Seeing a new column
If you’re a regular reader of our webmag you’ll know we run a small but perfectly-formed selection of weekly columns on our side-bar. We’re now looking to add another to our roster, so if you have an idea for a regular weekly column and can write engagingly, we’d love to hear from you. For more details, deadlines etc, email beth@vivalewes.com.
Former postie’s weather report “The drought continues with plenty more rain over the next week,” begins Postie, sarkily. “The weekend will be a mixed bag of sunshine and showers with Sunday the better day of the two. But hey, here comes summer with plenty of warm, possibly even hot sunshine, from the middle of next week!” Flip-flops ahoy!
Columns and contributors Katie Masters is looking ahead to the Queen’s Diamond anniversary with memories of jubilees past, Curmudgeon Catlin is slowing down because of the new speed limits and Michael Munday's gone all contemplative in Copenhagen. This week's contributors are Beth Miller, Alex Leith, Katie Moorman, and Francesco Andreoli. This week's 'cover' is a detail from an unforgettable picture by Mike Ward-Sale.
Thurs 17th: Evening at the Stillroom The Stillroom is hosting an evening with Dr Ana Gout, who specialises in the latest non-surgical treatments for the face. Find out about fillers, Peleveé and Thermage, with no obligation to book a treatment. Viva may take its wrinkly old visage along.
Thurs 17th: Comedy - Treason Show Satirical gag-a-minute sketch show, produced and directed by Mark Brailsford (pictured), author of the play Mushy Ate My Credit Card, in which he followed Sussex CC around the country.
Con Club, 8.30pm, £9/£7, 0845 3964762
Thurs 17th: Lewes Poetry Starring poet and storyteller Simon Welsh (as interviewed in our May handbook), plus open mic poets, prize limerick contest and MC Ollie Gozzard.
Lewes Arms, 8.30pm for 9pm start, £4 (£3 concessions or readers). Audience members are encouraged to bring their favourite poem (by another poet or themselves) to read.
Thurs 17th - Sun 20th: Exhibition – Somewhere Thirteen artists from the Art22 group: a fine collection of paintings, prints and wood sculptures.
Hop Gallery, Mon-Sat 10.30am-5pm, Sun 12-5pm
Thurs 17th - Sun 20th: Exhibition - Earthworks Three artists, Michael Cooper, Maria Kuipers and Mark Johnston are showing their abstract and representational work. We interviewed Mark, one of Brighton's most celebrated artists, in #68 of the Handbook.
St Anne’s Gallery, Sat & Suns only, 10am-5pm
Thurs 17th - Weds 23rd: Exhibition – Jane Wateridge The work of Lewes-based artist Jane Wateridge is inspired by the natural world, urban life and the domestic landscape. She’ll be painting in the gallery studio each weekday from midday.
Thurs 17th to end of month: Exhibition – Tom Homewood Tom’s Summer Collection of paintings and drawings, which feature his iconic old men, beloved spaniels and new landscapes and townscapes of Lewes and the surrounding area.
Flint, shop opening hours
Thurs 17th – Sun June 3rd: Exhibition - 'O'er the Boundless Green'
New paintings by Lewes artists Colin Merrin and Sarah Burges.
Or Accordion Band to you. Direct from our twin town of Waldshut-Tiengen in Germany, the first of two Lewes concerts. Sehr gut!
Malling Community Centre, 7.30pm, £7.50/£5.00 from Lewes Travel Agency, Town Hall or on the door
Fri 18th: Lewes Film Club - A Separation
Highly-acclaimed Iranian film, which won an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. A married couple disagree whether to stay in Iran and look after an elderly parent, or start a new life elsewhere. Read David Jarman’s rave review in our May handbook.
All Saints, 8pm, £5
Sat 19th: Paws & Claws Bookfair
Secondhand, rare, readable and collectable books on offer from forty dealers.
Town Hall, 10am-4pm, 50p, 477555.
