The Reverend took us straight into a thundering version of ‘Silence Is Talking’ followed by more stompers from album A French Kiss In The Chaos. Between songs the lyrical great did his work with poems of social discontentment. Brilliant! The reverend was totally in control of this situation delivering political, social, hypnotic psychedelic dance music with attitude. After a storming set he took up arms with his acoustic guitar as though busking for pennies, jumped off the stage and headed for the seafront. Rain foiled that plan, so under the arches the 6ft reverend continued his busking to around 300 gig goers, ending with the Beatles classic ‘Revolution’. It’s gonna be alright. Best gig all year.
Concorde 2, 2 November
5/5
Andy Forward

Befitting his quietly confident nature, Ben Whishaw has been covertly building on his unlikely heartthrob status since Trevor Nunn cast him as Hamlet at the Old Vic back in 2004. Still only 28 years old, he’s already starred opposite the likes of Dustin Hoffman and Alan Rickman in Perfume: The Story Of A Murderer, Heath Ledger and Christian Bale in the Bob
Dylan biopic I’m Not There, and Emma Thompson and Michael Gambon in Brideshead Revisited. Now he’s back as the Romantic poet John Keats in Bright Star, the new film from Oscar-winning director Jane Campion.

A film that admittedly plays fast and loose with historical accuracy, it’s nevertheless receiving universal praise for its beautiful retelling of the tragic love affair between Keats and Fanny Brawne (Abbie Cornish). We spoke to leading man Ben in the environs of John Keats’ real-life Hampstead Heath house.

It must have been difficult knowing how to play such a historic figure…
It was, but I feel very much that there are now two Keats in a way. On the screen, there’s the Keats who was inspired by the real man but who is also a character in a poem thanks to Jane [Campion]’s script. There are things about the real Keats that the film doesn’t go into, and I think that way of looking at it certainly took the pressure off playing him. I felt very safe in Jane’s hands.

Is it a help or a hindrance playing a real-life person on screen?
It can be a hindrance, but artists tend to want to tell the stories of other artists because there’s some kind of mythic quality about them. It doesn’t necessarily matter if all the details are accurate, it’s more about getting the essence of the person correct. Of course, we don’t know really what Keats sounded or moved like for example, so you just tend to hone in on what’s magical about his personality. Keats was a very passionate man, capable of intense love. It’s also great to have somebody’s back story already drawn in – it saves an actor a lot of work!

Were you a fan of Keats before this film?
When I was doing A-level English I must have done a sonnet or something but my knowledge was very limited. To be honest, it was reading Jane’s script that opened up the poetry for me.
I did it that way around. Like Keats said, ‘Poetry should come naturally or it shouldn’t come at all’. Sometimes, with me, it really doesn’t come at all.

Central to the success of this film is the chemistry between Keats and Fanny. Were you and Abbie Cornish friends before you worked together?
No, I met her on the first day of rehearsal. She was wearing a pair of red Wellingtons and I was really surprised I suppose, she’s really quite tomboyish. But she’s a wonderful person
to be with and we got along wonderfully. Really, either chemistry is there or it isn’t, and there’s nothing you can do about it if isn’t there. All I can say is that, when I met Abbie, for a day or two we were like cats, wary of each other and trying to sniff each other out. Once we’d gone through a little of Jane’s rehearsal process, we very quickly were in tune with each other.

Yourself and Abbie had never even met before you were both cast – would you agree that Jane took quite a leap of faith?
“Definitely, yes. It really says a lot about Jane and her style of directing. She’s just got really amazing instincts about people in a way I’ve never really come across before. She must have had some intuition that we’d get on well. She never even seemed to doubt it.”

It’s clearly a role that has made an impression on you. Has it inspired you to write your own poetry?
“Erm, I’m afraid not. I’ve never attempted to write poetry. If anything, studying Keats’s poetry has made me realize that attempting it wouldn’t
even be worth it.

Okay, so you don’t write poetry but do you consider yourself a romantic?
“Well, I was inspired by Keats to write love letters after making this film. It’s a really beautiful way of communicating with someone you love, which is something the film really celebrates.”

Bright Star is released on Friday 6 November and showing at the Duke Of York’s, Brighton, from 13 November. Glen Ferris is Managing Editor of Screenrush (www.screenrush.co.uk)

Jeremy Hoye, one of the UK’s leading contemporary jewellery designers, has just launched his exquisite new collections online and at his famous Brighton store. Renowned for his modern bridal pieces, Jeremy is an expert in the wedding and engagement ring field and has created bespoke designs for many couples. Jeremy’s designs are noted for their originality, beauty and on-trend design, thereby attracting a celebrity clientele, including Holly Willoughby. The star had her wedding ring exclusively designed by Jeremy and is regularly seen on This Morning wearing Jeremy’s designs.

