BN1 Magazine October 2024

PIXIE LOTT

PLUS: SHOCK HORROR

DREAMY PLACE FESTIVAL HALLOWEEN

FEAT.

SATURDAY 2 NOVEMBER

COLLEEN PLUS SUPPORT: JOHANNA BRAMLI

THURSDAY 14 NOVEMBER

XIU XIU PLUS SUPPORT: I AM FYA

HOMELAND ALBUM LAUNCH WITH ROSE HILL RECORDS

FRIDAY 15 NOVEMBER

SCANNER:

HARRY SMITH AT 100 PART OF CINECITY FILM FESTIVAL

TUESDAY 19 NOVEMBER

MOONCHILD SANELLY PLUS SUPPORT

SATURDAY 30 NOVEMBER

ERLAND COOPER: CARVE THE RUNES THEN BE CONTENT WITH SILENCE PLUS SUPPORT

Image: Moonchild Sanelly by ChantelleKP

Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra 2024/25

Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra 2024/25

Join BPO’s thrilling centenary season at Brighton Dome, played by the world’s great soloists. Music from Stravinsky and Piazzolla to Steve Reich and Duke Ellington

Join BPO’s thrilling centenary season at Brighton Dome, played by the world’s great soloists. Music from Stravinsky and Piazzolla to Steve Reich and Duke Ellington. From £13; child/teen £1

Jess Gillam and Górecki Symphony of Sorrowful Songs

Sunday 13 October 2.45pm

Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol

St George’s, Kemptown

Saturday 14 December 6pm & 8pm

Blue Notes: Duke Ellington

Wayne Shorter, Gwilym Simcock Saturday 25 January 7.30pm

Steve Reich, Yoko Ono, Gerhard Richter Sunday 23 March 7.30pm

Evelyn Glennie and Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade Sunday 1 December 2.45pm

Belshazzar’s Feast and Enigma Variations Sunday 9 February 2.45pm

Messiaen’s Turangalîla Symphony

CONTRIBUTORS:

STUART ROLT

ROSIE PALDI EDWARDS

DEAN HARRINGTON

CLARE BEST

EDITOR IN CHIEF: CHRIS SADLER

CHRIS@BN1MAGAZINE.CO.UK

EDITOR: STUART ROLT

STUART@BN1MAGAZINE.CO.UK

COVER: PIXIE LOTT

IMAGE BY NICOLE NODLAND

NEWSDESK/ GENERAL ENQUIRES:

INFO@BN1MAGAZINE.CO.UK

BN1 MAGAZINE

UNIT 28. FLOOR 6

NEW ENGLAND HOUSE

BRIGHTON

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01273 022991

LOCAL NEWS & EVENTS

BRIGHTON MUSEUM & ART GALLERY

TULLEYS SHOCKTOBER FEST 2024

BN1 CHATS WITH PIXIE LOTT

BN1 CHATS WITH ROSIE OKOTCHA

LAURA SMYTH COMEDY STAR

GIRL FOR ALL SEASONS

PHOTO FRINGE WITH ORANGE TRIANGLE

DREAMY PLACE FESTIVAL

QUIZ FACE CROSSWORD FUN THE VAMPIRE BALL

ACCA’S ECLECTIC AUTUMN OF MUSIC

SHOCK HORROR THEATRE

_BLOW 2.0 CLUBNIGHT RETURNS

LOCAL SPOTLIGHT: TASH BREEZE

RECIPE: SPOOKY SWEET POTATO AND BLACK BEAN CURRY

1,2,3 & FLOW; THE ART OF PROGRESSING GRACEFULLY

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MUTATIONS MUSIC FESTIVAL

Mutations is delighted to announce its sixth edition of the multi-venue Brighton festival, taking place from 5th to 9th November 2024. As always, the festival will feature performances from a diverse range of the most exciting, established and upcoming artists from around the world, all congregating in Brighton to perform at 9 of the cities most treasured Grassroots Music Venues across 5 incredible days of live music - a much loved fixture of the city’s Autumn music calendar.

At only 1,500 capacity, Mutations Festival 2024 presents one of the most exciting and extensive line-ups for an intimate festival that you’ll see all year, featuring performances from a diverse range of the most exciting, established and upcoming artists from around the world, including:

KNEECAP / WARMDUSCHER / SPRINTS / AROOJ AFTAB / CASISDEAD / BC CAMPLIGHT / MERCURY REV / LIME GARDEN / GROVE / ALABASTER DEPLUME / SNAPPED ANKLES / HAMISH HAWK / HOTWAX / WILLIE J HEALEY / THE ORIELLES / HEARTWORMS / UGLY / THE CHISEL / THE LOUNGE SOCIETY / JANE WEAVER and many more, performing across the city’s mostloved independent venues including Chalk, Patterns, Revenge, Dust, The Prince Albert, Green Door Store, The Hope and Ruin and others.

Founded in 2015, the genre-melting Mutations Festival 001 set the foundation for its daring line-ups to come. 2019’s edition shifted location, seeing a mysterious

SHOWSTOPPER! COMES TO HORSHAM

As well as extending their monthly residency in the West End’s Cambridge Theatre, The incredible Showstopper! The Improvised Musical has announced a nationwide tour. Calling in at Horsham’s Capitol Theatre on Sat 19 Oct, this live phenomenon is a fully realised musical created on the spot from audience suggestions. The cast take ideas for settings, genres, musical styles and the show title and weave it

into ingenious storylines with hilarious characters.

From Lin Manuel Miranda to Stephen Sondheim, whether it’s set in a primary school, Ancient Egypt, or a mattress shop – if the audience thinks it, The Showstoppers can turn it into a hit show... More than 1,000 brand new musicals have been performed since the company formed in 2008, but they don’t stop working hard at their

venue unearthed on the outskirts of the city as Mutations Festival 002 evolved into a powerhouse of creative exploration. 2021 brought the festivals first Sold Out edition as Mutations Festival 003 established the festival as one of the best events to discover new music in the country, featuring artists such as Yard Act, Baxter Dury, Working Men’s Club, and Billy Nomates. Building on the demand of 2021, Mutations Festival 004 saw the festival deliver a politically charged line-up bringing together some of the most exciting and important alternative and post-punk acts including Pussy Riot, Squid, Shame, Black Country New Road, Warmduscher, Bob Vylan, Bodega, W.H. Lung and more. 2023 brought the 3rd sell-out Mutations in row and saw Mutations Festival 005 diversify

craft – they have to learn to improvise in the style of every hit show that comes to town, and always encourage audiences to challenge them and keep them on their toes. As a result, they continue to fill theatres, delight audiences and win awards. Playbill named them pick of the Fringe in Edinburgh last year and they were the thirdhighest reviewed show of the entire festival, no mean feat in their 14th year.

it’s programming mixing Folk, Pop, Indie, Punk and Electronica as the most exciting up-and-coming acts such as English Teacher Antony Szmierek, Big Special and Medium Build rubbed shoulders with the undergrounds important established acts including Fat White Family, Public Service Broadcasting, Bar Italia, and The Staves.

Now fully established as occurring annually in Brighton on the first weekend of November, Mutations Festival 006 sees its programme continue to pursue innovative and inspiring acts, building a mammoth and bold line-up that brings together like-minded music fans, hungry to uncover the unknown and the unexpected.

Tickets: www.mutationsfestival.com

For more info, head to: www. showstopperthemusical.com

DOC’N ROLL FILM FESTIVAL

Sweeping through 12 cities across the UK and Ireland, Doc’n Roll Film Festival is platforming the best in music documentaries for an 11th season. Continuing its mission to spotlight the innovative and underthe-radar alongside the trailblazers, transgressors and inspirational outliers, it offers a rich selection of feature-length films which push the boundaries of music storytelling.

With its focus on DIY spirit, independent music and marginalised voices, Doc’n Roll continues to champion the untold stories of music subcultures from across the globe. This year’s programme of 26 premiere feature films, including four world and seven international premieres and 80 UK-wide events, will take audiences on a musical odyssey from New York City to Melbourne, Toronto to Los Angeles, London to Ukraine, Ohio to Scotland, while spotlighting a broad range of genres including rock, punk, hip hop, folk, R&B, experimental music, jazz and more.

From the first official documentary on Wu-Tang Clan’s Ol’ Dirty Bastard to an intimate exploration of British singer-songwriter Hak Baker, audiences will be treated to an eclectic mix of musical subjects, scenes and contexts. Screenings will take place in renowned London cinemas including BFI Southbank, the ICA and Barbican Cinemas, and many of the premiere events will be followed by exclusive Q&A sessions with filmmakers and artists that will offer unique insights into the creative processes behind the films.

“Our Doc’n Roll Film Fest programme will feature more women than ever before,” said Vanessa Lobon Garcia, director and co-founder of Doc’n Roll Film Fest. “It’s a significant achievement

in a genre still dominated by male perspectives. We’re thrilled to be expanding our festival’s artistic horizons. Including a film on the acclaimed painter Chris Gollon in our lineup is not only an honour but also a reflection of our love for the arts and our desire to bring stories of significant cultural impact to the big screen. Gollon’s love for music and connection to London adds a special resonance to this year’s programme.

PAULINE BLACK: A 2-TONE STORY

Thurs 24 Oct

Duke of York’s

(Includes Q&A with director Jane Mingay)

Pauline Black, lead singer of 2-Tone hit band The Selecter, tells her extraordinary life story in the same frank manner that helped shape her as an iconic, era-defining female musician. Pauline had a difficult upbringing and joining the 2-Tone music movement in 1979 was the perfect catalyst; enabling her to explore and express all sides of herself. Looking back at her own ground-breaking experience in this feature documentary, Pauline traces how her legacy came about and how it is relevant to the world today, especially where society pushes the boundaries of gender, politics, race and identity. Pauline, of mixed Nigerian and Jewish heritage, was adopted into a white family in Essex in the 50’s. Her upbringing was defined by casual racism from within her own family. Pauline went on to find her own identity in the Coventry 2-Tone music scene and The Selecter was a reflection of workingclass life in Thatcher’s Britain, their music as social reportage and with an ethos of anti-racism and antisexism.

HAKEEM Sat 26 Oct

Duke’s at Komedia

(Includes Q&A, with Hak Baker in attendance)

An unconventional music documentary for a very unconventional musician, this film follows British singer and rapper Hak Baker over five years. Directed by the filmmaking duo of Deadhorses (James Topley and Ivo Beckett), Hakeem balances profundity and profanity as Baker confronts the traumas of class and masculinity in the wake of his sudden stardom. An anarchic yet sincere portrait of British lad culture, full of arresting aesthetics and savage honesty, this is more than a chronicle of a musician’s life – it’s a fascinating and intimate portrait of existential angst, brotherhood and hope in the face of the taboos that surround male mental health.

DORY PREVIN: ON MY WAY TO WHERE

Sun 27 Oct

Duke’s At Komedia

(Includes Q&A)

Writing and singing the unvarnished truth about buried secret life experiences is more common today than when Dory Previn wrote brilliant, disturbing and darkly funny songs in the 1970s. She began as an Academy Award-nominated lyricist for Hollywood musicals with songs for Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland and Dionne Warwick, before a tabloid scandal and public breakdown led to her re-emergence as a cult artist in the Laurel Canyon scene. The film draws on archives for its compelling story as J. Smith-Cameron (Succession) reads the voices in Dory’s head. Previn’s eloquent articulation of her relationship with her voices

anticipates the burgeoning Hearing Voices and Mad Pride movements that are revolutionising how we now understand mental health.

LITTLE EDEN - A FILM ABOUT THE BEVIS FROND

Mon 4 Nov

Duke Of York’s (Includes Q&A with filmmakers and band members, and an acoustic music performance)

Despite almost complete disinterest from the wider music industry, The Bevis Frond have spent the best part of 40 years maintaining a thriving recording-and-touring career, supported by an avid and ever-growing, global fanbase. An unclassifiable mix of dissonant pop melodies, punk aggression, propulsive guitar licks, folk, blues and neo-psychedelic rock, their music has been covered by a host of musicians including The Lemonheads, Teenage Fanclub, Elliot Smith and Juliana Hatfield, while iconic bands like Pavement and Dinosaur Jr. all point to them as pioneers of indie distribution models.

This playful documentary from the directors of The Ballad Of Shirley Collins, tells the extraordinary story of the band over the course of a single, semi-fictionalised day in the life of the band’s singer-songwriter and guitarist Nick Saloman, and serves as a timeless example of how to succeed in the music industry on your own terms. All shot in Hastings, the film features moogs, badgers, septuagenarian footballers, seagulls and window cleaners, but most of all, it folds together an eclectic soundtrack of in-turn explosive, transcendental and exquisite music drawn from the band’s catalogue of 35 (often double) albums, spanning four decades.

Hakeem

MOST HAUNTED LIVE

The original and most successful worldwide paranormal investigation series ever made os now being adapted as a spine-chilling theatre show in 2023/24.

Presented by Yvette Fielding and Karl Beattie, Most Haunted Live promises to take you on the darkest, most terrifying journey of your life. Theatre audiences will be shaking in their seats as the team present their All-Time Top 10 Scares, complete with unseen video footage from haunted castles, manor houses, hospitals and prisons.

Coming to Theatre Royal Brighton on Mon 21 Oct, Most Haunted Live offers a new level of theatrical experience where audience members are transported back to the Victorian age of séance and Ouija board, and invited to conduct their very own ghostly investigation.

For more details, let the spirits guide you to: www.atgtickets. com/shows/most-haunted-thestage-show

DR LOUISE NEWSON COMES TO CRAWLEY

A leading medical expert on menopause, Dr Louise Newson comes to The Hawth Crawley on Tues 22 Oct as part of her groundbreaking UK touraccompanied by Dublin-based comedian Anne Gildea. Hormones and Menopause - The Great Debate aims to educate and raise awareness about menopause, challenge misconceptions and advocate for better healthcare for women.

Known as the doctor “who kickstarted the menopause revolution”, Dr Newson has transformed the lives of hundreds of thousands of women and their families through her pioneering work. As a GP, she recognised the misdiagnosis and neglect many women with menopause symptoms face, motivating her to train as a menopause specialist.

“For too long people haven’t been able to access the right information or indeed the right treatment, which is barbaric,” said Dr Newson. “My mission is to ensure that all women, and men, have access to evidence-based information, so they can make their own choices about their treatment.

“This theatre tour gives me the platform to do so, as well as share my own experiences delivered in a way the audience can connect with, so they can feel empowered to improve their future health, their symptoms and most importantly open the conversation up across the different generations.”

For more details, head to: www. parkwoodtheatres.co.uk/the-hawth

GRAYSON PERRY: A TEMPLE FOR EVERYONE

25 SEPT 2024 – 2 MARCH 2025

Charleston in Lewes presents ‘Grayson Perry: A Temple for Everyone’, a showcase of works by the celebrated British artist that tell a unique story about what it means to be home.

The title is derived from a model for a space to celebrate all life’s rituals. Grayson Perry (b.1960) has always explored the details of contemporary life and the truths they tell us about ourselves through his art. This exhibition of over 30 artworks including tapestries, ceramic pots, drawings and etchings, explores ideas such as: What does it mean to call a place ‘home’? How does it feed into our identity and sense of self? What does it mean to be British today?