Sat 19th: Reading - The Angel and the Fiend
A dramatized reading for five voices set to images, exploring the life and career of photographer Lee Miller, who said of herself, “I looked like an angel but I was a fiend inside.” Written by her son Anthony Penrose of ‘Boy Who Bit Picasso’ fame. Not suitable for under 15s. We put this on at the Con Club a few years ago, and can assure you it's a stunning drama.
Newhaven Fort, 7pm, £9, 517622
Sat 19th: Ringmer village fete
In the afternoon you’ve got your classic cars, tombolas, stalls, dog show, tug of war, beer tent, face-painting and so on, to the sound of the LGB Brass Band. Then as day turns to evening, there’s a hog roast – the first of the summer? But certainly not the last - and live music. Bring a chair/picnic rug.
Village Green, fete 2-5pm, evening event 6.30-10.30pm, tickets £5/£2. Tickets from Middletons, Ringmer. ringmervh.appeal@btinternet.com
Sat 19th: Concert - Phoenix Cantata
Artemis Arts present this new piece of music by local composer Helen Glavin, based on the story of the Phoenix ironworks and the people who worked there. Musical director John Hancorn will conduct four choirs, with around a hundred singers: East Sussex Bach Choir, The Everyman Ensemble, The Paddock Singers, and Children's Choir from Southover School. This show is part of Brighton Fringe.
Foundry Gallery North St, 7.30pm, £10/8/£3 Tourist Info or Union Music Store, thephoenixcantata.com
Sat 19th: Concert - Schlüchttal Akkordeon Orchester
Another chance to catch the accordion extravaganza of our twin town’s band.
All Saints, 7.30pm, £7.50/£5.00 from Lewes Travel Agency, Town Hall or on the door
Sat 19th- Sat 26th: Theatre – Gaslight
Patrick Hamilton’s ‘Victorian thriller’, which was written in 1938 and set in 1880’s foggy London. More a modern psychological study than one might expect, this is the Little Theatre’s first showing of the play since they last performed it in 1943.
Little Theatre, 7.45pm, matinee Sat 26th at 2.45pm, no perf Sun. £6-£10, 474826
Sun 20th: Patina Arts Festival
Showcase of young talent - from Kaleidoscope Theatre Company, Turning Pointe Dance School, Universal Dance and Drum Unity - raising funds for this year’s Moving On Parade.
All Saints, 1.30pm, £7/£5, tickets from Si’s Sounds, patinalewes.com
Sun 20th: Gig - Under the Covers with Razia Aziz
Live music and song with fresh takes on favourites from the 60s to today. Special guest Zoe Brownrigg.
All Saints, 7pm. £8 /£7 in advance from Union Music Store, £10 on the door. ashhara@live.co.uk
Tues 22nd: Club Foot
The all-accessible club night run by disabled people for their friends and the community, with DJs from the Radio Lewes Roadshow. Bar.
All Saints, 7pm, £3/ free entry for carers
Weds 23rd: Talk – The case for pacifism
Professor Laurence Lerner taught English in universities until his retirement in 1994, when he moved to Lewes. He has published many books of literary criticism, three novels, and several volumes of poetry, and has been a Quaker for more than forty years.
Christ Church, Prince Edwards Road, 7.30-9pm, free
Weds 23rd: Gig - The Good Lovelies
Juno Award and Canadian Folk Award winners, playing their first show in Lewes. With their three part harmonies, these gals are like modern-day Andrew Sisters. Hope they do the Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy. Earlier at 3pm they’ll be playing a free gig taster set at Union Music.
Elephant & Castle, 7.30pm, £8/£6 from Union Music Store or wegottickets.com
Weds 24th: Business event – Tips for networking
Learn the top five tips for successful networking in this free presentation led by Ashley Price from Banana Office. Useful if you’ve just started to network, or if you’ve been networking for a while, but not had much success.
