Hampshire &amp; Isle of Wight


<p>Welcome to your arts and culture planner 2022. Read on for a curated pick of the best live music, exhibitions, film releases and theatre for the year ahead. </p>



<p>There’s an&nbsp;<em>insane</em>&nbsp;amount of exciting stuff on the bill around Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, so we&#8217;ve paired it right down to the highlights. Save the date or get in early and book the best seats for the hottest shows now. Happy choosing, culture vultures!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Gigs and festivals</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://hants.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2021/10/Chewton-Glen-Hotel.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-24231" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2021/10/Chewton-Glen-Hotel.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2021/10/Chewton-Glen-Hotel-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2021/10/Chewton-Glen-Hotel-720x480.jpg 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2021/10/Chewton-Glen-Hotel-768x511.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2021/10/Chewton-Glen-Hotel-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Look out for <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="big hitters from the music world coming to Chewton Glen (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.chewtonglen.com/whats-on/" target="_blank">big hitters from the music world at Chewton Glen</a> in the New Forest this July. We&#8217;re talking Tears for Fears, McFly, Olly Murs and Michael Bublé! Before that <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Sophie Ellis-Bextor's Kitchen Disco (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.anvilarts.org.uk/whats-on/event/sophie-ellis-bextor" target="_blank">Sophie Ellis-Bextor&#8217;s Kitchen Disco</a> comes to the Anvil, Basingstoke, in March, followed by <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Jools Holland (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.anvilarts.org.uk/whats-on/event/jools-holland" target="_blank">Jools Holland</a> in May. Also in May, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="The Killers (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.thekillersmusic.com/tour/killers-southampton" target="_blank">The Killers</a> play St. Mary&#8217;s Stadium Southampton. Phew! </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://hants.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2021/03/Laura-Wright-Opera-singer-Park-Proms-Credit-Robin-Boot-.jpg" alt="Laura Wright Opera Singer Park Proms" class="wp-image-21759" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2021/03/Laura-Wright-Opera-singer-Park-Proms-Credit-Robin-Boot-.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2021/03/Laura-Wright-Opera-singer-Park-Proms-Credit-Robin-Boot--300x300.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2021/03/Laura-Wright-Opera-singer-Park-Proms-Credit-Robin-Boot--500x500.jpg 500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2021/03/Laura-Wright-Opera-singer-Park-Proms-Credit-Robin-Boot--150x150.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2021/03/Laura-Wright-Opera-singer-Park-Proms-Credit-Robin-Boot--768x768.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2021/03/Laura-Wright-Opera-singer-Park-Proms-Credit-Robin-Boot--525x525.jpg 525w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2021/03/Laura-Wright-Opera-singer-Park-Proms-Credit-Robin-Boot--200x200.jpg 200w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>The 2021 <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Isle of Wight Festival (opens in a new tab)" href="https://isleofwightfestival.com/" target="_blank">Isle of Wight Festival</a> returned with a bang and a bloody nose for Liam Gallagher, who apparently fell out of a helicopter after his headline gig. No guarantee of rock &#8216;n&#8217; roll antics in 2022 but the brilliant Lewis Capaldi, Lionel Richie, Kasabian, Pete Tong and Muse are all confirmed. </p>



<p>Nothing definite yet for the boutique <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.rhythmtree.co.uk/" target="_blank">Rhythmtree</a> festival, postponed to 8 &#8211; 10 July 2022. But the whopping 120 live acts lined up for 2021 included The Wailers, Badly Drawn Boy and The Skatlatites as headliners, so one to watch.</p>



<p>Another 2021 cancellation hotly anticipated for a 2022 return, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Park Proms (opens in a new tab)" href="https://hants.muddystilettos.co.uk/little-black-book/directory/park-proms-romsey/" target="_blank">Park Proms</a> in Romsey from Friday 26 August. A classical and pop combo, it&#8217;ll open with Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra. Also performing are Welsh baritone Aled Jones and the gorgeous English soprano <a href="https://hants.muddystilettos.co.uk/arts-culture/interviews/muddy-meets-laura-wright/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Laura Wright (opens in a new tab)">Laura Wright</a> (above). </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="625" src="https://hants.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2021/04/CarFest-South-2021.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-22079" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2021/04/CarFest-South-2021.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2021/04/CarFest-South-2021-300x188.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2021/04/CarFest-South-2021-720x450.jpg 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2021/04/CarFest-South-2021-768x480.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2021/04/CarFest-South-2021-840x525.jpg 840w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Acts just confirmed for the always awesome <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Victorious festival (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.victoriousfestival.co.uk/" target="_blank">Victorious festival</a> &#8211; also 26 &#8211; 28 August &#8211; include Stereophonics, James and The Sugababes. And on the same weekend, there&#8217;s Rag &#8216;n&#8217; Bone Man at <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="CarFest South (opens in a new tab)" href="https://carfest.org/line-up/" target="_blank">CarFest South</a>. What a dilemma!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Art appreciation</h2>