In 2015, Perry designed a unique house in collaboration with FAT architects, describing it as an homage to ‘single mums in Dagenham, hairdressers in Colchester, and the landscape and history of Essex’. It is a secular chapel dedicated to the memory of a fictional Essex woman named Julie Cope. This exhibition includes a number of works from ‘A House for Essex’, which tell the story of Julie Cope’s life, including the two tapestries, ‘A Perfect Match’ (2015) and ‘In its Familiarity, Golden’ (2015), as well as moulds and tiles from the house’s construction.

Perry’s art often includes autobiographical elements, reflecting his own experiences and observations about contemporary society. A glazed ceramic ‘A Shrine to Alan Measles’ (2007) transports visitors back to childhood. Alan Measles is Perry’s childhood teddy bear, an ode to objects used everyday that make us feel safe. Ceramic vases ’Mad Kid’s Bedroom Wall’ (1996) and ‘Storm Brewing’ (2002) also consider spaces and dynamics of the domestic from the position of childhood.

Perry often asks what it means to be British and considers a broader definition of ‘home’, exploring placemaking and identity. He

describes ’A Map of Days’ (2013) as a ‘self-portrait as a fortified town’ and this work explores the self by mapping interests, habits and psychological traits on an intricate cartographic map. ‘Our Town’, an etching created in 2022, serves as a satirical map of a fictional town and reflects again the emotional geography of contemporary society.

Nathaniel Hepburn, Director of Charleston, said: “We’re excited to announce this new exhibition on Grayson Perry as part of a season exploring the intersection between art and home at our cultural centre in Lewes. Charleston is an appropriate setting for this exploration of ‘home’. The house in Firle was a safe space for artists and radical 20th-century thinkers to discuss their hopes, dreams, queerness, sexuality and more.”

Visitors will also be able to discover the extraordinary story of how a modern art collection – The Radev Collection - came into being through ‘Collecting Modernism: Pablo Picasso to Winifred Nicholson’. Running alongside ‘Grayson Perry: A Temple for Everyone’, ‘Collecting Modernism’ is an exhibition of over 80 paintings that were passed on between three queer homes – that of Eddy Sackville-West, Eardley Knollys, and Mattei Radev.

Charleston, the gathering point of the Bloomsbury group and one of Sussex’s most celebrated cultural destinations, invites visitors year-round to experience the magic and beauty of the historic house and gardens at its home in Firle. Visitors can travel between Charleston in Firle and Charleston in Lewes, the charity’s new cultural venue, on the Sussex Art Shuttle which also links with Towner, Eastbourne and the Seven Sisters Country Park.

Grayson Perry: A Temple for Everyone

25 Sept 2024 – 2 March 2025

Charleston in Lewes, Southover Rd, Lewes, BN7 1FB

Tickets £6.50 | Concessions available

October with Connected Brighton: Embrace Autumn, Make Friends, and Enjoy the Magic of the Season!

October in Brighton is a truly magical time. As the days grow shorter and the crisp autumn breeze fills the air, the city transforms into a cosy haven of falling leaves, warm pubs, and the anticipation of Halloween (oh we do love Halloween here!)

We love this season, the golden hues of autumn leaves swirl through The Lanes, while the sea sparkles with a cooler, sharper brilliance. This time of year is perfect for wrapping up in your favourite jumper and enjoying Brighton’s natural beauty, whether you’re strolling along the pier, discovering hidden gems around town, or simply soaking up the atmosphere as the evenings get darker and fairy lights illuminate the city.

At Connected Brighton, we’ve got plenty of opportunities to make new friends, explore the city, and embrace the season’s beauty with Sunday Roasts, Walking Tours, Line Dancing, talks at The Old Market,

networking over Tapas & Wine and enjoying spooky Halloween fun at Globalls.

Whether you’re a Brighton local or just passing through, our events are designed to help you feel part of the community. You don’t need to be a member to join us! Everyone is welcome to come along, meet new people, and enjoy the season’s best.

At Connected Brighton, we’re all about bringing people together and making the most of what this vibrant city has to offer. So, grab your scarf and join us this October for an unforgettable time celebrating autumn in Brighton.

And remember to check out our recommended brands in the city, the Connected100, giving our love to local!

See you soon Brighton, Love, Lyndsey

www.connectedbrighton.com @connectedbrighton

HEDGEROWS AND HARVEST AT THE WEALD & DOWNLAND LIVING MUSEUM

The Weald & Downland Living Museum in Chichester will host a weekend celebration for all things ‘hedgerow’ and ‘harvest’ on 12 – 13 October 2024. This event features special guests The Seed Sistas and will offer engaging activities and workshops suitable for all ages.

Renowned for their unique approach to herbal medicine, The Seed Sistas - dressed as their quirky hedgerow characters Bramble and Rose - will entertain and educate visitors by brewing hedgerow teas for visitors to taste, lead foraging walks around the Museum’s grounds, and present a fascinating afternoon talk titled ‘Hedgerow Superfoods and the Herbal Medicine Underfoot.’

There will be demonstrations on historical food preservation methods from Food Historian Marc Meltonville, who will showcase Georgian techniques, while the Museum’s team will explain how a Tudor household would have preserved harvested foods for the winter period. Ruth and Mark Goodman from The Living History Group will be taking up residence in Bayleaf Farmstead where Ruth will be demonstrating the making of a flock mattress.

Representatives from Plantlife, Sussex Wildlife Trust and Transition Chichester will discuss the vital role of hedgerows in supporting biodiversity, while Stuart Ovenden, author of ‘The Orchard Cook’ and ‘The Flowerpot Forager,’ will answer foraging questions and share recipes.

For those who would like a chance to get creative, there will be the opportunity to ‘make and take’ some autumnally inspired creations. Botanical artist Julia White will help visitors to make their own hedgerow print, Tony the Flowerman will offer the chance to make a dried flower decoration and there will also be the chance to participate in corn dolly tuition.

The whole weekend will be brought to life with musical performances by the South Downs Folk Singers.

Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with history and nature at the Weald & Downland Living Museum for a weekend filled with learning, creativity and celebration.

Find out more here - www. wealddown.co.uk/events/ hedgerows-and-harvest

Image: Sam Stephenson

Brighton Chocolate Festival is back for its third year! 05

— 06 October 2024

Britain’s best bean to bar chocolate makers will all be under one roof this october.

As it’s coming into colder months, the chocolate companies will be coming out of the woodworks to advertise their delicious chocolate treats for halloween or Christmas. If you are ever fantasising about being a chocolatier like in the Lindt advert, now is your time to try it out and live out your sweetest fantasies at the Brighton Chocolate Festival. This free event will be kicking off the first weekend of October on Saturday 5th + Sunday 6th at The Brighthelm Centre.

Brighton has always had a chocolatey gooey centre. From the famous Choccywoccydoodah cafe in the lanes to more and more chocolate shops popping

up all over town. It’s clear us Brightononians have a serious hankering for chocolate in all its forms.This is where the Brighton Chocolate Festival comes in. Susan Sheen originally ran the festival after seeing the need for it in the city. However, sadly Sheen had to pause the event during the pandemic and never continued.

The next logical step to take after losing one of the UK’s only chocolate festivals to covid was to bring it back says Rachel from J.Cocoa, who decided to take on the challenge. Rachel continued by saying, “I was very sad to lose one of the UK’s only chocolate festivals, so I decided to step up and take the reins and am thrilled to say we are back for 2024! Bean-to-bar chocolate is still relatively unknown to the general

public and the festival is such a great way to introduce people to it. It’s amazing to showcase the variety in flavour from Peruvian to Ugandan, Madagascan to Indian! It is also so important to highlight the ethical sourcing that bean-to-bar companies do. You can taste the love and care that goes into their chocolate!”

The festival prides itself on a holistic approach to sustainability, which encompasses everything from zero-waste packaging to ethical pay for the farmers. So you can try delicious flavours and delectable goodies all whilst learning about sustainable practices. The bean to bar model also highlights just how much of luxury chocolate still is today. The amount of effort that goes into cultivating the beans to shipping them, turning them

into a chocolate bar, packaging and finally ending up in your local supermarket shelf, brings to light the often overlooked amount of work that goes into just one chocolate bar.

This is the perfect place to try chocolate made from bean-to-bar by passionate makers from all over the UK as well as delicious confections by chocolatiers.

Returnees include J.Cocoa from Brighton and Dormouse Chocolate from Manchester whilst new faces include Kreuzberg Chocolates from Glasgow and Gatos Chocolate from East Sussex. They also have Cocoa Encounters joining us to teach the art of tasting chocolate.

For more information and tickets head to www. brightonchocolatefestival.co.uk

Towner Eastbourne teams up with Emma Mason Gallery to present an exhibition of works by prolific Eastbourne printmaker Robert Tavener

Spanning the career of artist Robert Tavener (1920-2004)

Shape Pattern Colour: The Art of Printmaking brings together a range of lithographs, linocuts and illustrations drawn from the collections held by Towner Eastbourne and Emma Mason Gallery. This free exhibition marking the twentieth anniversary of Tavener’s death is on at Towner Eastbourne until 3 November.

Alongside the exhibition, there is a chance to purchase an exclusive pair of limited edition prints of Tavener’s works created to mark this commemorative exhibition.

Cliffs & Foreshore, Seven Sisters and Boats & Nets are now available to purchase in Towner’s shop - with special permission granted by the Tavener Estate for the creation of these two prints, this is a rare opportunity for art lovers to acquire Tavener’s work.

and architecture through shape, pattern, texture and design. Towner’s Head of Collections and Exhibitions Sara Cooper said: ‘We were thrilled when Emma Mason Gallery approached us to work collaboratively on this exhibition.

Robert Tavener is an integral part of Towner’s Collection and Eastbourne’s artistic history and it seems fitting to be working with Emma Mason to present his work as we mark the twentieth anniversary of his death. It’s also wonderful to be able to offer the rare chance for visitors to purchase prints of Tavener’s work, with the proceeds helping to fund our collection and programme of exhibitions.’

Gallery Owner Emma Mason said: ‘We are delighted that Towner Eastbourne is holding this exhibition. It is through conversations with Robert Tavener

A prolific printmaker, Tavener was inspired by his surroundings in London and Kent where he lived and worked in his early career, and the Sussex coast and South Downs following his move to Eastbourne in 1953. Tavener was appointed Head of Printmaking at Eastbourne College of Art, setting up a thriving and highly respected department, at the same time producing illustrations for children’s books and completing commissions for London Transport, Shell, the BBC, and the Radio Times. In 1958 he was invited to illustrate the diary for the Kynoch Press, following in the footsteps of fellow Eastbourne artist Eric Ravilious.

Tavener’s prints are varied, bold and colourful, always a personal interpretation of the richness and beauty of the landscape

that we started our gallery back in 2004. Robert Tavener was one of the printmakers who excelled in the medium during an amazing period for printmaking in Britain following the second world war. He dedicated his working life to printmaking and many of his images illustrate his love of the landscape and seascape near his home in Eastbourne. This exhibition will be a wonderful celebration of Tavener’s work and includes many prints from his archive that have not been exhibited before.’

Robert Tavener

Shape Pattern Colour: The Art of Printmaking

19 Sep to 3 Nov 2024

Free admission

Towner Eastbourne www.townereastbourne.org.uk

Fancy Being Bonkers For Conkers?

Don’t miss the 17th annual forthcoming Bonkers for Conkers Championship at Langham Brewery - it promises to be a ‘smashing’ way to spend an autumnal afternoon at the ‘brewery in a barn’ near Petworth, West Sussex, on Sun 13 Oct, from 1pm – 6pm.

The Brewery is reaching out to all serious sports men, women and children to be part of this daredevil contest of skill and danger! It’s just £5 to play, with all proceeds donated to Chestnut Tree House Children’s Hospice.

There will be two competitions to find the junior (8 to 15 years) and senior conker champions of 2024. World championship rules apply and all conkers are provided by the organisers. To guarantee a place in the competition head to the brewery website to register.

Expect an excellent, well-stocked bar with award-winning ales, plus softs; traditional local fare from Cocking Farm Shop including Oxford Black and Sandy Hog Roast, delectable vegetarian quiche and homemade apple cake; fabulous live music from

Yukon Bass; dancing from Victory Morris; steam engine rides; family games; fabulous stalls; gifts; a raffle; face painting; steam engine rides and more.

Lesley, co-owner of the brewery said, “We’re thrilled to be bringing this annual event to the local community. It’s always lots of fun and well-supported, with fantastic food, wonderful friendly people and of course, tasty award-winning ales”.

Registration for Bonkers For Conkers 2024 is now open.

Do feel free to go along and enjoy the day without taking part in the competition, too - it’s free entry to enjoy all of the attractions.

Sign up to play in the conker competitions, and gain further information at www. langhambrewery.co.uk

Langham Brewery, The Granary, Langham Lane, Lodsworth, Near Petworth, West Sussex GU28 9BU.

Installation View, Robert Tavener - Shape, Pattern, Colour: The Art of Printmaking, Towner Eastbourne, 2024. Photo: Rob Harris

HOCUS POCUS COMES TO BRIGHTON METROPOLE FOR HALLOWEEN

This Halloween DoubleTree by Hilton Brighton Metropole is set to host a spooktacular Hocus Pocus inspired evening to support local charity Starr Trust. The event on Thurs 25 Oct will feature bewitching live entertainment from the ‘Sanderson Sisters’, glass of fizz on arrival, a sumptuous three course meal and DJ set.

This historic hotel, located on the seafront, is always keen to support local charities and has partnered with Starr Trust, to raise valuable funds and awareness for the Brighton based organisation. The charity’s mission is to remove roadblocks for young people to help them succeed and thrive in whatever they put their minds to.

“We are looking forward to hosting this spectacular spooky evening,” said the hotel’s General Manager, Rekha Sohun. “The movies are so much fun and the live entertainment will be sensational. In addition to putting on a fantastic event, supporting local charities is always something of huge importance to us. The work of Starr Trust is so crucial and we are delighted to announce that a portion of all ticket sales will go directly to them to help assist in their work.”

Tickets are priced at £65pp. For more information or to book visit: www.sevenrooms.com/ experiences/metropolebar

UNIVERSITY OF SUSSEX HOSTS UK’S BIGGEST LGBTQ+ LITERATURE FESTIVAL

The University of Sussex is to host this year’s The Coast Is QueerBrighton & Hove’s annual festival of LGBTQ+ writing from Thurs 10 - Sun 13 October 2024, with two recent graduates and a current student supporting as guest curators.

The festival, held at the University’s Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts, will include four days of lively conversations, panels, workshops, performances and films celebrating some of the best and brightest LGBTQ+ writers, including Juno Dawson, Roxy

Bourdillon, Owen Jones, AFLO. the poet, Tanushka Marah and Saleem Haddad.

This year, as part of the festival’s Student Curator program, three Sussex students, Annie Kelesidou, Annie-Mae Barker and Ari Williams – alongside two students from the University of Brighton – have curated two panels, both taking place on Friday 11 Oct.

The Queer Fantastical (re) imaginings panel will see Saara El-Arifi and Lex Croucher and Dr Jean Menzies exploring how fantasy imaginings of queerness reflect upon, represent, and subvert the reality of queer lives past and present.

