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We need to raise £15,000 through Crowdfunding, to cover loss of income over the next six months, as we work to transform the front of our iconic building! Could you help us? Click here to learn more!
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A small theatre company are performing their new murder-mystery play ‘Death at Sea’, but despite their best efforts, everything goes wrong!
Their play, ‘Death at Sea’, is a thrilling murder mystery set on a small ship carrying just five passengers and its Captain. When one of the passengers, Mr Inus, is found dead, the remaining passengers speculate and turn on each other until the real murderer is caught… But that isn’t how this play goes!
In Death(s) at Sea props fail, the set falls down, actors get drunk and concussed, and conversations in the wings reveal too much. If they can only make it to the end of the play before one of them really kills someone!
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Will Collier’s Chet Baker Project transports you to the elegant decadence of 1950’s West Coast cool. After the second world war, following Miles Davis and Gil Evans’ lead, Chet Baker along with long term collaborator Gerry Mulligan decided to leave the technical improvisations of bebop behind to create a laid-back melodic style of jazz emphasising composition and arrangement. Will Collier’s quartet pay homage to Chet’s legacy with music ranging from his early recordings with Charlie Parker to the piano-less quartets to the seminal album Chet Baker Sings.
Double bass player and singer Will Collier is a founding member of the Horne Section and leader of the Will Collier Septet who have released two albums. He has appeared on BBC1, BBC2, ITV, C4 and performed with Bobby McFerrin, Ed Sheeran, Jamie Cullum, Cleo Laine, Joe Stilgoe, Claire Teal, Atomic Kitten, Big Zuu, Suggs, Robbie Williams to name a few.
Featuring
Will Collier – double bass / vocals
Robbie Robson – trumpet
Dave Hamblett – drums
Rob Updegraff – guitar
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Thought Control are pleased to bring their Tribute to Pink Floyd to the Hardye Theatre, Queen’s Avenue. We present over two hours of classic songs with an unforgettable spectacle of sound and light.
On stage, we will carefully recreate all-time classics such as “Another Brick In The Wall”, “Money”, “Comfortably Numb” and “Wish You Were Here”, along with epics such as “Echoes” and “Shine On You Crazy Diamond”. The lighting, projection and laser effects create the perfect backdrop.
This year celebrates the 30th anniversary of both the successful “The Division Bell” album, and the landmark “PULSE” live tour, highly regarded to this day as pivotal in what a show should look and sound like.
Whether a die-hard fan or new to Pink Floyd, let Thought Control immerse you in the magic of one of the greatest bands of all time.
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Booking opens 10am Thursday 25th July
After a successful run of five performances in June, selling out every one of their shows, The New Hardy Players return with the popular Six Men Of Dorset this September, book your tickets early so not to be disappointed. The performance takes place across two venues. Accessible seats have limited availability, to book please call our offices on 01305 266926
In 1834, against a backdrop of extreme rural poverty and national turmoil, six lowly men of Dorset found themselves facing the full wrath and power of the British establishment. Commissioned by the TUC 100 years after their arrest, this production of The Tolpuddle Play takes it back to its roots, with the first act at its original venue, Dorchester’s Corn Exchange, before processing up to Shire Hall for the second act in the very courtroom where the Martyrs met their fate. Under Tim Laycock and Emma Hill’s direction, this is guaranteed to be a spine-chilling, moving and immersive experience.
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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!
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John Watterson is delighted to announce his new show for 2024 – ‘An Audience without Jake or Les’, celebrating the life, songs and wonderful wordsmithery of the great Yorkshire chansonnier, and the hilarious poetry of ‘the finest Poet Laureate we never had. The set includes many Jake classics (Sister Josephine, On Again On Again, The Bantam Cock etc), anecdotes from the recent biography plus some recently discovered ‘lost’ Thackray masterpieces. Les Barker’s wonderful poetry is celebrated through such gems as Reg was a Lonely Glow Worm, Dachsunds with Erections, Spot of the Antarctic and Déjà vu.
John Watterson is the UK’s leading performer of Jake’s songs. As Fake Thackray he has toured with Fairport Convention and Jasper Carrott and has performed at festivals, theatres and clubs across the UK and on local and national radio, as well as appearing with Jon Richardson on ‘Meet the Richardsons’. He was a friend of the late Les Barker and continues to sell Les’ merchandise to raise money for Amnesty International, Les’ nominated charity.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Without Jake.
