TonightFriday 23 OctoberUpdated Fri 23 Oct, 12:09
What’s on in London tonight: Friday 23 October
Everything worth going out for this evening: gigs, late openings, comedy, and the things that start after work.
Tonight’s list is below, in time order, and it is rebuilt every day from what we have checked. Anything starting at 17:00 or later is here, plus anything that runs past 23:00.
Prices and start times change on the night. The venue link on each entry is the one to trust.
Friday
23 October-
Theatre £45 to £110, under 30s and students from £10
Main Stage: Kimberly Akimbo
Until 7 Nov
Kimberly Akimbo at the Main Stage. The run is published; the times and prices are on the booking page.
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Theatre £15 to £35
Bush Theatre: Darkling, by Titas Halder
Until 24 Oct
Titas Halder's play set in Bhopal in 1984, with Linnea Berthelsen, in 90 minutes. A Bush and Actors Touring Company co-production.
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Theatre From £31
Young Vic: Thelma and Louise
Until 24 Oct
Thelma and Louise at Young Vic, Main House.
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Free
Stargazing in Richmond Park
Until 31 Oct
The darkest sky inside London, far enough from the centre that the Milky Way is occasionally there. The park closes at dusk in winter, so this is a late summer and autumn thing.
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Theatre £25 to £74.50, standing tickets 10p
Royal Court Theatre: Man to Man
Until 24 Oct
Man to Man at the Royal Court Theatre. The run is published; the performance times and the prices are on the booking page.
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Comedy £5
Belly Laugh
Until 9 Dec
Comedy in the studio at Underbelly Boulevard, on Walker's Court in Soho. It is a run rather than one night, so there is more than one chance at it. Start time is on the venue's page.
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Exhibitions Free
Frieze Sculpture 2026 in Regent’s Park
Until 1 Nov
Eleven international artists across the English Gardens, curated for a fourth year by Fatoş Üstek. Free and outdoors until 1 November, so go on a weekday morning and have it to yourself.
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Gigs Free
Bar Jams
Until 27 Oct
Live music in the bar at Underbelly Boulevard, on Walker's Court in Soho. It is a run rather than one night, so there is more than one chance at it. Start time is on the venue's page.
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Exhibitions
Alexandra Palace: BBC TV 90 at Ally Pally
Until 30 Nov
BBC TV 90 at Ally Pally at Alexandra Palace. The date is published; the time and the price are on the ticket page.
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Theatre £28 to £35, previews £10, under 30s and students £10 Sold out
Hampstead Downstairs: The Urmetazoan, by Alex Rugman
Until 24 Oct
The Urmetazoan, by Alex Rugman at the Hampstead Downstairs. The run is published; the times and prices are on the booking page.
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Theatre £250 per term
Alexandra Palace: Palace Performing Arts
Until 5 Dec
Palace Performing Arts at Alexandra Palace. The date is published; the time and the price are on the ticket page.
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Theatre
Hay Fever at Wyndham’s Theatre
Until 12 Dec
Christine Baranski makes her West End debut opposite Richard E. Grant in Coward's comedy of bad manners. Opens Tuesday.
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Theatre £15 to £55
Kiln Theatre: Table 17
Until 24 Oct
Marisha Wallace and Jamael Westman as two exes at one dinner, in the UK premiere of Douglas Lyons' comedy. 95 minutes, no interval.
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Talks
Bloomsbury Festival
Until 31 Oct
Bloomsbury Festival's twentieth year: 150 events through October in the squares, churches and colleges around Russell Square.
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Talks
London Month of the Dead 2026
Until 1 Nov
A month of torchlit cemetery tours, catacomb visits and macabre talks, starting with a moonlit walk in West Norwood on Thursday.
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Theatre £15 to £30
Royal Court Theatre: Blood of my Blood
Until 7 Nov
Blood of my Blood at the Royal Court Theatre. The run is published; the performance times and the prices are on the booking page.
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Theatre £15 to £25
Bush Theatre: The Hungry Ghost, by Mei Leng Yew
Until 31 Oct
The Hungry Ghost, by Mei Leng Yew at the Bush Theatre. The theatre publishes the run and puts the times and prices on the booking page.
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Theatre From £68 Selling fast
Harold Pinter Theatre: The Cherry Orchard
Until 9 Jan 2027
Kristin Scott Thomas is Lyubov Ranevskaya, losing the house and the orchard, in a run to 9 January.
