What’s on this week

The Stories Festival

A new festival featuring three days of inspirational storytelling in the heart of London will be held next week.

The programme celebrates a diverse range of talent, including leading authors, poets, screenwriters, debut novelists and comedians.

These storytellers will share their methods and unique approaches to live audiences across this weekend extravaganza.

The festival will include live readings, talks and workshops from the likes of Ricky Gervais, Brigderton author Julia Quinn and Top Boy star Ashley Walters.

Authors Candice Brathwaite and Daisy Buchanan, the former Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls and Line of Duty creator Jed Mercurio are also set to appear.

The festival will also feature a showcase from Stormzy’s #Merky Books.

The Stories Festival is the event to support and inspire the next generation of storytellers.

From science, health and wellbeing, fiction and crime to poetry and children’s stories, every genre will be fully explored.

September 24 to 26
Picturehouse Central

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: Notes on Writing

In her return to the Royal Festival Hall, Adichie also discusses her most recent book, Notes on Grief, written following the death of her father.

This event opens a weekend celebrating 100 years since English PEN was founded.

In 2018, Adichie was awarded the PEN Pinter Prize, named after Harold Pinter and given to a writer from a Commonwealth country or the Republic of Ireland whose work aims to define the real truth of our lives.

September 24
Royal Festival Hall

Andrew Ashong

The South-east Londoner – by way of Ghana – is an award-winning singer-songwriter with a loyal following since his debut single Flowers was released in 2012.

His fresh take on jazz and soul music has won him critical acclaim.

Watching him play down the road from where he grew up promises to be a very special experience.

Support will come from up-and-coming, soulful singer-songwriter Manny Alexandra.

September 25
Woolwich Works

Creekside Open Day

Visit Creekside Discovery Centre in the heart of Deptford on the Creek itself for a chance to explore the river and all the wildlife there is.

From mitten crabs and flounders to butterflies and toadlets, you can discover a hidden world right on your doorstep.

Activities include crab racing, prizes, quizzes and games for all the family.

Visitors will also be able to find local archaeology, discover Creek fish and wildlife with visiting experts.

September 25
Creekside Discovery Centre

The Digital Home

The home is a fictional residential care home provider, created by artist Christopher Green.

In a major international collaboration with Saitama Arts in Japan, you can move virtually into a British and a Japanese care home and feel what care is like.

This innovative entertainment engages the audience with cutting edge technology, stylish design, interactive games, original films commissioned from a range of exciting filmmakers, contributions from leading thinkers in the field, and a dose of satire.

It features collaborations with a huge range of creatives across Japan and the UK, including performers of a huge range of ages.

From September 25
The Albany

The Seven Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor

Join Sinbad on his incredible voyages, as he tells his amazing story – from his humble beginnings in Baghdad, to sailing the seven seas in search of adventure.

Look out for exciting encounters with giant birds, an amorous mermaid, a hungry giant, two dancing camels and a murderous sultan.

Can he get home in one piece?

From the same team who brought you Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Pinocchio and The Snow Queen expect a magical story, amazing songs and dance routines, comedy, special effects, animation and lots of audience participation!

Weekends from September 25 to October 24
The Sydenham Centre

Joker – Live in Concert

Todd Phillips’ ground-breaking, award-winning film Joker will be screened with the accompaniment of a live orchestra playing composer Hildur Guðnadóttir’s award-winning score for the first time ever at London’s Eventim Apollo.

This extraordinary music will be brought to life by a full orchestra to create a vivid and entirely new Joker viewing experience.

Performed live, Guðnadóttir’s inimitable score illuminates further the emotional weight, texture and atmosphere of Phoenix’s captivating portrayal.

September 26 London Eventim Apollo Kings of Convenience The indie folk-pop duo join us to mark the long-awaited release of their fourth album, Peace or Love.

When 12 years elapse between albums, you might well assume that there has been some dramatic rift.

And when you learn that an album has been recorded across five years in five cities, you might expect something fiendishly ornate, larded with fancy production and guests galore.

Neither of those things are true.

Peace or Love sounds as fresh as spring – 11 songs about life and love with the alluring beauty, purity and emotional clarity that you would expect from Kings of Convenience.

But you don’t have to take our word for it – see for yourself, as the Kings of Convenience take to the Royal Festival Hall stage in what are sure to be two memorable performances.

September 26
Royal Festival Hall

The Interrogation

Charlene has done something terrible.

Lots of people saw her, and they’re not happy.

New mobile app technology, Access All Areas, will take you on a GPS-guided walk through the streets of London to discover what Charlene did, and to find out what you can do about it.

Touring nationally through local streets, this new interactive audio and video production lets you question the causes of criminality, the ableism of language, and the feeling of being judged as a learning disabled person.

September 28 to October 3
Battersea Arts Centre

Out-Spoken: September

An evening of poetry and live music is hosted by Joelle Taylor, who is thrilled to be back after 18 months, along with Sam ‘Junior’ Bromfield spinning the best in reggae, soul and R&B throughout the evening.

There will be sets by poets Safiya Kamaria Kinshasa, Rebecca Perry and Jack Underwood, plus music from Mychelle, and the S.O.L Collective.

September 30
Purcell Room at Queen Elizabeth Hall

Craft Fair and Macmillan Coffee Morning

Craft Fair at St Luke’s Church with various stalls selling items such as paintings, bookfolds, jewellery, textiles, woodturned items, decoupage, vegan bath products, upcycled items and more.

Refreshments in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.

Free entry and cash sales preferred.

Saturday, October 2 from 10am to 1.30pm St Luke’s Church, Westmount Road, SE9 1XQ

Listings compiled by Lottie Kilraine. To be included, email lottie@slpmedia.co.uk

Main pic: Ricky Gervais to appear at The Stories Festival, Picturehouse Cenrtral, 24-26 September