Things to Do in Chennai This Week

The events below are the best things to do in Chennai this week, refreshed daily from listings across the city, from concerts and stand-up to theatre, classical music, exhibitions, food events, workshops and family outings. If you plan by interest, start here. For classical music and dance, look at the Music Academy and Narada Gana Sabha on TTK Road, the sabhas of T. Nagar and Mylapore, and Kalakshetra in Thiruvanmiyur. For stand-up and theatre, the Sir Mutha Venkatasubba Rao Concert Hall in Chetpet takes the touring shows, the Museum Theatre in Egmore the plays, and small rooms such as Medai in Alwarpet the trial shows and improv. For art and film, try the Alliance Française and Goethe-Institut in Nungambakkam, the Lalit Kala Akademi on Greams Road and Cholamandal on the ECR. For a free evening, Marina Beach, Elliot's Beach and the Mada streets of Mylapore cost nothing. With children, the Anna Centenary Library, the Birla Planetarium, Kalaignar Centenary Park and Vandalur Zoo are dependable. Weather shapes the calendar: outdoor events are at their best from December to February, the north-east monsoon brings heavy rain between October and December, and April to June is hot enough to keep most plans indoors or after dark.