The second panel, Suitable For All Ages, will be curated by the students, and explores the explosion of children’s books with queer themes, subsequent backlash and historical precedent. Chaired by young people’s diversity champion and award-winning, radical librarian Zoey Dixon, in conversation with children’s and Young Adult authors Susie Day and Tanya Byrne, this event will discuss the challenges faced by writers, illustrators, and publishers of these stories.

Dr. Samuel Solomon, Senior Lecturer in Creative and Critical Writing at the University of Sussex and member of the steering committee for The Coast Is Queer, said: “We selected our student curators from a wide pool of applicants, and the three we chose all had deep interests in queer literature and in arts and cultural programming. The festival gives them the opportunity to think strategically about what makes a good event for a queer literary festival, they get to bring

their enthusiasm and knowledge they have that we, as generally older people, maybe don’t have, and they get direct experience of the logistical process of festival programming.

Other discussions at the festival will include a celebration of 30 years of DIVA Magazine, and examination of politics and hope and a look at Queer Nightlife.

Now in its fifth year, The Coast Is Queer was the first festival of its kind in the UK, and creates a space for queer readers, writers and allies to come together in a grassroots celebration of the written word and its ability to illuminate and enrich the life of our community. A collaboration between New Writing South and Marlborough Productions, the festival is funded by Arts Council England.

Lauren Church, Producer in Residence at the School of Media, Arts and Humanities, University of Sussex said: “‘This is just one of many unique cultural opportunities Sussex students can experience and follows on from our partnership with Brighton Festival and our role as Education Partner for the Turner Prize at Towner Eastbourne, both of which provided unique learning experiences for our students.”

The festival will also host workshops covering a range of topics for budding writers, poets and performers, including Adventures in Queer Print History, a panel featuring members of the newly established University of Sussex Print Group, and followed by a workshop Adventures in Queer Printmaking, giving participants the chance to create their own page of queer magic on the University’s nineteenth century tabletop Albion press. As well as independent films, pop-up history club activities and a closing event combining spoken-word, performance, films, activities and keynotes. There’s also entertainment from AFLO the Poet’s Poetry Open Mic event; Sunday Times Number 1 Bestseller Juno Dawson returning with another edition of her Lovely Trans Literary Salon, and David Hoyle Does The Classics Cabaret.

www.coastisqueer.com www.sussex.ac.uk

Annie Kelesidou

PHOTOWORKS WEEKENDER

Bringing together a dynamic contemporary photography programme presented over four days across Brighton, The Photoworks Weekender returns on Thurs 24 – Sun 27 Oct. This year’s highlights include the premiere of a major new commission by Ampersand/Photoworks Fellow, Felicity Hammond, as part of Dreamy Place festival, and an unmissable Superlab organised in partnership with Photo Meet - an incredible professional practice opportunity for photographers featuring world class industry masters. There’s also the launch of Photoworks Annual Annual #31: Multi Multi, which features a discussion led by Photoworks and Multi Multi Editor Diane Smyth together with contributors from the publication.

Photoworks Director, Louise Fedotov-Clements, said: “Celebrating our focus on engaging audiences with the most innovative practices within photography and on supporting contemporary practitioners, the weekender is an unmissable chance to engage with the first installation of a major new artwork by Felicity Hammond, in a unique space in the centre of the city. There’s also the launch of our next Photoworks Annual that deepens our perspectives on image reproduction, digital replication, ai processes and extraction. Plus, an exceptional range of events, launches, interactive sessions, socials and more across the four days.”

EXHIBITIONS

Variations by Felicity Hammond

Thurs 24 - Sun 27 Oct

Jubilee Square

Staged in four venues across the UK, Variations is an evolving installation exploring the relationship between geological mining and data mining, and image-making and machine learning. The first iteration of this installation, V1: Content Aware, reflects on the global structures that support the digital economy; V2: Rigged brings together extractive processes that exploit humans and the land; V3: Model Collapse considers how machineproduced data feeds back into its own system; and V4: Repository highlights the role of data storage centres. Each installation will be photographically documented, and the resulting images used as a training set for the next exhibition; as in AI image-creation,

the logic from past datasets will therefore be reiterated in new work.

Peer Matters

Fri 25 – Sat 26 Oct

University of Brighton, Edward Street

This artist-led development programme is facilitated by Eva Jonas, Ezra Evans and Marguerite Minnot Thomas, with participating artists include Alexandra Davenport, Anna Sellen, Chiara Zandonà, Ed Sykes, Emile Kees, Eva Jonas, Ezra Evans, Georgina McNamara, Marguerite Minnot Thomas, Phil Hill, Polly Palmerini, Roz Doherty, Sebastian F. Mahon, Sergey Novikov and Siddharth Khajuria.

They will be staging an exhibition and a public programme consisting of workshops, roundtables and other artistic and community-based activities and alternative ways of learning. These events will feed into a large installation (or Live Wall) within the exhibition that reflects both Peer Matters members and the wider Photoworks community brought together through the Weekender. The exhibition continues until 4th November 2024.

Photoworks Photography Champions

Fri 25 – Sat 26 Oct

University of Brighton, Edward Street

A showcase at University of Brighton, Edward Street of works from photographers based within Photoworks’ Photography Champions network in locations: Barnsley, Portsmouth, Dudley and Blackpool. Photoworks’ Photography Champions is a programme that creates and invests in communities of artists and practitioners in selected locations across England.

The programme seeks to make new connections and build networks that activate the Photoworks programme and resources we already produce, expanding its impact and reach. It will empower communities in Arts Council England priority places supporting them to develop their own local programmes.

PHOTOMEET 2024 PORTFOLIO

REVIEW AWARD WINNERS

Fri 25 – Sat 26 Oct (Exhibition continues until Mon 4 Nov)

University of Brighton, Edward Street

An exhibition of works by the three Photo Meet 2024 Award winners Sabine Hess, Keerthana Kunnath and Imogen Forte.

Alongside the exhibitions, there’s a range of events, including book launches, artists’ talks, professional development workshops and discussions. Photoworks seeks to champion photography for everyone. This international platform has provided opportunities for artists and audiences since 1995, with a programme which offers new experiences to audiences and opens up new ways to encounter photography.

For more information, visit: www. photoworks.org.uk

BRIGHTON MUSEUM & ART GALLERY

Museum CEO talks about the jewel of the South Coast

Brighton’s iconic landmarks have long captured the hearts of residents and visitors alike. The Royal Pavilion, with its striking Indian-inspired architecture and opulent Chinesestyle interiors, stands as a dazzling symbol of the city's rich history. Just as beloved is the Brighton Museum & Art Gallery, where a fascinating blend of exhibits, from archaeology to cutting-edge fashion, awaits discovery.

However, maintaining these historic gems is no small feat. Right now, the scaffolding is up and builders are hard at work repairing the roofs of these treasured venues. CEO of Brighton & Hove Museums, Hedley Swain, shares why this vital restoration is key to securing the future of these cultural icons.

There seems to be lots of building work going on at Brighton Museum & Art Gallery and the Royal Pavilion. What is happening?

We are having major work done to both buildings. They are both over 200 years old, by the sea which can damage delicate buildings and so they need constant maintenance.

Tell us about Brighton Museum?

Brighton Museum is 150 years old and the roof, which was last fixed in the 1960s, badly needed urgent repairs to the Georgian glass lantern above the central main gallery.

Visitors will notice the difference when they walk in. We’ve closed the 20th Century Gallery, in the centre of the ground floor with displays of furniture, fine art silverware and pottery and the Willett’s Popular Pottery Gallery for around ten months while the restoration takes place.

A crash deck has been erected and each side of the gallery is shut off to the public by large structural hoarding. The work has been funded by a grant of £1,463,769 by Arts Council England and £500k from Brighton & Hove City Council. When the work is finished, the building will be structurally secure and waterproof which is better for the building, collections, staff and visitors!

Can I still visit Brighton Museum?

When you visit the museum, you will be guided to the left to the World Voices gallery which will lead you to the rest of the museum as usual.

Although two galleries are closed, visitors can visit the rest of their favourites such as the Ancient Egypt Gallery, Fashion & Style collections, Fine Art, Queer the Pier, Images of Brighton and the Elaine Evans Archaeology Gallery.

We’re also happy to say that the hugely popular Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2024 exhibition is on again in our temporary galleries and will run until March 2025.

For Seagulls fans, there’s a fantastic exhibition Brighton & Hove Albion: A First Year in Europe opening on Saturday 19 October which celebrates when BHAFC played their first ever European championship, the UEFA Europa League in 2023/24.

Will I be charged the same amount to come in?

Yes, as a charity supporting five venues, including the Royal Pavilion, Booth Museum of Natural History, Preston Manor and Hove Museum of Creativity, we are facing a funding crisis following Covid, Brexit and the increase in the cost of living.

Hedley

We thought about this decision a lot but believe the overall experience of visiting the museum is not severely impacted for most visitors. In addition, we are commissioning two original art works to enhance the ground floor when the two spaces are closed. We haven’t announced the winning artists yet but we think their work will add fun and originality to the museum.

And the Royal Pavilion?

The scaffolding outside the Royal Pavilion is for repairs to the roof as well. This is routine work to maintain the historic former palace which is affected by being so close to the sea. Unfortunately, we discovered one of the smaller domes on the east side of the Pavilion near the front entrance had been damaged by water. An urgent appeal for donations to save a damaged dome on the Royal Pavilion raised more than double the amount in just one weekend in August. We were amazed when online donations flooded in, raising over £27.5k in just three days.

Can I still visit the Royal Pavilion?

The building is open as usual – it’s a bit quieter at this time of year and a nice time to visit. We know many Brighton & Hove residents have never been inside before – they forget to visit this wonderful extravaganza on their doorstep. I’d encourage everyone to visit – it’s fabulous and we have a good residents discount on our annual pass. Students living in the city can also take advantage of our offer.

Christmas is going to be wonderful again on the Royal Pavilion estate. The Pavilion will be decked out with festive decorations, we’ll have our popular kids’ mice trail which is

growing every year, we have Father Christmas coming to visit and the Royal Pavilion Ice Skating rink will be open.

The Royal Pavilion Brighton, BN1 1EE Tel 03000 290900

Open daily Apr-Sep 9.30am-5.45pm (last admission 5pm) Oct-Mar 10am5.15pm (last admission 4.30pm)

Closed 24 Dec (from 2.30pm), 25 & 26 Dec

Brighton Museum & Art Gallery

Royal Pavilion Garden, Brighton BN1 1FN, Tel 03000 290900

Open Tue-Sun 10am-5pm, Closed Mon (except Bank Holidays 10am5pm)

Closed 24 Dec (from 2.30pm), 25 & 26 Dec

As a charity, Brighton & Hove Museums rely on public support to preserve our city’s historic buildings and collections for future generations, curate world-class exhibitions and deliver vital schools and community learning programmes.

Find out more here: www. brightonmuseums.org.uk

Swain at Brighton Museum Image: Simon Dack

Tulleys Shocktober Fest 2024

Prepare yourself for an unforgettable night as Tulleys Shocktober Fest, world-famous for its spine-chilling thrills, returns this month, celebrating 28 years of horror and excitement. Running on selected nights from Fri 4 Oct, the scream park promises an evening filled with award-winning attractions, live shows, adrenalinepumping rides, and delicious food, all set in a festival-like atmosphere.

It brings even more terror with three brand-new attractions this year. There’s The Carving, where the perfect Appleton family invites you to their Halloween dinner… ut when the clock strikes 9, their warm facade turns into a nightmare of ritualistic terror. Can you survive the horrors lurking in their estate?

You can also step inside the haunted Havistock Manor, which has been abandoned since 1892 and is shrouded in sinister mystery. Follow the light and confront the dark forces still lurking in the shadows of this cursed house. Prepare for judgement in this chilling new haunt.

CarnEvil Cabaret is a brandnew live show for 2024 is where nightmares take centre stage. Dark burlesque, eerie illusions, and jawdropping stunts await you in this sinister spectacle that fuses thrills and chills like never before. Avoid the

front row if you don’t want to be part of the show!

Tulleys Shocktober Fest is home to 11 terrifying haunts (mazes), including fan-favourites and returning classics like the Electrick Circus, DoomTown, Wastelands Penitentiary, Route 666, Chop Shop and the classic Creepy Cottage.

There’s also three music stage, featuring Halloween-themed music from live bands and resident DJs, epic dance-offs and exciting street performances. For those wanting even more thrills, there’s a range of high-adrenaline rides, including the towering X-LR8, the high speed Slingshot and the uncontrollable Waltzer., along with Axe Throwing, Shock Chairs.

Tulleys Shocktober Fest is also offering a wide variety of food and drink options, perfect for refuelling between scares. These include the Transylvanian-inspired Reaper Bar, Street Food offering everything from hog roast to vegan options, the wild-west themed Saloon Bar and the medieval The Crooked Hag Tavern where you can escape the horrors with a quiet ale by the hearth.

Tulleys Shocktober Fest is located at Tulleys Farm, Turners Hill Road, Crawley, RH10 4PE,

For more details, visit: www. shocktoberfest.co.uk.

Brighton Dome COMEDY

Nish Kumar • Fern Brady

Maisie Adam •Sophie Duker • Kiri Pritchard-McLean

Paul Foot • Christopher Hall • Spencer Jones

Alfie Brown • Julia Masli • Phil Kay • Shelf: The Kids’ Show

Rob Auton • No Direction Home • Modern Toss

Live at Brighton Dome Bleeped (Age 11+ / Teens)

with Finlay Christie, Daniel Foxx, Ian Smith & Chantel Nash

Live at Brighton Dome with Sara Pascoe, Jamali Maddix, Phil Kay & Rachel Fairburn

Image by Nicole Nodland

chats to

PIXIE LOTT

BY ROSIE PALDI EDWARDS

Pop icon returns with new album after a decade away

“I can’t believe it’s been 10 years since my last album, but I’m so excited to be back doing what I love the most,” beams Pixie Lott. “I’m taking risks this time. Previously, I’ve sung other people’s songs and gone in the direction others have envisioned for me but nobody really ever pushed me to try the things I wanted. Maybe, I even thought I wasn’t worthy of doing that. It’s scary but I’m going with my heart now – I want to show other sides of myself.”

The future Pixie envisioned for herself didn’t revolve around dance bangers, but rather songs she had privately been working on as a passion project with acclaimed producers and songwriters Jeeve (Bruno Mars, Britney Spears) and Dave Gibson (James Arthur, Louis Tomlinson). Songs she had cowritten and co-produced at Jeeve’s studio in California and even self-funded for five years, before signing to Tag8/BMG last year.

Songs that transcended her pop roots to explore band-led sounds and arrangements. Taking inspiration from 70s bands and rootsy americana influences. Songs that have now come to make up her excellent fourth album, Encino. It isn’t just a conscious decoupling from dance-orientated pop, it’s the start of a new era for Pixie as an artist in control for the first time.

Pixie eases us in by explaining how this new album came to fruition.

“When I started this album I was doing it all on my own, I took the risk, I really wanted to do it. I was taking trips out to Encino and then when lockdown happened, I had to find a way to keep doing it. I got a laptop and a microphone and an app that sounds like I was in a vocal booth, but I was just in my bedroom. So, I was just doing it when I could, a bit in the mornings and mostly in the evenings. Then when everything opened up again, I could go back to Encino to finish it off.”

