Your guide to What's On this weekend

Your essential guide to What’s On in and around Exeter this weekend (24-26 November):

THEATRE

The Kite Runner
Friday & Saturday, Exeter Nothcott Theatre
Based on Khaled Hosseini’s international bestselling novel, this haunting tale of friendship which spans cultures and continents, follows one man’s journey to confront his past and find redemption. “There is a way to be good again”. Afghanistan is a divided country on the verge of war and two childhood friends are about to be torn apart. It’s a beautiful afternoon in Kabul and the skies are full of the excitement and joy of a kite flying tournament. But neither Hassan nor Amir can foresee the terrible incident which will shatter their lives forever.   https://exeternorthcott.co.uk

Feeling Good – Michael Bublé Celebration
Saturday, 7.30pm, Barnfield Theatre, Exeter
An all-new theatre show detailing his rise to fame, featuring Mitchell Rutter and his band. ‘Feeling Good’ is the latest show from Marc Juan Productions. Their all-new show tells the story of Michael Bublé, his rise to fame, high-profile relationships and most importantly, his music. Starring Mitchell Rutter as Bublé, and accompanied by his 7-piece band, this sensational show is touring all over the United Kingdom in 2017 and 2018. Tickets £20. www.barnfieldtheatre.org.uk

A Christmas Carol
Sunday, 7.30pm, Bike shed Theatre, Exeter
Joy to all mankind… Bah! Spend an evening in the company of a mean, tight-fisted, squeezing, grasping, clutching old miser. Watch horrified as Ebenezer Scrooge is haunted by four creepy ghosts (wooo-oooh) each one more terrifying than the last. Sob at the bedside of a tiny, malnourished child riven with rickets. Yes, the team that brought you Great Expectations, Dracula and The Odyssey will now take you on a grim journey through the dark, dismal streets of Victorian London, where Ignorance and Want cower together… and hopefully a few laughs. Bah! Suitable for adults and children age 8+  www.bikeshedtheatre.co.uk

MUSIC

Catfish
Friday, 8pm, Exeter Phoenix
British Blues Award Winners Catfish have carved a reputation for themselves as an excellent live band with a phenomenal frontman in 22 year old guitarist/vocalist Matt Long who plays with a real passion for the blues. Tickets £10 (£8).  www.exeterphoenix.org.uk

Motown & Philadelphia on Tour
Saturday, 7.30pm, Exeter Corn Exchange
The hits and memories just keep on coming as multi-award winning Roy G Hemmings with his 15-strong full evening show delivers memoires of a twin era of music that lives on and on. Be prepared to dance in front of your seats at this Concert Party!  www.exetercornexchange.co.uk

Deaf Havana
Saturday, Lemon Grove, University of Exeter
Ahead of the release of their fourth album, ‘All These Countless Nights’ on So Recordings in January, Deaf Havana frontman James Veck-Gilodi said “this album needs to take us to a higher level.”... and it did just that. A career best UK Albums Chart Top  chart position and sell-out UK headline tour followed, a testament to the quality of the quintet’s efforts and a reward for the testing periods that helped shape its narrative.  https://www.exeterguild.org

Vaughan Williams: A Sea Symphony ** SOLD OUT **
Saturday, 7.30pm, Exeter Cathedral
Vaughan Williams Symphony No. 1 ‘A Sea Symphony. Laurence Blyth, conductor; Brian Northcott, conductor; Alison Burnett, soprano; Paul Sheehan, baritone.  A combined choir of 250 voices drawn from Exeter Choral Society, Exmouth Choral Society and Wellington Choral Society with the Exeter Symphony Orchestra. Retiring collection in support of the RNLI.  www.exeter-cathedral.org.uk

William the Conqueror
Sunday, 7.30pm, Exeter Phoenix
Cornwall trio William the Conqueror have been picking up praise from far flung corners ever since Ruarri Joseph took the step to go public with his erstwhile secret alter-ego. Debut album, Proud Disturber of the Peace, was released in the summer to widespread critical acclaim and their shows have been steadily winning over fans up and down the country. Tickets £8 standing.  www.exeterphoenix.org.uk

EVENTS

Hospiscare Christmas Fair
Saturday, Exeter Guildhall
You’ll find a selection of stalls selling gifts, Christmas goods, crafts, cakes, preserves and lots more. Refreshments will be available and there will be a performance by the Hospiscare Choir. Open 10.30am-3.30pm.

Unique Boutique
Saturday, 10am, Exeter Phoenix
The quirky and eclectic handmade market is back by popular demand. Fill your Christmas with unusual, handmade gifts, decorations, table ware and accessories, stock up on Christmas cheer from the bar and get cosy at Exeter Phoenix. 10am-4pm, free entry.

The Donkey Sanctuary Christmas Fair
Saturday & Sunday, Slade House Farm, Sidmouth
Kick-start your Christmas shopping or simply treat yourself at The Donkey Sanctuary's fabulously festive Christmas Fair. Santa and his reindeer (donkeys!) will be paying a special visit to the sanctuary over the weekend and taking residence in the Grotto. 10am-4pm, Entry £2 per adult, under 12s free.  www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk

Christmas Fair at the Shelter
Sunday, 11am, RSPCA Little Valley Animal Shelter, Black Hat Lane, Bakers Hill, Exeter
See the animals, buy lots of gifts and bargains from many craft stalls, play fun games and enjoy festive refreshments. 11am to 3pm, donation on entry.

Exeter Cathedral Christmas Market
Cathedral Green, Exeter
An exciting mix of local and continental traders, showcasing the best of festive food, crafts and gifts. New for 2017 will be the west front bandstand, with local bands, carol singers and choirs able to bid for free slots to entertain traders and customers. Open Friday & Saturday 10am-9pm and Sunday 11am-5pm.  The market is open daily until 17 December.

Christmas at Killerton: Wind in the Willows
From Saturday, Killerton House, Broadclyst, Exeter
See sparkling displays in the mansion inspired by Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows. Normal admission fees apply, National Trust members are free but still need to book. Non-members can pay on the day. The event runs until 5 January 2018. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/killerton

EXHIBITIONS

Visible Girls: Revisited 
Exeter Phoenix
Visible Girls: Revisited, is a photography commission and national travelling exhibition of female portraits by photographer Anita Corbin. The exhibition brings together original images of women from different subcultures of the early 1980s and newly commissioned portraits of the same women now. The work will reunite women with their adolescent selves, exploring the ways in which photography can reveal and reflect upon identity and society at various stages of women's lives. The exhibition runs from 17 November until 21 December.  www.exeterphoenix.org.uk

MAKE 2017: Christmas Craft Exhibition
Devon Guild of Craftsmen, Riverside Mill, Bovey Tracey
This annual Christmas selling exhibition showcases some of the best contemporary craft from UK based designer-makers. With a wide selection of disciplines to choose from, and a range of prices to suit all, it’s an ideal opportunity to buy an individual, handmade gift for Christmas. DIY festive craft activity area for kids in the gallery. Free entry, open daily, 10am-5.30pm.  The exhibition runs until 7 January.

Exeter’s Fine Art Collection: Modern
RAMM, Queen Street, Exeter
The exhibition includes two works by the British Pop Art movement artist Brian Rice, gifted through the Art Fund and on display for the first time.This diverse selection features Barbara Hepworth’s remarkable figurative drawing Preparation, Leighton Hall Woolatt’s Post Eleven Speaking and Patrick Heron’s Two Vermilions, Green and Purple in Red. RAMM’s fine art collection is on display  until 29 April 2018 and can be explored online at: http://bit.ly/RAMMFineArt