London

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-enticing-exhibitions">Enticing Exhibitions </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="655" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-15-at-16.31.37-1024x655.png" alt="Wayne McGregor: Infinite Bodies at Somerset House " class="wp-image-14477" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-15-at-16.31.37-1024x655.png 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-15-at-16.31.37-300x192.png 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-15-at-16.31.37-768x491.png 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-15-at-16.31.37-1536x983.png 1536w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-15-at-16.31.37.png 1644w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Wayne McGregor: <a href="https://www.somersethouse.org.uk/whats-on/wayne-mcgregor-infinite-bodies" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Infinite Bodies</a></figcaption></figure>



Let&#8217;s kick things off with a new (free) exhibition: <a href="http://tracking.sciencemuseum.ac.uk/tracking/click?d=CKDrnbvxD1VL8ziT-VlUIo3JExL4zlK5G2EpG2JEdj9wnaIhxYRLAiZ7ib_NTgj0A_8EoZwHEbimZHe_dKGUvYp3GyZPyKYFzcdZknUJwXP-bxUcmt0XF9cCuv8gE93hG5eP2e4eZC0UAtLbpkKhyt1tDbN-EZf9nyEHrHAXyTuK0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Space</a>&nbsp;gallery at the Science Museum. Opening on 20 Sept, it brings together the past, present, and future of space exploration with highlights including real spacecrafts and pieces of the moon. Out of this world. 



To mark the Centenary of Picasso&#8217;s world famous painting The Three Dancers, Tate Modern&#8216;s launching <a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/theatre-picasso" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Theatre Picasso</a> this month (17 Sept-12 April; tickets £15) which will see the George Economou Gallery space turned into a stage of 45 pieces of the artist&#8217;s work curated by contemporary artist Wu Tsang and author Enrique Fuentelanca. 



Anonymous street artist and activist Banksy&#8217;s work is being shown in a formal gallery for the first time at <a href="https://feverup.com/m/424370?cp_landing=cta_header&amp;cp_landing_term=cta_header&amp;cp_landing_source=banksylimitless&amp;utm_source=direct" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Banksy Limitless</a> (25 Sept; tickets £31) at Sussex Mansions in South Ken. Featuring hundreds of original pieces of art, including canvases and installations, the exhibition&#8217;s also immersive in parts, including an Infinity Room featuring Cinderella&#8217;s carriage. 



Next up, take a teen in your life to see <a href="https://www.serpentinegalleries.org/about/press/danielle-brathwaite-shirley-the-delusion/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Delusion</a>, a groundbreaking, multi-player immersive video game exploring themes of polarisation and censorship by London and Berlin-based Brit designer Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley launching at Serpentine North on 30 Sept. 



Muddy will be front of the queue to see the <a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-britain/lee-miller" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lee Miller</a> exhibition at Tate Britain (2 Oct-15 Feb; tickets £20). We&#8217;ve long been a fan of the Twentieth Century model-turned-war photographer&#8217;s work, and this show will reveal around 250 prints, including previously unseen snaps. Psst, there&#8217;s a special private viewing for Tate Members on 1 Oct. 



Art lovers rejoice, <a href="https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/gilbert-george-21st-century-pictures/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gilbert &amp; George: 21st Century Pictures</a> (7 Oct-11 Jan; tickets £20) opens at the Hayward Gallery next month and will showcase the dynamic duo&#8217;s artistic journey over the last 25 years, including plenty of new work. It&#8217;s the hottest art gig this Autumn, don&#8217;t miss out. 



The fast pack will be flocking to <a href="https://www.npg.org.uk/whatson/exhibitions/2025/cecil-beaton/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cecil Beaton&#8217;s Fashionable World</a> at the National Portrait Gallery (9 Oct-11 Jan; tickets £23), a stylish collection of the fashion illustrator, Oscar-winning costume designer, social caricaturist and writer&#8217;s wonderful work. 



