White Wall Cinema: DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN
2025-05-09 19:50 - 22:30 (Europe/London) | Wagner Hall
40TH ANNIVERSARY

Celebrating 17 years of Brighton’s favourite 80s party and the city’s longest running weekly club night (Every Saturday at Green Door Store) ‘It Is Still 1985’ is marking both their own longevity and the fact that the year they are named after (1985) is now exactly 40 years ago by teaming up with us at White Wall Cinema to create a new movie club for 2025 that screens a selection of movies celebrating their 40th anniversary on a limited number of select dates across this year.

A bonafide member of the first wave of American 80s-era independent filmmakers, Susan Siedelman was just coming down from the success of her first film ‘Smithereens’ (the first American independent film to be selected for competition at Canne) a gritty and humorous look at New York’s Bohemian post-punk music scene, when she stumbled upon her next film and truly captured pop culture lightning in a bottle. Against the studios wishes she refused a who’s who list of stars lined up for the film’s lead roles opting instead to cast two unknowns in the shape of Rosanna Arquette and Siedelman’s neighbour at the time Madonna. Arquette of course would go on to be a major movie star (credits include Scorsese’s After Hours, Besson’s The Big Blue, Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction and Cronenberg’s Crash) but it was Madonna, still exuding the hyper cool of New York street fashion, cool in a way that only a newly minted popstar on the verge of mega-fame can be, that set audiences alight in 1985.

DOORS: 7.50pm*

START TIME: 8.30pm*

RUN TIME: 104 mins

CERT: 15 (Under 16’s must be accompanied by an adult).

Tickets & More Info

Brighton Fringe: We Bop Choir
2025-05-10 19:30 - 22:30
After a sell-out performance at Brighton Spiegeltent in 2024, We Bop Choir return celebrating sisterhood with a new show, “We Are Family”.

Expect to hear a cracking repertoire of pop and soul covers by artists such as Sister Sledge, Taylor Swift, Dua Lipa, Gloria Gaynor, Jill Scott, Dolly Parton, The Pointer Sisters, Carol King and many more.

This fabulous all-women ensemble features shimmering vocal harmonies, led by Musical Director, Rachel Myer, accompanied by their Latin acoustic trio and enriched by standout guest vocals from Lucy Pickering and Debby Tyndall. We Bop Choir create gorgeous, original arrangements that will lift your heart and move your feet and will have you singing in the aisles by the end of the night.

TICKETS / VENUE INFO / ACCESSIBILITY

DOORS – 7.30pm | SHOW – 8.00pm

Café Scientifique: The Quantum Universe
2025-05-14 19:00 - 21:30
With Prof Stephen Wilkins

DOORS: 7.00pm

SPEAKER: 7.30pm

IMPORTANT
Please ensure you REGISTER prior to attending!

Register to Attend

Quantum physics is a fundamental theory that describes the behaviour of nature at and below the scale of atoms. Celebrating 100 years since initial developments, the United Nations proclaimed 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. As part of these celebrations I will introduce how quantum physics is essential to our understanding of the Cosmos, focussing on two examples.First, the process of nuclear fusion is responsible for the majority energy generation in stars; however the temperatures in stellar interiors are too low for this to happen “classically”. However, the phenomenon of quantum tunnelling enables atomic nuclei to fuse even if they don’t have the required energies.Second, our Universe is replete with structures in the form of planets, stars, galaxies and clusters. These structures are thought to caused by amplification by the process of inflation of minuscule quantum fluctuations present in the very early Universe.

Stephen Wilkins is a Professor of Astronomy and Public Understanding of Science at the University of Sussex. Stephen obtained his Masters in Physics from the University of Durham before receiving his PhD from the University of Cambridge. Stephen then worked as a research fellow at the University of Oxford before joining the faculty at Sussex in 2013.Stephen’s main research focuses on understanding the formation and evolution of galaxies, particularly the first stages in the distant early Universe. To do this Stephen combines observations from telescopes including Webb and Hubble with supercomputer simulations. Outside his research Stephen is also a keen advocate of public understanding of science. Highlights include his leadership of three exhibits at the prestigious Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition and dozens of talks.

Doors and bar open 7:00pm

Please note that we are entirely dependent on donations from those who attend our events. You can make a donation as you arrive or leave; we are happy to accept cash or card payments. All donations greatly appreciated!

