Thurs 5 December | Natalie Inside Out

Playful, beautiful and highly skilled, Natalie Inside Out is a unique collaboration between world-class hand-balancer Natalie Reckert and digital artist Mark Morreau, using technology and video projections to turn our conventional ideas of circus upside down and inside out. Literally.

Fusing circus and interactivity to examine the inner workings of the body, Natalie and Mark playfully investigate the relationship between the actual and the mediatised body. Exploring the intersection of live acrobatic performance, close up video and spoken word, they embed movement on stage into projected landscapes on screen, to reveal the underlying mechanics, emotions and motivations of the circus body.

Additional information

Playful, beautiful and highly skilled, Natalie Inside Out sees hand balancer Natalie Reckert and digital artist Mark Morreau pool their talents in a strikingly intimate show about the vulnerability of a circus artist as she struggles to achieve something extraordinary.

Fusing exceptional circus tricks and interactive technologies, Reckert and Morreau playfully investigate the relationship between Reckert’s flesh-and-blood body and its digitally represented counterpart. They mix live acrobatic performance of challenging hand-balancing moves with extreme close-up slow-motion video and talk about the personal emotions, challenges and stories behind the thrilling facade. Morreau transforms Reckert’s live movement on stage into beautiful expansive graphic landscapes of the body on screen, showing how digital media can actually illuminate the mechanics, emotions and motivations of the human body.

Natalie Inside Out has been developed with The Lowry and supported by Arts Council England, National Centre for Circus Arts Lab:time2 and Jacksons Lane, with additional support from Greentop Community Circus Centre.

BIOGRAPHIES

Natalie Reckert and Mark Morreau first worked together on Stumble DanceCircus’ An Evening of Instability in 2008. Drawn together by a shared desire to investigate the inner workings of the circus body they formed Reckert & Morreau in 2016. Shortly after this they were awarded the £5000 National Centre for Circus Arts Labtime2 bursary to begin research and development on Natalie Inside Out in partnership with Jacksons Lane, North London’s flagship venue for contemporary circus. Subsequently they were approached by The Lowry to support the development of the show through their “Developed With… programme”. The show has been devised and shaped through a series of work-in-progress showings in London, Salford and Sheffield throughout 2016 and 2017 before premiering at The Lowry and at Jacksons Lane in April 2018 as the closing show of the Roundhouse CircusFest.

www.natalieinsideout.com

Natalie Reckert is a circus maker integrating robotic movement, spoken word and hand balancing to create full length shows since 2007. She has created three pieces with aerialist Ilona Jantti between 2009 and 2017. With ‘Collectif and then’ she co-created and performed The Machine (2016) at the Barbican Centre, funded by the Samuel Beckett Award. Her solo performance Selfie with eggs, created in 2014, had a successful run at Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2016 (4 stars, Total Theatre) and toured across Europe.

Mark Morreau is an established filmmaker and photographer following 15 years as a professional trapeze artist. Recent work as a digital artist includes working with Complicité as Associate Video Director on the re-tour of “Drive your plough over the bones of the dead”. Other recent collaborations include projection design for Chisato Minamimura’s “Mark of a Woman”; creative captioning for Altered Skin’s “Fatherhood”; “Emerging” and “Depths of my Mind” with Scarabeus Aerial Theatre; and ongoing work with Lindsey Butcher / Gravity & Levity, documenting work and creating films of her practice. His solo piece United States (2016), supported by an Artist in Residence award at Access Space, Sheffield, explored the use of interactive software and responsive interaction between digital media and the performer.

Sun 8 December | Creative Festive Fun Workshop + performance (Winter In Dorset)

Enjoy a hot meal, a festive-themed creative art workshop, and a performance of Dorchester Art’s children’s show: The (merry) Christmas Carol! Bah! Humbug!

The performance is presented by Forest Forge, Bumblefly Theatre and Mischievous Theatre

Through their unique brand of quirky storytelling, live action, music, a puppet or two, a host of Gothic surprises, some ghostly flights of fancy and a clanking of chains, the Travelling Players bring this Yuletide classic to life.

Our festive arts making activities and christmas play will get children into the spirit of the season and send them home warm and happy!

PLEASE NOTE: Due to building work at Dorchester Arts, drop-off for lunch and the creative workshop will be at Dorchester Museum, with collection at Dorchester Arts after the performance. Children will be escorted to Dorchester Arts by our creative team.

Sun 8 December | Alive & Drawing

What happens when theatre meets art? And why should life-drawing be all about a nude on a box?

Join us for a unique take on the traditional life-drawing class. Alive & Drawing events feature varied and sometimes surprising set-ups, using props, music, lights, costumes, movement, narrative, masks and more to inspire you and awaken the artist’s sense of adventure.