<p>In the city, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Southampton City Art Gallery  (opens in a new tab)" href="https://southamptoncityartgallery.com/whats-on/2022-open-exhibition/" target="_blank">Southampton City Art Gallery </a>will host an open exhibition by local artists and residents. Winning works on the theme &#8216;what does culture mean to you&#8217; will go on display from 2 July &#8211; 10 September. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="920" height="550" src="https://hants.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2021/12/landscape-and-skies.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-25017" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2021/12/landscape-and-skies.jpg 920w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2021/12/landscape-and-skies-300x179.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2021/12/landscape-and-skies-720x430.jpg 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2021/12/landscape-and-skies-768x459.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2021/12/landscape-and-skies-878x525.jpg 878w" sizes="(max-width: 920px) 100vw, 920px" /></figure>



<p>There will be beautiful local landscapes by W H Allen, too, at his namesake <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Allen Gallery in Alton (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.hampshireculture.org.uk/event/dawn-dusk-exhibition-work-wh-allen" target="_blank">Allen Gallery in Alton</a>, in the exhibition From Dawn to Dusk, from 15 Jan to 19 March. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Film highlights</h2>



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<iframe loading="lazy" title="Top Gun: Maverick (2022) – New Trailer - Paramount Pictures" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/g4U4BQW9OEk?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<p>We&#8217;re looking out for a hit list of long awaited blockbuster action movies. In March, Robert Pattinson turns caped crusader, starring alongside Zoë Kravitz as cat woman in <em><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.thebatmanmovie.net/" target="_blank">The Batman</a></em>. In May, we&#8217;ll finally get to see <em><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.topgunmovie.com/" target="_blank">Top Gun: Maverick</a></em>, a mere 30 years on from the original. And <em><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.jurassicworld.com/" target="_blank">Jurassic World: Dominion</a></em> follows shortly after in June.   </p>



<p>Fans of The Grand Budapest Hotel should also look out for 2021 Cannes-hit, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="The French Dispatch, screening at The Spring, Havant on 6 April (opens in a new tab)" href="https://thespring.co.uk/whats-on/the-french-dispatch/2022-04-06/" target="_blank">The French Dispatch at The Spring</a>, Havant on 6 April. Set in the offices of a weekly magazine in a fictional French town it stars Bill Murray, Saoirse Ronan, Willem Dafoe and Tilda Swinton.</p>



<p><strong>Where to watch:</strong> Make it a more boutique outing at one of our indie cinemas. We love <a href="https://www.no6cinema.co.uk/">No. 6 Cinema</a> in Portsmouth, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" Harbour Lights (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.picturehouses.com/cinema/harbour-lights" target="_blank">Harbour Lights</a> Southampton, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="The Everyman Cinema (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.everymancinema.com/winchester" target="_blank">The Everyman Cinema</a> in Winchester, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="The Commodore Cinema (opens in a new tab)" href="https://commodorecinemaryde.com/" target="_blank">The Commodore Cinema</a> in Ryde, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="The Palace Cinema (opens in a new tab)" href="http://www.palacecinema.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Palace Cinema</a> in Alton, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="NightFlix (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.nightflix.co.uk/site/easthampshire" target="_blank">NightFlix</a> in Bordon. The brand new <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Living Room Cinema in Liphook (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.thelivingroomcinema.co.uk/" target="_blank">Living Room Cinema in Liphook</a> is also set to open in early 2022. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Terrific theatre</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="550" src="https://hants.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2021/12/the-tiger-who-came-to-tea-gallery-02.jpg" alt="The Tiger who came to Tea Theatre Royal Winchester arts and culture planner 2022 Hampshire" class="wp-image-25028" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2021/12/the-tiger-who-came-to-tea-gallery-02.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2021/12/the-tiger-who-came-to-tea-gallery-02-300x165.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2021/12/the-tiger-who-came-to-tea-gallery-02-720x396.jpg 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2021/12/the-tiger-who-came-to-tea-gallery-02-768x422.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2021/12/the-tiger-who-came-to-tea-gallery-02-900x495.jpg 900w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>There&#8217;s so much to look forward to all around Hampshire and on the Island theatre-wise. Highlights for littlies include <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="on at the Theatre Royal, in April, Judith Kerr's Tiger Who came to Tea (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.theatreroyalwinchester.co.uk/whats-on/tiger-who-came-tea" target="_blank">Judith Kerr&#8217;s Tiger Who came to Tea</a> (above) in April.</p>



<p>Local heroine Florence Nightingale has her Lesser Known Life and Legacy brought to life by Louise Jordan at <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.westendcentre.co.uk/event/florence-lesser-known-life-and-legacy-florence-nightingale" target="_blank">The West End Theatre in Aldershot</a> on 9 March. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Frankenstein (trailer)" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yhZh6jW_OuI?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



<p>Also in March, we can&#8217;t wait for this adaptation of Mary Shelly&#8217;s gothic masterpiece (above). See <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Frankenstein, on 24 -26 March at The Theatre Royal Winchester (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.theatreroyalwinchester.co.uk/whats-on/frankenstein" target="_blank">Frankenstein from 24 to 26 March at The Theatre Royal Winchester</a>. </p>



