Ten things to see in West Sussex, Friday to Thursday, January 18-24
1. Sandi Toksvig Live. National Trevor.
Friday, January 18, 7.30pm, tickets from £10, Chichester Festival Theatre, www.cft.org.uk. Sandi Toksvig is on tour with her new, one-woman comedy show. A spokesperson said: “Sandi realises some people harbour an ambition to be a National Treasure but following a misunderstanding with a friend she has decided instead to become a National Trevor – half misprint, half Danish comedian, novelist, actor and broadcaster. Expect tall stories, fascinatingly funny facts, really silly jokes, a quick fire Q&A and a quiz.”
2. Red Butler Acoustic Trio.
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Hide AdFriday, January 18, £15, 7.45pm, The Hawth studio, Crawley, 01293 553636. With Danny Kyle. This is a rare opportunity to see the award-winning Red Butler in a three-piece, acoustic line-up. The blues musicians, who are all under 25 years old, have toured the UK and Europe with their full band and have produced two successful full-length albums, as well as two EPs. Alex Butler and Dan Spellman have supported many high profile acts as an acoustic duo (including Aynsley Lister at The Hawth), which lets them explore the more melodic side of their music. The addition of Charlie on cajon also gives their sound a whole new dimension.
3. Romesh Ranganathan. Work in progress.
Sunday, January 20, 7.45pm, £11.50, The Hawth studio, Crawley, 01293 553636. Join Romesh as he tries out some new material. The stand-up was once a maths teacher, but made his comedy circuit debut in 2010, becoming one of British comedy’s brightest stars. His Edinburgh shows, Rom Com and Rom Wasn’t Built In a Day, were nominated for the Edinburgh Foster’s Best Newcomer Award 2013 and Best Show Award 2014. In 2015 his BBC series Asian Provocateur was nominated for a BAFTA.
4. The Magic of Motown.
Saturday, January 19, 7.30pm, £27.50, The Capitol Theatre, Horsham, 01403 750220. Seen by more than a million people, the Magic of Motown is one of the biggest success stories in British theatre history, even performing for Her Majesty the Queen, as special guests at the Royal Variety Performance. Audiences can expect 40 back-to-back classic Motown hits, glittering costume changes, dazzling dance moves and outstanding musicianship. A spokesperson said: “Celebrate the sound of a generation as the timeless songs of Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, The Supremes, The Four Tops, Jackson 5, Smokey Robinson and more are sensationally recreated for you.”
5. The Book of Genesis.
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Hide AdSaturday, January 19, 8pm, £20, Clair Hall, Haywards Heath, clairhall.org, 01444 455440. Genesis fans can celebrate the hugely influential progressive rock band at this faithful tribute concert. The Book of Genesis are based in the UK and recreate the group’s 1970s era complete with period musical instruments, fabulous costumes, an animated slideshow and atmospheric synchronised lighting. It’s a packed three-hour show featuring the band’s best songs.
6. The Full Monty.
The Play by Simon Beaufoy. Monday to Saturday, January 21-26, 7.30pm (2.30pm matinees Thursday and Saturday), Theatre Royal Brighton, 0844 871 7650. Simon Beaufoy’s hilarious stage show is based on the hit 1997 movie. The all-star cast will be led by Gary Lucy (Hollyoaks, EastEnders, and winner of Dancing On Ice) as Gaz, along with Andrew Dunn (Dinnerladies, Bremner) as Gerald, Louis Emerick (Coronation Street, Benidorm) as Horse, Joe Gill (Emmerdale) as Lomper, Kai Owen (Torchwood, Hollyoaks) as Dave and James Redmond (Hollyoaks, Casualty) as Guy. It also stars Liz Carney as Jean, Amy Thompson as Mandy, Bryonie Pritchard as Linda and Keeley Fitzgerald as Sharon, as well as Andrew Ashford, Stephen Donald, Alex Frost, Fraser Kelly and Lee Toomes.
7. The Upbeat Beatles.
Tuesday, January 22, £23, 7.30pm, The Hawth Theatre, Crawley, 01293 553636. A spokesperson said: “It’s 1963 and a new band is taking the country by storm, playing a mixture of blues, Motown and rock ’n’ roll. With the songs that changed a generation, this show will have you tapping your feet from the opening bars and screaming like you did (or would have) in 1963.”
8. Little Star.
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Hide AdJanuary 23, £6, 11am, 1pm and 2.30pm, The Hawth studio, Crawley, 01293 553636. This is a star lit production for babies.
A spokesperson said: “Meet Little Star as she swings from shooting stars, slides down crescent moons and bounces on fluffy clouds. The combination of puppetry, music, captivating visuals and an intimate, relaxed setting makes this the perfect first theatre experiences for babies aged six to 18 months.” The show is 25-30 minutes with 10 minutes of playtime. The audience will be sat on cushions and mats.
9. Purple Zeppelin.
Wednesday, January 23, 7.30pm, £19 (£21 on door), 7.30pm, The Hawth Theatre, Crawley, 01293 553636. Spokeswoman Lorraine McGregor said: “Featured in the BBC TV documentary The Joy of the Guitar Riff (alongside Brian May, Tony Iommi and Dave Grohl) Purple Zeppelin are proud to pay tribute to the two greatest Rock Bands of all time – Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin. Many years have passed since the last UK gigs from the classic line-ups of both bands. Whether you were lucky enough to have seen the originals live or not, Purple Zeppelin will take you back to the magic, the excitement and the sheer raw energy generated by those incredible musicians.” The gig is over two hours with costume changes for each band and more than 30 classic tunes.
10. Keith James – The Songs of Leonard Cohen.
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Hide AdJanuary 24, 7.30pm, £16, The Capitol, Horsham, 01403 750220. Keith James has performed an extensive tour of this concert in theatres and arts centres across the UK, giving close to 400 concerts to more than 100,000 people. Included are the songs ‘Famous Blue Raincoat’, ‘Sisters of Mercy’, ‘Suzanne’ and ‘Hallelujah’ alongside Leonard Cohen’s rarer writing such as ‘Who by Fire’, ‘Joan of Arc’ and ‘Secret Life’.
Four of the best family-friendly events in West Sussex. Click here to read more.