Thurs 24th: Public Lecture – The sea, a literary journey
Lewes University of the Third Age (U3A) hosts this talk by Dorothy Harrison, with readings by Ann Thomas.
Town Hall, 2.30pm, free
Thurs 24th: Talk - David Lammy
David Lammy, the Labour MP for Tottenham and author of ‘Out of The Ashes’, presents his analysis of the 2011 riots. Q&A session follows. Hosted by the Fabian Society; non-members welcome.
Fri 25th: Headstrong Club – Organs, for donation or sale?
Bobbie Farsides is Professor of Clinical and Biomedical Ethics at Brighton and Sussex Medical School. She’s twice served as a specialist adviser to the House of Lords. She sits on the UK Donation Ethics Committee and is a member of the BMA Ethics Committee.
Elephant and Castle, 8pm, non-members £3
Fri 25th – Sun 27th: Elderflower Fields Festival
The new boutique family-friendly festival kicks off this weekend with great music, cocktails, film, lovely food, terrific sports for the kids to try, and tons more. You can even hire a luxury tent and go glamping.
Bentley Wildfowl, starts Fri 3pm, weekend tickets £60/£30, Sat only £35/£20, see here for more info
Fri 25th – Sun 3rd June: Charleston Festival
The literature and ideas festival returns with a glittering array of speakers, including Ruth Rendell, Ian McEwan and Andrew Motion.
Charleston Farmhouse, various times, see here for details.
Sat 26th: Plant, cd and produce sale
Well-nurtured plants at competitive prices. Annual fundraiser for Lewes Group in Support of Refugees and Asylum Seekers.
Market Tower, 9.30-11.30am, free
Sat 26th: Battle of Lewes Day
A fun day out for all the family. Discover what it was like to be a knight in 1264 (probably slightly grim), examine armour and weapons, investigate battle wounds and have a go at making your own shield design or herbal cure. Plus a chance to see the Battle of Lewes tapestry take shape and watch a film of April’s Battle of Lewes Experience.
Lewes Castle, 10am-4pm, activities included in Castle admission price, 486290, sussexpast.co.uk
Sat 26th: May fair and market
A mixture of stalls, from vintage, collectables and furniture to handmade crafts and jewellery. Catering from the Nutty Wizard.
Lewes town hall, 10am-4pm, free
Sat 26th: Wine and cheese tasting
Italian Zonin wines including Il Bosco and Pino Bianco.
Cheese Please, 11am-3pm, free
Sat 26th: Storytime and origami
Origami expert Tomoko will be on hand to look at some books and make origami figures based on the story. Best for 5+.
Sat 26th – Thurs 7th June: Exhibition – Downland Light
Jaime Etherington's paintings, depicting the ever-changing nature of the Downs.
Hop Gallery, Tues-Sat 10.30am-5pm, Sun 12-5pm, closed Mons, free
Sat 26th & Sun 27th: Open gardens
Seven gardens in and around Lewes are opening, some for the first time, in aid of St Michael's Church. From small courtyards to large country gardens, in Barcombe, Old Malling, Landport, Southover and Kingston Road. Teas and plant sales.
Various locations, 2-5pm, £6/£3 for weekend (under 16s free), tickets with directions from 478244/475919 or Tourist Info
Sun 27th: Little Horsted, Isfield and Barcombe Fun Run
Three running categories: 1K and 5K which are open to adults and children; and a 10K, only open to over 14s. Medals will be awarded to winners of each category. There will also be a fancy dress category.
Southover School PTA are holding a car boot sale to raise funds for the school. Pitches are £10 plus a cake. That’s the kind of payment we approve of. Some tables will also be available on the day to display and sell wares.
