White Wall Cinema: MISSISSIPPI MASALA
2026-03-13 19:20 - 22:30 (Europe/London) | Wagner Hall
The mother of New York City’s new mayor, Zohran Mamdani, is acclaimed director Mira Nair. Between creating landmark works such as Caméra d’Or–winning and Oscar-nominated Salaam Bombay! and the Golden Lion and Golden Globe–winning Monsoon Wedding, Nair crafted this wonderfully luminous, big-hearted, sweet, sexy, and deeply satisfying celebration of love’s power to transcend racial prejudice, now finally enjoying a well-deserved revival.

A romantic gem rich filled with humour and piercing insight, Mississippi Masala explores identity, displacement, colourism, community, prejudice, family, and generational divides. It is a gorgeously irresistible yet honest ode to the melting pot of American society, as well as a moving portrait of individual emotional reckoning.

Beautifully shot in warm, glowing tones with intimate, naturalistic cinematography, the film looks spectacular in this new restoration. making this modern classic more effervescent than ever. We can’t wait to welcome you to this special screening of a truly underappreciated treasure of early ’90s cinema.

DOORS: 7.20pm*

START TIME: 7.50pm*

RUN TIME: 118 mins

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

*Please note – doors open at 7.20pm, Please try to allow extra time to get seated prior to the performance start time of 7.50pm. 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

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White Wall Cinema: AMERICAN GIGOLO
2026-03-19 19:10 - 22:30 | Wagner Hall
Living in his minimalist Los Angeles apartment (before minimalism was even a thing) Julian Kaye (Gere) is the embodiment of cultivated taste: impeccably dressed, fluent in several languages, and devoted to the finer things in life. A high-class escort Julian finances his lavish lifestyle catering to a roster of wealthy women, and cultivates a carefully maintained sense of emotional detachment. But when he begins a relationship with the wife of a powerful senator and is framed for a murder he did not commit, his meticulously controlled world begins to unravel.

Slick yet substantive, director Paul Schrader never allows the high design and neon glow of the 1980s to overshadow the film’s European art-house sensibility or the moral gravity of its subject. Sophisticated and coolly detached yet charged with undercurrents of passion, American Gigolo is a tautly restrained melodrama and is one of the defining films of its era as well as an enduring icon of 80s style. Beautifully restored in 4K for the first time, it remains a ravishing work that radiates understated opulence from every frame and demands big screen viewing.

DOORS: 7.10pm*

START TIME: 7.40pm*

RUN TIME: 117 mins

CERT: 18

*Please note – doors open at 7.10pm, 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

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White Wall Cinema: The Hitcher (1986)
2026-03-27 19:30 - 22:30 | Wagner Hall
This rip-roaring vehicular thriller roars proudly in the tradition of motorway-stalking cult classics like Duel and Road Games – but The Hitcher boasts a far more potent secret weapon: the maniacal menace of Blade Runner legend, Rutger Hauer.

Tasked with transporting a car cross-country, young motorist Jim Halsey (C. Thomas Howell, of The Outsiders fame) begins to nod off behind the wheel and makes a decision that proves catastrophically misguided, he picks up a hitchhiker for company. The stranger (Hauer) calmly claims to be a killer, and although Jim manages to force him from the vehicle, any sense of relief is short-lived. What follows is a relentless descent into terror as the hitchhiker’s full psychopathic mania is unleashed. With the help of truck-stop waitress Nash (Jennifer Jason Leigh, later of The Hateful Eight and Single White Female), Jim is thrust into a desperate fight for survival

Despite unleashing one brutal set piece after another, The Hitcher remains lean, mean, and stripped to the bone. It plays like a sun-scorched fever dream, ruthless, existential, and soaked in dread. Marrying eerie, uncanny atmosphere with unapologetic B-movie thrills, it stands as a rare genre piece that is both artfully minimal, pulse-poundingly savage with a lingering stylistic mood that’s hard to shake. The Hitcher is a perfectly calibrated, tension-soaked Friday night big screen treat.

DOORS: 7.30pm*

START TIME: 8pm*

RUN TIME: 97 mins

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

*Please note – doors open at 7.30pm, 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

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The Treason Show
2026-03-28 19:00 - 22:30 | Wagner Hall
Satirical shots all round as Mark Brailsford and the Treason Show team bring you a show full of laughter and cheer for the new year.

