Brian Butler takes a look at some of the 120 events from 2020’s Brighton Festival

Brian Butler takes a look at some of the 120 events that make up this year’s month-long Brighton Festival throughout May and finds a common theme of “ imagination “ in its global programme of all things artistic.

Brighton Festival 2020 guest director is Ethiopian poet, playwright and broadcaster Lemn Sissay. He has helped create a series of events centring on the love of words and language, in  theatre, song, spoken word, art and poetry.

Launching the festival he said: “ The most damaging mirror track in society is to convince people they have no imagination and that they are not creative. It’s just not true . There’s going to be something for you in the Festival. Broaden your horizons, be open and maybe try something different. Welcome to the Imagine Nation. “

Highlights include:

The Sleeping Tree by Invisible Flood  is an interactive, immersive 3D visual banquet of the rainforests of N Sumatra ,Indonesia ( Hove Warehouse)

Sollievo is an immersive piece of theatre and poetry through a tranquil candle-lit labyrinth ( Hove Warehouse )

Hofesh Schechter Co present Double Murder – 10 dancers perform a double bill made up of Clowns – a macabre comedy of murder and desire, and The New Creation a tender and fragile piece ( Brighton Dome)

The Young Americans : on the 400th anniversary of Mayflower sailing , this exhibition gives a  platform to indigenous American artists, with photos, print-making and painting ( Phoenix Art Space  

Solo performer Rachel Blackman presents You Aren’t Doing It Wrong If No-one Knows What You’re Doing – a compelling celebration of the right to fail ( Brighthelm Centre )

Ethiopian vibes player Mulatu Astatke takes centre stage at the Dome. 

In C By The Sea  – Brighton and Hove Music and Arts and East Sussex Music perform Terry Riley’s iconic work In C on Brighton seafront and other locations.

Points of Departure is a sound  and lights installation at Shoreham Port

In The Forecrourt – shows us Amy “ the only dyke in the dance class” an animated and live digital soundscape in text and dance , performed by Amy Bell ( Attenborough Centre )

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Brighton Festival Chorus perform Beethoven and Vaughan Williams ( Dome )

Of Our Times is a live conversation with Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee , as she dissects the last decade ( Brighton Girls )

To celebrate the community of Hangleton there will be an afternoon of theatre, dance, music, crafts and games

Pandora is part song cycle, part theatrical pageant, presented by Le Gateau Chocolat ( Dome )

London Symphony Orchestra perform Haydn, Mozart and Dvorak ( Dome )

Spend an afternoon with international fashion designer Ozwald Boateng

Lunchtime recitals at various venues  include:

French harpsichordist Beatrice Martin; the Behn Quartet; pianist Florian Mitrea and baritone Benson Wilson.

Full details of the programme and booking at Brightonfestival.org