I had to ask Pixie about how long the album took to produce and what it means to her to finally have something completely of her own put out into the world?

“We’ve spent five years writing this album. I really wanted it to be a full body of work, like taking the time and it was all about being organic, authentic, live musicians and really taking the time on every lyric. Rather than just dropping singles here, there and everywhere, I wanted it to be very considered. That was what the whole project was about and why it took so long.”

What was it like recording over in America?

“I mean the reason why the album is called Encino is because we recorded the whole thing in Encino in California. It was made with a really small team of people, of just two guys Dave and Jeeve, who are brilliant. We did the whole album together

over five years, so I really got to build up that relationship where you can write about anything and that’s why it feels like the most authentic album journey that I've ever been on. Whereas, my previous albums, I started out so young and was writing with different people every single day and you don't really get the chance to build up the rapport, where you can talk about anything or share any ideas. I was also kind of told what direction to go down, whereas this time I got to write whatever I wanted to with people who know me really well, it was really freeing, I loved it!”

I know you just touched on the process of making the album but could you tell me a bit more about the songs individually, like the inspiration and the writing process?

“I really wanted it to be a true depiction of what I've learnt over the past five years and what I’ve been through. I’ve learnt loads and hopefully grown loads in that time and definitely since I put out my first record when I was 15. All of that stuff features on the album. I talk about meditation, mental health, family, nostalgia, a lot of stuff that means a lot to me.

“Sometimes it would just be a poem that I've written and then we would make the melody afterwards or start with just the guitar and then the words would come later.”

Any particular songs you're excited to perform?

“I'm attached to them all, but I really like Blockbuster Videos, because it's very nostalgic and it's all about growing up and the different places I've lived. So, whenever I sing it my brain goes back to that time and it's a really happy feeling, I absolutely love singing that one.

Happy goes down the best at shows and when I was doing meditation it helped me realise the best things in life and the most simple little things that can make you feel really grateful and that's where that song came out of.”

Also a little birdy told me you’ve dipped your toe into acting recently? How’s that going?

“I've actually grown up doing acting since I was kid, but when certain projects come in that feel great… I'll go for it. I did a play for a year that really helped me access my emotions, which of course helped with the album too. I've also done an ITV drama and a Christmas film that comes out next year and I’ve got another project happening in November.”

Make sure to check out Pixie Lott’s album Encino, which is out now. You can also see her perform live at the infamous record shop, Resident Records in Brighton’s North Laine on Weds 2 Oct (6:30) for the album launch. Pixie invites you down to: “Come down and check it out. I'm gonna be doing something really intimate, so they can hear all the songs acoustically. Which I love because I get to really properly sing about it.”

www.linktr.ee/pixielott www.resident-music.com

BN1 chats with Rosie Okotcha, model, vintage fashion lover, podcaster and fashion historian in the making

Okotcha was invited to speak at the classic car and vintage fashion event, Goodwood Revival earlier this month, discussing all things sustainable and vintage fashion!

She appeared on Goodwood Revival’s Revive and Thrive Stage which is centred around all things vintage and is a must for fashion fans. Now in its 26th year and one of the last events of the summer, Goodwood Revival 2024 was the perfect way to end the summer holidays on a high. They had a plethora of fashion-related activities, from vintage shopping, DJs, fashion shows, a daily

‘Best Dressed’ competition, as well as a drive-in cinema, live music, classic cars, delicious food and lively panel talks. They had a BIG line up this year featuring Dita Von Teese in conversation with vintage style activist, Dandy Wellington; model and style icon, David Gandy; Paula Sutton of Hill House Vintage;designer and presenter, Patrick Grant, and a Bridgerton panel of costume designers and Lady Bridgerton herself (actor, Ruth Gemmell) who discussed using vintage in film and television. Next door was the Revive & Thrive Workshop which offered sewing, mending and embroidery workshops, alongside large-scale classic car and bike restoration projects and a series of heritage craft demonstrations, including vintage millinery repair, basketry, loom weaving and leatherwork. There was also a Save Your Wardrobe pop-up, offering on-the-spot repairs and the opportunity to book in more extensive tailoring and alterations at their HQ.

Rosie first dipped her toe into Goodwood Revival last year, attending the event as a speaker. This year, she returned as a Revive & Thrive ambassador, and so it seemed only right BN1 sit down to chat about how the model and sustainable fashion content creator has built her career. Rosie shares how she first started in the biz, “I started modelling when I was 17, which was a good step into the fashion world, but I've always really liked studying, so I never fully committed to modelling.” Okotcha then went on to study a bachelors in art, which has led to where she is now, studying a masters in fashion history. This fascination with art and fashion paired with lockdown a few years ago, led to Rosie re-evaluating what she wants from her life and asking herself existential questions like, “what am I even doing? And what am I good at?”

This is when she started creating content online around her passions like fashion and later going down the rabbit hole into sustainability in fashion. “I really love fashion, and I don't want to move out of that path; I've always wanted to do something in that. Then I thought about sustainable fashion, and how that is a space I could exist in - it’s the future of the fashion industry.”

“ I've always been interested in fashion.Then sustainability wise, my mum has always been a big charity shopper. We did a lot of that growing up anyway, It never really felt like a particularly shocking thing, I just did it. Then I started modelling when I was 17, which was a good step into the fashion world. But doing that also made me realise how fast the fashion industry is and how intense it is and that made me wonder if there's an alternative.”

Okotcha noticed the need for a more sustainable fashion space online, from sharing charity shopping tips to how to rent outfits. It didn't take long for Rosie to build up a core following of people interested in her charity shopping experiences. Okotcha explains how she noticed a shift in people's mentality towards sustainability and fashion, “ I think there's definitely a growing consumer consciousness to be a bit more aware of where their clothes are coming from.” As much as I think this is true with our generation today, I also know that there have always been people over the decades who focused on slow and sustainable fashion. It will be interesting to see if this mindset is adopted by the masses or stays a niche like it has done before. There could be room for change as so much more information is at our fingertips today than ever before.

However, many Gen Zs are used to watching £500 pound try on hauls, without batting an eye-lid over the sheer levels of over-consumption. I myself have watched these videos, before becoming aware of the amount of waste created by these videos and that mindset. Yet, I have noticed a change in Youtubers, shifting towards more videos around styling clothes instead of buying new. Social media, on the other hand, is slowly trying to turn themselves into shopping apps, just take a look at TikTok Shop or Pinterest to see it happening in real time. People are getting tired of constantly trying to be sold something on every app they open, so it’s important to have people like Rosie and plenty of other content creators who are showing you alternatives to the fast fashion trap. Rosie explains how she started out sharing ‘fit pics’ but wanted to add something of more value than just sharing outfits on Insta. “When we were allowed back out into the world [after lockdown], I started taking more pics and videos. But then again I had that feeling, that this is not that useful. There are already so many people posting pictures. Then people started to ask me why I'm so good at charity shopping, and asking how I know where to go. So I started filming my journey, showing where I'm going and the different areas in and around London. Telling people what kind of stuff you can find at each one and how affordable they all are. People really liked it. I think it's useful because depending on what you are looking for, you will go to different charity shops. Depending on what you need the location can play a big part and also the

price point because in East London charity shops are much cheaper than Chelsea, for example, even if the stock is the same.”

I ask if she still gets a lot of the same questions compared to when she first started? “I think because there's more and more people starting to do it, there is a learning curve to it and a lot of people message me,“oh my god this is so hard” and “I don't know how to start” and you know it can be more boring, it's not the same as going into Zara. I always say to people who don't like the hunt that it's okay and that's when curated secondhand or vintage shops really work.” I then had to ask for any thrifty tips for our readers this month? “In September you get an influx of donations, from students moving in or out, so it's worth a visit around this time of year. I will say though your vintage shops are so expensive.” Rosie’s not wrong, Brighton has a fairly big selection of secondhand and vintage shops but being in the more touristy part of town, prices are often pushed up. This is a shame as part of buying second hand is because it’s more affordable and especially with the costa del living crisis across the UK, a lot of people can't really afford to buy clothes brand new.

All this talk about second hand shopping and we haven't properly touched on Goodwood yet, I asked Rosie what about this fabulous event has her heart? “I did talk there last year and that was really, really fun. Honestly, it took me by surprise. I've always loved Goodwood and wanted to go. I love the car racing as well, but I just love the vintage side of things. There's not really many spaces in the UK where you can dress up like that. For Americans, they have comic-con and other events. Goodwood was kind of like the answer to that in a sense, that it really does feel subversive. All those dancers, the stall vendors, the activities, it all feels like a vintage experience. Which was really appealing to me and I really like a lot of the speakers,, so it was just really exciting to have the opportunity to go and talk. One of the things I really like about Goodwood is they've got a really diverse group of speakers, which is really nice. Vintage is often equated to whiteness and it's really nice to see not just white.”

Going back to Rosie’s background, I wanted to

Image: Jason Lloyd Evans

find out more about her studies. How was your Bachelors and how did that influence you going into studying Fashion History? I did art history, visual cultures, and then I did a module that focused on fashion, like history and theory. Then my dissertation for my BA was on fast fashion and the fast fashion industry and its true impact on everything like that. So although it was art history, it was also definitely fashion.” I went on to ask how it's going with her Masters and what she's currently working on? “I'm just doing a lot of research, I've been doing a lot of reading this summer. My thesis topic is to say it briefly - the concept of when you die you leave your clothes behind and it's like the clothing acts like a surrogate skin from when we're born to when we die. We're very rarely naked, we're in clothes all the time and when we're buried, we're wearing clothes. So it's sort of exploring the idea that by touching our clothes and wearing them so much to be kind of imbued. When we die we leave ourselves inside them and so I'm doing a lot of research into ghosts and haunted clothing and then it sort of links a little bit with why people fear buying second hand.”

If you think that haunted clothing and ghost stories sound like an interesting topic for debate, check out her new podcast called “Spill the Sustainabili-TEA” on Spotify. Rosie is the co-host with friend, Izzy Manuel, who has a background in science and paired with Rosie’s background

in fashion history they team up for light-hearted chats about the ever changing fashion sphere and sustainability. I picked her brain about what it takes to start a podcast, how she plans the episodes and what makes a good podcast stand out in a highly saturated market? “She (Izzy) works in sustainability content creation as well. But she's got a background in chemistry, and I've got a background in fashion history. So it ended up that we had loads of really interesting conversations. I learned a lot from her, and she learned a lot from me, because it's fashion from two completely different sides. One day, one of us, I can't remember who it was, said should we just start up a podcast? I think that must have been the beginning of this year. We had our launch party in June, it happened very quickly and people loved it very quickly. We had a bigger response than what we ever anticipated. We thought, we'll start it and it'll be really fun, like, a hobby situation, but people really liked it and it became quite quickly, not a hobby. It has really great growth potential.”

“We usually have a big conversation, talking about what topics we'd like to talk about and what things have been interesting recently, asking ourselves what's topical? We've got an episode coming out on Monday about Taylor Swift and sustainability. Izzy, my co-host, is really into Taylor Swift, and because there's a lot of discourse around Taylor Swift and her jet

use, we're discussing whether you can still be into a musician like that, who's actually one of the top polluters and also be aligned with the sustainability ethos in yourself. So we pick fun and interesting things we want to talk about and also because we want to keep it light. I think it's so easy when talking about sustainability and climate change, that It becomes really heavy, really dark and really depressing. It stops people from engaging and can also be quite shameful and judgmental a lot of the time. We want to keep it about these things, but in a way that's digestible and you learn something but you don't leave the episode feeling heavy like you're destroying the world.”

I really do recommend Rosie’s podcast if you are interested in fashion. It shares refreshing ideas and interesting topics for debate. Tickets for the 2025 Goodwood Revival go on sale 4 November 2024 at Goodwood.com

Podcast on Spotify

Instagram @rosieokotcha

LAURA SMYTH

BREAKTHROUGH COMEDY STAR DISCUSSES HER DEBUT UK TOUR

By Stuart Rolt

One of the most exciting new acts to breakthrough this year, Laura Smyth is currently out on a huge UK tour - which includes a visit to London’s Indigo at The O2, and an additional date at Brighton Dome Corn Exchange on Sun 6 Oct. This new full length show, aptly called Living My Best Life, sees her at her uncensored and ridiculous best. She has fun mugging off all the madness of parenting, childhood, school, marriage, social media, work, and chasing her dreams. In her own inimitable style, she gets to the truth of the human experience, treading the line between bluntness and warmth throughout. This show is a whistle stop tour of her life to date, including her journey into stand-up, full of anecdotes and observations as well as bare jokes. Ultimately, she is asking how ‘living your best life’ is achieved…

A regular face on shows like Live At The Apollo, Frankie Boyle’s New World Order and Jonathan Ross’ Comedy Club, she also starred in David Mitchell’s Outsiders, and developed I Don’t Know What To Say for BBC Studios Production for Radio 4.

As Laura gets ready to return to Brighton, we caught up with her for a chat about fame, putting a full-scale show together and how teaching prepared her for a life in comedy.

Can you talk us through the themes in Living My Best Life?

Ooh I’m not sure about themes – the title is definitely a dig at the hashtag livingmybestlife on social media and the way it permeates everything – parenting, eating, marriage, careers. BUT I also happen to be living my best life doing comedy and being on tour so it is a celebration of all of our collective nonsense.

From my understanding, the premise and titles of most tours are decided long before the actual writing is finished. How much did you deviate from the original idea during the creative process?

This is true and I have deviated. When I first started workshopping the show I thought it was going to be about the expectations of others and my ‘journey’ into fulfilling my dream so late in life! But I found that so boring and pulpit-y. As soon as tickets went on sale

and people actually bought them I knew I wanted to give everyone wall to wall jokes – no life lessons, no thoughts, just laughs.

The tour has been massively extended since being announced last year. And you’re even visiting Brighton for a second date on it. Did you get a brilliant reception back in May, or do you just like the city?

The success of the tour has blown me away – we planned to do less than 20 dates, and now we are at almost 50 dates and the rooms have got bigger and bigger. I am not just saying it – but one of my absolute stand-out favourite shows of the first leg of the tour was the Komedia back in May. Brighton audiences are so switched on, and up for a laugh. I am so excited to be back.

How much work has gone into developing a full touring show? It must be quite a difference from doing 20-minute guest slots at comedy nights.

A lot of work – I believe the simpler a joke seems the harder the work that has gone into it. I very much consider myself a club comic and my tour show material had to be as strong as my club set. There is also a lot of thought about the highs, lows, pacing and rhythm throughout a longer set.

How much of yourself do you bring onstage? Is it a persona, or is your show based around being 100% earnest?

I bring my whole self on stage – I once tried to keep my right foot in the wings, but I found I couldn’t reach the mic stand! It is me and all my stories and jokes are from my life. Of course the adrenaline kicks in and you become a much more ‘showy offy’ version of yourself but not much.

You’re also starting to pop up on TV. Have you started getting recognised, or are there Howard Hughes-level attempts at avoiding social interaction? You seem like someone who’d be up for a chat in big Tesco.

Yes – I do get recognised. It’s usually a narrowing of the eyes as people think: ‘where do I know you from?’ But I get really enthusiastic fans wanting to tell me

they love me and have a chat and I’m always up for that, cos if there are two things I adore in life they are: being loved and chatting shit.

