Events Diary 

Are you looking for an evening out or maybe something different to do at the weekend? Well look no further. Here you'll find a range of events taking place in Surrey and the surrounding area.

LISTEN  The broadcast Events Diary is broadcast hourly from 6.45 to 1.45 with Josh Robins.  Tell us about your event If you're organising an event and are looking for publicity, send us an email with the full details

If you fancy a bit of ice skating this Christmas, there's a number of places you can go in and around Surrey this year.

Hampton Court Palace  (until 5 January)

You can enjoy the backdrop of Henry VIII's former home and skate back in time with the return of the ice rink at Hampton Court Palace.  

The open-air ice rink is suitable for adults and children with skate aid penguins available to hire. Skating sessions start on the hour and last for 45 minutes and there's a decked area and viewing platform where you can watch.

Reigate On Ice (until 4 January)

After an absence last year, Reigate On Ice is back. This ice rink is held undercover in a big top marquee so skaters can experience the wonder of skating on real ice in whatever weather. There will be festive music and Christmas food and drink to buy to get you into the winter wonderland spirit. Reigate on Ice takes place at Priory Park and runs until 4 January.

Winchester Cathedral (until 5 January)

In Hampshire, an undercover ice rink is part of Winchester Cathedral's Christmas Market. The open sides of the rink mean you can see the spectacular Winchester Cathedral while you skate. The Ice Café will be selling festive treats and traditional food - and the event runs until 5 January. Advanced booking is recommended.

London

A number of venues in London. The ice skating rink at Somerset House has been running for a number of years. As well as general ice skating sessions, there will be a series of late-night DJ events called Skate Lates.

For nervous skaters, there is a Skate School for adults and Polar Bear Club for children. It runs until 12 Jaunary.

There are also ice rinks outside the Natural History Museum and the Tower of London where in the evening, lights, set against the fortress wall, add to the dramatic views.

Brighton

In Brighton - the child-friendly outdoor ice rink is open for much of the winter at the Royal Pavilion - it runs until 19 January.  

7 and 21 January                  Storytelling for Under 5s at The Lightbox - Woking

At the Lightbox in Woking, there's stories, rhymes and hands-on creative fun for under 5's.  There's two sessions - from 10.30am on the 7 and 21 January.

11 January                   One Winter's Night - Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford

One Winter's Night is an  eclectic collection of acoustic performances from the very best singers and songwriters local to Guildford.

This is the fifth One Winter’s Night concert at Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud Theatre.

These annual events showcase the very best local singers, songwriters and bands; celebrating the extraordinary musical talent that Guildford has to offer.

Amongst the performers are Hannah Turner, Backwoods Creek and Luca Mo

14 - 18 January Dial M for Murder - Richmond Theatre

Can you ever get away with the perfect crime?

A brand-new production of the blueprint for the modern thriller, Dial M for Murder is back.

The charismatic and manipulative Tony Wendice - a jaded ex-tennis pro who has given it all up for his wife Margot.

 When he discovers she's been unfaithful his mind turns to revenge and the pursuit of the ‘perfect crime’. 

Made famous by Alfred Hitchcock’s world-renowned film of 1950, the iconic Dial M for Murder will leave you spellbound as Tony becomes more tangled in the web of his own making.

This ultimate masterclass in suspense is guaranteed to entwine you with its spine-chilling twists and turns.

When eleven-year-old Ferdinand hits eleven-year-old Bruno with a stick in a playground punch-up and knocks out two of his teeth, the children's enlightened parents decide to meet to talk things over civilly. But once the niceties are done with and the drink starts flowing, it is the parents who turn into spoiled brats.

God of Carnage is a ruthlessly comic study of middle class parenting. and is at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford on 14 - 18 January.

20 January         Susie Dent Presents The Secret Life of Words - Epsom Playhouse

Take a journey into the curious, unexpected, and downright surreal origins of the words we use every day. Susie Dent will retell the adventures that lie hidden within such words as lasagne - it involves a chamber pot - and bugbear (a terrorising monster), and explain such oddities as the silent h in ghost.

