Brighton Fringe: The Maydays - Happily Never After
2025-05-23 19:00 - 22:00, 2025-05-24 19:00 - 22:00 (Europe/London) | Wagner Hall
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: The Bubble Show
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: 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

Brighton Burlesque Festival & Summer Ball: Seaside Crown
2025-08-29 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.

Three professional guest judges will decide a winner from an incredible line-up of Burlesque performers from across the UK and beyond, as they compete for the Seaside Crown, and a place in the line-up for Saturday’s Burlesque Ball.

Featuring:The Tempest Blaze – SuffolkBeta Von Glitch – LondonRosa Frenzy – East SussexMiss H. Arlot – OsloPoppy Peachy – ParisJassy Androgene – CopenhagenAva Ventura – LoughtonAngelheart – NorthamptonshireDolley Devilettie – Kent/LondonSpookey Bones – Swindon

TICKETS / VENUE INFO / ACCESSIBILITY

DOORS – 6.30pm | 18+ Only

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

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

Brighton Burlesque: Market, Workshops & Summer Ball
2025-08-30 13:00 - 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.

Open 1.30pm-4pm, the Brighton Burlesque Market will feature some burlesque bits and bobs, performer merch, accessories and of course tassels! Bring cash as well, as some sellers may not have a card reader.

There will also be pop-up workshops throughout the afternoon, schedule tbc, between 2pm-4pm.

Your ticket for Saturday will grant access to the Market and the Show but a ticket will be needed to join workshops.

In the evening, it’s the Brighton Burlesque Summer Ball, so it’s time to feel good and dress to express, so get glammed up in your fancy threads, and come celebrate an evening of high calibre burlesque featuring bonafide superstars from all around the world.

Featuring:Gina Stirling – EuropeDaphne Moon – Los AngelesJoe Morel – BerlinMiss Cocoa Amore – Milton KeynesDonna Divine – Eastbourne/LondonMx Cyanide – Kent/LondonDevi Letalis – ViennaNyka Noctula – BerlinSirona Thorneycroft – Brighton

You can expect an incredibly varied show, representing a broad range of styles, moods, and creativity.

TICKETS / VENUE INFO / ACCESSIBILITY

MARKET 1pm-4.30pm | SUMMER BALL 6pm Doors

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

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

18+ Event

Brighton Astro: Lunar Longings: The Moon in Art, Science and Culture
2025-09-04 19:00 - 21:30
Dr Robert Massey (Royal Astronomical Society), and Dr Alexandra Loske (Royal Pavilion, Brighton)

DOORS: 7.00pm

LECTURE: 7.30pm

Humans have been fascinated with our nearest heavenly body, the Earth’s Moon, since prehistoric times. It has now been more than 50 years since we set foot on the Moon during the Apollo space missions.

In this lecture astronomer Dr Robert Massey (Royal Astronomical Society) and art historian and curator Dr Alexandra Loske (Royal Pavilion, Brighton) and will show how our obsession with the Moon has manifested itself in the visual arts, from earliest ritualistic drawings to scientific observation, Romantic symbolism, silent movies, and space race propaganda.

In 2019 Alexandra and Robert co-authored a book on the subject: Moon – Art, Science, Culture, which has been translated into Spanish and Chinese. In 2019 Alexandra edited an anthology on recent creative writing on the Moon: Pale Fire – New Writing on the Moon. Most recently, she contributed to chapters to a major new book on the Moon: Lunar: A History of the Moon in Myths, Maps + Matter (Thames & Hudson and University of Chicago Press). Robert is the deputy director of the Royal Astronomical Society.

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: What Your Nose Knows about Stress
2025-09-10 19:00 - 21:30
With Prof Gillian Forrester

DOORS 7PM | SPEAKER 7.30PM

Gillian Forrester is a professor of psychology at the University of Sussex. She collaborate with chimpanzees, gorillas, and babies to better understand how brains and behaviours evolve and develop over time. By studying both human and non-human primates, she is on a quest to better understand how we became upright-walking, talking, tool-using great apes. Gillian makes regular contributions to television, radio, newsprint, and podcasts. Look out for the new BBC 2 Horizon programme ‘Secrets of the Brain’ – airing 15thand 22nd September 2025.