Somerset House ends this year&#8217;s 25th birthday celebrations with a specially commissioned Wayne McGregor&#8217;s <a href="https://www.somersethouse.org.uk/whats-on/wayne-mcgregor-infinite-bodies" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Infinite Bodies</a> exhibition (30 Oct-22 Feb; tickets £19.50). Get ready for a futuristic affair, with multi-sensory choreographed dance installations (with random live performances too) and collabs with fashion designers like Gareth Pugh and music producer LEXX. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fabulous-festivals">Fabulous Festivals</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="582" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-15-at-15.46.50-1024x582.png" alt="Reese Witherspoon " class="wp-image-14475" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-15-at-15.46.50-1024x582.png 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-15-at-15.46.50-300x170.png 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-15-at-15.46.50-768x436.png 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-15-at-15.46.50-1536x872.png 1536w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-15-at-15.46.50.png 1722w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



*Sound the Hollywood klaxon* The quality of speakers at this year&#8217;s <a href="https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/events/london-literature-festival/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">London Literature Festival</a> (21 Oct -2 Nov) is off-the-scale. Ranging from former US Vice President Kamala Harris (23 Oct) to an evening with <a href="https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/an-evening-with-reese-witherspoon-and-harlan-coben/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Reese Witherspoon</a> and Harlan Coben promoting their new thriller Gone Before Goodbye, plus musician <a href="https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/self-esteem-a-complicated-woman/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Self Esteem</a> in conversation with Dolly Alderton (1 Nov) about her debut book, we&#8217;re talking more literary stars than the Milky Way. 



Ed Gamble, Nish Kumar, Rosie Jones, Frankie Boyle, Phil Wang, Sarah Pascoe – our favourite comedy heavyweights are jostling to headline this year’s annual <a href="https://www.greenwichcomedyfestival.co.uk/line-up" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Greenwich Comedy Festival</a> (17-23 Sept) taking place in the Old Royal Naval College. Tickets are selling fast though, so get booking pronto.



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Red carpets at the ready for the <a href="https://whatson.bfi.org.uk/lff/Online/default.asp" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BFI Film Festival</a> (8-19 Oct), the&nbsp;film buff’s version of fashion week where hot new films are premiered, including Hamnet and Bugonia, starring Emma Stone. Read Muddy&#8217;s <a href="https://muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/film-tv/must-see-movies-premiering-at-bfi-london-film-festival/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">must-see movies</a> at the festival, tickets go on sale 16 Sept. 



Be bop doo wop, the <a href="https://efglondonjazzfestival.org.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EFG Jazz Festival</a>&#8216;s taking over the capital&#8217;s music scene from 14-23 Nov, with gigs scattered across the city including up-and-coming bands, established artists and world-class stars, like Tanita &#8216;Twist in my sobriety&#8216; Tikaram (South Bank Centre, 15 Nov) and drummer Nate Smith (Koko, 16 Nov). 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-thrilling-theatre">Thrilling Theatre </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="683" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Untitled-design-2025-07-02T163655.124-1024x683.jpg" alt="The Producers at the Garrick Theatre " class="wp-image-14485" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Untitled-design-2025-07-02T163655.124-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Untitled-design-2025-07-02T163655.124-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Untitled-design-2025-07-02T163655.124-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Untitled-design-2025-07-02T163655.124.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Producers </figcaption></figure>



<a href="https://muddystilettos.tixculture.com/london/shows/43861-the-producers" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Producers</a> opened at the Garrick Theatre (tickets from £20; runs until 21 Feb) with much fanfare at the start of Sept and it&#8217;s gone down a storm. The stage adaptation of the Mel Brooks film about a plan to stage the worst musical ever is a must-see for anyone who loves theatre, hates theatre, or just wants to belly laugh for a couple of hours. 



More laughs to be had watching Oscar Wilde’s <a href="https://muddystilettos.tixculture.com/london/shows/44522-the-importance-of-being-earnest" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Importance of Being Ernest</a> at the Noël Coward Theatre (18 Sept &#8211; 8 Jan), which has a galaxy of stars in the cast including Olly Alexander (It’s a Sin) as Algernon Moncrieff, comedian Hugh Dennis playing Reverend Canon Chasuble and Stephen Fry starring as Lady Bracknell. As Oscar once wrote, “being sensible can be excessively boring,” so splash the cash and go see. 



<a href="https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/productions/the-land-of-the-living/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Land of the Living</a>&nbsp;– a brand-new play by David Lan, directed by Stephen Daldry &#8211; opened National Theatre in Sept (runs until 1 Nov) and we highly recommend watching the powerful story set in post-war Germany which exploring memory, morality and the messy business of choices. Starring Juliet Stevenson, Michael Fox and Tom Wlaschiha (read our pre-show interview with the Game of Thrones actor <a href="https://muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/arts-culture-things-to-do/tom-wlaschiha-interview-national-theatre/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>), it&#8217;s a must-see. 



