Whether you fancy a touring West End musical with a huge magnificent set at the Theatre Royal or a two person performance of a brand new play where you're so close to the actors, you can see them breathing at the New Venture Theatre, Brighton and Hove has it all. Here are just some of the many places you can get to satisfy your theatre cravings:
Big productions, touring theatre companies, impressive sets, beautiful costumes, famous faces, popular plays and all singing, all dancing musicals abound at this beautiful grand theatre. Tickets are available at prices right across the scale but booking early is recommended to get the best seats at the best price. The building itself is Grade II listed and first opened its doors in 1807. Click here for a full list of everything on soon and to book tickets.
Absolutely huge productions happen at The Brighton Centre. It regularly hosts Dancing on Ice shows and all kinds of famous pop stars including legends Paul Weller and Morrisey this year . This year it's staging performances of the National Theatre's award winning production, War Horse, and the venue often hosts touring companies with performances of this caliber. To see what else is on this year, click here.
This venue also often hosts touring companies but of a much smaller variety. You can see some really innovative and different performances at the Old Market and its sheer variety makes it stand out from anywhere else in the city. It is also one of the city's most intimate and inexpensive places to see professional theatre. They also host live music, comedy and film nights in this attractive venue in Hove. Click here to see their full listing.
Right on the Brighton and Hove border, the New Venture Theatre offers the best in new and innovative theatre performed by well rehearsed amateur performers. This flexible space allows plays to be put on with the audience on one side, both sides or all sides and every seat has a great close up view of the action. Shows here sell out quickly so it's advisable to book well in advance and, if you arrive early, there's a cosy bar to wait in. They also hold acting classes and workshops for aspiring thespians. Here is a list of the shows they have coming up.
With a more traditional acting space than New Venture, Brighton Little Theatre's amateur, but very experienced, team put on a broad variety of shows from Shakespeare and Oscar Wilde to brand new writing from young playwrights. Their theatre is intimate but they often have very impressive sets for the size and sometimes put on small cast productions in their bar for people who want to get really close to the actors. See what's on and book tickets here.
There's nothing like outdoor theatre on a warm summer's evening and the Brighton Open Air Theatre, or BOAT as people call it, was created especially for this purpose. It hosts touring companies performing everything from classical plays to very modern plays and also sees performances from local theatre groups too. It's a great venue on Dyke Road with access to toilets and even a small bar. See their productions for the next season here.
Things get really different in the small theatre above the Marlborough Pub. Young, small and alternative theatre groups put the newest and most daring plays with the audience up close and personal. Music, comedy and other events also take place in this venue just off the Old Steine, click here for details.
Based in Kemptown, this venue is part of ACT Brighton, a theatre school, so they put on new and experimental theatre with terrific performances from their students and graduates. It's another versatile space so expect the action to come at you from any angle. See their website for more information.
Just up the road from the Clocktower, the Rialto Theatre is a venue that hosts music,comedy, theatre and events. You can see all sorts here including wacky science talks, book launches and club nights alongside a wide range of music and alternative theatre performances. Read all about it here.
Check our events page regularly to see the best theatre and other events around the city.
