BN1 MAGAZINE MARCH 2020

BN1 MAGAZINE

THE GUIDE TO BRIGHTON & HOVE MARCH 2020

INSIDE:

JAYDE ADAMS

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY DAVID BADDIEL

PORRIDGE RADIO

LEMN SISSAY WOMEN'S BHAFC

Your Music Career Starts Here Join the most exciting industry in the world bimm.ac.uk/brighton/open-days

bimm.ac.uk/brighton

2020

22/23/24/25 APRIL 2020 BRIGHTON i360 + VENUES

CONFIRMED SPEAKERS & ARTISTS FOR #BMC20

ORBITAL / FATBOY SLIM SAM DIVINE / DERRICK MAY CARL COX / DARIUS SYROSSIAN DANNY HOWARD / TIMO MASS DJ RAP / NERVOUS RECORDS ACS / AFEM / ALISHA / AIM / ARMADA / ANTONY PAPPA / ASHLEY HOWARD / BEATPORT / BERLIN / BIMM / BRADLEY GUNN RAVER / BRANDON BLOCK / CARL LOBEN / CARLY WILFORD / CAVENDISH / CHINTPUNTO / CHRIS GOSS / CLOCKWORK ORANGE / DAMIAN FELL / DANNY SAVAGE / DATA TRANSMISSION / DEAN MARSH / DEEZER / DEVSTAR / DJ GROWTH LAB / DJ MAG / DJ RAE / DJ RAVINE / EDUCATION & BASS / ENDOR / FUTURE MUSIC / GLASGOW UNDERGROUND / GOLDIEROCKS / GRAHAME FARMER / GREG MARSHALL / HARRIET JAXXON / HELP MUSICIANS UK / HOSPITAL RECORDS / ICONIC UNDERGROUND MAGAZINE / IDENTIFICATION OF MUSIC / INNER FLOW ZONE / INSTAGRAM / JAY FOSTER / JIMPSTER / JUDGE JULES / JUMPIN JACK FROST / KEEP HUSH / KEVIN MCKAY / LATMUN / LEFTWING : KODY / LEON SWICH / LOOPMASTERS / MATT KING / MICHAEL KILL / MONOKROME MUSIC / NIKKI MCNEILL / NOLAN / NTIA / NURVE / PHUTEK / PIONEER DJ / PLUGIN BOUTIQUE / POINT BLANK / PRS FOR MUSIC / RAZE / RIDNEY / ROBBIE MURCH / ROBERT LUIS / RODRIGUEZ JR. / SAM DEVINE / SEB FONTAINE / SHOGUN AUDIO / SKIDDLE / SKINT / STEVE MAC / STEVEN BRAINES / STUART KNIGHT / SYMPHONIC / TALL PAUL / TERRY FRANCIS / TERRY WEERASINGHE / TOOLROOM / TONI TAMBOURINE / TRANSMAT / TRANSPARENT SOUND / TRISTAN HUNT / TRU THOUGHTS / ULTRA RECORDS / WAX WORX / WAZE & ODYSSEY PLUS MANY MORE

BRIGHTON MUSIC CONFERENCE.CO.UK WHERE BEATS MEAN BUSINESS

Welcome to the March edition of BN1 Magazine...

This month brings International Women’s Day on Sun 8 March. Invariably, the question arises of when International Men’s Day is. Obviously, it’s on Thurs 19 Nov, along with every other day. Sexism certainly runs in both directions, but culturally and historically, it’s women who have come off worse. From the gender pay gap and the media’s side-lining of older women, to outright oppression and sexual exploitation. Just in business, amongst the FTSE 100 companies, CEOs are more likely to be called Steve than be a woman.

International Women’s Day isn’t about class, quotas, virtue signalling or silently sympathising. It’s about equality and celebrating female-led endeavours, amongst a society which struggles to offer a level playing field. It’s intended to be inclusive, so you don’t have to be a woman to celebrate it, or have it impact your life. It’s simple to evaluate behaviour or attitudes presented by you and your friends and may take a small step in addressing some toxic imbalances. From office cultures to social circles, there are still ways in which nearly all of us can improve.

Be better. I know I can.

NEWSDESK/ GENERAL ENQUIRIES: BN1 MAGAZINE Unit 28, Floor 6, New England House, New England Street, Brighton, BN1 4GH 01273 022991 info@bn1magazine.co.uk

EDITOR IN CHIEF: Chris Sadler chris@bn1magazine.co.uk EDITOR: Stuart Rolt stuart@bn1magazine.co.uk SUB EDITOR: Thom Punton MARKETING & SALES: sales@bn1magazine.co.uk Louisa Streeting

CONTRIBUTORS: Charlotte Beldham / Louisa Streeting / Simon Lightfoot / Thom Punton / William Clay / Lucy Stoyles / Kahina Bouhassane Gemma Roberts / Stuart Rolt / Elizabeth Rosenberg / Hugh Finzel / Grace Keppel COVER: JAYDE ADAMS

Internships and Job opportunities: Want to become part of the BN1 Magazine team, gain valuable media skills or submit articles, content and images?

Various internships are available for local writers, photographers, marketing, sales, creative types and enthusiasts to join Brighton’s leading culture and events magazine! Just email your CV and a little about yourself to: info@bn1magazine.co.uk

Book Powerful Print and Digital publicity campaigns with BN1 Magazine: 1) Convenient size and very accessible across the city 2) Engaged and captivated audience of readers & followers 3) A physical and tangible medium that people keep 4) A direct impact on the local community

WE WILL HELP YOU GET YOUR EVENT, BUSINESS OR BRAND IN FRONT OF TENS OF THOUSANDS ACROSS BRIGHTON & HOVE! BN1 Magazine is firmly established as the main culture and events guide for Brighton & Hove, distributed in hundreds of venues and prominent stands every month.

Promote your business or event in BN1 Magazine with a tailored campaign to suit all budgets through our print and digital strategies. Contact one of our team today on 01273 022991 or message: sales@bn1magazine.co.uk to find out how we can help you stand out from the crowd.

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All rights reserved including rights of reproduction and use in any form or by any means, including the making of copies by any photo process or by any electronic or mechanical device (printed, written or oral), unless permission in writing is obtained from the copyright proprietor. All textual content, design graphics, images and specific photographs used in the magazine are copyright © BN1 Media Ltd 2019.

BN1 Magazine has taken every reasonable care to ensure the information contained within this periodical is accurate on the date of publication. It is advisable that you verify any information before relying upon it. BN1 Magazine accepts no responsibility for the consequences of error or for any damage or loss suffered by users of the information, materials or third parties featured within this magazine.

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News

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Climate Justice

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Mother’s Day guide

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WIN! Vineyard tour

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Impactful women of Brighton

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Porridge Radio

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Music previews

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David Baddiel

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Comedy previews

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Jayde Adams

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Lemn Sissay

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Clinton Baptiste

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Theatre Previews

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Women at the Fringe

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Caroline Lucas interview

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TV & Film guide

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Spring into Action

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Brighton & Hove Albion WFC

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Sports news

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The Salt Room review

42

640 East review

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The Quadrant

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Casa Azul review

45

Poetry Corner

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Crossword

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Nicola Adams, Photo © by Anita Corbin

NEWS

100 FIRST WOMEN PORTRAITS

UNTIL SUN 7 JUNE AT BRIGHTON MUSEUM & ART GALLERY Photographer Anita Corbin has collected 100 striking portraits of pioneering women of the 21st century for a major new exhibition at Brighton Museum & Art Gallery.

100 First Women Portraits is the culmination of her 10year personal mission to capture the portraits of modern female trailblazers.

Corbin has spent over 40 years behind the lens and has travelled across the country to capture portraits of remarkable women who have each broken down barriers and changed the world. Her visually arresting and thought-provoking exhibition features images of celebrities, famous personalities and unsung heroines from across the decades – ranging from Seventies rocker Suzi Quatro to Olympian Boxer, Nicola Adams, newscaster and Morecambe & Wise star-turn, Angela Rippon to writer and comedienne, Jenny Éclair - through to ‘ordinary women’ doing extraordinary jobs and achieving firsts in their fields.

To celebrate the exhibition there will be a series of talks and events open to the public, exploring several stories of the show’s subjects and other ground-breaking women in history.

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DESIGN BRIGHTON WEDS 1 - SAT 4 APRIL VENUES ACROSS BRIGHTON

An exciting new urban design festival is coming to the South Coast. Design Brighton will feature panel discussions, workshops, films, networking and Brighton's first Urban Room. The event seeks to collectively explore and celebrate revolutionary urban design and examine the role we all play in shaping, defining and rejuvenating our environment.

Design Brighton seeks to bring Greater Brighton to the attention of a global audience who share a passion for meeting ever-changing urban needs.

The programme includes an exhibition focussing on the history of urban design and the challenges faced by cities across the world, networking events, showcases of innovative local companies and educational sessions. www.designbrighton.org

BRIGHTON'S i360 CELEBRATES INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY WITH SPECIAL GIG

DOC’N ROLL - THE UK’S MUSIC DOCUMENTARY FESTIVAL RETURNS

Photo © by James Beer Photography

FRI 6 MARCH // BRITISH AIRWAYS i360

A unique bass music show is coming to Brighton’s iconic Viewing tower, celebrating women in the music industry.

The South Coast’s Highest Bar will glide above the city, accompanied by the sounds of six-piece group, 24hr Garage Girls, SHOSH and Kiss FM drum & bass DJ, Mollie Collins.

WEDS 25 – SUN 29 MARCH DUKE OF YORK’S AND DUKE’S AT KOMEDIA

Returning for its fifth year, Doc'n Roll Film Festival brings a range of the best music documentaries to Brighton screens.

This year, it presents six works. Witnessing the birth of musical genres, charting the rise of protest movements, meeting rock legends and exploring a festival in the desert.

Doc'n Roll Film Festival is designed to dazzle music lovers, entertain documentary devotees and break down boundaries, shining a light on musical outliers and the innovators who have proved music is a universal language of hope and inclusion.

WHITE RIOT By © Syd Shelton

Ahead of International Women’s Day on Sun 8 March, the show highlights how dance music remains a maledominated industry, where women still fight hard for a place. Only 130 tickets are available for this intimate gig.

10% per cent of the revenue made will go towards The Brighton Women’s Centre.

BN1 MAGAZINE FRINGE BURSARY WINNERS:

LOCK DOWN

After some fierce competition, BN1 is pleased to announce their bursary winners for 2020. Lock Down is an original piece of verbatim theatre exploring the root causes of a rise in youth violence. The show’s research show was conducted with a youth offending team, Metropolitan Police and pupil referral units, helping create a work which is both well-informed and true.

Its cast has been drawn almost exclusively from the BAME community – all being performing arts students at Leyton Sixth Form College. This compelling production charts how knife crime appears entangled with social inequality, while seeking to provide a platform for marginalised voices. As it heads to Brighton Fringe, we’ll be talking more in the coming months about this engaging play, and speaking to its director, Katy Arnell.

1.3 | Folkestone Quarterhouse

5.5 | St George’s Church

Damien Jurado

Ezra Furman

5.3 I St. George’s Church

8.5 | Folkestone Quarterhouse

A Winged Victory For The Sullen

Richard Dawson 4.6 | Folkestone Quarterhouse

26.3 | The Rose Hill

Lau

HANYA 29.3 | The Hope & Ruin

Pictish Trail 4.4 | Westgate Chapel, Lewes

Alex Rex 2.5 I St Luke’s Church

The Handsome Family

13.6 | Folkestone Quarterhouse

British Sea Power ST GEORGE’S CHURCH EVENTS

27.03 | atom promotions presents

10cc’s Graham Gouldman & Heart Full of Songs 09.05 | Live Nation presents

Ward Thomas

2&3.5| Charleston, Firle, Lewes

Shirley Collins | Brian Catling | Matthew Shaw Tickets for shows are available from your local record shop, seetickets.com or the venue where possible.

meltingvinyl.co.uk

QUEER THE PIER TRACES LOCAL LGBTQ+ HERITAGE BRIGHTON MUSEUM & ART GALLERY UNTIL FEB 2022

GIVE A DINNER PARTY NEW PLATFORM PUTS THE FUN INTO FUNDRAISING

A charity fundraising platform is being launched this month to provide Brighton residents with the chance to support good causes and meet new people. Give A Dinner Party makes it easy to organise and sell tickets for mini charity fundraisers. This could be a dinner party, a movie night or even a barbecue. Events can take place anywhere – a home, a restaurant, an office, a pub or a community hall. As well as raising money for good causes, the developers hope it will also offer a way to combat loneliness and bring people together.

The platform will enable hosts to involve friends and family, and welcome new people with common interests.

Hosts can have the final say on who can come and can contact prospective guests via the website.

Give A Dinner Party is now allowing people to sign up as Founding Hosts and organise events, which will enable them to earn a lifetime share of the profits for their chosen charity. For more information, visit: www. giveadinnerparty.com

PIER2PIER BEACH CLEAN SUN 22 MARCH It’s time for us to do a spot of spring cleaning, and there is no reason why Brighton’s iconic beach should be left out. Pier2Pier organise fun and impactful beach cleans every month, with the aim of creating a cleaner city for everyone. Last year, they encouraged around 2,000 people to clear debris from the seafront and removed over 2,000kg of litter. On Sun 22 March they return with another fabulous silent disco session, meaning you can improve your environment while having a bop.

Tidying has never been so much fun. If you fancy making a difference, you can find more details at: www. pier2pierbeachclean.com

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Bringing together items from across Brighton & Hove’s rich history, Queer The Pier is a major new exhibition for Brighton Museum & Art Gallery. It celebrates the city’s ongoing reputation as a place where people of all genders, sexualities, social classes, ethnicities and religious beliefs have come to seek pleasure and liberation. The exhibition is a timely reminder that LGBTQ+ people have always been part of Brighton & Hove’s story.

