Our guide to the best events in and around Sussex this March

EVENTS

A Certain Kind of Light - Now until 7 May

Towner Art Gallery, Eastbourne

A major new exhibition exploring how artists have responded to light, its materiality, transience and effect. Reflecting the relationship between light and a range of other themes, from brightness, colour and perception to transformation, energy and the passage of time, the exhibition brings together paintings, sculpture, video, photography, drawing and installations by almost 30 leading artists.

www.townereastbourne.org.uk

Victor Pasmore: Towards a New Reality - 11 March-11 June

Pallant House, Chichester

Pallant House Gallery presents a major exhibition on British artist Victor Pasmore (1908-1998). Focusing on the radical change of direction in the artist’s career between 1930-1969, 50 key paintings and sculptural reliefs show how Pasmore reinvented himself as one of Britain’s foremost exponents of abstract art, having previously been known as one of its leading figurative artists.

www.pallant.org.uk

In Focus: Eileen Agar - Bride of the Sea - 15 March-4 June

Jerwood Gallery, Hastings

Eileen Agar was one of the greatest UK-based artists of the last century, and the most prominent female member of the British Surrealist movement.

This exhibition, part of the gallery’s In Focus series, takes as its starting point a key work within the Jerwood Collection – Eileen Agar’s 1969 painting Pigeon Post. This focused display features major loans of Agar’s Surrealist painting from significant national institutions, displayed alongside archive photographs of the artist from Tate.

www.jerwoodgallery.org

Town and Country - 25 March-30 April

The Birley Centre, Eastbourne

11am-4pm. This exhibition unites the work of two Eastbourne-based artists who exhibit both locally and nationally. Julian Sutherland-Beatson and Ann Johnson will show their recent work based on our urban and wild environments.

Each painter demonstrates a shared appreciation of fine draftsmanship and the power of simplicity and space, using a robust visual language of marks. This is then interpreted into two highly distinctive but totally contrasting styles. Open Saturdays and Sundays only. Free entry.

www.eastbourne-college.co.uk/The-Birley-Centre

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MUSIC AND THEATRE

Rambert - 1-4 March

Theatre Royal, Brighton

7.30pm. The masterpiece of world-famous choreographer Christopher Bruce, Ghost Dances is possibly the most popular work in Rambert’s history. It tells stories of love and compassion, as death – in the form of the iconic ghosts – interrupts the daily lives of a series of ordinary people. Created as a response to political oppression in South America, it uses imagery from the Day of the Dead and bewitching traditional songs to create a moving, intensely human work. Thur Matinee 1.30pm. Tickets: £12-£32.50.

www.atgtickets.com/venues/theatre-royal-brighton

Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra - 5 March

The Dome, Brighton

Cristian Mandeal Conductor

Chloë Hanslip Violin

Enescu Romanian Rhapsody No.1 Op.11

Korngold Violin Concerto In D major Op.35

Elgar Symphony No.1 In Ab major Op.55

2.45pm. Tickets: £12-£37. Under 18s and students half-price.

www.brightondome.org

Music@Ardingly 9th Concert Series - 5 March

Tredegar Brass Band

Ardingly College Chapel, Ardingly College, Haywards Heath

3pm. The Champion Band of Wales, a leading contest and concert ensemble ranked fifth in the world, will bring a rousing repertoire to Mid Sussex. Tredegar will be playing a varied programme of music from all styles, including popular classics, and for some numbers will be joined by talented brass band students from an Ardingly masterclass. Tickets: £10 (£5 concessions and children free). Contact music@ardingly.com or tel: 01444 893230 or book online www.ticketsource.co.uk/musicatardingly.

Circus of Horrors: The Never-Ending Nightmare - 6 March

The Hawth, Crawley

7.30pm. The Circus of Horrors celebrates its 21st anniversary as it takes to the road with its latest show, The Never-ending Nightmare. The spectacular features an amazing amalgamation of bizarre, brave and beautiful acts all woven into an Alice in Horrorland type story. Recommended age 16 years plus. Tickets: £23

www.parkwoodtheatres.co.uk/The-Hawth

Pink Mist by Owen Sheers - 7-11 March

Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne

Three school-mates, three boys on the verge of adulthood, three lads with dreams bigger than the prospects that staying where they are can offer. The army - a career, opportunity, adventure, skills and excitement. Three soldiers off to Afghanistan. Three fighters doing what they have been trained to do. Three men returning to their loved ones, wounded, scarred, dead or alive.

