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Tonight Only

Music

Mark Mulcahy:Singer-songwriter Mulcahy 's beautific vocal gymnastics and acoustic alt country guitar style have influenced many more famous musicians without garnering broader acclaim for the man himself.That said,the former Miracle Legion front man 's gentle and graceful music undoubtedly works best in intimate surroundings,plucking at the heartstrings of the listener with evocative ease and a soul-soothing passion.Spitz,E1, doors 8pm,7,020 7392 9032.

From Tonight

Theatre

Clubland:Roy Williams returns to the Court with his latest play,following the success of his previous Sloane Square outing Lift Off,a heartfelt study of racial identity (and winner of the George Devine Award last year).Race is once again central to the plot,but Williams 's plays tend to focus more on their characters ' personalities rather than on any single issue.In this work, Rashan Stone and Natasha Gordon (right)are under his microscope as two men eye up a couple of young girls.Indhu Rubasingham directs this club- based drama.Royal Court,SW1, 7pm,5-15,020 7565 5000.

The Laughter of Our Children:While the Empire 's main house undergoes some much-needed refurbishment,the new Bullion Room Theatre space opens with this play of political and personal struggle.

Set in a small village in Northern Ireland at the height of the 1981 prison hunger strikes,this powerful drama,presented by Dubblejoint and directed by company cofounder Pam Brighton,follows the lives and attitutes of those closest to the inmates.

Hackney Empire,E8,8pm, 10.50/12.50,020 8985 2424.

The Battle:If you need any reassurance that London is a truly cosmopolitan city, then you need look no further than the current crop of international theatre that 's running rampant through the capital.The ongoing LIFT festival has already showcased a formidable array of foreign talent,and it 's now joined by the East Goes West season at Notting Hill 's enclave of excellence.Opening tonight is this UK premiere from Bulgarian company Art &Scena,casting a dry,poetic eye over the conflict between body and mind in a society of upended values and uncertain futures.The Gate,W11,7.30pm,4/10, 020 7229 0706.

Tragedy of Man:A work little known abroad but hailed as a masterful, state-of-the-nation play in its country of origin,this 19th century Hungarian classic has been revamped and remixed by Mozgo Haz theatre company and director Laszlo Hudi,taking it from verse play to multimedia phenomenon.It incorporates a patchwork of filmscapes and a techno opera soundtrack,and both audience and cast are led by Lucifer on a whistlestop tour from ancient Egypt to Victorian London and beyond.Riverside,W6,8pm, 12/16,020 7863 8017.

Elegies for Angels,Punks and Raging Queens:Combining verse and song,this show,written by Bill Russell with music by Janet Hood, looks at those affected by the HIV virus,both living and deceased.

Following powerful productions at The King 's Head and The Drill Hall,Omar F Okai (who appeared in both stagings)directs the company in this fundraiser for the Globe Centre,which provides vital support and advice for those affected by the virus.Bridewell Theatre, EC4,7.30pm,10/15,020 7936 3456.

From Tomorrow Art Rachel Whiteread:If Whiteread 's stunning,translucent plinth sculpture in Trafalgar Square has whet your appetite, head for this solo show for more marvels by the former Turner Prize-winning sculptor.

She continues to explore the poetic potential of casting,installing cast-iron floor tiles and a mysterious staircase leading nowhere - showing that she is equally at home creating works from domestic architecture as she is tackling her large-scale public commissions.

Serpentine Gallery,W2, 10am-6pm,020 7298 1515.

Kathrin Bhm:Bored of those plain white walls and tasteful neutral hues?Then take a leaf out of Bhm 's book and transform your living room into an art-project-in-progress by pasting up posters and flyers.By giving the gallery space an edgy street aesthetic,this German artist blurs the boundaries between media.

She puts fine and graphic arts on a level playing field,aiming to create something that is as accessible as it is ephemeral.

The Showroom,E2,Wednesday-Sunday, 1pm-6pm,020 78983 4115.

Vermeer and the Delft School:It 's thought that so few of Vermeer 's paintings exist because he was too busy managing an inn and a picture-framing business.In fact, there are only around 40 Vermeers in the world,and 13 will be on show here,making this an unmissable exhibition.His subjects were modest,small-scale domestic scenes capturing everyday 17th century life,such as The Girl with the Red Hat (below)- but his magical paint surfaces are extraordinary and have been described as looking like "crushed pearls melting together ".National Gallery,WC2, 10am-6pm (until 9pm Wednesday), 4-8,020 7747 2885.

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