 Susie Dent Presents The Secret Life of Words is at the Epsom Playhouse on 20 January.

17 January  and 22 January         Stephen K Amos         

Stephen K Amos is on a mission to bring about world peace.

Or, to at least bring about an evening of peace, one venue at a time. In an age when arguments are started over everything from politics to bendy straws, Stephen is rising above the anger to remind us of what we have in common.

Bringing humorous anecdotes, hilarious takes on the everyday and his infectious charm, Stephen K Amos will warm your cold, stiffened hearts.

Stephen K Amos is at the 17 January Everyman Theatre in Farnham in 17 January and the Epsom Playhouse on 22 January.

23 - 25 January           Thoroughly Modern Millie - Electric Theatre, Guildford

It’s 1922 in New York City, and a young Millie Dillmount has just moved to the Big Apple in search of a new life. Her grand plan is to find a job as a secretary for a wealthy man and then marry him. However, her plan goes completely awry. Millie’s wealthy boss is slow in proposing marriage, and the man she actually falls in love with doesn't have a dime to his name — or so he tells her. What’s a small town girl to do?

"Thoroughly Modern Millie Junior" is a clever adaptation of the Academy Award-winning film and can be seen at Guildford's Electric Theatre in 23 to 25 January.

24 - 25 January The Good Liar - Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford

Career con artist Roy Courtnay can hardly believe his luck when he meets well-to-do widow Betty McLeish online. As Betty opens her home and life to him, Roy is surprised to find himself caring about her.

24 January         Madame Ovary - Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford

It's January and Rosa is writing her resolutions. This is her year. She is going to stop going out with plonkers, start doing yoga and write some really good art. But before she's had time to delete her dating apps and get into downward dog, she's diagnosed. With ovarian cancer. And it's spread.

Suddenly faced with hospitals, chemotherapy and her own mortality, Rosa's new goal for the year ahead is to survive it.

Based on Rosa’s real-life blog, Madame Ovary explores the typical struggle a 20-something has with trying to stay relevant and the less typical struggle of trying to stay alive.

28 - 29 January Jim Davidson, Last Man Standing - Epsom Playhouse

The masterful, outrageous and hysterically funny comedy legend Jim Davidson embarks on his comedy campaign around the UK in 2020.

Who will he upset this time? Which battles will he win, which will he lose? One thing’s for certain, Jim never retreats!

You can see Jim Davidson's Last Man Standing show at the Epsom Theatre in 28 and 29 January.

31 January                   David Baddiel - Leatherhead Theatre

David Baddiel comes back to the stage with a brand new one-man show, Trolls: Not The Dolls.

Trolls – the terrible people who spend all day insulting and abusing strangers for no other reason than to fill the huge gaps in their souls.

There is a common wisdom about how to deal with trolls: don’t, for goodness sake, encourage these people by replying to them.

It’s a good law. And it’s one that David Baddiel has consistently broken. Because David has always seen trolls as hecklers, and if a comedian gets heckled, it is their duty not to ignore the heckler, but to wittily put them down.

David has stories to tell, of the dark, terrible and hysterically absurd cyber-paths that interacting with trolls has led him down.

You can see David Baddiel at the Leatherhead Theatre on 31 January.

1 February                   John Archer, Against The Odds - Epsom Playhouse

Semi-finalist on Britain’s Got Talent John Archer takes to the stage on his own one man show.

A rare chance to see baffling magic with a dash of comedy thrown in by the man who many consider to be the best Comedy Magician in the UK today.

You can see John Archer at the Epsom Playhouse on Saturday 1 February.

4 - 8 February    Dial M for Murder - Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford

Can you ever get away with the perfect crime?

A brand-new production of the blueprint for the modern thriller, Dial M for Murder is back.

The charismatic and manipulative Tony Wendice - a jaded ex-tennis pro who has given it all up for his wife Margot.

 When he discovers she's been unfaithful his mind turns to revenge and the pursuit of the ‘perfect crime’. 