Visitors can explore the selected experiences of local people from the last 200 years, beginning with a blackmail letter written in 1798 from a solicitor to an army captain, accused of propositioning another man on a coach to Dorking. Donated collections include ephemera from a range of LGBTQ+ community members, including the indictment of John Spershott, the last man to be hanged for buggery in 1835. By way of contrast, a photo of the Sussex Gay Liberation Front, protesting in front of the war memorial in 1973, is displayed alongside a selection of costumes and drag outfits belonging to local performers and activists.

ROCKET ARTISTS ANNOUNCE NEW EXHIBITION SAT 7 MARCH – SUN 26 APRIL PHOENIX GALLERY

A network of artists who face and challenge barriers, The Rockets collaborate around art, inclusion, learning and communication from dedicated, not-for-profit art studios in Brighton.

This Brighton-based collective has been researching and teaching what they do since 2002. This month they bring seven weeks of art, events and invitations to the landmark Phoenix Art Space.

Empowered by the mantra ‘‘No-one should tell you what to do in the gallery’, the programme will be packed with artists’ walks, durational curators, ‘meet the maker’ sessions, ‘thinking-through-doing’ workshops, collaborative happenings and Inclusive interventions.

This take-over, ‘Work in Progress: Towards Inclusion’, is an evolving exploration of the relationships between artists, audiences and gallery space. It invites you to choose from expanding weekly menus of art and activity, led by diverse artists with diverse practices for diverse audiences.

For more details, head to: www.rocketartists.co.uk

Photo By © Darren Amis

BRIGHTON TATTOO CONVENTION

SAT 2 - SUN 3 MAY / BRIGHTON CENTRE Packed with almost everything a body-art enthusiast could ever wish for, Brighton Tattoo Convention is rolling into town for a glorious 12th year. This event has steadily grown into a major event on the world tattoo calendar. Now taking place in the largest exhibition centre in the south, it welcomes over 300 world-class tattooists, scores of traders, exhibitions and thousands of visitors.

Amongst the extraordinary talent is Paris’ Eddie Czaicki, with an experimental take on traditional and neotraditional designs, and Ellis Arch from County Durham‘s Nemesis Tattoo bringing a selection of delicate work.

They’re joined by Merry Morgan from Bath’s Electric Vintage, whose attention to detail has made waves in the South West scene, and Schwarz from H.V.44 Tattoo Studio in Romania, who is known for incredible black and grey realism.

In addition to the cream of the planet’s tattoo artists, the convention offers a range of exciting parties, presentations, live music over the weekend, haircuts, seminars, art galleries, late bars, indoor food court, body modification room and so much more.

BRIGHTON MUSIC CONFERENCE RETURNS FOR 2020 WEDS 22 – SAT 25 APRIL / i360

Gathering industry leaders, world-class artists and the biggest names in technology, Brighton Music Conference returns next month. Based at the i360 on Brighton seafront, the event hosts over 60 talks, networking sessions, label showcases, seminars and workshops. Participants this year include Fatboy Slim, Sam Divine, Carl Cox, Danny Howard, Timo Maas, Darius Syrossian, Derrick May and DJ Rap. They’ll be discussing the biggest issues faced by the industry, offering advice and maybe spinning a dancefloor banger or two.

Bringing together leading delegates and speakers from the electronic music industry, there’s also a busy calendar of club events with world class talent at the city’s finest venues.

Over at the i360, the conference’s Tech Zone will showcase the scene’s best suppliers, technology companies, and service providers. There’s also two pro conference theatres, two Academy theatres, a networking hub and the pro meeting lounge all hosting demonstrations. If you’re an aspiring DJ, clubland heavyweight or an avid fan, this is the UK’s best opportunity to hear how dance music is continuing to evolve.

HOW WOMEN ARE TAKING THE LEAD ON CLIMATE JUSTICE

BY KAHINA BOUHASSANE

Women and the climate emergency may not seem like the most obvious theme for International Women’s Day, but it’s becoming clearer and clearer how these issues come together.

We’ve known for some time that climate change is largely caused by those of us with a certain amount of privilege.

The products that we consume in developed countries have huge repercussions for the rest of the world, from the water involved in making them to the high volumes of carbon released into our atmosphere when transporting them. But it is rarely those of us who live with these privileges that experience the consequences first-hand.

Instead, it is unfortunately those who are most vulnerable that suffer. Small communities of people who rely on nature find themselves starving when global warming leads to drought and crop failure. Across these different communities we are seeing women suffer, disproportionately affected by climate change.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature found that women are experiencing increased violence, and the UN have shown girls are missing out on school and being sent greater and greater distances to collect water as their environment continues to dry up. It’s from these unfair disadvantages that we can understand why dealing with the climate emergency in relation to gender inequality is so important.

It’s not just in far off countries that women are disproportionately affected. Globally, men are less likely to experience poverty than women, making it harder for women to recover from climate crises such as the huge increase in flooding across the UK. The UN figures tell us that 80% of people displaced by climate change are women. What’s more, it’s not getting any better.

The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report says: “Climate change could increase the annual cost of flooding in the UK almost 15-fold by the 2080s under high emission scenarios.”

Even in Brighton the effect of climate change on women is visible. Brighton Peace and Environment Centre’s Breathe in Brighton campaign plays a key part in tackling poor air quality. In Brighton and Hove this is essential, where 175 deaths are brought forward every year by air pollution.

Community education of air pollution is essential for all of our health as study after study has shown, yet there is one way in which it can be particularly devastating to women.

In 2019 a study from the University of Utah found that poor air quality is as bad as smoking in causing miscarriages in pregnant women, as well as increasing the risk of premature birth.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. It’s inspiring to see women across the world being the ones to take the lead on climate justice. From Greta Thunberg and female activists who have led the youth climate strikes, to Jane Fonda and elected politicians like Caroline Lucas, we are living in a time where it is easy to be inspired by female leadership in this climate emergency.

On a local level, at the Brighton Peace and Environment Centre, women are at the core of the fight against climate change. A system of flexible working hours has allowed women to become more involved than they might otherwise be able to.

Sociological studies have found that women routinely work a triple shift as they take on the brunt of emotional and domestic chores, as well as often working a full-time job. By not only encouraging flexibility in hours, but also facilitating job shares and part time roles, it has allowed women opportunities that might otherwise be prohibited by prior commitments or childcare.

BPEC isn’t just a centre for peace and the environment, crucially, it is also a centre of accessibility, with an all-female staff and a diverse board of trustees which gives all genders a say on how to tackle the issues that affect all of us.

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MOTHER'S DAY GUIDE

’ ee r F o G s m u M MAKE MOTHER’S DAY JAWSOME AT ‘ SEA LIFE BRIGHTON!

SEA LIFE Brighton will be gifting all Mums FREE entry for Mothering Sunday! Simply quote ‘Mums Go Free’ at admissions and gain entry to the World’s Oldest Aquarium!* At SEA LIFE Brighton you can enjoy over 5,500 creatures under one roof in the rainbow-lit Victorian Arcade, Rain Forest Adventure, Sea Stars, Secrets of the Reef and NEW Day & Night Ocean Tunnel Experience zones! Say hello to Lulu & Gulliver, the resident Green Sea Turtles, amongst many species of sharks and rays. Running until 19th April is ‘Jawsome Sharks’ in association with family favourite, Top Trumps.

Jawsome Sharks is an exciting immersive trail to meet marine creatures and help Professor Finn find the missing Top Trump to become a Jawsome Ranger. All guests have the opportunity to meet Professor Finn, learn cool creature facts and receive a special gift too! *Offer redeemable online and on the day at the centre, for online bookings please visit www.visitsealife.com/brighton/promotions and enter the above code. For on the day purchases at the centre simply quote ‘MumsGoFree’

BAKING FOR AFTERNOON TEA AT THE COMMUNITY KITCHEN If you’re looking for a hands-on activity for your family this year, why not give baking a go? On Mothering Sunday, The Community Kitchen is hosting a three-hour baking class from 10am until 1pm for those looking to create their very own afternoon tea selection. In this workshop you will work together as a family to bake a lemon or vanilla cupcake batter and make coloured buttercream icing. You’ll then create delicate pastry fruit tarts with custard filling. No matter what your experience, pastry chef Charlotte will be there to support you. Sit down to enjoy your creations alongside a savoury scone and dips made by Charlotte (with a recipe for you to take home). Tickets for this event are £34.99 per adult, and £9.99 per child (up to two children per adult, for those aged 7+). There are limited tickets available at a concession rate. www.bhfood.org.uk/events/mothers-day-baking-specialafternoon-tea

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GO ON A GIN JOURNEY ACROSS MULTIPLE VENUES Come and explore Brighton’s independent and trailblazing cocktail scene with Gin Journey. You will sip gin cocktails and tasters as your Gin Guardian regales you with stories about their creation and flavour. You will enjoy G&Ts as we drive beside the seaside from bar to bar and learn all about gin’s sordid past and it’s sexy revival.

The tour includes:

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5 samples of gin selected by us to work specifically on your tour

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5 gin cocktails

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Visit 5 amazing venues

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Chauffeur driven tour from venue to venue

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Gin Guardian to host and regale you throughout the day

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Loads of knowledge and a whole load of fun

Dates: Every Saturday 1pm - 5:30pm. (Mother's day run is March 21st)

www.ginjourney.com/uk/brighton

WIN A UNIQUE VINYARD TOUR WIN AT BOLNEY WINE ESTATE Take the opportunity to make your mum feel extra special and really spoil her this Mother’s Day. Win a unique vineyard tour experience at Bolney Wine Estate to enjoy together, followed by a bottle of their Bolney bubbly to take home with you.

On Mother’s Day, Bolney is hosting several Taster Tour sessions which includes a tour of the vineyard and winery before a tasting of five award winning wines paired with cheese. (11am, 2pm). Alternatively, there is a ‘Drop-in Tour’, a shorter guided tour followed by a tasting of three wines (12pm). Book a table in the Eighteen Acre Café for breakfast or lunch and mums get a free glass of Bolney Bubbly.

Ever since they planted their first vines in 1972, Bolney Wine Estate has been guided by nature. Proud to have

Photo By © Chris Orange

IN W __ ______

been pioneers of English Wine, they have gone on to create award-winning still and sparkling wines on their 104-acre Sussex vineyard.

To enter the competition, please head to the BN1 Magazine website www.bn1magazine.co.uk and answer the following question: How many acres is Bolney Estate?

A) 104 B) 204 C) 304

The winner will be announced on Thurs 19 March 2020 in case the winner would like to attend the vineyard tour on Mother’s Day – Sun 22nd March 2020.

Please note, the tour voucher will be valid for 12 months and does not have to be used on Mother’s Day. The voucher admits two people for the tour.

Make sure to follow Bolney on Instagram @bolneyestate www.bolneywineestate.com bn1magazine.co.uk

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IMPACTFUL WOMEN OF BRIGHTON

BY LUCY STOYLES The eccentric city of Brighton is not only known for its pebbly seafront and popular nightlife but also for a collection of unique women. These boundary-breaking individuals have made their name in history from their strong-willed ways of living life and rewriting social norms.

VALERIE ARKELL-SMITH

Originally born Valerie Barker in Aug 1985. Her name changed first when she married Harold Arkell-Smith, but after a failed six-week marriage, she went off to fight in the Women’s RAF. With a uniform hiding her femininity, she felt more comfortable. She felt helpless living as a woman and could not do what she wanted, so decided to live life as a man. Finally, in 1923 following her name-change to Victor Barker, she married Elfreda Emma Howard and moved into Brighton’s Grand Hotel. Spending more and more money on male clothes led to debt and her first prosecution for registering a false certificate of marriage. Though her life did not consist of pure success, Arkell-Smith broke down the barriers of gender and lived the way she wanted

MARIE CORELLI

Despite Corelli being constantly belittled and even loathed by book critics of her time, she still created a successful career. This best-selling writer was one of the most highly paid authors in England, with 25 novels, poems, articles and pamphlets. Born initially as Mary Mackay, she changed her name in 1886 to Corelli, after publishing her first novel The Romance of Two Worlds. Although she was hated by critics, Queen Victoria adored her novels. Later, in her life, Corelli and her devoted companion Bertha Vyver moved to Brighton, following a sudden illness. She found a gift for public speaking, focusing on worthy causes and helping the community.

HELEN BOYLE

Following studies at the London School of Medicine for Women in 1893, Boyle came to be one of the most remarkable psychiatrists in the country and Brighton ‘s first female GP. Whilst working in her first job at Claybury Mental Asylum,

she developed an interest in the treatment of nervous diseases, which would soon become her life’s work. She set up a general practice in Hove in 1897 and in 1905 set up The Lady Chichester Hospital for the Treatment of Early Mental Disorders, which was the first hospital of its kind.

She was also involved in the Royal Medico PsychologicalAssociation, of which she became the first ever female president. Living a life of hard work and persistence, she became an iconic figure for Brighton’s healthcare.

PHOEBE HESSEL

Though her later life is known to have been mellow (boring, even), her earlier lifestyle was one packed with excitement.

In 1728 she was rumoured to have gone with her lover, Samuel Golding, to the war in the West Indies. However, she did not only go to offer moral support. Putting a uniform on, she fought alongside Golding before they were both injured in the Battle of Fontenoy. Following their return, they finally married, before Golding passed away. After the death of her second husband, Mr Hessel, she became a fishmonger and started travelling around Brighton and nearby areas. She became a local celebrity, known as someone who showed women can be just as capable at doing what may otherwise have been known as men’s jobs.