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!

Register to Attend

Please ensure you REGISTER prior to attending!

Investigating how we feel is a tricky topic because our psychological state is a combination of our sensory and subjective experiences. Scientists often use survey and biological measures, like heart rate, to understand how we react to stress. But we’re not very good at knowing how we feel – and the act of taking a measurement, like blood pressure, can cause its own stress response. Thermal imaging is emerging as a powerful tool to detect our body’s response to stress in real time without contact and in natural settings. This is a scientific game-changer allowing a window into the psychological wellbeing of not only us but also our non-human great ape cousins.

Waterstones: In Conversation With Samantha Shannon
2025-09-13 18:30 - 21:30
With Tanya Byrne

Join us for a brilliant evening with bestselling author, Samantha Shannon, as she discusses her upcoming novel Among the Burning Flowers. A story of human resilience in the face of dire circumstances, Among the Burning Flowers leads readers through the gripping and tragic events that pave the way for the opening of the million-copy bestseller The Priory of The Orange Tree.

About the Book

Yscalin, land of sunshine and lavender, will soon be ablaze. It has been centuries since the Draconic Army took wing, almost extinguishing humankind. Marosa Vetalda is a prisoner in her own home, controlled by her cold father, King Sigoso. Over the mountains, her betrothed, Aubrecht Lievelyn, rules Mentendon in all but name. Together, they intend to usher in a better world. A better world seems impossibly distant to Estina Melaugo, who hunts the Draconic beasts that have slept across the world for centuries. And now the great wyrm Fýredel is stirring, and Yscalin will be the first to fall

About the Author

Samantha Shannon is the million copy bestselling author of The Bone Season and The Roots of Chaos series. Her work has been translated into twenty-eight languages. She lives in London. samanthashannon.co.uk / @say_shannon

Please note, book & ticket option £25.00 includes a copy of ‘Among The Burning Flowers’ (rrp £18.99) available for collection on the night.

DOORS 6.30pm | EVENT 7.00pm

TICKETS

White Wall Cinema: THE GREAT GATSBY (1974)
2025-09-19 18:30 - 22:30
100TH ANNIVERSARY OF GATSBY

*Please note – doors open at 6.30pm for fizz in the garden. Please try to allow extra time to get seated prior to the performance start time of 7.40pm. There will usually be no admittance from 20 minutes after the films stated start time. No hot food or alcohol from outside the premises is allowed. All alcoholic drinks consumed on the premises must be purchased from the bar as per the conditions of the venue’s licence.

White Wall Cinema returns for the first event of it’s new season (and our 10th year) with a screening marking 100 years of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s much celebrated iconic novel The Great Gatsby. We will also be throwing a small garden party before with a free glass of fizz (because what would Gatsby’s 100th birthday be without it?)

Infamously tricky to bring to the screen, the 1974 adaptation is perhaps the most faithful to Fitzgerald’s novel, while wisely becoming its own distinct cinematic vision. Scripted by Francis Ford Coppola (of The Godfather, Apocalypse Now, and more), reworking an earlier draft by Truman Capote, and directed by Jack Clayton (Room at the Top, The Innocents), this version plays Gatsby as a kind of ghost story.

A world away from Baz Luhrmann’s brash and violently lurid 2013 take, this 1974 film is all billowing curtains, haunted silences, and humid, regret-laden tension, draped in authentically lavish sets, rich period detail, and gorgeous opulent Oscar winning costumes — with a dazzling cast to match.

Still a byword for the glittering allure of the Jazz Age, a century after its publication, this version of The Great Gatsby properly explores the dark compulsive contradictions of American wealth, fantasy, and delusion. So join us — for a glass of fizz and a hauntingly beautiful film — to mark 100 years of Fitzgerald’s enduring masterpiece. After all, no one throws a party like Gatsby… do they, old sport?

DOORS, DRINKS FROM: 6.30pm*

SCREENING START TIME: 7.40pm*

FILM RUN TIME: 146mins

CERT: 12A (Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult)

Tickets & More Info

White Wall Cinema: BEST IN SHOW
2025-09-24 19:40 - 22:30
25TH ANNIVERSARY

*Please note – doors open at 7.40pm, Please try to allow extra time to get seated prior to the performance start time of 8.00pm. There will usually be no admittance from 20 minutes after the films stated start time. No hot food or alcohol from outside the premises is allowed. All alcoholic drinks consumed on the premises must be purchased from the bar as per the conditions of the venue’s licence.