<p>From 14 &#8211; 18 April, The Shanklin Theatre will turn into fifteenth century Paris in a new production of <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="The Hunchback of Notre Dame (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.shanklintheatre.com/events/the_island_savoyards_present_the_hunchback_of_notre_dame/details.aspx" target="_blank">The Hunchback of Notre Dame</a>. In October (19 &#8211; 23), <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Dead Lies at the King's Theatre Portsmouth (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.kingsportsmouth.co.uk/whatson-event/dead-lies/" target="_blank">Dead Lies at the King&#8217;s Theatre Portsmouth</a> is set during a fierce election campaign, with murder, scandal and sexual indiscretion. Standard stuff for politics, really.</p>



<p>Opera buff? There&#8217;ll be a modern take on Butterfly’s famous story too at<a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="a modern take on Butterfly’s famous story at The Mayflower Theatre (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.mayflower.org.uk/whats-on/wno-madam-butterfly-2022/" target="_blank"> The Mayflower Theatre</a> Southampton on 14 May. </p>



<p>The Russian State Opera bring the emotional opera,&nbsp;<em>Aida</em>, to <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="The Shanklin Theatre on 7 April (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.shanklintheatre.com/events/the_russian_state_opera_presents_aida_1/details.aspx" target="_blank">The Shanklin Theatre on 7 April</a> and <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="The New Theatre Royal Portsmouth on 8 April (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.newtheatreroyal.com/performances/the-russian-state-opera-presents-aida/" target="_blank">The New Theatre Royal Portsmouth on 8 April</a>. Later in the year, The Russian State Ballet and Opera House perform<a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" Swan Lake on Sun 27 Nov at The New Theatre Royal Portsmouth (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.newtheatreroyal.com/performances/swan-lake-2/" target="_blank"> Swan Lake on Sun 27 Nov at The New Theatre Royal Portsmouth</a> and <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="The Nutcracker on 24 November at Anvil Arts (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.anvilarts.org.uk/whats-on/event/the-nutcracker-russian-state-ballet-and-opera-house" target="_blank">The Nutcracker on 24 November at Anvil Arts</a>, Basingstoke.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN</h2>



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<iframe loading="lazy" title="BELFAST - Official Trailer - Only In Theaters November 12" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ja3PPOnJQ2k?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<p>Tipped for Oscar nominations, here&#8217;s two very different coming of age dramas to look out for this January. <em><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.unitedartistsreleasing.com/licorice-pizza/synopsis/" target="_blank">Licorice Pizza</a></em> is a big-hearted story set in 1970s LA. It nostalgically portrays the friendship between a 25-year-old woman and a teenage boy. Closer to home, a semi-autobiographical film written and directed by&nbsp;Kenneth Branagh. <em><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.focusfeatures.com/belfast" target="_blank">Belfast</a></em> stars Judi Dench and Jamie Dornan and tells the story of a family torn apart by the Troubles.  </p>



<p><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://portsmouthguildhall.org.uk/whats-on/event/soul-ii-soul/" target="_blank">Soul II Soul play at Portsmouth Guildhall</a> in Feb.  </p>



<p>Enjoy art &#8211; but find yourself a bit baffled by it? Turn yourself into a buff in an afternoon at Southampton&#8217;s <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="God's House Tower (opens in a new tab)" href="https://godshousetower.org.uk/eventer/introduction-to-art-appreciation-how-to-read-landscape-paintings/edate/2022-01-28/" target="_blank">God&#8217;s House Tower</a>. The one day course on Fri 28 Jan is an Introduction to Art Appreciation. It will tutor how to read landscape paintings, from 17th century Dutch landscapes and works by Constable and Turner to impressionist masterpieces.  </p>



<p>At the <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.hampshireculture.org.uk/event/landscape-and-skies" target="_blank">Willis Museum and Sainsbury Gallery</a> in Basingstoke, artist K. T. Onslow&#8217;s depictions of landscape and sky (above), inspired by the landscape in Cliddesden, Hampshire, will feature from 8 Jan &#8211; 12 Feb. </p>



<p>Highlights for littlies include <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.ashcroft.org.uk/event/robins-winter-adventure" target="_blank">Robin&#8217;s Winter Adventure at the Ashcroft Arts Centre</a> on Sat 8 Jan, an uplifting tale with puppetry, poetry and music. Later in the month, on Sat 22 and Sun 23, Julia Donaldson&#8217;s alien Romeo and Juliet tale, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.theatreroyalwinchester.co.uk/whats-on/smeds-and-smoos" target="_blank">The Smed&#8217;s and The Smoo&#8217;s is at The Theatre Royal Winchester</a> </p>



<p><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.kingsportsmouth.co.uk/whatson-event/madama-butterfly-2/" target="_blank">Puccini&#8217;s Madama Butterfly, starring Korean soprano Elena Dee, is at The King&#8217;s Theatre Portsmouth</a> on Sat 19 Feb 2022 (above).  </p>


Local arts and culture planner 2022

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