Essex

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-comedy-amp-theatre">COMEDY &amp; THEATRE</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/dom-joly-southend-tour.jpg" alt="Dom Joly Conspiracy Tour Southend Cliffs Pavilion" class="wp-image-16067" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/dom-joly-southend-tour.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/dom-joly-southend-tour-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/dom-joly-southend-tour-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



First on our what&#8217;s on in Essex this March list is to get to Southend&#8217;s Cliffs Pavilion and book Dom Joly’s&nbsp;<a href="https://trafalgartickets.com/palace-theatre-southend/en-GB/event/comedy/dom-joly-the-conspiracy-tour-tickets" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Conspiracy Tour</a>&nbsp;(19 March), providing a slightly anarchic guide to the wacky world of, erm, conspiracies.



On to Basildon&#8217;s Towngate Theatre next for Jim Davidson’s&nbsp;<a href="https://towngatetheatre.co.uk/jim-davidson/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Swimming Against the Tide tour</a> (15-16 March). Word of warning: it’s strictly for 18+ and contains adult humour which some may find offensive – you’ve been told!&nbsp;



Also at the Towngate there&#8217;s a live comedy game show&nbsp;<a href="https://towngatetheatre.co.uk/wifi-wars/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">WiFi Wars</a>&nbsp;(24 March). This sees you logging in with a smartphone or tablet to compete in a range of games, puzzles and quizzes. Ooo, and if you win you nab a prize!



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/lucy-beaumont-chelmsford-theatre.jpg" alt="Lucy Beaumont Chelmsford Theatre" class="wp-image-16068" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/lucy-beaumont-chelmsford-theatre.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/lucy-beaumont-chelmsford-theatre-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/lucy-beaumont-chelmsford-theatre-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



Want a comedian to make you laugh and laugh some more? Chelmsford Theatre’s hosting&nbsp;<a href="https://chelmsfordtheatre.co.uk/events/lucy-beaumont-the-trouble-and-strife/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lucy Beaumont’s The Trouble &amp; Strife show</a>&nbsp;on 29 March. She was actually an award-winning stand-up before she met hubby Jon Richardson, we’ll have you know.



And it&#8217;s a quick return back to Southend’s Palace Theatre, showing&nbsp;<a href="https://trafalgartickets.com/palace-theatre-southend/en-GB/event/other/arsenic-and-old-lace-tickets">Arsenic &amp; Old Lace</a>&nbsp;on 26-30 March. It&#8217;s a farcical black comedy of kindly aunts and menacing brothers – but of course with murder in mind.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-culture">CULTURE</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/canvey-island-transport-museum.jpg" alt="Canvey Island Transport Museum Easter 2023" class="wp-image-16069" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/canvey-island-transport-museum.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/canvey-island-transport-museum-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/canvey-island-transport-museum-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



For a blast from the past your kids will also love head to the&nbsp;<a href="https://canveyislandtransportmuseum.co.uk/event/easter-sunday/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Canvey Island Transport Museum Easter Event</a>&nbsp;on 31 March. As well as stalls and an Easter egg hunt, there’s lots of historic vehicles to get them to learn what life was like. Such as when you had to get a paper ticket with actual coins to be allowed on a bus.



Want to put your thinking hat on? Also on our what&#8217;s on in Essex this March guide&#8217;s a lecture on&nbsp;<a href="https://chelmsfordtheatre.co.uk/events/annual-museum-lecture/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Essex Climate Change and the Historic Environment</a>&nbsp;from Dr Peter Murphy (22 March). He worked for many years as the Head of Coastal Strategy, so proper knows what he’s on about.&nbsp;



Speaking of talks, at the Colchester Arts Centre there’s an event on 16 March with&nbsp;<a href="https://colchesterartscentre.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/1173652608/events/428639101?_ga=2.16012405.217932941.1709029871-1804122646.1709029871" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">John Murray and Matt Johnson on their book, No Ordinary Day.&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;Seeking justice for his murdered colleague, Matt&nbsp;uncovered secret-service deals and government duplicity, all part of a plan to force an end to the National Union of Mineworker strike. Gripping stuff.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/firstsite-colchester.jpg" alt="Lucy Harwood: Bold Impressions Colchester Firstsite" class="wp-image-16070" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/firstsite-colchester.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/firstsite-colchester-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/firstsite-colchester-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<a href="https://firstsite.uk/event/lucy-harwood-bold-impressions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lucy Harwood: Bold Impressions</a>&nbsp;is also on our&nbsp;what&#8217;s on in Essex this March guide;&nbsp;at Colchester’s Firstsite museum until 14 April. Featuring over 100 of her paintings, it showcases her legacy in the heart of the East Anglian School of Painting and Drawing where her talent truly thrived.