There&#8217;ll also be more stars on stage when <a href="https://www.oldvictheatre.com/stage/mary-page-marlowe/?gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=22731111517&amp;gbraid=0AAAAADththcuC_YCeCL724lyzJ0iPmLGG&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwwZDFBhCpARIsAB95qO1kHf6aAAgZMu6BLJXe9oQ1tB4hO-lusqQ8N4nc_ODrr3XjlNmMOOYaAuUKEALw_wcB" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mary Page Marlowe</a> opens at The Old Vic (23 Sept-1 Nov), when Susan Sarandon treads the boards. The Hollywood icon originally stole our hearts in Thelma and Louise, and we can&#8217;t wait to see her perform in Pulitzer Prize-winner Tracy Letts’ play which sees five actors portray Mary at different ages in a fragmented, intimate portrait of a life. 



The National Theatre&#8217;s taking things high brow this Autumn with a bold reimagining of <a href="https://muddystilettos.tixculture.com/london/shows/24322-hamlet">Hamlet</a> (22 Sept 26-22 Nov; tickets from £41). Taking on the titular role is Olivier Award-winner Hiran Abeysekera&nbsp;(Life of Pi,&nbsp;The Father and the&nbsp;Assassin) who promises a sharp, stylish and darkly funny spin on power, privilege and doubt. 



And we&#8217;re getting goosebumps just thinking about seeing <a href="https://muddystilettos.tixculture.com/london/shows/44740-a-midsummer-nights-dream-globe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">A Midsummer Night&#8217;s</a> dream by candlelight at The Globe theatre&#8217;s indoor Sam Wanamaker Playhouse late Autumn (13 Nov-31 Jan; tickets from £8). 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-great-gigs">Great Gigs </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Unknown-1-1-1024x538.png" alt="CMAT " class="wp-image-14503" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Unknown-1-1-1024x538.png 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Unknown-1-1-300x158.png 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Unknown-1-1-768x403.png 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Unknown-1-1.png 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">CMAT on tour </figcaption></figure>



If you&#8217;re currently listening to Dead Dance on repeat, don&#8217;t miss the chance to see it performed live as <a href="https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/lady-gaga-tickets/artist/1249444" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lady Gaga </a>and her entourage roll into town for The Mayhem Ball at London 02 (29 Sept-4 Oct). The bad news? We could only find £564 tickets left on 2 Oct. Yikes. 



Anyone who saw <a href="https://www.academymusicgroup.com/o2academybrixton/events/cmat-tickets-ae1327949" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CMAT</a> perform at Glastonbury this summer knows she&#8217;s amazing live, and now you can go see for yourself as she&#8217;s got a new album out (Euro-Country) and is going on tour, starting at 02 Academy Brixton (2 Oct). 



More brilliant female vocals with be echoing around the 02 Academy Brixton five days later when <a href="https://www.selfesteem.love" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Self Esteem</a> takes over for three nights (9-11 Oct; tickets £52.67). 



Actress, musician, feminist &#8211; what&#8217;s not to love about <a href="https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/little-simz-tickets/artist/2050189#about" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Little Simz</a>? We&#8217;ll be snapping up tickets for her forthcoming tour, which includes one-night at the London 02 on 17 Oct (tickets £46.75) in celebration of her new album Lotus. 



Praise be, <a href="https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/lorde-ultrasound-london-17-11-2025/event/350062A8F0D86127" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lorde</a> is touring the UK in the Autumn after her triumphant return to Glastonbury after a three-year hiatus this summer. Snap up her recently released fourth album Virgin and get involved at 02 London (17 Nov; tickets £142.71 but selling fast). 



Remember <a href="https://www.theo2.co.uk/events/detail/the-kooks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Kooks</a>? We can still sing all the words to Naive, a talent we&#8217;ll be hoping to make the most of when tousled-haired Luke Pritchard and co play London O2 on 11 Oct (tickets from £44). 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-things-to-do-in-london">MORE THINGS TO DO IN LONDON </h2>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://london.muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/millennial-indie-band-tours/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Millennial indie bands on tour this Autumn </a></li>



<li><a href="https://london.muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/london-news/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Superflash! The latest London goss</a></li>



<li><a href="https://london.muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/this-month/september-whats-on/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">September sorted! Brilliant things to do this month</a></li>
</ul>

30+ cultural things to do in London this Autumn

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