“Spiting Image meets HIGNFY via The Fast Show”

“Savagely funny – fantastically silly” The GUARDIAN

“Brighton is rightly very proud of this company” THE ARGUS

“This is a most impressive parade of topical songs and sketches, brilliantly written and exquisitely performed” CHORTLE.COM

“Multi-talented performers-fast, witty, topical and surreal with a few million laughs” LATEST.

TICKETS

DOORS – 7.00pm | SHOW – 8.00pm

Brighton Astro: The Star That Refused to Fade
2026-04-02 19:00 - 21:30 | Wagner Hall
The 37-Year Mystery of Supernova 1987A – Lealahni Woulfe, University of Sussex

DOORS: 7.00pm

LECTURE: 7.30pm

In February 1987, a supernova exploded in a nearby galaxy, but hours before the light arrived, detectors caught 25 mysterious particles called neutrinos. These “ghost particles” told us something extraordinary should be left behind at the heart of the explosion. It took 37 years to find it.

Come along to explore the astrophysics of stellar death, the incredible 1987 neutrino detection, and how the James Webb Space Telescope finally solved the mystery in 2024. We will also look ahead to what is next for neutrino astronomy, including the detectors waiting for the next galactic supernova, which could happen at any moment.

Lealahni is a medical student at Brighton and Sussex Medical School, fascinated by the intersection between neuroscience and physics. Originally planning to become a theoretical particle physicist, she has pursued this passion through years of volunteering at the South Downs Planetarium alongside research projects at the University of Sussex, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, and PTB Berlin.

At Brighton Astro we are captivated by stars, bewitched by the moon and fascinated by space.Brighton Astro is a group of cosmic enthusiasts who meet regularly to discuss the universe, exchange knowledge and to gaze at the stars. We are not scientists or scholars, we are ordinary people curious about the wonders of space.Brighton Astro is FREE and open to everybody, from beginners to experts. Why not come along next month and learn about space?

Brighton Astro is inclusive and welcomes everybody.

Attendance is free, but we would be grateful if those of you who are able to could donate a few pounds to help cover costs. 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 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.

White Wall Cinema: Ghost World
2026-04-03 18:50 - 22:30 | Wagner Hall
The beloved adaptation of Daniel Clowes’ underground comic Ghost World is our White Wall Cinema Good Friday special. Directed by Terry Zwigoff (Crumb), the film perfectly captures the acerbic wit, deadpan humour, and teenage angst of its two lead characters, effortlessly portrayed by Thora Birch (American Beauty) and Scarlett Johansson (Lost in Translation, Under the Skin). They’re joined by screen legend Steve Buscemi (Reservoir Dogs, The Big Lebowski), delivering one of his most memorable performances.

When misfit friends Enid (Birch) and Rebecca (Johansson) graduate from high school, they find themselves adrift in the malaise of a long, post-graduation summer. Beyond enrolling in an art class, adulthood feels frustratingly out of reach, but at least they still have each other. Their fragile bond begins to fray when the cynical duo prank a lonely, middle-aged record collector (Buscemi). What starts as a joke gradually becomes something more complicated, as one of them forms an unexpected attachment that drives a wedge between the pair.

Wryly observed and darkly hilarious, Ghost World is a film for anyone who has ever felt out of place, who never quite fit in or earned a seat at the popular table. Widely regarded as one of the finest coming-of-age films of the 2000s, it has maintained a devoted cult following for more than two decades.

DOORS: 6.50pm*

START TIME: 7.20pm*

RUN TIME: 112 mins

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

*Please note – doors open at 6.50pm, Please try to allow extra time to get seated prior to the performance start time of 7.20pm. 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

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White Wall Cinema: A Double Bill Of Interdimensional Weirdness
2026-04-05 18:30 - 22:30 | Wagner Hall
THE ADVENTURES OF BUCKAROOBANZAI & BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA

Two cult classics, one night, zero sense of normalcy. If you love action, humour, and just a dash of absurdity, this Bank Holiday double bill is your destiny. Originally, Big Trouble in Little China was partly conceived as a sequel to The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, making this the perfect pairing.

