Hello, Brighton & Hove!

The festival season is hitting top gear this weekend, with everything from family raves at Pryzm and a massive makers fair at the Engineerium to the Brighton Italian Festival’s big launch party. We’re also looking at the return of a legendary Grand Parade pub and the city’s oldest volunteer-run theatre’s latest show that opens this weekend.

Here’s what’s squawking this week: 

🎻 Five orchestral masterclasses from Sir Simon Rattle to Zimmer scores
🍺 The return of Hector’s Pub on Grand Parade
🎭 A dozen theatre shows from improv mysteries to 10-minute plays
🎉 Brighton Little Theatre celebrate its 800th production with Jane Eyre

🎭 Brighton Little Theatre

Hidden away right in the heart of the city is a volunteer-run theatre that has been a cornerstone of the local arts scene since 1940. It’s a non-profit where the passion for performance is palpable the moment you walk in. With just 71 seats, you’ll get a level of intimacy that the massive touring venues simply can’t match. They’re also big on opening doors, with open auditions, bursaries, and a youth theatre for anyone keen to get into the arts.

This week marks a massive milestone as they celebrate their 800th production with a bold reimagining of Jane Eyre for the Brighton Fringe. Rather than the dusty period-drama tropes you might expect, this adaptation by Polly Teale is raw and psychological, bringing Jane’s inner world to life with a sense of real urgency.

The building has an incredible history, having served as a chapel and an art school before the theatre company moved in during the war. Everything here is a true DIY effort, from the hand-built sets to the volunteers manning the licensed bar, proving that grassroots culture can still punch well above its weight.

If you’ve never stepped inside, this Fringe run is the perfect excuse to discover the space while supporting their ‘brick by brick’ fundraising campaign. Tickets tend to move fast due to the limited 71-seat capacity, with a few seats still available for the first showings this weekend, so it's worth booking early to ensure you don't miss out on one of the city's most authentic cultural spots.

📍 9 Clarence Gardens
🕒 Jane Eyre: 2:30pm and 7:30pm shows, 9-16 May
💰 £13 - £14
🔗 Book via the BLT website or Brighton Fringe

🍺 Hector’s Pub

After a decade as a chain bar, this historic Grand Parade site has finally returned to its roots under the name that made it famous. New owner, Ben Murray, is a Brighton local who had his first pint here back in the day and has resurrected the Hector’s name to bring back that proper independent pub feel. It manages to feel like a neighbourhood local despite being right in the heart of the city centre, and has been given a significant glow-up outside and in.

The interior mixes rustic wooden tables and intimate booths with a warm, industrial kind of energy. It’s a massive departure from the big-chain, corporate vibes of the previous tenants, Brewdog, focusing instead on being a very-Brighton hub for local artists and musicians. You’ll find great tunes on the playlist and a welcoming atmosphere with friendly staff that makes it very easy to end up staying late into the night.

For food, they’ve teamed up with LOVE's Pizza Co to dish out some of the best thin and crispy Romana slices in Brighton. They use Sussex produce where possible and offer a light, 48-hour fermented dough that’s also a big hit even with the gluten-free crowd. You can pair your slice with a pint from a rotating list of local breweries or a glass from their curated wine selection.

Whether you’re popping in for a midweek post-work pint or settling in for a weekend DJ set, it’s a spot that’s inclusive and fun for everyone. The staff are famously friendly as well, making it a great shout for every occasion, from a quiet solo drink to a big family get-together. It’s a welcome comeback for a venue that was much missed, especially as they’ve properly nailed everything from the fresh interior to the friendly service and the overall atmosphere.

📍 52-54 Grand Parade, Brighton
🕒 From 4pm, Mon-Tue and from 12pm, Wed-Sun
🔗 Visit their website & see the menu

Fri

🥁 Time Keeps The Drummer | 4:30pm-9:30pm, Fri @ Brighton Dome
A five-hour durational performance exploring the fluid nature of time through a child's perspective. More Info

🤣 Prateek Kohli: Denial | 5:30pm, Fri @ Komedia
A stand-up set tackling the everyday absurdities of living in India, the US, and the UK. More Info

🎺 Jazz at St Andrews: Chris Coull's Porgy and Bess | 5:30pm, Fri @ St Andrew's Church
A jazz quintet and vocalist perform a modern suite based on George Gershwin's classic score. More Info

🎭 Title Goes Here | 7pm, Fri and Sat @ The Lantern Theatre
Fast-paced unscripted improv comedy featuring a different local guest actor each night. More Info

🏳️‍🌈 In Conversation with Duncan Lustig-Prean | 7pm, Fri @ The Lantern Theatre
An informal discussion with the activist who led the campaign for LGBT people to serve in the Armed Forces. More Info

🎙️ Mania - The Abba Tribute | 7pm, Fri @ Brighton Open Air Theatre
A professional tribute production celebrating the musical hits and career of the Swedish pop icons. More Info

⚱️ Guess Boo — The Mystery of my Nan's Ashes | 7:15pm, Fri and Sat @ Spiegelgardens Wundabarn
A team of amateur mediums assists Mystic Smeg in an irreverent attempt to guess which celebrity is in the urn. More Info

📖 Joelle Taylor: Maryville | 7:30pm, Fri @ Brighton Dome
A staged reading of a new poetry collection exploring lesbian counterculture over the last fifty years. More Info

