Ten things to see in Sussex, Friday to Thursday, June 22-28

Wondering what do over the next seven days? Here are ten of the best events.
Hay FeverHay Fever
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1. Iolanthe.

Until Saturday, June 23, 7.45pm (Saturday matinee 2.30pm), Theatre Royal, Brighton, www.atgtickets.com/venues/theatre-royal-brighton. Universally regarded as Sir Arthur Sullivan’s most beautiful score, Iolanthe is a bizarre love story between the most unlikely of couples…fairies and members of the House of Lords. Torches flash in the darkness as a party of school boys venture into the magical surroundings of an old theatre. Find out what happens next when Sasha Regan’s acclaimed all-male show plays the Theatre Royal Brighton from June 19-23.

2. Classic Clapton Unplugged.

Saturday, June 23, £15, 7.30pm, The Hawth, Crawley, 01293 553636. Acoustic duo Mike Hall and Adam Howells are set to perform a rare unplugged concert at Crawley’s Hawth Studio. This will be the musicians’ eighth visit to the venue. Most of their previous shows have sold out so Clapton fans are advised to book in advance. Classic Clapton was formed in 1985 in Newcastle upon Tyne. In 1999, guitarist and vocalist Mike won a national lookalike competition held at Madam Tussauds in London. Mike has met Eric Clapton twice and has also received a message of encouragement from him. In 2001 the band performed at Eric Clapton’s Fan Club Convention in London.

3. Cloudbusting: 40 Years of Kate Bush.

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June 23, 8pm, £21.50, The Capitol Theatre, Horsham, 01403 750220, www.thecapitolhorsham.com. Performing the music of Kate Bush with an authenticity and passion that has won acclaim from across Europe, Cloudbusting have been championed by BBC1 as among the top 20 tributes in the world. 2018 sees the five-piece band celebrating the anniversary of This Woman’s Work in theatres across the UK. The show will centre around a performance of The Kick Inside in its entirety.

4. Oliver!

Saturday and Sunday, June 23-24, £12-£15, 1pm/6pm (11am/4pm June 24) Chequer Mead, East Grinstead, 01342 302000. Youth production. Bullfrog Productions returns to Chequer Mead to present Lionel Bart’s Oliver! One of the most beloved British musicals around, the show vividly brings to life Dickens’s timeless characters with its ever-popular story of the boy who asked for more. The sensational score is full of irresistible songs including ‘Food Glorious Food’, ‘Consider Yourself’ and ‘You’ve Got to Pick-a-Pocket or Two’. The Tony and Olivier Award-winning show is one of the few musicals to win an Academy Award for Best Picture and is widely hailed as a true theatrical masterpiece by actors and audience members alike.

5. Whitney – Queen of the Night.

Sunday, June 24, The Hawth Theatre, Crawley, 01293 553636, www.hawth.co.uk. Tribute show. A spokesperson said: “This production is a stunning celebration of the music and life of one of the greatest singers of our time. The award-winning show features a sensational line-up of musicians and artistes, with a powerhouse and breathtaking performance from rising West End star Shanice Smith as Whitney. Taking us on a magical rollercoaster ride through three decades of classic hits, Shanice, winner of Brit Idol and graduate of the world famous Brit School (where the likes of Adele and Leona Lewis cut their teeth), has triumphed in the role and has astounded audiences wherever she plays.” Hits include ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’, ‘One Moment In Time’ and ‘I’m Every Woman’.

6. The Gruffalo’s Child.

Monday to Tuesday, June 25-26, £13, 2pm/4.30pm (11am/2pm June 26), The Hawth Theatre, Crawley, 01293 553636. Presented by internationally acclaimed theatre company Tall Stories. A spokesperson said: “One wild and windy night the Gruffalo’s Child ignores her father’s warning and tiptoes out into the snow. After all, the Big Bad Mouse doesn’t really exist…does he?” This show offers songs, laughs and lots of fun for children aged three and up as well as their families.

7. Block.

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Wednesday to Thursday, June 27-28, £16.50, 8pm, Pavilion Theatre, Marine Parade, Worthing, 01903 206206. Pioneering companies NoFit State Circus and Motionhouse join forces to perform a thrilling show that blends circus and dance. Block is about life in the city; its contradictions and challenges. Some 20 blocks are deconstructed and reformed to create different cityscapes for the performers to play on.

8. Rock Choir.

Tuesday, June 26, The Capitol Theatre, Horsham, 01403 750220. Rock Choir are performing a selection of fun, feel-good songs that aim to get everyone up and dancing. The Rock Choirs from Worthing, Horsham, Arun Valley, Billingshurst and Chichester are members of the UK’s largest and most popular contemporary choir, with more than 26,000 members in hundreds of communities nationwide. A spokesperson said: “There are no auditions and no requirements to read music or have any previous singing experience. Rock Choir members get together each week to attend fun, friendly rehearsals where they are taught specially arranged up-lifting pop and chart songs. When joining Rock Choir, members become part of an exciting life-affirming culture and the results they experience are inspiring. It is unique and creates a natural, safe and fun environment for its members.” Find out more at www.rockchoir.com.

9. The Carpenters Story.

June 28, 8pm, £24.50, The Capitol Theatre, Horsham, 01403 750220. This concert-style show is a tribute to one of the most successful pop duos in music history, Richard and Karen Carpenter. Among the biggest selling artists of all time, their hits include ‘Top of the World’, ‘Please Mr Postman’ and ‘(They Long To Be) Close To You’.

10. Hay Fever.

Tuesday to Saturday, June 26-30. Hurstpierpoint Players’ next show will be Noel Coward’s Hay Fever. Spokesman Bob Sampson said: “A quiet weekend in the country does not go according to plan as all four members of the Bliss family have invited a guest, unbeknown to the others. A houseful of drama ensues.” Performances are 8pm at The Players Theatre, Hurstpierpoint. Tickets from www.hurstplayers.org.uk. A box office will be open at the theatre on Saturday mornings from 10am until 1pm.

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