Southover School Field, 12-3pm, 07769293467
Gigs
Thur 17th
Tattie Jam. Folk. Lamb, 9pm, free
John Kirkpatrick. Folk. Royal Oak, 8pm, £8
Wakin' Snakes. Cajun. Snowdrop, 9pm, free Fri 18th
Pollito Boogaloo. Lamb, 9pm, free
Catfish Kings. Rock n Roll. Con Club, 8.30pm, £4/ members free Sat 19th
Danni Nicholls (EP launch). Americana. Union Music Store, 3pm, free
Jumbo Gumbo. Zydeco. Snowdrop, 9pm, free
Common Tongues. Indie folk. Lamb, 9pm, free Sun 20th
Fruitful Sunday. DJ. Snowdrop, 8pm, free
Tab Hunter and Tim Cotterell. Folk. Con Club, 3pm, free Mon 21st
Julian Nicholas, Nigel Thomas & Dave Trigwell. Jazz. Snowdrop, 9pm, free Wed 23rd
The Good Lovelies. Folk. Union Music Store, 3pm, free
Tab & Ben's Acoustic, Folk & Roots session. Snowdrop, 9pm, free
The Good Lovelies. Folk. Elephant & Castle, 7.30pm, £8
Jazz. John Harvey Tavern, 8pm, free Thur 24th
Greg McDonald. Singer-songwriter. Snowdrop, 9pm, free
Bayou Seco Trio. Folk. Royal Oak, 8pm, £7
Amy Harrison & the Secondhand String Band. Bluegrass. Lamb, 9pm, free Fri 25th
Straw Dogs. Irish music. Con Club, 8.30pm, £4/ members free Sat 26th
Donna Fullman. Folk (album launch). Union Music Store, 3pm, free
DJ Fraser A & DJ Bryski. Alternative eighties. Con Club, 8.30pm, £3/ members free
Porchlight Smoker. Folk. Snowdrop, 9pm, free
Jigjaw. Folk. Elephant & Castle, 8pm, £8 Sun 27th
Kitchen Party. Country pop. Con Club, 3pm, free
Fruitful Sunday. DJ. Snowdrop, 9pm, free
Thanks to Francesco Andreoli, whose Lewes gig videos can be seen at www.youtube.com/user/LewesMusic
Viva Submissions:
If you have an event coming up in Lewes and you would like to see it in the Viva web magazine, please let us know. Although we include some larger happenings outside of town, we do not regularly include events in the rest of Lewes District. Businesses, please remember this space is primarily used for community, charity and cultural events such as exhibitions, talks and performances, we do not include workshops or courses. Web listings run for 11 days, Thurs – Sun and if we hear from you by 12pm on Weds each week, we’ll do our best to include what you have planned. Email beth@vivalewes.com with as many details as you can provide and, where possible, a photograph. If your group organises regular events in Lewes, please add Beth to your mailing list.
The Viva Lewes handbook goes to print around the 20th of each calendar month. We do not tend to accept unsolicited articles. If you have an event or activity that you wish to be considered for inclusion in our print edition, please let us know six weeks in advance of our print date.
Contacts:
Web Listings: beth@vivalewes.com
Handbook Listings: emma@vivalewes.com
Photo of the Week: alex@vivalewes.com
Ad Enquiries: steve@vivalewes.com
Publisher: nick@vivalewes.com
tel: 01273 488882
Every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of our content. The Viva Lewes Handbook cannot be held responsible for any omissions, errors or alterations.
The Stillroom is hosting an evening with Dr Ana Gout, who specialises in the latest non-surgical treatments for the face. Find out about fillers, Peleveé and Thermage, with no obligation to book a treatment. Viva may take its wrinkly old visage along.
Satirical gag-a-minute sketch show, produced and directed by Mark Brailsford (pictured), author of the play Mushy Ate My Credit Card, in which he followed Sussex CC around the country. 
Starring poet and storyteller Simon Welsh (as interviewed in our May handbook), plus open mic poets, prize limerick contest and MC Ollie Gozzard.
Thirteen artists from the Art22 group: a fine collection of paintings, prints and wood sculptures. 
