Date

 Time

 Festival Week Events

 Where?

 Friday April 20th.

All Tickets £9

"Mrs Gerrish's Guesthouse"
A Ministry of Entertainment presentation

The Ministry of Entertainment bring 1958 Weston-Super-Mare to Thornbury with this delightful comedy based on personal memories collected by members of the company and Joe Hobbs the writer. The company has developed a strong following at the Tobacco Factory in Bristol where this production played to packed audiences and has subsequently toured widely in Somerset and Devon.

Kate McNabb and Ross Harvey are looking to put up the "No Vacancies" sign as they give us the unforgettable landladies and indominatable holidaymakers at that great British Institution the Seaside Boarding House. Musical Director Kit Morgan, ace guitarist formerly with Billy J Kramer, Wall Street Crash (amongst others), of late with Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull) and will be appearing in person driving the show along with the unforgettable songs, riffs and rhythms of the day.

Excellent theatre, great humour with the upbeat optimistic songs of the fifties when "We never had it so good".

Date

 Time

 Festival Week Events

 Where?

 Saturday April 21st

All Tickets £3

10.30 am

 "Mad Science Stage Show"

Armstrong Hall

Mad Science present a magical hour-long stage show based on the amazing world of science from super bouncy balls to making foam, from altering sound waves to the foggy coldness of solid CO2 (just when you thought you knew all about Carbon Dioxide!)

This performance will appeal to all primary schoolchildren and their parents; grandparents too.

This is the fun way to learn about science and the principles behind the demonstrations and experiments which take place live on stage.

With the blessing of the education authorities, Mad Science are able to arrange school workshops that provide imaginative and practical modules within the curriculum to stimulate primary schoolchildren's interest in science and engineering.

Date

 Time

 Festival Week Events

 Where?

"Dursley Male Voice Choir"
with Jenny Bostic and Primavera Saxophone Quartet

Supported by Castle Estate Agents

The Dursley Male voice choir was formed in 1978 with 18 members and now has well over 80. The choir has toured extensively, appeared in numerous international events on the Continent and in North America earning a well deserved reputation for the quality of its performance. Under their conductor Barrie Cooper the choir has been successful on TV and in national and international competitions. Somewhat surprisingly, this is their first ever performance at the Thornbury Arts Festival; and not before time!

The choir sing not only for their own enjoyment and our pleasure but in doing so they also raise considerable amounts for the various charities which they support.    "A gem of Gloucestershire music...."

Primavera Saxophone Quartet
Jennifer Bostic soprano sax, Hannah Miles alto,
Amy Medley tenor, Lindsay Hammer Baritone sax.

To honour the memory of Thornbury Jazzman and teacher Mike Wilkins, local musician Jenny Bostic who studied with Mike, brings the Saxophone Quartet Primavera to play a couple of sets while the choir takes a well-earned break. The group was formed while they were students at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama; they will play pieces specially written by Mike for past Festivals in addition to other jazz and classical pieces.

Date

 Time

 Festival Week Events

 Where?

 Sunday April 22nd.

All Tickets £4

"Rock Concert "
Inspire Arts Trust

Armstrong Hall

The role of Inspire Arts Trust, working out of the Caedmon Complex, is well known in the musical life of the town. Following the successful rock concert a year ago they are once again assisting the Festival by promoting this concert which is aimed at the young people of the Town. This is an opportunity to hear some of the very best young talent strutting their stuff and rockin' along, there should be plenty of room to dance around, so the place to be on Sunday Night is the Armstrong Hall.

The groups who will be playing will be announced nearer the date.

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Date

 Time

 Festival Week Events

 Where?

 Monday April 23rd.

All Tickets £5

"Pleasure Steamers of the Bristol Channel"
Nigel Coombes

Nigel Coombes is the Vice President of the Bristol branch of the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society.

Many of us will have been lucky enough to have taken a trip from Hotwells landing stage in one of Campbell's Steamers and there are few who have not watched and marvelled at the sight of an elderly but trusty boat steaming into one of the Somerset and North Devon resorts in the Summer season.

This is now the 60th anniversary of the Waverley's launch on the Clyde in 1947, Nigel Coombes will revive our memories with an illustrated talk on the history of Paddle Steamers in the Bristol Channel and the ongoing work on the Waverley's preservation.

Date

 Time

 Festival Week Events

 Where?

