Preview Corner – What’s HOT in July

Summer’s here and before we know it, the schools will have broken up. And that annual battle between the little ones’ desire for excitement and fun, and their parents’ weary trudge down the path of least resistance to deliver it, will be underway. But loads to see and do here throughout July, so we sent Toby Sargent, our man with the lime green tank top and the Ambre Solaire moisturising sun milk (£5 at Asda, £6.14 at Boots) to write about it.

It’s not very often that a genuine giant of pop music comes our way. Tribute bands are frequent visitors, as a swift glance through the White Rock Theatre’s forward programme will demonstrate, but when the real deal arrives it’s something special. So a big 1066 Country welcome to the amazing Toots and the Maytals, who are playing Bexhill’s De La Warr on 21 July. Formed around 60 years ago, the band are generally considered to be the forefathers of reggae – or at least the inventors of the term itself. Led by Toots Hibbert, who was named by Rolling Stone magazine as one of its 100 Greatest Singers. Incredibly, there are a few tickets left so get one while you still can.

Also at the DLWP, on 31/7, how about popping along to their Cinema Expanded: Trans Pride Short Film Programme, which promises to be excellent and thought-provoking and is now in its fifth year, a nice testimony to the resilience of this often misunderstood and maligned community.

I’ve already mentioned the White Rock Theatre in the context of tribute bands, but there’s one treat in July that I can’t pass without also mentioning. On 13/7  ‘one of the UK’s most celebrated mediums’ will be presenting what the theatre describes as ‘an evening of Mediumship (sic).’ TJ Higgs is the medium’s name, and the evening promises to be enlightening, one way or another.

Neil Simon at The Stables

The month’s main production at The Stables is Neil Simon’s London Suite, which follows his familiar formula of capturing separate episodes in the same hotel room over a period of time. It’s on from 21-29/7 (no performance on Monday 24th) and will be reviewed here in due course.

Fancy an open-air cinematic experience? Then look no further than our own pier on 20, 21 and 22/7 where you’ll be able to see Jurassic Park, Quadrophenia and Grease respectively. It’s a great experience, but even on a fine evening it’s rarely as warm as you’d wish, so take a blanket.

There’s no way to avoid Pirate Day on 16/7, and absolutely no way I can hope to capture what it’s all about in words, so mark it on your calendar and get your outfit ready.

Biggest pirate flag in the world

Highlights, however, promise to be a ‘traveller violinist’ from Arizona (they used to be called something else I suspect, but I’m sure you can work it out), a pirate folk band from Holland, a full symphony orchestra dressed as pirates, a free-fall parachute display and the creation of ‘the biggest pirate flag in the world on Pelham Beach, made by the community and filmed from the air.’ So not much to see there then.

Local hero Sir Quentin Blake has a new exhibition running across the whole summer at The Jerwood, which we’ve already reviewed, and is very much worth a look, but try to find time to get along to the Hastings Arts Forum too, if you can. The East Sussex Print Exchange is taking place from 11-23/7, and will showcase the work of local artists and printmakers.

Finally, let’s take a quick look at St Leonards’s coolest venue, the Kino-Teatr. Two things to mention in particular, I think. The highly under-rated Claire Hamill returns to the Kino on 21/7 with her band to perform songs from her latest album When Daylight Arrives as well as a number of songs from her impressive back-catalogue. Sharp-eyed politicos will also recall that Ms Hamill stood as a Conservative candidate for Hastings Old Town in the local elections earlier this year. Unsuccessfully, as it turned out.

What’s that you say, Mrs Robinson?

And can it really be 50 years since The Graduate was first released as a film? Yes it can, and the Kino are showing it on 22 and 23/7 at 14.00 and 19.30 respectively. More up-to-the-minute they’ll also be showcasing the very well-reviewed Baby Driver on 28,29 and 30/7 at 14.00, 19.30 and 13.00 respectively.

 

Also in: Hastings Life

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