Ten things to see in Sussex, Friday to Thursday, July 20-26

Wondering what do over the next seven days? Here are ten of the best events.
The DriftersThe Drifters
The Drifters

1. Danny Baker: Good Time Charlie’s Back.

Friday, July 20, £22-£24.50, 7.30pm, The Hawth Theatre, Crawley, 01293 553636. Following his critically acclaimed Cradle To The Stage tour, which played more than 50 dates across the UK, broadcasting legend Danny Baker returns to the stage with a brand new show, Good Time Charlie’s Back, which he has vowed will serve as his farewell tour.

2. Carpenters Gold.

Friday, July 20, £19-£20, 7.30pm, Chequer Mead, East Grinstead, 01342 302000. This tribute show is produced by West End director and performer Vikki Holland-Bowyer. Vocalist Vikki promises a fast-moving production that accurately portrays not only The Carpenters’ musical brilliance, but also Richard and Karen Carpenter’s infectious magnetism. Vikki said: “As well as paying meticulous attention to Karen’s mannerisms, we’re also keen to faithfully recreate the pair’s brother-sister relationship and their playful interaction with both the band and the audience, which was a trademark of their live shows.” Richard Carpenter, played by musical arranger and vocalist Greg Stevenson, features on the piano alongside a band that is joined on the drums by Karen, just as the Carpenters would have performed live in concert.

3. Min Kym (violin) with Ian Brown (piano).

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Petworth Festival, Saturday, July 21, 7.30pm, £23, Champs Hill. Following Min Kym’s revealing talk at November’s Literary Festival, at which she discussed the shocking experience of having her Stradivarius violin stolen, people can hear the international Korean-British violinist as she performs a recital. The show features three works central to the solo violin repertoire and includes Bartok’s rhapsody, based on Hungarian folk melodies. Visit www.petworthfestival.org.uk.

4. Piano Extravaganza.

Petworth Festival, Sunday, July 22, 7.30pm, £7.50-£26, St Mary’s Church, www.petworthfestival.org.uk. One of the great celebratory events of the 40th anniversary festival, this show features the combined talents of four versatile pianists: Ben Waters, Harry the Piano, James Pearson and Joe Stilgoe – together with two fine Steinway instruments. The concert is generously sponsored by Hiscox, Andrew and Judy Howard, Nicholas and Pat Moore and Tudor Rose Antiques.

5. Milkshake Live! The Magic Story Book.

Sunday, July 22, 12pm and 3.30pm, The Capitol, Horsham, 01403 750220, www.thecapitolhorsham.com. Starring Milkshake! favourites Bob the Builder, Little Princess, Noddy, Fireman Sam, Shimmer and Shine, Pip from Pip Ahoy, Winnie and Wilbur, Wissper, Milkshake’s very own Milkshake! Monkey and two Milkshake! presenters, this all-singing, all-dancing, musical production is set to take youngsters on a journey through the world’s favourite fairy tales. Tickets cost £16.

6. Joanne McNally and Ivo Graham.

Monday, July 23, £8, 7.30pm, Komedia, Brighton, 0845 293 8480. Edinburgh previews. Joanne Mcnally tries out a brand-new hour of no-holds-barred stand-up in Wine Tamer and Ivo Graham (top circular picture) returns with a fifth helping of parentally-approved navel-gazing.

7. Evita auditions.

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Choir members are needed as Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita comes to The Hawth in September. The producers are searching for local talent (children and adults) to be part of the Evita Choir. Auditions are on Tuesday, July 24. Registration from 4.30pm. Auditions 5pm-6.30pm. Children: ages nine-11, no taller than 4’10” preferably brunette. All to take part in acting workshop (nothing to prepare), followed by singing audition. Prepare the first two verses of Santa Evita to sing. Adults: 16-plus, preferably brunette, acting workshop audition 7pm-8pm. Rehearsals: You must be available for the following: Saturday, September 8, 9am-1pm (studio). Sunday, September 16, 9.30am-12pm (main stage). Santa Evita soloists only, September 4, 4.30-6pm, The Loft. Performances: Tuesday to Saturday, September 18-20, 7.30pm, plus 2.30pm shows on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. Children will be divided into two teams across the performance week. All must be available during this week. Lucy O’Byrne will be Eva Perón, with Mike Sterling as Juan Perón and West End leading man Glenn Carter as Ché.

8. Pupik.

Bottom circular picture. July 24-25, £10.50-£12.50, Pavilion Theatre, Worthing, 01903 206206. Pupik is a visual and physical two-woman dance show, created and performed by Naomi Silman, from award-winning company Lume Teatro, Brazil, and by her friend Yael Karavan, of Karavan Ensemble, UK. Pupik, which means navel in Hebrew, premiered in Brazil in 2015 and went on to tour throughout the country and to Portugal in 2016-2017. Now the show is in the UK in a new English adaptation supported by Arts Council England. Naomi said: “The message of the piece is to show the human connection that we make through friendship and that when friendship connects two people together, it does not matter how great the distances are that separate them.”

9. Me and My Girl.

Until August 25, Chichester Festival Theatre, www.cft.org.uk, 01243 781312. This much-loved musical comedy includes the popular numbers ‘The Sun Has Got His Hat On’ and ‘Lambeth Walk’. The new staging is directed by Daniel Evans with choreography by Alistair David. Matt Lucas, known to millions for the hit TV series Little Britain, plays Bill Snibson. Caroline Quentin makes her Chichester debut as the Duchess of Dene. The show also stars Clive Rowe and Alex Young.

10. The Drifters.

Thursday, July 26, £29.50, 7.30pm, The Hawth Theatre, Crawley, 01293 553636, www.hawth.co.uk. The Drifters are the longest running singing group in pop history still performing live, having enjoyed more than 50 hits worldwide. The Drifters were created in 1953 by George Treadwell and Clyde McPhatter. George Treadwell managed the group and laid the foundation of what would make The Drifters one of the greatest groups of all time. Find out more at www.thedrifters.co.uk.

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