Laughs with Russ Abbott, drug-induced giggles with Howard Marks, sniggers with Talk Sex Show and the deadly serious George Orwell's 1984.

AN AUDIENCE WITH MR NICE, Worthing Assembly Hall, November 18
Britain's most notorious drug dealer Howard Marks is back with his cutting-edge stand-up and worldly wisdom. More dangerous and revealing than ever, Howard promises to recount stories never told before, including dealing with the Mafia. The show includes video footage covering three decades of the maverick life of Mr Nice. Tickets cost £12.50 for the 8pm show. Call 01903 206206.

CAUGHT IN THE NET, Theatre Royal, Brighton, November 18-23
Comic Russ Abbot has escaped from his television madhouse into this madcap comedy about a bigamist taxi driver who gets his comeuppance when his son and daughter from the separate marriages meet. This sequel to the smash hit Run For Your Wife comes straight from the West End and has been nominated for the Olivier Best Comedy of the Year 2002. Tickets cost £13 to £22, 7.45pm (Thurs and Sat matinees 2.30pm). Call 01273 328488.

TALK SEX SHOW, Komedia, Brighton, November 19-20
Learn to live without drugs, religion and television home-makeover programmes by spending just one hour with new-age sex guru ManTalkSex. Learn how to love and be loved and why you've been rejected in the past. This humorous evening combines practical demonstrations from two very experienced students with excerpts from videos. Starts 8pm, £10/£8 concs, 01273 647100.

GEORGE ORWELL's 1984, The Hawth, Crawley, November 15-16
Although the futuristic date the original novel referred to is long gone, the harrowing vision of society controlled through Newspeak, Doublethink and the notorious Big Brother still reflects very contemporary fears for the future. This production of Winston Smith's rebellion against the Ministry of Truth fuses music, physical theatre and large-scale projection. Tickets cost £14.50 (£12.50 concs) and the show starts at 7.30pm. Call 01293 5522941.