Suitable for all abilities and any age over 12yrs. Beginners very welcome!

Sun 8 December | A Christmas Carol – Forest Forge

The (merry) Christmas Carol!

Bah! Humbug!

The Travelling Players return with their suitcases bursting with merriment, mayhem and humbug! They tell the haunting tale of a mean and miserly old man; the tight-fisted curmudgeon, Ebenezer Scrooge!

Between dusk and dawn Scrooge is visited by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future! Will he mend his ways? Will he become a new man? Will he greet themorning with a … Merry Christmas Everyone?

Through their unique brand of quirky storytelling, live action, music, a puppet or two, a host of Gothic surprises, some ghostly flights of fancy and a clanking of chains, the Travelling Players bring this Yuletide classic to life.

Join us for this heartfelt hug of a tale! After all, as Dickens said: “There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humour.”

A sociable event to send you home warm and happy!

Presented by Forest Forge, Bumblefly Theatre and Mischievous Theatre

Tue 10 December | Charles Dickens: Telling Tales

An original and authentic recreation of the great author’s dramatic performances, adapted from some of his shorter tales, including ghost classic The Signalman and comic selections taken from The Pickwick Papers. What would Christmas be without a ghost story and some Dickens? This evening brings you both…

Formed in 2010 by actor and Artistic Director Jonathan Goodwin, Don’t Go Into The Cellar have become one the UK’s finest practitioners of theatrical Victoriana in a macabre vein.

Thurs 12 December | Cabaret With Claus (Charlie Bicknell & Louise Innes)

Glad Tidings abound as Charlie Bicknell and Louise Innes return with ‘The Christmas show.’

An evening of shamelessly festive insanity. Classical Nativity intertwines with contemporary insensitivity all performed with dazzling ingenuity. (See what I’m doing here?)

Angels, Shepherds, scented candles and a glitterball rocket ship, what’s not to Love…actually?  Operaptic numbers – no, that’s not a typo, a man formerly known as Tiny Tim and a goose. Maybe.

Fri 13 December | Budapest Café Orchestra

Refreshingly unconventional and snappily attired, the boutique Budapest Café Orchestra play gypsy and folk-flavoured music in their own unique and surprising way. From Balkan and Russian traditional music to artful distillations of Romantic masterworks to soaring Gaelic folk anthems, BCO is an infectious musical experience like none other.

A diminutive ensemble of just four players, it creates an astonishing soundscape and aural alchemy, combining violin, guitar, accordion, double bass, sax, balalaika, domra and percussion to dazzling effect.

Evoking vivid images of Tzigane fiddle maestros, Budapest café life and gypsy campfires –  plus surprises along the way – this is hugely entertaining, immense skill, and profound musicianship.

Christian Garrick & the
Budapest Café Orchestra
are:

CHRISTIAN GARRICK – violin, darbuka
EDDIE HESSION – accordion
KELLY CANTLON – double bass
ADRIAN ZOLOTUHIN – guitar, saz, balalaika, domra

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

In 2009 Christian Garrick established the refreshingly unconventional and snappily attired Budapest Café Orchestra. The intention to present a broad range of music from all over the world in the most entertaining and fun way. One of BCO’s prime directives is to take the music seriously but not so much themselves. Part of the secret formula of the BCO’s show presentation is performing all the music from memory and, combined their trademark wit and charm, audiences leave tingling with warmth and delight.

BCO are one of the very busiest acoustic groups for me today playing an average of 60 to 70 shows per annum. Since their inception they have recorded one album every year and in January 2023 made their 14th Pavane (& the whole shebang-bang). BCO are frequent guests to BBC Radio 3’s In Tune and on Martin’s Handley’s weekend Breakfast programmes.

Each member of the orchestra is a freelance musician in their own right. Both Eddie and Adrian teach prolifically for budding school-age musicians. Christian is a professor of jazz violin at Guildhall School of Music, Royal Academy of Music, and Royal College of Music in London.

Adrian is curator and director of the Imperial Balalaika Orchestra of Overton (IBOO) who sometimes appear with BCO at special gala concerts. Both Eddie and Christian are busy session recording the sessions and have each played on a multitude of movies. Eddie even had an on-screen role in the Nick Cage film Captain Corelli’s Mandolin!

From a musical family with jazz and classical learnings Christian Garrick is musical director of BCO and his influences run far and wide. He first discovered Hungarian and Romanian folk and gypsy music listening to Sandor Lakatos and Taraf du Haidouks. Christian’s arrangements for BCO of Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky and Greig – the so called ‘squeezebox concertos’ – are rooted in BCO folklore. His arrangements of traditional Gaelic tunes on the album The Gaelic Chronicles was met with critical acclaim with the likes of Cerys Matthews and Mark Radcliffe both championing the disc on their respective radio shows. Christian is influenced by a range of fiddlers from Grappelli to Stuff Smith to Indian virtuosos L Shankar and L Subramaniam. Nigel Kennedy, a sometimes collaborator with Christian on stage, described him as “one of my favourite violinists”. Christian’s own unique hybrid playing style, sheer emotional passion and extraordinary improvisational abilities thrills audiences everywhere.