 Monday April 23rd.
Tickets include a drink
Tickets £9
Concessions £7

Early Music Recital
with Musica Antiqua of Dursley

      Musica Antiqua of Dursley
            Leader Emily White

St Mary's church is a magical setting for classical music and this concert promises to exploit the unique atmosphere to the full.

Date

 Time

 Festival Week Events

 Where?

Tuesday April 24th

All Tickets £5

"Along the A39 "
with Michael Horseman

The stretch of the A39 from Bath to Falmouth leads through some of the finest West Country Scenery, Mike Horseman describes this route and illustrates his talk with a series of evocative slides.

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Date

 Time

 Festival Week Events

 Where?

"An Audience with Sir David Frost"
Sir David Frost

Supported by Castle Estate Agents.

Sir David Frost has had a remarkable career leading from cutting edge satire that changed the way in which we think about authority, to founder and presenter on TV AM, to highly respected BBC journalist, interviewer and commentator who has probed the motives and morality of just about every significant politician and opinion-former of the last 30 years. Seldom out of the news himself, presenting over 500 editions of "Breakfast with Frost", his regular pond-hopping Concorde flights in the 80's and 90's, to his recent TV contract with al Jazeera International. Sir David's wide experience in politics and current affairs is unmatched, an al-Jazeera statement called Sir David "the only person to have interviewed the last seven presidents of the United States and the last six prime ministers of the United Kingdom".

Tonight, Sir David will entertain with anecdotes and inside stories from a lifetime of TV interviews and show clips of some of his most celebrated journalist "scoops" and performances since first bursting onto the scene in "That Was The Week That Was".

Date

 Time

 Festival Week Events

 Where?

"COUPLES? The wit of Dorothy Parker"
with Kim Hicks - a one woman show.

In this show, Kim portrays the American Writer and Poet Dorothy Parker whose career took off while writing theatre criticism for Vanity Fair while holding court at the Algonquin Hotel. Her caustic wit as a critic initially proved popular, but she was eventually sacked by Vanity Fair in 1920 after her criticisms began to offend too often. She then joined the "New Yorker".

She became a noted supporter of social causes and after her death her estate was left to the Martin Luther King and National Association for the Advancement of Coloured Peoples.

Date

 Time

 Festival Week Events

 Where?

" Cascade- Beyond Eight Bars"
Andy Sheppard with Virtuoso Friends

Andy Sheppard, one of Britain's foremost jazz saxophonists is often described as a serial collaborator. Andy has worked with an astonishing range of musical partners from all cultures and styles and led on over a dozen albums over the last 10 years.

In Cascade, a new venture which received an enthusiastic reception at the London Jazz festival, a collective of 5 extraordinary leading British Musicians, combine elements of jazz, folk and eastern music. Andy Sheppard on saxophone, Aidan O'Rourke on fiddle, Simon Thoumire on concertina, Sheema Mukherjee on sitar, and Kuljit Bhamra on tabla and percussion perform specially devised pieces highlighting the virtuosity, traditions and tastes of each member of the group. The appearance in Thornbury follows concerts in Glasgow and Birmingham.

Date

 Time

 Festival Week Events

 Where?

 Thursday April 26th.

All Tickets £5

 "Eating through the Ages in National Trust Properties"
with Judith Plante Cleall

From Medieval Hall to Tea Room Judith Plante Cleall gives an insight into the social history of the life of the stately home, illustrated with slides.

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Date

 Time

 Festival Week Events

 Where?

 Thursday April 26th.
No flat seating
Tickets £8
Concessions £6

"The Thurston Music Book, Kington 1736"
History, Music and Dance, caller Robert Taylor
with Sargent's Mess led by Naomi Sargent
and The Accidentals.

This is a unique collaboration between Thornbury Museum and the Arts Festival. The recent discovery of John Thurston's music book some 271 years after it was written, at Kington near Thornbury, is brought to vibrant life by Sargent's Mess led by local musician Naomi Sargent with his songs aired by the Accidentals.

The story of John Thurston, his music and songs will be revealed and there will be an opportunity to try out the dances too, with helpful instructions in period called by Robert Taylor.

A collaboration with Thornbury & District Museum and Christopher Challen.

Date

 Time

 Festival Week Events

 Where?

 Friday April 27th.