Brighton Fringe: Einaudi's Piano by Candlelight - 'Spirited Away'
2025-05-15 18:30 - 20:00, 2025-05-16 18:30 - 20:00
Following his ★★★★★ sold-out Edinburgh Fringe show, concert pianist Matthew Shiel tours Brighton Fringe with a show inspired by Studio Ghibli’s anime Spirited Away, Ludovico Einaudi’s TOP10 most streamed piano pieces, and Philip Glass’ hypnotic soundtrack to the Academy award-winning film The Hours.

Tonight’s musical programme is accompanied by thought-provoking Japanese Zen Stories and a digital art exhibition and light installation designed by acclaimed Chinese artist and Disney illustrator Emma Yitong Shen – to create an immersive musical experience designed to relax and wind down, bring you into a heightened state of consciousness and find musical enlightenment!

Matthew Shiel is an award-winning concert pianist, Usher Hall and Live Music Now Scotland emerging artist who has performed at The National Portrait Gallery of Scotland (Edinburgh), The Glasshouse International Centre for Music (Newcastle), and Glasgow City Halls. “Matthew Shiel shone” (Three Weeks)

TICKETS / VENUE INFO / ACCESSIBILITY

DOORS – 6.30pm | SHOW – 7.00pm

Audience was indeed ‘spirited away’ in a meditative, theatrical ambience of calm reflective light…

– Edinburgh Guide, ★★★★★

A ripping good yarn. Sim and Shiel both are masters of their crafts

– Binge Fringe Magazine, ★★★★★

Matthew Shiel shone

– Three Weeks, ★★★★

Brighton Fringe: Debussy’s Romantic Piano by Candlelight – ‘Clair de Lune’
2025-05-15 20:10 - 20:30, 2025-05-16 20:10 - 20:30
Following his ★★★★★ sold-out Edinburgh Fringe show, concert pianist Matthew Shiel tours Brighton with a show inspired by the most romantic piano pieces ever composed and the mysterious masked balls of Venice.

Tonight’s musical programme includes Liszt’s Liebestraum, Chopin’s Raindrop Prelude and Debussy’s ‘Clair de Lune’ – performed by intimate candlelight as he exposes the secret love affairs of the great composer’s hearts that have shaped the history of classical music.

This concert will also feature a new romantic piece composed specially for tonight’s artist by Matthew’s Italian friend and composer Dr Alfredo Caponnetto – ‘Notturno VI’ alongside a digital art exhibition designed by acclaimed Shanghai artist and Disney illustrator Emma Yitong Shen – to create an immersive musical experience designed to fill you with romantic inspiration and open your heart to live and to love!

TICKETS / VENUE INFO / ACCESSIBILITY

DOORS – 8.10pm | SHOW – 8.30pm

Matthew Shiel has ‘composed’ a most enchanting concert – oozing a joyful sense of romantic love

– Edinburgh Guide, ★★★★★

A ripping good yarn. Sim and Shiel both are masters of their crafts

– Binge Fringe Magazine, ★★★★★

Matthew Shiel shone

– Three Weeks, ★★★★

Brighton Fringe: The Bubble Show
2025-05-17 13:45 - 15:00, 2025-05-18 13:45 - 15:00, 2025-05-29 13:45 - 15:00, 2025-05-30 13:45 - 15:00, 2025-05-31 13:45 - 15:00, 2025-06-01 13:45 - 15:00
Step right up, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls! Mr Bubbles is coming to town, and he’s making a splash with “The Bubble Show”!

Brace yourselves to be dazzled by an enchanting array of whimsical soap bubbles in all shapes and sizes! From the exciting eruption of the bubble volcano to the spiralling marvel of the fire tornado, prepare to be astounded!

This is no ordinary bubble show; it’s an original, interactive adventure, where the fusion of magic, storytelling, and science converge in a breath taking display of bubble artistry.

And leading the charge is none other than the legendary Highland Joker, actor, storyteller and Guinness World Record Holder, renowned as one of the foremost bubble artists in the world!

Whether you’re a wide-eyed child or a child at heart, prepare to be captivated by the spellbinding wonder of bubbles! So come one, come all, and let your imagination soar as we dive headfirst into the spectacular world of bubbles!