First up: the greatest movie about a neurosurgeon, physicist, test pilot, rock star, comic book hero, and samurai you’ll ever see. The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai follows the titular hero, played by Peter Weller (yes, RoboCop himself), on his quest to save the world from evil aliens.

Some of the most gloriously nonsensical fun ever committed to celluloid, it has also become a hugely influential cult classic. Wes Anderson even copied the film’s ending almost verbatim for the closing moments of The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, while the pop-culture buffet that is Ready Player One features numerous references to Buckaroo Banzai—so much so that Steven Spielberg’s film sees the main character dressing like Buckaroo himself.

Following that, a film that was once proposed as Buckaroo’s sequel before being reshaped into another gloriously offbeat classic from John Carpenter: Big Trouble in Little China. Director of Halloween, The Thing, The Fog, Starman, Escape from New York, and They Live, Carpenter is no stranger to pulpy, genre-bending cult hits — but Big Trouble might just be the quirkiest of them all.

When truck driver Jack Burton (Kurt Russell – The Thing, Death Proof) makes a routine delivery in San Francisco’s Chinatown, he suddenly finds himself caught in the middle of a supernatural conflict between two ancient Chinese warrior societies. Before long he’s dragged into a wild rescue mission with his friend Wang Chi (Dennis Dun) and sharp-tongued, fearless lawyer Gracie Law (Kim Cattrall – Sex and the City) to save Wang’s fiancée from the clutches of the 2,000-year-old sorcerer David Lo Pan (James Hong – Everything Everywhere All at Once).

Save the world twice in one night – £13 Double Bill Price (or £.9.50 individually)7:00pm – Buckaroo Banzai9:00pm – Big Trouble in Little China.

DOORS: 6.30pm*

START TIME: 7pm*

RUN TIME: 201 mins + 10 minute intermission.

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

*Please note – doors open at 6.30pm, Please try to allow extra time to get seated prior to the performance start time of 7.00pm. 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

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Waterstones: An Evening With Melissa Auf der Maur
2026-04-07 18:30 - 21:30 | Wagner Hall
Melissa Auf der Maur’s Even the Good Girls Will Cry is a captivating portrait of the 1990s; rock’s final decade in analogue. A creative shape-shifter, she joined the Smashing Pumpkins ahead of her work with Hole. Subsequently she has been acclaimed as a record producer, solo performer and photographer. Hear Melissa discuss her writing about the music and the personalities of the US alt-rock scene.

Thanks to a thrown beer bottle and a fan letter to a P.O. box, Melissa Auf der Maur’s first band scored an opening slot for the Smashing Pumpkins in her bohemian home town, Montreal. Sensing Melissa’s talent, Billy Corgan recommended her to Courtney Love. Whisked from her local scene, Melissa joined Hole just after the deaths of Kurt Cobain and Hole’s prior bassist, Kristen Pfaff, with the just-widowed Courtney Love at the centre of it all.

MELISSA AUF DER MAUR is a critically acclaimed singer-songwriter, best known as the former bassist of rock bands Hole and the Smashing Pumpkins. In 2007, VH1 included her as #68 on the list of ‘100 Greatest Women of Rock & Roll.’ She is also the co-creative director and owner of Basilica Hudson, a performance centre in Hudson, NY, where she lives.

Book & ticket option includes a hardback copy of Even The Good Girls Will Cry (rrp £22) available for collection on the night.

DOORS 6.30pm | EVENT 7.00pm

TICKETS

Café Scientifique: UK Food Security: Science & Politics
2026-04-08 19:00 - 21:30 | Wagner Hall
Erik Millstone

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

Erik Millstone completed a first degree in Physics, followed by 3 postgraduate degrees in Philosophy. He was appointed to teach the History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Sussex in 1973, but in Spring 1974 read an article called ‘Death for Dinner’ in the New York Review of Books. His interest in food safety was ignited then, since when he has vigorously pursued that interest. He was a co-author of the first proposals to establish a Food Standards Agency in the UK, and now counts himself as one of agency’s critical friends.

In this talk, Erik Millstone will review several of the problematic features of food security not just in the UK, but more widely too. He will explain why the pursuit of food security is both a scientific and a political problem, and highlight some of the key ways in which science interacts with policy considerations.