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Theatre £10 to £60
Lyric Hammersmith, Main House: August Wilson’s Fences
Until 31 Oct
August Wilson's Fences at Lyric Hammersmith, Main House. The venue publishes the date and puts the performance time and the price on the booking page.
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Theatre Pay what you can, £12 to £30 (£16 recommended)
Battersea Arts Centre: Nina, by Caroline Williams
Until 24 Oct
Nina, by Caroline Williams at Battersea Arts Centre. The date is published; the time and the price are on the ticket page.
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Theatre £20 to £45
The Other Palace, Main House: An Oak Tree, by Tim Crouch
Until 15 Nov
An Oak Tree, by Tim Crouch in the Main House at The Other Palace. The theatre publishes the run and the room; the price is on the booking page.
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Comedy £20 to £45
Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorized Musical Parody
Until 1 Nov
Comedy in the main theatre at Underbelly Boulevard, on Walker's Court in Soho. It is a run rather than one night, so there is more than one chance at it. Start time is on the venue's page.
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Theatre £15 to £29
Arcola Theatre, Studio 2: The Banality of Evil: Hannah Arendt, France 1940
Until 7 Nov
The Banality of Evil: Hannah Arendt, France 1940 at the Arcola Theatre, Studio 2. The run is published; the performance times and the prices are on the booking page.
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Talks £5
ESP Live From Soho
Until 2 Dec
A podcast recorded live in the main theatre at Underbelly Boulevard, on Walker's Court in Soho. It is a run rather than one night, so there is more than one chance at it. Start time is on the venue's page.
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Theatre From £25
The Lives of Others at the Adelphi: Keira Knightley in Robert Icke’s play
Until 9 Jan 2027
Robert Icke's first stage version of the Oscar winning film, with Keira Knightley, Stephen Dillane and Luke Thompson.
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Theatre £12 to £30, pay what you can on some dates
Battersea Arts Centre: Room 13
Until 1 Nov
Room 13 at Battersea Arts Centre. The date is published; the time and the price are on the ticket page.
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Seasonal From £19.50
Halloween at Kew: after-dark trail
Until 1 Nov
A lit trail with live actors and the headless horseman. Non-members from 19.50 off peak, and 1 pound on Universal Credit or Pension Credit. Opens 6pm, 4pm from 25 October.
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Theatre £12 to £39
Arcola Theatre, Studio 1: The Master Builder, by Henrik Ibsen
Until 21 Nov
The Master Builder, by Henrik Ibsen at the Arcola Theatre, Studio 1. The run is published; the performance times and the prices are on the booking page.
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Theatre From £25
Jesus Christ Superstar in London: Sam Ryder at Drury Lane
Until 9 Jan 2027
Sam Ryder's West End debut as Jesus, Matt Bomer as Herod to 31 October. First night Friday, 7.30pm, from £25, no fees.
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Pick Theatre £9 to £207
Manon: The Royal Ballet at the Royal Opera House
Until 25 Nov
MacMillan's Manon on the main stage to 25 November: Massenet, Paris decadence and no softening, £9 to £207.
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Comedy £20 to £45
The Other Palace, Main House: Garry Starr: Classic Penguins
Until 3 Jan 2027
Garry Starr: Classic Penguins in the Main House at The Other Palace. The theatre publishes the run and the room; the price is on the booking page.
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Talks
Professor Brian Cox: Emergence tour at The O2
Brian Cox's new Emergence tour, from Kepler's snowflake to the cosmic web, on the arena screens for one Friday.
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Exhibitions Free
Tate Modern late opening
Open until nine on a Friday, free, nothing to book. Frida, Ana Mendieta and Julio Le Parc are the paid shows if you want one.
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Gigs From £58.94
Alexandra Palace: Fat Freddy’s Drop
Fat Freddy's Drop at Alexandra Palace. The date is published; the time and the price are on the ticket page.
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Comedy From £29.87
EartH Hackney: Hackney Comedy Experience with Jen Brister
Hackney Comedy Experience with Jen Brister at EartH Hackney, 19:00 to 22:30.
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Gigs £22.50
Errol Linton Quintet
A set in the art deco room under Brasserie Zedel, 7pm. One act and a piano rather than a revue, and the room listens.
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Comedy £15
JK Comedy Club Leicester Square: Friday night comedy, 7pm
A host and four professional comedians, a new bill every week. Fifty one seats in the Grosvenor Casino, a minute from Piccadilly Circus. Doors fifteen minutes before, over 18s, ID on the door.
