Gathering by Melanie Manchot at Fabrica

This autumn Fabrica are delighted to present two films by artist Melanie Manchot. The exhibition, Gathering, will feature new work Walk (Square) and 2010’s Celebration (Cyprus Street).

In Walk (Square) a thousand schoolchildren stream out of their school gates and become part of a vast choreographed crowd in the square outside the Deichtorhallen in Hamburg. For Celebration (Cyprus Street) Manchot worked with the residents of Cyprus Street in the East End of London and the resulting film is a continuous tracking shot that records a community coming together and posing for a traditional group photograph.

Melanie Manchot worked with the participants of both films to construct and record incidents that examine collective identities, codes of behaviour in public space and develop her continued interest in portraiture as a performative event. The films also express Manchot’s interest in walking as a form of democratic expression, to parade or to protest, and resonate with the wave of mass demonstrations that have swept across Europe and the Middle East from anti-cuts protests in the UK, to the Arab Spring.

Legitimate protest or riot? Street party or demonstration? The politics of the mob or the genuine voice of the people? Gathering promises to be the focus for a highly topical debate on the power of human action directed to a common goal.

A full programme of events and activities will sit alongside the exhibition. Full details http://fabrica.org.uk

Brighton Comedy Festival – 10th Anniversary

The Brighton Comedy Festival has established itself over the last ten years as a jewel in the crown of the British live comedy circuit. Over three weekends around fifty of the best comedians working in live comedy strut the boards of the Brighton Dome’s three venues – the Concert Hall, Corn Exchange and Pavilion Theatre. Brighton has always been a place where one can escape and there’s no better antidote to these modern times than a good laugh.

This year’s star acts include TV’s Ed Byrne, Paul Daniels, Sarah Millican, Margaret Cho, Jo Pasquale and Andy Parsons as well as popular and award winning stand ups like Reginald D Hunter, Milton Jones, Tom Stade and Jack Whitehall, alongside hot newcomers like Nick Helm and Seann Walsh.

www.brightoncomedyfestival.com

“New Paintings” by Philippa Cannan at the Hop Gallery, Lewes

Animals possibly symbolise life’s deepest energies. Through her paintings, Philippa Cannan at the Hop Gallery takes a glimpse of a horse and rider, a deer or a bird in flight into an area of reverie or daydream. Perhaps what Freud called Free Floating Attention.

Hop Gallery, Castle Ditch Lane, (off Fisher Street), Lewes, BN7 1YJ
• www.hopgallery.com

NEW VENUE ANNOUNCED FOR THE COMEDY FESTIVAL – THE OLD MARKET

The Brighton Comedy Festival is delighted to announce that The Old Market opens its doors as part of the Festival for the first time. With new seating, lights and sound, and preserving the wonderful acoustic quality of the space, The Old Market promises to be better than ever.

the Old Market LINE UP:

TONY LAW – 2011 Amused Moose Laughter Award Winner and all round Canadian comedy legend

ANDREW O’NEILL – Metal head, amateur occultist and musician. Oh, and brilliant comedian

ISY SUTTIE- possibly best known as the star of The Peep Show & Whites

Josh Widdicombe – 2011 Fosters Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer nominee.

Marcel Lucont – flâneur, raconteur, bon-viveur, and easily the greatest UK-based French comedian around

Diane Spencer – Edinburgh Fringe sensation and 2011 Chortle Best Newcomer Winner

Vikki Stone & the Flashbacks – Super Sassy winner of the Soho Theatre Durex Award and Leicester Comedy Festival Best Show nominee

Late Night Gimp Fight – 2010 Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer nominee and Chortle 2011 Best Sketch Group

The Horne Section – comedy-jazz juggernaut led by Alex Horne, a huge sell-out smash hit at Edinburgh Fringe, Melbourne International Festival and the West End

The Festival will remain based at the Brighton Dome with shows across all three of their venues – The Concert Hall, Corn Exchange and Pavilion Theatre, with a stellar line up covering stand-up, improvised, sketch and musical comedy from some of the biggest names in the business. The Brighton Comedy Festival has established itself over the last decade as a staple of the British live comedy calendar. Over three weekends over fifty of the best comedians on the circuit take over the city.

Artistic Director William Burdett-Coutts says:

“The Brighton Comedy Festival is delighted to have reached its tenth anniversary. The Festival is now one of the mainstays of the Brighton entertainment calendar and in the time we have been running almost every major name in British Comedy has taken part. This year we look forward to another stellar line up of fantastic talent.”

www.brightoncomedyfestival.com

http://www.theoldmarket.com/index.html

Box Office: 01273 709709

Death or Dinner? Learn the secrets of woodland fungi at Wilderness Wood this autumn

A mushroom’s not just a mushroom – nearly 3,500 unique species of fungi grow in Britain alone. Of these 50 or so are edible, and 50 are known to be poisonous. So before you even think about eating anything you find, you need the help of an expert.

Anne Yarrow has become one such expert whilst leading guided fungi tours over the past 15 years at Wilderness Wood in East Sussex. These tours, which generally include a short walk through the 62-acre award-winning wood, are designed for beginners to understand the basics of foraging for mushrooms. Anne emphasizes safety and collection strategies, with guests picking mushrooms to take home.

This October Wilderness Wood is excited to present a series of guided tours by Anne Yarrow, catered towards fungi enthusiasts of all ages.  Anne says “Every day’s different in the wood at this time of year – you don’t know what fungi are going to appear from one day to the next. But the recent damp weather means it should be a fantastic season for mushrooms and toadstools, and I’m looking forward to introducing visitors of all ages to the fascinating (and delicious!) world of fungi.

SCHEDULE OF TOURS:

Death or Dinner? Hunt for fungi with Anne Yarrow, discovering the world of woodland toadstools, with emphasis on edible and poisonous ones. Get to know a blusher from a stinkhorn and a tasty dinner from certain death!
Oct 2, 12, 16 & 29; 10.30 – 12.30;  Adults £16, Concs £14.50, Child (6-15) £8

Fungal fry-up: Learn to hunt, identify and cook our woodland harvest, followed by a campfire cookout including any edible finds.
October 9, 21  10:00 am-1:00 pm;  Adults £48 Concs £45 includes campfire lunch

Family fungi hunt: A special fungus foray for the whole family to enjoy, especially geared to children.  No unaccompanied children.
Sunday October 23   10.30-12:00   Wednesday October 26   10.30-12:00; Adults £10  Concs  £9  Child (3-15)  £6

Fungi for starters: A day course for beginners. Learn all about woodland fungi – what they are, how to identify them and which are edible.
October 15   10:00 – 4:00. Adults £85   Concs £8