Shock horror: theatre in Oxford

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Enjoy a fabulous comedy-drag-boxing-musical extravaganza from The Wardrobe Theatre at Oxford’s The North Wall this month.

It’s a hook to the left! And then a jab to the right! Let’s do the time-warp back to 1976; a world without men and women – only lovers, fighters, dancers and all-nighters and where the mean streets of Philadelphia are full of campy song.

After the stunning successes of Goldilock, Stock & Three Smoking Bears, Reservoir Mogs and Muppits Die Hard, Bristol’s The Wardrobe Theatre brings you another signature, darkly comic, adults-only show with all original music directed by Tom Brennan of The Wardrobe Ensemble.

Rocky Shock Horror is a loving, playful fusion of the boxing classic with the cross-dressing cult musical masterpiece. A scary-sexy, knock-out comedy that always punches below the belt, Rocky Shock Horror is a show you won’t forget, however hard you try…

A fringe studio venue and thriving arts hub in the heart of Bristol showcasing the best theatre-makers, companies and artists from around the UK, Wardrobe Theatre’s programme is a lovingly curated mix of theatre, comedy, storytelling, live music, poetry/spoken word, dance, puppetry, cabaret, drag, improvisation, new writing and family shows, with an emphasis on emerging artists and Bristol-based work. Throughout the year they also produce/co-produce productions of their own with dynamic Bristol-based creative teams and companies, shows which often go on tour nationally.

• At The North Wall, Oxford, on Thursday, 24th January, 7.30pm.

  For tickets, £13 (£11 conc) call 01865 319 450 or visit www.thenorthwall.com. Visit www.thewardrobetheatre.com or follow @WardrobeTheatre

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Murder mystery event in Goring

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Use your “little grey cells” to help solve a double murder at Goring Village Hall.

Hold the front page! A doctor and a councillor have been murdered in a sleepy Oxfordshire village by the River Thames.

But before you start frantically searching for details online, head to Goring Village Hall where all will be revealed later this month… if you can solve the crime.

This is the second murder mystery evening being hosted there after last year’s sold-out event. The mystery is set in the village of South Goresden where not a lot happens there and that’s the way the villagers like it. The most serious crime there previously was the re-arranging of Annie Short’s gnomes into compromising positions.
In a plot to rival Midsomer Murders, this year’s challenge for sleuths is to find out who murdered the respected Dr Alistair in front of fellow councillors at a parish council meeting and new councillor Mr Langley-Watts who has been beheaded by a wire stretched across the bridleway.
What dark secrets are the villagers hiding? Can you beat PC Mark Dixon to solve the crime first? The evening of fun, food, murder and mayhem includes a two-course meal – all for £20 per person. The bar opens at 7pm, with curtain up at 7.30pm and dinner in the interval.

Teams of five to eight are invited to use their ‘little grey cells’ to solve the mystery – smaller parties can be combined on the night. All funds raised will go towards the stage renovation projection to revamp the stage area.

  Buy your tickets from Inspirations or you can reserve by emailing [email protected] or calling 01491 871055.

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Concert: Violin virtuoso

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Former Young Musician of the Year Jennifer Pike will be playing the piece that won her the title when she appears at Marlborough College.

At the age of just 12, Jennifer Pike became the youngest ever winner of the Young Musician of the Year in 2002.

Three years later she performed at the Proms and has gone on to build an international career which has included many more accolades, not least being the only classical artist to win the South Bank Show/Times Breakthrough Award.

Jennifer is passionate about helping other young people enhance their lives through music and is an ambassador for the Prince’s Trust.

You can enjoy her music on Sunday, 20th January when she takes to the stage in the Memorial Hall at the college, as part of the World Class Musicians in Marlborough series when she will perform Vaughan William’s The Lark Ascending alongside pieces by Bach and Wieniawski.

Following the redevelopment of the Memorial Hall (which Marlborough College provides as sponsors of the concert series) the town now has a state-of-the-art concert hall.

The £6.5million project retains the charm of the original design while adding contemporary touches to create a state-of-the-art facility. The acoustics received accolades after a BBC National Orchestra of Wales concert recently and with improved front of house facilities, a concert at Marlborough College will be a true treat for the senses.

  Tickets available at marlboroughconcertseries.org. Enquiries: 01672 892566 or [email protected]

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Set sail! Drama in Kennington

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Robinson Crusoe and the Pirates, by Alan P Frayn, will mark the start of Kennington Amateur Dramatic Society’s 40th anniversary celebrations.

Kennington Amateur Dramatic Society (KADS) set sail on a fantastic journey in their annual pantomime with a Brazilian flavour, bringing their own kind of feelgood fun to a chilly winter’s weekend in Oxfordshire.

This promises to be a tropical, swashbuckling tale from a brilliant cast, with great songs from the house band to get the audience singing along. Add to this the wonderfully colourful costumes, make-up and scenery from the talented creative team, and you know you’re in for a treat!

The group, made up of amateur theatre enthusiasts, was formed in 1979 at the village hall in Kennington, and regularly performs pantomimes and musical shows for the local community. Members come from across Oxfordshire, some from families with several generations performing on stage together. Many hours are spent not just rehearsing, but with a dedicated support team who give up their free time painting scenery, putting together the songs and music, designing and sewing the many costumes, choreographing the dance routines, and all the other work behind the scenes that goes in to making the show a success.

As a community-minded group, they support local charities, and are currently raising funds for Ronald McDonald House Oxford. The charity provides a home-from-home service for parents and families of children being treated at the Children’s Hospital, and is an invaluable provision at a critical time. Ronald McDonald House is a cause close to members’ hearts, after a family within the group had received invaluable support from the charity when their son had received extensive care at both Oxford and Birmingham children’s hospitals.

The show opens at Kennington Village Centre on Friday, 25th January (7.30pm), then Sat 26th (2pm and 7.30pm), Sun 27th (12pm and 4pm), Thu 31st (7.30pm), Fri 1st February (7.30pm) and Sat 2nd (2pm and 7.30pm). Tickets are £10 adults, £8 concessions and £30 for a family of four, and are available by phone on 01865 739025 or by email at [email protected]

  Find out more about the group on Facebook @KenningtonADS or at www.kenningtonads.co.uk

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Blackbeard’s Treasure at Escape Hunt

Cherry Butler

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Cherry Butler ends up all at sea in Reading’s newest escape room, Blackbeard’s Treasure at Escape Hunt.

It seems Reading residents can’t get enough of being locked in a room and trying to puzzle our way out against the clock, with numerous escape games popping up in town over the past few years. The fifth and latest, Escape Hunt, opened on 7th December.

Having assembled a crack team of sleuths – from escape room virgins to Crystal Maze Live veterans – we arrived at King’s Walk bright and early on a grey Saturday, ready to attempt to steal Blackbeard’s Treasure.

Themed on a pirate ship, the wood-clad room had been put together with great attention to detail, and was so involving that we quickly forgot that we were in a shopping centre. My “shipmates” and I had an hour to search for clues and solve the puzzles that would set us free. Sadly, our time ran out; in our defence there were a couple of technical teething issues! We left thoroughly flummoxed, but having had fun.

As well as pirates, players can channel Norse gods or outlaws in The Last Vikings and Escape From The Wild West rooms. Doctor Who fans will soon be able to immerse themselves in the first escape game officially based on the BBC series, coming to Reading in March.

A game costs £20-25 per person (£30-33 for Doctor Who) depending on the number of players (up to six in a team). They sell gift boxes, too, an alternative to giving more stuff.

Escape Hunt also has rooms in Oxford, Bristol and other cities around the UK and the world.

 You can find out more, check terms and conditions and book at escapehunt.com

Image courtesy of Escape Hunt

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Green Belt: film focus on Culham

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Caroline Baird explains more about a new short film showing the impact of major development on the rural community of Culham.

Save Culham Green Belt, in conjunction with the Oxfordshire branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE Oxon), have produced a four-minute film highlighting why it is essential to protect the Green Belt for future generations.

Culham is an historic village, of just 450 inhabitants. The local authority’s plan to remove 315 hectares from the Oxford Green Belt and build 3,500 houses, would result in a population increase of 8,750 –10,500 – a new town larger than Wallingford (7,542 at 2011 census). Such a development would be to the detriment of pristine Green Belt land while engulfing the homes of the Culham community.

The film endeavours to show that the “exceptional circumstances” required by Central Government for changing Green Belt boundaries do not exist; that the area lacks the capacity to provide roads and services for such a huge development, and that Culham railway station, cited as a chief reason for strategic development, is subject to huge physical restrictions and is no more than a rural halt. Local employment opportunities have also been exaggerated and are uncertain at this time.

Council officers are currently reassessing 15 potential development sites and will announce an updated Local Plan this month, with public consultation on this final phase taking place in January.  Save Culham Green Belt continue to campaign against erosion of the Green Belt and unsustainable development.

www.saveculhamgreenbelt.org

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Santa by train!

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Why not enjoy a magical journey on the Cholsey and Wallingford Railway through the south Oxfordshire countryside and visit Santa in his grotto?

A dedicated group of steam-powered volunteers are ready and waiting to take you on a heritage train ride on this rural branch line, first opened in 1866.

Known locally as “The Bunk”, its passenger services ceased in 1959. Having secured the line in 1981, the CWR Preservation Society now aims to enhance the facilities that the railway offers and to improve the Wallingford site.

Running through the beautiful countryside, the line links the historic riverside town of Wallingford with GWR trains at Cholsey. You can travel on the 1950s coaches, hauled by one of the diesel locomotives or by a visiting steam engine.

On your journey, look out for Cholsey Church, where Agatha Christie is buried, and perhaps spot the magnificent red kites soaring above. If you want to make a day of it as a family, a 10-minute walk away you will find castle ruins, the museum and shops, restaurants and pubs. Trains run on selected weekends and bank holidays throughout the year and, where available, are steam hauled.

Enjoy Santa specials on the train on 8th & 9th, 15th & 16th and 22nd & 23rd December.

Pre-booked tickets cost £10 for adults and £7 for children (aged between two and 15), under-twos £5. Every child gets a gift from Santa and there’s a mince pie and hot fruit drink for all adults.

Book now at www.cholsey-wallingford-railway.com

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Winters tale: folk music in Oxford

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Make a date to see contemporary folk singer-songwriter Emily Mae Winters perform on Saturday, 8th December, with Holywell Music & Folk.

Hailed as having a voice that will stop you in your tracks, Emily Mae’s songs are quickly permeating the folk and song writing scene.

A poetic singer songwriter, influenced by the likes of Gillian Welch, Carole King, Alison Krauss, Sarah Jarosz and Kate Rusby, her music splits the difference between the gentle seas of folk and country. In 2016, Emily teamed up with BBC Radio 2 Folk Award winner Ben Walker to produce her first commercial EP release Foreign Waters.

Her self-penned track Anchor from the release won the folk category in the Guardian Songwriting Competition. The tracks have received extensive national and international folk and Americana radio play including support from the BBC Radio 2 Good Morning Sunday with Clare Balding and the BBC Radio 2 Folk Show with Mark Radcliffe.

