Music & more marvels

Round & About

Posted on

Berkshire

Family-friendly Marvellous festival at Dinton Pastures Country Park over the weekend of 21st & 22nd July promises tribute acts galore and lots more!

Our respect for the talent of tribute acts has risen to such a point that whole festivals are dedicated to them. This certainly makes economic sense: in this time of austerity how else can you enjoy Tina Turner, Coldplay, Pink and Led Zeppelin in concert?

One of the longest running and best tribute festivals is the suitably named Marvellous which returns to Dinton Pastures Country Park near Hurst over the weekend of 21st and 22nd July.

Marvellous features 15 top tribute performers who perform their pitch-perfect imitations all over the world. On the Saturday you can have a fiesta with Oye Santana, listen to when Sting was great with Police Force and enjoy the sounds of Ed Sheeran (minus 100,000 screaming teenagers) in Jack Shepherd’s tribute.

Marvellous is well known for serving up an eclectic mix of musical genres and eras, and this year you will be right royally entertained by tributes to all your favourite artists and more as well as a second stage marquee featuring a plethora of unsigned local talent. Kids of all ages will find plenty to do with fabulous fairground rides as well as loads of free activities in the Big Kids’ Village – including balloon modelling, arts and crafts, games, and face painting.

New for 2018 is the Silent Disco tent where revellers wear headphones and can switch between two channels of music transmitted wirelessly to them by the DJ – great fun to do and to watch! The festival offers both day tickets and weekend tickets, camping and glamping packages.

Then there’s Sir Tom (Jones), P!nk, and Definitely Might Be (Oasis). That’s another great thing about tribute acts – you can watch unexpected reunions such as the Gallagher brothers or even reunions from beyond the grave in the case of T Rextasy who support Saturday headliners Ultimate Eagles.

On the Sunday the fun continues with Bruno (not Frank; Mars), Sounds of Simon (& Garfunkel), Boot Led Zeppelin, Typically Tina, The Fillers (The Killers tribute), Legend (Bob Marley tribute), and the headliner Coldplace.

Tickets for Saturday or Sunday cost £43 (£70 for the weekend) for adults, and £20 (£35) for children. If you plan to camp – or glamp! – then there’s an additional charge. For more details and to book visit: www.marvellousfestivals.com

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

Homegrown heroes

Round & About

Posted on

Berkshire

Henley Symphony Orchestra will take centre stage on Saturday, 14th July, at the Henley Festival which Round & About magazine is proud to sponsor this year

Featuring a programme of popular classics from around the world, Henley Symphony Orchestra will play an inaugural concert from 11.30am to 1.30pm, on the “floating stage” as part of Henley Festival.

This is the first of two special classical concerts over the festival weekend; the second being the English National Opera’s concert on Sunday evening.

The HSO, now in its 48th season, continues to attract a wide audience and soloists of the highest calibre. It has given performances in Henley’s twin towns of Leichlingen, Falaise and Bled. Most recently it performed to a full house at the Hexagon, Reading, with the inspirational young cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason playing Elgar’s Cello Concerto.

July’s concert will feature the violinist Min Kym who has performed with many of the world’s leading orchestras and eminent conductors. She will be playing two showpieces with the orchestra; Massenet’s beautiful Meditation from Thais and Sarasate’s scintillating Zapateado.

Under the masterful command of conductor Ian Brown, the orchestra will also perform Dvorak, Gershwin, Marquez, Offenbach and Walton. Tchaikovsky’s iconic 1812 Overture, with its resounding bells and cannon fire – a fitting end to the concert!

Tickets for the concert on 14th are £20 (£10 for under-18s and students). For the full Henley Festival line-up visit www.henley-festival.co.uk

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

Imaginative arts

Round & About

Posted on

Berkshire

Make a date to visit Basildon Park this month to enjoy a spectacular exhibition. The grounds of Basildon Park, Lower Basildon, are the setting for Wayfaring.

This is a free outdoor installation and performance space created in the grounds of this country house, by artists Mandy Dike and Ben Rigby, who work together as And Now.

As the name poetically inspires, Wayfaring is an artistic journey of exploration, inspired by the landscape and ancient routes of the Icknield Way, a pre-Roman pathway running from north Norfolk to the Dorset coast. Basildon Park, where the North Wessex Downs meets the Chilterns, sits on the edge of the route.

Usually visitors pay to enter Basildon Park’s beautiful parklands – but on the 18th, 19th and 20th July entry is free.

The journey begins in the park, where you can contribute to the artwork, with materials found by Mandy, Ben and their team and a group of volunteers and local schoolchildren.

On the evening of Saturday, 21st July, at 7pm, fire, pyrotechnics, live music and performance will light up the installation in a rousing celebration. The audience will play an active part in Wayfaring – walking, looking, listening, maybe even singing. This event is an exciting opportunity to create an amazing journey for audiences in a very special location.