In the wake of This Is Spinal Tap, co-writer and Tap lead guitarist Christopher Guest (aka Nigel Tufnel) went on to create a string of similarly brilliant ‘mockumentaries’ over the next four decades. Reuniting a recurring troupe of improvisational comedy legends—virtually a who’s who of the genre—Guest crafted modern classics like Waiting for Guffman, A Mighty Wind, For Your Consideration, and Mascots. Now, with Guest returning to Spinal Tap for a long-awaited sequel, we think it’s the perfect time to celebrate what may be the finest of all his works (Tap included!)—with this special 25th anniversary screening of the almighty Best in Show.

Rather than chronicling the misadventures of a washed-up rock band, Best in Show shifts focus to the world of competitive dog lovers as they descend on the prestigious Mayflower Kennel Club Dog Show (a hilariously deadpan spoof of America’s answer to Crufts). An eccentric cast of characters converges on the canine competition, and what unfolds is a loving, sharply observed, and wildly funny portrait of a uniquely obsessive subculture. From neurotic yuppies with a dog in therapy to a folksy Southern man with ventriloquist dreams, no satirical stone is left unturned in this laugh-a-minute comedy gem.

This pitch-perfect parody is driven by a magnificent ensemble cast, including: Jennifer Coolidge (Legally Blonde, The White Lotus), John Michael Higgins (A Mighty Wind, For Your Consideration), Michael Hitchcock (A Mighty Wind, Glee) Eugene Levy (American Pie, Schitt’s Creek), Jane Lynch (Glee, The 40-Year-Old Virgin), Michael McKean (Spinal Tap, Better Call Saul), Catherine O’Hara (Beetlejuice, Schitt’s Creek), Parker Posey (Dazed & Confused, The White Lotus) & Guest himself (Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride). And of course, the late, great Fred Willard, whose improvisational turn as the dog show’s clueless commentator has since become the stuff of comedy legend.

Arguably the funniest mockumentary ever made, Best in Show directly influenced an entire generation of TV comedy—from The Office and Parks & Recreation to Modern Family. We’re thrilled to bring it back to the big screen in all its glory for this unmissable 25th anniversary celebration.

DOORS: 7.20pm*

START TIME: 8pm*

RUN TIME: 90 mins

CERT: 12 (Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult)

Tickets & More Info

Brighton Chocolate Festival
2025-09-27 11:00 - 17:00, 2025-09-28 11:00 - 17:00
Britain’s Best Bean To Bar Chocolate Makers

Brighton Chocolate Festival is an unmissable event showcasing the art of chocolate-making.

Come and delight in ethically sourced bean-to-bar creations created with expert craftsmanship.

Meet masterful chocolate makers hailing from every corner of the UK.

Savour a wide array of exquisite flavours whilst learning about the sustainable practices behind each delectable treat.

A celebration that promises to indulge every chocolate lover’s palate!

DOORS – 11am-5pm

MORE INFO

Brighton Astro: The Aurora in 2025/26
2025-10-02 19:00 - 21:30
Dr Darren Baskill from the University of Sussex

DOORS: 7.00pm

LECTURE: 7.30pm

The aurora, the dancing lights that illuminate up the night sky, is a wondrous sight. In this talk, we look at the science behind the aurora to understand why they have been so visible over Brighton over the last 18 months, and consider the outlook for 2026. We will also look beyond Earth at the aurora on other planets – both within our solar system and beyond!

Dr Darren Baskill is a lecturer and outreach officer in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at the University of Sussex, with over 25 years’ experience of both professional and amateur astronomy. He previously taught astronomy at the Royal Observatory Greenwich science centre and planetarium in London, where he initiated the highly successful Astronomy Photographer of the Year public competition and exhibition, and he was a calibration scientist for the European XMM-Newton space telescope at the University of Leicester before that, ensuring that the data delivered to astronomers around the world was of the highest quality.

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
