We've scoured the county to bring you The Diary July 2024 - the best gigs, events and shows in the county this month
Exhibition
The Shape of Things: Still Life in Britain
Virtually every art student starts out painting still lifes. This major new summer exhibition at Pallant House explores this much-maligned subject, and how UK artists have used it to grapple with themes surrounding the human condition. Expect to see works by more than 100 artists including Patrick Caulfield, Vanessa Bell, Lucian Freud, Gluck, David Hockney, Lee Miller and Rachel Whiteread, plus a site-specific clay installation by Phoebe Cummings.
Pallant House Gallery, Chichester, until October 20, Tues-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun/bank holidays 11am-5pm, £14, under-18s free
Comedy
Zoe Lyons: Animal Noises (WIP)
Arguably Hove’s funniest resident tries out material for a new tour – just one of a series of low-price tryout shows and double bills coming to Komedia ahead of the Edinburgh Fringe. Catch a bargain on the venue’s website.
Komedia Brighton, Tuesday, July 2, 7.30pm, £11
Spoken word
Henry Winkler: The Fonz and Beyond
Not many TV characters engrained themselves into the international psyche so much that they became the basis of a new religion in an episode of Family Guy. But that’s what happened with Henry Winkler’s Arthur Fonzarelli from Happy Days – one of a series of unforgettable comic characters from a 50-year career which also embraced Arrested Development, Parks and Recreation and Barry. He talks about those roles, and his battle with dyslexia.
Brighton Dome Corn Exchange, Tuesday, July 2, 7.30pm, £42.50
Festival
Brighton Comedy Garden
The comedy big top is returning to Brighton’s Preston Park for a series of packed big-name bills, featuring headliners Harry Hill, Josh Widdicombe, Dara O Briain, Sara Pascoe, Simon Amstell, Fern Brady, Sam Campbell, Phil Wang, Ross Noble, Sindhu Vee and Jamali Maddix. As well as the five-strong comedy line-up each night, there’s a complex of bars and food stalls.
Preston Park, Brighton, July 3-7, 7.30pm, 4pm matinees Sat/Sun, £26, brightoncomedygarden.co.uk
Theatre
Travels With My Aunt
This adaptation of Graham Greene’s classic comedy sees the life of mild-mannered bank manager Henry Pulling turned upside-down with the arrival of his eccentric septuagenarian Aunt Augusta who takes him on a whirlwind adventure – illustrated by a cast of four taking on 24 roles.
Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne, July 4-13, 7.45pm, 2.30pm matinees Wed and Sat, from £20, eastbournetheatres.co.uk
Music
Chantel McGregor
Former guitar prodigy and support act with cult blues favourite Joe Bonamassa, Chantel McGregor is testing material for a forthcoming third album, as well as reminding fans of her lockdown podcast The Shed Sessions what they’ve been missing. Also at The Factory, Worthing, on Thursday, July 18.
The Carlisle, Hastings, Friday, July 5, doors 7.30pm, £15, skiddle.com
Children’s theatre
Bluey’s Big Play
The biggest kids’ TV phenomenon of the past few years is coming to the live stage for a whole new heartwarming story by its original creator Joe Brumm. Dad feels like he wants a bit of Sunday afternoon time out, but sisters Bluey and Bingo have other plans to get him off his beanbag.
Brighton Centre, July 5-7, 10am, 1pm Sat/Sun, 4pm Sat, see website for tickets
Festival
Love Supreme Jazz Festival
The soul and jazz legends keep piling up for this year’s Love Supreme Jazz Festival, with Chaka Khan, Olivia Dean, Dionne Warwick, Kool and the Gang, Joss Stone, Mahalia, Billy Cobham’s Time Machine and Sérgio Mendes being joined by Sananda Maitreya, better known as 1980s chart sensation Terence Trent D’Arby, who will be performing his first UK show for 20 years.
Glynde Place, Glynde, July 5-7, from £72, lovesupremefestival.com
Event
Medieval Weekend
Arundel Castle turns the clock back to 1474 to host a knight’s foot tournament and archery contest in honour of the Earl of Arundel’s new grandson. As well as watching the competition visitors can see craft demonstrations, falconry and try their hand at axe-throwing in the tented encampment. Later this month look out for the Daimler and Lanchester Owners Club 60th anniversary event from Thursday, July 18, and the International Medieval Jousting Tournament from July 30-August 4.
