MUSIC
Celine
27 January
Charter Hall
Colchester Events is delighted to announce that Charter Hall will launch the 2024 UK tour of ‘Celine – My Heart Will Go On’ after a sold-out tour across the UK and Europe in 2023.
The hit stage show comes to Charter Hall, playing the busy Colchester venue 30 years to the day since The Power of Love was certified Gold on the UK singles chart. The production stars Alexandra Darby – as seen on ITV’s This Morning – backed by a talented live band.
ART
Claire Cansick
Until 14 April
Firstsite
What effect do we have on the landscapes around us? Claire Cansick’s You and I Are Earth charts the devastating effects of climate change and the human impact on the environment across the world. Featuring over 40 paintings, the exhibition depicts a spectrum of climate-related catastrophes, including wildfires, floods, droughts, historic storms, snowfall, war, deforestation, erosion, the proliferation of tornadoes, and the alarming warming of the Arctic. Each artwork tells a compelling story of nature’s relentless struggle against human actions and inactions.
EVENT
Miles Jupp
29 January
Civic Theatre, Chelmsford
Since Miles Jupp’s last tour finished at The London Palladium in 2017, he’s been in The Full
Monty on Disney Plus, The Durrells and Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? on ITV, as well as a
heap of episodes of Frankie Boyle’s New World Order and Have I Got News For You. Yet one sunny day, in the middle of all this, he suddenly suffered a brain seizure. This led
to the discovery of a tumour the size of a cherry tomato, and a rather pressing need to
undergo major neurosurgery. The experience has left him with a story to tell and a few things that he’d like to share with the room. So that’s exactly what he’s doing in his new show On I Bang – a tale about surprise, fear, luck, love and qualified medical practitioners.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Until 30 June
Natural History Museum
More than 50,000 images are entered into the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition every year, but their panel of judges can only select 100 finalists. A further 25 memorable images from this year’s entries have been shortlisted by the judges and the Natural History Museum and now the public are invited to vote for their favourite. Voting closes on 31 January 2024, and the winner and four runners-up will be announced on 7 February 2024.
ART
So for Southend
24 January-9 March
Focal Point Gallery
Focal Point Gallery’s community exhibition S for Southend is back, showcasing artworks made by local residents and artists of all ages during 2023. They are delighted to share works made by participants across their learning programme and in collaboration with local organisations and charities to champion the abundant creativity in Southend. Works includes those created in Children’s Art Club, Contemporary Elders, Digifest and their local schools programmes with Cedar Hall, St Nicholas, Estuary, Briscoe, Darlinghurst, Janet Duke, Chase and West Leigh. There will also be work from Southend Youth Council and One Love.
COMEDY
Simon Brodkin
19 January
Palace Theatre
Join the world-famous prankster, Lee Nelson creator and now the most viewed British stand-up comedian on TikTok, Simon Brodkin, as he warms up for his huge show at London’s Hammersmith Apollo. In ‘Screwed Up’, Simon rips into celebrity culture, social media, the police, Putin and Prince Andrew. Nothing is off limits in this hilarious show, including his own mental health, his family, his five arrests and how he once found himself at an underground sex party.
Best in show
Head to the capital for the finest in art from our doorstep to around the world
The London Art Fair returns from 17-21 January 2024, highlighting a selection of the best galleries from the UK and beyond. The fair will offer both seasoned and aspiring collectors a diverse presentation of modern and contemporary art, alongside curated displays, and an inspiring programme of talks, tours and performances.
In addition, London Art Fair continues to champion and support regional museums through its annual Museum Partnership, which this year invites Charleston, once home to the 20th century’s most pioneering artists, writers and thinkers, to showcase their unique collection of art, textiles and ceramics at the fair.
This year will see the participation of over 120 galleries from around the world, including Japan, Portugal and Turkey, with new exhibitors Bluerider Art, Stowe Arthouse Gallery, Liss Llewellyn and Common Sense Gallery; alongside returning names such as Gilden’s Art Gallery, Jill George Gallery and Jonathan Clarke. The fair will feature work by some of the world’s most renowned artists working across a variety of media, including sculpture, prints, paintings, photography and ceramics, from artists including Francis Bacon, Andy Warhol, Bridget Riley and David Hockney.
