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This year the Sussex Beacon broke all records for runners, funds raised and even the weather was on their side

The weather was sunny and the sky and sea were a deep blue as runners set off on the 2008 Sussex Beacon Half Marathon. Crowds cheered the athletes on as it was announced that the fundraising target of £120,000 will be broken as the race became over-subscribed.

“Its incredible,” says Julie Hales race director. “This is the first time in the races history it’s sold out! What is even more exciting is the amount of funds raised for the Beacon by the race – we are going to smash our target of £120,000. It’s a fantastic achievement in the Beacon’s 15th Anniversary year.”

A record 4,900 people ran the 10km distance with Sussex runners occupying the top three places with Dave Catre (Phoenix) winning from Daniel Anderson (Hastings) and Tracy Harris (Brighton and Hove). The winner of the New Youth Race was Junior Wells.

Victoria Nangle leaps into a new style of physical comedy – and it’s not just to amuse the slappers

The last time I contemplated physical comedy was after I’d been slapped in the face, so understandably I wasn’t hugely enamoured with the whole genre. It certainly amused the slappers – as it were – but left me cold and with many less than articulate words being shouted at a higher than average volume as my assaulters made their rapid escape. Now, having watched a great deal more comedy, I’ve got to say I can appreciate the power physicality can add to any given gag.

“You don’t have to dash across the stage to be good”

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Despite its connotations of B-movie kitsch, continental bars, down-at-heel motels or x-rated strip joints, neon artist Andy Doig shows us that neon is much more than a facade of faded glory…

Doig’s new exhibition Love is in the Air reveals him to be a light messenger via the medium of neon; excited atoms replace Cupid’s bow and arrow; electricity is the primer, glass the canvas, rare gases and phosphorous powders all mix to light up the gallery walls.

Amongst the work on show will be a take on traditional text advertising signs with their familiar flow and bold statements, projecting a persona onto the street. There will also be neon portraits which bear many similarities to the work of contemporary pop artist Julian Opie.

Doig aims to show the intrinsic beauty of neon (which is often made up of rare gases such as xenon and argon), which only comes to life via thousands of volts activating electrodes which in turn light up the inert gases within the tubes.

Andy Doig: Love is in the Air, Ink_D Gallery, North Road, Brighton, until 1 March
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Relight your fire as the musical based on five Take That tribute artists bursts onto the stage at Theatre Royal Brighton

It’s been called ‘Take That’s Mamma Mia‘ and when you see the line-up of hit singles thrusting their way through the musical following the five boys’ dream to become the ultimate Take That tribute band, it’s easy to see why.

Never Forget opens at Theatre Royal Brighton on the 19 March, through to the 29 March, before popping off to the West End for a victorious opening in May.

Written by BAFTA winner Danny Brocklehurst (previous credits include Shameless on Channel 4), Never Forget is a delightful romp through the highs and the lows of five gorgeous and talented young boys, all with one dream.

Never Forget is fast, funny and already a sell-out success up and down the country. Now is the perfect time to catch the musical before it moves up west! It’s crammed full of everyone’s favourite Take That classics including A Million Love Songs, Could It Be Magic, Relight My Fire, Pray, Back for Good, Babe and, of course, Never Forget.

www.neverforgetthemusical.com
Box Office 08700 606 650 (bkg fee)
Groups Hotline 08700 606 617 Tickets £21 - £33.50