Looking for the hottest events in London this week? From alternative Christmas performances to festive movie marathons and late-night shopping, whether you’re in the mood for culture, cinema, or a night out, these carefully curated events are not to be missed.
PERFORMANCE
RUINATION
LINBURY THEATRE
Coven Garden I Until 4 January
You’re invited to the trial of Medea and Jason. She’s murdered their children, allegedly, and Jason wants her punished. With Hades and Persephone acting as the prosecuting and defence attorneys, Medea’s fate will be determined.
Everything you think you know about the myth of Medea is turned on its head in this production combining words, live music and contemporary dance.
Get your tickets here.
SCREENING
DIE HARD
RIVOLI POP UP CINEMA
Crofton Park I 21 December 19:00 - 21:30
Catch Die Hard in London’s last remaining intact 1950's style ballroom. Follow police detective John McClane who is caught up in a terrorist takeover of a LA skyscraper while visiting his estranged wife.
Get your tickets here.
SHOWCASE
BRAINROT
ALT_R
Deptford I 21 December 14:00 - 20:00
Selected artists have collaborated with Gossamer Fog Director, Samuel Capps, to create an experimental, interactive artwork in a games format responding to the below theme:
𝘈 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘰𝘢𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘦𝘪𝘳𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘯𝘬 𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘶𝘮 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘺𝘱𝘦𝘳-𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘶𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘧𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘈𝘚𝘔𝘙. 𝘖𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘮, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘣𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘊𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘢 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵 - 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢 𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘰𝘵, 𝘐’𝘮 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘥𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘦 𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘱𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘳𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘐 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘓𝘪𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘉𝘢𝘣𝘦𝘭. 𝘕𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭, 𝘸𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘴𝘭𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘶𝘭𝘭-𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘭𝘨𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘮𝘪𝘤 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘥, 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘴, 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘰𝘰𝘮 𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘺 𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦.
Stop by to see and test the work displayed on the ALT_R LED wall.
LISTENING SESSION
PITCHBLACK PLAYBACK: THE CURE ‘SONGS OF A LOST WORLD’
RIVERSIDE STUDIOS
Hammersmith I 21 December 16:00
Immerse yourself in one of the year's most stunning albums at Pitchblack Playback's album listening session in the dark—part of their Best Albums Of 2024 series. Hear this immense recording in all its power and detail, played loud in uncompressed audio on our powerful Screen One cinema sound system. No distractions; just you and the music.
An incredibly powerful, moving and beautiful record, 'Songs Of A Lost World' is all the more remarkable coming from a band some 48 years into their career and has garnered rave reviews (5* from The Guardian, The Independent, The Telegraph for starters).
Find all details and get your tickets here.
DJ'S / FUNDRAISER
FUNDRAISER FOR ALROWWAD ARTS CENTRE
ORMSIDE PROJECT
Bermondsey I 21 December 23:00 - 05:00
An all nighter at Ormside to raise funds for Alrowwad, an arts and culture society based in Aida Camp in the West Bank, whose centre was recently raided and vandalised by the IDF.
Founded in 1998 within Aida refugee camp in Bethlehem, Palestine, Alrowwad Cultural and Arts Society serves as a beacon of hope and inspiration for marginalised Palestinians. Catering to children, youth, and women, Alrowwad is deeply embedded within the local community.
RSVP via RA to attend here - no presale tickets on sale but donation of £10 or above to be paid on the door.
EXPERIMENTAL MUSIC
ШЩЦ SECRET XMAS PARTY
10 GREATOREX STREET
Whitechapel I 20 December 20:00 until late
The London based-Ukranian label is throwing their secret Christmas party, with punch, wine and everything to keep your warm, hyperpop and cloud rap, vaporwave pop and Yung Lean karaoke.
Free entrance.
MOVIE MARATHON
CHRISTMAS HORROR MYSTERY MOVIE MARATHON
PRINCE CHARLES CINEMA
Leicester Square I 21 December 23:30
An all night Mystery Movie Marathon dedicated to the thrills, chills and darker side of the festive season!
As always The Prince Charles Cinema will be offering you no hints or clues about the films but as it stands, none of them have played as part of their Christmas programme in the past 10 or so years making this a truly unique frightful festive line-up!
Get your tickets here.
IL
, Q&A, & LIVE MUSIC
AFTER-HOUR OPENING
COMMON PRESS: LATE NIGHT SHOPPING
COMMON PRESS
Shoreditch I 20 December 19:30 - 01:00
London's queer bookshop is hosting a late-night shopping event with drinks and live music. Come to browse their selection of books and locally crafted queer merch for some unique Christmas gift.