Did your background as a teacher give you the skills to deal with unruly audiences?

Of course! My teaching career gave me a huge head start in stagecraft and handling a room. It is mostly how to read a room and recognise the quiet, disgruntled, nervous, or troublemaking element. Most people need attention and reassurance. The main difference is alcohol – none of my students was ever too drunk to shut the fuck up.

Do you have a performance background, or is comedy something you fell into?

Never had a performance background, it was just my lifelong dream to be a comedian, and I was never brave enough. I did not fall into it… it was very intentional. Christmas 2018 I watched 300 years of French and Saunders and knew I was living the wrong life.

Has comedy lived up to your expectations, or is it still capable of surprising and confounding you?

Both – it has lived up to my expectations – it has exceeded them, it surprises and confounds me and delights me and humbles me all the time. There is not one part of standup that I do not love – even when it is tough – it’s fun.

What advice would you pass back to your 15-year-old self? Has comedy taught you any lessons?

I’d tell her to be brave; to stop taking anything personally; to believe in herself – the world is kinder than she thinks.

Laura Smyth brings Living My Best Life to Brighton Dome Corn Exchange on Sun 6 Oct.

www.laurasmyth.com

www.brightondome.org combining all 102 elements from the table. It was meant to happen in 2020 but got blocked by Covid. I urge people to see and hear this as we’ve no idea when it will happen again and it’s brilliant!”

Modern Toss: The First 8000 Days… comes to Brighton Dome Corn Exchange on Thurs 24 - Sun 27 Oct, as part of Brighton Dome Comedy Festival 2024.

www.brightondome.org www.moderntoss.com

Laura Smyth - by Julia Kennedy

By Stuart Rolt

CHRISTOPHER HALL

Social Media sensation brings Girl For All Seasons to Brighton Dome Comedy Festival

“It feels amazing. I absolutely love performing live.” Stand-up comedian and internet sensation, Christopher Hall is reflecting on his first proper UK tour and all that accompanies it. “It’s my favourite thing to do, and the crowds have been amazing.” He also admits to being surprised by the size of the venues this year. “When someone suggested a tour, I thought I’d be doing intimate rooms. But we’ve had these theatres and big spaces, so it’s just been super exciting. I’m feeling very grateful and very lucky.”

He admits thinking about the tour has been occasionally overwhelming. “But we’re remaining calm and positive,” he says with a cheeky grin. Now heading into his fourth year of doing stand-up, this former theatre star is accustomed to being on the stage. “I guess this is the first time when it’s just my name on the poster and just my name above the door. So it’s definitely a new experience, for sure.”

After enjoying a hugely successful Edinburgh Fringe debut run, his new show is venturing out on the road for a selection of UK and international dates. It explores everything from his obsessions with pop princesses to life lessons learned from the cast of Bad Girls. Heading to the Corn Exchange on Sun 27 Oct, as part of Brighton Dome Comedy Festival, it promises to reveal whole new sides to this talented performer. He says there were quite a few names knocking about, before he was forced to choose one.

music came out, it felt like it was all written for us at that time. I feel like it actually helped. I love music, and my dad loves music, and my oldest sister loves music, but we all have very, very different tastes. But, I think we could all come together. People like Steps and S Club 7 were allowing children to really get into music. It gave me the gateway into then picking up one of my dad’s CDs and being like: ‘Oh, what’s this?’ I feel that it gave us a middle ground when I was younger, which we still have today.”

“When you say you’re going to go to Edinburgh, you have to sort things like the name in January, or February time. There was very little show back then,” he admits. “There were a few different titles. I really liked ‘One of the Girls’, but I reference Girl For All Seasons, the song from Grease 2, in the show. I was like: ‘Oh, what if it was called that?’ So, I texted my friend, who was helping me through the process, and she was like: ‘That’s the name!’ It’s also quite edgy though, because everyone moans about how Grease 2 is the lesser film, but I like it! Michelle Pfeiffer is just the dream.”

He wanted this new work to seem personal, taking audiences on a nostalgic journey. It’s the story of being a young queer boy in the 90s, and what it was like at school, and how his experiences manifested in adult life. “I always felt very comfortable, aligned and safe when I was surrounded by girls. All my friends were girls, I have an older sister who I idolise, and a cousin who was about 10 years older than me. When I was five, I wanted to read her magazines and hear about all her friends. But I was always obsessed with Girly Pop and female celebrities, so that’s what I’ve been interested in and inspired by.”

Hall grew up during a golden age of female-led pop. Artists like Kylie, The Spice Girls and Britney began dominating the charts with a shiny commercial sound and images which gently subverted stereotypes. Kids everywhere were being shown that they could be confident and ambitious without having to sacrifice any individuality. “Being at school when all that

While lockdown presented many challenges to the performing arts, it was the thing which finally prompted him to start creating his own content and posting it online. “It’s always something I’d wanted to do… but was always concentrating on something else or worried about what everyone would think. Then, in lockdown, I thought I had nothing to lose. If people didn’t like the videos, I wasn’t going to see them for another six months. So, I went for it.” A flurry of sketches and comedy clips saw Hall mass an impressive following on Instagram and TikTok. A rock star-sized following, in fact. People couldn’t get enough of his dancing, exposes of uncompromising attitudes of cats and extensional millennial melodrama.

And then there was the Background Singers, where he and his sister Elizabeth pretended to be, well… background singers for various pop bangers. It saw some tidy numbers on social media, the pair racking up over 12 million likes and 50 million views - along with spawning collaborations with stars like Shania Twain, The Jonas Brothers, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, JoJo, Delta Goodrem, Olly Alexander and Kylie Minogue.

“That was amazing! A lot of these happened when the artist or their management reached out to us, which is just so nuts. You get an email saying: ‘Would Chris and Elizabeth like to do a video with Shania Twain?’ And we’re like: ‘Yes, we would. We would love to. Thank you... We’re free whenever!’ It’s absolutely mad!” Social media has arguably been responsible for catapulting Hall into the limelight, allowing him to sidestep the traditional gatekeepers of the performing arts and interact directly with an audience. But he says this new communication can occasionally be a double-edged sword.

“But it’s an amazing place for young people to see themselves represented. The LGBTQ+ education and information you can find on social media is amazing. When I was in the 90s, there was nothing. There was nowhere for me to learn about my community or see other people who express themselves like me.” He remains adamant that the internet can be a useful tool when used correctly; its inherent ability to connect people offering endless possibilities.

There’s still something to be said for learning your trade as a stand-up on the conventional club circuit, and Hall is acutely aware that he’s entered the industry with a following that was established outside of this ecosystem. “I didn’t really know whether my online audience would transfer into ticket

Image by Jiksaw

sales. There was obviously a risk that they wouldn’t. But over the last two and a half years, I’ve been going around clubs and gigging in London, Manchester and Brighton four or five times a week, to hone my onstage skills. I’ve had the gigs which haven’t gone well, and I’ve had the gigs which have gone well. I think I’ll never stop doing that. I want to always make sure I’m practising and getting out there.”

Previously working in musical theatre, he attended Epsom’s Laine Theatre Arts school. “That was a lot of fun, and I made some amazing friends who are still with me today. And I’ve since had fun jobs, some quite high highs and some quite low lows. But really, I feel I’ve sort of found my stride with stand-up.” He’s also attracting a wider audience than many comedians. His Edinburgh season saw a lot of people coming up and telling him it was the first comedy show they’d been to.

“I just think that’s really nice. Comedy can be quite intimidating. It’s quite a ‘boys club’. I just want it to feel like you’re in your living room, talking to a best mate. I’m quite selfdeprecating, but in a lovely way. But this is just the story of a young person moving through life. I think a lot of people can relate to that.” He tells me one of the biggest joys he has when performing is seeing nudging their companion and whispering: ‘You know that’s you…’ these are the little reactions which are driving him on, to become better and more ambitious. Like his other shows, Girl For All Seasons sets out to just be fun. A couple of hours escapism for the girls, the gays, their allies, boyfriends and dads… “I heard from my best friends, who came to see me in Edinburgh, who said in the boy’s toilets there were a couple of lads who were like: ‘Oh… in the first five minutes, I wasn’t sure. But then I really enjoyed it...!’ So, it’s for everyone. It’s a safe and fun place.”

Christopher Hall brings Girl For All Seasons to the Brighton Dome Corn Exchange on Sun 27 Oct, as part of Brighton Dome Comedy Festival 2024.

www.brightondome.org www.linktr.ee/chrxstopherhall

MONDAY

6:30-8:30pm..........ONLINE Portrait Drawing on Zoom..........................£9 (£6)

TUESDAY

6:30-8:30pm..........Portrait Club at the Open House Pub, Brighton....FREE

WEDNESDAY

10:00-11:00am.......ONLINE Life Drawing on Zoom...................................£7 (£5)

1:00-2:00pm..........ONLINE Life Drawing on Zoom...................................£7 (£5)

7:00-8:30pm..........ONLINE Life Drawing on Zoom...................................£8 (£5.50)

7:00-9:00pm..........Life Drawing at New England Hous.e.........................£13 (£10)

THURSDAY

10:00am-12:00.......Tutored Drawing at New England House.................£15 (£12)

1:00-3:00pm...........Life Drawing at New England House, Brighton......£13 (£10)

7:00-8:00pm...........ONLINE Portrait Club on Zoom................................£4

7:00-9:00pm...........Life Drawing at New England House, Brighton.....£13 (£10)

FRIDAY

1:00-3:00pm............Life Drawing at New England House, Brighton.....£13 (£10)

4:00-6:00pm...........Life Drawing at New England House, Brighton.....£13 (£10)

WEEKENDS

10am-5pm.................See our website for special workshops running every week draw-brighton.co.uk / @draw_brighton 1 S Lvl 5, New England House, BN1 4GH

RICHARD FULLWOOD BRINGS THE NATURAL WORLD TO PHOTO FRINGE WITH ORANGE TRIANGLE

October sees some of the region’s finest artists gather for Brighton’s Photo Fringe. This month-long celebration pushes the still-image’s boundaries, bringing together an incredible array of processes and styles. Amongst the exhibitions is a selection of new work by local photographer, Richard Fullwood.

His new collection, Orange Triangle, sees an evolution of his technique; incorporating traditional photography with digital techniques to create something which resonates with the viewer.

Now something of a Photo Fringe regular, this new show at Bread & Milk on Brighton’s Trafalgar Street, sees him again look closer at the sights we sometimes rush past. “The natural world has always been an inspiration. It’s still very prominent, because it comes under the umbrella of what I find beautiful. But it’s not exclusively that. I find other things beautiful too.”

Fullwood describes his style as ‘abstract realism’, taking everyday sights like humble rocks in Rottingdean and elevating them with added materials, light effects and colour. During this process, the subjects often take on an added meaning. “The work in the exhibition has become symbolic and a dedication to two friends who have been my rocks. Although, my

original work is led by aesthetics it often finds this symbolism through the unconscious, or the coincidence of what I am interested in at that moment.”

Established in 2003, Photo Fringe has developed a reputation for encouraging participation and attracting artists and new talent from a broad mix of backgrounds. Fullwood says their biannual festival encourages him to regularly focus on his work. “Not just the work itself, but the consideration of appropriateness of venue, the way it is displayed, and the reaction to the audience’s response. Other artists benefit through the Fringe’s co-operative nature.”

His own practice has evolved from working exclusively with filmstock, without artificial lighting or digital effects, to photograph flowers on his allotment. “I gave the work an abstract look by use of natural light and shadows, black and white film, and playing with depth of field on a macro lens. Once I had purchased a digital camera, the creative shackles were off.” Now, his images are made abstract by computer manipulation, along with physical mediums like paint, tissue and tracing paper and pastel.

“I feel my images have become more expressive with greater potential for texture, depth and feeling. The subject matter is my everyday

experience. Although the original photographic images are highly composed, the abstractions are impulsive and random, almost automatic, until I find a new representation that I like.”

“I think that photography and other art forms reveal inner truths of the artist if it is not forced or influenced by trends. The audience can find their own truths which are entirely different.”

Richard Fullwood’s Orange Triangle comes to Bread & Milk on Brighton’s Trafalgar Street throughout October (Fri – Mon 8.30am - 5pm)

www.rickfullwood.com

www.photofringe.org

DREAMY PLACE FESTIVAL

Bringing groundbreaking art to new spaces in Brighton and Crawley, Dreamy Place is dedicated to fostering artistic expression. Launched last year, this festival blends innovative technologies, the moving image and the artistic vision of the most exciting regional and international talent. Curated by videoclub and produced in partnership with arts, culture, technology, and community partners, it’s perhaps the most forward-thinking showcase for cutting-edge art on the south coast.

From high-powered lasers inside pyramid sculptures to a light and sound installation in a hidden tunnel under Brighton Station, Dreamy Place offers a fusion of creative tech and arts over two extended weekends this month. It places world-renowned artists alongside local creative talent, and most events are completely free.

As this festival gets ready to light up two of the county’s biggest towns, we spoke to videoclub director, Jamie Wyld, about the value of collective experiences and how we could think differently about new creative technologies.

How important is it for you to encourage people to experience familiar locations in new ways?

It’s essential for Dreamy Place. We’re taking every day spaces in Brighton and Crawley, places people pass by daily, and inviting them to see these locations in a new light. Art has the power to change how we interact with our surroundings, offering fresh perspectives on spaces that may seem ordinary. It’s about rediscovering the magic of the familiar, creating an emotional and sensory shift that reconnects people to the spaces they think they know. This also challenges assumptions and creates a more inclusive experience where everyone can feel a sense of wonder and belonging.

Have technology and the arts always been so closely intertwined?

They’ve certainly evolved together, but I’d say technology has rapidly expanded the horizons of what’s possible in the arts in recent years. We’re seeing artists use tech not just as a tool, but as a medium in its own right - whether it’s digital installations, interactive exhibits, or virtual realities. At Dreamy Place, we explore how these two realms can enhance one another, creating immersive experiences that push boundaries and engage audiences in entirely new ways. It’s exciting

because it opens the door to more participatory and accessible art.

Are there particular social and economic benefits attached to presenting art in city centres?

Absolutely. When you present art in city centres, you democratise it - making it accessible to a wider audience, including those who might not usually visit traditional galleries. It stimulates local economies by bringing footfall to surrounding businesses, creating opportunities for collaboration and community engagement. In a place like Brighton, known for its rich cultural fabric, placing art in public spaces invites conversations across social and economic divides, fostering a more connected and vibrant community. It’s a way to remind people that art is for everyone, not just something confined to the elite or hidden away in exclusive venues.

Why were Brighton and Crawley chosen as the sites for this festival?

Brighton has a long-standing reputation as a hub for creativity, innovation, and progressive thought, which naturally makes it an ideal location for a festival like Dreamy Place. It’s a city that embraces diversity, making it fertile ground for new artistic experiences. Crawley, on the other hand, offers a different kind of urban landscape, with its own unique identity and community spirit. By bringing the festival to both cities, we’re bridging different cultural and social experiences, inviting more people into the conversation and widening the scope of engagement.

What can audiences expect from Dreamy Place?

Audiences can expect the unexpected! From immersive installations to interactive performances, Dreamy Place is all about breaking down traditional boundaries between art and audience. Visitors won’t just observe—they’ll participate, explore, and connect with the works on a personal level. Each experience is designed to provoke thought, inspire creativity, and foster a sense of shared wonder. Whether you’re a seasoned art lover or someone encountering contemporary art for the first time, there’s something to captivate everyone.