Running now until 17 March is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.saffronwaldenmuseum.org/event/evacuee/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Saffron Walden Museum’s Evacuee A Wartime Childhood</a>&nbsp;exhibition.&nbsp;Showing artwork of artist and author Brian Sanders, explore the experiences of evacuees who came to live in Saffron Walden and Uttlesford during that time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-food-amp-drink">FOOD &amp; DRINK</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/pig-whistle-essex-tasting-menu.jpg" alt="Pig &amp; Whistle Essex 7 Course Tasting Menu" class="wp-image-16071" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/pig-whistle-essex-tasting-menu.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/pig-whistle-essex-tasting-menu-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/pig-whistle-essex-tasting-menu-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



Want to know more about the lush food and drink we have in our county? Get to the Pig &amp; Whistle restaurant on 21 March for their&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pigandwhistlechelmsford.uk/essex" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Taste of Essex 7 Course Tasting Menu</a>. Priced at £60pp, experience new flavours kept secret until the day and containing a mix of the freshest Essex ingredients.



<a href="https://www.designmynight.com/essex/whats-on/something-a-little-different-events/boozy-bingo-3?t=tickets" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bingo. Booze. Drag Queens.</a>&nbsp;If that’s not sold you, I don’t know what will. For £18pp at Acanteen on 27 March you get three rounds of bingo, along with entertainment from Queens Saffron and Ruby. There’s also Prosecco, wine, and shots you can order, as well as dinner until 9pm and cocktails all night long.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/galvin-green-man-loire-valley.jpg" alt="Galvin Green Man The Loire Valley Wine Dinner" class="wp-image-16072" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/galvin-green-man-loire-valley.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/galvin-green-man-loire-valley-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/galvin-green-man-loire-valley-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



Also on 21 March you’ve another feast to consider, this time&nbsp;<a href="https://galvinrestaurants.com/loire-valley-wine-dinner-series-restaurant-chelmsford-essex/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Galvin Green Man’s The Loire Valley Wine Dinner</a>. This one’s £90pp, with you sampling the wines of&nbsp;Domaine Catherine and Pierre Breton alongside a five-course feast.



Want good tunes with great drinks with people of a respectable age? For over 30s only,&nbsp;<a href="https://ra.co/events/1863023" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vault Shenfield’s Treinta</a>’s 15 March gig is all about enjoying house music and properly living in the moment. That means putting that phone down and not posting your life on the ’gram for a few hours. Love it.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-international-women-s-day">INTERNATIONAL WOMEN&#8217;S DAY</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/ocean-beach-southend.jpg" alt="Ambitious Women in Essex IWD Celebration by the Beach" class="wp-image-16074" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/ocean-beach-southend.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/ocean-beach-southend-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/ocean-beach-southend-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



International Women’s Day on 8 March? Hell, yes! There’s an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/celebrate-international-womens-day-with-awie-in-southend-on-sea-tickets-815466591527?aff=oddtdtcreator" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ambitious Women in Essex IWD Celebration by the Beach</a>&nbsp;event at Southend’s Ocean Beach&nbsp;with tea and cake, all the while celebrating the achievements of women everywhere.&nbsp;



<a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/international-womens-day-tickets-843456389767" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Brewhouse &amp; Kitchen Chelmsford</a>&#8216;s hosting a free event exclusive for ladies, with a nod to the fact women were the&nbsp;original brewers. Experience the processes involved to turn grain into beer, plus learn some of its history. There’s also breakfast, lunch, hot drinks and beer tastings throughout the day.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/international-womens-day-swim-mersea.jpg" alt="International Women’s Day Swim at Mersea Boating Lake" class="wp-image-16075" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/international-womens-day-swim-mersea.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/international-womens-day-swim-mersea-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/international-womens-day-swim-mersea-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