Leeds-born Jake Thackray (1938-2002) is increasingly recognised as being one of the greatest English songwriters of the twentieth century, a unique talent, whose songs are full of poetry, wit, irreverence and humanity. He became known to millions through his regular appearances in the 1960s and 1970s on programmes such as Braden’s Week and That’s Life. Since his death in obscurity there has been growing recognition of his genius and a resurgence of interest in his work. His admirers include Jarvis Cocker, Alex Turner, Don Black, Thea Gilmore, Cerys Matthews, Benjamin Clementine and Neil Gaiman.
John Watterson is the UK’s leading performer of Jake’s songs. As Fake Thackray he has toured with Fairport Convention and performed at Latitude, Cropredy and the Edinburgh Fringe Festivals. He has also played for Jake’s family. John has appeared many times on radio, including Radio 4’s Great Lives, a Radio 2 documentary on Jake presented by Cerys Matthews and Radio 3’s The Verb hosted by Ian McMillan. Most recently he appeared on TVs Meet the Richardsons with Jon Richardson and Lucy Beaumont.
Without Les
Before turning his hand to poetry, Mancunian Les Barker was a chartered accountant, working at the city’s town hall until 1982. But he found it boring. He discovered that his real talent was in writing silly poems, which he would perform at local folk clubs. He soon became a regular at folk clubs and festivals. By his side was Mrs Ackroyd, his dog and loyal companion. He toured America and Australia, and his genius and silliness were treasured everywhere.
His poems set to music were recorded by the US folk singer Tom Paxton, the English folk singer June Tabor, the English folk group Waterson:Carthy, and many others. The Financial Times praised his work as “a blend of Edward Lear nonsense, Stanley Unwin wordplay, the surreal inconsequentiality of Reeves and Mortimer and the demonic robustness of Stanley Holloway monologues”. Les Barker’s wonderful poetry is celebrated through such gems as Reg was a Lonely Glow Worm, Dachsunds with Erections, Spot of the Antarctic and Déjà vu.
Les had a serious side, too. He was politically aware and had an acute social conscience. His poems The Civilised War, with its opening line of “How goes the war on terror, George?”, and The Church of the Holy Undecided got him into trouble in America, leading to cancelled concerts and a refusal to grant him a work permit for his next tour.
Website – www.fakethackray.com
Testimonials
Sir Richard Stilgoe
“Jake would have loved the skill of the performance, the accuracy of the impression, and the affection it contains. Long may John continue to keep Jake’s memory alive so affectionately and skilfully, and introduce more people to one of the most remarkable talents I ever met.”
Mike Harding
‘Brilliant! We can’t have Jake back but this is the next best thing.’
Ralph McTell
‘John Watterson’s obvious joy in performing Jake’s wonderful songs has inspired him to record these Thackray gems, many of which are receiving their first ever release. My dear friend Jake was a modest and shy man, but I think he would be quietly grinning in approval. John’s collaborator, Paul Thompson, has immersed himself so deeply in Jake’s musicality that the new tunes he has written for some of the songs sound as if they were composed by the man himself. Jake lives again through this album, which is a wonderful contribution to the canon of a unique and sadly missed artist.’
Don Black (Songwriter and BBC Radio 2 presenter)
‘Terrific interpretations.
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Join us for what is fast becoming a local tradition as Dorset ceilidh band Tatterdemalion return with their Big Dorset Michaelmas Ceilidh. As before there will be a special session for young families and caller Teresa Williams will teach the steps, so no experience is necessary. Nor is a partner; there’ll always be someone to take your hand. A great way to meet up with friends again after the busy summer. A treat for those who enjoy the simpler things in life, such as fine company, good music, and energetic dancing!
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In 1998 Marco Pantani, the most flamboyant and popular cyclist of his era, won both the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia, a titanic feat of physical and mental endurance that no rider has repeated since. He was a hero to millions, the saviour of cycling following the doping scandals which threatened to destroy the sport. However, less than six years later, aged just 34, he died alone, in a cheap hotel room, from acute cocaine poisoning. He had been an addict for five years. This is the story of the tragic battles fought by the most important Italian cyclist of his generation; man versus mountain, athlete versus addiction, Marco Pantani versus himself.