A vibrant world of creative tech and arts comes to Sussex

Dreamy Place comes to locations across Crawley on Fri 4 - Sun 6 Oct and Brighton on Fri 25 - Sun 27 Oct. Find out more at: www.dreamy-place.com

‘Vessels’, Limbic Cinema Sean Pollock

Felicity Hammond V3 - Model collapse

BRIGHTON & HOVE:

FRI 25 - SUN 27

OCT

Ammonite by Paris-based Collectif Scale - a group of friends working in different creative industries, pooling their expertise to make something unique. The latest version of a light and music installation that has toured the world, shows in the historic Cab Road tunnel under Brighton Station, not usually open to the public. The static structure uses light to give the illusion of organic movement and echoes the natural architecture of a prehistoric shell. Ammonite offers an otherworldly experience to visitors.

V1: Content Aware by Felicity Hammond: Housed in a shipping container in Jubilee Square, this artwork uses installation, collage and AI to connect geological and data mining. Exploring the journey from mineral to pixel, the work maps how photographic images are produced, distributed and consumed. Commissioned through the Ampersand/ Photoworks Fellowship and showing in Brighton as part of Photoworks Weekender and Dreamy Place, this is the first iteration of Variations, an evolving series of installations by Felicity Hammond with future versions to be shown in London, Derby and Edinburgh.

Imagining Otherwise by Flexer & Sandiland: South East Dance presents an immersive, interactive, digital dance work, combining fast-paced choreography with poignant spoken text. The performance explores the infinite possibilities created by our daily decisions and wishes for change. Sat 26 Oct.

Film Trails: Curated film trails across Brighton, including collaborations with Oska Bright Film Festival and Carousel, showcasing the talents of learning-disabled artists and filmmakers.

Days of Wonder Weekender at Hove Museum: A weekend of hands-on play with film and digital media featuring experiments with optical toys, analogue tech and filmmaking. Perfect for curious families.

Transmission by Tewa Barnosa offers a meeting of cities, a meeting of minds and an opportunity for transformation. Gallery Lock-in, a former back-street garage, will be transformed into an audiovisual portal for the first UK solo exhibition by the Libyan artist who is based between troubled Tripoli and apolitical Amsterdam. Using AI, audiences will embark on a journey through the meaning of language, from translation to misinformation, shared heritage and the constructed political situations that drive us apart.

Asian Futurism Talks: Sun 27 Oct at The Old Market, discover how artists use creative tech to reimagine Asian heritage, in collaboration with Platform Asia and 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art (Sydney).

CRAWLEY: FRI 4 - SUN 6 OCT

Pyramid light sculptures Vessels by Limbic Cinema in Queens Square will use atmospheric lasers and smoke to offer a modern take on monuments that brought ancient people together to contemplate and celebrate the sun. This is a rare chance to safely experience close-up the vivid, 3D forms created by high-powered lasers and engage with light in an almost tactile way.

Interactive holograms by artist Megan Broadmeadow will enchant visitors to Crawley Bandstand. Drawing on ancient magic and cuttingedge technology, Dewiniaith, meaning “Sorcery” in Welsh, uses video technology and artificial intelligence, mixed with Welsh folklore and song. Megan asks “What happens when the old meets the new? What magic will we rely on in the future, and who will be practising it?”

Dream World creative workshops by Exploring Senses: Guided by imagination, young people will explore creativity using 3D pens and iPads. Participants will digitally draw life forms, structures and vessels in 3D, embark on space journeys and discover hidden realms.

Artists’ Talks & Workshops: A series of workshops to support artists and creatives, covering topics like Artificial Intelligence in art, project design and funding, and hologram-making.

Outdoor Film Projections: In collaboration with CFI Media, enjoy a trail of works by local filmmakers projected onto the walls of Crawley town centre, Saturday 5 October.

‘Imagining Otherwise’ by Flexer & Sandiland

Transmission by Tewa Barnosa, Gallery Lock In

‘Dewiniaith’, Megan Broadmeadow, 2024. Originally commissioned by Green Man Trust. Image by Anna Arca

Vampire Ball

BN1 Magazine Chats to Skye, the face behind Brighton’s upcoming Vampire Ball

This Halloween, something worthy of sinking your teeth into comes to Brighton. The Vampire Ball will host classical music from a live string quartet, some of Brighton’s most talented Gorlesque performers and DJ’s in a candlelit, revamped church. The ball is the launch of a brand new, Brighton based events production company, Glow Wing Productions. Glow Wing aims to be an antidote to Instagram and AI culture by focussing on offering real life experiences worthy of leaving your phone at home. After the launch on Nov 1st, they will be planning multiple immersive, bucket-list-worthy events in the UK.

The Vampire Ball has had a wonderful reception, already having sold over 300 tickets and with over 1000 people on the Facebook event page - It seems the stories of Anne Rice and Buffy the Vampire Slayer have made us all vamp-curious. So I had to find out more about the lady putting on these events and what we can look forward to.

How long have you wanted to do something like this?

Running a Vampire Ball has been on my mind for a long time, it is one of those things that I’ve always wanted to do. At the beginning of this year, I found myself at one of those forks in the road I periodically find myself at, where I must decide between going and getting a ‘normal’ job or throwing myself headfirst into something completely insane. As always, I chose the latter. I was not expecting the wonderful response I have received or for tickets to sell out months in advance.

Have you run many events before?

I ran my first event when I was 17, I won’t tell you how long ago that was now, but I consider myself experienced. However, in events, everything is

constantly changing and there is always more to learn. My first event was sort of a fluke. I wanted to go to university and study fashion and thought running a Fashion show would look good on my Portfolio. The event was so much fun to organise, and the day gave me such a buzz that I never ended up going to university and just kept on planning. I have run everything from Fashion, Burlesque, Dating and corporate events (which are definitely NOT my thing) but the Vampire Ball will be my biggest and boldest event so far.

Why did you pick a Vampire theme?

I’m a little bit obsessed with Vampires. I was a weird kid who found solace in TV shows like Buffy the Vampire slayer. I still remember when the advert came out, I was 6 years old, and I counted down the days until the first episode was aired. I was hooked. After that I consumed every piece of media about Vampires I could. Now, knowing that I am neurodivergent, I consider Vampires to be my special interest. I think a lot of us can relate to Vampires; the passion, the hunger, the hedonism, the disconnect, the loneliness. In a way, Vampires are the human experience – just amplified...and with better outfits.

Can you go into a bit more detail about how the event works and what to expect on Nov 1st?

The event itself will start with a two-hour set from a stunning live String Quartet; The Aviva Ensemble. I want everyone to have that oncein-a-lifetime, ‘I’m at a ball moment’. The only difference is, this time, the live string quartet will be dressed in full Vampire cosplay. We have some fantastic performers including The Urban Fox Circus, Brighton Rope and Harley Fox bringing their own brands of gory and glam to the proceedings. Later we will dance the night away as our DJ’s play an eclectic mix of house music with just the right amount of dark hypnotic

beats and of course some cheesy Halloween classics. Throughout the night myself and some of my weirdest friends will be ‘biting’ (marking with bite mark tattoos) the guests with the most creative costumes. Marked guests will be in with a chance to win an amazing prize from our sponsor, Hotel Pelirocco, a stay in one of their stunning themed rooms.

What other plans do you have in the works? Will it solely be Halloween/Vampire themed events in the future?

The Vampire Ball is just the beginning as it is the launch of my new events brand, Glow Wing Productions. Glow Wing Productions will focus on bucket-list-worthy events where fantasy blends with reality. I already have a Fae ball and a themed boat party in the works for 2025. Events will not be constrained to Brighton as I plan to take them all over the UK. I will never forget my home city though, the place that taught me that the harder reality gets, the more we need to lean into whimsy. To keep up to date with all our future events, people can find me on Instagram @ GlowWingProductions.

What will you be wearing? Can you give us any clues?

I keep going back and forth on my outfit. I have so many ideas it is hard to narrow them down. I have daydreams of sewing thousands of red beads onto a wedding dress or creating a Vampire look and a victim look, cutting them in half and sewing them together and then spending the night contorting myself so it looks like I am eating myself hmmm...time is ticking on now though, I best get to work!

For more information check out @ glowwingproductions or visit facebook. com/events/s/the-vampire-ball-brightonnove/729766989279311

ACCA’s Eclectic Autumn of Music

With a growing reputation for ‘snaffling electronic music big hitters’ (Brighton Source) and carefully curating a thought-provoking programme of innovative artists, ACCA’s season announcements always comprise some unexpected treats.

Here’s what the creative arts centre, on the University of Sussex campus has in store this autumn…

On 2 November, French electronic and ambient musician and composer Cécile Schott aka Colleen kicks off the season with an evening of electronic explorations and instrumental soundscapes – co-presented by ACCA and Spirit of Gravity. Colleen’s growing passion for synthesis, bolstered by her collaborations with synth manufacturer Moog, resulted in her eighth album Le jour et la nuit du réel, released on Thrill Jockey in 2023. She is supported by Brightonbased French-Swedish musician, composer and sound artist Johanna Bramli.

Hailed as ‘one of underground music’s consistently brilliant anomalies’ (Pitchfork) Californian experimental rock band Xiu Xiu (Angela Seo and Jamie Stewart) perform on Thursday 25 November. The duo’s intense blend of post punk, synthpop and alternative folk accompanies emotionally honest narratives of personal life stories and world events. Support artist I Am Fya’s ACCA performance marks the official launch of her new album, released on Brighton’s own Rose Hill Records.

At Scanner: Harry Smith at 100 on Friday 15 November, Robin Rimbaud AKA Scanner celebrates the 100th anniversary of Harry Smith’s birth by performing live scores to a

wide selection of his films. Harry Smith was a great American eccentric, an experimental filmmaker, musicologist, graphic designer, bohemian, anthropologist and collector of found objects and sounds. This project is presented in association with Spirit of Gravity as part of CINECITY, Brighton’s film festival (the 22nd edition of the festival runs from 8-17 November 2024).

Moonchild Sanelly’s signature sound is selfdescribed as ‘future ghetto-funk’ and her electrifying live show includes flamboyant outfits and choreography. A superstar in her native South Africa she has performed around the world, including memorable sets at SXSW and Glastonbury, and collaborated with international superstars, including Self Esteem, Beyonce and

Gorillaz. She performs live at ACCA on Monday 18 November.

As a complete contrast, performing on Saturday 30 November is ‘nature’s songwriter’ (The Guardian) Erland Cooper. The composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist, originally from Orkney, combines field recordings with traditional orchestration and contemporary electronic elements. In ‘Carve the Runes Then be Content with Silence’ he performs the score from the master tape of his first classical album that he famously buried, leaving a treasure hunt of clues for fans to find.

See the full programme and book tickets at www.attenboroughcentre.com

Early Abstractions

Erland Cooper

SHOCK HORROR

Terrifying ghost story haunts Worthing in run-up to Halloween

“I just think we enjoy being scared,” Alex Moran, actor, theatre producer and the founder of the innovative Thunder Road company, muses on why so many of us are fascinated by horror films and stage shows. “We like the thrill, especially young people. This show is all about getting young people into theatres.”

Horror is different to any other type of dramatic genre. While there are many things we have to do in life which force us to move out of our comfort zone, there’s something unifying about being scared together -especially if that’s in a theatre, cinema or in front of the television. Moran and Thunder Road have spent the last couple of years touring their ingenious new stage show, Shock Horror.

Coming to Worthing’s Connaught Theatre on Fri 18 - Sat 19 Oct, this unsettling production is set amidst the crumbling remains of the Metropol movie house – the former home of a young man tormented by his upbringing. The cinema’s shadows were once both a playground and prison for Herbert, his parents forbidding him from ever leaving. His only glimpses of the outside world are through a stream of late-night horror films. After eventually escaping, he’s now back to seek some answers about his life.

Moran says he was heavily inspired by the Woman in Black as a kid. “I’ve always wanted to create a horror which was both different and immersive. I had an idea three years ago to do something set in an auditorium, which brought horror cinema and horror theatre together. I asked Ryan Simons, who is a very good friend and a film director, to write the story.” This is the biggest tour Thunder Road have undertaken. They played to 8 venues last year, and 13 this year. “It’s steadily moving up, which is great.”

“It sort of starts with me going: ‘I’ve got this idea. Write it.’ And then Ryan goes: ‘I can’t write it. That’s impossible. It can’t be done…’ But he’s made it work.” Starting the creative process off by watching a range of horror films together, they established that moving outside the world of the Metropole cinema just didn’t work. “We’ve kept it in the one location, which really helped for Herbert’s story. It took a long time and, if I’m honest, it’s still developing. We’ve ironed out all the things we want to change.” He says theatre shows are always being tweaked as productions go along. “It’s never really finished… Which is great, I guess.”

There’s been a big revival in horror cinema and theatre in recent years. Whether it’s the unsettling weirdness of The Babadook and Jordan Peele’s savage commentary on America in the cinema, to 2:22 A Ghost Story and Stranger Things: The First Shadow in the West End, there’s a growing appetite for intelligent and compelling scary tales. It seems to be a genre no longer reliant on ‘jump scares’ and gore. “I love how Hitchcock talked about ‘stretching the elastic’. We do a lot of workshops with young people, and we work around building suspense. In the past we would chuck an awful lot of instrumental music in, which diluted the scares. What we’ve tried to do now is find the right moments to bring that in.”

Developing a rapport with an audience and creating a sense of trepidation is not an easy process. “But, if you put a ventriloquist dummy

in there, people do get quite freaked out by that, which is great,” he says with a laugh. “No performance is ever going to be the same. You can keep adapting and growing, as opposed to a film, where you get a number of takes and then you’ve got the finished product. If something does go ‘wrong’ in the theatre, it changes the rhythm. You can’t go back and reset, so it takes an awful lot of time to get that rhythm right. But that’s what’s great about the rehearsal period. A second too long, a second too short, it can make a big difference.”

This process is why he fell in love with horror theatre. It’s all for the audience. “We’re creating new things for them, and we want to make it perfect, or as close to scary perfect as we can for them.” He’d never really seen any horror productions until the age of 14 – which is probably for the best. “Then I just reeled off as many as I could… more classics, which is what Shock Horror is built on, The Shining, The Exorcist, Fade To Black… those great horrors of the 70s and 80s is what we’ve kind of focused on. Nightmare On Elm Street is a big part of it, and a big part of Herbert’s world as well.”

“There’s the idea of a young boy who has grown up in a cinema which only screens horror. And what it does to your mind if that’s your only reference. How would that shape you as a human being? Which I think is really interesting, because of how many young people now grow up with phones and screens, and that’s all they ever think about.”

Obviously, there’s a big difference between watching something scary at home and being confronted with a full-on multimedia experience in a theatre somewhere. There’s no opportunity to press pause or dive behind the sofa. You have to cede control and embrace the terror. “Sometimes things do happen which are unexpected. We’re also in a lot of theatres that are haunted… apparently. There are some Ouija boards we’re using this year, so I don’t even want to know what that’s going to create in the theatre. I think Worthing might be haunted. I don’t know what ghosts are going to come knocking, but I’m looking forward to it!”