All Tickets £5

"Piano and Flute recital"
Mark Tanner and Gillian Poznansky

Mark Tanner has a wide-ranging international career and published many scholarly works. As a student he participated in masterclasses with three winners of the Tchaikovsky International Competition: Vladimir Ashkenazy, John Utt and Peter Donohoe. His BBC television debut was made at the age of thirteen. A recording of the Sonata in B minor for Mephisto subsequently triggered his doctoral thesis, and his recordings of Beethoven and Chopin favorites have also attracted high critical acclaim. BBC Music Magazine described his playing as "rapt and ecstatic. astounding pianism."

Gillian Poznansky was born in Lancashire and studied in Manchester and Cardiff. She is now settled in Cornwall where she is a freeelance teacher and player appearing as a solist with the Cornish SInfonia and appearing in Germany playing the Quanz G Minor concerto. She is expanding her instrumental teaching giving masterclasses and workshops and invitation recitals with Mark on piano and in Aberdeen with Peter Bone on guitar.

Date

 Time

 Festival Week Events

 Where?

 Friday April 27th.
Reserved seating
Raised seats £10
Flat seating £8

"Lights, Camera, ......Action! "
Hatstand Opera

Armstrong Hall

Hatstand Opera return to Thornbury after their popular and successful visit several years ago to bring into the limelight the music behind the movies.

From Opera classics to famous screen songs Hatstand demonstrate bags of talent, energy and passion and an unsurpassed ability to interact with the audiences in this poignant, sometimes funny evocation of movie music.

Date

 Time

 Festival Week Events

 Where?

 Saturday April 28th.

All Tickets £3

"Treasure Island"
Gloucester Old Spot Theatre Company
& The Festival Players

This is an adaptation by Martin Tomms and Olly Crick of Robert Louis Stephenson's classic tale of the discovery of a map of hidden treasure and the adventures which follow.

There will be fun, fights, pirates and a parrot in this rollocking good adventure story for the whole family by the Gloucester Old Spot Theatre Company and the Festival Players.

Date

 Time

 Festival Week Events

 Where?

"Mozart's Birthday Party"
 a Festival Fringe event with Chalemina

Details to follow

Date

 Time

 Festival Week Events

 Where?

 Saturday April 28th.
Reserved seating
Raised seats £15
Flat seating £14

"The First Farewell Tour"
Barry Cryer with Barrie Bignold

After 10 years, it's a triumphant return to Thornbury for Barry Cryer.

Barry's sharp wit is irresistible on BBC Radio 4's " I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue"; he is one of the best joke tellers in the business and has written gags for almost every stand-up performer and Sit-Com you can think of.

You can giggle along with non-stop merriment, join in the songs and test Barry's ability to tell a joke or anecdote on any subject by placing your topical or controversial topic in Barry's Bucket before the show begins.

Barrie Bignold acompanies and fields the put-downs.

Date

 Time

 Festival Week Events

 Where?

 Sunday April 29th.

Tickets include tea
All Tickets £6

"A Walk in the Woods"
Guide- Allan Burberry

Start and Finish at
Thornbury Leisure Centre

Following the very successful sell-out Easy Access Town trail last year we are continuing the same theme, this time in Filnore woods.

We will walk the path through Filnore Woods led by Allan Burberry Of Avon Wildlife Trust. The growth made by the trees over less than 10 years is remarkable. Leaving the Leisure Centre, after a level meadow path the route climbs through woodland planted in 1998 to reach the fine views over Thornbury to the Severn and the Forest of Dean. The path continues downhill and then takes in the specimen tree plantation of the former Avon Council. We shall return to The Leisure Centre for tea or coffee in the lounge with home-made cakes and a chance to chat over the wildlife features of the site.

Allan Burberry will lead two walks starting at the reception area of the Leisure Centre at 10.00am and 2.30pm. The walks last about an hour and a half covering about 1.5 miles. The paths in Filnore woods follow some gentle slopes and unless there has been recent rain, ordinary footwear or trainers will be suitable.

Enjoy a relaxed walk with an expert guide prepared to answer all your questions, followed by a delicious tea - with some informed natural history.

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 Jan. 2007

 Time

 Winter Programme Events

 Where?

Wednesday 31st.

10.00 am

"Seven Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor"
 Bristol Old Vic Theatre School

 Armstrong Hall

Armed with little more than his courage, his cunning and his faith in Allah, Sinbad's daring and fantastic voyages have thrilled, excited and entertained since their first appearance 800 years ago in the Arabic classic "The Thousand and One Nights"

An island on a Whale's back, the Old Man of the Sea, the mighty Roc, man-eating serpents, ogres, cannibals and savage apes all feature in this bold, physical production which bring Sinbad's adventures vividly to life for a new young audience.