Wayfaring is the culmination of a three-year artistic and heritage collaboration between And Now: and the National Association for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

This project will provide a stepping stone to transform natural locations with imaginative arts events.

www.wayfaring.org.uk

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

Meat and greet

Round & About

Posted on

Berkshire

Ever since he was in his early teens Christian Alba knew that he wanted to be a butcher. Jonathan Lovett finds out more about the butcher boy who has realised his dream.

I loved that funny meaty smell that butchers’ shops had,” he says, laughing. “I started in the trade as a Saturday boy when I was 13, doing the cleaning, and a couple of years later they offered me an apprenticeship. When I was 15 I was on a butcher’s bike in the Cricklade Carnival with sausages hanging around my neck wearing a bowler hat and a moustache drawn on my face!”

Fast forward 30-odd years and Christian is now the proud owner of his own shop, Christian Alba Traditional Butchers, located in Hungerford High Street. Opening at the start of May it’s the realisation of a dream for the cheery meat man who staked his own house to buy the shop.

“If it’s your own money and your own life it makes you more driven to make it work,” he adds. “I’d been searching a while for somewhere suitable but hadn’t got anywhere and then this supplier I knew came into the place I was working and said, ‘I’ve got one for you in Hungerford!’ I’ve never been here before in my life but I came over and just knew this was right the moment I stepped inside.”

Christian was previously manager of the award-winning Michael Hart & Sons Butcher in Cirencester and he aims to bring the same high standard of quality to Hungerford and shoppers in nearby towns. But what makes his shop special?

“I pride myself on buying English or British. I’m a proud believer of supporting the English farmer because if you don’t, they will be gone. I’m also concerned with animal welfare and if I could sell everything free-range I would but I appreciate not everyone has the money to afford that. But we do sell free-range pork and lamb, beef and chickens.”

His sausages are handmade, there is a great deli selection and a range of gluten-free goods. But there is one special ingredient Christian believes only the best of butchers have… “Service. People buy from people and if they like who they’re buying from and the product is good then they’ll come back. We operate a ‘nothing is a problem’ service so, if we can get it, you can have it. And I love talking to people. When people walk into a small business they don’t want to be treated as a number, they want someone to respond to them with a bit of soul. We want to treat everyone as a friend.”

˜ Christian Alba Traditional Butchers, 9 High St, Hungerford, RG17 0DN, is open Tuesdays to Fridays, 8am to 5pm and Saturdays, 8am to 3pm. Call the shop on 01488 680970.

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

Birth & beyond

Round & About

Posted on

Berkshire

Following the success of The Nature of Forgetting, Theatre Re bring Birth – their latest work in progress – to the Wilde Theatre in Bracknell, writes Peter Anderson

That is it we carry deep down within ourselves from the very beginning? Diving into a world of myths, legends, fairytales, folk songs and taking inspiration from the fields of neuroscience and psycho-genealogy, Theatre Re will use their trademark mix of mime, live music, sound, light, costumes and props to explore what is passed between generations and how this shapes us.

Theatre Re are an associate company of South Hill Park and Guillaume Pigé, their founder and artistic director has many happy memories of Bracknell, he tells me. “We absolutely love bringing our work to SHP! It is always our first port of call and has nurtured numerous projects at early stages. We have fond memories of performing in 2012 and in 2013. Then the stage of The Wilde was the largest we had ever been on. We could not be more excited to share our newest discoveries in July!”

What are the advantages of putting a play in development in front of a live audience? “It gives us a deadline, otherwise we could keep exploring for a very long time without getting anywhere! Things start off with a few ideas, props to play with but it can also be texts, poems, images, movements or set exercises. We realised having an audience helps us to rediscover and reinvent and sometimes also questions the material that we have created in the rehearsal room. It is also incredibly useful for us to hear people’s feedback very early on. It allows us to gain a better understanding of what we are doing and check it is accessible and meaningful.”

What is it about the human condition that so fascinates him? “I don’t think I’ve ever made a conscious decision about it. After having made a few pieces I realised the common ground to all the different shows was the fragility of the human condition. Birth is very much a continuation of the exploration we started with The Nature of Forgetting about memory, when we explored what is left when memory is gone. With Birth the idea is to look at the same question but from the beginning point of view. What is it that we all start with or what is it that we carry deep down within ourselves from the very beginning. We are exploring genetic and family memory and what it is that we subconsciously inherit from our ancestors.

