Brighton Music, Comedy and Cultural Listings: 12th - 18th May 2025
Brighton Fringe drama, plus Sweet Venues put on their own festival
Hello! Sorry for the distinct lack of listings last week. Putting these together takes a whole morning and I just didn’t have one to spare last week. To ensure normal service continues, you know what to do:
News
Brighton Fringe promoter / room booker Half A Camel, which had been booking up an increasingly vast percentage of the available rooms for Brighton Fringe shows, has imploded. Shows are being taken in-house and tickets are still being honoured, but it’s a sorry situation that could easily have been avoided. I’m hoping Fringe reflect on this, put better scrutiny and safeguarding in place, and put on a line-up with more variety next year.
In happier news, Sweet Venues, who run pretty varied and interesting shows out of The Yellow Book, are putting on their own, non-Fringe-affiliated festival starting this Wednesday. Details available on their website.
From Thursday, you might see more music industry marketeers and executives spending a suspiciously long time in toilet cubicles than usual. Great Escape is upon us.
Reviews!
I’ve been reviewing a load of shows and shall continue to do so. Some have been appearing on Reviews Hub, and some in the Morning Star newspaper. I’ve collated what I’ve done so far on this handy link.
Brighton Listings
Comedy
Tuesday 13th May
Nish Kumar, Komedia, 7pm. £23.50. One of the few mainstream leftie comedians, and… funny to boot!
Wednesday 14th May
Michael Brunström Sings Ten Songs About Moths, The Yellow Book*, 7pm. £10. Surreal, warm and charming stand-up does something weird and funny. Until Thursday 15th May.
Friday 16th May
Perfect Harmony: Amelia Crotchet and Friends, Rotunda Theatre Brighton: Pip, 5:30pm. £8. Tasmin Sarkany plays Amelia Crotchet, a semi-failed classical musician in a double act with her violin. Until Sunday 18th May (times may vary).
Saturday 17th May
Be Not Afraid! (Work In Progress), Laughing Horse @ The Temple Bar*, 3:30pm. £7.50 / PWYW. Surreal, hilarious clowning, stand-up and improv from Camilla Borges. Until Sunday 19th May.
Extra Topping, The Yellow Book*, 7pm. £8. Brighton’s finest “everything other than stand-up night” with your legendary host Leslie Bloom.
Theatre / Cabaret
Monday 12th May
Actors Showcase: Pick of the Fringe Mondays, The Actors* - Theatre, 7:30pm. Free. Mishmash of LGBTQ+ theatre, comedy, and cabaret for your pleasure.
Tuesday 13th May
The Man who was Thursday, Rotunda Theatre Brighton: Bubble, 8pm. £10. GK Chesterton’s best novel gets the theatrical treatment. Until Saturday 17th May.
Deadnamed, Rotunda Theatre Brighton: Pip, 8:30pm. £10. The trans debate with an actual trans person, can you imagine? Until Saturday 17th May.
Wednesday 14th May
Bad Luck Cabaret, Rotunda Theatre Brighton: Bubble, 6:30pm. £13/12. Synth legend Laurie Black brings her mishmash of glorious stuff back to the Fringe.
Tales Of A Jane Austen Spinster, The Lantern @ ACT, 5pm. £12/10. Modernity meets Mr Darcy. Until Thursday 15th May.
C'est Magnifique, WundaBarn at The SpiegelGardens, 9pm. £15/10. Musical and caberet celebration set in some imagined 1930s Paris or Berlin. Also Friday 16th May.
Friday 16th May
PROVOCATEUR, The Lantern @ ACT, 5pm. £10/12. Queer drag festish storytelling.
Saturday 17th May
End Game, Ironworks Studios (Studio C), 2pm. £17. Award-winning theatrics about doppelgangers and the many paths not chosen. Until Sunday 18th May.
Sunday 18th May
Actors Celebration Day, The Actors - Theatre, 2pm. Free (donations welcomed). Get a taste of what’s on at The Actors all-year-round from improv to burlesque, to excellent queer theatre.
Talks / Poetry / Other
Thursday 15th May
CULPEPER'S MEDICINE GARDEN, MEET: At The Coach House, 6pm. £15. Join herbalist Sara Jane Glendinning and musician Jo Burke for a herbal walk with folklore and traditional song. Until May 18th, various times.
Lamb Collective: Zine Launch & Exhibition, The Brunswick*, 6pm. Free. A new zine launched by the Lamb Collective featuring short stories, essays and more.
Friday 16th May
Dionysus, Lionhouse, 4:30pm. £10. Queer folklore and mythology storytelling. Until May 18th, various times.
Music
Monday 12th May
Open Mic Night, The Brunswick, 8pm. Free. Open Mic night in a lovely space. Music dominates, but all performance styles welcome.
Tuesday 13th May
Jazz Jam, The Brunswick, £3. Free. 8pm. Assorted jazz musicians get together to make your evening… nice. £3 to guarantee table / admission.
The Bait Escape, The Prince Albert*, 5pm. Free / donation. Bovril Latrine and Sugar Darling perform at this specifcally non-Great-Escape gig event.
Wednesday 14th May
Alt Alt Escape Kick Off Partaaaayy!, Green Door Store, 7pm. Free. Another anti-Great Escape event, no wristband required!
Alt Alt Escape, The Folklore Rooms*, 7pm. Free. Lots of excellent label takeovers once again on a “Not The Great Escape” tip. Until Sunday 18th May.
Glossary
OTD - On the door. As in, it’s cheaper to buy in advance.
* - a venue that is not accessible. With so many venues in Brighton being rooms above Victorian Gin Palaces, it’s important to be clear.
PWYW/C - Pay what you want / can. Please give what you’re able to, as clowns can’t live on grease paint alone.
Adv - In advance.
Bf - Booking free, not boyfriend
WIP - work in progress.
That’s it for this week! Have a lovely day and hopefully see you at some shows.
J x