Leading Brighton Festival 2024’s family programme is this year’s Guest Director, award-winning children’s author and screenwriter Frank Cottrell-Boyce. From 4-26 May, he invites audiences of all ages to imagine a better world through a series of hopeful, wonder-filled events from acclaimed children’s writers, a new animated feature film and a mega table tennis tournament. Elsewhere, children’s theatre, dance and interactive outdoor shows encourage play and fun and demonstrate the joy of community.
On 11 May, Frank Cottrell-Boyce will host The Wonder Panel, a lively discussion about storytelling and creativity for anyone aged 8 and up, featuring current Children's Laureate and poet Joseph Coelho, How to Train Your Dragon author Cressida Cowell, and drawing from Carnegie Medal for Illustration winner Chris Riddell.
Audiences can also join Frank, along with award-winning author-illustrator of Grimwood Nadia Shireen, for a live recording of their popular podcast The Island of Brilliant on 19 May, when they will be speaking with the beloved Gruffalo and Stick Man writer Julia Donaldson, about how she creates her unforgettable stories. Earlier in the day, Frank will introduce readers aged 7 to 11 to his new magic-themed novel The Wonder Brothers, accompanied by live drawing from its illustrator, Steven Lenton.
A special screening of the beautifully animated film Kensuke’s Kingdom, voiced by Oscar winner Cillian Murphy, Sally Hawkins and Ken Watanabe, will take place on 12 May. The film follows the story of a young boy, shipwrecked on a remote island with a Japanese World War II soldier and is adapted from Michael Morpurgo’s best-selling children’s book of the same name, by Frank Cottrell-Boyce. The two will answer questions from the audience following the screening.
Award-winning community-based group Brighton Table Tennis Club make the sport accessible for all ages and abilities in an AllStars Extravaganza at Brighton Dome’s newly refurbished Corn Exchange on 27 May. The Corn Exchange has a proud history of hosting international table tennis events and this free all-day event will re-create the venue’s ping pong past with a modern twist. Expect attempts to break Guinness World Records, mass participation table tennis and matches with international superstars, such as the UK’s Paralympic gold medallist Will Bayley.
Elsewhere, an ambitious outdoor reimagining of seaside variety shows from Olivier award-winning performance-maker Marisa Carnesky will transform a downtown Brighton street into a circus from 25-26 May, with nine stages and a cast of aerialists, wrestlers, variety dancers, contemporary clowns and contortionists. Carnesky’s Showwomxn Sideshow Spectacular is a family-friendly production created especially for Brighton Festival that will celebrate the forgotten women of the genre’s unique history, inspired by Carnesky’s own research at the National Fairground and Circus Archive. Performers include Netflix star Tallulah Haddon, World Record holding hula hoop artist Symoné and Bollywood dancer Kaajel.
Across Brighton Festival’s opening weekend (4-5 May), the UK premiere of You’ll See… from Branar, one of Ireland’s leading theatre companies for children, uses a combination of live performance, an intricate popup book and an original score to bring James Joyce’s epic tale of one day in one city, Ulysses to life. Staged in Brighton Dome’s newly refurbished Studio Theatre, the production is for children aged 8 and up – and anyone who hasn’t read Joyce’s novel. Also from Branar in collaboration with New International Encounter, is the charming and playful Grand Soft Day (25-26 May), a predominantly non-verbal exploration of the wonder of the world and the seasons for ages 2-6.
From disabled-led dance company Second Hand Dance, is the colourful, interactive The Sticky Dance (17 May), for ages 3-5. Three dancers will shimmy through the audience, creating a tapestry of sticky tape and encouraging children to explore and groove alongside them.
Throughout Brighton Festival, families can take part in free, interactive installation 100 Miles of String, created by Brighton-based contemporary arts organisation Leap Then Look, who have worked with V&A, Royal Academy and Tate. By weaving and winding thousands of metres of string, participants will work together to construct a temporary, ever-changing landmark outdoors in the Royal Pavilion Gardens. Sponsored by Southern Housing New Homes.
A series of free, family-friendly pop-up performances from outdoor art specialists Without Walls will bring communities together in Brighton and Crawley throughout Brighton Festival, sponsored by Graves Son & Pilcher. Highlights include premiere Anchored in Air (18-19 May), a groundbreaking, gravity-defying performance from disabled and non-disabled ariel company Head over Wheels. In hip hop dance piece Closer to My Dreams (10-11 May), two brothers from Manchester dream of becoming professional dancers and The Journey (18 -19 May), from award-winning brass band Perhaps Contraption in collaboration with Deaf & BSL poet Zoe McWinney, is a promenade piece featuring a unique blend of physical theatre, signed poetry and mime.
Throughout May, Brighton Festival’s Young Readers programme welcomes celebrated writers to read their latest works and host workshops. M.G Leonard (12 May), Jenny McLachlan (18 May), Laura Ellen Anderson (11 May) and Tolá Okogwu (11 May), will be discussing their new books, while Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre will take young readers on an interactive drawing adventure with Adventuremice (12 May) and author of Lifesize, Sophy Henn (12 May) will share incredible animal facts and challenges. For older children, Alexandra Sheppard (5 May) will be hosting a writing workshop and introducing her latest novel Alyssa and the Spell Garden and Vashti Hardy (26 May) will be holding a workshop on Fantasy Map Drawing.
Established in 1967, Brighton Festival is the largest annual curated multi-arts festival in England. The return of Brighton Dome’s Corn Exchange and Studio Theatre as host venues this year, following a major refurbishment, allows for a greater variety of inclusive and accessible shows, reflecting the Festival’s commitment to community celebration and Brighton & Hove’s creative spirit.
Additional Highlights
The Children’s Parade
4 May
The spectacular annual Children’s Parade once again kicks off Brighton Festival with a fiesta of colour, costume and live music around Frank Cottrell-Boyce’s chosen theme of Dream Again. Artists from community arts experts Same Sky have come together with teachers, students and volunteers from schools across Brighton & Hove to make magnificent sculptures, choreograph dance routines and compose parade chants to unleash on the day. Supported by Brighton Girls.
Children's Illustration Exhibition
4–26 May
In celebration of the wealth of talented children's book illustrators in Brighton, Hove and close by, children’s bookshop The Book Nook will be displaying a selection of their work in a free exhibition throughout Brighton Festival.
First Light
8-10 May
For babies aged 0-18 months, real-life soundscapes harmonise and echo a newborn’s hearing as lights twinkle and colour slowly fills the performance pod. Parents are invited to sit, lie down or stand while sharing this immersive and intimate experience with their little one.
The Rainbow Butterfly
18 May
Maja has wings that sparkle and shimmer. Join them on their joyful, transformational journey as they explore the world and outer space as a Rainbow Butterfly. Inspired by the lifecycle of a butterfly, this children’s story is an invitation to honour our imagination, ourselves and Mother Earth.
Shelf: The Kids Show
19 May
Full of sketches, songs, pranks and silliness, this kids’ comedy show will make the whole family laugh. Comedy duo, and best friends, Rachel and Ruby use physical comedy and silly characters to explore emotions, friendship and shyness. Ages 3 and up.
Brighton Festival takes place from 4-26 May 2024.
Image Credit: Leap Then Look