The film is a must for all cycling fans, as it captures all the drama and thrilling spectacle of the sport, but is equally fascinating as a human-interest story.
Age Guidance: 15+
‘…a fitting tribute to a worthy ‘King of the Mountains’ (CineVue)
‘Essential watching, even for anyone who can’t stand the sport’ (Total Film)
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CarmenCo’s “Pocket Opera” is more than a concert: It’s a performance of Spanish and Spanish inspired music presented as a play, inspired by Bizet’s opera Carmen, told from her point of view. Dare you consult the cards with her? What does she think of the men in her story? Did she foresee her gruesome ending? And does she like the opera that was written about her?
A fun-filled evening of fantasy, comedy, drama and tremendous music arranged from Bizet’s Carmen and Spanish and Spanish-inspired music by Boccherini, Falla, Garcia -Lorca, Rodrigo, Tarrega and Albeniz, all arranged by the musicians for guitars and flute / voice.
CarmenCo will have the audience in turn laughing out loud, and listening with absolute silence to the immersive and evocative music. It’s a brilliantly accessible and fun way to present classical music
Emily Andrews flute/mezzo – David Massey and Francisco Correa – guitars
REVIEWS
“An unusual, highly entertaining evening… The three first-rate musicians rose to the challenge of acting and dancing as well as musical performance… Superb range of musical colour and artistry throughout the programme” – Ayrshire Post
“What an outstanding performance by the extraordinarily talented and delightful CarmenCo ensemble. We were mesmerised by the story CarmenCo told, and the virtuosity of their flute and guitar playing and singing. It was a magnificent evening ending with rapturous applause” – concert organiser, Arts in The Langfords
“The feedback from your concert has been huge, universally everybody loved it. The number of times I have been stopped in the street this week to compliment the performance is countless.” – concert organiser, Portesham for ArtsReach Dorset
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| A tale of the eternal quest for love, identity and belonging. Fearless and free, Mowgli the ‘man-cub’ finds fun and friendship despite learning to live by the Law of the Jungle. Join Indigo Moon Theatre as they take you through a daring adventure in their latest adaptation of Jungle Book. Inspired by Kipling’s novel, inventive shadow puppet theatre, original music and mesmerising technicolour projections take you on a magical journey. Travel through a dangerous world where Mowgli bravely faces personal and environmental challenges, overcoming fear to discover the beauty of identity and belonging, and friendships in unexpected places. Jungle Book is from Indigo Moon Theatre’s portfolio of universal stories that embrace innovative approaches to storytelling. The show brings issues around our natural world and our sense of belonging to life for younger children. Aimed at ages 4 to 11 years. A warm-hearted production for all the family. |
About Indigo Moon
Indigo Moon Theatre is best known as a Hull based Anglo-Indonesian children’s shadow puppet theatre company that has toured nationally and internationally to theatres, festivals and schools since 2001. Historically, their work combines traditions, techniques and styles from around the world, particularly from Europe and Indonesia. Their shows often carry important, transferable messages about the world around us.
Merging intricate colourful design, immersive original music, engaging storytelling and a combination of marionettes, rod puppets, live acting and shadow theatre – Indigo Moon Theatre brings new life to classic tales, such as Jungle Book, Aladdin and Alice and the White Rabbit, as well as creating their own original work. They have enjoyed hundreds of performances to date, as well as taking commissions for commercial ventures. You may have seen their work appear in the BBC TV programme Peaky Blinders, a Take That gig or in the latest Sir Kenneth Branagh film, A Haunting in Venice (with a spooky shadow theatre performance by IMT’s Anna Ingleby, scenery by Haviel Perdana, and characters designed by Susanna Samanek, who also designed the Jungle Book puppets). They also have a long history of educational workshops for children and adults.
Anna Ingleby
Anna studied puppetry in India and Indonesia and, with Haviel Perdana, has successfully created the Indigo Moon Theatre aesthetic of combining traditional puppetry styles with contemporary writing and theatre-making skills. Hand crafted sets, marionettes, rod puppets and shadow theatre are blended with acting and original music to share global stories with the audience.
Haviel Perdana
Haviel is an electro composer / musician, director and visual artist / painter from Indonesia. He co-devises shows, composes the music, leads workshops and creates scenery and puppets.