Made famous by Alfred Hitchcock’s world-renowned film of 1950, the iconic Dial M for Murder will leave you spellbound as Tony becomes more tangled in the web of his own making.

This ultimate masterclass in suspense is guaranteed to entwine you with its spine-chilling twists and turns.

11 February       Joe Brown 60th Anniversary Tour - Hawth Theatre

The 1950's rock ‘n’ roll legend Joe Brown takes to the road to celebrate 60 years in the business.

With timeless classics, rockabilly, gospel, country, bluegrass, and rock ‘n’ roll Joe Brown's delivery and humorous reminiscences makes for a sensational show.

You can see Joe Brown at the Hawth Theatre in Crawley on 11 February.

The Thinking Drinkers return with a hilarious and intoxicating look at history’s greatest drinkers. Enjoy five free drinks as the award-winning experts reveal how alcohol has inspired pioneering explorers, politicians and painters in equal measure, from Plato and Picasso, to Nelson, Napoleon - and Norm from Cheers. You'll learn a lot, laugh a lot and, don't forget, you get five free drinks.

You can see - and drink - with the Thinking Drinkers at the Epsom Playhouse on Friday 14 February.

15 February       Lucy Porter, Be Prepared - Hawth Theatre

Lucy Porter returns with another fantastic stand-up show at the Hawth Theatre in Crawley

At Brownies, Lucy thought she’d be prepared for anything as long as she had her emergency 10p for a phone box, and knew how to tie a Fisherman’s knot.

Life turned out to be slightly more complicated for Lucy Porter - than Brown Owl let on.

And you can find out why at the Hawth Theatre on 15 February.

17 - 22 February         Blithe Spirit - Richmond Theatre

The classic play - Blithe Spirit - is coming to Richmond Theatre.

Novelist Charles Con-do-mine and his second wife Ruth are literally haunted by a past relationship when an eccentric medium - Madame Arcati - inadvertently conjures up the ghost of his first wife, Elvira, at a séance.

When she appears, she's only visible to Charles. But Elvira, played by Jennifer Saunders - is determined to sabotage his current marriage, life - and the afterlife. And things get complicated.

Blithe Spirit is at the Richmond Theatre on 17 - 22 February.

There's comedy at the Leatherhead Theatre.

You can enjoy some of the hottest new talent on the comedy circuit at the Screaming Blue Murder Comedy Club on Friday 21 February.

21 February       Chinese Cultural Show - Epsom Theatre

The end of February sees the Chinese New Year.

You can mark the fresh beginning and welcome the Year of the Rat at the Epsom Playhouse as Jinlong Culture & Performing Arts brings a spectacular line-up of Chinese acrobatics, music and dance.

And when is it?  Friday 21 February.

24 - 29 February         The Last Temptation of Boris Johnson -        Yvonne Arnaud Theatre

It was the dinner that changed history. A night in February 2016 when Boris Johnson decided to vote ‘leave’ and a nation’s future was sealed.

Fast forward to post-Brexit Britain, 2029.  For reasons that may be fact and/or fiction at the time of the performance, Boris, no longer in power, roams the political wilderness.  Unexpected events see him back in the spotlight and with a chance to “make Britain great again”. This play addresses the big questions: What will Britain look like in ten years’ time?  Is chlorinated chicken really bad for you? Who does the NHS belong to and what IS going on inside the head of the most divisive and controversial politician of our time?     

Featuring the ghostly spirits of past Prime Ministers including Margaret Thatcher, Winston Churchill and Tony Blair the script will be updated - nightly if necessary - to reflect current events.

The Last Temptation of Boris Johnson is at Guildford's Yvonne Arnaud Theatre from 24 - 29 February.

27 February       Russell Kane - Hawth Theatre

Russell Kane is back! His brand-new tour show is coming to Crawley. Packing more energy than a Duracell factory, Russell’s RS Turbo laugh engine will motor through love, family and life - once again proving that the fast and the curious amongst us, see more stuff, and get more done.

Russell Kane's Fast and Furious show is at the Hawth Theatre on Thursday 27 February.