MARTHA GUNN

For years Martha Gunn was the most famous dipper of her time. She was very large, very strong, well-known and respected by townsfolk and visitors. Especially to those who used the city’s bathing machines. A dipper’s job was to assist people in and out of the sea. These women vigorously dipped bathers, pushing them up against the incoming waves. Developing a close relationship with the Prince of Wales, who would become Prince Regent, she became a celebrity, often pictured with George in the periodicals of the time. Her friendship was so valued that the Prince built her a house on the edge of the Pavilion estate, which still stands today, set back from East Street.

Spirit of the Rainbow presents

EXPLORING SPIRITUALITY A course to develop our own sense of spirituality Opening a door to discovery beyond dogma With Simenon Honoré Saturday 28th March A First Unfolding: Learning to Trust our Spiritual Senses A talk followed by discussion

Exploring: “knowledge is experience” – getting beyond “doctrinal correctness” - using our intuition and intellect – road testing ideas @ Conference Room 2, Brighton Library, Jubilee St, Brighton BN1 1GE From 2pm for 2.30pm start and ending 4pm

REFRESHMENTS SERVED - £5 ENTRY FEE FREE TO SPIRIT OF THE RAINBOW MEMBERS

ALL WELCOME! For further information contact spiritoftherainbow@yahoo.co.uk Visit www.spiritoftherainbow.org Simenon Honoré is a teacher and author of books on spirituality.

Spirit of the Rainbow is not linked to any sect or religion.

These talks are not attached to any doctrine.

Photo By © El Hardwick

BN1 Chats with. ..

O I D A R E G D I R POR

BY LOUISA STREETING

Brighton-born Porridge Radio has wrestled the city’s extraordinary DIY music scene and established themselves as punchy frontrunners of contemporary post-punk. After five years, the four-piece has certainly embraced the energy from their renowned live shows, producing a powerhouse of sound. The band is led by songwriter Dana Margolin, their vocalist and lead guitarist. She met her fellow bandmates Georgie, Maddie and Sam when she moved to the coast from North London to continue her studies.

Four years after their debut Rice, Pasta and Other Fillers, the band has steadily released a stream of singles from their new record, Every Bad. Their first album was created in a garden shed, bringing a whole new meaning to their DIY sound. This time, the album was predominantly recorded in a studio in Leeds, mixed by Oli Barton Wood in London (other credits include Flamingods and ALASKALASKA). “It was really cool to be producing an album with somebody.

Oli really helped us capture the energy of what we wanted to seize. It felt great to be able to do that.”

The newer tracks preserve those flashes of raw, vigorous outpours of emotion, mellowed by Dana’s sweet vocals.

Her tonal variation is powerful, and makes for very moving music. Sweet is the fourth single from their second record, a refined chaotic energy reminiscent of their earlier days. She has previously described the song as “learning to have fun” and “letting go of an older version of yourself”.

For Dana, writing music is her “ultimate fun”. She tells me how crafting her art means letting her music entertain whilst also being serious. “You can enjoy that whole experience whilst also taking yourself seriously, knowing that everything is funny and light-hearted but you can also be vulnerable, honest and emotional. I like thinking about the way those things combine.”

Her sentiments are echoed in Lilac, with an outro repeatedly chanting the words: “I don't want to get bitter / I want us to

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get better / I want us to be kinder / To ourselves and to each other”. These lyrics hauntingly reflect the zeitgeist, yet her delivery and intent are simultaneously uplifting at the end of the song.

Although Dana played music with her friends when she was a teenager, Porridge Radio was her first venture in performing on the live music circuit. “In the early days, it was just getting on support slots and begging it out. We would constantly play as much as we could, wherever we could.” She cites Green Door Store, Sticky Mike’s Frog Bar, the Hope and Ruin and Cowley Club as some of the venues they played when they first formed.

With rents on the rise, small music venues have taken a hit in recent years. We can only hope that the government’s plans to reduce business taxes for grassroots venues will help them to survive and grow through reinvestment. The next challenge facing these business owners is ensuring music events are accessible to people with a disability.

Accessibility requirements are high priority for the band when booking venues. “We really care about it. It’s really hard to make it happen all the time”, Dana tells me. “Most small venues aren’t equipped, maybe they don’t have enough money to make them accessible.” Dana points out it is not always the fault of the venue. By helping to steer this conversation she hopes accessibility will become a factor more bands consider when choosing venues.

Tickets sold out quickly for the band’s home show in Brighton this April, but they are set to play a special in-store performance at resident on the day of their album release.

Porridge Radio is also making ripples across the Atlantic, travelling from West to East coast for shows in LA and New York, with a stint at SXSW in Texas in between.

Every Bad is released on Fri 13 March by Secretly Canadian.

MUSIC PREVIEWS THE JACQUES

TUES 10 MARCH // GREEN DOOR STORE

DECLAN J DONOVAN

TUES 10 MARCH // THE LASTEST BAR

SAT 7 MARCH // PATTERNS

JON HOPKINS

© By Steve Gullick

Having performed prime slots in festivals across Europe all summer long, followed by a sold-out UK tour, 2019 was insane for Thumper. They are the rock band to be obsessed over, with a reputation for raucous and frenzied live shows. With support across the UK from radio stations including Radio 6 Music and certain slots on BBC Radio 1, it’s no wonder the band constantly find themselves at the top of the Ones to Watch list as well as selling out all their shows.

SUN 15 MARCH // BRIGHTON DOME Ahead of his forthcoming Polarity Tour, Hopkins recently shared his brand-new piano composition, Scene Suspended, which was first played live at his soldout Sydney Opera House show. Whilst playing grand piano for parts of the show, he will be joined by acclaimed producer and guitarist Leo Abraham, violinist and arranger Emma Smith, and cellist Daisy Vatalaro. Taking on Brighton Dome amongst other venues, Polarity will tether together “the two elements of harsh and fragile in his music.”

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After uploading the first song he ever wrote, Fallen So Young to Soundcloud, and gathering a million plays within six months, this led him to perform self-funded tours around the UK and Europe, before signing a record deal in Germany. Whilst also performing at BBC Music’s Biggest Weekend, he was one of the only unsigned acts to play. After finishing a run of shows with Tom Walker last year, he will soon be embarking on a UK headline tour in March.

JAY SOM

© By Lindsey Byrnes

THUMPER

WEDS 18 MARCH // PATTERNS Melina Duterte, also known by her stage name as Jay Som, has come a long way in her career as a singersongwriter. The California vocalist started off singing in her bedroom and becoming a self-released artist before getting signed by Polyvinyl Records in 2016. Her 2019 album release Anak Ko, translating to “my child” represents her strengths and creativity as an artist throughout 2019. Her progression appears to be unstoppable as she brings her smooth RnB, indie flow to Patterns for the ultimate performance.

As well as releasing their new single I Never Want to be Your Boyfriend, this London four-piece have also announced an extensive UK headline tour for this month. Having established a loyal following in the UK and around Europe, the band have crafted new material from their previous indiebased songs. As they re-emerge from the shadow back into the public eye, their new tracks from their EP Born Sore offer a thrilling taste of what is yet to come.

BLACK OCTOPUS PRES. FABI PARAS SAT 21 MARCH // AL DUOMO

Progressive House Pioneer Fabi Paras is making his first appearance in Brighton for over 25 years at the latest party thrown by popular Brighton DJ duo, Black Octopus. What started as a house party for their mates three years ago has now grown into a regular addition to the Brighton party scene having previously hosted djs as diverse as Fingerman, HIFI Sean & Leftside Wobble. Support on the night comes from Black Octopus themselves.

Revellers should expect a hedonistic mixture of progressive house & melodic techno! Tickets available via Skiddle

FRI 13 MARCH // ROPETACKLE

ANDY SHAUF

© By Colin Medley

Inspired by the traces and influences of their tours and visits to countries such as Ireland, Finland and the US, this Danish duo will be releasing their new album Trails and Traces, which will also reflect on the various musicians they have met along the way. The duo, who play fiddle and accordion emerged from the Odense folk scene and have gone on to perform across Europe. The stories behind the music have become a major part of their shows, as they tell the stories as well as perform them.

SUN 22 MARCH // CHALK Having just released his brand-new album Neon Skyline in January this year, its no wonder the Canadian singer-songwriter is coming to Chalk to perform his sophisticated pop and folk-mixed sound. His music has been heavily influenced by artists, including Wilco, Elliott Smith and Neil Young, resulting in him creating dark and lyrical material. This performance will paint the venue in neon as he brings his unique sound to Brighton.

© By Neil Chapman

HANDS OFF GRETEL

FRI 13 MARCH // GREEN DOOR STORE After claiming success during 2019 with their 38-day sold out tour and releasing their highly acclaimed second album, I Want the World, the bands’ upcoming DON’T TOUCH tour is set to be their biggest yet. The shows will be accompanied by newly recorded material and fresh video releases. Hands Off Gretel revive the white-hot rage of riot grrrl and grunge and mix it with bubblegum pop, keeping their sound unique.

PICTISH TRAIL

SUN 29 MARCH // HOPE & RUIN Pictish Trail, AKA Johnny Lynch, is taking his new intriguing sounds around the nation. Known for creating unique catalogues of recordings through his own labels Lost Map and Fence Records, his style is constantly evolving. Having a need to make infectious music from a treasure trove of secret noises, his songs are filled with sun-warped pop guitar shrieks and sin-wave glacial synth.

Come along to see this mesmerising performer as he delves into the world of psychedelic tones.

© By Amber Elise

ANDREAS & RUNE

© By Ard Jongsma

MUSIC PREVIEWS

CARIBOU SUBMOTION ORCHESTRA

FRI 27 MARCH // CONCORDE 2 Having performed shows at festivals including Bestival and Glastonbury and selling out The Royal Albert Hall, Submotion Orchestra are now due to tour the UK in 2020. With the help of their five albums and three EPs’, they have undoubtedly taken their fans on a cinematic journey, as well as overcoming genre boundaries with their unique blend of electronic, jazz, dub and soul. Their upcoming 2020 tour promises to be an incredible series of shows and will be unforgettable from start to finish.

MON 30 MARCH // BRIGHTON DOME This Canadian multi-instrumentalist returns to Brighton after not performing here for years. His latest EP, Never Come Back was released in Jan this year and following this release will be his single, Suddenly. Coming to the Brighton Dome, Caribou will be bringing his work incorporating electronic psychedelia and krautrock rhythms to watch live, which appears to be an experience needed by for the audience. The sounds are a lush and swirling style of music to be enjoyed.

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BY ELIZABETH ROSENBERG

TROLLS: NOT THE DOLLS TOUR “He wrote the ‘It’s Coming Home’ Football Song,” became my most used phrase the week before interviewing David Baddiel.

He’s also an acclaimed novelist, TV presenter and been on the stand-up scene for over thirty years but who cares about that when there’s an annoying football chant involved, ey?

of social media. What is the psychic cost of seeing an endless reel of 240-character tweets of abuse on your phone every morning? When did insulting someone on the other side of a screen become a viable way to express your rage? Where is this lack of empathy leading humanity?

If you wish to complain to Baddiel about the song, or anything at all for that matter, then you’re in luck - there’s a platform for just that. Once called a “cocktail party with all your wittiest, loveliest friends” now something a little less comforting, Twitter is your place of worship. It’s the social media channel of choice should you wish to tear Baddiel limb from limb, straight from your keyboard.

I’m assured by Baddiel that the show will not provide answers to all these questions as he is not the omniscient god of Twitter. However, the fact that he is able to read this abuse and consequently turn it into something joyful is pretty amazing in itself. Most would run and hide, or at least delete the app.

The depressing reality, he explains, is that he is very used to being slagged off. In the early part of his career there was no comment section to write a quick comeback to journalists, you just had to take it or not read it at all. Baddiel opted for the latter when it came to Julie Birchill’s Guardian column. But one week, thinking a piece about America couldn’t possibly involve him, she wrote: “America has been worse for this world than Fascist Japan, Nazi Germany and David Baddiel put together.” People are always going to have something to say about you, it’s your choice whether to internalise it or not.

Baddiel is an extremely easy target. He thinks of his mind like a squash ball and hits back at any incoming question or slanderous attack immediately, no matter the consequences.

“Have you ever thought of saying the second thing that came into your head?” his wife, Morwenna Banks, asks. Of course he thinks about it, just straight after the moment has hurdled past.

Censorship? Never heard of her.

Twitter trolls love the uninhibited. They get their five-a-day from berating people online and from Baddiel they can get a swift, clever reply (and an even swifter blocking after that).

For the ten years he’s been on Twitter, he’s been replying to his comments. The campaign ‘Don’t Feed the Trolls’ doesn’t align with his personal policy and he prefers to treat them like hecklers in a club. For normal, non-abusive people like you and I, this provides plenty of comedic entertainment and with the enthusiastic pressing of the ‘like’ button, Baddiel decided there was a stand-up show in it.

Trolls: Not The Dolls is the third in the ‘Not The’ series since Baddiel’s return to stand-up in 2013. His comedy still has the “odd gag about wanking” but is now a little more “ageappropriate”. Trolls includes examples of interactions Baddiel has had with haters but also delves into the much darker side

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Twitter can be a dark and discouraging place but (surprisingly) Baddiel quotes Maggie Thatcher and is sure there is a “silent majority.” The number of those who are scrolling through Baddiel’s tweets searching for comedic relief from the mundanity of life are greater than those shouting (metaphorically) at him.

Some might be mad at him for simply breathing but there are many that find joy in replying to a picture of his breakfast with pictures of their breakfasts and starting a long, jovial breakfast thread. This is the part he chooses to focus on. If only he could be immortalised in British culture for this mentality. “Treating the trolls as hecklers is coming home” doesn’t quite have the same ring to it.