The Bubble Show: flawlessly simple and full of wonder. Deadline News, ★★★★★

Engaging showmanship from bubble maestro the Highland Joker. The List, ★★★★

Highly recommended for young children, the magic of bubbles is mesmerising. Fringe Review

DOORS – 1.45pm | SHOW – 2.00pm

TICKETS / VENUE INFO / ACCESSIBILITY

DOORS – 1.45pm | SHOW – 2.00pm

Brighton Fringe: The Maydays - Happily Never After
2025-05-22 19:00 - 22:00, 2025-05-23 19:00 - 22:00, 2025-05-24 19:00 - 22:00
The Maydays return to the Fringe with their 5-star improvised show – Happily Never After – a ‘darkly comedic’ twisted musical tale inspired by gothic themes, fairytales, and the warped imaginations that brought us Lemony Snicket, Beetlejuice, Shockheaded Peter and Grimm’s Tales.

Plucked from the seed of your suggestion, The Maydays will take you on a unique journey – weaving a gothic tale that’s completely different every time. There’s no telling what strange characters, innocent beasts or talking objects you might meet along the way!

The Maydays have been wow-ing audiences across the UK and Europe, with packed houses and standing ovations, for their spontaneous show that Reviews Hub called ‘touching, incredibly funny’, and ‘rich in narrative twists and charm’.

With a bespoke, improvised soundtrack for every show, this will be a truly creepy, mischievous and fantastical experience.

TICKETS / VENUE INFO / ACCESSIBILITY

DOORS – 7.00pm | SHOW – 7.30pm

Fantastic performances … improvisational theatre at its best. Broadway Baby, ★★★★★

Emotionally touching, incredibly funny, rich in narrative twists and charm. The Reviews Hub, ★★★★★

Dark and hilarious, The Maydays prove yet again that they are maestros of their craft. The Wee Review, ★★★★

White Wall Cinema: Oliver Stone's THE DOORS
2025-05-25 18:30 - 22:30
THE FINAL CUT – 4K REMASTER – VAL KILMER TRIBUTE

Please note. Doors for this event are 7pm when we will be starting the evening off early with drinks and a DJ playing a selection of mid 60s to early 70s tunes to get you in the mood in our beer garden.

Perhaps the most remarkable acting performance in a biopic in the history of cinema, the recently departed Val Kilmer truly embodies the legendary Doors frontman Jim Morrison in this sensational new cut and 4k remaster, from renowned director Oliver Stone.

Already a voice of cinematic counter culture writing such scripts as Midnight Express and Scarface, as a director Stone would re-define Americas vision of itself through popular cinema, documenting key moments in the countries checkered history with films like Salvador, Platoon, Wall Street, Born on the Fourth of July, JFK, Natural Born Killers and more. The Doors sits right in the centre of this legendary run of cinematic masterpieces and captures all sides of the mythology of a cultural icon who has perhaps more than anybody else come to define our understanding of the word ‘ rockstar’.

A true ode to the 60s and The Lizard King that sat atop it, this spectacularly entertaining kaleidoscopic journey through the era is underpinned by Kilmer’s breathtakingly uncanny performance and aided by an exceptional supporting cast that includes Meg Ryan (When Harry Met Sally…), Kyle MacLachlan (Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet) Frank Whaley (Field Of Dreams), Michael Madsen (Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill 1&2), and even a real life rock star in Billy Idol.

​Spectacular concert scenes, brilliant production design recreations of legendary 60s locations and Stone’s trademark lyrical version of history all add up to an intoxicating thrill-ride through the short but eventful life of Morrison that absolutely demands big screen viewing thanks to Stone’s highly cinematic eye and Kilmer’s astonishing performance.

DOORS, DRINKS, DJS FROM: 6.30pm*

START TIME: 8.10pm*

RUN TIME: 138 mins

CERT: 18

Tickets & More Info

Brighton Fringe: Bangers and Mash Ups - A Jukebox Singalong
2025-05-31 19:00 - 22:00
Get ready to bang out your favourite hits in glorious harmony like never before – grab a friend for a night of mass karaoke mayhem that will have you on your feet and singing your heart out!

Don’t miss this jukebox mash-up of the greatest power ballads, rock and disco hits from the 60s to the 90s, banging out impromptu harmonies and picking up some new ones under the guidance of our funky vocal hosts and house choir who have come all the way from Australia!

