COMEDY
Connor Burns
22 February
Milton Keynes Stables Studio
Hot on the heels of his totally sold-out Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2023 season, which saw him add 2,000 extra seats to what was only his second-ever Edinburgh Fringe, Scottish comedian Connor Burns is set to embark on a debut national tour with his critically acclaimed show Vertigo. Vertigo is a punchline-packed show featuring relationships, submarines, and the inevitable family drama. Hilarious, relatable and a bit rude in places, Connor’s quick wit entwined with his sharp material has seen him become one of Scotland’s fastest rising comedy stars.
EXHIBITION
Saul Leiter
17 February-4 June
MK Gallery
American photographer Saul Leiter (1923–2013), one of the most important practitioners of the post-war period and a pioneer of colour photography, celebrated for his evocative images of New York City in the 1950s and 1960s, will be the subject of a major survey at MK Gallery opening this month. Leiter photographed every day for sixty years, keenly observing daily life and discovering beauty on the streets of the East Village neighbourhood where he lived his entire adult life and which became his enduring subject.
THEATRE
The Great Gatsby
13-17 February
Theatre Royal Windsor
Based on F.Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel and set in the Jazz age of the glamorous, roaring 20s near New York City, this play follows the tragic story of mysterious and enigmatic millionaire Jay Gatsby. Deceit, murder, obsession and jazz abound as we delve into the illicit source of Gatsby’s self-made fortune and obsession to reunite with his wealthy, socialite former lover, Daisy Buchanan.
EVENT
Professor Brian Cox
8 February
Aylesbury Waterside Theatre
Having set two Guinness World Records with his previous sell-out World Tour, Professor Brian Cox is back in regional theatres. Horizons has taken over 250,000 people across three continents on a dazzling journey; a story of how we came to be and what we can become. Using state of the art screen technology, venues across the world from New Zealand to the Arctic Circle have been filled with images of far-away galaxies, alien worlds, supermassive black holes and the latest theories of the origin of the Universe.
COMEDY
Al Murray
23 February
The Hexagon, Reading
Al Murray is the pub landlord who holds forth on all manner of topics, waxing wide about the state of the world with all the skewed logic of a bar room philosopher. Anyone who has spent even the smallest amount of time in a pub will recognise these immaculate observations of British pub culture. The return of a true British comedy great.
FILM
Priscilla
16-18 February
South Hill Park
Teenage Priscilla Beaulieu meets Elvis Presley, already a meteoric rock-and-roll superstar, but someone entirely unexpected in private: a thrilling crush, an ally in loneliness, a vulnerable best friend. A deeply felt and ravishingly detailed portrait of marital loneliness, fantasy and fame.
Glass half full
Three very different events to make the most of half term this month
THE LITTLE MERMAID
14-17 February
Disney’s The Little Mermaid comes to Newbury in this colourful community production. With music by eight-time Academy Award winner Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater, and a compelling book by Doug Wright, this fishy fable will capture your heart with its irresistible songs including Under the Sea, Kiss the Girl, and Part of Your World. Ariel, King Triton’s youngest daughter, wishes to pursue the human Prince Eric in the world above and bargains with the evil sea witch, Ursula, to trade her tail for legs. But the bargain is not what it seems and Ariel needs the help of her colourful friends Flounder the fish, Scuttle the seagull, and Sebastian the crab to restore order under the sea.
ROLL INTO HALF TERM
12-14 February
Get ready for an energetic, three-day half term camp that’s sure to captivate your children’s imaginations and energise their bodies. RollaDome All Skate is thrilled to offer this special Learn to Skate program, perfect for kids aged 4 to 12, in Windsor, Clewer Mead. The sessions will be structured and fun, honing their motor skills while exploring the dynamic world of roller skating – all in a safe and supportive environment. From learning the basics to mastering agility, balance, and coordination, this camp offers a great experience.
WINTER WAGGLE
16 February
Join The Pace Centre for some half term family fun at their inaugural ‘Winter Waggle’ dog walk in the grounds of the stunning Waddesdon Manor Estate. There are two wheelchair accessible routes that are 3k and 5k, and all proceeds go to The Pace Centre. For many of the children at Pace just achieving independent mobility is a huge achievement and takes years of practice. Whether it’s taking one step, or learning to use a motorised wheelchair, the challenges they overcome to be independent are enormous. You can help them achieve their goals and transform the lives of children with a neurodisability.