He will explain why governments intervene in agricultural and food markets, as they try to stabilise what would otherwise be volatile supplies and prices. He will outline how agricultural and food policies have evolved. He will highlight some of the ways in which scientific uncertainties complicate policy choices, and illustrate some of the problems that remain unsolved.

White Wall Cinema: All We Imagine As Light
2026-04-09 19:20 - 22:30 | Wagner Hall
Topping numerous Film of the Year polls (BFI’s Sight & Sound, The New York Times, Film Comment, AP), All We Imagine as Light is a luminous, intricately woven portrait of the intersecting lives of three nurses living in Mumbai. Written and directed by Payal Kapadia in her fiction feature debut, the film was selected for the Official Competition at the Cannes Film Festival, where it was awarded the Grand Prix.

As much a tribute to Mumbai as it is a quiet critique, the film follows three very different women who have left their homes in search of opportunity in the big city. Each contends with her own emotional and material struggles, striving to build stability, both financial and personal, while questioning their relationships and navigating the pressures of a rapidly changing urban landscape shaped by gentrification and rising Hindu nationalism.

A series of everyday yet nonetheless life-altering events unfold, prompting each woman to gently shed the societal expectations placed upon them, by others and by themselves. Lyrically told, visually rich, and suffused with atmosphere, longing, and gentle humour, this is a deeply rewarding and delicately crafted work. Both beautifully nuanced and disarmingly simple, it stands as a modern masterpiece.

DOORS: 7.20pm*

START TIME: 7.50pm*

RUN TIME: 115 mins

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

*Please note – doors open at 7.20pm, Please try to allow extra time to get seated prior to the performance start time of 7.50pm. 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

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BRIGHTHINK: The Dice That Changed the World
2026-04-21 18:45 - 21:30
From basement tables and hand-drawn maps to blockbuster video games and global streaming phenomena, Dungeons & Dragons didn’t just invent a game — it sparked a cultural revolution!

Join us on an adventure into the history, legacy, and enduring appeal of tabletop role-playing games, as we trace how their core ideas of imagination, cooperation, and storytelling laid the foundations for the digital worlds we now play in. Whether you rolled your first d20 decades ago or came to RPGs through Warhammer, World of Warcraft, or live-streaming, this is a chance to explore how a niche hobby became a cornerstone of modern gaming.

Our panel brings together a merry fellowship of voices from across the role-playing universe: James Bennison (Role Playing James), Adam Tinworth, writer and digital culture expert, Esther MacCallum-Stewart, game studies scholar, and Christoph Sebastian-Deterding, game designer and researcher.

This never-before-seen live event will be taking place in the main Stellar Firma Conference Thunderdome, also known as Wagner Hall, Regency Road, Brighton.

They will venture into how player-shaped narrative became a game design philosophy, how RPG mechanics migrated from the table to the screen, and they’ll explore how the hobby has shifted, welcoming more women and diverse voices – embracing stories that reflect all kinds of players.

Seasoned adventurers and curious newcomers are welcome on this quest as we map the past, present, and possible futures of RPGs – and why dice still matter in an age of algorithms.

All ages welcome – but all 16 year olds and under must be accompanied by an adult.

DOORS OPEN : 6:45

EVENT STARTS : 7:30

AUDIENCE Q&A : 8:30

TICKETS

Waterstones: Richard Armitage In Conversation
2026-05-26 18:00 - 21:30
With Stu Cummins

Richard Armitage, film & TV actor as well as bestselling author of Geneva, will be chatting with Stu Cummins about his latest twist-laden thriller The Cut.

Thirty years ago, one of Ben Knott’s schoolfriends was murdered. Another went to prison. The story ended. The village of Barton Mallett tried to move on.

Now the killer is back … and as the murderer’s sentence ends, the village is chosen as the unlikely location for a feature film by a Hollywood producer, with Ben’s son Nathan cast in the leading role. But, as the film takes shape, Ben begins to recognise the storyline … from his own past.

Book & ticket option includes a PB copy of The Cut (rrp £9.99) available for collection on the night.

DOORS OPEN : 6:30

EVENT STARTS : 7:00

TICKETS