Jeremy’s pieces have an eclectic twist and are an ideal choice for those looking for gorgeous jewellery that stands out from the crowd. The diverse range of Jeremy Hoye engagement and wedding rings are timeless, classic designs and all diamond set rings are individually made in his workshops. Blitz is the stunning new 18ct and platinum ring collection. These rings have been designed to be worn together or separately for men and women. Included in this collection are ‘his and his’ and ‘hers and hers’ rings.

A stunning addition to Jeremy’s famous Charmed collection is the beautiful locket-like Russian Doll charm with its very own scroll, which can be inscripted with a personal message of your choice. The intricate design and attention to detail makes this charm completely unique. The vintage birdcage charm is a hot favourite amongst the UK’s fashion press, being bang-on trend with the current high street retro vintage look and, with its pretty design, a gorgeous touch to any outfit.

If you are looking for a fresh and floral look, you will love the Naturist range. Taking inspiration from the beauty of the natural world, the range features elegant flower and butterfly decorated pieces in silver with beautiful semi precious stones including amethysts, opals and, making its debut in this collection, lime jasper. This collection contains sweet looking bracelets, striking necklaces and earrings.

The newest Jeremy Hoye collection, Visage, sees Jeremy embracing the retro ‘80s look of this season. Inspired by Jeremy’s love of all things ‘80s, Visage is a stunning collection of silver and gold plated asymmetric pieces with a real nostalgic twist that will have you digging out your shoulder pads, neons and batwing jumpers. The Visage collection includes four stunning necklaces, triangular ear studs and drop earrings, and the beautifully designed Visage silver gold plated abstract cuff is a must have to make your outfit stand out on any occasion.

Jeremy Hoye, 22a Ship Street, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 1AD, 0845 094 3175, www.jeremy-hoye.com

I’ve discovered that in the last year and a half I have only bought myself two items of clothing. I realised this when I went out to meet a friend and ended up wearing a top I have owned since I was 12. It doesn’t fit me anymore, but my ‘style’ hasn’t changed enough for me to bin it.

My fashion doctrine is ‘T-shirt + jeans = adequate’. Of the two items I have bought, one was a pair of jeans and the other was a top to wear to my school after prom. (If you’re not familiar with the concept of an after prom, I’ll just say that it is a miracle that the top in question is not covered in other people’s vomit.) I don’t buy clothes unless it is absolutely necessary; it has now reached that point.

I started college recently and within five days I had run out of clothes. I had been so desperate to leave behind my bright red school uniform, but now I understand how good it was to me over the years. The monotony enabled me freedom to do more important things in the morning than choose my trousers. Back then I had time to read the nutritional information on a box of Cheerios or to spell my name in squeezy marmite; I can never do that anymore. I now need to spend literally minutes deciding what to wear.

I’m clueless! I don’t know what’s hot! Whenever my sister asks me to judge her outfit, if I like it, she changes, but if I hate it, then it’s obviously stylish and she leaves the house, radiating fashion confidence.

My solution to my lack of creativity and finesse in the wardrobe department is to wear long coats that hide my clothes. I’ve accumulated three long coats. Only one of them I bought myself. The other two I adopted as they were being abandoned by friends and relatives because they were ‘last season’. I occasionally get comments about why I’m wearing an overall during summer, but they’re always warm and disguise the ugly truth that I’ve been trying to pull off the same outfit for two days running. As long as I change my underwear then what’s the issue?

As much as I resent it, I’m going to have to buy some new outfits. The T-shirt I’m currently wearing has holes in it, I only own one pair of trousers that hasn’t got a huge tear down the side and my sister has started avoiding eye contact with me in public. The trouble is, I haven’t been shopping in such a long time I don’t know where to start. Is Marks & Spencer still à la mode?

Photo credit Tabatha Fireman

In a full to capacity Brighton Centre, Tom Jones took to the stage and delivered a set that would have certainly blown most of the current music scene away. His tight rock format band of mainly youngsters laid down a solid foundation, dispelling any idea that this was going to be some glossy, Las Vegas-style cabaret act.

Jones, now silver grey and better for it, looked the part in a black suit and dark shirt – slick, handsome and at ease on the stage – but it was the voice we wanted. And from the first note to the last, it proved as strong as ever. Unlike so many older pop ‘stars’, he can still hit every note and, as a consequence, the songs sound exactly as they should do; no sliding down an octave when the going gets tough for Tom.