🎭 Great Adaptations | 7:30pm, Fri and 2:30pm and 7:30pm, Sat @ The Barn Theatre
A fully costumed production featuring songs and choruses from musical theatre and opera adapted from literary masterpieces. More Info

✨ Komedia Comedy Club | 8pm, Fri @ Komedia
A stand-up showcase featuring three professional acts and an experienced compere at a leading local venue. More Info

🎹 Cirque Du Piano | 8:30pm, Fri @ St Paul's Church
An experimental performance featuring three pianists performing rarely heard music on a single piano. More Info

👑 Beaverhausen | 8:30pm, Fri @ Komedia
A queer drag king performance celebrating camp culture through high-energy comedy and character work. More Info

🎪 Neddy Goes To Glasto | 9pm, Fri, Sat and Sun @ The Lantern Theatre
A high-voltage one-woman show exploring grief, sisterhood, and the magic of Glastonbury festival. More Info

🔞 Paul Savage: Big Naked Comedy Show | 11pm, Fri and Sat @ Artista
A late-night stand-up event featuring comedians performing uncensored routines without any clothes. More Info

💨 Vapists! | 11pm, Fri and Sun @ The Lantern Theatre
A sharp satire about two city brokers navigating the system and their own hidden identities. More Info

Sat

🕵️ The Comedy Experiment | 4pm, Sat @ Caroline of Brunswick
Afternoon comedy featuring a famous TV guest testing out brand new material. More Info

🌍 Fab Goualin | 5pm, Sat @ Artista
A storyteller with a sharp eye for the absurd blends nationality-based observations with cultural anecdotes. More Info

🕯️ Einaudi’s Piano by Candlelight | 6pm, Sat @ St Paul's Church
A multi-sensory musical show inspired by the meditative piano pieces of Ludovico Einaudi. More Info

😈 Lucifer on Tour | 6pm, Sat and Sun @ Brighton Palace Pier
A seductive and hilariously original one-devil extravaganza about the figure of the fallen angel. More Info

☀️ Alex Prescot: Cosy | 6:30pm, Sat @ Artista
A warm and fuzzy blend of joyful musical comedy and quick-witted improvisation. More Info

🕯️ Candlelight: Fleetwood Mac | 7pm, Sat @ Royal Pavilion
A tribute to the legends of rock performed by a string quartet in a candlelit palace. More Info

🤣 A Man Went Into A Shop To Buy A Face | 6:30pm, Sat @ Presuming Ed
Jimmy Ennis delivers a debut hour show based on a family joke setup 41 years in the making. More Info

👠 Ladyboys of Bangkok: Full Moon | 7pm, Sat and Sun @ Sabai Pavilion
A dazzling celebration of life and illusion featuring tropical rhythms under the silver Thai sky. More Info

Sun

🎨 Liz Pichon: Tom Gates 15th Anniversary | 2pm, Sun @ Brighton Dome
The bestselling author celebrates 15 years of Tom Gates with drawing, games, and storytelling. More Info

🕺 Gen X Gen Z | 4pm, Sun @ Brighton Dome
A show about parenting where parent and child catch up on family politics and decades of raving. More Info

🤔 Lawrence Dodd: This Can't Be It | 6:30pm, Sun @ Presuming Ed
A powerful and urgent quest to make sense of everything that is guaranteed to be different every night. More Info

🎷 Betty Accorsy Jazz Quartet | 7pm, Sun @ Brighton Palace Pier
An evening of contemporary jazz combining live music with iconic seafront views. More Info

🎤 Dane Baptiste | 8pm, Sun @ Artista
Unfiltered and sharp wit from the first Black British act nominated for an Edinburgh Comedy Award. More Info

💨 Biscuit Barrel: The 69-Sketch Show | 8:30pm, Sun @ Komedia
The UK's fastest sketch show returns with 69 sketches crammed into one high-speed hour. More Info

Live Music

girli | Resident Music | Fri, May 8 
The Cuban Brothers | Concorde 2 | Fri, May 8
Flamenco Express | The Brunswick | Fri, May 8 
Reggie Watts | Patterns | Fri, May 8 
Pictish Trail + Krumpets | Alphabet | Fri, May 8 
Lucy Spraggan | Quarters | Fri, May 8
Youth Killed It | Prince Albert | Fri, May 8

Michael McGovern | Folklore Rooms | Sat, May 9 
Withered Hand | Prince Albert | Sat, May 9
Toots and the Maytals | Chalk | Sat, May 9 
Big Boss Man | Hope & Ruin | Sat, May 9
Poly Math | Dust | Sat, May 9 

Kindred Spirits Festival | Concorde 2 | Sun, May 10 
The Music Of George Harrison | Komedia | Sun, May 10 
Sean Rowe | The Green Door Store | Sun, May 10
Lucrecia Dalt | Chalk | Sun, May 10
Shakespeare's Sisters | Brighton Dome | Sun, May 10 

🏏 Brighton & Hove Crescent CC - Players Wanted!

Friendly, long-established cricket club seeking players of all ages and abilities. Qualified coaches, quality practice nets, and a great social scene. Enjoy our lovely home ground (BN1 8UB) and idyllic away fixtures across Sussex.

Contact: www.pitchero.com/clubs/brightonandhovecrescent