This 90 minute interactive singalong was a sell out on its debut in 2024 at Adelaide Fringe and everywhere it’s been staged since!

It’s the perfect night out for shower singers, pop divas and even air guitar pros. Join us for a fun night of singing, games and on-the-spot competitions. Lubricate your vocal cords, bring your dancing shoes and sense of adventure!

TICKETS / VENUE INFO / ACCESSIBILITY

DOORS – 7.00pm | SHOW – 7.30pm

Brighton Astro: The Second-Life of Planetary Systems
2025-06-05 19:00 - 21:30
DOORS: 7.00pm

LECTURE: 7.30pm

Register to Attend

Please only come along if you’ve signed up, as we’re limited on space so won’t be able to fit anyone else in.

Defying the notion of the silent graveyard, planetary systems refuse to die quietly. Instead, a significant fraction show one or more signs of dynamical reanimation, with strong indications of general mayhem during the last stages of stellar evolution. The lecture will give a brief tour of these evolved and active planetary systems, which provide major insights into rocky planetary bodies in particular.

These descendants of intermediate-mass stars reveal characteristics of their former planetary systems in ways unattainable by conventional methods using main-sequence stars. In particular, the metal pollution observed in white dwarf stars reveals the bulk chemistry of entire planetesimals or planetary fragments, including compelling evidence for Earth-like chemistry, planetary differentiation, and believe it or not – water. This talk will cover some of the highlights of the active planetary graveyard, including variability and transient behaviour.

Jay Farihi hails from Southern California, where he did his PhD at UCLA searching for substellar companions to white dwarf stars using infrared imaging. He held a postdoctoral position at Gemini Observatory on the big island of Hawaii, and was a senior fellow at the Institute for Astronomy in Cambridge. He was awarded an STFC Ernest Rutherford Fellowship in 2012 and joined the faculty of UCL in 2013, where he is now professor. He is best known for his role in establishing the field of planetary systems orbiting white dwarfs, especially using infrared observations to establish the presence and nature of their planetesimal debris disks, and how these link to the heavy element pollution seen in their atmospheres. He enjoys hardcore punk and metal, is a whisky fanatic, loves to travel, and has spent over 150 nights on summits pursuing his own research programs.

If you sign up via meetup but can no longer attend, please update your status to say that you are no longer attending so that someone on the waiting list gets a place.

Please only come along if you’ve signed up, as we’re limited on space so won’t be able to fit anyone else in.

Wagner Hall is on on Regency Road, Brighton.Attendance is free, but we would be grateful if those of you who are able to could donate a few pounds to help cover the cost of hiring this event space. We will have a card reader and a money box you can drop your donations in on the night. We also have a bank account you can donate to electronically.

Please note that the venue has a bar.

White Wall Cinema: SUMMER ARCHIVE SALE
2025-06-07 12:00 - 18:00, 2025-06-08 12:00 - 18:00
A special weekend long event, we open the White Wall Cinema archive for a massive sell off of films from our collection, with over 1000 Blu-Ray and DVD bargains to choose from as well as a selection of film poster art.

Plus our special cinematic soundtrack beer garden where you can grab a drink and take in the summer sun whilst enjoying a selection of songs hand picked from our favourite movie soundtracks. Come for a browse and stay for a beer!

Doors: Midday – 6pm

More Info

Café Scientifique: Why snails might hold some answers to age-related memory loss…
2025-06-11 19:00 - 21:30
With Prof Mark Yeoman

DOORS: 7.00pm

SPEAKER: 7.30pm

IMPORTANT
Please ensure you REGISTER prior to attending!

Register to Attend

Molluscs have been routinely used to study the mechanisms by which nerve cells communicate. Indeed, our understanding of how the electrical signals in neurons are generated and the fundamental mechanisms of learning and memory formation were first discovered in this simple model system. Like many animals, snails age and when they age their ability to learn and remember is impaired. This talk will introduce you to the humble mollusc, explain why it has gained success as a model system for studying age-related changes in CNS function and how experiments designed to reverse age-related memory impairments may point towards novel treatments to delay cognitive decline in older people.

