Ellen Cheshire

Alongside my freelance writing about theatre, film and literature, my role as Fundraising and Development Manager at Chichester Cathedral gives me the chance to tell stories that are just as rich in history and creativity. Whether it’s celebrating the music that fills the Cathedral’s spaces or sharing the craft and care behind preserving its heritage, my work is about connecting people to the heart of this extraordinary place - and showing why we need support to keep its mus

Over the years, I’ve occasionally ventured into the world of theatre reviews, but a covert assignment with The Spy in the Stalls  reignited my passion for this undercover craft. Since then, I’ve been regularly donning my disguise and stepping into the shadows, where every review is a stealth mission—uncovering the brilliance (or the flaws) hidden within each performance. This page serves as my secret dossier: a direct link to the operations I’ve carried out in the name of the

Up in London to stay with a friend and catch a couple of shows, I managed to bookend the weekend with some of my bucket list must-sees. On Friday, I battled the chilly wind and rain at the tail end of Storm Goretti to reach Bermondsey and tick off London’s only dedicated LGBTQ+ cinema, The Arzner , tucked into Bermondsey Square. I was in the area for theatre later, but arrived rather buffeted and windswept at this incredibly stylish independent cinema of around 50 seats, comp

E.F. Benson (1867-1940) made Sussex his home at a pivotal point in his life. In 1918, after years of travel, writing and public service, he settled in the ancient town of Rye, at Lamb House. He remained there until his death in 1940, and it was during these Sussex years that he produced some of his most enduring work. Rye offered Benson a place of continuity and containment, a town shaped by history and habit, where daily life unfolded on a human scale. Born in 1867, Benson c

I first drew this up in January 2022, as the world was emerging from the long shadow of lockdowns. I realised how easy it is to take experiences for granted, and I didn’t want to keep putting things off “for another time.” So, I began a bucket list - part wish list, part reminder - and since then I’ve been adding to it and crossing things off as I go. It’s a mix of theatre, film, concerts, museums, places and the occasional wild card. Some items are big dreams, others are mor

As we step into 2026 it feels like the perfect moment to reflect on the films that shaped my year. Huge thanks to Letterboxd for making year end film navel gazing such a pleasure. In 2025 I logged 941 films , 733 first time watches , with the rest revisits. Some were seen in cinemas and at festivals while many were enjoyed at home. If you are curious about everything I watched you can find it all over on Letterboxd at cheshellen . This year was packed with memorable cinema mo

Bognor Picturedrome (screen 1) Nestled innocently within my main bucket list are four entries that could each stand as their own separate quests. Since they all share a similar goal - exploring the UK and Ireland through their cinematic venues - I’ve combined them here for convenience. These are: visiting the other six cinemas in the small chain that my local  Bognor Picturedrome  belongs to; ticking off all independent cinemas in Sussex; seeing films or concerts at venues

What a year. 2025 leaned hard into the joyful overlap between film, theatre, music and exhibitions – with event cinema sitting neatly in the middle. Across the year I saw 86 films at the cinema , attended 68 live performances  (concerts, theatre, talks), and enjoyed 10 event cinema screenings . Plus according to my letterboxd , I logged 941 films* in 2025 but more to follow on my year in film! *This includes lots of shorts! Theatre played a particularly strong role, with

Looking back over the past few years, I have set myself annual challenges that combine theatre and film in ways that push me to see work I might not ordinarily seek out. In 2024 I undertook a project revisiting all the productions I had seen at the theatre and cinema in 1984 . In 2025 I focused on filling in gaps in my Sondheim knowledge , watching musicals live and exploring his top forty films. Both years encouraged me to view familiar works differently, to take risks and t

For 2025 I set myself a focused cultural project: to immerse myself in the work of Stephen Sondheim by watching his 40 favourite films (a list he drew up in 2003) , alongside related screenings, documentaries and a concerted effort to see his stage musicals I had never seen. What began as a structured viewing challenge gradually became a wide-ranging exploration of the ideas, forms and storytelling traditions that shaped Sondheim’s creative imagination. Working chronologicall

Continuing my journey through Stephen Sondheim’s top 40 films, numbers 31–40 offer another diverse batch of international cinema, from gripping political dramas to tense character studies and meditations on mortality. Alongside these, I watched bonus screenings celebrating Sondheim’s love of puzzles, performance and storytelling itself. 31/40: The Official Story (1985, Luis Puenzo, Argentina) In Buenos Aires during the final days of the military dictatorship, a history teach

Last Christmas I asked for experiences rather than things and added an Art Fund National Art Pass to my list. I was delighted when my mum gave it to me, and it quickly became more than just a gift - it changed how I explored, planned and thought about art. Over 2025 I used the pass to see 12 exhibitions at 10 venues. The full ticket value came to £159.50. I actually spent £65. That is a saving of £96.25, comfortably more than the cost of the pass itself at £63.25. What follo

Some places have been quietly glowing on my bucket list for years, waiting for the right moment. A day in Walthamstow and Hackney gave me a chance to finally tick a few off - each one with its own distinct character, yet all threaded together by art, craft and imagination. The William Morris Gallery  had long been near the top of my list and stepping inside felt like stepping into a carefully crafted world. The rooms are full of fabric samples, sketches, printing blocks and

Milne in 1922 By Emil Otto Hoppé - Shadowland, September 1922 (page 62), Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=58472213 On Christmas Eve in 1925, the first Winnie-the-Pooh story, The Wrong Bees , was published in the London Evening News. In celebration of this 100th anniversary, this latest blog in the Writers in Sussex  series explores the Sussex landscape that inspired A.A. Milne’s beloved stories and the enduring magic of Ashdown Forest. Ashdown Fo

Tessa Thompson in Hedda (2025) Here's the 24th batch of #52FilmsByWomen watched since taking the pledge in 2016. This batch of 52 films, 1198 – 1249, are those watched between July and November 2025. They included 38 feature films, 9 shorts, 2 TV series and 3 feature-length documentaries. Many of the shorts and features were those watched as part of the 10 th  Femme Filmmakers Festival, and online celebration of films directed by women. You can read more about the films prog

Jamie Patterson, born in 1986 in Brighton, East Sussex, is a British filmmaker whose work is closely tied to his home city. He co-founded the Brighton‑based production company Jump Start Productions and in 2018 wrote and directed Tucked , his first feature film. Tucked  is a raw and tender drama about Jackie, an ageing drag queen given six weeks to live, who forms an unexpected bond with a younger queen called Faith. The film explores identity, grief and community, blending h

I’ve always been fascinated by bio-pics, so much so that I wrote a book about them! Seeing Blue Moon  (2025, Richard Linklater) at the London Film Festival reminded me exactly why. Opening in the UK this Friday, it is a gorgeous example of how a short window in someone’s life can illuminate an entire world. Richard Linklater’s latest unfolds over a single night in lyricist Lorenz Hart’s life in 1943, at the opening night of his former writing partner Richard Rodgers’ Oklahoma

With Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein  in cinemas now, ahead of its Netflix release, it seemed like a good time to write up my visit earlier this year to Bath, seeking out locations with a Mary Shelley connection. There aren’t as many as for Jane Austen, but they’re worth the search. I whiled away hours in the fascinating Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein , which brings the novel’s enduring visual power and legacy vividly to life. Mary Shelley spent a pivotal period in Ba

Patrick Hamilton c. 1930 Patrick Hamilton’s The West Pier  (1952) captures a very different side of Sussex from the pastoral warmth of...

Former Carlton Cinema, now Gracepoint church It’s been 828 days since I joined Nigel Smith’s Islington’s Big Screens  walking tour back...