“There will be a lot of Theatre Re trademarks –sweat, live music, not many words – but also new elements we are playing with… you’ll be surprised”

Birth is on Thursday, 12th July, at 7.45pm at the Wilde Theatre, South Hill Park, RG12 7PA, and there will be a post-show discussion. Call 01344 484123 or visit www.southhillpark.org.uk

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

Much ado outdoors

Round & About

Posted on

Berkshire

Summer wouldn’t be summer without a spot of open-air Shakespeare, and Progress Theatre is bringing Much Ado About Nothing to Reading’s medieval Abbey Ruins.

Written right at the end of the 16th century, Much Ado About Nothing is, of course, a comedy, albeit one with a hint of darkness. It also explores the meanings of loyalty, chivalry and true love.

In this al fresco production Progress Theatre shifts the time and place of the story from Italy’s Messina to an English country house at the end of World War II.

Director Trevor Dale, a veteran of many local Shakespeare productions, says: “One of the key elements of this play is the speed with which the romance emerges – these aren’t people who can afford the luxury of a long courtship. The war in Europe is over, but people would have been mindful of the continuing conflict in the Far East.

“Historically, there was a lot of social change at this time than after World War I, and so much of the humour and conflict comes from the difference in the social positions of men and women. So I wanted to highlight the strength of women in relation to men.

He continues: “Being outside really adds to the show – Shakespeare’s plays would originally have been performed in an open-air theatre. On top of that, the Abbey makes for an amazing backdrop and that alone is a reason to see it.”

Much Ado About Nothing is at Reading Abbey Ruins, from Wednesday, 11th July until Saturday, 21st July.

To book a ticket, visit www.progresstheatre.co.uk

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

True colours

Round & About

Posted on

Berkshire

Kev Munday’s positive, vibrant artwork inspired by people-watching and the everyday will be unveiled at Reading’s Oracle as part of Reading Fringe Benefits, 24th-29th July.

Exaggerating and celebrating the ordinary, Kev aims for his art to appeal to all ages and make the viewer think and smile at the same time. His work takes inspiration from art forms as diverse as kawaii graphics and Huichol yarn paintings.

Using bold lines and block colours, the vibrancy of his style creates an enthralling visual experience. His iconic crowd paintings depict a sea of unique individuals showcasing the beauty in diversity.

Kev, 31, has created artwork for brands including Walt Disney, Graham & Brown wallpaper, Fracture Skateboards and Uni-Ball and his art is collected and exhibited worldwide. Having recently been named by The Telegraph as a “British artist to invest in right now”, Kev’s work can be found transcending gallery walls and on to a plethora of surfaces, including everything from police cars to pianos, billboards to grandfather clocks.

Relishing the opportunity to work in the public domain, Kev likes to see everything as a canvas and often produces artwork live at events. Upcoming projects include a large-scale mural in Dusseldorf, a public art trail in Southampton and an installation in a lift in The Oracle in Reading.

“I’ve done a few projects and commissions in Reading over the last few years, these include exhibiting at the UnBoxd street market in Broad Street Mall last December and painting part of an installation for the Festival of Light in 2016. I find it’s a nice town to exhibit in and the public are always accepting of new creative projects.”

His latest being in a lift at The Oracle, he explains: “It’s called Uplift and I’m basically painting all four walls, the floor and ceiling of a lift so you can literally step into one of my paintings. On Wednesday, 25th June, from 11am to 2pm there will be musical performances on different levels of the carpark, you can take the lift to see the acts.”

Kev took a graphic design degree at Solent University but says he got into art through graffiti and street art as a teenager which he believes is a great way to create art in the public domain. He adds: “It’s also a great way to get young people interested in art in my opinion. I still use spray paint and marker pens and paint public murals.”

Visit www.kevmunday.co.uk and for more on Reading Fringe Festival see www.readingfringefestival.co.uk

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

Flying high with Alice Marshall

Round & About

Posted on

Berkshire

Peter Anderson chats to Alice Marshall, winner of the Brighton Fringe Best Comedy Award ahead of her shows this month.

Alice Marshall has won plaudits for her weird and wonderful characters, including bold and brassy Hispanic air stewardess Maria, once dubbed “the angriest woman in the skies”. Now she’s welcoming the Farnham audience on board for their 50-minute, non-stop flight into the Twilight Zone.

So, I want to ask Alice, where do the ideas for your characters come from?

“My characters come from all over the place. Some of them are heightened versions of different aspects of my own personality, some of them are based on people I’ve met in real life, and some of them are coping mechanisms I’ve invented to help me get through difficult situations. I came up with the main character in my new show, Maria the air hostess, to help me deal with my intense fear of flying. By turning myself into her, I can sometimes convince myself I’m not going to die at 30,000 ft.”

What can visitors expect from this show?

“My shows are something a little out of the ordinary. The characters are incredibly varied, and the concept of the show is also a little unusual… it  won’t be like anything you’ve seen before.”

Is there a place or venue you would really love to perform?