Date

 Time

 Festival Week Events

 Where?

 Monday April 23rd.

"The Ant Bully"
screened in association with Thornbury Picture House

A delightful U certificate full length feature film released in 2006. It will be shown on the large screen with full surround sound in the Armstrong Hall in association with Thornbury Picture House film club.

The storyline compares the cooperation and unselfish behaviour typical of an ant colony with the antics of our hero who, fed up of being the target of the local bully, takes it out on the ants in his backyard. The shocks which he finds when he shrinks to live in an anthill bring a warm glow to those who enjoy retribution laced with the pleasure of seeing a wiser and much reformed character who stands up for himself when he return to human size.

Starring Julia Roberts, Nicholas Cage, Meryl Streep, Paul Giamatti

Director John Davies.

 April 2007

 Time

 Spring Programme Events

 Where?

April 24th.

9 am to 12.30pm

1.30 to 3.30pm

"Stage Fighting Workshop based on Richard III"
with rc-Annie
 

Castle School

Participants will learn all the basics: punches, rolling, thrusting, parrying, grappling and strangling as they equally discover the intricate trust, safety and partnering skills that keep Performers safe and looking good.

rc-Annie was founded Rachel C Bown-Williams and Ruth Cooper-Brown, two combat trained athletes qualified in teaching stage combat techniques. rc-Annie trains professional actors and runs school workshops in the techniques required to look good and realistic in stage fighting and just as importantly instils the discipline and trust required to produce a safe yet believable performance.

 April 2007

 Time

 Spring Programme Events

 Where?

Saturday 28th.

All Tickets £3

10.30 am

"Treasure Island"
Gloucester Old Spot Theatre Company
with the Festival Players

 Armstrong Hall

A saturday morning performance that is sure to appeal to youngsters - of all ages!

This is an adaptation by Martin Tomms and Olly Crick of Robert Louis Stephenson's classic tale of the discovery of a map of hidden treasure and the adventures which follow.

There will be fun, fights, pirates and a parrot in this rollocking good adventure story for the whole family by the Gloucester Old Spot Theatre Company and the Festival Players.

 April 2007

 Time

 Spring Programme Events

 Where?

TBA.

TBA

"Creative Writing Workshop"
with Mick Leigh
 

Thornbury Primary Schools

In a return visit, charismatic Australian poet leads another series of writing workshops that fire the imaginations of his enthralled young listerners and has them listening to their inner voices and writing expressive verse.

CLICK HERE to see last some of last years' collected verse from Manorbrook and Christ the King schoolchildren.

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Late News

 Feb/March 2007

 Time

 Spring Programme Events  

 Where?

Contact 01454 853947 for Music.
          or 01454 413887 for Speech and Drama
Judging of the various Eisteddfod Music classes will take place over a 9 day period and the Speech Classes over 2 days.

 Feb/March 2007

 Time

Eisteddfod class competitions

 Where?

 5 March and 6 March

Various

Eisteddfod Speech and Drama
Class Judging

The Speech and Drama Eisteddfod is sponsored by the Lions Club of Thornbury

Whitsun Hall,
Hatch Community (at junction of Castle St/ Kington Lane).
Thornbury

Eisteddfod Music Class Judging

The Music Eisteddfod is sponsored by the Lions Club of Thornbury

St Mary's Church
Castle Street
Thornbury

 Sunday 11 March

2.30 pm

Eisteddfod Concert

Showcasing some of the top young performers in Thornbury

Armstrong Hall

2002 Best overall vocal
Thornbury Cymrodorian Cup Presentation
    

The judging for the various Eisteddfod classes will take place over a 9 day period in two venues.

For details of of Music classes etc.,
call Karen Blount on 01454 853947            

For details of times of Speech and Drama classes etc.,
please ring 01454 413887.

Selected class winners from the Eisteddfod will be invited on stage at the Eisteddfod Concert on Sunday March 11th, performing, singing or playing, for an appreciative audience.

 April 2007

 Time

 Community Events

 Where?

The following performances will take place in an extended Festival period. To cater for those who are unable to travel to the usual venues the events will be held in the residential homes listed below.

Various TBA

"Songs and Sing along"
with Five Alive

Programme to follow

Various TBA

Programme to follow

Various TBA

Programme to follow

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