Trolls Not The Dolls comes to Theatre Royal Brighton on Sun 22 March

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COMEDY PLANNER

JAYDE ADAMS

ED BYRNE

OLGA KOCH

This year Adams will be riffling through all the noise and self-promotion and figure out what’s really going on in her five-star Edinburgh Fringe Show The Ballad of Kyle Jenner’s Old Face.

Putting the sequins and the showbiz in a box for now, Adams wants to get her serious black jumper on and save the world from eating itself up and down the country and she would love to see you there. This potential-filled, extravagant storyteller is one to take the world by storm, so don’t miss out on witnessing it happen.

Join Byrne as he takes a long hard look at himself and tries to decide if he has any traits worth passing on to his children. He’s back to present his brand-new masterclass in observational comedy in his tour If I’m Honest. A TV household name, he has appeared on several of the nation’s most popular programmes including Top Gear, Mock the Week and Live at the Apollo. The Irish comedian has sold out multiple runs at the Edinburgh Fringe Shows and had a successful two-week slot at the Westend.

Koch will be embarking on a brand- new UK 2020 tour called If/Then. Fresh from her sell-out run with extra dates at the Edinburgh Fringe 2019, her new show see’s her telling an unorthodox love story in the form of computer science. In this feminist investigation, join Koch in finding out what happens when we can’t separate emotion and technology. She will teach you how to code and explore what happens when our expectations for romance and happiness no longer compute.

IAIN STERLING

ROB AUTON

DAVID BADDIEL

Do you ever wonder how people manage to be normal? Sterling does, he’s even gone and made a whole stand-up show about it. Join the man of comedy as he delves into his inability to function in most basic public settings in his newest show Failing Upwards. The iconic voice behind the UK show Love Island is here to discuss what pressures are given to society nowadays on how to ‘live your best life’ and what it really means to be ‘normal.’

The Time Show is the latest comedy, spoken word show by writer and performer Auton. His show is currently touring all around the country until the end of March this year. Following from his critically acclaimed shows talking about hair, sleep, water, faces, the sky and the colour yellow called The Fringes Comedian Laureate, he now turns his attention to time. He is asking questions such as “What time is it?” and “What is it time”? So, take some time of your own to watch him at The Old Market to witness his hilarious originality and charming wit.

Known for his 1996 football anthem Three Lions, Baddiel returns to the stage with his one-man show Trolls: Not The Dolls. How does one deal with trolls and online abuse? It is usually to ignore them, not respond, not give in. Baddiel however, seems to break this rule, on purpose. Hecklers are common, but when a comedian faces them it is their duty to wittingly put them down, which Baddiel is dedicating this show to. So, join him on this twisted journey of the virtual underground. You’ll be soiled but you’ll be safe.

FRI 6 MARCH // BRIGHTON DOME

SUN 7 MARCH // KOMEDIA

(C) Mia Mala McDonald

FRI 6 MARCH // THE OLD MARKET

SUN 15 MARCH // THEATRE ROYAL

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SUN 15 MARH // THE OLD MARKET

SUN 22 MARCH // THEATRE ROYAL

ARABELLA WEIR

RICHARD STOTT

Come and experience the life of motherhood with Arabella Weir’s tales in Does My Mum Loom Big in This. From being a best-selling author to starring on The Fast Show, her brand-new show is for everyone who has a mum and everyone who has been a mum. This hairraisingly funny performance will include true stories about her dysfunctional childhood and her life as a single mum.

A genuine embarrassment for her family, not to mention for herself, awfully funny and scarily honest. Head to Komedia for a life-lesson in maternal behaviour.

After having a critically-acclaimed season last year, Stott is delighted to announce he is back with his debut UK tour Right Hand Man. Following lifechanging surgery he now has toes for fingers on his left hand due to him being born with Poland Syndrome. In his unflinchingly honest show, he examines body image and being disabled in an image-obsessed world. He uses acidic punchlines to tell how he has coped with the hand life dealt him. This fastpaced romp draws humour from a topic we have been told wasn't humorous.

RICKY GERVAIS

STEPHEN BAILEY

The one and only Ricky Gervais is back in Brighton, bringing his newest tour SuperNature to the South Coast.

Considered one of the most influential comedians since Charlie Chaplin, this show is not one to be missed. Having won countless awards for his selfwritten TV series The Office and Extras, as well as his most recent Netflix series After Life, there’s no doubt he knows how to entertain. Guaranteed laughter and enjoyment, a globally successful comedian, don’t miss your chance to see Gervais live this March.

Bailey is heading back out on the road in spring 2020 with a hilarious all-new show Can’t Be Bothered. At a time where everyone is expected to have an opinion on everything, Bailey just can’t be bothered. He is taking a personal journey with this tour as he exposes what it’s like to be a woke comedian, but he’s still funny. There will be storytelling, inappropriate anecdotes and more sincerity than he ever dared have before.

What more could you ask for really?

WEDS 25 MARCH // BRIGHTON CENTRE

SAT 14 MARCH // CAROLINE OF BRUNSWICK

© by John Oakley

WEDS 11 MARCH // KOMEDIA

THURS 26 MARCH // KOMEDIA

KIRI PRITCHARD-MCLEAN

SAT 14 MARCH // THE OLD MARKET Multi-award-winning comedian PritchardMcLean is back with her fourth fulllength show Empathy Pains. She has tackled racism, sexism, and emotional abuse through previous shows, so what seemingly unfunny topic will she pick to turn into laughs this year? The shrinking size of Creme Eggs? Believing we will live in a world that lacks empathy, McLean is off to search for people who she struggles to empathise with. That’s right, her search history is full of criminals. So, come and see her make the impossible hilarious, or possibly get arrested.

© by Neil MacKenzie Matthews

© by Steve Ullathorne

COMEDY PLANNER

TONY LAW

SAT 28 MARCH // THE OLD MARKET Having previously performed 15 other shows, his current one, Identifies, is set to be his best one yet. Throughout his career, Law has been known for his performances being full of postmodern nonsense, as well as his consistent 1950’s wardrobe and messy hair. He has appeared on several television shows including Have I Got News For You, Russell Howard’s Good News and Never Mind the Buzzcocks. His chosen charity is Teenage Cancer Trust, which he has performed for and supported for years now. bn1magazine.co.uk

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BN1 CHATS WITH JAYDE ADAMS It’s shaping up to be another amazing year for Jayde Adams. With concurrent projects across the media over the last couple of years, including acting (Good Omens), presenting (Crazy Delicious) and an increasingly busy stand-up calendar, she’ll soon be running out of fingers to jam in metaphorical pies.

Her one-woman assault on the entertainment landscape is just reward for years of carefully honing her crafts. As well as acting, presenting and standing up (you know what I mean), Adams is trained in competitive dancing, sings opera, beatboxes, plays the piano, draws… the list is endless. Something tells me that if you asked this rising superstar to fix your carburettor whilst naming all lanthanides and actinides from the periodic table, she not only would, but she’d deliver the list of elements in flawless iambic pentameter, just for fun.

Ahead of two shows in Brighton this March, the multi award-winning comedian took time out of her increasingly hectic schedule to answer some questions by Simon Lightfoot…

You’re part of March’s Live at Brighton Dome line-up. What can audiences expect from your section of the show?

A bit of old showbiz charm coupled with some observational stand up about the world we’re in at the moment. Like a modern-day Bette Midler but taller and more Bristolian.

Which character from The Simpsons are you most like?

Lisa. The child prodigy, often sees herself as a misfit within the family, super clever. She’s spiritual and committed to peace, but with a rebellious streak yet she can be self-righteous at times. Yep that’s me.

You’re also bringing your new show The Ballad of Kylie Jenner’s Old Face to The Old Market in March. What’s the show about?

It’s about me trying to take myself seriously in 2020 in a black turtleneck. I’ve been wearing catsuits and sequins in comedy because of my drag queen beginnings and freestyle disco dancing background. But I had an (ex-)agent say to me “no one takes you seriously as a comedian Jayde” so, being a stubborn woman, I thought, “I’ll put an end to that.” You know when a celebrity is trying to make you take them seriously, they put on a black turtleneck - Dapperlaughs being interviewed by Emily Maitliss, was a classic serious black jumper TV moment. So, I’ve put on my Serious Black Jumper, I’ve decided to discuss a “serious” topic and I make the whole thing hilarious.

How long does it take to write a stand-up show?

I normally start in March but this year I’ve actually started much earlier because I was offered an early work in progress. The jokes come over the time, I basically spend most of the year only reading and looking at stuff to do with the subject I’m talking about. Writing a show is the best thing I do with my life. I have already started this year’s, and it’s already mega funny.

As well as a stand-up, you’re an actor, singer and presenter.

What would you like to be remembered as?

I think written on my gravestone I’d like: “She was compassionate and never followed the crowd.”

As an actor, what’s the role you’ve enjoyed most so far?

I’ve just recorded a pilot of a series for BBC2 with comedian Sophie Willan called Alma’s Not Normal. She wrote a part for a Bristolian Opera Singing best friend (she had me in mind for it, I’d have kicked off if I didn’t get it!)

If you weren’t a performer what would it be?

My boyfriend (comedian Rich Wilson) thinks I’d have a restaurant, but I know how hard they are to keep open. I’m very good at knowing how to encourage people to be creative. Some sort of artist management thing perhaps? It’s so hard to choose as this is in my veins! I’ve been on a stage of some kind since I was 5!

Have you got to meet any of your idols, and what were they like?

Me and Rich went to Dawn French’s house in Cornwall and had tea and cake. And yes, she is everything you dream that she is.

She tells stories, she is warm, she is lovely, and her husband is just so unphased by her career. Do you know he had no idea who she was when they met!? He’s a gent and makes her things he collects from the local beach. Me and Rich were in awe of them.

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I read you had a background in dance, too – would you ever consider doing Strictly?

Babes, I’m already in training for it. They haven’t asked, but when they do, I’ll be ready. I want to dance with a girl though. I don’t want to be dragged around the floor by Anton and not for an LGBT statement either (as important as they are) but this statement is a feminist one. I danced with my sister for 13 years of my life, throwing her up in the air. You just dance with the same sex in freestyle disco dancing.

What annoys you most about the world?

People’s inability to see beyond their own desire to be validated.

I think social media has made an army of mindless soldiers who don’t know they are constantly being manipulated by their own emotions for capitalism.

Are you used to being famous?

I could be fake humble right now but I’m not going to be. Yeah, I’m an old pro at this! Got showbiz in me blood babes. I know how to get in and out of conversations quickly and efficiently and I love my home. I’m born to do this.

You’ve got a time machine: you can only use it once. Would you go forward or back?

I’d go back 15 years for one day and spend a day with my sister (when she was well) one more time. Other than that, I’m all about today baby. Because the future ain’t the future if you haven’t got a grasp of the now. And the past is already done. We remember the past differently because of our memories and the history books are written by certain people. But it’s all about now.

Do you have any regrets?

The last words I ever said to my sister were “I love you.” I have no regrets.

What’s next for you?

A new show for 2020, got a series I’m writing, musicals, presenting on TV more. The worlds my oyster!

Ooooh Oysters, I want an oyster.

Jayde is performing her new show The Ballad of Kylie Jenner’s Old Face at The Old Market on Fri 6 March.

She can also be seen with Ed Gamble, Spencer Jones, Sean Walsh and Janine Harouni at Live at Brighton Dome, on Sat 21 March.

BY SIMON LIGHTFOOT

HUGH FINZEL CAUGHT UP WITH

LEMN SiISSAY

Born in May 1967, the year of the first Brighton Festival – which featured performances from Laurence Olivier, Anthony Hopkins, The Who and Pink Floyd – it’s almost like Lemn Sissay was destined to direct the festival at some point in his life. This year the poet, playwright and broadcaster will fulfil that unwitting destiny by guest directing the 54th edition of the largest annual curated arts festival in England.

“But I’m only 52!” he laughs now.

Lemn has been coming to Brighton for 30 years and having come here to write Adventure Flight, the official poem of the 2015 FA Cup Final, says that the city is part of his creative landscape. He is now describing the city as his very own “arts playground”, which he and the muchcredited production team at Brighton Festival have been busy filling with a “cornucopia of music, theatre, literature, art and dance.”

The theme of this year’s festival is Welcome to the Imagine Nation, promoting the idea that “creativity is in everyone, they just might not realise it.”

“What if everyone realised that what they imagine is attainable?” Lemn is asking.

“The most damaging mirror trick in society is to convince people they have no imagination and that they are not creative. It’s just not true.”

“Even in your home, the paintings or framed posters, the films you watch on TV all had to be imagined first. Protest marches begin with the imagination, because someone had to imagine - to believe in - a better world to march for it.”

For this year’s festival, Lemn is encouraging us to “broaden our horizons, be open and maybe try something different.”

“I was just saying that I need to do the same thing myself,” the MBE and official poet of the London 2012 Olympics tells me. “So, whereas I wouldn’t usually go to classical music, I’m going to go and test some of the classical music; and I wouldn’t usually go to dance, so I’m going to test some of the dance.”

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GUEST DIRECTOR AT BRIGHTON FESTIVAL The Ethiopian-British poet’s personal passions coarse through this year’s programme, with a focus on Ethiopian writers and musicians, and on changing attitudes towards adoption, a particularly personal issue for Lemn. He will be discussing his own memoir, My Name is Why, in conversation with writer Hannah Azieb Pool. The book sees Lemn reflecting on a childhood in foster care. He was adopted at birth after his mother was coerced into giving him up, spent his adolescent years in children’s homes, and did not learn his mother’s name or his own birth name (which he immediately took) until he was given his birth certificate upon leaving care at eighteen-yearsold.

