10 things coming up in the Worthing and Brighton area

Things you really won't want to miss...
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1 Theatre. Get your teeth stuck into a night of rocking music with Vampires Rock featuring X Factor winner Sam Bailey. She plays the Vampire Queen in the hit touring musical extravaganza Vampires Rock Ghost Train for the 2019 spring tour which will be hitting Worthing’s Pavilion Theatre on Friday, March 22. Factor winner Sam will be stepping into the shoes of singer and actress Toyah Willcox who played the part for two years, performing more than 200 shows. Winner of the tenth series of X Factor, Sam Bailey went on to get Christmas number one with her cover of Demi Lovato’s Skyscraper and supported Beyoncé on a date of her UK tour in 2014. Her debut album, The Power of Love reached number one in the UK albums chart. She has starred in the musical Chicago and Fat Friends –The Musical.

2 Opera. OperaUpClose bring their acclaimed, 2011 Olivier Award-winning (Best New Opera Production) English version of Puccini’s La Bohème to Worthing’s Connaught Theatre on Saturday, March 23. At the heart of Puccini’s La Bohème is the romance between aspiring novelist Rodolfo and immigrant cleaner Mimi as his friends flirt, fight and struggle to make ends meet around him. La Bohème was OperaUpClose’s first production.

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3 Theatre. A new adaptation of Malorie Blackman’s acclaimed Noughts & Crosses visits Theatre Royal Brighton Following their critically- acclaimed production of Graham Greene’s Brighton Rock, Pilot Theatre now premiere Sabrina Mahfouz’s new adaptation of Blackman’s young adult novel of first love in a dangerous fictional dystopia – Noughts & Crosses. The production will be at Theatre Royal Brighton from March 19-23. Sephy and Callum sit together on a beach. They are in love. Sephy is a Cross and Callum is a Nought. Between Noughts and Crosses there are racial and social divides. A segregated society teeters on a volatile knife edge.

4 Music. Fisherman’s Friends, the original “sole men”, Cornwall’s tightest band of brothers, play Worthing’s Pavilion Theatre on Friday, March 29. The band are the subject of a new feature film which has just come out in cinemas, telling how they were discovered.

5 Theatre. Ferring Amateur Dramatic’s next production is No Sex Please – We’re British running from March 20-23. The show by Anthony Marriott and Alistair Foot will be staged at Ferring Village Hall Ferring, directed by Clare-Louise Wright.Spokeswoman Yvonne Baker said: “This riotous comic farce notched up a staggeringly-successful 16-year run in the West End! Peter and Frances could reasonably expect to look forward to a calm, happy start to their married life together. Owing to an unfortunate mistake, however, they find themselves inundated with pornographic material from the Scandinavian Import Company. Senior bank officials, Peter’s snobbish mother and a prim, respectable bank cashier become inextricably entangled in the rumbustious events that follow.”

6 Music. For the opening concert of 2019, and the start of its 18th year of music-making in Worthing, Morning Melodies will be once again presented at its regular venue, Emmanuel United Reformed Church Auditorium, St Michael’s Road, Worthing on Wednesday, March 27. Marcus Martin will play piano and organ in a programme of light classical and popular music and will be joined on this occasion by guest artist baritone Derek Smith. Admission is free with donations invited for Turning Tides, a Worthing-based organisation which helps more than 1,700 people each year providing a range of services including a community hub and accommodation projects. This concert is sponsored by Worthing Rotary Club and starts at 11am with doors open and coffee available from 10.30am.

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7 Festival. The 29th Sussex Beer and Cider Festival will be held at Brighton Racecourse, Freshfield Road, Brighton on March 22 and 23. Spokesman Peter Mitchell said: “There will be an excellent selection of nearly 140 real ales from local breweries plus others from around the country. Cider and perry lovers are not forgotten with an interesting range available. www.sussex-beerfestival.co.uk.

8 Exhibition. Master milliner Stephen Jones will fill the Royal Pavilion in Brighton with exquisite hats for a new exhibition (until June 9). Stephen Jones Hats at the Royal Pavilion will see him create installations of his most glamorous and captivating hats throughout the exotic rooms of the Regency building, which was built as a seaside pleasure palace for King George IV more than 200 years ago. Hats from across Jones’ 40-year career will “bring next-level glamour to the already spectacular state rooms.”

9 Theatre. Dementia takes centre stage as New Venture Theatre in Brighton stages The Father from March 15-23. Florian Zeller’s play, translated by Christopher Hampton, will be directed by Mary Allen. Production manager Ulrike Schilling said: “The Father portrays Andre, a man with dementia, wrestling to control or even understand his daily life. The audience shares Andre’s uncertainty about his multiple confusions. Is the action taking place in his flat, or that of his daughter Anne?” The production is in the Theatre Upstairs, which is reached via four flight of stairs. Tickets on 01273 746118.

10 Event. New features will reflect the growing interest in veganism at VegfestUK Brighton’s tenth- anniversary festival this year. Spokeswoman Karin Ridgers said: “If you are wondering what to do after Veganuary or simply love trying new food, VegfestUK Brighton is well worth a visit. VegfestUK organisers welcome exciting new features : Animal Think Tank, Plant-Based Health, Permaculture, Yoga. Radical Veganism.” March 23 and 24. at the Brighton Centre.

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