So, why has there been such a big resurgence in horror TV, cinema and theatre recently? Moran says it’s because productions are increasingly focussed on world-building and stories. “It’s much like what The Exorcist did. There was a priest losing his faith and a woman struggling with her daughter’s adolescence. And that’s what I love about Shock Horror. It really is a beautiful story. Heartbreaking, tragic, quite funny, and very scary. Horror cinema is a reference, so that’s what I love about this play. What Ryan’s done is create something with a real heart at the end of it. The Last of Us is similar as well. A horror series with a real heart to it. Then there’s Midsommar, which is the story of every relationship break up and all that horrendous stuff that happens with that. Even Longlegs, which I watched recently, is terrifying but has a really great story at the heart of it.”

To create a truly immersive experience, Shock Horror deploys a wealth of illusions, twists and turns, wrapping the audience up in its menacing mysteries. While the show hangs on questions around what really happened to the boy and his parents, there’s undeniable thematic links to our growing obsession with screens and experiencing the world solely through the internet. “It’s like our kids with social media nowadays, and the kind of toxic elements on there. That’s scary in itself.

When I was working with a wonderful theatre tutor in Nottingham, she asked: ‘What scares you? Write about or create what scares you.’ And that’s our relationship with screen. The best things in life happen when we look up.”

The roots of the multi-award winning Thunder Road company can be traced back to when Moran was studying at the University of Central Lancashire. It began by reimagining cult novels in 2012. “I always wanted to create my own work. I think I’d seen the way Woman in Black was done, and wanted to create fear which was different. I’d thought: ‘Okay, I don’t have the money...’ The first budget I had was 50 pounds from my Nan. So, we adapted classics, because my grandpa used to read classics like Treasure Island and Dr Jekyll And Mr. Hyde and Kidnapped to me as a kid. I fell in love with those and wanted to adapt them. We started a relationship with Harrogate theatre, who were great to us. We did five shows with them.” Since then, the company has become renowned for specialising in imaginative and original horror shows which use multimedia and illusion.

Moran also worked on War Horse with the National Theatre for two years. “We did a lot of workshops there, helping develop the first relationship with young students and theatre, so Thunder Road changed, as a company, to work more with young people. Over the three years, we’ve run workshops throughout and this year we’ve run more than ever, and we’ve also started doing horror workshops.” Constantly creating and innovating, the company has grown from playing to studios to packing out mid-sized venues. And the ambitions for future productions are growing.

Moran says Thunder Road’s ethos is to create something which will run for a few years, then put that money aside to grow and develop the next production. “When you’ve had something which has been well received, the next show has got to be bigger.” For now, they’re taking their nightmarish drama around the country. And they hope to not only playfully scare their audiences but prompt a few conversations about their protagonist and his motivations. The more we find out about Herbert’s life, the less certainty there is that he’s an evil character. “It does divide opinion,” says Moran. “Some see all the mistakes he’s made and totally understand, but others certainly don’t. I like that. Obviously, I’d also like people to be terrified of things like the puppet. A few sleepless nights are always good. People deserve some escapism for two hours…”

www.wtm.uk www.thunderroadtheatre.org

Thunder Road brings Shock Horror: A Ghost Story to Worthing’s Connaught Theatre on Fri 18 - Sat 19 Oct.

_Blow 2.0

After a long hiatus, the much-loved electronic dance event _Blow 2.0 is making its highly anticipated return to Brighton on November 1st. We caught up with the event's promoter, Faisal Eboe, to find out why now is the perfect time for its comeback.

You’ve been running events across the South for years. Tell us how you started and why you took a hiatus?

I began my journey in promotions and nightclub management in the West Midlands while studying at Birmingham University. It was here that I honed my passion for the underground electronic music industry. After finishing my degree, I took on the role of manager and promoter at a club in the West Midlands called ‘The Canal club’, where I booked artists such as Bonobo and Sammy Jo (Scissor Sisters). I’m deeply grateful for my time in Birmingham and Wolverhampton, but I eventually outgrew the opportunities it provided, and it felt like the right time to move on and pursue new challenges.

Brighton had always intrigued me — I’d heard so much about its vibrant scene, but didn’t feel ready to dive in. That is, until a friend dared me to make the move. I took the plunge, and got the privilege of managing the Honey Club. Back then it was at its peak and that’s where I’d say it all really started for me in this amazing city.

As for the hiatus, that wasn’t something I chose. The pandemic had a profound impact on me and my partner, who suffered a stroke at the onset of COVID. I took a few years off to support her through recovery. While it was a challenging period (for many others too), it also gave me time to reflect and see things from a different angle of the club and Events industry like from the outside looking in. Which inevitably got me thinking about how I can embrace all the things I’ve learned and experienced throughout the years and somehow showcase it all over the next few upcoming special events. No pressure then Lol.

You’re bringing the well-established and much-loved club event Blow back to Brighton. Dubbed _Blow 2.0, tell us why you decided to bring this back after all these years?

Blow has a special place in my heart. I was involved from the very beginning with the founder, seeing it grow into one of the most forward-thinking electronic music events in Brighton. For 15 years, it was arguably one of the longest-running weekly parties in the city, known for pushing boundaries and staying on the cutting edge of the underground scene. It became a defining event for Brighton’s party culture some might even say cult status.

The original founder is still a close friend with a brotherly infection, and his vision inspired me to take Blow to the next level. After all this time, it feels like the right moment to bring it back, with a fresh perspective and renewed energy for

what’s to come. Bringing back such parties as Blow evokes great memories to many people over the years, which was also apparent when the Zap Club had a recent reunion.

How has the clubbing scene in Brighton changed over the years? And what have been some of your highlights as a promoter?

The clubbing scene in Brighton has changed significantly, especially since COVID. The pandemic turned the city into a bit of a ghost town when it came to nightlife. Before, people would go clubbing week in and week out, but those days are largely behind us. Rising costs— whether it’s electricity, wages, alcohol, cleaning, the dozens of contractors you need to run a

venue these days or simply huge rent—have made it incredibly challenging for venues to stay afloat. It’s almost miraculous that some venues are still able to operate under such continuously challenging conditions. Unfortunately, it often means that quality is decreasing, while prices are rising, and people have less disposable income to spend on going out.

That said, there’s been a rise in big one-off events, especially daytime events like “On the Beach,” where people feel they get more value for their money. These events bring in multiple high-profile artists in a single experience, and people seem to be gravitating towards that rather than traditional club nights. It seems day time raving is Where it’s gravitating to. it’s also noticeable that intimate smaller events were you can just turn up knowing that you’ll definitely bump into old and new friends of what I refer to as the ‘clubbing family’

As a promoter, one of my highlights was hosting an impromptu gig with Fatboy Slim at an intimate

venue in Hove (shout out to SLD) . Another standout moment was introducing Major Lazer to Fatboy Slim backstage only a week later — one of those surreal industry moments you never forget, especially when you find common ground in something as personal as shared heritage (one of the Major Lazer members being from Trinidad, like me).

If you had a large budget, what would be your ideal event to host and where?

Great question! I think every promoter dreams of having a mega budget to play with. My first instinct would be to throw an epic party on a remote island in the Caribbean but we all know how that turned out for others who had such dreams lol. —a Blow extravaganza on a grand scale. But realistically, I’d love to use a big budget to showcase the best of what Brighton has to offer. Brighton has an incredible music scene, full of talented producers, artists, and promoters. I’d love to take that to a global stage and demonstrate the powerhouse of creativity and music culture this city holds.

This was actually my vision for the Brighton Music Conference that I originally founded with John 00 Fleming, to put and showcase the amazing musical talent and creativity our small city has to offer.

There seems to be a resurgence for the old clubbers and ravers, now that their kids are older or have flown the nest. What are your thoughts on this, and is there space for the new generation to party with them?

It’s interesting to see this resurgence, but honestly, I think the idea of separating generations is beside the point, maybe even irrelevant. Whether you’re Gen Z, Gen X, or a millennial, what really matters is putting on a great event that brings people together showcasing great progressive electronic music and genres. Blow 2.0 aims to do such things as live visuals (VJ and DJ), a live percussion drummer, talented bongo players and trumpets. There’s always more than enough space for all of us, but it’s important to welcome and embrace the younger generation, at the end of the day they are what we were.

As for any crazy stories from yesteryears. Shit, where do I even start. This is Brighton after all. Take your pick, from major power cuts to flooding, fetish parties and after parties, plus all the amazing characters and everything in between. But losing your main A-list DJ/artist minutes before they are due to go on only to remember that you accidentally locked them in the disabled toilets is pretty priceless.

£4.50 to £9 Free for Towner Members & Under 25s ‘Pay what you can’ selected dates

Food served:

Tuesdays: 6pm - 8:30pm

Wednesdays to Fridays: 12pm-2.30pm & 6pm-8.30pm

Saturdays: 12pm-4pm and 6pm-8:30pm

Sundays: 12pm-5pm

• Full Menu plus our NEW Grazing & Burger Menus available on our website

• Carvery on Sundays

• Fresh, Homecooked Food

• Discounts for Blue Light Card Holders

• 10% OAP Discount on Wednesday’s

• £10 Burger & Pint on Thursday’s

• 10 Minute Walk from Cooksbridge Train Station

• Room & Courtyard available to Hire for Parties, Events & Wakes Resting Oak Hill, Cooksbridge (Near Lewes) BN8 4SS • Tel: 01273 400134

Email: contact@rainbowinn.co.uk • www.rainbowinn.co.uk

Ken Kiff, Family, 1969. © The Estate of Ken Kiff Ltd

LOCAL SPOTLIGHT

TASH BREEZE

Your vocalist style of Jazz / R&B is a hit amongst locals in Brighton, tell us how you decided to go down this route of singing and what were your influences in this process?

I am someone who has always felt emotions intensely, so singing has naturally been a way to express myself when emotions have been difficult to articulate. I fell in love with Jazz / R&B as the singers I first came across when I was 16 - Ella Fizgerland and Billie Holiday - sang in such a powerful way. They weren’t ashamed to express anger or sadness and instead, were praised for showing it. I wanted to learn how to communicate in the same way. I think the key for any creative is to develop a healthy relationship with these emotions so you can flow with them instead of against them.

Artists like Jorja Smith and Yebba inspire me A LOT. I’ve been listening to them for a long time, seeing which techniques achieve emotional depth. I really like breathiness as by holding back or coming across as exasperated it intensifies the feel of the song. Also techniques like melisma and controlled vibrato where you can really let go of any rigidity and be in the moment with the emotion. Any style of music where you can really lean into the feels, is my cup of tea.

Your first recorded track Healing was released in September, tell us more about the track and the debut EP ‘Healing Songs’.

Yes, Healing was released 19 Sept on all platforms and the feedback has been so wonderful. It’s an introductory track where I establish myself to my audience. The lyrics represent my stagnant mindset over the past few years ‘you haven’t seen me, my phone’s been set to, do not disturb me’ however my new found confidence has propelled me to start working really hard to achieve the dream of living life as an artist. This year is all about me sharing the collaborations I’ve been working on, demonstrating an internal shift after going through an incredibly transformative experience.

Healing Songs is about reconnecting with self. I lean into a sense of brokenness to inspire a new way of thinking beyond the challenging experiences which feel at the time, they set you back. I want to motivate listeners to continue looking forward and know their value in relationships and achieving life goals to be the best version of themselves. Healing Songs is a project I worked on with Cash Green earlier this year. Cash produced the music in his new studio space ‘Green Rooms’ co-owned with Lui Peng - I’ve really enjoyed working with them both as we’ve made the vision of this E.P a reality. This leads me to my favourite song on the E.P: Reality. The track was selected by Melita

Denett on BBC Introducing recently and we are sure this one is going to be the best received.

You have performed at several venues across Brighton, was this on your own or in a collaborative way?

It’s mostly been in a collaborative way. I know that when I play with other people, I feel really inspired. I like to vary my accompaniment depending on the venue and mood of the set. Getting on stage though, it’s a funny one, you essentially don’t really know what’s about to happen. You DO KNOW because you’ve practised but the performance is very much dependent on your ability to let go in front of x amount of people. It’s a moment of pure magic so it’s the best when you can share that. A highlight for me this year is when I performed with a pianist at All Saints Hove Church supporting the Soul City Choir (as you can imagine the reverb was stunning). I’ve never sung in such a big venue.

Tell us about your vocal training and music classes?

I attended Shana Goldmans Stage School, as it was called then, between the ages of 5 - 9. There I practised dance, drama and singing which certainly encouraged me to be expressive as growing up I was quite shy. I found a love for singing, in particular learning how to control breath and use arpeggios and scales to expand range. This familiarity would be so useful down the line.

At school there was this ‘movie moment’ which incentivised studying Music at GCSE and AS level. I recall playing piano and singing to a couple of friends in a practice room only when I finished, my music teacher and class were applauding me. This was concrete evidence that I did have something, and it wasn’t just my family saying so. GCSE introduced me to not only the greats e.g Jeff Buckly and Chopin but opened the door to all things music theory. From then on, I started writing, composing and listening to music beyond my years. I studied at BIMM university in Bristol and after years of looking for ‘my sound’, I found I had always had what I was looking for. The gift of feeling every emotion so deeply and making something beautiful from what I used to consider painful and before was running away from. Now, I continue to develop my skills with my two mentors who help me to expand my composition techniques and keep me accountable for goal setting.

Where have you performed and what are your memorable moments?

I have performed a lot in different venues in the UK and Australia where I lived for a few years as well

In this issue, we sit down with rising local talent Tash Breeze, a dynamic vocalist and composer, as she opens up about her journey of crafting her unique sound and evolving style. With the highly anticipated release of her debut track Healing, Tash reflects on the influences and experiences that have shaped her music over the years.

as at weddings and in healthcare settings. I would say making music with young adults and children as well as singing to people with dementia and those who are severely disabled, is really special. I connect with them in a unique way, offering them the opportunity to escape from their day to day reality and be really in the moment with me.

One of my most memorable moments was in March this year at The Rosehill. I supported Saied Silbak and Ana Silvera who played a beautiful selection of songs in Arabic in aid of Palestine. Despite not understanding the language, I felt an incredibly emotional attachment to the music. There I was reminded of the incredible power of music.

What are your future plans with music production and events?

This year I am releasing all the music I’ve been working on. I’m so excited to be out in the world as someone who has a voice and mission to heal. I plan to be much more active on social media and continue to work with new projects in London where I’ll be residing for the most part. Collaborating with others means more projects, giving me the experience in both professional and commercial platforms.

I have two gigs in London coming up, my plan is to essentially sing in as many venues as possible to get my name out there and widespread reputation. I’m keen to develop my keys playing too so I can accompany myself more often.

Any advice for aspiring musicians?

One thing I wanted to add is advice to anyone looking to improve their confidence in their desired creative industry. Earlier this year, I worked with SOHO house and the Creative Mentor Network where I had a mentor for 16 weeks which skyrocketed my career path in the direction I’ve always wanted. I had so much support in the areas I lacked before which was mainly, being around people who were my age, in a similar position and this really is everything when you feel like you’re standing at the bottom of the mountain looking up unsure how to start the climb.

