STAGE
December 1-January 2
Jack and the Beanstalk
Pavilion Theatre, Worthing
It’s the start of the panto season (oh no it isn’t). Worthing’s giant-size offering stars Strictly Come Dancing’s Flavia Cacace-Mistry and children’s TV favourite Dave Benson Phillips. Read more about Dave’s Sussex life on page xx.
Various times, tickets from £10. Wtm.uk
December 3-11
Mother Goose
Theatre Royal Brighton
Fresh from leaving the TARDIS, John Bishop is joined by acting royalty Ian McKellen in this rarely staged but much-loved panto. Penned by Gimme Gimme Gimme writer Jonathan Harvey, it follows Ian’s titular Dame and her husband who run an animal sanctuary from an abandoned Debenhams. Their lives are turned upside down when a magical goose appears.
Various times, from £13. atgtickets.com/venues/theatre-royal-brighton
December 9-January 15
Aladdin
Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne
Over the past few years Eastbourne’s homegrown panto has become something of an institution, with Tucker and Dame Martyn Knight leading a talented cast. And with Aladdin they have some classic material to play with - from Miles Western’s hissable villain Abanazaar to a flying carpet.
Various times, from £13. Eastbournetheatres.co.uk
December 10-Christmas Eve
Dear Santa Live
Minerva Theatre, Chichester
Rod Campbell’s lift-the-flap book is recreated on stage for audiences aged two and up. Sarah wants the perfect Christmas present, but it is going to take Santa several attempts to find something which isn’t too scary or too big. Plus meet Santa in his grotto after the show.
Various times, £16. Cft.org.uk
December 9-January 2
The All New Adventures of Peter Pan
The Hawth, Crawley
I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here star and former EastEnder Rita Simons takes the role of Captain Hook in Paul Hendy’s reimagining of JM Barrie’s classic adventure. Also in the cast are favourite Crawley dame Michael J Batchelor and CBBC and Strictly Come Dancing star Karim Zeroual as Peter.
Various times, from £26. parkwoodtheatres.co.uk/The-Hawth
Dec 13-Christmas Eve
Death Drop: Back in the Habit
Theatre Royal Brighton
The panto dames aren’t the only ones dragging up for Christmas, as Cheryl Hole, Victoria Scone and River Medway from RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star in this campy whodunnit alongside original West End cast member Louis Cyfer. It’s the story of a convent targeted by a serial killer.
7.45pm Mon to Thurs, 5pm and 8.30pm Fri and Sat, 2pm Christmas Eve, from £13. atgtickets.com/venues/theatre-royal-brighton
December 15-New Year’s Eve
Beauty and the Beast
White Rock Theatre, Hastings
The X Factor finalists Amelia Lily and Andy Abraham star in the Hastings panto this year, alongside old favourites Ben Watson and dame Tim McArthur.
Various times, from £20. Whiterocktheatre.org.uk
December 17-New Year's Eve
The Wind in the Willows
Chichester Festival Theatre
The always-impressive Chichester Festival Youth Theatre takes on Alan Bennett’s adaptation of the Kenneth Grahame classic about the joys of simply messing about in boats. And, in Mr Toad’s case, cars. Poop-poop!
Various times, from £10. Cft.org.uk
December 17-23
Pugs of the Frozen North
Upstairs at Presuming Ed's Coffee House, Brighton
Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre’s book about a 66-pug-powered dog-sled racing around the world, is brought to the stage by Philip and playwright Brian Mitchell in a show aimed at youngsters aged five and up.
11am and 2pm, from £7.50. Ticketsource.co.uk
December 18-27
FIQ!
Brighton Dome Concert Hall
Groupe Acrobatique de Tangier bring a colourful combination of acrobatic feats, breakdancing and freestyle football to the Dome stage, accompanied by live scratching and rap by DJ Dino.
Various times, from £15. Brightondome.org
December 22-27
Aladdin
Brighton Centre
Brighton-based production company E3 finally bring their Christmas panto back to Brighton, after Covid brought a last-minute cancellation in 2021. And former EastEnder Anita Dobson will be back as the villainous Abanazar.
Various times, from £15. Brightoncentre.co.uk
December 27-30
Jurassic Live
Theatre Royal Brighton
The dino rangers bring the audience up close and personal to some life-size dinosaurs including a flying Pterodactyl, Stegosaurus, Apatosaurus, Triceratops, Velociraptor and, of course, the mighty T-Rex in an interactive show aimed at the whole family.
3pm Tues and Thurs, 11am and 2pm Wed and Fri, from £19.65. atgtickets.com/venues/theatre-royal-brighton
December 29-30
Beauty and the Beast
Brighton Dome Concert Hall
Ballet Theatre UK recreates the fairy tale about seeing beyond the superficial to find love, featuring new choreography by Christopher Moore.