Fancy a refreshing dip? There’s an&nbsp;<a href="https://allevents.in/brightlingsea/international-women%E2%80%99s-day-swim-dip/200025790466102" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">International Women’s Day Swim</a>&nbsp;at Mersea Boating Lake on 9 March at 9am. I’ll watch you from the side-lines, having instead supported #girlpower the night before at Coggeshall’s&nbsp;<a href="https://allevents.in/earls%20colne/international-women%E2%80%99s-day-craft-evening/200026125190806" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">International Women’s Day Craft Evening</a>.



Also in Chelmsford is a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/museum-memories-international-womens-day-tickets-837337026587" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Museum Memories</a>&nbsp;event on 8 March at 11am. Join host Rachel who celebrates the role of two women in the war effort in Chelmsford. First, Dorothy Capon, who worked in the Women&#8217;s Land Army, followed by Florence Attridge, who headed the top secret coil workshop at Marconi instrumental in gathering intelligence for the military.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-music">MUSIC</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/i-should-be-so-lucky-tour.jpg" alt="Southend’s Cliffs Pavilion I Should Be So Lucky" class="wp-image-16076" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/i-should-be-so-lucky-tour.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/i-should-be-so-lucky-tour-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/i-should-be-so-lucky-tour-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



Hands up who can belt out all of Stock Aitken Waterman’s Eighties and Nineties hits? Me too! So get to Southend’s Cliffs Pavilion on 12-16 March for&nbsp;<a href="https://trafalgartickets.com/cliffs-pavilion-southend/en-GB/event/musical/i-should-be-so-lucky-tickets" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">I Should Be So Lucky</a>, a musical of all&nbsp;the songs you love. It’s a heart-warming tale of star-crossed couple Ella and Nathan, plus music from Kylie Minogue, Rick Astley, Jason Donovan, Bananarama and the like.



What else is on in Southend? You’ve&nbsp;<a href="https://trafalgartickets.com/palace-theatre-southend/en-GB/event/music/damian-lewis-tickets" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">actor Damian Lewis</a> performing tracks from his album Mission Creep (10 March). Love Tony Hadley? At his&nbsp;<a href="https://trafalgartickets.com/cliffs-pavilion-southend/en-GB/event/music/tony-hadley-the-big-swing-tour-tickets" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Big Swing Tour</a>&nbsp;on 19 March you can meet the man himself! Or for opera check out <a href="https://trafalgartickets.com/cliffs-pavilion-southend/en-GB/event/classical-opera/carmen-tickets" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Carmen</a>&nbsp;(27 March); featuring the Ukrainian Opera &amp; Ballet Theatre Kyiv with soloists, highly-praised chorus and full orchestra.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/shape-of-you-the-institute.jpg" alt="Shape Of You The Music of Ed Sheeran The Institute Braintree" class="wp-image-16077" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/shape-of-you-the-institute.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/shape-of-you-the-institute-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/02/shape-of-you-the-institute-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



To Braintree now and theatre The Institute, starting with tribute <a href="https://theinstitutebraintree.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/1173639084" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shape Of You: The Music of Ed Sheeran</a>&nbsp;(14 March).&nbsp;<a href="https://theinstitutebraintree.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/1173639109" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The History of Rock</a>&nbsp;(23 March) is great for, you guessed it, rock fans, with songs from Led Zeppelin, Queen and Guns n Roses. Or why not treat kids to&nbsp;<a href="https://theinstitutebraintree.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/1173639202" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Little Mermaid?</a>&nbsp;On stage on 29 March, join Ariel, Ursula the evil sea witch and more characters in this brand new adaptation.



Finally, back to Chelmsford Theatre where we’re singing our praises for New Hall School, hosting its&nbsp;<a href="https://chelmsfordtheatre.co.uk/events/new-hall-feel-the-beat/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New Hall: Feel the Beat</a>&nbsp;production on 18-19 March. Including ballet, tap and other forms of dance, the music’s played by their student band and is a great event to book to show support.

What’s on in Essex this March: 25+ things to see and do

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