Keeping Things Fresh
Messages of self-belief, kindness and togetherness underpin Indigo Moon Theatre’s work. Contemporary issues, environmental concerns and climate change are explored, seeking to engage and inspire audiences.
Performance accessibility has always been important to Indigo Moon Theatre. Recently, they have been working to enhance audience engagement with the support of an accessibility consultant. The team is undergoing training to enable future integration of audio description within performances, offer touch tours and create safe spaces for everyone to enjoy their performances.
Looking at new ways of audience delivery and extending learning opportunities using technologies, such as Google Classroom will also enable more diverse audiences and voices to engage with their work.
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The Best Life reminds us of a huge, transparent issue that we have forgotten about. The madness and pain of war, locked in Roksolana’s teenage heart, makes us both laugh and cry, while her sincerity about the family that remained in Ukraine makes us live through the fear together with her.
The debut of young scriptwriter, Kateryna Rudiakova, who at just 15 years of age found the courage and her voice to tell us about it from her point of view.
This is a Pay What You Can ticket price, all proceeds will be going towards the Plough Youth Theatre. Payment will be taken after the show.
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The year is 1916.
Drawn from two years of Sussex retirement for the funeral of his friend, Dr Watson, Holmes returns to Baker Street to resolve ‘the last act’ of his epic career.
A theatrical evening then unfolds, with fourteen characters, all played by Nigel Miles-Thomas in a tour de force performance.
Cross-examinations, heated arguments between Holmes and Watson, and all manner of comic and serious interactions, between many famous Conan Doyle characters.
As the play concludes the great detective reveals a shocking secret.
Written by Conan Doyle expert David Stuart Davies, directed by award-winning Gareth Armstrong.
‘Nigel Miles-Thomas plays Holmes with magical candour. Brilliant, Unmissable’ ***** (Noho Arts)
‘A Classy Holmes” **** (The Daily Mail)
‘There is nothing elementary about this production, top class’ *****(Glam)
‘A Firework display of Acting virtuosity’ ***** (Theatre Weekly)
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A soulful, raw, and powerful storyteller, Amy Mayes has become a powerhouse of a voice who will reach into your soul and take you on a journey akin to her own. Creating a sound and perfecting her art, Amy has been making waves on the music scene, driving her steady rise to notable recognition.
With her exceptional six-piece band she presents an eclectic mix of beautifully haunting original power ballads and up tempo swinging blues, with well-chosen covers to complement the set.
Amy’s sound is not something that can be easily defined. Amy has created a sound which can be described as both powerful and subtle, strong but soulful. Calling on artists like Aretha Franklin, Bessie Smith, Stevie Wonder and BB King to name a few, spanning across the genres and taking away the unique nuances of each, Amy has blended this with her own truly heartfelt emotion to encapsulate her audiences and deliver performances that stay with you.
Amy has graced iconic stages like Shepherds Bush Empire, Manchester Opera House, Birmingham Symphony Hall, and Ronnie Scott’s. And she wasn’t alone, Amy has had the privilege and honour of sharing the stage with Rod Stewart, Jeff Beck, Imelda May, Lulu, and Johnny Depp, not to mention touring alongside Ronnie Wood for his ‘Mad Lad’ album tour, amongst the previously mentioned musical icons.
Having signed to WHM music, ‘An Introduction’ was released and showcased to a sell-out at Ronnie Scott’s. A debut E.P that features the brilliant guitarist Robbie McIntosh and the equally brilliant pianist Ben Waters, Amy’s journey has come a long way and doesn’t look to be slowing down.
An eclectic mix of beautifully haunting original power ballads and up tempo swinging blues. With well chosen covers to complement the album.
Band Line up
Piano/Keys
Rhodes
Guitar
Bass
Drums
Backing vocalist
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Francoeur Sonata in E
Chopin Polonaise Brillante
Franck Sonata in A
François Francoeur was a violinist at the royal court in Paris in the mid-18th century. He wrote several books of violin sonatas, some of which have been transcribed for cello.
Chopin wrote almost exclusively for the piano, so this Polonaise is a rare and brillante exception.
Franck wrote his great sonata as a wedding present for the violinist Ysaÿe. It is a work of great happiness with its soaring themes and swirling accompaniments. The final movement includes lines of melody that constantly intertwine – a wonderfully apt symbol in what has been called the ‘wedding present’ sonata.
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