Mark Yeoman is Professor of Neuropharmacology at Brighton University and Director of the Centre for Lifelong Health. The focus of his research is to understand the causes and consequences of central nervous system ageing. He obtained his degree in Physiology and Pharmacology at the University of Southampton before studying for a PhD at the University of Aberdeen in hyperbaric medicine. He then moved to the University of Sussex where he was introduced to the pond snails as a model system for studying neurobiology. In 1998 he was appointed as a senior lecturer in pharmacology at the University of Brighton and started to use the pond snail to understand how ageing affected the nervous system. His current research explores how age-related changes in nervous system lipid composition affects neural function.

Doors and bar open 7:00pm

Please note that we are entirely dependent on donations from those who attend our events. You can make a donation as you arrive or leave; we are happy to accept cash or card payments. All donations greatly appreciated!

White Wall Cinema: VHS FEST NIGHT 1 - THE LOST BOYS
2025-06-20 19:00 - 22:30
Join us for VHS Fest, a special three night film festival celebrating films that represent the classic era of VHS video. Each night you can take a stroll through our life size VHS rental store, indulge in some retro gaming, have a drink in our beer garden (with our VHS era playlist) and then enjoy a cult classic film from the era on the big screen. Tickets for individual nights are available as well as a discounted festival ticket for all three nights (nights two and three revealed soon).

Night one of VHS Fest sees us take a trip to 80s Santa Clara, California. When a newly divorced mother and two sons move to the coastal locale, it’s only a matter of time until the town’s local teen vampire biker gang attempt to recruit one of the family. It’s then up to younger brother Sam and his two friends from the local comic book store to save the day.

Campy, gothic and cool with a rocking 80s soundtrack​​, The Lost Boys is a key touchstone of 80s pop culture and still the best teen screen vampire gang ever assembled (apologies to Twilight & Buffy). The stacked cast of 80s icons include Corey Feldman, Corey Haim, Kiefer Sutherland, & Dianne Wiest (on the verge of winning her Oscar) all under the spell of ace cinematography from Michael Chapman, who by this point in his career had already shot Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and the iconic Michael Jackson ‘Bad’ music video for Martin Scorsese (not to mention Paul Schrader’s ‘Hardcore’ , Hal Ashby’s ‘The Last Detail’ the 70s Invasion of The Bodysnatchers remake). Imbued with director Joel Schumacher’s bold, vividly coloured visual style, ace production design and frenetic energy, it deserves nothing less than to be enjoyed on the big screen in this new 4K remaster.

​​​​​The iconic teenage horror comedy is fun from start to finish and the perfect way to kick off a weekend of VHS classics.

DOORS: 7pm*

START TIME: 7pm*

LAST ADMISSION: 8.40pm

FILM RUN TIME: 97 mins

CERT: 15

Tickets & More Info

White Wall Cinema: VHS FEST NIGHT 2 - COMMANDO
2025-06-21 18:30 - 22:30
Join us for VHS Fest, a special three night film festival celebrating films that represent the classic era of VHS video. Each night you can take a stroll through our life size VHS rental store, indulge in some retro gaming, have a drink in our beer garden (with our VHS era playlist) and then enjoy a cult classic film from the era on the big screen. Tickets for individual nights are available as well as a discounted festival ticket for all three nights (nights two and three revealed soon).

Night Two: When ex United States Army Special Forces colonel John Matrix (Schwarzenegger obviously) has his now peaceful life interrupted by the kidnap of his young daughter Jenny (Alyssa Milano – Charmed), he must race against the clock to rescue her from a band of classic 80s bad guys that includes Dan Hedaya (Blood Simple, Clueless, The Usual Suspects, Mulholland Drive), Vernon Wells (Mad Max 2, Weird Science), David Patrick Kelly (The Warriors, Twin Peaks), & Bill Duke (Predator, Menace II Society) with the unwitting help of innocent bystander Cindy (Rae Dawn Chong – The Color Purple).

But hey, who cares about the plot? All in all it’s a fabulous excuse for Arnie to charge around the roads and shopping malls of upstate California as well as the Island hide-out of a Latin American dictator, reeking havoc with large guns (both the human flesh kind and the mechanical kind) whilst uttering ludicrously funny quips. Extremely dated and extremely entertaining this is the epitome of the non franchise 80s actioner that was such a staple of the era.

​Helmed by cult director Mark Lester (The Class of 1984, Firestarter, the latter being THE key influence on Stranger Things) and during Arnie’s unprecedented hot streak sandwiched between The Terminator and Predator, Commando is everything you could want from an Arnie movie and more. With endless one liners, a penchant for 80s action movie outfits (bicep revealing vests, denim dungarees, camo, chainmail & leather trousers) and explosions bigger than Arnie’s pecs, this is the perfect Saturday night VHS Fest choice. Let’s party!

