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Step 9 of 12 is a new production that gets its name from the 12 steps that are part of the Alcoholics Anonymous programme. The obvious question is what is the ninth step of the programme. It is forgiveness, and this production looks at how a damaged and troubled individual in the play has reached this ninth step and how he struggles with it. The protagonist in the production is played by Blake Harrison and he is called Keith. In the production he is dealing with his longest period of sobriety in years and he is trying to gain the forgiveness of those he has hurt because of his alcoholism in the past. His background is obviously been very challenged and he has caused his foster parents a great deal of grief. As the play begins to progress it is clear that Keith has not taken the right message away from Alcoholics Anonymous. He doesn’t understand that in order for the programme to succeed he must be responsible for the actions he has taken. He doesn’t understand that if he doesn’t do this he is unable to come to terms with the things he has done and he will not be able to forgive himself. The premise of this production is definitely good but there are some serious problems in it that stop it from reaching its absolute top potential. There are definitely some clever lines in the production, but all in all the script isn’t that smart. You also get the feeling that the performance of the script is somewhat blurred by Harrison and you don’t get the impression that he is being entirely truthful. The set also leaves a lot to be desired and the characters should have changed locations more often. The set should have simply been designed in a different way. Written on the Heart is a new production that is coming to the West End and it has been written by David Edgar. It is a very intelligent production and is his first piece of work that has been produced after it was announced that he was to become the Royal Shakespeare Company’s artistic director. The play by Edgar takes place in London and it tells the story of the religious figures who come together to decide on the version of the Bible that they want to publish. During this they are supervised by the Bishop of Ely who is a famous historical character and was known for being a tortured soul. The story also tells about a version of the Bible that was outlawed and created by William Tyndale. Tyndale is played by Stephen Boxer and he does a remarkable job in the role. In the story he is about to be executed for what is seen as heresy and the audience will definitely feel empathy for the character. This production is definitely more lucid previous performances and there are some very intense scenes which are very nicely transposed. The audience will probably find themselves quite emotionally moved by this mysterious production and they probably won’t exactly know why. In many ways it is quite a touching production and it is easy to get emotionally invested with the characters. This production isn’t all about clerics however and it does have an amount of musical elegance. It is interesting to see the Duke of York characterised in the production. There are some characters in the production that are particularly entertaining such as the house maid of the naughty priest. Written on the Heart is a new production that is coming to the West End and it has been written by David Edgar. It is a very intelligent production and is his first piece of work that has been produced after it was announced that he was to become the Royal Shakespeare Company’s artistic director. The play by Edgar takes place in London and it tells the story of the religious figures who come together to decide on the version of the Bible that they want to publish. During this they are supervised by the Bishop of Ely who is a famous historical character and was known for being a tortured soul. The story also tells about a version of the Bible that was outlawed and created by William Tyndale. Tyndale is played by Stephen Boxer and he does a remarkable job in the role. In the story he is about to be executed for what is seen as heresy and the audience will definitely feel empathy for the character. This production is definitely more lucid previous performances and there are some very intense scenes which are very nicely transposed. The audience will probably find themselves quite emotionally moved by this mysterious production and they probably won’t exactly know why. In many ways it is quite a touching production and it is easy to get emotionally invested with the characters. This production isn’t all about clerics however and it does have an amount of musical elegance. It is interesting to see the Duke of York characterised in the production. There are some characters in the production that are particularly entertaining such as the house maid of the naughty priest. David Matthews has recently created a new suite for a string orchestra which is called Three Birds and a Farewell. In the past, birdsong is not something that has been typically embraced by composers as it is often thought of as sporadic and irritating, rather than particularly musical. However Mr Matthews has gone against convention and in the first part of this new production it seems that birds have given him a serious amount of inspiration. The musical instruments on the stage give a stirring performance and the solo performed by Sarah Jane Bradley is quite remarkable. This piece of music is a really remarkable reminder of what Mr Matthews is capable of and it really does justice for the artist and what he is capable of. He used to be a composer