NEWS

Pirates Love Underpants at the New Theatre Royal

Date: Tuesday 8th April
Time: 13:30

Date: Wednesday 9th April
Time: 10:30/13:30

Location: New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth
Cost:
Adult £18.00
U16 £16.00
School/Group 10+ £14.00
Age: Secondary, Adult

Join our swashbuckling party of pirates on their quest to find the fabled Pants of Gold for the Captain’s Treasure chest!

My Favourite Cake

Date: Saturday 29th March
Time: 17:00-21:30
Location: St Simon’s Church, Waverley Rd, Southsea, Portsmouth, Southsea PO5 2PW
Cost:
Concessions £25
Standard £30
Solidarity £40
Age: Any

Join us for an unforgettable evening of film, food, and culture at this Iranian-Themed Cinematic Dining Event. This unique gathering combines a screening of the award-winning Iranian film My Favourite Cake with an authentic Persian feast, live music, and immersive décor inspired by the beauty of Iranian gardens. My Favourite Cake, described by The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw as a “wonderfully sweet and funny film” and a “compelling rebuke to…

Farm Boy at the New Theatre Royal

Date: Saturday 29th March
Time: 14:30/18:30

Date: Sunday 30th March
Time: 14:30

Location: New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth
Cost:
Adult £17
Child £14
Age: Secondary, Adult

Following successful UK tours and a critically acclaimed run in New York, Michael Morpurgo’s compelling sequel to ‘War Horse’ returns to the stage in this delightful, family-friendly show combining drama, storytelling, and original music…

Writing retreat with William Sutton

Date and Time: Friday 14 – Saturday 15 March, 10am–1pm
Location: Portsmouth Central Library lower ground floor
Cost: £9 (£4.50 concession)

Welcome to our Writing Retreat, which you can attend for one morning or both, via Zoom link (sent before event) or in person. Buy just one ticket: same link both days. William offers goal-setting targets, encouragement, one-to-one mentoring – and the camaraderie that such a solitary calling often lacks.

“I edited 5,000 words in a weekend” – previous attendee

It Ends With Us at Southsea Cinema

Date: Saturday 9th March

Time: 6pm

Location: Southsea Cinema

Cost: £5
(Children and students £3)

Lily believes she’s found true love with Ryle, but when a painful incident triggers past trauma, she must decide if love alone can carry her marriage through. However, things are complicated when her first love returns to her life

Christine Lawrence – Grace

Date and Time: Sunday 9th March, 4.30pm–6pm
Location: Southsea Library
Cost: Free (booking required)
Christine Lawrence introduces her latest novel which is based on research into life in the Portsmouth Borough Asylum during World War 1. If you enjoyed reading Emily, you will love Grace as she follows her passion to be a nurse during World War 1 and begins her training in Portsmouth Borough Asylum

Crime Bites 4: Simon Mayo

Date and Time: Sunday 9th March 2pm–3.30pm
Location: New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth
Cost: £2

BookFest is thrilled to welcome Simon Mayo to the festival for the first time as part of the launch of his exciting new thriller Black Tag. Bestselling author and legendary broadcaster Simon has created a captivating contemporary thriller, weaving a story ripped from today’s newspapers that will take Famie into a murderous family saga stretching back over centuries.

Where did their money come from? And what will they do to keep it?

Simon Mayo MBE is a writer and broadcaster. His previous books include the Sunday Times bestseller Knife Edge, the Times Thriller of the Year Tick Tock, Mad Blood Stirring, Blame and the Itch trilogy, filmed for TV by the ABC. He hosts Drivetime on Greatest Hits Radio and hosts the ‘The Take’ film-review podcast with Professor Mark Kermode.