I know now that it’s little and often practise with a creative gift. I would say to any aspiring musician to get familiar with a style of music that you love, get to a jam session or open mic and begin to get comfortable in the space. Until you’re at the point where you’re ready to join in, having an open mindset and approaching situations with curiosity, will get you where you want to be.

E P I C R E C I P E S

Spooky Sweet Potato and Black Bean Curry

Serves: 4

Time to make: 45 mins

Difficulty: 4/10

This Spooky Sweet Potato and Black Bean Curry is a frightfully delicious vegan dish, perfect for Halloween night. With its vibrant orange sweet potatoes and dark black beans, it brings both flavour and festive colour to the table. Packed with warming spices and a hint of coconut creaminess, this is a hearty dish that will satisfy any hungry ghost or goblin!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

• 1 can (400g) black beans, drained and rinsed

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 tablespoon curry powder

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)

• 1 can (400ml) coconut milk

• 1 can (400g) diced tomatoes

• 1 cup vegetable broth

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish

• Toasted pumpkin seeds, for garnish (optional)

• Cooked rice or naan, to serve

DIRECTIONS:

1. Sauté the Base: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic, sautéing until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes.

2. Add Spices and Sweet Potatoes: Stir in the curry powder, smoked paprika, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper. Cook for another minute until the spices are aromatic. Add the cubed sweet potatoes and stir to coat them in the spices.

3. Simmer the Curry: Pour in the coconut milk, diced tomatoes, and vegetable broth. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are tender. Stir in the black beans and cook for another 5 minutes.

4. Pressure Cook: Secure the lid of the Instant Pot and set it to cook under high pressure for 45 minutes. After cooking, allow the pressure to release naturally.

5. Season and Serve: Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle the curry into bowls, garnishing with chopped cilantro and toasted pumpkin seeds for a spooky twist. Serve hot with rice or naan bread, perfect for soaking up all that delicious curry goodness.

This vegan curry, with its vibrant orange and black colours, is perfect for Halloween night! It’s comforting, satisfying, and just the right amount of spooky to keep things festive.

1,2,3 &Flow: The Art of Progressing Gracefully.

Ever notice how life insists on that middle phase?

Whether it’s baking a cake, climbing the corporate ladder, or even just getting out of bed in the morning, there’s always a process. And no, you can’t just leap from the beginning to the final glorious outcome. I’m here to tell you why.

You see, in ancient wisdom, there’s this little trio called tamas, rajas, and sattva. Fancy terms, right? But don’t worry, I’m going to simplify it. Think of them as different energies we all have at different times, like a spectrum. And here’s the kicker: you can’t just live in one of them. You need a bit of each to move forward. It’s like trying to build a sandwich without the filling—you need all the ingredients for the full flavour.

1. The Couch Potato (Tamasic state)

Let’s start with the tamas phase, which even the best of us have experienced: the lazy, unmotivated, “I’ll do it tomorrow” stage. We’ve all been there,binging on Netflix, devouring pizza like it’s a competitive sport. It’s tamas in all its glory, and you know what? That’s okay. Embrace it.

Be kind to yourself. After all, Tamas is just as much a part of the journey as the rest. You’re laying the groundwork —however horizontal that may be.

2. The Stirring of the Pot (Rajasic state)

Then comes the rajasic phase, where things start to heat up. This is when you’re finally tired of feeling tired. You throw some veggies on that pizza, maybe even sign up for a yoga class you might actually attend. It’s the bridge between tamas and something a little more active—the spark that says, “Hey, maybe I don’t want to live on the couch forever.”

But here’s the thing: you don’t have to ditch your old habits overnight. Trying to jump straight from tamas to sattva (let’s call it “the Perfect Health Unicorn”) will only end in tears, tantrums, and possibly some late-night snack runs. The rajas phase is where you learn to balance—dabble in the healthy stuff while still enjoying a little indulgence. It’s like adding a salad to your burger order. Progress!

3. Smoothie Sailing (Sattvic state)

Finally, we reach sattvic phase, the place of balance and bliss. This is where the magic happens—the junk food cravings fade, the yoga mat becomes your friend, and you start to feel pretty darn good. But remember, you’re here because you allowed the previous phases to do their job.

Skipping them would be like jumping into the deep end without learning to swim first. Sattva is the result of respecting the process, letting things evolve naturally.

The Moral of the Story: Don’t Rush the Process

The truth is, these phases are part of everything. Trying to shed a few pounds? Don’t go from fast food to raw kale overnight. Your body—and your sanity—will revolt. Want to get fit? Start with gentle movement before attempting to run a marathon. Each phase has its place, its purpose, and its lesson.

In the end, it’s not about perfection; it’s about progression. So, don’t rush the process. Appreciate where you are, even if it’s sprawled out on the couch with a bag of crisps. It’s all part of the journey to balance, where nachos and nirvana live in perfect harmony.

So, the next time you’re tempted to skip ahead, remember: 2 is also a magic number. Slow down, savour the process, and let each phase lead you smoothly to where you’re meant to be. Who knew life’s secrets could be so simple? And delicious.

Embrace where you are, step forward with ease, and let balance find you—each phase is vital and cannot be rushed.

TV GUIDE

INDUSTRY

TUES 1 OCT

BBC ONE / iPLAYER

Set in the shady world of finance, this is being touted as the UK and Gen-Z’s answer to Succession. Arguably the most cynically brilliant series you’ll watch this year, it asks some pertinent questions around people’s motivations and global capitalism.

This third season continues to follow a group of young bankers, as they navigate the pressure cooker environment of international bank Pierpoint & Co’s London office. the show has proven a hit on both sides of the Atlantic. As their company looks to the future, it begins to delve into ethical investing. Suddenly our antiheroes find themselves in a deal which goes up to the highest levels of finance, media and government.

THE WALKING DEAD: DARYL DIXON

FRI 4 OCT

SKY MAX

Last season promised some Daryl and Carol action, and there was plenty of fun with Daryl, but nowhere near enough Carol. But this new season of the Walking Dead franchise promises to set right this oversight.

We last saw Daryl, wearing his familiar biker apparel, navigating France during the zombie apocalypse. He’s taken a mysterious young man under his wing, while fending off the dark forces seeking to destroy both him and the hope-filled community he’s become part of. Meanwhile, back in America, Carol has started to piece together the mystery of her friend’s disappearance. Will she follow him on the perilous trip across the Atlantic, or will she become stuck over a barrel?

TOMB RAIDER: THE LEGEND OF LARA CROFT

THURS 10 OCT NETFLIX

Picking up after the events of the highly successful Tomb Raider Survivor video game trilogy, this animated adventure plunges our plucky protagonist into a new set of escapades. More than 25 years after her first appearance, Croft (voiced by Hayley Atwell) continues to explore ancient mysteries and uncover lost truths across breathtaking and dangerous destinations.

The disappearance of a dangerous and powerful Chinese artefact from her home reveals an uncanny personal connection to the thief. The pursuit takes her around the world and to the depths of forgotten tombs, where she will be forced to confront her true self and decide just what kind of hero she wants to become.

SHRINKING

WEDS 16 OCT

APPLE TV+

This smash hit comedy starring Harrison Ford and Jason Segel continues to follow a therapist grieving after his wife’s death. With his life thrown into turmoil, Jimmy Laird begins to inadvertently change his patients’ lives. By utilising different approaches to caring for them. Unfortunately, this sometimes involves breaking the rules and telling his clients exactly what he thinks. Ignoring his training and ethics, he finds himself making huge, tumultuous changes to people’s lives … including his own.

The product is a show which is engaging, touching and often hilarious. Now, we start to see the ramifications of the characters’ decisions, and there’s quite a few relationships which are starting to feel the strain.

THE DEVIL’S HOUR

FRI 18 OCT

PRIME VIDEO

The new season of this critically acclaimed drama continues the story of Lucy Chambers (Jessica Raine) - a woman caught up in the hunt for serial killer Gideon (Peter Capaldi) in ways she never could imagine. We start to uncover Gideon’s true intentions are finally revealed, as he attempts to involve Lucy in his mission to stop an elusive force of evil. Simultaneously a sequel and a prequel to the first chapter, expect nothing but the unexpected…

Meanwhile, Isaac (Benjamin Chivers) is discovering new emotions struggling to find balance in a reality which rejects his existence. Fresh mysteries unfold as our stories converge on one explosive moment that will change the fate of our characters for the rest of their everrecurring lives.

THE DEVIL’S HOUR

TOMB RAIDER: THE LEGEND OF LARA CROFT

RIVALS

FRI 18 OCT

DISNEY+

Back in the dark ages, before Fifty Shades wasn’t a thing and the internet was yet to be available to the public, your mum and nan would find their thrills in the tumultuous world of Jilly Cooper novels. Now, one of he most famous books is getting a lavish TV adaptation. Set against the backdrop of the drama, excess, and shocking antics of the power-grabbing social elite of 1980s England.

An all-star cast includes Emily Atack (The Inbetweeners), Catriona Chandler (Pistol, Enola Holmes 2), Oliver Chris (The Crown, Trying), Danny Dyer, Rufus Jones (W1A, Home), Lisa McGrillis (Maternal, Mum) and David Tennant, Aidan Turner and Nafessa Williams – as we descend headfirst into the ruthless and clangorous environment of independent television.

THE FRANCHISE

MON 21 OCT

SKY ATLANTIC

With a pilot episode directed by Sam Mendes, this brand-new comedy series follows the crew of an unloved franchise movie fighting for their place in a savage and unruly cinematic universe. Starring Himesh Patel, Aya Cash, Jessica Hynes, Billy Magnussen and Lolly Adefope as Dag, it also features guest spots from Richard E. Grant and Daniel Brühl as Eric.

An inventive take on the lumbering blockbusters crushing the life out of our cinema, this hilarious new show shines a light on the secret chaos inside the world of superhero moviemaking, to ask the question… how exactly does the cinematic sausage get made? Because, if we’ve learned anything from Hollywood, every f**k-up has an origin story.

THE DIPLOMAT

THURS 31 OCT

NETFLIX

Everyone’s favourite show about an adopted Keri Russell (The Americans, Cocaine Bear) returns for more secrets, stately homes, treason and tea, in this political drama from Debora Cahn (The West Wing). A deadly explosion in the heart of London shatters US Ambassador Kate Wyler’s world. And her worst fears are only starting to unfold…

The attack which brought her to these shores didn’t come from a rival nation, but inside the British government. Her only real ally is her almost-ex-husband Hal Wyler (Rufus Sewell) –who is very much alive, and very much involved. She faces a fraught marriage, a complex dynamic with British Foreign Secretary Austin Dennison (David Gyasi), and a threatening visit from Vice President Grace Penn (Allison Janney).

THE DIPLOMAT RIVALS

FILM

JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX

FRI 4 OCT

Much of the DC cinematic universe has been a bit flaccid, offering nothing to an overstuffed superhero genre. A notable exception is the outings for this Academy Award-winning iteration of the infamous Batman nemesis. Joaquin Phoenix reprises his role as the titular psychopath, joined for the ride by Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener and Zazie Beetz. Todd Phillips (Road Trip, Old School) also returns to direct this unsettling and thoughtprovoking slab of comic book nihilism.

Arthur Fleck is institutionalised at Arkham Asylum, awaiting trial for his crimes as the Joker. While struggling with his dual identity, he not only stumbles upon true love, but also finds the music that’s always been inside him.

WHITE BIRD

FRI 4 OCT

From the world of Wonder, which sparked a movement to ‘choose kind’, comes an inspirational next chapter. Struggling to fit in at his new school, after being expelled for his treatment of Auggie Pullman, Julian is visited by his grandmother. Marc Forster (Finding Neverland) directs Ariella Glaser, Orlando Schwerdt, Bryce Gheisar, with Gillian Anderson and Helen Mirren in this beautiful coming of age drama.

The young boy starts to become fascinated with, and then transformed by, the compassionate and heroic story of a woman’s attempts to escape Nazi-occupied France during WWII. What unfolds is a timeless tale, which encourages us to be brave and perhaps a little more empathic.

PIECE BY PIECE

FRI 11 OCT

I swear I’m not making this up. Coming to cinemas this month is an intimate journey through the life of megastar Pharrell Williams – presented in Lego. Directed by acclaimed documentary maker Morgan Neville (Best of Enemies, Won’t You Be My Neighbour?), Piece By Piece is a musical biopic which recreates global music icons like Williams, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Justin Timberlake, Missy Elliott, and Gwen Stefani as minifigures.

This unique cinematic experience invites audiences on a vibrant voyage through the life of a cultural phenomenon, backed by groundbreaking animation and (obviously) an absolutely booming soundtrack. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry and you’ll be inspired to spend a small fortune on a plastic brick building toy.

GUIDE

SALEM’S LOT

FRI 11 OCT

It must be Halloween soon, because these months film releases are getting increasingly scary. Based on the seminal Stephen King novel and written/directed by Gary Dauberman (Annabelle Comes Home, IT), this is a reboot of a stone-cold horror classic.

Starring Lewis Pullman, Makenzie, Oscar nominee Alfre Woodard and John Benjamin Hickey, this version is set back in 1975 when King’s story was first unleashed on the world. Haunted by an incident from his childhood, author Ben Mears returns to his hometown of Jerusalem’s Lot in search of inspiration for his next book, only to discover the town is being preyed upon by a bloodthirsty vampire and his loyal servant. Prepare to be terrified.

EXHIBITING FORGIVENESS

FRI 18 OCT

Tarrell (André Holland) is an admired American painter who lives with his wife, singer Aisha (Andra Day), and their young son, Jermaine. Tarrell’s artwork excavates beauty from the anguish of his youth, keeping past wounds at bay. His path to success is derailed by an unexpected visit from his estranged father, La’Ron (John Earl Jelks), a conscience-stricken man desperate to reconcile.

Tarrell’s mother, Joyce (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor) a pious woman with a profound and joyful spirituality, hopes that Tarrell can open his heart to forgiveness, giving them all another chance at being a family. Tarrell and La’Ron learn that forgetting might be a greater challenge than forgiving in this raw and deeply moving film.

SMILE 2

FRI 18 OCT

The film which petrified audiences in 2022 gets a sequel, further developing the story of an evil entity with the world’s most unsettling grin. But whose turn is it now to be stalked by this malevolent supernatural terror? How about a global pop starlet who is starting to spiral out of control? Splendid! Sign us up for that…

About to embark on a new world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) begins experiencing increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events. Overwhelmed by the escalating horrors and the pressures of fame, Skye is forced to face her dark past to regain control of her life before it spirals out of control.

NICKEL BOYS

FRI 25 OCT

Elwood Curtis’s college dream shatters alongside a two-lane Florida highway. Bearing the brunt of an innocent misstep, he’s sentenced to the netherworld of Nickel Academy, a brutal reformatory sunk deep in the Jim Crow South. Written by: RaMell Ross & Joslyn Barnes, and directed By RaMell Ross, this adapts the Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel.

He encounters another ward, the seen-itall Turner. The two Black teens strike up an alliance: Turner dispensing fundamental tips for survival, Elwood, clinging to his optimistic worldview. Backdropped by the burgeoning Civil Rights Movement, Elwood and Turner’s existence appear worlds away from Rev. Martin Luther King’s burnished oratory. Despite Nickel’s brutality, Elwood strives to hold onto his humanity, awakening a new vision for Turner.

JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX

© Isaac Szabo