that some people thought were out of step with his time as his music often seemed rather awkward. However, people are beginning to come to appreciate him for the master craftsman that he is and many musical historians are beginning to give him the respect he deserves compared to his contemporaries. In many ways similarities can be drawn with him and Sibelius who also was slightly out of sync with his time. However, now this composer is considered absolutely central, and so will Mr Matthews be. This production is performed very well and it is not just the soloists who excel, the way all of the musicians come together to perform this music is quite remarkable. Philip Glass has created an extensive number of stage works and the majority of them so far have come to the UK at some point. However, one of his most famous pieces, Einstein on the Beach, which was devised in the mid-1970s, has never been to the UK. This production began as a trilogy of operas created by Mr Glass and each of the operas is focused on a different important historical figure. One of these figures is Einstein and the opera that features him is much more abstract than the other two operas which focus on Satyagraha and Akhnaten. This production is going to be put on at the Barbican and those who attend are not going to learn a great deal about science, but they are going to be given an insight into the man himself. As far as the science goes, all the audience are told is that nuclear explosions are powerful, on this front it is quite disappointing. When the opera was first performed back in the 1970s, it was quite unlike anything else. Abstract opera was not something that had really been embraced and this was the first production of this kind that really entered the mainstream. The production was created in collaboration with Robert Wilson. When it was first created a great deal of the visual effects that were seen in the opera, today however these are far less impressive and computers have meant that many of the effects which were impressive at the time, no longer wow the audience. Unfortunately however, on the opening night of this production at the Barbican, there was a technical problem and the performance actually started half an hour late because of it. There was an additional problem during the first act, which meant that an interval had to be put in as one of the stage pieces refuse to move around as it should have done. Despite all of the problems this is a fascinating vocal production and the actors really do a faultless job of it. Overall an exceptional piece of opera that is worth seeing. One of the most looked forward to charity events of the year for arts, music and food is Lawnfest. This is an event that is very family friendly and it is held in beautiful grounds in Kent, in the town of Sevenoaks. The event takes place in late June. There are a great deal of different foods to try at the event and this year the famous chef, Nicole Walshaw, is going to be at the event preparing some of the food. Her core values revolve around sourcing food from the local area and because of the location of this event, much of the food has been sourced from Kent. The chef has commented, “I only ever cook food that has been created from vegetables and fruits that are in season. I don’t believe in tampering with things and I just think that it is possible to enhance food naturally.” Guests will enter the Lawnfest Food Shed enclosed in a fully covered vintage style Marquee with tables lovingly dressed with flowers and potted herbs. As the sun goes down, over the grounds, the festival will transform into a warm, lantern lit atmosphere, where delicious food, cold drinks, music and art will enchant and captivate the audience. Fitting in with the ethos, very special guests, Street Kitchen, will be cooking up hand-made gourmet burgers with their famous sweet potato fries. These comforting delights will be accompanied by organic iced “freshies” made with fruit tea kindly provided by Clipper Teas. The London Distillery Company will donate premium organic, London Dry Gin to The Lawnfest Food Shed, made with Kent’s finest botanicals. After being inspired by the local culinary dishes, guests can then visit the Lawnfest farmers market to pick up the ingredients – before refreshing themselves with offerings of Chapel Down wines and Shepherd Neame real ales and lager. The Food Shed will serve chilli con carne and veggie chilli, made in a traditional style with real ale and cocoa, served with corn chips, crème fresh and coriander, or tempt with a summer squash, spinach and sesame tart beside a wild rocket salad or step-up to a grilled apricot, watercress and cured gammon ciabatta. That’s just a taster. Finally, for those that fancy a sit down traditional English tea, Violet’s Vintage Teas will be serving freshly made cakes, finger sandwiches and scones with a huge dollop of real clotted cream. “Lawnfest is all about the feel-good,” says Camilla Al Fayed. “It brings together the ingredients in life that make us feel great. Music and art play a big part of this, and are particularly important in helping the pupils of West Heath start moving forward with their lives. But food enjoyment is equally fundamental. Nicole is brilliant at creating food experiences, and together with her farmers’ market, Lawnfest is going to be an interactive celebration of food. BOOK YOUR EXTENDED EARLYBIRD TICKETS NOW! www.lawnfest.co.uk £20 Adults Free Children aged 8 and younger £10 Children 9 years and above £40 Family (two adults, two children) Please note, Lawnfest Food Shed uses 100% recyclable or biodegradable packaging across the festival.