Arundel Castle, July 6-7, 10am-5pm, £27, £12 children, arundelcastle.org
Comedy
Rhod Gilbert and the Giant Grapefruit
Usually seen raging against the futilities of modern life, Welsh comedian Rhod Gilbert has gone personal in this latest show detailing his painful battle against throat cancer, as captured in a harrowing Channel Four documentary.
White Rock, Hastings, Sunday, July 7, 8pm, £39.75
Theatre
Sister Act: The Musical
Coronation Street’s Wendi Peters is donning the Mother Superior habit as this touring version of the hit Broadway musical returns to Eastbourne. Landi Oshinowo plays Deloris, the nightclub singer who has to go into hiding at a convent after witnessing a mob hit.
Congress Theatre, Eastbourne, July 8-13, 7.30pm, 2.30pm matinees Thurs and Sat, from £27, eastbournetheatres.co.uk
Theatre
Oliver!
Chichester’s annual summer musical is Lionel Bart’s much-loved take on Charles Dickens. This production has been created by choreographer Matthew Bourne and Cameron Mackintosh, and stars Simon Lipkin as Fagin, Shanay Holmes as Nancy, Aaron Sidwell as the fearsome Bill Sikes and Philip Franks as the kindly Mr Brownlow.
Chichester Festival Theatre, July 8-September 7, 7.30pm, 2.30pm matiness, from £10
Comedy
Viggo Venn: British Comedian
The Norwegian 2023 Britain’s Got Talent winner comes to Crawley on his first national tour, as the clown attempts to become the titular British comedian.
The Hawth, Crawley, Tuesday July 9
Theatre
Sancho & Me
Peep Show’s The Johnson, Paterson Joseph, recreates the life of Charles Ignatius Sancho, who was born on a slave ship, but became a writer, composer, shopkeeper, and respected man of letters in 18th-century London. This performance partly draws on readings from Paterson’s award-winning debut novel The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho, and his own experiences of being black and British.
Connaught Theatre, Worthing, Tuesday, July 9, 7.30pm, £13, wtm.uk
Comedy
Matt’s Comedy Club: Harry Baker
World Poetry Slam Champion Harry Baker comes to Worthing as part of his third UK tour in support of his latest collection of poems Wonderful. Expect heartfelt verse covering diverse subject such as wellies, postcodes and his favourite German wheat beer. Also at Brighton Komedia, Wednesday, July 24.
Worthing Pavilion Atrium, Tuesday, July 9, 8pm, from £12, wtm.uk
Outdoor theatre
Rainbow Shakespeare
The annual celebration of the Bard takes on A Midsummer Night’s Dream, from July 9-14, before one of the Bard’s ‘problem plays’ The Winter’s Tale, which switches abruptly from dark tragedy to high comedy at the appearance of a bear from July 16-21.
Highdown Gardens, Goring, July 9-21, 7.30pm, 2pm matinees Sat/Sun, from £12, wtm.uk
Event
Goodwood Festival of Speed
Motorsporting legends, classic cars, rally driving, and the iconic hillclimb all come together in the annual petrolheads’ nirvana. This year focuses on the 20th anniversary of Red Bull Racing.
Goodwood, July 11-14, from £40
Theatre
Brave Space
Get up close to an all-female cast in this intimate celebration of circus, featuring cyr wheels, trapeze, juggling and acrobatics.
Pavilion Theatre, Worthing, July 12-14, 7.30pm Fri, 2pm and 7pm Sat, 11am and 3pm Sun, from £15, wtm.uk
Spoken word
An Evening with David Sedaris
Now very much a West Sussex resident – where he can often be found picking litter from the roadside – the US humorist reads a selection of new and unpublished stories, takes questions and signs books.
Brighton Dome Concert Hall, Saturday, July 13, 7.30pm, from £37.50, brightondome.org
Festival
Jo Whiley’s 90s Anthems
One half of the classic Evening Session presenting team throughout the Britpop years, BBC DJ Jo Whiley is playing a beachside festival focusing wholly on the 1990s – taking in selections from Blur and Oasis, big beat, Primal Scream and The Prodigy. Special guest DJ Spoony.
De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill, Saturday, July 13, 2pm, from £37.50
Family Festival
Beach Life
Live performances by local musicians are joined by street food stalls, a seafront market, and the chance to watch the Ironbourne triathlon. Look out for tribute shows to the Spice Girls and Simply Red in the evening at the same location.