DOORS: 6.30pm*

START TIME: 6.30pm*

LAST ADMISSION BEFORE FILM: 7.55pm

FILM RUN TIME: 90 mins

CERT: 18

Tickets & More Info

White Wall Cinema: VHS FEST NIGHT 3 - COCKTAIL
2025-06-22 18:30 - 22:30
Join us for VHS Fest, a special three night film festival celebrating films that represent the classic era of VHS video. Each night you can take a stroll through our life size VHS rental store, indulge in some retro gaming, have a drink in our beer garden (with our VHS era playlist) and then enjoy a cult classic film from the era on the big screen. Tickets for individual nights are available as well as a discounted festival ticket for all three nights (nights two and three revealed soon).

Night Three: Hot on the heels of two breakthrough performances in Tony Scott’s Top Gun and Scorsese’s The Color of Money, and right before what is likely the most unprecedented unbroken run of successful (either financially or critically) movies in cinema history that would last until present day, Cruise graced this popcorn classic with the presence of mega-star. Transforming what was essentially a b-movie into a box office smash that would take in nearly nine times it’s own budget at the box office.

When young Brian Flanagan (Tom Cruise) is discharged from the army he dreams of making it big in business in New York City, despite taking the right classes and applying for the right jobs he is repeatedly rejected until in desperation he stumbles upon veteran bartender Doug Coughlin (an unforgettable Bryan Brown) and accepts a job in order to make ends meet. Eventually hatching a scheme to start his own bar by making in money bartending in Jamaica he falls into a whirlwind romance with an American artist Jordan Mooney (Elisabeth Shue) holidaying at the resort as darker storm clouds begin to gather over his life, love and dreams.

​A movie that created an entire generation of bartenders, Cocktail is a flashy, funny and sometimes dark comic book coming of age fantasy that reflects the changing tides of the era. A fascinating study of how the charm of the yuppie dream was beginning to fade, Tom Cruise plays it braggadocious and cocky before craftily deploying his trademark earnestness.

DOORS: 6.30pm*

START TIME: 6.30pm*

LAST ADMISSION BEFORE FILM: 8pm

FILM RUN TIME: 103 mins

FILM CERT: 15

Tickets & More Info

Brighton Astro: Look up! Sharing our love of astronomy
2025-07-02 19:00 - 21:30
DOORS: 7.00pm

LECTURE: 7.30pm

Register to Attend

Please only come along if you’ve signed up, as we’re limited on space so won’t be able to fit anyone else in.

There’s a real joy to sharing a passion. Our natural impulse to share interesting new information and experiences with others is a cornerstone of human society.

Most people interested in astronomy will have pointed out stars and planets to family or friends, but the opportunities go far beyond this. There are a wide range of organisations and projects across the UK (and beyond) that offer different ways to share your interest, with the chance to make a real and positive impact both on individuals and society as a whole.

Most people interested in astronomy will have pointed out stars and planets to family or friends, but the opportunities go far beyond this. There are a wide range of organisations and projects across the UK (and beyond) that offer different ways to share your interest, with the chance to make a real and positive impact both on individuals and society as a whole.

Dr Jenny Shipway is a professional science communicator with a background in science centres and planetariums. She now works as a consultant, writer, and project manager. She coordinated National Astronomy Week 2025 and is involved with a number of national and international networks, including the Federation of Astronomical Societies. She has a particular interest in education, and in bringing different people and organisations together to share skills and resources to achieve more than would otherwise be possible.

If you sign up via meetup but can no longer attend, please update your status to say that you are no longer attending so that someone on the waiting list gets a place.

Wagner Hall is on on Regency Road, Brighton.Attendance is free, but we would be grateful if those of you who are able to could donate a few pounds to help cover the cost of hiring this event space. We will have a card reader and a money box you can drop your donations in on the night. We also have a bank account you can donate to electronically.

Please note that the venue has a bar.

