Brighton Magazine

The Brighton Magazine

Selected Brighton Magazine Article

Saturday 18 November 2023

Snowball Fights, Seasonal Singalongs and Comedy Legends Lead Brighton Dome's Festive Programme

December at Brighton Dome includes theatrical and orchestral re-imaginings of traditional festive tales, snow-filled fun for all ages and music, comedy and club nights to celebrate the season. 

Bringing to life the recently refurbished spaces, this year's festive programme promises creativity, music and dance throughout Brighton Dome.

Headlining the season from 20-24 December is Han's Christian Anderson's beloved winter's tale The Little Match Girl, brought to life through dance and song by award-winning choreographer, Arthur Pita

This production for ages 4 and upwards takes place on a cold Christmas Eve in an imaginary Italian town, where a girl wanders the streets and uses her matches for warmth. 

Running from 13-15 December, interactive family show Snowed In is also for children and adults alike. 

In a mountain village, four friends awaken to find themselves surrounded by snow and what follows is an energetic and imaginative performance, an audience-friendly snowball fight and a magnificent adventure.

Young children and babies can paint a room with light in the interactive and multi-sensory Touch & Glow, from 1-24 December. 

A delightful and calming break from the hectic festive season, children can explore the wonders of technology, playing with colour and light to create their own arctic world, featuring penguins, mammoths and narwhals!  

For older audiences, comedy legend and star of Black Books, Dylan Moran headlines a special festive edition of Live at Brighton Dome on 14 December. 

Brighton's biggest comedy night showcases household names alongside up-and-coming comedians, to spotlight the array of talent in the comedic world. 

Moran will be joined by award-winning ventriloquist Nina Conti and Mock The Week's Maisie Adams, with more acts to be announced.

For sing-a-long Christmas party fun, ORGANOKE brings together karaoke and the historic Brighton Dome organ for an energetic night of festive pop music, hosted by self-declared 'People's Pensioner' Ida Barr, on 7 December. 

Audience members can witness Barr's hilarious rapping style, dubbed Artificial Hip Hop, and even have the opportunity to belt out Festive favourites - from Slade to The Darkness - on the Brighton Dome Concert Hall stage.

More mellow music lovers can look forward to a seasonal show from Mercury Music Prize and BBC 2 Folk Award winner Kate Rusby on 12 December, who will be performing songs from her festive albums alongside her band and a brass quintet. 

On 18 December, winners of Mojo Magazine's Folk Album of the Year, The Unthanks will be performing their new work, which captures the magical moments of Winter.  

Returning for a night of feel-good music, homelessness charity choir, The Choir with No Name, bring their Big Christmas Singalong to the Concert Hall on 19 December. 

Featuring Christmas classics and guest appearances from soul sensation Alice Russell and the Hullabaloo Quire, the evening will raise money and awareness to support the homeless this season, and beyond.

Celebrating 20 years of festive performances at Brighton Dome, the Brighton Festival Chorus will return on 10 December, for Christmas with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. 

This joyful and comedic celebration of carols, classical music and Christmas jumpers will get the whole family in the festive spirit. 

The audience will even be encouraged to share their best (and worst) Christmas jokes and may even be invited to join in the conducting.

December will also see the screening of two classic festive films accompanied by live orchestras in the Concert Hall: first up is festive favourite The Snowman on 17 December, and the inimitable retelling of Dickens' classic, The Muppet Christmas Carol will take place on 9 December.

Brighton Dome brings the festive season to a close with two wildly contrasting events on 31 December: in an uplifting afternoon performance of Lehár, Johann Strauss and Prokofiev, Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra stage their New Year's Eve Gala, led by the ever-engaging British conductor Stephen Bell and joined by young operatic soprano Ellie Laugharne, fresh from English National Opera and Grange Festival.

Following its sold-out launch at this year's Brighton Festival, clubbing extravaganza Our Roots returns to ring in New Year's Eve at the newly refurbished Corn Exchange. 

This inclusive night celebrates Brighton's LGBTQIA+ community and is created in partnership with local club legends Polyglamorous and Gal Pals, with a special guest set from Brighton-based DJs Dykes on Decks.

For more details visit brightondome.org

by: Mike Cobley



Related links

Brighton Dome

Share    

Credit John Swannell

Here's an announcement that will delight Michael Palin's legions of fans: “I don't think I'm ever going to stop.”


Get ready for a night of laughter and wit as The Treason Show returns to Sussex, for its four-date autumn tour. 


On Saturday 14th September 2024, Theatre Royal Brighton will open its stage door to the public for its first Open Day since the venue completed its multi-million-pound restoration project. 
Credit Sarah Weal

Lucy Davies will be the new Chief Executive of Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival. Davies arrives from her role as Executive Director at the Young Vic Theatre, where she has overseen major productions.
Credit: Michelle Huggleston Photography

Comedian Robin Morgan's previous shows have dealt with a proposal, marriage, kids and a vasectomy. So what's next on the list? Divorce? No, not divorce. It's about how to keep the spark alive. But how do you keep the spark alive? Not just in a marriage, but in yourself? 
Credit Nicholle Cherrie

Inspired by the life of Nina Simone and featuring many of her most iconic songs performed live, Apphia Campbell's acclaimed play, Black Is The Colour Of My Voice - coming to Theatre Royal Brighton - follows a successful jazz singer and civil rights activist as she seeks redemption after the untimely death of her father. 

Credit Raymond Briggs

An exhibition featuring never-seen-before items and artworks from author/illustrator – Raymond Briggs (1934-2022) - has been extended until 22nd December 2024 due to popular demand and with over 10,000 visitors to date.

Following the recent general election, the iconic podcast series The Rest Is Politics is taking to the live stage at The Brighton Centre for The Election Tour
Credit Chloe Hashemi

The Cornucopia fundraising gala will return to Brighton Dome on Thursday 3rd October, following last year's hugely successful inaugural event. 

From 24-27 October, Brighton Dome's inaugural annual Comedy Festival will fill the venue's three historic event spaces with stand-up, improv, clowning, workshops and the world premiere of a 20th anniversary exhibition from cult cartoonists and animators Modern Toss.

A University of Brighton graduate's project making bags from waste courier uniforms has landed him a collaboration with local sustainable design studio, gomi, co-founded by another former Brighton student.

Komedia Brighton has always, and will always, value diversity and creativity and they are proud to provide a platform for marginalized voices in the comedy scene. 
Credit: Tanmay Saxena

The biennial, open-platform photography festival returns in October with six weeks of exhibitions and events in and beyond Brighton & Hove, Newhaven and for the first time, Portsmouth. 

Members of the public can now measure how kinky they are thanks to a new tool developed by a University of Brighton academic.

Organising a conference or event in Brighton?
See our Brighton Conference section.
Brighton web design by ...ntd