2pm and 7pm, from £12.50/£6.25 children. Brightondome.org
MUSIC
December 1
The Dub Pistols
Concorde 2, Brighton
Now on their ninth album, Frontline, the festival favourites have combined drum and bass, hip-hop, ska, dub and punk in a 26-year career.
Doors 7.30pm, £15. Concorde2.co.uk
December 1
Yumi and the Weather
The Hope and Ruin, Brighton
Brighton’s own indie-rockers Yumi and the Weather launch their second album It’s All In My Head with a hometown show.
Doors 8pm, £10. Meltingvinyl.co.uk
December 4
The Snowman and Peter and the Wolf
Brighton Dome Concert Hall
The Covent Garden Sinfonia perform a double bill of classical family favourites, launching with Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf, before providing Howard Blake’s live soundtrack to a screening of animation The Snowman.
1pm and 3.30pm, from £14/£12.50 under-16s. Brightondome.org
December 5-10
Christmas Concerts
Chichester Festival Theatre
The Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines Collingwood join forces with Chichester Cathedral Choir for a mix of carols and new arrangements of Christmas favourites.
7.30pm, from £10. Cft.org.uk
December 8
Chantel McGregor
The Factory Live, Worthing
Multi-British Blues Award-winning guitarist Chantel McGregor plays an intimate show with her three-piece band. Chantel, who has previously supported Joe Bonamassa on two UK tours, will be debuting new tracks from her next album, the follow-up to her lockdown project The Shed Sessions.
Doors 7pm, from £16. Thefactorylive.co.uk
December 8
Westlife
Brighton Centre
The chart-topping Irish boy band return following a 2019 reunion tour which saw them play to more than 600,000 fans across 27 countries. As well as hits, including Flying Without Wings and Swear It Again, expect to hear tracks form new album Wild Dreams.
Doors 6.30pm, from £56.50. Brightoncentre.co.uk
December 10-11
Glyndebourne Christmas Concert
Glyndebourne
The Glyndebourne Chorus and Tour Orchestra perform a mix of opera highlights, yuletide classics and carols. Look out for the chilled performance at 2pm on Dec 10.
2pm, 7pm Dec 10, from £10. Glyndebourne.com/tour
December 10
Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel
De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Steve Harley’s move from London busker to his first gig with Cockney Rebel as support to the Jeff Beck Group. Expect to hear the hits including Sebastian, Judy Teen, Mr Soft and the timeless Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me).
Doors 7pm, £36. Dlwp.com
Dec 11
Brighton Festival Chorus
Brighton Dome Concert Hall
The Festival Chorus is joined by the Brighton Festival Youth Choir and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in a concert of carols, festive songs and terrible Christmas jokes.
4pm, from £12.50. Brightondome.org
Dec 13
Emma Bunton’s Christmas Party
Brighton Dome Concert Hall
Former Spice Girl Emma Bunton combines Christmas classics with hits from her solo and band careers, following a successful one-off yuletide show at the Royal Albert Hall in 2019.
Doors 7pm, from £39. Brightondome.org
December 14
Crawley Blues Club
The Hawth, Crawley
For its final show ever, Crawley Blues Club has brought together two of its most popular acts, Spikedrivers and The Elevators to ensure the Crawley institution goes out with a bang.
7.45pm, £16. parkwoodtheatres.co.uk/The-Hawth
December 20
The Mediaeval Baebes
St Mary’s Church, Horsham
Christmas carols are joined by traditional folksongs and tracks from the Baebes’ latest collection MydWynter Album. Their voices - as heard on the soundtrack to ITV’s Victoria and the BBC’s The Virgin Queen - will be backed by exotic and period instruments.
Doors 7pm, £26.50/£11.50 children. Mediaevalbaebes.com
December 21
Rick Wakeman’s Grumpy Christmas Stocking Tour
Assembly Hall, Worthing
The former Yes keyboard player, solo star, and pianist on David Bowie’s Life on Mars? plays music from across his career as well as a few rearranged Christmas tunes, punctuated by stories of life on the road.
7.30pm, from £34. Wtm.uk
OUT AND ABOUT
November 25-December 22
Santa Bus
Across Brighton and Hove
Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2023, Brighton & Hove Buses’ Santa Bus is set to visit more than 200 streets across the city again this year, raising money for 12 local charities, including The Martlets Hospice and Chestnut Tree Children’s Hospice.
Sets off daily from 5.30pm, follow the bus at buses.co.uk/santa-bus-tracker
December 1-New Year’s Eve
Christmas at Cowdray
Cowdray Estate, Midhurst
Enjoy a mile-long Christmas light trail across the country estate, taking in the atmospheric Tudor ruins. This year’s event features installations by Europe’s most in-demand light artists - including a multi-sensory enchanted black pond, kaleidoscopic Electric Garden and Laser Forest - alongside food and drink and a guest appearance by Santa inside the Walled Garden.