Café Scientifique: AI - How Far Can We Trust It?
2025-07-09 19:00 - 21:30
With Prof Julie Weeds

Julie Weeds is Professor of Artificial Intelligence at the University of Sussex and Co-Director of SussexAI. She graduated with a first in Computer Science from Cambridge in 1998. She has an MPhil in Computer Speech and Language Processing from Cambridge (2000), a PhD in Natural Language Processing from the University of Sussex (2003) and a PGCE in Secondary Mathematics Teaching from Brighton University (2006). In 2016 she was appointed as a lecturer at the University of Sussex; she became a Professor in Artificial Intelligence in 2023. Her research is focussed on the representation of meaning in Natural Language Processing (NLP) systems and the application of such systems to the large scale analysis of social media and other document collections.

DOORS 7PM | SPEAKER 7.30PM

Please note that we are entirely dependent on donations from those who attend our events. You can make a donation as you arrive or leave; we are happy to accept cash or card payments. All donations greatly appreciated!

AI is becoming omnipresent in our lives – from its application in various recognition tasks (facial and fingerprint recognition, automatic numberplate recognition (ANPR), medical imaging diagnostics) to providing us with information or digital content through tools such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s AI overview or DeepAI’s image generator. This talk will introduce you to how the technology actually works including the foundations of neural networks, supervised learning and more recent generative models. However, whilst the possibilities for using AI seem endless and exciting, we will also discuss the limitations of the technology and the extent to which it can be trusted.

Register to Attend

Please ensure you REGISTER prior to attending!

Brighton Astro: Solar Imaging 101
2025-08-06 19:00 - 21:30
How to see the Activity on our Closest Star

DOORS: 7.00pm

LECTURE: 7.30pm

As we revel in the 2025 solar maximum, Brighton-based cellist by day and astro photographer by night, Ivana Peranic, will take us through best ways to observe and photograph all the amazing features on the surface of the Sun.

From sunspots to filaments and flares, from £20 solar film to £2000 solar telescopes, we will explore what is necessary for safe observation and uncovering of our Star’s turbulent activity.

Attendance is free, but we would be grateful if those of you who are able to could donate a few pounds to help cover the cost of hiring this event space. We will have a card reader and a money box you can drop your donations in on the night. We also have a bank account you can donate to electronically.

Please note that the venue has a bar.

Register to Attend

Please only come along if you’ve signed up, as we’re limited on space so won’t be able to fit anyone else in.

If you can no longer attend, please update your status to say that you are no longer attending so that someone on the waiting list gets a place

Café Scientifique: The Cancer Research Revolution
2025-08-13 19:00 - 21:30
With Prof Timothy Humphrey

DOORS 7PM | SPEAKER 7.30PM

Please note that we are entirely dependent on donations from those who attend our events. You can make a donation as you arrive or leave; we are happy to accept cash or card payments. All donations greatly appreciated!

Please ensure you REGISTER prior to attending!

Register to Attend

Prof Humphrey will present an overview of the remarkable advances in cancer research and treatments that have become available over the last 25 years. He will discuss his own research, which exploits specific cancer mutations to target cancer; the launch of the Sussex Cancer Research Centre, which brings together scientists, clinicians, and people with cancer from across Brighton and Sussex to improve cancer treatments; and his reasons for optimism in targeting cancer.

Brighton Burlesque Festival & Summer Ball: Jewels of the Sea
2025-08-28 18:30 - 22:00
A celebration of Brighton Burlesque! We will be highlighting some of the best acts from Brighton and across the south coast!

Sirona’s Secrets is proud to present the third Brighton Burlesque Summer Ball, and this time it’s a three day festival extravaganza!

Come to Wagner Hall, all lovers of burlesque, whether a fan of the art form, a hobbyist or a full time performer, this is the festival for you to shop, learn, mingle, dance, and get dressed up to the nines, to party and to watch some quality entertainment with some of the best burlesque performers from all over the UK.

Featuring:Kheski Kobler – BrightonBebe Boheme – Brighton and HoveThe S Club Kevins – BrightonPuin DeVert – HastingsMadaleine Soleil – PortsmouthMiss Betty Nails – BrightonDidi Divine – PortsladeScorpio Morningstar – EastbourneThe Botanical Bombshell – Horsham

TICKETS / VENUE INFO / ACCESSIBILITY

DOORS – 6.30pm | 18+ Event Only

Do not miss the biggest Brighton Burlesque Event of the year!

Follow Sirona’s Secrets for updates!Instagram: @sironas_secretsFacebook: @sironas.secrets