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Gigs £31.95 to £101.95
Alexandra Palace: Qurat-ul-Ain Balouch
Qurat-ul-Ain Balouch at Alexandra Palace. The date is published; the time and the price are on the ticket page.
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Comedy £16.50 plus £1.50 booking fee
Hen & Chickens Theatre: Too Many Cuckoos
A musician bets he can last a week without his credit card, and when busking fails on the first day his friends get dragged in.
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Gigs £19 in advance plus booking fee
The 100 Club: Small Fakers
Small Faces tribute Small Fakers, called spot on by Kenney Jones, with The Hornets and DJ Dave Edwards.
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Comedy From £9.60
City Comedy Club: Friday night, 8pm
A drink is included in the ticket, alcoholic or not. Seating is allocated, so you are shown to a seat rather than fighting for one. Doors half an hour before, over 18s, ID checked.
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Comedy £15
JK Comedy Club Covent Garden: Friday night comedy
A host and four professional comedians, a new bill every week. Two hundred seats at Arboretum, and doors open a full hour before, so there is time to eat first. Over 18s, ID on the door.
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Comedy £15
JK Comedy Club Piccadilly Circus: Friday night comedy
A host and four professional comedians, a new bill every week. Fifty seats at BOX Piccadilly, about as central as a comedy room gets. Doors fifteen minutes before, over 18s, ID on the door.
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Comedy £10 to £20
The Other Palace, Studio: Monsters: A Killer New Musical Comedy
Monsters: A Killer New Musical Comedy in the Studio at The Other Palace. The theatre publishes the run and the room; the price is on the booking page.
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Comedy £15
JK Comedy Club Leicester Square: Friday night comedy, 9pm
A host and four professional comedians, a new bill every week. Fifty one seats in the Grosvenor Casino, a minute from Piccadilly Circus. Doors fifteen minutes before, over 18s, ID on the door.
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Gigs £25
Marvin Muoneke in concert
A set in the art deco room under Brasserie Zedel, 9.15pm. One act and a piano rather than a revue, and the room listens.
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Comedy From £9.60
City Comedy Club: the late show, 10pm
The late one. An hour straight through with no break, which is the format that suits a room this size after ten at night. Doors half an hour before, over 18s, ID checked.
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Gigs £15
Ronnie Scott’s Upstairs: Late Late Show with Viva Cuba
Viva Cuba in the upstairs room, doors 22:45 and on until three. Tickets from the club's own page.
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Gigs £12
Ronnie Scott’s: Late Late Show with TUCAN
TUCAN in the main room, doors 23:15 and on until three. Tickets from the club's own page.
Open anyway
EverythingNot on tonight in particular: these are open whenever you want them, and they are here so the list above can stay to things that are actually happening.
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Food and drink From £14
Crazy golf at Swingers, West End
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Food and drink From £12
Darts at Flight Club, Shoreditch
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Clubs From £6
Rooftop at the Bussey Building
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Food and drink From £6
The George Inn, the last galleried coaching inn
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Sport From £12
Public skating at Queens Ice and Bowl
Running late
Everything after 23:00-
Comedy From £9.60
City Comedy Club: the late show, 10pm
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Clubs Late
The Social: Localism
Guides for what is coming
All guides-
On now
Activity bars in London: darts, shuffleboard, mini golf and bingo
Competitive socialising, which is the industry's word for a bar with a game in it. What each one...
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On now
Afternoon tea in London: the prices, the sittings, and the one that runs into the evening
The Ritz serves it at half past seven at night. What the grand rooms charge, and which of...
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On now
Bars and pubs open near me: how late London actually drinks
Which parts of London are still serving at one, which stop at eleven, and how to get home....
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On now
Rooftop bars in London: the free ones, the booked ones, and the seasonal ones
Where to drink with a view, what you need to book, and which rooftops cost nothing at all.
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Sun 15 November to Thu 31 December
Christmas in London 2026: what to book, what is free, and the days themselves
The shows and concerts to book in October, the free things that need only a coat, and what...
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Sat 24 to Sun 25 April
The London Marathon: how to enter, and where to watch it
Race day is Sunday 25 April 2027. When the ballot opens, the ballot odds nobody mentions, and the...
Listings are checked by us before they go in and re-checked when this page is rewritten. Times and prices can change on the night; the venue link on each event is the one to trust. How we choose what goes in.