“Not so much a band name as a whole genre of its own, Budapest Café Orchestra embraces an encyclopaedia of music and mischief.” SCOTSMAN

“Your music is really great.” Helena Bonham Carter

“Their arrangements are brilliant, their improvisations inspired. Their humour and, on occasion, sheer silliness hides a real brilliance of execution. In every bit of the material the charming irony hides really serious and focussed music-making. This is entertainment of a high order. Sir Roger Norrington

“The music is magic in their hands.” Sean Rafferty BBC Radio 3

“Absolutely acoustically electrifying!” Time Out

“Back by popular demand, the fiery vivacity and awe-inspiring musicianship of the finest purveyors of Eastern European gypsy music this side of a Lada scrap heap will leave you with a grin on your face and rhythm in your feet…” TIMES

“The Budapest Cafe Orchestra play a blistering barrage of Czardas, East European and Russian folk tunes that might have come from the Hot Club of Paris via the Orient Express!” Brighton Argus

Fri 20 December | Noël Noël – Bournemouth Sinfonietta Choir

The Bournemouth Sinfonietta Choir return to the Corn Exchange with ‘Noël Noël’, their ever-popular Christmas soirée. With an eclectic mix of music, old and new, well-loved festive favourites and exciting new pieces, there’s sure to be something for everyone.

This year the choir will be led by celebrated guest conductor Jonathan Willcocks. Until recently the conductor of the Leith Hill Festival, Jonathan has genuine Christmas credentials, with compositions featured in Carols for Choirs. We are delighted to welcome Jonathan’s skilful musicianship and charming wit.

Thurs 9 & Fri 10 January | ART (Somerleigh Players)

The Somerleigh Players present ART, the critically acclaimed comedy by Yasmina Reza. Set in Paris, this uproarious play examines the lives of three friends—Serge, Marc, and Yvan—whose long-standing bond is put to the test when Serge makes an unconventional purchase: a pristine, all-white painting. What begins as a seemingly trivial debate over contemporary art rapidly spirals into a hilarious and revealing confrontation as the friends grapple with the very essence of art and truth. Will their friendship withstand their clash of views?

ART is a sharp, insightful exploration of how passions and perceptions shape our relationships, and won Olivier, Tony, and Moliere Awards for Best Comedy. Join Rob Sansom, David Lucas and Kevin Morris as they explore the boundaries between art and reality with wit and intelligence in a play as thought-provoking as it is entertaining.

Sat 11 January | The Big Dorset Midwinter Ceilidh

Join us once again to dance away those winter blues! Local ceilidh band Tatterdemalion play folk tunes for dancing at what has become something of a tradition every January for the past few years. These ever-popular evenings include an earlier session for those with little legs, to allow young families the chance to dance together.

Our experienced caller will teach the dances, so no foreknowledge is required. Nor do you need a partner; someone will take you by the hand. The bar will be available to quench a danced-up thirst. A treat for those who enjoy the simpler things in life, such as fine company, good music, and energetic dancing!

Fri 17 January | Matt Rendell’s Inside Stories of the Tour de France

ITV Tour de France commentator Matt Rendell shares stories from his 25 years’ covering the race – and his dealings with cycling’s big names from Eddy Merckx to Bradley Wiggins, Mark Cavendish to Chris Froome.

Matt’s live shows delight audiences with a magically unpredictable mix of first-hand experiences of the biggest races on the calendar, bizarre/hilarious personal stories and thought-provoking ideas about the future (and history) of the sport.

Matt Rendell will be in conversation with former Procycling writer Duncan Steer. There will be a chance to ask your own questions.

Join Matt Rendell, renowned ITV Tour de France commentator and insider, as he takes you behind the scenes of one of the world’s most iconic sporting events with stories featuring cycling legends including Eddy Merckx, Bradley Wiggins, Mark Cavendish  and Chris Froome.

Hosted in conversation with former Procycling writer Duncan Steer, Matt shares the highs and lows of the biggest races on the calendar through anecdotes, personal memories, and unique insights into the evolution of cycling. From astonishing encounters with star riders to the surprising twists and turns of life on the road, this is an inside look at cycling’s past, present, and future.

