Boundary-breaking music, internationally acclaimed arts and our brand-new comedy festival come to Brighton Dome this autumn
Cosy season is almost upon us, and we have an eclectic programme packed with everything from an accessible club night, a VR 80s rave experience, an evolving art installation and dance and circus from around the globe to warm up the crisper months this autumn.
Pride, Protest and queer cabaret
On 8 and 9 Nov, Breach Theatre bring their Edinburgh Festival hit, After the Act, to the newly refurbished Corn Exchange. Hailed ‘exceptional’ by The Guardian, the new musical explores the lives of people impacted by Section 28 through a lens of pride, protest, a whole lot of humour and an epic original 80s synths-packed live score. For ages 14+.
Lucy McCormick also careers through the Corn Exchange with her critically acclaimed queer cabaret, Lucy & Friends, on 1 and 2 Nov. The comedian, performance artist and cult favourite will be bringing her audience exactly what they want: a chaotic and hilarious mix of pole dancing, cat impressions and clairvoyance. For ages 18+.
All the World’s a Grain
Of All the People in the World comes to the Corn Exchange with pay-what-you-feel showings between 7 and 11 Sep. Praised as ‘ingenious’ by the Daily Telegraph, the ever-evolving performance-installation represents human statistics using grains of rice, telling moving stories about the planet’s 8.2 billion inhabitants. For all ages.
Travel in Time and Place
Talawa Firsts makes its Brighton premiere 15-16 Oct in the Studio Theatre. A comedy-drama double bill and annual celebration of the most exciting new Black British theatre makers and writers, the shows explore the topics of hospitality and modern relationships with everything from love, politics and serial killers... For ages 12+.
Ever wanted to visit the past? Step back in time to the heart of the 1980s acid house scene with the award-winning interactive VR adventure, In Pursuit of Repetitive Beats. Don’t miss the lunchtime talk exploring rave culture with BIMM Music Institute lecturer and music journalist James Kendall. 5-24 Nov in the Studio Theatre - for ages 12+, recommended for ages 14+.
Fresh from sold-out performances across the UK and Middle East is the Orchestral Qawwali Project, led by singer Abi Sampa and composer Rushil Ranjan. Transcend musical boundaries with their beautiful blend of Western orchestral and choral traditions, Indian Classical and Sufi Islamic music. 19 Oct in the Concert Hall – for all ages.
Dancing Across the Globe
Exploding onto the Concert Hall stage 1-2 Oct is Nigeria’s celebrated QDance Company with their irresistibly exuberant Re:Incarnation; an ode to Nigerian culture through a fusion of movement, music, fashion and art. For all ages.
A new generation of raw talent takes to Concert Hall 15-16 Nov in Solera, from world-renowned flamenco guitarist Paco Pena’s Dance Company (for all ages), and Afrique en Cirque bring their charming, high-energy combination of circus, dance and music inspired by daily life in Guinea to the Concert Hall 28-31 Dec (for ages 8+).
Comedy For All
The brand-new annual Brighton Dome Comedy Festival is taking over the Brighton Dome venues 24-27 Oct! With a fully BSL-interpreted line up, including improv from Taskmaster’s Kiell Smith-Bynoe, stand-up from Brighton-based Maisie Adam and refugee comedy collective No Direction Home, the Festival has plenty for children and young people too including a teen-friendly version of Brighton’s biggest comedy night, Live at Brighton Dome.
Striking a Chord
This autumn’s music programme is chock full of genre-spanning world-class musicians. Making Tracks brings together exciting musicians from around the globe to showcase performances inspired by the natural world (Studio Theatre, 4 Oct, under 14s must be accompanied by an adult).
Our popular Sunday morning Coffee Concerts return to the beautifully refurbished Corn Exchange, with acclaimed ensembles and quartets performing classical music from beloved Bach and Beethoven to brand new commissions. Come along and grab a snack and drink from our Festival Bar to enjoy during the shows. For all ages.
Also returning to Brighton Dome this autumn is Blue Camel Club, 7 Oct in the Corn Exchange - the biggest learning-disabled club night on the south coast! For ages 14+, under 16s must be accompanied by an adult.
Gather Round, Folks
Also in the music programme are CALAN, the mesmerising folk quartet performing tracks from their highly anticipated new album, Nefydd, inspired by Welsh folklore (Studio Theatre, 29 Nov, for all ages), and Leveret, which sees three of England's finest folk musicians, Andy Cutting, Sam Sweeney and Rob Harbron collaborate for an evening of “sublime, exquisite music” in the Studio Theatre, 10 Oct – under 14s must be accompanied by an adult.
Family Fun
Feel the magic of theatre and explore an underwater world in Stories of a Watersprite in the Studio Theatre, 29 Sep (for ages 4-10 and their families), and discover a re-imagining of Cinderella in The Glass Slippers, filled with sparkle, magic, music and dance in the Studio Theatre (for ages 3+ and their families).
More Dates for the Diary
You Aren’t Doing It Wrong (If No One Knows What You Are Doing): An interactive, raw and funny solo show from artist and theatre-maker Rachel Blackman. Studio Theatre, 6-7 Dec.
Disabled + Disobedient: 2024 Brighton Dome in-house artist, Erin Enfys, is back with their second mini-festival bringing together the best deaf, disabled and neurodivergent talent in Brighton and beyond. Studio Theatre, 17 Oct.
Mariza: One of only two 2024 UK dates from the world-renowned Portuguese fado-singer; enjoy an evening of remarkable singing, charismatic stage presence and a powerful blend of traditional and contemporary song. Concert Hall, 20 Sep.
Luna Loves Library Day: Luna and her dad take an adventure amongst the library shelves in this new musical, based on the book by former Waterstones Children’s Laureate, Joseph Coelho. Studio Theatre, 30-31 Oct.
In Conversation with Tim Minchin: Musical comedian Tim Minchin discusses his new book You Don't Have to Have A Dream: Advice for the Incrementally Ambitious with journalist Helen Lewis. Concert Hall, 3 Sep.
