Photo credit – Chloe Hashemi
The Gift at The Old Market – a midwinter feast of magic, mayhem and collective joy
The Old Market venue set up and owned by the founders of mayhem musicians Stomp has always championed adventurous work, but its new in-house production The Gift may be one of the boldest things this Hove venue has attempted. Running from now until 21st December, this immersive, anarchic and unexpectedly moving festive show blends live performance, music, ritual, communal dining, cocktails, and good old-fashioned human connection.
Photo credit – Nicola Benge
It’s part gig, part theatre, part dinner party and offers a nightly nocturnal programme of: Welcome, Reading, Wish, Feast, Game, Ritual, and Farewell. This may seem initially unclear to the uninitiated, but upon arrival, visitors are taken in hand by a cast of characters who reveal all slowly but surely, over the course of each evening.
The structure of the night unfolds as welcome, reading, wish, feast, game, ritual, and farewell. But within that outline, the evening flows according to the group’s energy. There’s early food (sharing platters from Malo Empanadas, Pie O My and Cloud 9), drinks mixed at a bespoke bar, and plenty of chances to meet your fellow attendees – the people who will, quite literally, make the show with you.
What makes The Gift so hard to describe, and so rewarding to attend, is that it shapeshifts nightly. Every audience brings different wishes, hopes and hesitations into the room, and those offerings become part of the experience. No two evenings are the same: it’s co-created by the participants present, stewarded gently but confidently by award-winning director and writer – ebullient host of the proceedings, Mella Faye, and the Pecho Mama team of multi-talented performers, musicians and mischievous facilitators. On the night I attended, I participated in an unplanned marriage, a conga, a song, a hug of hundreds, flying and a specific request, whilst other groups simultaneously created their own events.
Inspired by influences as wide-ranging as Colombia’s Theatre of the Senses, Berlin’s Social Muscle Club and the beautiful creative chaos of Nevada’s Burning Man, The Gift invites audience members to step into a midwinter adventure. You can dive in with both feet or hang back and observe – both choices are welcomed in a space where inhibitions soften, and silliness, generosity and play feel natural rather than forced.
I wasn’t sure what to expect walking in, and at points, I wasn’t entirely sure what to think. The Gift doesn’t follow a traditional show format, nor even an immersive theatre experience, as each night is so unique. No matter what mood you’re in, or who you’ve come with, by introducing a sorting system, whilst dining with friends, you are latterly moved into a newfound group of friends led by a Lover, a Magician, a Fool and so on, to explore your deepest wishes, whims, and hopes.
The show refuses easy categorisation, and it would be churlish to spoil the niche events unfolding by giving it all away in advance. As mentioned above, each night differs depending on those present, so be prepared to relish the unexpected. At points, I faltered partly through tiredness, and from the novel situation; it was a school night after all, but by the end of the show, I felt unbelievably joyous and uplifted. There was a genuine sense of kinship amongst the room – a will-o’-the-wisp fleeting community formed through music, laughter, small acts of bravery and the simple delight of collaborating with people you’ve never met.
TOM’s groundbreaking 360° digital environment, In The Box, adds an extra immersive visual layer without overshadowing the performers. This, and the other installations add to the evening to encourage even the most hesitant guests to lean into the communal imaginative world constructed between friends you haven’t met yet.
What lingers is a feeling of warmth: the absurdity and wonder of being alive together in a room, sharing food and creativity in the middle of winter. It’s not a standard Christmas outing, and that’s the point. As Faye puts it, the show is “a radical alternative to the capitalist rodeo of Christmas” – a night that feels closer to a beautifully bonkers house party with a hundred new friends than a theatre production.
For those seeking a festive experience that isn’t saccharine, predictable or commercialised, The Gift is a (gin and) tonic. It’s joyous, surprising, inclusive and, at times, quietly moving. You will leave with a full belly and an even fuller heart.
The Gift runs at The Old Market until 21st December. Please go! It’s a rare treat, and you will walk out feeling just that little bit more connected – to yourself, to others, and to the strange magic of this season.
Details
The Gift runs at The Old Market (TOM) from December 3-21 2025.
Doors and bar open from 6.30pm. Show starts 7.30pm unless otherwise outlined.
Wednesday – 19:30
Thursday – 19:30
Friday – 19:30
Saturday – 19:30
Sunday – 17:30
There are no shows on Mondays or Tuesdays.
Tickets
All shows are for 18+.
Tickets are priced at £47.50 each and include a shareable feast.
- Tribes of 10 or more – £40 each (discount automatically applies online – put your tickets into the basket and the gift of group discounts will appear.
- Please note, the offer only applies to tickets purchased in one group at the time of booking. The offer won’t apply if purchasing extra tickets at a later date).
- Access Register Companions – £18
- Full menu details outlined on the website.
- Box Office on 01273 201801 or online at https://www.theoldmarket.com/shows/the-gift
Venue
The Old Market, 11a Upper Market Street, Hove, BN3 1AS