Three artists, Michael Cooper, Maria Kuipers and Mark Johnston are showing their abstract and representational work. We interviewed Mark, one of Brighton's most celebrated artists, in #68 of the Handbook. 
The work of Lewes-based artist Jane Wateridge is inspired by the natural world, urban life and the domestic landscape. She’ll be painting in the gallery studio each weekday from midday.
Tom’s Summer Collection of paintings and drawings, which feature his iconic old men, beloved spaniels and new landscapes and townscapes of Lewes and the surrounding area.
New paintings by Lewes artists Colin Merrin and Sarah Burges.
Or Accordion Band to you. Direct from our twin town of Waldshut-Tiengen in Germany, the first of two Lewes concerts. Sehr gut!
Highly-acclaimed Iranian film, which won an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. A married couple disagree whether to stay in Iran and look after an elderly parent, or start a new life elsewhere. Read David Jarman’s rave review in our May handbook. 
Secondhand, rare, readable and collectable books on offer from forty dealers. 
Artemis Arts present this new piece of music by local composer Helen Glavin, based on the story of the Phoenix ironworks and the people who worked there. Musical director John Hancorn will conduct four choirs, with around a hundred singers: East Sussex Bach Choir, The Everyman Ensemble, The Paddock Singers, and Children's Choir from Southover School. This show is part of Brighton Fringe. 
Patrick Hamilton’s ‘Victorian thriller’, which was written in 1938 and set in 1880’s foggy London. More a modern psychological study than one might expect, this is the Little Theatre’s first showing of the play since they last performed it in 1943.
Showcase of young talent - from Kaleidoscope Theatre Company, Turning Pointe Dance School, Universal Dance and Drum Unity - raising funds for this year’s Moving On Parade. 
Live music and song with fresh takes on favourites from the 60s to today. Special guest Zoe Brownrigg. 
The all-accessible club night run by disabled people for their friends and the community, with DJs from the Radio Lewes Roadshow. Bar.
Juno Award and Canadian Folk Award winners, playing their first show in Lewes. With their three part harmonies, these gals are like modern-day Andrew Sisters. Hope they do the Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy. Earlier at 3pm they’ll be playing a free gig taster set at Union Music.
David Lammy, the Labour MP for Tottenham and author of ‘Out of The Ashes’, presents his analysis of the 2011 riots. Q&A session follows. Hosted by the Fabian Society; non-members welcome.
The speaker is Helen Poole. There will be a bar selling wine and Harveys, and money raised will go towards Anne of Cleves House. 
The new boutique family-friendly festival kicks off this weekend with great music, cocktails, film, lovely food, terrific sports for the kids to try, and tons more. You can even hire a luxury tent and go glamping.
The literature and ideas festival returns with a glittering array of speakers, including Ruth Rendell, Ian McEwan and Andrew Motion.
Well-nurtured plants at competitive prices. Annual fundraiser for Lewes Group in Support of Refugees and Asylum Seekers. 
A fun day out for all the family. Discover what it was like to be a knight in 1264 (probably slightly grim), examine armour and weapons, investigate battle wounds and have a go at making your own shield design or herbal cure. Plus a chance to see the Battle of Lewes tapestry take shape and watch a film of April’s Battle of Lewes Experience.
A mixture of stalls, from vintage, collectables and furniture to handmade crafts and jewellery. Catering from the Nutty Wizard.
Italian Zonin wines including Il Bosco and Pino Bianco.
Origami expert Tomoko will be on hand to look at some books and make origami figures based on the story. Best for 5+.
Jaime Etherington's paintings, depicting the ever-changing nature of the Downs.
Seven gardens in and around Lewes are opening, some for the first time, in aid of St Michael's Church. From small courtyards to large country gardens, in Barcombe, Old Malling, Landport, Southover and Kingston Road. Teas and plant sales.
Southover School PTA are holding a car boot sale to raise funds for the school. Pitches are £10 plus a cake. That’s the kind of payment we approve of. Some tables will also be available on the day to display and sell wares.