The UK party capital again plays host to the last festival of the 2012 season, with the biggest names in contemporary music heading to Brighton on the 6th October. Following on from a fantastic event in 2011 which saw 2manydj’s, Example, Ed Sheeran, Zane Lowe, Kissy Sell Out, Krafty Kuts and more descend on this iconic seaside town, the 2012 line up delivers the key players in dance music for the final party of the festival season. Details available at http://www.shakedown.co.uk/
The Henley Festival (4 – 8 July 2012) is the UK’s most luxurious festival, a magical, five-night, star-studded, strictly black-tie event on the banks of the River Thames. New acts announced are:
Acts already confirmed include:
Tickets are selling fast at www.henley-festival.co.uk, and can also be bought from the Festival box office: 01491 843404. Tickets are priced from £35 per day. All Festival profits go to local charities [details below]. This year the Festival is celebrating 30 years at the heart of the English summer season and has announced a line up like never before. Composer, singer, author, actor, activist - Sting was born in Newcastle, England before moving to London in 1977 to form The Police with Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers. The band released five albums, earned six Grammy awards, and in 2003 was inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Since 1985, Sting has released 13 solo albums. To commemorate the 25th anniversary of his solo career, 25 Years, the definitive box set collection, was recently released. The Best Of 25 Years is also available as a double disc. Sting has sold nearly 100 million albums from his combined work with the Police and as a solo artist and has earned an additional 10 Grammy awards, a Golden Globe, an Emmy, and three Oscar nominations. This summer, Sting will perform many of his most celebrated hits at the Henley Festival on 4 July 2012. Aside from the headline acts, black tie revellers will enjoy candlelit dining at award winning chefs Albert and Michel Roux Jr’s riverside restaurant or have a more relaxed bite at one of the Festival’s six other restaurants. Along the riverbank world-class acts [full details below] from the worlds of jazz, opera, pop, theatre, comedy and cabaret entertain while pop-up art boutiques and sculpture lawns bring major galleries and artists to the Festival. The headline acts are closed each night by a dazzling firework display before partygoers dance into the night at the Festival’s resident nightclub. Henley-on-Thames is 60 minutes from London by train, (or 10 minutes by helicopter to the Festival’s helipad). Many guests choose to make a weekend of it and stay in one of the many five star hotels in Henley or nearby [more details below]. Henley Festival 2012 acts: Cabaret and performance: The Festival’s signature cabaret acts, The Roving Company of Eccentrica, will amuse, entertain, surprise and shock guests with their unique brand of street performances, spread throughout the Festival’s grounds. World-class dining: FEAST! Contemporary arts programme 2012 highlights include:
All profits to charity Stewart Collins, Henley Festival Artistic Director said: “To celebrate the Festival’s landmark birthday we’ve really pulled out all the stops. This year’s programme promises to be one of our most sensational to date – after all, 30 years is an achievement for any event and we wanted to see our guests celebrate in style. The Henley Festival is renowned for leaving our guests with magical memories and this will be an unmissable year for regulars and newcomers alike.’ The Henley Festival is sponsored by Invesco Perpetual, Westcoast, Lavazza Coffee, Benham Goodhead Print and Courtiers amongst others, the Festival showcases some of the best loved artists and performers from the classical, jazz and contemporary music world, as well as talent drawn from the global cultural scene, from sculpture and street theatre acts to poetry and art. Rory and Calum McDonald, the songwriting siblings from Runrig are set to release their first ever solo album, finally seeing a dream accomplished that they have been nurturing for over 40 years. The album was released on 30th April and is entitled ‘The Band from Rockall’ and draws inspiration from the effect the rock and pop culture of the 50′s and 60′s had on the Outer Hebrides’ Gaelic culture. The result is a heady fusion of traditional, lifting Gaelic songs and the energetic twanging of American rock and the beat synonymous with Merseyside. Add into the mix a sound landscape that nods its head towards an era of vintage keyboards and classic retro guitars and you end up with a fresh, contemporary and compelling atmosphere. The album features 12 new songs – including four in Gaelic. The title comes from the rock outcrop lying in the Atlantic Ocean, 300 miles west of the Scottish mainland and 200 miles beyond St Kilda and the Outer Hebrides. It is the most westerly part of Europe – the next stop, America. The writers say that while the concept originated prior to 1973 when Runrig was formed, the band’s subsequent career meant there never seemed to be a suitable time to develop it further. However, over the past two years, and especially the last 12 months when the band took a break from touring, it seemed that the time was right. Rory said: “Recording this album took us on a musical adventure that drew on the influences and musical triggers that have long been the soundtrack to our lives. “I think that