This year’s Festival will also feature the free event Adopt a Nation, a “powerful, reflective, one-on-one experience,” in which members of the public are invited to adopt Lemn for a short, fixed period of time (a few minutes) and tell him something about family. Lemn says that he “can’t know” what sort of thing he will be told by his short-term parents.

Lemn says he is trying to remove some of the stigma from adoption, which harks back to “Victorian ideas of what a family is,” and normalise a subject that is often whispered rather than spoken about. After all, “disfunction is at the heart of all functional families.”

This subject matter has featured prominently in Lemn’s own poetry and work generally. But he says that it isn’t important for an artist’s work to address their own personal history.

“I do want the artist to be true, whatever that is, but I don’t actually think that your own personal story needs to be front and centre in your work. I think what’s important is that you create, because the truth is that you will come out in your work in some way, shape or form.”

“Whatever an artist does, it’s personal. The subject matter doesn’t need to be about the artist for the piece to actually be about the artist. It reveals who you are.” He picks up the cup on the table between us. “If you say ‘I only paint cups,’ well that tells me a lot about who you are as a person, an artist, and as a creator. And that’s okay.”

Lemn’s influence on this year’s festival programme has brought The Time Has Now Come, an evening with Maaza Mengiste, Aida Edemariam and Hannah Azieb Pool, some of Ethiopia and Eritrea’s ‘new visionaries’, who will be discussing what subjects interest them in today’s world, and what the world’s oldest civilisation has to say to the future.

Vibes player and arranger, Mulatu Astatke, widely recognised as the father of Ethio-jazz, will also be performing at the 2020 Brighton Festival. Lemn tells how Astatke kickstarted awareness of the genre in the UK after being featured in the Sofia Coppola film, Lost in Translation. He has recently collaborated with Patti Smith and “is the in the peak of his life. It’s also the Winter, but right now he is at the peak,” according to Lemn.

“I think introducing Brighton to Ethiopia is part of a very slow change which I am trying to be a part of and make happen in this country,” he says.

Photo by © Jamie MacMillian

“I’ve been coming here for years, I used to have a girlfriend that lived in that area behind the Lanes. It’s a funny city isn’t it, because it’s both a seaside town, which you would say are generally quite conservative places, but at the same time it’s Brighton, so it has a really contemporary edge to it.

So, it’s got those two things: you’ve got your candy floss on the pier, and then you’ve got your Gay Pride festivals. It’s got the two extremes, so it makes for quite a fascinating town.”

This year’s Brighton Festival offers a particularly wide-ranging selection, from folk musician Laura Marling to a conversation with MP and Spurs fan, David Lammy; Ivan Coyote, whom Lemn describes as “one of the best storytellers anywhere” to The Sleeping Tree, an environmental installation that brings one of the last remaining great rainforests in North Sumatra to a warehouse in Hove. Lemn says the programme will offer a vital distraction from political discourse that will be at the front of the public mind this spring.

“Also, we have to remember that in May it’s going to be elections across the country,” He says. “All you are going to hear in the news is politicians trying to twist your mind, and this is the Republic of the Imagination, the Republic of Brighton, within that madness that’s going to happen in May, we’re going to be having a party. And that’s good enough for me.”

“It’s May, it’s Summer, it’s my birthday, so get your ass down here.”

Y A S S I S N M E L Guest Director l Brighton Festiva0 202 bn1magazine.co.uk

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Photo by © Tom Wren

e n o d m u Medi with

CLINTON BAPTISTE

“If there’s anything the Brits like, it’s a plucky loser, rather than huge success. If you’re Eddie The Eagle or Frank Bruno, we can handle that. We don’t like people who scale the heights.”

Alex Lowe is certain about the strange allure of his most infamous character, Clinton Baptiste. After almost a decade away, this ‘world-renowned clairvoyant, medium and psychic’ is glimpsing once more behind the Celestial Curtains – armed only with a lack of empathy, striking blonde hair and dubious jewellery choices.

After a hilarious podcast series, Lowe is taking his supernatural alter-ego on tour around the UK, over 18 years after making a minor appearance in Peter Kay’s hit TV comedy Phoenix Nights. Tactless, hapless and almost certainly slanderous, he brings chaos to the titular club. Despite Clinton’s comparatively small contribution, he remains one of the show’s most enduring characters, so was a natural inclusion when Kay decided to stage 2015’s Phoenix Nights Live tour. “It was thrilling to be onstage on front of 14,000 people,” Lowe tells me. “It was well received, considering he was only in one episode. I’d often thought about reviving Clinton, so I asked Peter, who said: ‘I don’t think we’re doing any more Phoenix Nights, so that’s fine.’ He’s been lovely, and very lovely to me.”

Now Baptiste’s incredible gift is being shared with a new generation. Offering readings to audience members and imparting advice from the great beyond, the shows are the product of meticulous observation and practice, along

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BY STUART ROLT with the clever deployment of a white suit two decades out of date and a ridiculous wig. “I do a thing where I produce feathers, which has always been a medium con-trick. There supposed to come from the ‘celestial wings of their long-lost loved ones.’ Quite often I’ve been out doing gigs, and I’ll hear someone saying: ‘That IS a sign...’ It’s a sign I’ve just been to Hobbycraft!” He has found in bending the reality so much, there is a chance of some audience members taking this outrageous downmarket cabaret at face value. A PTA fundraiser in Winchester saw one spectator take umbrage at Baptiste’s antics, deciding to chase after the psychic - bringing the evening to an abrupt end. “That has always worried me,” says Lowe. “The character is very undiplomatic, and there will be people who won’t play along.”

A ‘conventional’ actor for many years, working with companies like Kenneth Branagh’s Renaissance Theatre, he staged a show at Edinburgh Festival based on Simon Garfield’s book The Wrestling. Peter Kay came to review the production (accompanied by Auf Wiedersehen, Pet star and ex-wrestler, ‘Bomber’ Pat Roach), which prompted the pair’s friendship. The following year he performed The True Adventures of Radio 1, playing a variety of characters from the broadcaster’s stable - from Matthew Bannister to Simon Bates. This would lead to a stint on Channel 4’s 11 O’clock Show, the launchpad for Ricky Gervais and Sacha Baron Cohen. “I started doing a lot of comedy. Which has always interested me.”

His other famous alter-ego is Barry from Watford, a philosophic and occasionally befuddled octogenarian who became a favourite on Ian Lees’ LBC show. Since then, Barry has become a lifestyle guru on Steve Wright’s Radio 2, staged a range of hit solo shows and created a successful double act with Angelos Epithemiou. He says there’s numerous possibilities for most performers now. The days of waiting for an agent’s call have almost passed. “For a lot of actors, there’s no real excuse. There are so many opportunities, there’s podcasting, a live scene, Patreon or YouTube. You can even put stuff out on your Facebook page. You just have to be proactive.” He says comedy particularly lends itself to these platforms, creating more of a meritocracy. “You can just stick it out there. Those people telling you can’t do certain things…

Well, bollocks to it. You can just get on and do it yourself.”

In 2017, Lowe also appeared on the Noel Edmunds helmed, Cheap Cheap Cheap. Billed as a cross between a gameshow and a sitcom, it gained the dubious honour of being one Channel 4 show which almost nobody can remember. “It’s amazing, because there’s 30 hours of that and it’s almost as though I dreamt it- because no-one saw it!”

It’s one mystery Clinton’s clairvoyant powers may never be able to penetrate. Surprisingly, he’s received a positive reception from the established supernatural community.

“I was doing a show in Primrose Hill, and a woman said to me: ‘You had lots of your relatives standing behind you.’ I was like: ‘It’s only a small stage. How dd they all fit on there?’ But one person did say my dog was there at my feet, and we’d just lost our dog. Which did freak me out a little. “Lowe freely admits he’s more of an actor than a stand-up. While shows might appear chaotic, he doesn’t; like to improvise too much. There’s also plenty of thought placed into the character’s distinctive look. “I was in Wolverhampton the other day, and there’s a lovely gentlemen’s shop with some hideous white shoes. I thought: ‘Clinton would be great in those.’ And I’m always looking for jewellery.”

2–24 MAY 2020

See the acclaimed poet, playwright, broadcaster and speaker Lemn Sissay MBE’s Festival brought to life this May

Clinton’s Phoenix Nights origin has burdened him with a frankly horrendous catchphrase. Despite being a single throwaway line, it’s somehow lived on – even evolving into a range of internet memes featuring Clinton’s face.

Unsurprisingly, Lowe is hoping to put it to rest. “The worst thing is, I finish gigs and people come to me saying: ‘Will you look into this phone and call my mate a nonce?’ It’s so horrible. If you’re called that, there’s no coming back from it. ‘Can you call Dave a nonce?’ Well… Are you sure Dave is going to like that?”

Whether connecting people with a completely irrelevant individual from the spirit realm, or dazzling audiences with all manner of spooky stuff, this outrageous character is supposed to be a loving nod to outdated cabaret – rather than an assault on anyone’s beliefs. “I hope I’ve got a wink, or a glint in my eye, and they know it’s meant without upsetting anyone,” Lowe says with a laugh. “I come on with a plaster and a bruise on my eye, as if he’s been punched by someone. I don’t need that for real.”

Clinton Baptiste brings The Paranormalist Returns to Hove’s The Old Market on Sat 4 April

Image: Zog © 2010 Julia Donaldson and Alex Scheffler. Published by Alison Green Books, an imprint of Scholastic Children’s Books

brightonfestival.org Image: Hamish Brown

Image: Peppa Pig © Fiery Angel

© by Topher McGrillis

THEATRE GUIDE

WITCH HUNT

DI AND VIV AND ROSE

ASK ME ANYTHING

Following their sell-out show at The Old Market with the award-winning show Enter The Dragons, A&E Comedy returns with this mysteriously surreal tale.

It is a cautionary fairy tale for our time, celebrating the wisdom of the witch and giving the audience a taste of the conjuring world of coven-ready sisters.

Along with their ‘wiccan’ sense of humour, the duo use bouffon puppetry and magic to ask, “Can we use witchcraft to take down the Patriarchy?” There’s only one way to find out.

New Brighton-based theatre company, Ruby Tiger Productions, established by local director Claire Lewis, makes its debut at the Rialto Theatre this March, reviving Amelia Bullmore’s 2011 play. Charting the lives of three women meeting at university 30 years prior to the present day, it is a truthful, funny and moving account of friendship and explores what happens when life doesn’t exactly go to plan. Lewis aims to use the three-hander, featuring local actors Sophie Dearlove, Mandy Jane Jackson and Emmie Spencer to tell a story that the audience will enjoy and care about.

Teenage magazine problem pages from the 90s and 00s come to life as The Paper Birds explores what we can learn from different generations as they grow up. This immersive theatrical experience answers the questions from the young people of today. With plenty of mischief and mayhem along with live music, choose to sit on the chairs of the auditorium or on the cushions and beanbags on stage to become part of the production.

THE HABIT OF ART WEDS 18 - SAT 21 MARCH

KAYA

A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED MON 23 - SAT 28

In this critically-acclaimed and celebrated production, Matthew Kelly and David Yelland star as the two most remarkable artists of the 20th century. They portray the meeting between poet, WH Auden and composer, Benjamin Britten. This multi-layered masterpiece examines the aspects of friendship, rivalry and heartache along with the emotional costs of creativity. Having being written by Alan Bennett, one of the most successful playwrights, it is no doubt that this heartfelt production of both joy and pain is not one to miss out on.

Using her Turkish heritage, Ceyda Tanc creates a dynamic dance-influenced show exploring human experiences of displacement. It draws on the resilience of those searching to find somewhere in the community to belong. The Brighton-based choreographer aims to challenge gender stereotypes of virtuoso movements of male dancers by using an all-female cast for the routines, creating a sensual energy. There will also be unique movement vocabulary fusing the traditional Turkish folk dances. It is set to be a striking and creative production to watch.

Directed by Michael Lunney, this production portrays the adaption of the classic Miss Marple stories, starring Sarah Thomas. The show follows a group of individuals gathering at a location where an upcoming murder is about to take place, according to their local newspaper. Once they all arrive a gunshot is let off and Miss Marple appears to unravel the mystery of the night’s occurrences. The cast of the show will also include the likes of Tom Butcher from The Bill and Karen Drury from Brookside.

TUES 3 - SUN 8 MARCH // RIALTO THEATRE

// DEVONSHIRE PARK THEATRE, EASTBOURNE

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SUN 8 - MON 9 MARCH // THE OLD MARKET

© by Helen Maybanks

(C) Mia Mala McDonald

TUES 3 - THURS 5 // THE OLD MARKET

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SUN 22- TUES 24 MARCH // THE OLD MARKET

// DEVONSHIRE PARK THEATRE, EASTBOURNE

THEATRE GUIDE

FRIENDS - THE MUSICAL PARODY

SEX EDUCATION

LOSING THE NIGHT

This hilarious adaption of the 1990’s hit TV show we all love is coming to Eastbourne, to the UK, for the first time ever. The Broadway and Las Vegas hit musical is doing its first UK and Ireland tour, poking fun into all our lives. It’s a hilarious, good-hearted romp, following the group of 20-year olds navigating through pitfalls of work, life and love.

It’s totally uncensored and a fast-paced music-filled production perfect for everybody.

Exploring how we learn about sex and how it shapes our lives, Harry ClaytonWright’s Sex Education blends a no holds barred interview with his mum, startling performance, moving storytelling and some good old-fashioned gay porn his dad bought for him when he was 14.

Delivered with candour, positivity and charm, join Harry as he delves into his sexual past. The good, the bad and everything in between. This is a show for anyone who’s wondered why they want what they want.

Poet and theatre maker, Cecilia Knapp, supported by the Arts Council brings this humorous yet delicate show to Brighton, looking at the mental health crisis in the UK. Knapp examines how men and women navigate loss differently with the setting of two everyday young people experiencing it for themselves. With this type of topic not usually seen as a particularly easy one to speak about, Knapp hopes to bring some form of empathy and comfort for people and provide a catalyst for conversation that will lead to change.

MON 23 - SAT 28 MARCH // THEATRE ROYAL

TV and stage actor Robert Daws stars in this tumultuous comedy piece, written by award-winning writer Alan Ayckbourn. The show sees an excitable chairman, an angry wife, a Marxist schoolteacher, military dog-breeder and an octogenarian secretary in the ballroom scenes of the local Swan Hotel. This turbulent comedy is set to be comedy master Ayckbourn’s most hilarious play. It will not be one to miss this year.

TUES 31 MARCH - SAT 4 APRIL // CONGRESS THEATRE, EASTBOURNE

One of the greatest musicals of all time is returning to the Congress stage. Emilie Fleming from Over the Rainbow will star as Marie and previous Coronation Street star Andrew Lancel will be Captain von Trapp. Together they will lead a big company and an orchestra. The show will feature the original memorable songs including My Favourite Things and Do-Re-Mi and of course the title song The Sound of Music. This magnificent adaption of the heart-warming true story is set to be an unforgettable night out.

© by Neil MacKenzie Matthews

THE SOUND OF MUSIC

© by Ste Murray

TEN TIMES TABLE

WEDS 18 - FRI 20 MARCH // THE OLD MARKET

TUES 10 MARCH // ATTENBOROUGH CENTRE FOR THE CREATIVE ARTS

© by Pamela Raith

(C) Mia Mala McDonald

SUN 15 MARCH // CONGRESS THEATRE, EASTBOURNE

HOW TO DISAPPEAR COMPLETELY AND NEVER BE FOUND TUES 7 - WED 8 APRIL // THE OLD MARKET

Three married couples, three kitchens and three Christmas parties. Sidney Hopcroft, a small-time tradesman, persuades his wife to throw a party hoping to find favour with a bank manager and local architect. As celebrations begin, class differences and naked ambition combine with hilarious effect as, one by one, the characters seek refuge in Jane’s kitchen. Alan Ayckbourn’s comic masterpiece of social climbing in 1970s suburbia fuses a potent mix of farce and black comedy. bn1magazine.co.uk

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An Escape to Nowhere © Rah Petherbridge Photography

FEMALES LEADING

Confessions of a Seat Filler

THE WAY THIS FRINGE FESTIVAL Brighton Fringe returns to venues across the city on Fri 1 – Sun 31 May. With hundreds of shows delighting audiences everywhere, we wanted to look at a small sample of the incredible female-led productions powering the festival.

Arianne Hutch’s Confessions of a Seat Filler unveils the true story of a young, disabled woman living in New York. She scores a ticket to the Tony Awards, so must face her big fear - wearing high heels. Previously shortlisted for a BBC New Comedy Award, Maddie Campion unveils her new show, Mad Money. It traces Katie Holmes’ decision to eschew a leading role in The Dark Knight for a part in commercial flop Mad Money. This stand-up show sees Campion argue that it was the right move. Winner of Fringe 2018’s Best New Play Award, Dr Rosy Carrick presents her new work, Musclebound.

Inspired by flesh-filled 80s action films, this is a playful, erudite look at sexuality, objectification and her unbridled childhood obsession with tortured beefcake.

Elsewhere, Two in a Bush use clowning and physical theatre to tell a classic story of co-dependency. Brewing Time charts the legacy of romanticism and friendship, as we see someone trying to escape the cycle of crappy relationships and discovering she doesn't know how to be both happy and alone. Girl Code is a comedy panel show, hosted by Sikisa.

It features a group of outspoken women who are all going through varied life experiences. These include changing sexualities, everyday pressures, relationships, stereotypes and perceptions, all met with humour and intelligent debate.

PopHeart‘s Threads takes on airbrushed influencers and body-shaming media. This is a declaration of feeling good about who we are and celebrating the contents of your wardrobe. How Eva Von Schnippisch Saved Hollywood is a new poignant, heart-warming and ridiculous musical romp which blurs the line between cabaret and theatre. Chasing her lifelong dream, Eva unearths a dark truth: women are undervalued and over-groped.

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The University of Sussex brings a selection of discussions, debates and demonstrations to Brighton Fringe. Soapbox Science will highlight the breadth of research taking place in and around the region by female researchers. There’ll be opportunities to explore the world and beyond; from the microscopic to the infinity of space, hear stories of the women behind the discoveries that are changing our understanding of the universe.

As we expect from Brighton Fringe, there’s a wealth of compelling world premieres bringing exciting new works to our attention. These include An Escape to Nowhere, which sees a woman trapped in a limbo of her own doing, without a clue, or even a way to light her cigarette. This might just be the intervention she needs. Ram of God takes us to an immersive world where people are sheeple, sheep are people and the world is one short throw away from blowing up in a cloud of smoke. Ram is your saviour, go in pieces, says this sermon for an absurdist world. Lucy Frederick’s The Church of Princess Cassandra is a comedy theatre show about women who struggle to make themselves heard. From loudspeakers to vengeful acts - is anyone really listening anymore? Canadian actor and writer Megan Ruth’s goal is to peel back the layers of society and to get you thinking long after the performance is done. Exploits is a journey of shock and awe, into her murky and only semi-fictionalized past. If you’re in a party mood, Populist sees Octavia (an ancient Roman political wife) confront her bad reputation. She’s ready to set the record straight the way she knows best—a 90s club night. Come dance and sing along with her at a theme night unlike any other, complete with political assassinations, arranged marriages, drag kings, and the maligned women of the 1990s.

These amazing productions are only the tip of the iceberg.

For further details on these shows, or a look at Fringe’s worldclass schedule, head to: www.brightonfringe.org

NEW SEASON ANNOUNCED

cft.org.uk/prologue

THE ORIGINAL HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS Sat 29 Feb

THE WHITNEY HOUSTON HOLOGRAM TOUR Sat 7 Mar

THE BOYS ARE BACK Fri 27 Mar

THE JOE AND DIANNE SHOW Thur 2 Apr

SIMPLE MINDS Mon 20 Apr

JOE BONAMASSA Sat 25 Apr

GEORGE Thur 7 May

TRIXIE MATTEL Fri 22 May

DANCE ANTHEMS LIVE Sat 23 May

GREGORY PORTER Tue 26 May

IN CONVERSATION WITH THE SOPRANOS Wed 27 May

STRICTLY THE PROFESSIONALS Thur 28-Fri 29 May

box office 0844 847 1515* www.brightoncentre.co.uk *calls cost 7p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge

CAROLINE LUCAS INTERVIEW: GREENER VISION FOR THE FUTURE The theme of Brighton’s International Women’s Day this year is Women and the Climate Emergency. It seems only right to sit down with the woman who’s just been re-elected as our very own Green MP, with more than 30 years of experience fighting climate change.

So, why is it so important to address both gender equality and the climate emergency at the same time? “The bottom line is that climate change doesn’t affect everybody equally,” explains Caroline Lucas MP, “there is plenty of evidence to suggest that women are disproportionately affected by the climate crisis.

"You only need to look at the evidence from many countries in the global south where we can see that people who are poorer are the ones who are least able to move away from areas where flooding or other kinds of climate disasters are more likely. And if you look at who makes up the poorest people, then again women are disproportionately represented according to the UN.” But women aren’t just victims of climate change. There are many women, like Lucas, who are at the forefront of the climate movement and she is enthusiastic in describing all their achievements. Lucas particularly sings the praises of Indian scholar, environmental activist, food sovereignty advocate and anti-globalization author, Vandana Shiva. “Just the clarity that she brings to that debate, she’s a wonderful grassroots activist, but she’s also the most articulate, eloquent, fighter for justice and you could put her up against anyone in an argument and she would win it, because she has such a grasp of detail and such a passionate way of expressing it. Whether you’re reading what she’s written or you’re watching videos of her, or if you’re lucky enough to actually to be seeing her speak, she is just one of the most powerful people who influenced me for sure.”

And Vandana Shiva is not alone in Lucas’ admiration. If nothing else, the long list of women she mentions who are involved in the climate movement show her advocacy and celebration of women. She talks about Berta Cáceres, the Honduran human rights and environmental activist who was murdered in 2016 for her activism against the extractive industries, the anti-fracking Nanas, and the women who fought against the South Dakota Pipeline.

It’s worth noting that these women have diverse backgrounds and Lucas doesn’t shy away from reminding us that it’s easier for some than others. “I think sometimes if you’re in the UK, in Brighton, activism can seem like a luxury, whereas for so many communities, and so many women within those communities, activism is literally a matter of life and death. It

BY KAHINA BOUHASSANE

requires huge courage to play that activist role, and I think that just increases my admiration for so much of that activism across the world.”

Nonetheless it is one of the founders of the German Green Party that Lucas credits with inspiring her to get more involved with the green movement. “Petra Kelly was one of the founders of the German Green Party, until she was killed just over 20 years ago at the age of 45. I have this photo of her when she entered the German parliament wearing her jeans and just carrying armfuls of sunflowers and there was just this image of life coming into a parliament that was pretty grey and dominated by men wearing their suits and so forth and she was bringing life into traditional politics.” Lucas has said before that she often walks past the scarf of suffragette, Emily Wilding Davison, in the Houses of Parliament to remind herself of how she is able to be there at all as a woman. When I asked her what women of the climate movement inspire her, I was surprised to hear her speak of the younger generation, rather than those who’s legacy is already set in history.

Not only does Lucas highlight Greta Thunberg, she stresses the impact of the young women who led the youth climate strikes, because: “there is nothing more compelling really than a young person telling the older generation that we’ve screwed up their future. And we have.”

It is clear Lucas places justice at the core of the climate movement. It’s not just justice for those who are disproportionately suffering because of poverty, or those suffering because of their gender, it’s also intergenerational justice, for the youth who need to resolve this crisis as it becomes more and more critical.

Although we are talking more about the climate than ever before, it’s the gap between the promises and reality which Lucas feels needs to be tackled next. On this issue Lucas’ passion is clear, and she speaks with obvious frustration.

Already, she explains, young politicians are making a huge impact. Councillor Amy Heley of Preston Park recently passed a motion for a report to be made on the feasibility of having a city centre without private cars in Brighton. Alex Phillips, who last year became the youngest ever Mayor of Brighton and Hove, set up a Green New Deal Intergroup in the European Parliament during the last year she spent as our MEP. “We desperately need some good, feisty young women in politics right now. It’s young people’s futures that are most at stake, so if ever we’ve needed young people to be real decision makers in what’s happening over the coming months and years then it's now, and it's more vital than ever before that young people have that voice.”

TV & FILM

APOLLO 11 WEDS 4 MARCH // NETFLIX

ESCAPE FROM PRETORIA FRI 6 MARCH // CINEMA

SPENSER CONFIDENTIAL FRI 6 MARCH // NETFLIX

Conspiracy theorists look away now – this documentary examines in detail the historic spaceflight that landed the first humans on the moon in 1969.

Not filmed in some warehouse in the American Midwest (I know, I know, that’s what they want us to think), but made up exclusively of archive footage from the crew on board Apollo and engineers at mission control. An incredible insight into perhaps the greatest achievement in the Cold War space race. (If it happened…!)

An almost unrecognisable Daniel Radcliffe (suddenly all hair and muscles) pairs up with Daniel Webber as two political prisoners, imprisoned for producing pamphlets on behalf of banned organisations including the ANC, in the tumultuous days of apartheid in South Africa. The film, based on Tim Jenkin’s (Radcliffe) true account, follows their plot to break out of prison with other prisoners, and makes for a race-against-time thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat.

Boston tough-guy Mark Wahlberg returns to his home city as former detective and ex-felon to unravel a murder conspiracy in the city’s underworld, as he helps out his former boxing coach (Alan Arkin). We know what we’re getting with a Mark Wahlberg action-comedy, and this shouldn’t disappoint his legions of fans.

The film also features the somewhat overly decorated face of Post Malone in his first feature film role.

A QUIET PLACE PART 2 FRI 20 MARCH // CINEMA

ULTRAS FRI 20 MARCH // NETFLIX

WESTWORLD MON 16 MARCH // SKY/NOW TV

Just as you think the Abbott family might be able to stop tiptoeing about, relax and let out an exhausted sigh, they have to head outside and face what’s there. And it turns out creatures that hunt by sound aren’t the only threat. (They can’t catch a break!)

Krasinski and Blunt team up again in this taut follow-up to 2018’s critically acclaimed film (coming out on Netflix, March 13th), to wear out the edges of more cinema seats.

An ageing football hooligan assesses his life of violence spent on the terraces and realises there are nicer things to do at the weekend that don’t result in a brick in the face. Looking to life outside his world of football and viciousness, he forms a friendship with a teenage version of himself, whilst chasing a normal life. I doubt he’ll ever be a picnics and bunnies kind of guy, but this gritty examination of a life changing direction, shows it’s never too late.

After a massacre in the Westworld, Dolores is finally free to escape the purpose she was created for and explore the real world, settling in neoLos Angeles where she meets Caleb.

HBO’s sci-fi-western series grapples between the ‘fictional’ and the ‘real’, with the android ‘hosts’ seeking autonomy outside of the amusement park. The third instalment of Westworld arrives less than two years after the second season, with new cast additions from Aaron Paul, Vincent Cassell and Lena Waithe.

AT HOME

SPRING INTO ACTION...

SOLAR ENERGY IN 2020

RELOCATE OR EXTEND THE HOUSE?

With the government ending their feed-in tariff, installing solar panels isn’t the potential money-maker it was.

However, there are still good reasons to install panels, both environmental and financial. Not only will it reduce your carbon footprint, but it will also reduce your annual electricity bill by £100-£250 a year. Perhaps the biggest financial incentive could be when it comes to selling, as an already set-up photovoltaic system makes for an attractive prospect for potential buyers, both in terms of its green credentials, and in keeping bills low. Solar panels also give you the chance to lord it over your neighbours, and that alone is worth every penny.

Extensions aren’t just a cheap and tacky way to change your hairstyle. Before extending your hair came along, people were extending their houses. And they’re not just capacious conservatories that are either too hot or too cold any more: you don’t need to go big to get a big change. Architects and designers are increasingly creative and adept at making the most out of small spaces (think George Clarke, but with real jobs). And it may be more affordable than you think. A basic extension could cost as little as a £1000/m2. A two-story extension doesn’t mean double the price, so if you’re thinking of extending out, think out-and-up if possible, to get the best value.

TIME TO THINK LANDSCAPE GARDENING Landscape gardening evokes images of rolling slopes, ornamental gardens and water features, Monet’s lily ponds, Van Gogh’s avenues of poplars, why a man would cut his own ear off in an argument… I’ve got distracted. Landscape gardening, evokes images of grandeur – it feels as if it’s the exclusive remit of the wealthy and the big-gardened (that’s a valid adjective). Whilst that might have once been the case, it certainly isn’t anymore. Just as architects and designers can work wonders when designing a new room, garden designers can work miracles when reimagining a space, no matter how small.

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You’d be surprised how much an outdoor revamp can transform a garden, and the house itself – the garden’s the house’s equivalent of the bed in the bedroom – if that’s unmade and scruffy, the whole room looks untidy. And even the smallest space can be made to feel roomier, and more sophisticated with a few tweaks from an expert eye. The addition of a raised bed here, a new stretch of paving there, the introduction of sharp lines, where to draw the eye, all these details can have a such an impact. Why not take on the garden this Spring? Then invite us all round for a BBQ come Summer.

TARMACADAM TOO EXPENSIVE?

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On a foul, cold day of bitter wind and swirling rain, with wet shoes, I found myself in the north section of the Amex Stadium’s car park, cursing the weather gods, and ready to be in a mood as foul as the day if things didn’t go smoothly. I was waiting to catch a bus to the People’s Pension Stadium in Crawley. But this was no ordinary bus: not only was it on time, but it was free!

I should explain. I was at the Amex to pick up the complimentary transport laid on by Brighton & Hove Albion for supporters to get to their women’s team home matches which are played just up the A23 in Crawley. The Amex is the last pick up point, the bus having already stopped across the city to pick up followers.

So, on time, clean and friendly, and full of excited supporters, the bus set off and shortly parked outside Crawley Town’s stadium in plenty of time for us to get to our seats, taking any detours on the way to get coffee, beers, sandwiches, etc.

At 2:00 the game kicked off, and to the soundtrack of the passionate but family-friendly (read, no swearing and abuse of players) crowd’s “Sea- Sea- Seasiders”, and “Seeeeeeeeaaaaagulls!” the home fans enjoyed the first 20 minutes, with Albion creating the best chances, including a great shout for a penalty within the first minute. But on the stroke of half an hour Le Garrec got a second yellow after a rat-a-tat pinball exchange ended with a Spurs player on the floor. Although the Seagulls responded well and continued to have the best chances, the decisive moment came 20 minutes into the second half when Tottenham’s Addison was felled in the box, and Dean scored what proved to be the winner from the spot.

Hope Powell’s team continued to push for an equaliser: they hit the bar, shot inches wide from close range, and Simpkins put in a Player of the Match performance. But, thanks to some high-quality timewasting, including world-class simulation and Oscar-worthy pretending they thought a throw-in was a freekick, Spurs held on for the win.

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Photo by © Kyle Hemsley

BY SIMON LIGHTFOOT

Often the worst part of going to the football is the journey home, especially after a deflating loss: you just want to be at home on the sofa, not faffing around with roadworks or rail engineering. However, the club makes every effort to ensure that supporting the team is as easy as can be, and they succeed in doing this: the journey back to Brighton was as slick as the outward leg. As we left the stadium, the bus was waiting for us where it had dropped us, and we were on the road five minutes after the match ended. We arrived back at the Amex in plenty of time for me to catch my train back into town, before it went on to drop the other supporters off at their preferred stops.

Women’s football is getting bigger, and attendance seemingly growing with every match. With England reaching the semifinal of last year’s World Cup, coverage is more visible than ever, and shows like The Women’s Football Show are finally giving us the chance to get to know the teams and players, and follow the game with the regularity it deserves. And with the countdown to next year’s Euro’s, held in England, having just passed 500 days, there’s never been a better time to go and watch your first FA Women’s Super League match.

Especially as it has recently been announced that the Amex will play host to some of the matches in the much-anticipated tournament, that will see England as one of the favourites.

Not only is watching Albion women great entertainment but it is astonishing value: where else can you watch topflight sports for £4 (half that for concessions) – including travel! A great day out for the whole family.

© Kyle Hemsley

"SEEAAGULS"

SPORTS NEWS

BY SIMON LIGHTFOOT

Sport-mad and itching for the 2020 Euros to start? Well, depending where that itching is, maybe get that seen to. But if all clear, don’t despair, you don’t have to wait until July, there’s a whole host of sport on between now and then. Here are some highlights to look forward to.

RUGBY UNION

Saturday 14th March sees the climax to the twentieth instalment of the Six Nations, with all three matches played consecutively, and all available on terrestrial TV. Historically this has often been a bonanza of sporting drama all packed into one day. I’ll never forget 2015’s final day, watching all three matches with my brother, as each one surpassed the previous. A total of 221 points were scored, culminating in the final match between England and France. After Ireland spanked Scotland 10-40 in the match before, England needed to win by 26 points or more to win the championship.

They won 55-35, meaning Ireland retained the title. Gutting result, but a belting day. You can’t miss the possibility of that drama happening again – cancel all plans, stock up the fridge, check the batteries in your remote. Don’t. Leave.

The sofa!

HORSE RACING

The 4th April is the Grand National: huge glistening beasts, straddled by tiny humans dressed like 80s pimps in a weird mushroom dream, peg it round in a circle and try and leap hedges the size of a house, so a (seemingly always) Irish trainer can receive countless slaps on the back and a large wad of cash. This is, however, undoubtedly a classic fixture on our sporting calendar, and provides an incredible atmosphere (and a great opportunity for tabloids to photograph smartly dressed drunkards having a fist fight). It also gives us all an excuse to embark on our annual pilgrimage to the bookies to a) pretend to know how it all works but inevitably look like a novice buffoon, and b) see if we can win a few quid by picking a horse based almost exclusively on whether or not it has a funny name.

ATHLETICS

26th April sees the largest mass gathering of people in a capital since Donald Trump doctored the pictures of his inauguration: the London Marathon! 40,000 brave souls decide the quickest way to get 26.2 miles across London is on foot whilst dressed as a walrus or Big Ben, or a fullscale Sydney Harbour Bridge. These madcap champions of charity raise millions of pounds for a whole host of phenomenal causes, and are supported all the way by the good people of London, cheering them on, offering treats and drinks, and playing in bands to lift the lowliest of spirits just when it’s needed. A day to celebrate how we can actually all be quite nice to each other, as much as it is to celebrate sport.

GOLF

Is there a more elegant and sophisticated sporting event than the Masters? Held every year at Georgia’s Augusta National, the world’s best golfers do battle in an amphitheatre of impeccably manicured azaleas, dogwoods, and skyhigh cedars and firs. (So impeccably presented, in fact, that the birdsong that’s seemingly on constant loop, is on constant loop: they’re piped in across the course on hidden speakers!) Even if you don’t like golf, it’s impossible not to be captivated by the preened beauty of the place, and the old-fashioned traditions that accompany it: mobile phones are mercifully banned from the course! It’s notoriously difficult to predict a winner, but here are some educated guesses as to what might happen: Rory McIlroy will start well then fluff it, Adam Scott will wear a tight t-shirt showing his ripped physique, Dustin Johnson will strut like a cowboy and Tiger Woods will try and get his end away with anyone he can. The action takes place 9th-12th April.

FOOTBALL

This year there’s barely a break between the end of the domestic season and the beginning of the Euros. And that gap is plugged by two of the biggest club matches in football. The 23rd May sees the FA Cup Final, and a week later the champions of Europe are crowned in Istanbul after the Champions League Final. There are still four English teams in Europe (please insert your own Brexit jokes here), and any of them could potentially repeat Liverpool’s success of last year. Well, maybe not Tottenham… Whoever’s in the final, it’s the perfect appetizer for the Euros ahead, and another great opportunity to watch 22 prima donnas peacock their new haircuts, brandish imaginary yellow cards to the ref, and perform elaborate roly-polies on the ground whilst holding their faces after being grazed by a moth.

TENNIS

One of British sport’s showpiece tournaments, Wimbledon, begins on the 29th June. Two weeks of blood, sweat and tears (or, for British players, one day of blood and sweat and 13 days of tears), huge upsets, amazing rivalries, infuriating grunting, non-stop weather forecasts, celebrities pretending they like sports, and Djokovic desperately trying to get people to like him, neatly comes to a head on the day the Euros begin. Meaning, above all, that my work here is done. Time for England to win the Euros. bn1magazine.co.uk

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BN1 TRIES...

THE SALT ROOM

BY GRACE KEPPEL

The Salt Room has been one of Brighton’s most famous and sought-after restaurants since its award of ‘Best Sussex Seafood Restaurant’ in 2017. Specialising in grilled fish and meat cooked over coal, I was looking forward to tasting sustainable Sussex produce served in a modern, finedining setting. We tasted The Salt Room’s brand new menu consisting of a range of meats, with some of The Salt Room’s classic dishes.

On the final torrential day of Storm Dennis, we entered The Salt Room in a perhaps less glamorous way to our fellow diners - soaked through and windswept to make our reservation! We were welcomed at the door by two friendly front of house staff, who quickly helped hang our drenched over-garments to dry whilst talking through the exciting new menu for the evening. Then we were led through the rustic modern interior fitted with a stone archway and warmly lit with decorative lights to head to our seats, instantly forgetting the horrific weather outside.

For pre-dining snacks, we asked our wonderful waiter Adelia for the ‘Little Fish Tempura’, ‘Mackerel Ndjura’ and the ‘Raw and Salted Vegetables’. We were offered a selection of wines, selecting the drier option. The tempura was cooked to perfection, as expected. Paired with powerful seaweed tempura, the dish was texturally delicate with a strong finishing taste. The salted vegetables were plated beautifully on ice - colourful and palette cleansing. The portion sizes were not disappointing either!

As a starter, we opted for the ‘Aged Beef Crudo’ and, ‘Grilled Castelfranco, burrata, orange and anchovy’. As a huge fan of burrata, I was extremely excited to taste The Salt Room’s take on the dish. These starters were my personal favourites of the evening. The inclusion of orange with the Castelfranco

created bursts of flavour in each mouthful and the beef Crudo's deep flavour was exceptional - the meat melted in our mouths. Adelia expertly informed us of all the flavours and seasonings in both the dishes – we were very impressed.

For our main courses, we selected the ‘Barbequed Monkfish’, served with chorizo and mussels and the ‘Grilled Shoulder of Lamb’. The monkfish was deliciously barbequed, and The Salt Room’s ‘coal’ method of cooking created a smoky underlying flavour, complimenting the lime salsa sauce. The lamb was also exceptionally cooked; you could tell the meat was superb quality.

Although the generous portions left us fully satisfied, after tasting such a variety of exceptional dishes we just had to try the dessert too! The options were interesting, alluding towards childhood memories. We chose ’Lemon Fro-Yo’ and the ‘Brown Sugar Tart’, however, we were also presented with the ‘Peppermint Choc-Ice’ by mistake. We had the pleasure of tasting all three and without complaint!. The Fro-Yo dessert was a mix of strong flavours, paired with pistachio and rose, and was an acquired taste, to say the least. The ‘Brown Sugar Tart’ was incredible. The delicate and creamy filling with a crunchy ginger biscuit base paired with grapefruit and gin sorbet. The textures were particularly excellent with this dish, and it was presented beautifully. The peppermint choc ice tasted as expected, without much fuss.

Overall, the service, food and experience were incredible at The Salt Room, and we were even given a goody bag to take away, which contained a delicious packet of salmon. I will definitely be returning for my celebration dinners. Thank you for a wonderful evening.

The Salt Room, 106 Kings Rd, Brighton, BN1 2FU

Y N GI RNE U O J

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Photos by © Karoliina Helosuo

BY SIMON LIGHTFOOT

Upon arrival, and being told I was to indulge in an 8-course feast, my first thought was one of regret: why had I chowed half a pack of Jaffa Cakes that afternoon? I needn’t have worried. The food was of a standard that made the fullness of my belly inconsequential – I could’ve just eaten a whole horse (I believe Findus are still in business…) and I still would’ve devoured every morsel.

We’d been invited to The Syndicate Kitchen’s SKINT dinner, taking place in the North Laine’s new 640 East in its freshly refurbished iconic venue, 39 Upper Gardner Street. The restaurant morphs throughout the day, offering coffee and breakfast in the morning, light lunches and bowls by day and small plates by night, doubling up as the perfect space for local chefs to bring their pop-ups to. All in a sophisticated, stylish surrounding with an emphasis, driven by owners Ross and Alice, on upcycled materials.

The concept of The Syndicate Kitchen’s SKINT dinner, ideal for indigent Januaries, is to offer the kind of extravagant dining experience without the extravagant price tag normally associated. They succeed in doing this by foraging the Sussex coastline and countryside, and using less popular cuts of meat, and adapting to any kitchen they use. For this event, they added flavour to some of the dishes by making full use of 640 East’s large open fire, a real feature and talking point of the venue, visible as it is in the open kitchen. Consequently, for just £25, diners were treated to a high-end 8-course tasting menu in an atmospheric and welcoming setting, that made us forget all about the January blues.

