Pencil This In: April 5-9

Brush up on your culture this week: Learn about the history of Hongkou district or Shanghai cabaret culture, catch a performance of Aida or King Lear, and drink and golf for charity- though not at the same time.

Monday: Zapata’s Anniversary

Zapata’s is turning six, somewhat of an achievement in this town, and to celebrate they’re running a special all week of six tacos for ¥100, on top of their usual daily drink specials. Bringing friends who can carry you out at the end of the night is still recommended.

5 PM-late. Zapata’s, 5 Hengshan Lu near Dongping Lu (衡山路5号 近东平路)

Tuesday: A Stroll Through Old Hongkou

Author and historian Eric Politzer has prepared a walk through time as he explores the changes through the Hongkou district in the 19th and 20th centuries, using old postcards and photos. Learn about foreign settlements in the district and how its spaces were used for missions, schools, and as “Consulate Row.”

7 PM. InterfaceFLOR, Room 201 Raffles City, 268 Xizang Zhong Lu (西藏中路268号,来福士广场办公楼201室) RAS members ¥30, non-members ¥80

Wednesday: Aida

Concordia High School’s Theatre Program is presenting its spring production, Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida. The hit rock musical centers on the forbidden love between an enslaved Nubian princess and an Egyptian soldier of a rival empire, with everyone of course singing and dancing about love and peace. If you can’t catch it tonight, try again til Sunday.

7 PM. Concordia International School, 999 Mingyue Lu near Huangyang Lu (明月路999号 近黄杨路) Students ¥50, adults ¥100

Thursday: Cabaret Culture Talk, Book Drive Fundraiser

The Lit Fest has come and gone but Andrew Field still has an encore. The guest of this month’s Speaker Corner, Field will discuss the rise of jazz and cabaret culture in Shanghai after World War I and read from his book, Shanghai’s Dancing World: Cabaret Culture and Urban Politics, 1919-1954. Tickets include entry to the BritCham Sundowner networking event that follows.

6-7 PM. Mesa | Manifesto, 748 Julu Lu near Fumin Lu (巨鹿路748号 近富民路) BritCham members ¥120, non-members ¥150

Channel your drinking for good: head to Kaiba and help support the Library Project, which builds libraries in rural Anhui. All you have to do is show up and donate three books appropriate for Chinese 5-6 year olds, or donate ¥40. In return, you get a free beer from Kaiba, a chance at door and raffle prizes, and live music by Break for Borneo and other bands.

7-11 PM. Kaiba, 739 Dingxi Lu near Yan An Lu (定西路739号 近延安西路)

Friday: Charity Golf, King Lear

The 2010 Habitat for Humanity Charity Golf Day is upon us, where a day on the green also helps HH construct housing projects in impoverished areas in Guangdong and Yunnan provinces. For ¥1388 per player or ¥5000 per foursome, participants also receive a “Golf Goodies Bag” and a free invite to the Marriott Black Tie Charity Dinner in November.

Registration at 7:15, Tee off at 8 AM. Tianma Golf and Country Club, 3958 Zhaokun Lu, Songjiang (赵昆公路3958号) To sign up, contact vivian.li@renaissancehotels.com or tracy.wu@renaissancehotels.com.

Nothing says an exciting Friday night like Shakespeare. In case you missed it at the Ke Center last week, The Shanghai Repertory Theatre will be performing King Lear, the classic drama about family and politics (yes, that’s it in an extremely tiny nutshell), again at Shanghai American School. In English with Chinese subtitles.

7:30-9:30 PM. Shanghai American School, 258 Jinfeng Lu near Minbei Lu (金丰路258号 近闵北路) Tickets: students ¥150, adults ¥200