generally, music was better in the 50s/60s – that’s not saying that there’s not great stuff around now – it’s just that a unique, wellspring of creativity was bursting forth at that time, the like that had never been heard before. We loved the songs, the way records sounded, the way they were recorded. There was an innocence and a naivety in all this discovery, resulting in a music that was fresh, raw and largely uncontrived. “In a strange way we felt like we were starting out all over again, back to the beginning, as we approached the writing and recording of the record and we hope that we also came to it with that degree of naivety that leaves one open to the unexpected.” According to Calum, the album was a real labour of love: “So often within the music business you have to work with many different people and opinions in order to take a song from the initial raw material to the finished recorded article, – you have to hand over emotional ownership. “But with this we were able to retain control, stay with the songs throughout the whole process and it gets you completely to the heart of the song. It’s been a real cathartic experience.” It was agreed that for the project to have any meaning, it had to be completely separate from Runrig in terms of presentation and musical approach. Rory plays all guitars and most of the keyboards and Calum plays drums on the album. They are joined by Michael Bannister and Ross Hamilton, the owners and engineer /musician/producers from Rocket Science studio in Glasgow; Andy Thorburn (piano): Euan Burton (double bass): Ryan Quigley (trumpet): Paul Towndrow (saxophone): Fiona Johnston (strings) and B. J. Cole (pedal steel guitar). Singers included the acclaimed Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis, Danish/ Icelandic folk cross-over singer, Sine Lahm Lauritsen and The Craigie Choir. “We started the process by going through loads of old tapes of song demos on various formats from old cassette recordings, reel to reel tapes, working through the tape sizes over the years, to DAT and digital recordings of more recent times”, said Rory. “It was a fascinating process and in many cases we came across songs we had completely forgotten about. Choosing the material was the first task and there was so much to choose from. There were older songs that had always meant a lot to us, and we also wanted to write some new songs as well.” Calum added: “For the recording, we wanted to initially avoid going into big studios. It was all done in the self-op home demo situation. Drums were recorded to try to capture a retro 60s sound. “Rory recorded guitars and keyboards on classic vintage instruments with complimentary sounds and all recorded on analogue tape. We then took the raw material to mother studios in Denmark and in Glasgow to pull it all together.” In general, the song themes are to do with the personal – a sense of family and spirituality in all its various forms. The Band From Rockall, the mainly instrumental opening track, sets the scene with imagery and lyrics capturing the freshness of the impact of early pop and rock music within a particular geographical and cultural context. Of the Gaelic songs, three – Mairi Bhan (Fair- haired Mary): Luaidh (Love) and Nighean Og Nan Suilean Ciuin (Young Girl With The Gentle Eyes) – are love songs. The fourth, Am Bard Deirannach (The Last Bard) is a eulogy about the last-of-a-generation family relative, sea-farer, whale fisher and village poet. The album will be available from www.thebandfromrockall.co.uk and normal retail outlets. In keeping with the ethos of the project, the recording will be released on vinyl as well as CD. In La fille du regiment, Ciofi uses a wonderful voice that is not overly dramatic and remains precise and pure throughout the whole production. She really proves herself capable of executing the role perfectly by making simple and subtle alterations to her approach. This is all she needs to get across the fact that she is an exceptional singer capable of playing this role spectacularly. Lee also plays an exceptional role and is capable of hitting some of the high notes quite unlike any other male singer currently performing. It is also wonderful to see him perform as you can see the amount of effort he puts into each role he takes on. The amount of heart and soul he puts into this production is no exception and it is really quite a remarkable thing to watch. Together these two singers do an excellent role of playing the two characters and there are many highlights throughout the production when they are singing together. It is fascinating to see their relationship develop and begin to understand the various flaws of each other’s character. The way they convince the audience that they are deeply in love with each other is remarkable and the audience will be quickly won over by this production. Elsewhere, Dawn French has been replaced in the La Duchesse de Crackentorp by Ann Widdecombe. Widdecombe appeared on Strictly Come Dancing and her dancing may have provided a certain enjoyment for people watching television at home, but now that she is performing at the Royal Opera House, she looks dreadfully out of place. This is not the sort of place for an amateur to be performing and no matter what Widdecombe’s performances on Strictly Come Dancing were like, it is very difficult to justify her being able to take up a position at this prestigious company. |
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