Eastbourne Bandstand, July 13-14, 11am-5pm, free, beachlifefestival.co.uk
Theatre
The 39 Steps
A quartet of actors - including Tom Byrne from The Crown and Bridgerton - takes on 139 roles over the course of 100 minutes, in Patrick Barlow’s comic take on the classic Hitchcock spy movie. The original production won an Olivier Award in its nine years on the West End.
Theatre Royal Brighton, July 16-20, 7.30pm, 2.30pm matinees Thurs and Sat, from £13, ATGTickets.com/Brighton
Opera
La Traviata
St Leonards-based touring opera company Barefoot take on Verdi’s tale of love and loss between a poet and consumptive courtesan in an outdoor picnic performance, also featuring the Harmonessence Choirs and Voices and Brighton and Hove Sixth Form College.
Findon Place, Friday, July 19, 7.30pm, from £50
Music
On the Beach festival
This seafront music festival mixes dance, drum and bass and indie-pop over the course of two long weekends, with headliners including Underworld, Carl Cox, Sub Focus and The Libertines. Tickets to see openers Bicep on Friday 19 and The Kooks, who are making a return to their Brighton roots on Sunday 21, are already sold out.
Brighton Beach, July 19-21 and 26-28, from 2pm (1pm Sat), from £44.85, onthebeachbrighton.com
Theatre
The Promise
Following Michael Sheen’s acclaimed take on Nye Bevan at the National Theatre this spring, this new play by Paul Unwin is another take on the birth of the NHS. Set in 1945, immediately following the end of the war, it starts with Labour’s landslide victory and the party’s desire to create a welfare state and rebuild the war-damaged country.
Minerva Theatre, Chichester, July 19-August 17, 7.15pm, 2.15pm matinees, from £10, cft.org.uk
Exhibition
Botanical Art Fair
Emerging and established artists share their love of the botanical form in this new art fair, featuring original artworks, prints, textiles, photography and 3D creations. Ticket price includes entry to the gardens.
Sussex Prairie Garden, Henfield, July 20-21, 11am-5pm, £12, £6 children, sussexprairies.co.uk
Exhibition
Remind Me Why I’m Here
Best known as a tailor to the stars (and Alan Partridge), Gresham Blake has put together an exhibition to raise money for Alzheimer’s Research UK, in memory of his late father Brian. The exhibition’s title comes from what his father would say during increasingly rare moments of lucidity in his five-year decline. On display will be photographs by Gresham and Kenny McCracken and embroidery by his mother Adrienne.
Helm Gallery, Brighton, July 24-August 1, Tues to Sun, from 10am, free
Classical
Hastings Philharmonic Orchestra
Led by Emil Chakalov, Hastings’ professional orchestra performs Vivaldi’s much-loved Four Seasons alongside Grieg’s Holberg Suite.
De La Warr Pavilion, Thursday, July 25, 8pm, from £13.50, dlwp.com
Festival
Jackofest
This year Jackson Peacock was set to celebrate a ‘Centenary’ party with his 60-year-old mother and 18-year-old brother - but the 21-year-old's life was snatched away by a fatal accident in September. This celebratory festival takes place the day before what would have been Jackson’s 22nd birthday, and features special guests Nerina Pallot, Mica Paris, Songer, Erin Bloomer, Jack Valero and Theo Sawyer.
De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill, Saturday, July 27, 2pm, from £23.50, dlwp.com
Festival
The Wake
Former Super Furry Animals frontman Gruff Rhys headlines this brand new one-day festival from Jo Bartlett and Danny Hagan, the founders of the Green Man Festival. There are two stages of music and literature, plus street food and craft beers from Langham Brewery.
Loxwood Meadow, Saturday, July 27, noon, £30, under-14s free, thewake.uk
Open-air Theatre
The Comedy of Errors
A new summer programme of open-air theatre launches at the much-loved museum with Shakespeare’s broadest comedy, courtesy of Three Inch Fools, based around a series of cases of mistaken identity. Also on the bill this month are performances of The Secret Diary of Henry VIII on Monday 29, and operetta The Gondoliers on Tuesday 30.
Weald and Downland Living Museum, Chichester, Sunday, July 28, 5.30pm, £18, £12 children, wealddown.co.uk/whats-on/theatre
Horseracing
Qatar Goodwood Festival
A highlight of the British flatracing calendar, Glorious Goodwood returns, with the ever-popular Ladies’ Day and Magnolia Cup for first-time racers on Thursday, August 1.
Goodwood, July 30-August 3, 11am, from £21
