Written and directed by Kaleb D’Aguilar, How to Keep Warm in Winter takes us back to 1973. The play stars Julene Robinson as Irene, who has just arrived from Jamaica to join her childhood sweetheart, Everton, portrayed by Emile John. They attempt to adjust to their new life together in their tiny room in Peckham, navigating a harsh winter and racism in a new country – the Caribbean population in the UK is only starting to grow at the time. This show is a must if you seek to understand the socio-political changes that have shaped modern Britain. This is the final show in the Ryan Calais Cameron Season, which featured three new plays selected to be staged at The Broadway Theatre across 2026.
Address: The Broadway Theatre, Catford Broadway, Catford, London, SE6 4RU
Website: broadwaytheatre.org.uk
Dates: 14 – 25 October
One of the only major art fairs in the world dedicated to contemporary African art, 1-54 returns to Somerset House for its 14th consecutive edition to showcase work by artists from Africa and its diaspora. Highlights include a sensory installation, Commodity / Couture by Midunu Institute, which examines how Ghanaian cocoa loses value from farm to finished product, and Our Canvas Grows From the Soil, which showcases barkcloth practices from Uganda and Ghana. Alongside the contemporary programme, the art fair will introduce a curated exhibition, West Wind, devoted to pioneering artists from across Africa. Tickets are required for all viewings – a VIP preview on 15 October will run ahead of the public programme from Friday to Sunday.
Address: Somerset House, New Wing, Strand, London WC2R
Website: 1-54.com/london
Dates: 15 – 18 October