The Verve frontman – whose album Urban Hymns remains one of the best-selling in UK history – will perform at the five-night Nocturne Live concert series on 19th June, supported by Lightning Seeds and The Zutons
Richard Ashcroft is the first headliner for next summer’s Nocturne Live concert series, which returns to the 10,000-capacity UNESCO World Heritage Site of Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire from 18th to 22nd June. Richard will headline on Thursday, 19th June, with support from Lightning Seeds and The Zutons.
As the mercurial frontman of 1990s rock band The Verve, Richard carved a reputation as one of his generation’s most iconic performers. Since The Verve disbanded in 1999, he has enjoyed a thriving solo career with the release of seven UK top five albums and a string of hit singles including A Song For The Lovers from 2000’s Alone With Everybody, and Break The Night With Colour from 2006’s Keys To The World. Ashcroft has received Ivor Novello Awards for Songwriter of the Year and Outstanding Contribution to British Music.
Nocturne Live transforms Blenheim Palace’s Great Court into a spectacular 10,000-capacity open-air concert venue and since its inception in 2015 has gone on to become one of the UK’s most popular stately home concert experiences. Over the years the series has presented shows from a host of huge international stars including the likes of Lionel Ritchie, Elton John, Kylie Minogue, Nile Rodgers, Lauryn Hill, Noel Gallagher, Gregory Porter, Van Morrison, Tears for Fears, Gladys Knight, Elvis Costello, Simple Minds and Ennio Morricone amongst many others.
Richard Ashcroft, Lightning Seeds and The Zutons tickets start at £54 and go on sale at 9am on Friday, 25th October. Pre-sale is available to those signed up to the Nocturne Live mailing list and begins at 9am on Tuesday, 22nd October. Tickets, along with a limited number of VIP packages – which provide an exclusive opportunity to dine in the State Rooms of Blenheim Palace – are available at nocturnelive.com
Calling all chocoholics! Check out the new ‘Chocolate Bar’ serving up waffles, indulgent hot chocolates, milkshakes and Crèma Gelata soft-serve ice creams
Global premium chocolate brand Lindt & Sprüngli is delighted to announce the grand opening of their sweet new destination at Bicester Village.
Lindt Bicester Village store manager, Bart Spadlo says: “We’re thrilled to open the world’s first Lindt ‘Chocolate Bar’ and to expand our presence at Bicester Village, just in time for half term. We think it will be hugely popular with guests looking for the ultimate indulgent chocolate treat.’
Situated in the main mall, the Chocolate Bar, open Monday to Sunday, 9am to 9pm, will serve 17 different delectable treats. Indulge in a luxurious velvety hot chocolate, crafted with a rich shot of liquid chocolate and steamed milk, finished with delicate flakes of Lindt Excellence 70% chocolate.
Satisfy your sweet tooth with an irresistible new waffle, drenched in a melted chocolate-tap shot, served with a generous helping of Crema Gelata, and drizzled with the popular Lindt Cremosa chocolate sauce.
For ice cream lovers, enjoy the rich and creamy flavours of Lindt White and Milk chocolate Crema Gelata. Available in a waffle cone dipped in melted chocolate and filled with a chocolate shot from the Lindt chocolate tap, topped with a swirl of chocolate hazelnut sauce, and a dark chocolate thin.
If you prefer a shake, choose from milk, white, or white chocolate strawberry options. Each shake blends ice-cold milk with creamy Crema Gelata, topped with grated Lindt Excellence 70% chocolate. Crafted with passion by the Lindt Master Chocolatiers, it’s pure indulgence in every sip.
The new Chocolate Bar will complement with Lindt Chocolate Shop also situated in Bicester Village. It’s definitely worth a visit with a life-sized flowing chocolate fountain, decorative cocoa pods suspended from the ceiling and the delicious, and the iconic jewel-like rainbow of Lindt Pick & Mix. Discover the enchanting world of Lindt with an abundance of gifts, assorted boxes, and bars to choose from – it’s pure chocolate heaven.
A mouth-watering selection of Lindt Pick and Mix awaits you, with customer favourites and some more unique and exclusive flavours: from Lindt Marc de Champagne truffles to LINDOR Raspberry & Cream and so much more!
There’s a reason Lindt chocolate is so smooth, is all about the conching. Invented by Rodolphe Lindt in 1879 and still used today, the conching process revolutionised the chocolate industry. By continuously stirring chocolate for over 72 hours, it created a chocolate so fine and flavoursome that it could melt completely on the tongue. The silky smooth and velvety texture has since become synonymous with Lindt.
Bicester Village offers 150 luxury fashion & lifestyle boutiques and dine-in restaurants, with free parking for all guests travelling by car, it’s the perfect day trip for all the family in a picturesque, open-air setting.
British/Italian soprano Carly Paoli is thrilled to announce the release of her highly anticipated Christmas album, Carly Paoli The Christmas Collection, on 8th November.
Available on CD and digital formats this album, released on the Abiah label, is a heartfelt celebration of Christmas, featuring 15 festive tracks that promise to bring holiday cheer to listeners around the world.
A true star of the classical and crossover genres, Carly has earned international acclaim with performances on some of the world’s most prestigious stages, sharing the spotlight with luminaries such as Andrea Bocelli, Elaine Paige, David Foster, Aled Jones and Alfie Boe.
Most recently Carly performed at the Rockefeller Center’s iconic Rainbow Room in New York with Sir Rod Stewart in aid of The Kings Foundation. Her impressive resume also includes performances for various members of the Royal Family at Windsor Castle and St James’ Palace, and she was famously praised by Pope Francis, who when he heard her rendition of Ave Maria described her as having ‘the voice of an angel.’
Carly Paoli The Christmas Collection marks Carly’s first Christmas album, and it includes a delightful mix of Christmas classics and medleys, each infused with Carly’s signature elegance and emotive artistry. Highlights from the album include a duet with renowned American singer David Phelps on Hark The Herald Angels Sing, as well as cherished favourites such as O Holy Night, Bless Us All from The Muppet Christmas Carol, Somewhere in my Memory, the theme from Home Alone, Irving Berlin’s Let It Snow, Silent Night, Grown-Up Christmas List by David Foster, Believe from The Polar Express and My Christmas Dream which sees Carly duet with musical theatre star Rachel John. The album also features two special medleys, Carol of the Christmas Bells and Christmas Medley, re-imagined with Paoli’s unique style.
“I’ve always been captivated by the magic and warmth of the Christmas season,” says Carly who is an ambassador for CPRE Wilts. “This album is a celebration of that magic and a tribute to the joy and togetherness that define this time of year. I hope it brings as much joy to my listeners as it has brought to me in creating it.”
Originating at The Watermill Theatre last year, director Paul Hart’s The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale promises to be the theatre smash of next year
The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale will embark on a new journey as this timeless tale unfolds in this critically acclaimed and breathtaking theatrical production, playing Theatre Royal Plymouth from 4-11 October 2025. This is an exclusive UK presentation of this award-winning production, following its seasons in Chicago, Auckland and Australia, with tickets on sale from Tuesday 22nd October at Theatre Royal Plymouth
Originating at The Watermill Theatre in 2023, and told from the Hobbits’ perspective, director Paul Hart’s production is a unique theatrical interpretation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic trilogy. Hart and the original creative team evolved the acclaimed production to play larger venues. The enhanced production played a highly successful season during the summer of 2024 at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, and will play upcoming seasons in Auckland, New Zealand and this November, then Sydney, Australia from January 2025, with additional Asia Pacific dates to follow.
With a UK cast, the show will return to British audiences at Theatre Royal Plymouth before embarking on a European tour presented by People Entertainment Group, with details to be announced soon. The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale is performed live by a 32-strong ensemble of actors and actor-musicians.
The production features a score by international composers A.R. Rahman (Slumdog Millionaire), Finnish folk band Värttinä, and Tony Award winner Christopher Nightingale (Matilda the Musical), with book and lyrics by Shaun McKenna (Maddie, La Cava) and Matthew Warchus (Groundhog Day).
As the Hobbits celebrate Bilbo Baggins’ eleventy-first birthday in the Shire, he gifts his nephew Frodo his most precious belonging – a gold ring. This fateful moment launches Frodo on a legendary and perilous quest across Middle-earth to the darkest realms of Mordor to vanquish evil with his loyal Fellowship.
As producer Kevin Wallace said, “Paul’s wonderful production, invites us all to become Hobbits in the company of Hobbits, celebrating Bilbo Baggins’ birthday as this incredible journey begins.”
The original 2023 production, which sold out its 12-week run at The Watermill Theatre, won a WhatsOnStage Award for ‘Best Regional Production’, and scooped eight Broadway World Awards, garnered 4- and 5-star reviews, with critics praising its innovative use of projections, puppetry, and live music. The production has been described as ‘exhilarating’ and ‘rewarding’ for both long-time fans of The Lord of the Rings and newcomers to the story. The following year, having evolved to include an ensemble of 30, The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale had its U.S. premiere at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, where it was described as ‘a must see’ and ‘a visual marvel’.
The show will make its New Zealand premiere at The Civic Theatre in Auckland, running from 5 November to 1 December 2024, and will then, with an Australian cast, head to Australia for a limited season at the State Theatre in Sydney from January 7, 2025, with further dates to be announced soon.
Kevin Wallace continues, “This production began its journey at The Watermill, realised by an exceptional creative team led by Paul Hart and, in collaboration with our colleagues at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, they went on to thrill US audiences with the US Premiere at The Yard Theatre in Chicago. Together with Middle-earth Enterprises and GWB Entertainment, we are thrilled to bring it back to the UK, where it will play exclusively at Theatre Royal Plymouth before heading to Europe. It’s been an incredible experience seeing performers from each production make these roles their own, and we look forward to this new chapter, once again with a British company.”
Fredrica Drotos, Steward Brand & Licensing at Middle-earth Enterprises adds that “bringing this production to audiences across the globe has been a privilege and a delight, and now, A Musical Tale embarks on another adventure, touching home in the UK briefly before setting off again with an immensely talented cast and crew, poised to infuse each and every performance across the continent, with a palpable purity of spirit.”
James Mackenzie-Blackman, CEO of Theatre Royal Plymouth said, “We are incredibly proud to be hosting The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale as the exclusive UK venue in 2025. This production has captured the hearts of audiences worldwide, and we are excited to bring it to Plymouth. It’s a truly unique theatrical experience, combining music, storytelling, and a multi-skilled ensemble of performers. We can’t wait to share this production with our audiences before it embarks on its European tour.”
Director Paul Hart says, “To tell this most epic and beloved story onstage, we had to start small and think big. Very much like a Hobbit! What began as an intimate production at The Watermill has grown into something larger than we ever imagined, traveling across continents and captivating audiences with its music and storytelling. It’s been an exhilarating journey, and I am thrilled to bring the show back to the UK before we embark on the European tour. Each night, we create this world anew, and I hope audiences leave feeling a little more like the Hobbits we all have within us—hopeful, wide-eyed, and daring to do the impossible.”
For more information on all worldwide productions, visit www.lotrmusical.com.
You’re all invited to find out more about this friendly group, between 11am & 4pm on Saturday, 2nd November
Now in its fourth exciting year, the WLHG’s annual open day offers visitors a valuable opportunity to engage with the remarkable heritage of Windsor and surrounding towns and villages.
This free event is open to everyone and will take place on Saturday 2nd November at Windsor Baptist Church, Victoria Street, SL4 1EH. Please tell family, friends, colleagues and any individuals who would enjoy learning more about the local area.
Maps, photographs, letters, videos and other artefacts provide fascinating cultural snapshots of these communities, some of which began as early as Saxon and Norman times.
++ Hot off the press ++!!
The latest edition (No. 38) of Windlesora, WLHG’s regular publication, is now available – still only £5! – and will be on sale along with past Windelsora editions, local reference books and other publications and materials. Please feel free to take along your own memorabilia too – the group would be delighted to hear your stories and learn about any research!
Oxfordshire couple Richard and Sian Liwicki, aged 65 and 62 years, have just completed a month-long cycling trip along the longest river in France to raise funds for local charity Wild Oxfordshire
In spite of awful weather they pedalled more than 1,150km along the Loire, climbed a total of 11,200m, carrying all their belongings in paniers.
The couple planned the trip and organised all the logistics themselves. Richard says: “We had cycled the Rhine before so we knew what we needed to pack, and how to organise and navigate all the stages in this long trip. We trained for weeks. What we had not planned for was the wettest September in France in 25 years. We cycled through two icy storms and faced strong headwinds in the mountains. We regularly got wet so getting dry for the next day was an added challenge. However, we knew we could not stop and the French locals were incredibly helpful and kind. Motorists are used to a vibrant cycling culture in France.”
Sian who has been a supporter of Wild Oxfordshire for many years adds: “We wanted to really spend time getting to know this beautiful part of France and travel sustainability. We used public transport to get to the start and for our return journey. We wanted to raise funds for nature in Oxfordshire because we knew it would spur us on during this challenging trip. We were even more determined when we heard that Butterfly Emergency in September.
“Cycling is our way of experiencing and celebrating nature up close. We wrote a wildlife and travel blog along the way, and it was inevitable that we would make comparisons between our county along the Thames, and the Loire countryside.
“Our friends and family have been very encouraging and we are over half way to hitting our target of £7,000. We have just got to get around to telling everyone that we made it!”
Camilla Burrow, Cheif Executive Wild Oxfordshire, says: “As a long-term supporter of Wild Oxfordshire, we’re so delighted and grateful for Sian and Richard’s fundraising efforts. The funds will contribute towards our work enabling more people to take action for nature across Oxfordshire. Our sincere thanks to all those already contributing to nature’s recovery, and we look forward to working with even more people in the future.”
Inspired by his grandma, Isaac Hay has set himself the challenge of trying his hand at 100 sports to raise money for Rennie Grove Peace
Movement coach Isaac is taking his love for exercise up a notch and has kicked off a challenge to try out 100 different sports in a year. He is using the challenge to raise money for charitable causes, including local hospice charity, Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care.
“I’m supporting Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care as one of my three chosen charities,” he says. “The organisation is close to my heart as its nurses cared for my grandma before she passed. My whole family has supported the charity since then, so I’m really please to be able to use this challenge to raise funds to support vital hospice care in the local area.”
Isaac’s challenge will run until September 2025 and will see him turn his hand to team sports like baseball, lacrosse and rugby. He will also attempt individual activities like boxing, ballet, pole vault and an ultra-marathon. While he’s tried some of the sporting activities before, many are completely new to him. To end his monumental challenge, he is taking part in an Iron Man event on 22nd September 2025.
The inspiration for the challenge came from his work as a movement coach where he noticed that a big barrier to people getting involved in new sports or physical activity is a lack of confidence or fear of the unknown. He hopes to show that trying new sports is fun and not scary.
Isaac says: “When thinking of a fundraising challenge I could have chosen one sport and trained really hard in it to do the biggest, hardest, most extreme version of it that I could. But that didn’t feel so accessible. I want people to see my challenge and think ‘I could do that’ without having a sports background or needing to train for years. I want people to see this and think ‘maybe I could give a new sport a go’. On top of the fundraising, that would be the best outcome for me!”
On Monday, 28th October, bake-off winner & restauranteur Candice Brown will join head chef Scott Smith for a special dinner that celebrates the very best of British Pub cuisine.
The Oarsman, Marlow’s beloved bistro-pub, has been cooking up something special for the next instalment of its Great British Pub Series.
Candice Brown, co-owner of The Green Man in Eversholt and Winner of The Great British Bake Off 2016, will join The Oarsman’s head chef Scott Smith for a special dinner that celebrates the very best of British pub cuisine on 28th October.
Candice will bring her unique flair and passion for traditional British food to The Oarsman for one night only. The evening’s menu (£60pp) will feature six expertly created courses that showcase the culinary talents of both Candice and Scott, and that highlight exactly why we’re a nation of pub food lovers.
The six-course feast will include:
• Beetroot and feta, Nigella seed soda bread with whipped roasted garlic butter • * Scallop, XO sauce • * Ham hock and chorizo Scotch egg, Scotch bonnet jam • Cod, Cullen Skink • Beef shin ale pie with suet pastry, cheesy leek mash • Sticky toffee pudding, skillet pan cookie
For wine enthusiasts, each course can be expertly paired with a handpicked selection of wines, curated by The Oarsman’s owner and resident oenophile, Nigel Sutcliffe.
Born in north London, Candice grew up in the pubs her parents ran, an upbringing that she immortalised in her gingerbread showstopper on GBBO. Since her triumphant win, Candice has pursued a variety of exciting ventures, and in 2018, along with her brother Ben, she embarked on an exciting new chapter, taking over The Green Mann in Eversholt. Following a full refurbishment, the pub reopened in February 2019 to widespread acclaim and continues to be a hub of culinary innovation and community spirit.
“We are delighted to welcome Candice Brown to The Oarsman for what promises to be an unforgettable evening,” said Scott Smith, Head Chef at The Oarsman. “Candice’s creativity and love for British pub classics perfectly align with our own philosophy, and I’m looking forward to getting in the kitchen with her to create something really special for our guests.”
Join The Oarsman for a night of exceptional food, great company, and the best of British pub culture! Tickets can be purchased here.
The Oarsman, 46 Spittal Street, Marlow, The Oarsman
Book your tickets to see Willie Dowling perform The Simpleton in Bracknell and Milton Keynes
Witnessing Willie Dowling perform live is far more than just watching a sequence of great songs played well.
His self-deprecating and acerbic wit that precedes each song is as funny as many of the comedy greats that he has worked with.
A musical director and session musician of high regard, Willie has toured extensively and recorded with artists as diverse as Midge Ure, Shane MacGowan, Sinead O’Connor, Dr Hook, The Wildhearts, Hot Chocolate, Andy Taylor and the Quireboys among others. Willie has fronted, written and produced albums for his previous bands, had Top 40 hit singles, appeared on Top of The Pops and TFI Friday and performed on the major festival stages in the UK and worldwide. He was the founder member of influential rockers The Grip, mid1990s ‘quick-flash and gone’ Honeycrack, followed by SugarPlumFairies, Jackdaw4 and The Dowling Poole. Willie Dowling is also a renowned composer for film and television in a wide variety of styles and genres. He wrote songs and underscore for the return of the legendary satirical puppet show Spitting Image, and over the years has worked on many other TV shows and films for such luminaries as Steve Coogan, Rob Brydon, Stephen Fry, Rik Mayall, Lenny Henry, Alexander Armstrong, Ben Miller, Vic Reeves, Bob Mortimer, and many more.
Willing Dowling has written a musical that performed in London’s West End. As a key participant in the Tony Hawks best seller One Hit Wonderland, Willie produced and recorded with such nobility as Sir Time Rice & the late Sir Norman Wisdom. The result of this strange cocktail was a chart hit in Albania!
Recently he composed acritically acclaimed album of classical music inspired by memories of his upbringing in the North East of England – Reflections on Northumbria. Living in a converted mill in rural France now, Willie and his wife live the Good Life of near agricultural self-sufficiency.
You can see Willie Dowling perform The Simpleton on tour as special guest to Cats In Space on 2nd October in Southampton, as South Hill Park Arts Centre & Wilde Theatre on 16th October and at The Stables in Milton Keynes on 11th December.
Amersham Concert Club’s highlights at Amersham Free Church include Ensemble Renard on 26th October & the Meraki Duo on 30th November, Jenny Faulkner tells us…
Ensemble Renard invite music-lovers to hear music that’s both familiar and foreign to them at their concerts, and this is no exception!
On Saturday, 26th October, they’ll bring you A Breeze Through the 20th Century, including the festive music of Valerie Coleman’s Umoja to the hazy rhapsody of Samuel Barber’s Summer Music and Amy Beach’s Pastorale. Ensemble Renard who are supported by the Countess of Munster Musical Trust, will also perform György Ligeti’s Six Bagatelles. All the music is for wind instruments (flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, french horn) and the music, some of the finest written in the 20th century for these instruments is often ethereal and hauntingly beautiful.
Our November concert is entitled Songs of Longing: Nature, People and Place. The Meraki Duo (flute and guitar) have put together a very thoughtful programme of music that may not be familiar to many people but is filled with ‘songs’ from all corners of the world that share common human themes of nostalgia, melancholy or ephemerality in connection to nature, people and places.
