A headbanging start to the half term break
From toddler moshing’ to plant wrangling, the local entertainment scene has your half term (28 May to June 5) covered.
The Forum kicks off the long holiday in thrashing style, with ‘My First Metal Gig’ from the world’s number one metal band for children, Slay Duggee.
The five old dogs will teach your pups new tricks, including circle pits, moshing, pogoing and stage invasions.
A limited numbers of Edz Kidz ear-defenders will be available to borrow, for small children, but you may want to bring your own – especially to defend against predatory earworms like the dreaded Baby Shark!
Face painting is on offer, but ‘rock’ and ‘metal’ designs only.
Camping is on at The Hop Farm in case you want to spend the whole half term there, enjoying the Driving School, Animal Farm, Giant Jumping Pillows and Bumper Boats.
For day-trippers, the Hop Farm’s Family Park entry includes the indoor soft play, outdoor adventure play park, museums, crazy golf and Animal Farm.
At The Amelia, why not try the free Henry Moore-inspired trail, exploring the galleries to find and draw objects on themes which inspired the sculptor. Then see how close you got to the originals at the free ‘Threads of Influence’ exhibition. May 30- June 1. Weekend family trails start from June 4 (until July).
The David Walliams blockbuster ‘Billionaire Boy’ opens this Thursday at The Assembly Hall.
Rich boy Joe Spud is leaving his private school for the local comp in a bid to acquire the one thing his money can’t buy. Friends.
Camping is on at The Hop Farm in case you want to spend the whole half term there, enjoying the Driving School, Animal Farm, Giant Jumping Pillows and Bumper Boats.
For day-trippers, the Hop Farm’s Family Park entry includes the indoor soft play, outdoor adventure play park, museums, crazy golf and Animal Farm.
Learn to ‘Sow and Grow’ at Bedgbury Pinetum (Visitor Centre, Cherry Tree Avenue) next Monday and Tuesday (30-31 May) at 1-3pm. Children will go home from this free event with a seed planted in a compostable plant pot.
Half term is Art Week at Hever Castle (May 28-June 1), offering the chance to learn everything from origami to Victorian skills.
On Stage & Screen
Doing your taxes has never seemed so never-ending as in ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ (15), with Michelle Yeoh as an exhausted Chinese-American woman. At the Odeon.
Ralph Fiennes plays Robert Moses, master of the New York map, going ‘Straight Line Crazy’ in this David Hare play, broadcast live from the Bridge Theatre in London to Trinity Theatre. Thursday, May 26 at 7pm.
What do you get when you combine a dead body, a fake backstory and an urgent military deadline? ‘Operation Mincemeat’ was a stunt so over-cooked it nearly disintegrated … On at the Odeon.
Going Live
Queens of blues rock Never the Bride will raise the roof of The Vestry Hall (Cranbrook), with a performance style and skill Shirley Bassey called ‘inspirational’. According to Roger Daltrey, ‘Nikki Lamborn has the best female rock voice since Janis Joplin and I know what I’m talking about – I knew Janis’. Tickets from WeGotTickets.com
Singer-songwriter Amber Van Day’s anthem ‘Kids In The Corner’ (from ‘Fate: The Winx Saga’ on Netflix) made her a musical star. Now she comes to The Forum, followed by Darcey Beth and Kumala. Tomorrow night [May 26] at 7:30pm. Ages 16 and older unless accompanied by an adult.
Isle of Wight-based band Coach Party – who refused to move to the big smoke but were signed by London-based Chess Club anyway – come touring to The Forum this Friday [May 27] at 7:30pm. Age 16 and older.
The band Feet has left ‘a sprained ankle or two’ in its wake, but what else would you expect from high-energy British indie? Followed by Bull and Opus Kink. At The Forum tonight [May 25], at 7:30pm. Ages 16 and older unless accompanied by an adult.
It’s Fiesta Latina night at The Grey Lady this Friday [May 27] at 7pm, featuring Yanifit and DJ Javier La Maquina de Cuba.
Back to the 90s is this weekend’s club night at The Forum (Saturday, May 28, at 8pm). Age 18 and older.
Family Fun
Puppets and people and music make the stage spin in the Twirlywoos Live. Two showings on Saturday, May 28, at 1pm and 4pm.Trinity Theatre
Seven actors scramble to play 40 parts in ‘Dracula: The Bloody Truth’, a silly, fast-paced staging of Bram Stoker’s novel. Ages 8 and older. Trinity Theatre on Monday, May 30 at 8pm.
Slay Duggee play The Forum on Saturday, May 28 at 1pm [see feature above]
‘Billionaire Boy’, based on the David Walliams book, is on at The Assembly Hall on May 26-29 May. Matinées and evening performances. [see feature above]
The Spa Valley Railway is running this weekend between Tunbridge Wells West and Eridge. Tickets from spavalleyrailway.co.uk.
Last two nights to see Tonbridge School’s modern makeover of Shakespeare’s ‘Julius Caesar’. In its new setting of 1980s high finance, jealous conspirators plot to keep Caesar from becoming CEO of Rome Ltd. On until Thursday [May 26] at the E.M. Forster Theatre (Tonbridge). Performances at 7:30pm.