After spending last year touring doing supports, she has just released her debut album Siren Serenade, co-produced by Ben Walker and Lauren Deakin Davies (Laura Marling). Emily Mae tells us: “I’m so excited for my first ever headline show in Oxford. Hopefully it will be the beginning of the festive season so we must make this show particularly special!”

www.emilymaewinters.com

Doors open @at 7pm for the show at 7.20pm and support comes from Three Pressed Men. Tickets £12.50 from WeGotTickets + £1.25 booking fee or£15 on the door and also in person from Truck Store including £1 handling fee (cash only please). A Winter Union will perform on Friday, 14th December, with support from Steph West. Visit www.holywellmusicandfolk.co.uk

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Singing for Syrians: Bibury Christmas concert

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On Friday, 14th December, support The Hands Up foundation, established by the locally born artist and illustrator, George Butler and three friends.

Kate Hicks Beach, Natanya Phillips and Jackie Colburn will present what has become an annual Christmas concert of music and words featuring the Coln Choir, solo singers and seasonal readings read by actors.

This year they are once again supporting the amazing charity Hands Up Foundation and will be “Singing for Syrians”.

The charity seeks to aid those people caught up in the Syrian crisis, left without homes, education, access to hospitals and in many cases hope. They work very closely with Syrians in Syria and this year have funded the salaries of 22 medical staff in Aleppo £150,000; supported the Syrian Project for Prosthetic Limbs with a contribution of £80,000 – (there are an estimated 50,000 amputees in Syria, the average cost for a prosthetic limb above the knee is £500) and in partnership with Syria Relief, are funding medical training in Idleb City £105,000 with a view to lessening the imbalance in demand and supply for medical care. This imbalance is due to the fact that most specialised personnel have fled the country over the past 5 years and a large number of medical students have not been able to complete their studies and receive a degree.

• So enjoy a glass of wine and canapés, from 6.30pm St Mary’s Church, Bibury. Tickets £12 from the Bibury Trout Farm, Coln Village Stores or email [email protected]

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Clowning around: Cheltenham panto star

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Peter Anderson chats to Alan Digweed, AKA Tweedy The Clown, ahead of his star turn in Aladdin at Cheltenham’s Everyman Theatre.

Q: How did you get into circus and clowning?

A: “I grew up in Aberdeen and had always had an interest in youth theatre. Career-wise I had wanted to be an animator, but then realised that perhaps what I wanted more was to be the character I was animating. I did a lot of research, writing around as this was in the days before computers and the internet and found a clown school in Bristol. I was saving up hard to go there and worked as a Butlins Redcoat which gave me lots of opportunities to try things, but sadly before I got the all the money.

There is a quote from Joseph Grimaldi the best way to learn how to be a clown, is to be one. So, I then wrote to a lot of circuses and got a job with Zippo’s Circus as a publicity clown basically doing the occasional children’s show and standing on street corners handing out leaflets. Then one day one of the main clowns got stuck in traffic and I had to step in they liked my work and I never looked back. I met Nell Gifford when she was a groom in another circus and when she started her own circus I asked her if I could have a job.”

Q: What was your first panto role?

A. “I have done panto alongside clowning nearly all my life. When I was younger, panto casts were bigger, and I played one of two broker’s men. I think I was down in Truro doing pantomime when I met the general manager from the Everyman Theatre [in Cheltenham] and he liked what I did, but it was a number of years before I made it on stage for the pantomime and in between times did a couple of years at the Wyvern Theatre in Swindon in 2000-01 and 2003-04.”

Q: Do you find your slapstick skills honed from clowning help?

A. “Undoubtedly, though I have always been a fan of both Laurel and Hardy and Norman Wisdom.

Q: Do you enjoy the interaction with children, is it similar?

A: “Oh yes, I think in both cases the children are almost like an extra member of the cast and it is great to get that level of engagement.”

Q: What memories of Christmas do you have growing up in Cirencester?

A: “My best memories are sledging in the amphitheatre, loads of people who don’t know each other drawn together for a single enjoyable experience.”

  • Aladdin, written and directed by legendary Blue Peter presenter and actor Peter Duncan, is on at Everyman Theatre from Friday, 30th November until Sunday, 13th January.

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