The numbers from his new album, 24 Hours, were good – in particular ‘Sugar Daddy’, written for him by Bono and The Edge. His banter was polished and charming, gentlemanly even, and his soft accent is as Welsh as ever.

Stripping down to basics, the band delivered three perfect country numbers that added a mellow moment before ripping into the full-on funk sound once more. The adoring audience lapped up everything he did but it was the hits that had them going wild and, yes, there were knickers.

‘Delilah’, ‘Thunderball’ and ‘What’s New Pussycat’ worked well side by side with later material like ‘Kiss’, so much so that any thought of re-invention disappeared.
Jones is no different – he is a great vocal talent who has dealt with new material, embraced modern fashion and pulled it off with aplomb.

He started the evening pacing, cool as a cucumber, but by the end he was dancing and spinning to growl at the ever more excited audience. Maybe he’s not as fluid as in his younger, pelvis-thrusting days but he is as sexy and as good on the eyes and the ears as ever. The crowd loved it.
Brighton Centre, 23 October
5/5
Andrew Kay

Off the back of last year’s must-have Christmas DVD and his hugely successful Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow – plus the fact he’s just pure joy and laughter in one compact bundle – Michael McIntyre is embarking on his first arena tour. And he’s not unaware of the implications of playing to so many people in one single space.

“I know it’s a really big responsibility,” he admits. “You have to reach people who are sitting in their seat while the Sat Nav is telling them they’re still fifteen minutes away from the venue! They’re leaving their house and paying for a ticket and a babysitter and parking. It could be a big burden for a performer.”

He’s not daunted by the task, though. If anything, the prospect is simply getting him a tad over-excited.

“The vibe in these huge spaces helps me raise my game,” he says. “You get fuelled by hearing that the audience are having a good time. Adrenalin is vital to a performer, and at an arena show I’m going to have more of it than I’ve ever had.”

Brighton being at the end of his epic tour, he’ll have had plenty of time to scale-up his performance. “I’m just trying to make people laugh,” he explains. “And when it’s working, there is nothing nicer!”

Michael McIntyre: Live & Laughing, Brighton Centre, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 15 November, £30. His new DVD, Hello Wembley! is out 16 November.

The launch night of the imaginatively titled successor to The Funny Farm, The Funnier Farm was something of a mixed bag. Six comedians, ably linked by affable MC James Acaster, presented an array of stand-up ranging from the hilarious to the not at all. Still, the high points were worth the lows, with particular mention going to the frighteningly bi-polar performance of Nick Helm, laddish raconteur Matt Forde and excellent headliner Andrew O’Neill. Perhaps lacking a little quality control, for a Wednesday night in a furnace-like room above a pub it was a promising start, and well worth a fiver.  
Caroline of Brunswick, 28 October
3/5
Paul McWilliams

This hugely revered and iconic group from the Western Sahara region of northern Mali make world music that sounds like a fusion from many corners of the globe: Arabic, Indian and western rock sounds are built into their indigenous African blues, and ‘desert’ guitar (there are three guitarists in the band) allied to spoken and sung tales of beauty and suffering. Tinariwen gradually enticed the audience to trance out as the rhythms and easy-going vibes hit the mark song after song. Looking elegant and somewhat rock’n'roll in their national dress, they were the complete package.
Concorde 2, 29 October
5/5
Jeff Hemmings

Following their appearance at White Air, Scottish indie rock outfit Biffy Clyro played a fantastic gig at the Concert Hall. The support acts may have been forgettable, but Biffy Clyro performed an eclectic mix of songs from past albums and the upcoming Only Revolutions. Slower tracks accompanied by acoustic guitar quietened the crowd who had been heaving in the mosh pit shortly before. I may have been on the outskirts of this but the atmosphere was just as electric as they played favourites including ‘Mountains.’ At times they can be compared to Queens Of The Stone Age, at other times to Foo Fighters, but the best thing about them is the sound that is distinctly theirs.
Dome Concert Hall, 26 October
4/5
Zara Baker

It’s the perennial show that seems to skip any real time warp, much loved and often much abused – not this time. David Badella makes a fine Frank; camp, lascivious and attractively dangerous. He not only looks the part but can sing up a storm too. The principals were all good but, in particular, Haley Flaherty. The Phantom chorus for me was a little too polished, too ‘jazz hands’, and they lacked that raw punkish edge of the original. Christopher Biggins did an excellent job but sadly over encouraged an audience who, dressed up and tanked up, had not bothered to swot up and did not know the correct – and to my mind irritating – responses and heckles. That said it was a ripping evening of fun.
Theatre Royal, 26 October
4/5
Andrew Kay