The physical and psychological aftershocks of war take their toll on each one of them and each of the loved ones they left behind. For Arthur, Hads and Taff, the journey home is their greatest battle.

eastbournetheatres.co.uk

Danza Contemporanea De Cuba - 7-8 March

The Dome, Brighton

7.30pm. Cuba’s flagship contemporary dance troupe is back in Brighton! A pungent blend of Afro-Caribbean rhythms, jazzy American modernism and inflections from European ballet, Danza Contemporánea de Cuba’s hybrid and hothouse style has been evoking the sensual heart of Cuban spirit for over 50 years. Tickets: £10-£22.50, £15 under 15s.

www.brightondome.org

Motionhouse: Scattered - 8 March

Connaught Theatre, Worthing

7.30pm. Scattered combines Motionhouse’s highly physical trademark style with entrancing digital imagery in an extraordinary interaction between film and live performance.

This astonishing production explores our relationship with water, a fundamental force in our lives. Seven dancers delve into the majesty and savagery of water, plunging into an ocean, tumbling down a waterfall and sliding on an avalanche to a frozen landscape of arctic beauty. Tickets: £23.50, £21 concessions, £12.50 students.

www.worthingtheatres.co.uk

Hundred Watt Club - 10 March

The Old Market, Brighton, BN3 1AS

theoldmarket.com

Rob Brydon - 10 March

De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill

8pm. Rob Brydon is on tour for the first time in eight years and returns to stand-up comedy with his brand-new show, I Am Standing Up. He is perhaps best known for television shows Gavin and Stacey, The Rob Brydon Show, Would I Lie To You? as well as Marion and Geoff, Little Britain, Gangster Granny and Q.I. Recommended age 15 years plus. Tickets: £32.50

www.dlwp.com

Mike and the Mechanics - 13 March

The Dome, Brighton

Genesis founding member Mike Rutherford (guitar) joins forces with a new generation Mike & The Mechanics, which includes one of the UK’s most prolific R&B singers, Andrew Roachford (lead and backing vocals) and Canadian-born singer, Tim Howar (lead and backing vocals) who formed and toured with his band Vantramp, with the likes of Rod Stewart and Paolo Nutini. Tickets: £40, £35.

www.brightondome.org

The X Factor Live Tour 2017 - 16-17 March

Brighton Centre, Kings Road, Brighton

Featuring the top eight acts taking to the road: 5 After Midnight, Emily Middlemas, Four of Diamonds, Matt Terry, Ryan Lawrie, Saara Aalto, Sam Lavery and Honey G. Tickets from £20.

www.brightoncentre.co.uk

Abigail’s Party - 20-25 March

Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne

7.45pm. It’s 40 years since the appalling Beverly first put Donna Summer on the turntable, stacked a plate with little cheesey-pineapple ones, plied her guests with alcohol, cigarettes and Demis Roussos and slow-danced her way across the shag pile into theatrical history.

The drinks party from hell begins when Beverly and estate agent husband Laurence welcome new neighbours, Tony and Ange, along with nervous divorcee Sue, jittery about the bash her teenage daughter, Abigail, is throwing up the road. As that party reportedly gets out of hand, this one too descends into chaos and comedy, drama and tragedy combine into an iconic piece of theatre. Hilarious and horribly compelling, Mike Leigh’s Abigail’s Party is an undisputed classic. Starring Amanda Abbington (Sherlock, Mr Selfridge). Tickets: £19-£26.50.

www.eastbournetheatres.co.uk

Out of Order - 20-25 March

Theatre Royal, Brighton

7.45pm. When a government junior minister plans to spend the evening with one of the opposition’s typists in the Westminster Hotel, things go disastrously wrong – beginning with the discovery of a body trapped in the hotel’s only unreliable sash window. Things quickly go from bad to worse. Starring Shaun Williamson, Sue Holderness, Andrew Hall, Susie Amy and James Holmes. Thur and Sat Matinees 2.30pm. Tickets: £12-£38.50

www.atgtickets.com/venues/theatre-royal-brighton

City of Angels - 22 March

The Hawth, Crawley

7.30pm. University of Chichester’s extraordinary touring company return with that rarest of musical comedies, the six Tony Award-winning City of Angels, set in the glamorously seductive world of 1940s Hollywood. Tickets: £12, Over 60/Friends £10, child/student £8.

