A Peek at Towner's Incredible Exhibition - John Napier: Stages, Beyond the Fourth Wall

Back in December we took a trip to Towner Art Gallery to check out the new John Napier exhibition, Stages, Beyond the Fourth Wall, which we'd heard so much about. Napier is a multi-award winning set and costume designer who's intricate style and skill is responsible for many of theatre's most iconic and memorable designs, from the horses in Equus, to the outsized junkyard in Cats, to the ever-recognisable set and costumes for Starlight Express.

The exhibition layout planned by Napier himself, is set out in a winding maze-style, taking you on a journey of his career highlights on which you will spot delicately drawn costume designs, detailed replicas of stage sets and many more surprises along the way. As fans of theatre, culture and design, it's needless to say that we were not at all disappointed by the exhibition and will gladly sing its praises from the rooftops, in true musical style! With the exhibition open until 31 January, a visit to Towner Art Gallery this month is essential. In the meantime, here's a gallery of some of the amazing pieces on display to whet your appetite.

 

John Napier: Stages, Beyond the Fourth Wall is open at Towner Art Gallery from now until 31 January. Entry is £5; £3.50 for concessions and groups of over 10 people or free to under 18's and Towner members. Towner Art Gallery is open from 10am-5pm Tuesday-Sunday.

Turn Up the Scare Factor in Eastbourne this Halloween!

There is plenty of spine-tingling fun to be had in and around Eastbourne this Halloween. There's big scares and little scares for both big and little people, so read on to discover just some of the eerie events to head to the South East Coast for this October!

Drusillas Park Shriek Week

The interactive children's Halloween Trail at the Redoubt Fortress starting on 23 October through to 1 November, will have your little horrors exploring the spooky 200 year old building, opening creaky trap doors, watching out for ghosts and ghouls along the way and receiving a fang-tastic sweet treat at the end of the trail! Your little ones can also get their hands mucky, getting creative and making spiders, witches hats, friendly ghosts and lots more in the arts and crafts corner!

Twilight Tours at Redoubt Fortress

The chill factor is turned up at the Redoubt Fortress when torch lit guided Twilight Tours of the grounds and museum take place every Friday and Saturday throughout October. Friday nights are far more frightening so are for adults and teenagers only. However, slightly tamer tours on Saturday evenings make it a suitable event for families with young children. 

Be prepared to be scared when your tour guide talks of the ghostly sightings, appearances of mysterious objects and gruesome tales from the Napoleonic years when the Redoubt was used as an encampment for up to 350 men fighting in bloody battles! With many creepy corridors and terrifying tunnels the Twilight Tours are sure to have you covering your eyes!

A Nightmare of Elm Street Redoubt Fortress Film Screening

There are no Twilight Tours on Halloween itself, as the Redoubt turns into a cinema on 31 October, showing the classic 1984 horror A Nightmare on Elm Street! With the film screening taking place in Casemate 20 of the fortress, the cinema experience will be made complete with cinema confectionery in the Outpost Café; what a perfectly spooky way to spend Halloween night! 

Drusillas Park Shriek Week

Drusillas Park Shreik Week has Halloween fun sorted from 24 October until 1 November. Spooky surprises and eerie goings on are around every corner at the park's Haunted Heights! Towner Art Gallery has plenty of Halloween activity all through the half term, from arts and crafts at Spooky Windows and Drawing in the Dark to Haunting Hallowe’en Shadow Show and a late night opening for Tricks’n’treats family fun.

Bateman's, a 17th Century house, are running a Spooky Halloween Trail from 23 October to 2 November which children will love to follow, and on 30 October adults can enjoy a two course dinner, explore the mansion by night and listen to goose bump raising tales at the Halloween Spooky Supper! 

Little Shop of Horrors, Halloween Film Party Fest at Royal Hippodrome

The Royal Hippodrome Theatre has Halloween movie amusement at the ready on 31 October with it's Halloween Film Party Fest, showing family friendly films, Little Shop of Horrors at 8.30pm and Mars Attacks at 11.30pm!

Wyntercon festival at the Winter Garden offers a bewildering array of attractions and events for those with interests in science-fiction, comics, classic horror and anything a little out of this world, from 31 October-1 November.

Observatory Science Centre Halloween Workshops

Discover more Halloween creativity at the Observatory Science Centre in a weekend of spook-tacular activities between 31 October and 1 November.

Don't miss out on all of this hauntingly good Halloween fun in and around Eastbourne, with so many events and attractions offering frighteningly good value for money it would be a crime to miss out! 

If you can brave these Halloween events then head to www.visiteastbourne/halloween for more information about all the events listed, plus many more!