After dark, £20, £12.50 child. Lightuptrails.com
December 1-January 8
Eastbourne’s Lightning Fibre Ice Rink
Enterprise Shopping Centre, Eastbourne
Real ice returns to Eastbourne this Christmas with the arrival of an even-bigger rink organised by Eastbourne BID and sponsored by Lightning Fibre.
10am-8pm weekdays, 10am-10pm weekends, from £12, £8 children, including skate hire. Eastbourneicerink.co.uk
December 3-4, 10-11, 17-23
Elf School
Sky Park Farm, West Harting
Youngsters aged four to eight years can meet an elf, decorate a Christmas biscuit and wrap a present, before visiting Father Christmas’ reindeer as they get ready for their long trip across the world.
December 4
The Fascinating Adventures of Little Bee
Komedia, Brighton
Cult singer-songwriter Beans on Toast is launching a new children’s book series and album, co-written with old friends Jaime and Lily Adamsfield. Aimed at children aged two to 10, the series of 10 books each consist of rhyming adventures to exotic new places. Each book is accompanied by a song written and performed by Beans. This Brighton show is one of four live launches, featuring live music, dancing, crafting and a children’s dance party.
1pm-2.30pm, £5. Littlebeeadventures.com
December 9-10
Christmas Party Nights
Winter Garden, Eastbourne
Enjoy a three-course meal, DJ with disco and a live tribute act with Eastbourne’s festive parties. On Friday 9 the music of Freddie Mercury and Queen will provide the soundtrack, while on Saturday 10 The Zoots will celebrate the sounds of the 1980s.
7pm-2am, £49. Conferenceeastbourne.com/christmas
December 10-23
Green Father Christmas
Weald and Downland Living Museum, near Chichester
Based in his outdoor workshop, Green Father Christmas will be delving into his wooden chest to find presents for all the children he meets. Look out for more Christmas fun at the Weald and Downland, including Advent on November 26 and 27 - featuring a boutique Christmas market - and Tree Dressing on Sunday, December 4.
10.30am-4pm, £12 per child/£6 adult. wealddown.co.uk/whats-on/
December 16 and 23
Festive Fridays
Bolney Wine Estate
Enjoy live music accompanied by a charcuterie board and glass of Bolney Bubbly in two festive events this December. Also look out for late night shopping at the estate shop on December 1, 8 and 22 from 6pm to 9pm, and Christmas tastings every Saturday in December from £12 per person.
6pm-11pm, £30. bolneywineestate.com/whats-on
EXHIBITIONS
Until December 2
Guiding Lights and Guarding the Coast
The Beachy Head Story, Eastbourne
The last chance to explore a temporary exhibition about the buildings and institutions protecting the Eastbourne coast: the Royal Sovereign Lighthouse and the Crowlink Coastguard Cottages.
10am-4pm, free. Beachyheadstory.com
Until February 12
Sussex Contemporary
Worthing Museum and Gallery
A celebration of nine artists who live and work in Sussex, who were selected by the curators for their contribution to the Worthing Open21 Exhibition. Styles range from print-making to acrylics, oils to pencil.
Wed, Fri-Sat 10am-5pm, Thurs 10am-8pm, Sun 11am-3pm, free. Wtm.uk
December 3-4
Worthing Artists Open Houses
Across Worthing
A total of 37 studios and homes are opening their doors across Worthing to showcase local artwork and crafts for Christmas. Look out for the free map in shops and businesses across the town.
Various times, free. Worthingartistsopenhouses.com
December 3-4
Christmas art and craft
Puffin House, Lancing
Head a little further east for another open studio in Brighton Road, Lancing, featuring sculpture, paintings, ceramics, gifts and jewellery by local artists, plus refreshments, in aid of Cancer Research and the Alzheimer’s Society.
10am-5pm, free. karnejnorfolk@yahoo.co.uk
December 9-18
Michael Cruickshank exhibition
Bradness Gallery, Barcombe
A chance to see a selection of new landscape paintings by Barcombe-based artist Michael Cruickshank, who mainly works in oils and watercolours.
11am-5pm, free. Bradnessgallery.com
December 17-August 2023
Towner 100: The Living Collection
Towner, Eastbourne
To launch the centenary year of Eastbourne’s oldest gallery - which will see it host the 2023 Turner Prize - Towner 100: The Living Collection is a dive into the 5,000 artworks held by the collection. Expect to see works by local favourites including Eric Ravilious and Vanessa Bell alongside their contemporaries including Edward Wadsworth, Gertrude Hermes and William Gear.
Tues to Sun and bank holidays, 10am-5pm, free. Townereastbourne.org.uk
