether you want to dress up or go in your casuals, anyone is welcome at St Swithun’s Church Hall to boogie on down. Tickets can be bought in advance at wegottickets.com for £10 and will also be available on the door for £12. More information can be found by calling 07967 163247 or visitibg haventstoppeddancingyet.co.uk. The event runs from 7.30-11.30pm and prizes are giving for the craziest outfits.

SUNDAY, MARCH 11

Thames River clean up Pic: Mark Baynes

Deep Clean East London!, Newcastle Draw Dock off Saunders Ness Road, Isle of Dogs, E14 3EA

All ages are welcome to join in with the big clean up on the Thames foreshore this Sunday. Due to the low tides of the river this year, everybody regardless of ability can go along to tackle the masses of litter in a safe way as part of the 2012 project ‘Big Waterways Clean Up’. All of the equipment will be provided and it is a chance to do something good for the environment and have fun. Find out more.

MONDAY, MARCH 12

Funkacise, Lewisham Reformed Church, 18 Courthill Road, Lewisham

For just £6, you can get your groove on with Funkacise from 7-8pm every Monday. Described as “The UK’s next big dance fitness craze” by Scott Whitley, who set up the classes last year, Funkacise can help you can get fit and have fun whilst meeting a whole host of new people. More information here.

TUESDAY, MARCH 13

Matthias Sperling: Do not be afraid, Trinity Laban, Creekside, Deptford

Matthias Sperling and Antonia Grove will slip into brightly colored lycra to entertain with their slick, swift moves. The idea behind the performance is that dancers may possess unique powers, which somehow allow audiences to view their mind through the body and action. “Both humorous and deadly serious” is how the two describe their performance. More at Trinity Laban.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14

Egg-ceedingly good Pic: Garry Knight

Faberge Big Egg Hunt, Canary Wharf, Isle of Dogs, Tower Hamlets

Get in the Easter spirit with this huge egg hunt where visitors can search for over 200 crafted eggs hidden all across the capital. Tower Hamlets is one of the ‘egg zones’ where approximately 11 eggs will be hidden, but it’s down to you to unscramble the clues and find out exactly where. All funds raised will go towards two good causes, Elephant Family and Action for Children. More information, along with maps for the hunt, can be found at thebigegghunt.co.uk.

Pic: Croydon Cabaret

Cabin crews on stage, Japanese art and ginger rights activism – everyone will find someone to match their tastes in our round-up of the next seven days.

Thursday 1 March – plane funny at the London Theatre

8pm, The London Theatre, 443 New Cross Rd, SE14 6TA

Entry: £10

High-flying aviation comedy ‘Club Class’ lands in New Cross. Written by a former airline pilot and with a cast dressed as cabin crew, this flight is bound to entertain even those suffering aerophobia. The production has been touring the UK for the last six years but is only making a four-day stopover in New Cross, so be sure not to miss it. Fancy dress is welcomed, but the show is for over-18s over.

For more information, click here.

Friday 2 March – Croydon’s chaotic cabaret

8pm, Farfield Halls, Park Lane, Croydon CR9 1DG

Earl Okin, “the Godfather of musical comedy”, headlines an evening of cabaret entertainment in Croydon in Sacrebleu the Cabaret. Also performing is Paul Longhurst, magician, comedian, musician and mind reader. And if that is not mind-blowing enough, there will be performance the five best acts chosen as finalists of the New Act of The Year award 2012.

Entry: £14.50

Click here for more information.

Saturday 3 March – breaking boundaries in the old east end

255-259 Commercial Rd, E1 2BT

If you like your artistic experiences freeform and boundary crossing, then try out Golden Bohemian, a warehouse-based cross-genre exhibition. Dance, art, fashion and live music – all is available at this melting pot of artistic activities. Aiming to bridge a gap between dance, music and theatre, this promises to be an interactive experience that is far from ordinary.

£8; £6 adv

Click here for more information.

Pic: Rhiannon Faith7.30 pm 4th Floor Studios

Sunday 4 March – Japanese art exhibition

11-6pm, 50-58 Vyner Street London E2 9DQ

Wilkinson Gallery Weather forecasts predict sunny spells, so why not take a Sunday stroll in Victoria Park and then drop into the Wilkinson Gallery to see the venue’s newest exhibition by Makiko Kudo. It is bound to get you into the mood for spring and, just like the sunshine and the park, it is free.

Entry: free.

Click here for more information.

Monday 5 March – blowing the blues out of the water

8pm, Amersham Arms, 388 New Cross Rd, London SE14 6TY

Inevitably, after Sunday, Monday will come. But don’t let it bring you down. Head for New Cross and let “Happy Monday” cure those blues right away. With acts like TV regular Andi Osho, Mae Martin and BBC New Comedy Awardee Pat Cahill, this show will definitely bring your mood up.

Entry: £5

Find out more by clicking here.

Tuesday 6 March – spoken word poetry slam

7.30 pm, The Victoria, 451 Queensbridge Rd, Dalston, London E8 3AS

Although it would be worth going just to find out what an “activist for ginger rights” has to say, headline artist Anna Freeman is bound to have a lot more to talk about at spoken word poetry slam Hammer and Tongue. Also performing is HKB Finn, and the first eight poets to sign up at the door will have a chance to compete on the night.

Entry: £5, concessions £4

Click here for more information.