“As both a comedian and an actor there’s definitely a part of me that finds traditional West End theatres completely magical. I would love to do a show in one of them one day – The Apollo on Shaftesbury Avenue is my favourite; it’s spectacular. That would be a dream come true…”

Comedy can be a tough gig – one you are excelling at with flying colours! What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever had to help counter the nerves?

“Always look towards your next show; never get hung up on what you’ve just done. Whether a performance has gone brilliantly or terribly, it doesn’t matter. Don’t weigh your self worth based on what an audience thinks! If they love you, don’t get carried away. If they hate you, don’t let it affect what you do. It’s not about you, it’s about the work you’re making and that has to be all that matters.”

Alice Marshall will perform at Norden Farm Centre For The Arts on Thursday, 5th July; visit Norden Farm or call 01628 788997 and on Saturday, 14th July; visit  Cutty Sark Theatre or call 020 8312 6608 to book. Also visit www.alicemarshall.co.uk

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

By Royal Approval

Round & About

Posted on

Berkshire

Anne Denholm, Official Harpist to HRH Prince of Wales will perform one of Mozart’s most popular works for Grayshott Concerts on Friday, 15th June.

The harp is an important national instrument in Wales, and although the role of Official Harpist to the Royal Household, was discontinued during the reign of Queen Victoria. HRH Prince of Wales restored the position in 2000 in order to foster and encourage young musical talent.

The Prince of Wales has a £150,000 gold leaf harp, made by Italian harp makers Salvi Harps. It is this harp that is used by the official harpist, who is currently Anne Denholm, the sixth Royal Harpist. Her recent role was to keep the guests entertained during the Royal Wedding last month.

But you can have your very, own special performance with Anne, at St Luke’s Church, Grayshott, this month, on Friday, 15th June. She will perform Mozart’s Flute and Harp Concerto with award-winning flautist Emma Halnan, winner of the Arts Club-Sir Karl Jenkins-Classic FM Competition in 2016.

Patron, Sir Karl Jenkins, says: “This concert brings a number of strands together. The harp is particularly dear to my heart, so it’s a pleasure to see Mozart’s Concerto performed in Grayshott by Anne and Emma.

The programme will also include Debussy’s Dances Sacred and Profane for Harp and Strings, composed in 1904, accompanied by Grayshott Concerts’ orchestra-in-residence, the illustrious London Mozart Players. Also featured in the programme will be Britten’s Prelude and Fugue and Mozart’s Divertimento in D.

Tickets and more information at www.grayshottconcerts.co.uk.

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

Elegant Equine

Round & About

Posted on

Berkshire

The Royal Horse Show celebrates 75 years at Windsor Castle, writes Rachel Wakefield

Windsor Castle will once again open its gates to the public for the Royal Windsor Horse Show, from Wednesday, 9th until Sunday, 13th May, for a spectacular 75th year.

With all eyes on Windsor ahead of the highly anticipated Royal wedding the following week, more than 55,000 spectators are expected to attend for top-class sporting action, entertainment and shopping across the five days.

This event is respected as a world-class equestrian competition. Last year, there was more than 3,000 entries; and, because of its upgrade to 5-star status, attracts the sports’ most prominent competitors. It is also the only show in the UK to host four of the eight The International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) disciplines: show jumping; dressage, carriage driving and endurance.

The CSI5* Show Jumping category will return to the Castle Arena from Friday, 11th until Sunday, 13th May. It also includes a Saturday evening performance, with the climax of the action, being the Rolex Grand Prix taking place on the final day. Current World No.1 and reigning champion, Kent Farrington will be returning from injury to defend his title. Speaking after his victory in 2017, Kent said: “The Royal Windsor Horse Show, is one of my favourite shows. There’s a combination of, amazing setting, an unbelievable crowd, top course designing and great footing.”

The CDI4* Al Shira’aa Dressage Grand Prix and Freestyle to Music category will take place on the evenings of Thursday, 10th and Friday, 11th May respectively. Riders will have the unique opportunity to be judged by Susan Hoevenaars, one of the judges at the upcoming FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2018, an unmissable chance for hopefuls heading there this September.

The CAIO4* Land Rover International Driving Grand Prix, a FEI World Cup™ qualifier adds to the roster of top international competition.Competitive Endurance action will take to Windsor Great Park on Friday, 11th May, as the CEI2* Royal Windsor Endurance supported by The Kingdom of Bahrain sets off about 120km of the countryside of Windsor and Ascot for the ultimate test of stamina for both horse and rider.

More than 120 showing classes will join the four FEI disciplines in the action-packed schedule with many of HM The Queen’s horses regularly in the starting line-ups. Competitors will strive to follow in the footsteps of HM The Queen’s Barbers Shop to be crowned Royal Windsor Supreme Showing Champion on the final day.

Visit www.rwhs.co.uk or call 01753 860633

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter: