It’s that time of year again. The Brighton Festival brochure is out and it looks like a good one. You got the feeling for the last few years , what with covid, they had been a bit reluctant to organize anything too big just in case it all got locked down again. Well it looks like its backj to normal now.

What can you expect from a Brighton Festival? World premieres and the odd big name. There is normally some theatre, music and dance. There is usually a big “immersive” piece somewhere in town. Add some mixed or multi media. Always a lot of chin stroking or head scratching at some of it.

Directed this year by Nabihah Iqbal it goes under the title of “Gather ‘Round” and is all about community or collaboration. Some of the things to look out for include;

Groundswell which appears to be one of those little kids toys which you tilt to move the ball bearings around. But on a much larger scale.

Galatea is an unapologetically queer tale of love, magic, and the importance of welcoming outsiders. It is a modern take on a 1588 play by John Lyly. It is on all month but takes place just down the road in Shoreham by Sea.

The Sleeping Tree is a 12 hour immersive soundscape by Invisible Flock situated in the Dome concert hall. Sounds like they ahve been to the jungle, recorded a couple of days worth of “ambience” and they play it back in real time. So day time is day time and night time is night time. Comes with added monkey.

Metal Box: Rebuilt in Dub. Metal Box was the second album by Public Image and featured Jah Wobble on bass. Here he has rerecorded the album in his own distinctive dub style.

Tickets are on sale now for members of the Dome and friends of the festival. General sales start Friday 3rd March.

There is plenty more than that and not forgetting the fringe as well. What are you going to see?