Looking at the 8-course menu was as mysterious as it was appealing – I knew what the words meant individually, but had never seen them in that order before, so never had any idea what to expect from the next course. For example, the first course was BBQ Alexander Bud, Spicy Sauerkraut and Sour Cream. It turns out the Alexander Bud, also known as Smyrnium olusatrum, is an edible flowering plant of the Apiaceae or Umbelliferae family. (OK I knew that one, obviously!) What that meant on a plate, was a smoky, spicy starter that set the benchmark mighty high for the rest of the meal.

This was swiftly followed by a Trout Belly Baji served with Three Corner Garlic. The combination was somehow both exotic and familiar, and was a great example of how the rest of the meal went – either ingredients I’d not had before, or ingredients

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640 EAST

paired with others in combinations I hadn’t. Such as the Salt Baked Celeriac with Cheese Rind Sauce and Babbington Leeks. I’d always been of the opinion that celeriac was a filler ingredient, used to pad out a meal but never actually adding any flavour or depth to it. I was delighted to be proved so wrong, as this clearly misunderstood (by me) root veg was spectacularly brought to life, perfectly accompanied by the mature cheese sauce.

Other courses included a Grilled Anchovy Flatbread, Wild Sea Vegetables with Strawberry Top Vinegar, Coal-Baked Meringue with Pickled Cranberries and Gram Biscuits, and a final bonne bouche of Wild Hop Soaked Sponge, a perfect way to finish off such a nectarous feast, with the texture of a miniature lemon drizzle cake.

However, the highlight of the meal for me (and many of the other diners) was the Jerk Ox Heart and Sweet Potato. This tender, incredibly lean meat, served in a reduced sauce, was jam-packed with flavour, rich in spice, and was cut through perfectly by sweet potato crisps.

Beyond its deliciousness and the huge variety of each course, the excitement of such a meal, was that I wouldn’t in a million years be able to produce any of the dishes at home. The ingredients and combinations are such that I’d never have dreamt them up, let alone have the skill required to turn such diverse ingredients into such a thoroughly enjoyable banquet.

As well as playing host to Michael and his team at The Syndicate Kitchen, 640 East complimented the menu with a comprehensive range of wines, craft beers and bespoke cocktails created by their extremely knowledgeable barman, David. As part of my selfless research I felt it only prudent to try out their cocktails, and part of my rigorous investigations included being treated to a Candy Drop: an almost dangerously delicious cocktail, it was sweet and refreshing and tasted like a Pisco Sour made by Willie Wonka.

This was a wonderful evening of exquisite food and drink, in a magnificent setting. Whatever your reasons for visiting 640 East, whether it be another SKINT evening, any of their other many events collaborating with other local chefs, or to enjoy a Buddha Bowl over lunch, you’ll be made to feel welcome by their charming team, and come away sated and smiling.

39 Upper Gardner St, Brighton, BN1 4AN

QUADRANT THE QUADRANT SAVING THE LOCAL

BY SIMON LIGHTFOOT

From Loose Women to owning an iconic Brighton landmark, it’s been an interesting journey for the new landlord of The Quadrant, John Purchese.

Firstly, before we’re royally sued, please note the capitalisation of Loose Women! That’s right, towards the end of the most awkwardly-named decade in history, the naughties, Purchese was working in London, about to sign a long contract to work on ITV’s Loose Women, when he was asked by a friend to help run The Open House, as he had experience in hospitality.

Enjoying both the work, and being back in his home city, he left his TV career behind and started contracting with bars – running the back end of the operation, supplying staff, essentially everything but paying for the beer. This less risky way of learning how to run a pub (you don’t have to whack £200,000 of your own money behind the bar – unless you’re having a really big night), allowed him to not only become a practised manager, but also to rectify the fortunes of a range of well-known pubs across the city, including the Hobgoblin, Good Companions, Hare and Hounds, Seven Stars and William the Fourth.

Now, with over ten years’ experience of successfully managing pubs, and gaining an intimate knowledge of the Brighton pub scene in which he grew up, he is taking on his own project, by bringing back to life the iconic Quadrant Pub. Just north of The Clock Tower, wedged into the oblique join between Queen’s Road and Air Street, this isoscelesshaped pub, split over two levels, is a landmark in its own right, a listed building, and a beautiful bar, bursting with character.

Ideally situated for shoppers to drop in and have a glass and a bag (pint/glass of wine and bag of crisps/nuts – it’s not a thing, but it sounds like it should be. Come on, let’s make it a thing), the pub deserves to be more than a go-onthen-why-not pub. It has been underutilised for a number of years and has been crying out for a landlord with the

comprehensive knowledge of the Brighton cultural scene to know how best to ensure that a pub of that size can thrive, and once again become a destination pub, somewhere where Brightonians and visitors to the city alike will make a beeline for.

The practice of the UK pub culture in recent years has seen smaller pubs get left behind, receiving less investment by their owners who are concentrating on larger, more profitable venues. This is nowhere more evident than in Brighton, where many smaller venues have been neglected and ended up closing, or being run into the ground. As a Brightonian born-and-bred Purchese wants to stop the rot, and inject some life back into these smaller venues, and by doing so, give people the breadth of choice he had when growing up.

“I’m from Brighton, I love Brighton, and I’m staying in Brighton. My mission statement is to put some love back into its bars,” offering an experience-lead night out, making more use of the beautiful building itself. This includes plans in the pipeline to transform the second floor into something quite special – watch this space. (And as for the rumours that a well-known British burger company will be refurbing the in-house kitchen and selling burgers and chips? “I Honestly can’t comment…”).

It is not just the punters that are considered in this revamp.

The plan is for everything to be as Brighton-based as possible, from staff to wholesalers, with beer predominantly being supplied by Jordan at Unbarred – “because his beer’s amazing!”

The intentions and the reasons behind them, are summed up best by the man himself. “I want people to love Brighton as much as I do,” he explains, simply. If you don’t already, I would suggest a glass and a bag in The Quadrant (see, it’s catching on already), is a glorious place to start such a love affair. bn1magazine.co.uk

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Photo by © WhyKayEss

CASA AZUL

BY LOUISA STREETING

Brunch is a meal that is hotly appreciated in Brighton, but I would argue a strong case for simply ‘lunch’. Whether you look forward to the break in your day at work or a special weekend outing, the city has plenty of tempting lunchtime spots. Tucked away in the buzzing Brighton Open Market just off London Road is Casa Azul, a family-run Mexican restaurant serving first-class food. I meet the owners, Gabriel and Marina, who take the time to sit down with me and talk through the ethos of their restaurant.

The ‘Tex-Mex’ takeover in recent years meant there are now lots of westernised versions of Mexican cuisine. Now, food lovers are now craving authenticity and flavour from people travelling more or watching food programmes on television.

The head chef has been in the catering industry in the UK for many years, but about a year ago Gabriel and his family decided to revisit the food of his birthplace in Mexico City.

After a trip back to the capital city to remember the traditional flavours, Casa Azul (‘Blue House’) opened in Spring 2019.

To drink, you can choose from freshly made Horchata (£2.50), made with rice and flavoured with cinnamon and sugar.

For me, this is the perfect palette cleanser and is hugely refreshing. Alternatively, Agua de Jamaica is a beautiful iced tea made on-site from dried hibiscus flowers sweetened with sugar (£2.50).

The team at Casa Azul has created a ‘mirror menu’ in which meat-eaters and vegans can enjoy the same dish specially adapted to their diet. Casa Azul serves eight taco options (four meat, four vegan) alongside their daily specials.

I choose the vegan ‘Tinga’ from the menu (£5.90), consisting of carrots, with a chipotle chilli-infused tomato sauce topped with vegan cream and vegan cheese. The meat version substitutes chicken for the carrots in this dish. The dish is served with a side and refried beans with a chilli sauce of your choice. With three soft tacos accompanied with a side, this is incredible value for your lunchtime meal.

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Don’t be alarmed by the dark-greyish colour of the taco wrap.

“Some customers say to me, ‘it’s dusty!’”, Gabriel laughs as I enquire about the usual colour. They both explain that it is made from blue corn, a tradition for Central and Southern Mexico. Casa Azul aims to dismantle the misconception that Mexican food is notoriously hot. Heat can be added to taste through a variety of freshly made sauces such as a sesamebased Sala Matcha and ‘Guacachilli’ hot sauce.

Initially, I say I have no more room for dessert, but Gabriel insists I must try their flan. This iconic dessert was initially brought to South America from Spain and has been a fundamental part of Mexican food culture for centuries. The sweet is smothered in a pool of thin, but rich caramel and the custard is so wonderfully creamy and smooth. I wash this down with a cup of Mexican coffee, served black with cinnamon and panela cane sugar.

Jars of the renowned Salsa Matcha can be purchased to take home and if you bring the container back you receive a 50p discount. Aside from specialised products, all their meat and vegetables are bought locally, either from Brighton Open Market or a nearby butcher. Their zero-waste initiatives emphasise how a sustainable mindset is possible for even smaller businesses in the restaurant industry. Marina and Gabriel want to demonstrate how ‘fast’ food can be good food.

Marina also tells me about their ‘hanging meal’ concept with the YMCA, in which you can purchase food at Casa Azul for vulnerable people who need it.

If you find yourself in the area or need a family-friendly lunchtime spot at the weekend, Casa Azul should be top of your list. The long table in the centre of the room is the perfect place for communal dining, either with your friends or with other members of the community. This is authentic Mexican home cooking in an up-and-coming foodie hotspot of Brighton.

Casa Azul is located at Brighton Open Market, Marshalls Row, BN1 4JU. Open seven days a week.

Mon-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 11am-4pm.

POETRY CORNER

SLAP A TIGER IN THE FACE

BY SIMON LIGHTFOOT

The drudgery of January has long since finished, The car-crash memories of Valentines, diminished.

We’re finally approaching the clock-jumping farce Spring’s around the corner, and winter can bite my arse.

Life outside of work is restarted in the evening’s new light; We can start new hobbies without staying up half the night.

We can go outside, blink at the sun whilst our eyes adjust, As we absorb Vitamin D before our bones turn to dust.

Long evenings, a gift from the honchoes of the chronological, Administered by the masters of the horological, Sixty minutes offered as a six-month loan of a moment, Ours to do as we wish with, our temporary bestowment.

Learn scrimshaw, practice witchcraft, study alchemy and Latin, Or whittle the crap out of a piece of wood and paint it a nice bold satin.

Or if these oldy-worldy pastimes seem all too unassailable There are some modern hobbies when your phones are unavailable.

The point is, you can do something you wouldn’t normally do Don’t just sit there facebooking, go and do something new.

Learn the bagpipes, read about Heracles’ twelve labours, Knock on the door next to yours, and say hello to the neighbours.

Learn a magic trick, paint a picture, find out how to juggle, And don’t pack each one in the moment you start to struggle.

Walk up that hill, drive that golf ball, take that dip in the ocean, Wear something outlandish and cause quite the commotion.

Write a love letter, call an old friend, send your Mum a text, Try some yoga and meditate, while you decide what to do next.

Add some crazy chapters to your burgeoning personal history, Walk on hot coals, escape a burning building, uncover an ancient mystery.

Don a tutu and practice nailing the perfect pirrhouette Buy a dictionary, and learn how to spell pirouette.

Devote the extra hour to creating a scientific theory, Or simply spend it drinking until your eyesight goes all bleary.

Do whatever it is you like, but please, I do implore you, Don’t do what you normally do, something that’ll bore you.

Do something bonkers: slap a tiger in the face (metaphorically), Just don’t take it for granted, but enjoy it categorically.

bn1magazine.co.uk

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CROSSWORD

Find the word in the yellow squares to win this month's priz 1

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1 8 Eggshell, for example (3-5) Across 2 9 Small tree (6) 3 10 Method of measuring acidity or alkalinity (6,4) 8 Eggshell, for example (3-5) 4 11 A gripe (slang) (4) 9 Small tree (6) 5 12 Protrusion of an organ through a cavity (6) 10 Method of measuring acidity or 6 14 Obsolete musical medium (8) 7 alkalinity 15 Locked horns (7) (6,4) 13 17 11 Showing dignity(slang) (7) A gripe (4) 20 Catch unawares (8) of an organ through a16 22 12 TypeProtrusion of type (6) 18 (6) 24 Just cavity (4) 25 14 Highest-grossing motion picture Obsolete stop musical medium (8) 19 21 of all time (7,3) 15 Locked horns (7) 23 27 Boy's name (6) 26 Showing dignity (7) 28 17 Extremely infectious (8)

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Workplace (6) Down Travel like a fish (4) Territory above ground (8) 1 Workplace (6) Daphne du Maurier book / Alfred Hitchcock film (7) 2 Travel like a fish (4) Subsides (6) above Not present3/ aTerritory bit insane (anag) (2,8)ground (8) Of a mother a father (8)du Maurier book / Alfred 4orDaphne Someone who is overly interested in other Hitchcock film (7) people's affairs (4,6) Subsides (6) Tincture of 5 opium (8) Hocus-pocus (8) present / a bit insane (anag) 6 Not Take the pressure off (7) (2,8) Demands a scratch (6) 7 Of a mother or(6)a father (8) Arboreal lizard of tropical America Little Dickens 13 protagonist Someone(4)who is overly interested

other people's affairs (4,6) 20 Catch unawares (8) CROSSWORD PROVIDED BY THOM: @THOMPUNTONCROSSWORDS (INSTAGRAM) 16 Tincture of opium (8) 22 Type of type (6)

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