www.parkwoodtheatres.co.uk/The-Hawth

Shappi Khorsandi - 22 March

Ropetackle Centre, Shoreham

8pm. Celebrating the 40th anniversary of her arrival in Britain, Shappi is reclaiming patriotism and sending a love letter to her adopted land.

Effortlessly funny with whip-crack jokes, Shappi handles every subject with a razor-sharp wit, softened only by her deliciously mischievous delivery and endless charm. Tickets: £15.

www.ropetacklecentre.co.uk

The Sooty Show - 26 March

Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne

11am and 2.30pm. Sooty, Sweep and Soo head into town accompanied by TV’s Richard Cadell. Richard is in charge of running the show but nothing is going to plan! Sooty’s magic tricks turn very messy and Sweep’s escapology act has him all tied up. A spectacular treat for Sooty fans old and new - plus a chance to meet Richard and Sooty after the show. Tickets: £13, under 16s £11.

www.eastbournetheatres.co.uk

Yamato - 30 March

The Dome, Brighton

7.30pm. The internationally renowned Yamato drummers head to Brighton for the very first time. Experience the drummers challenging and pushing themselves to their absolute limits in a visually spectacular and high energy performance. Tickets: £15-£25. Under 16s half price.

www.brightondome.org

Sir Willard White and the Brodsky Quartet - 31 March

St Alban’s Church, Church Lane, Frant

8pm. The programme has a strong American theme with Barber’s hauntingly beautiful Dover Beach, songs by Copland, Gershwin, Kern and others. Tickets: £30.

www.frantmusic.org.uk

Nature Tots Come out to Play - From 1 March

Sussex Wildlife Trust

10am-12pm. Bring your little ones on an outdoor adventure with Sussex Wildlife Trust’s fun weekly woodland activity sessions running from March to December across the county. Nature Tots is suitable for accompanied children aged three to five

with a variety of outdoor activities themed on the changing seasons including exploring the woodland, learning woodcraft skills and enjoying stories and games.

Now in its fourth year, Nature Tots is proving enormously popular with parents and children at Woods Mill nature reserve, Henfield; Tilgate Park, Crawley; Chesworth Farm, Horsham; Stanmer Park, Brighton; Seven Sisters Country Park, Eastbourne and Rye Harbour. Booking essential, call 01273 497561 or visit: www.sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/naturetots.

Redoubt Fortress Reawakens as a Living Museum - Re-opens daily from 20 March

The Redoubt Fortress is one of only three surviving Napoleonic Redoubts in the UK. This unique fortification was also used during World Wars I and II and tells a fascinating story of military campaigns all over the world.

The Fortress has now been transformed back to its former glory offering visitors a living re-enactment of its early beginnings. Audio-visual effects, costumed interpreters and interactive activities provide a unique insight into life at this time.

Entry is free to the parade ground, gun platform and cannons, vintage themed Outpost café and shop. Twice daily tours are included in the museum entry fee.

www.eastbournemuseums.co.uk

The Brighton Medieval Banquet - 25 March

The Grand Hotel, Brighton

Anticipated to be a fundraising event like no other, the themed dining experience will be a unique event marking the golden anniversary for Rockinghorse, helping sick children across Sussex for 50 years. Tickets: £99, table of ten £900.

To book your tickets email jedge@mayowynnebaxter.co.uk or visit www.brightonmedievalbanquet.co.uk

Mother’s Day - 26 March

Weald & Downland Open Air Museum, Singleton, nr Chichester

10.30am-4pm. Celebrate Mothering Sunday and the start of spring at the Weald & Downland Open Air Museum.

Mothering Sunday is a fantastic time to visit the Museum, with newborn lambs and spring buds bursting into life. Explore the collection of 50 historic buildings, see brewing and baking in the authentic Tudor kitchen, meet the Shire horses and see traditional breed farm animals.

www.wealddown.co.uk