Thurs 23 January | The Neil Maya Quartet presents The Charlie Parker Story

Hear the music and story of the greatest sax player. Alto saxophonist Charlie Parker was one of the most influential jazz musicians of all time, forging a brand new genre in jazz, bebop, with fast tempos, virtuosic technique and advanced harmonies. Tonight, saxophonist Neil Maya celebrates some of Charlie’s finest compositions as well as some great jazz standards that Charlie brought to prominence. In between numbers Neil will also talk about Charlie’s eventful and troubled short life and the influence he had on jazz.

Saxophonist Neil Maya plays in many jazz bands including the ‘Drat Pack’, All Jazzed Up, the nationally touring ‘Magnificent Buble’, and his own quartet. He has been praised for his “electrifying performance with crisp melody lines and improvisation.”

Neil will be accompanied by Philip Clouts at the piano, with Kevin Sanders on the bass and Gary Evans at the drums. Pianist Philip Clouts’ international career has included playing at Ronnie Scott’s, large festivals such as Glastonbury and Womad, and equally in the plush and intimate surroundings of London’s Lanesborough Hotel. Jazzwise magazine has praised his ‘enjoyable, easy swinging’ playing, and his albums have received widespread critical acclaim and national airplay, including on BBC’s Jamie Cullum Show.

The quartet will be playing many of Charlie’s most famous compositions and recordings including Ornithology, Yardbird Suite, Now’s the Time, Blues For Alice, Cherokee and many more.

“You can tell the history of jazz in four words: Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker.”  Miles Davis Text…

Sat 25 & Sun 26 January | Primary School Assembly Bangers Live! (James B Partridge)

Join James for an evening of pure nostalgia, stepping back in time with some joyous singalong tunes to take you back to your Primary School days. You won’t have to sit cross legged on the school hall floor, but you will be encouraged to sing along! As well as the assembly bangers, there will be other musical surprises, school disco mashups and comic reflections on growing up in the 90s.

Jenna’s Jamboree ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“James isn’t just your average music teacher; he has mastered the art of engaging and entertaining his audience. Regaling his youth with witty wistfulness, we travel back in time with him at the helm.”

Gareth Malone “That was a fantastic show. Loved it!”

Sat 1 February | Simon and Garfunkel Through The Years (Bookends)

Critically acclaimed as one of the world’s greatest tribute shows, Simon & Garfunkel Through the Years continues to delight audiences across the globe. Featuring stunning vocal harmonies from world-class musicians, this spectacular concert transports you on a journey through the epic songs and history of the much-loved Simon and Garfunkel. “One of the greatest tribute shows anywhere in the world”

Stuart Cameron, BBC and ITV Broadcaster The show is a celebration of the unprecedented rise to fame of two boys from Queens, New York, who went on to become the most successful folk-rock duo of the 1960s, selling 38 million albums in the US alone, and receiving 10 Grammy Awards. In 1981, they performed to over half a million people in their hometown of New York, and in 1990 were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Collectively known as Bookends, Dan Haynes and Pete Richards have been fronting Simon & Garfunkel Through the Years since its creation in 2011. Much like their idols, they became friends at school and could not resist singing together from a tender age.

Alongside stops in London’s West End, the show has toured extensively around the UK, Europe, United States and Australia, attracting packed houses night after night. With consecutive sell-out runs since 2014 at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, they are championed as “one of the best vocal groups touring today”, whose sounds are ‘’simply breathtaking’’.

Featuring all the major hits such as The Sound of Silence, Mrs Robinson, The Boxer and the iconic Bridge Over Troubled, don’t miss out on this phenomenal show.

“A real masterpiece” – BBC Radio

Thurs 6 February | Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope

Written and performed by Mark Farrelly

Directed by Linda Marlowe

Mark Farrelly (Howerd’s End, Jarman) brings his hugely-acclaimed solo play to Dorchester Arts for an up-close encounter with the original Englishman in New York.

From a conventional upbringing to global notoriety via The Naked Civil Servant, Quentin Crisp was one of the most memorable figures of the twentieth century. Openly gay as early as the 1930s, Quentin spent decades being beaten up on London’s streets for refusing to be anything less than himself. His courage, and the philosophy that evolved from those experiences, inspire to the present day.

Naked Hope depicts Quentin at two phases of his extraordinary life: alone in his Chelsea flat in the 1960s, certain that life has passed him by, and thirty years later, performing An Evening with Quentin Crisp in New York. Packed with witty gems on everything from cleaning (“Don’t bother – after the first four years the dust won’t get any worse”) to marriage (“Is there life after marriage? The answer is no”), Naked Hope is a glorious, uplifting celebration of the urgent necessity to be your true self.

Running time: 75 mins no interval

★★★★★ “A stunning piece of theatre, masterfully told” Broadway Baby

★★★★★ “An acting masterclass” Sardines Magazine

★★★★★ “A truly life-affirming play and an absolute triumph” All That Dazzles