Things To Do Today In London: Tuesday 17 September 2019

Things to do
LUNCHTIME CONCERT: Spend your lunch break being serenaded by Lauderdale House's resident pianist Stephen Hose. It's the first in a series of lunchtime piano recitals, and consists of 45 minutes of classical music overlooking Waterlow Park. Lauderdale House (Highgate), free, just turn up, 1.15pm
PALACE TOUR: Learn about 1,300 years of history on this guided tour of Fulham Palace, home to the bishops of London. Learn how each of the bishops shaped the palace, evident in the different architectural styles within the building, and hear stories of some of the past residents. Fulham Palace, £6, just turn up, 2pm-3pm
REMARKABLE MINDS: What do you get if you cross an astronomer, a nanotechnologist and a former Supreme Court justice? How To Academy's Remarkable Minds event. The BBC’s Anita Anand chats to three world-leading thinkers in the fields of science, technology and the law to reflect on the state of the world and where we are headed. Climate change, technology and security are some of the topics covered. Conway Hall (Holborn), £20-£45.50, book ahead, 6.45pm-8pm

FEAR OF THE DENTIST: A phobia of the dentist is nothing new — it's been around since the Victorian era. Hear Dr Claire Jones and Dr Sasha Scambler in short talks and a panel discussion about how fear of the dentist began, how common it is, and how it's affecting the UK's dental health as people avoid appointments. Old Operating Theatre (London Bridge), £12, book ahead, 7pm-8.30pm
SKYSCRAPERS: What goes into building a skyscraper? Structural engineer Roma Agrawal offers an insight into the construction of our glittering towers, including how high we can go, and how the materials used to build them have developed. She also looks at what new technology might mean for the future of skyscrapers. Royal Institution (Mayfair), £16/£10/£7, book ahead, 7pm-8.30pm.
GILBERT AND SULLIVAN: Singers from The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company perform a programme of tunes from Gilbert & Sullivan's opera repertoire. Diary extracts and contemporary reviews of the pieces are read out between the songs, as the performance tells the story of the tempestuous relationship between Richard D’Oyly Carte and his collaborators Gilbert & Sullivan. British Library, £18/£15, book ahead, 7pm-8.30pm

HARRY POTTER: Watch the film of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone — the first in the series about the boy wizard — on a large HD screen, accompanied by a live soundtrack. The Czech National Symphony Orchestra performs John Williams' instantly recognisable score. Southbank Centre, £25-£55, book ahead, 7.30pm (repeated tomorrow)
POPBITCH QUIZ: Swot up on your pop culture and general knowledge and head to the Popbitch Popquiz. Teams of up to six people compete across seven rounds covering everything from music to puzzles to plasticine, with prizes including bar tabs and theatre tickets. Smiths of Smithfield, £5.50, book ahead, 7.30pm

DISCO YOGA: Liven up your workout routine at this disco yoga class. Aimed at people who like to train hard and party hard, it's for disco lovers, yoga aficionados and first time yogis. Cover yourself in glitter before following energising sequences to a mix of disco classics. Shoreditch (address revealed on booking), £17, book ahead, 7.30pm-9pm (sponsor)
STORYSLAM: Lessons is the theme of this month's The Moth Storyslam. Prepare a five-minute story about a memorable lesson you learned one way or another, and get up on stage to share it with the audience. Otherwise, sit back and enjoy other people's tales of lessons they've learned. Rich Mix (Shoreditch), £12, book ahead, 8pm-11pm
BLADE RUNNER: Canary Wharf's late night movie nights present Blade Runner. Watch the 1982 sci-fi film, which is set in a futuristic 2019, and see how many of its predictions were correct. It's an outdoor screening so dress for the weather. Canada Square Park (Canary Wharf), free, just turn up, 9pm

Tube ponderings with Barry Heck
Our resident tube fancier dishes out daily thoughts on the London Underground.

My roundel of the week can be found at... well, it's pretty obvious from the photo. The roundel is curious for three geeky reasons:
1. The station name is no longer accurate. Following the closure of Terminal 1, the station is now known as Heathrow Terminals 2 & 3. It is the most recent tube station to change name (2016).
2. Along with the other two Heathrow tube stations, it is the only roundel to contain a symbol that is neither number, letter or punctuation... the aircraft symbol.
3. It is the only roundel with commas.
Follow Barry, if that hasn't put you off, on Twitter @HeckTube.
Good cause of the day

There's still time to sign up for Sunday's family walk and fun day on Clapham Common. Pay your entry fee and pledge to raise at least £25 in sponsorship, in aid of Royal Trinity Hopsice. Two, five and eight mile routes are available, and there's live music, entertainment and a barbecue at the finish line. Find out more and sign up.
What we're reading
- No guarantee that Crossrail will be open by 2021.
- Colourised photos bring Victorian London to life.
- Prepare for a lot more Aldis.
- TfL sells 'iconic' 55 Broadway building to hotels entrepreneur.