THE Thame Carnival committee have met this week and as the day draws closer, the list of applications for stalls and carnival floats is growing for what promises to be the ‘greenest’ carnival ever!
Rumour has it that the Thame stocks are going to be resurrected at the fete, following the carnival procession, and that the town Mayor could be the first to take the flack!
WHEN: Sunday May 12, at 7 pm – UK 2018, 111 minutes, 15 certificate – directed by Wash Westmoreland, starring Kiera Knightley, Dominic West, Fiona Shaw, Eleanor Tomlinson, Denise Gough.
COLETTE was one of the most celebrated French authors of the twentieth century, nominated for the Nobel Prize, and given the honour of a state funeral when she died in 1954. But to begin with, she was Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, a young girl from a French provincial town, waiting for her life to begin.
She has an older lover, the literary entrepeneur Henry Gauthier-Villars known as “Willy” (Dominic West). When she becomes his bride, moving to Paris to become part of the literary demi-monde, she anticipates creative and artistic adventure and romantic fulfilment. Things don’t quite turn out that way – Willy is a rake and a philanderer with no intention of setted fidelity, and Gabrielle is bored and frustrated, frequently cooped up in cramped apartments, impoverished and engaged in clerical servitude, liaising with Willy’s factory of writers churning out pulp bestsellers.
But along the way she learns to write. She produces a manuscript about Claudine, a young girl at school navigating burgeoning maturity, and Willy decides to publish it as his own work. It is a publishing sensation, becoming something of a cult, tapping into a hitherto neglected readership of young girls and women eager to consume distinctly feminine narratives. Willy recruits his wife to keep churning them out, spicing things up, feeding the seemingly bottomless public appetite for all things Claudine – but insisting on using his own name as the author.
Knightley palpably relishes this role, and is feisty and playful as a woman grappling with personal, marital and societal constraints, striving to reclaim power and autonomy from her egotistical and pompous husband. This is simultaneously a spirited and celebratory biopic, and a lush and exhilarating portrait of Belle Epoque literary Paris: the bars, the nightclubs, the salons, the characters, the scandals, and the people who moved within them. These include gender fluid trailblazers such as ‘Missy’, a noblewoman and artist who chooses to live as a man, becoming Colette’s lover.
Westmoreland’s film – his first following Still Alice – is a period piece but with a defiant contemporary sensibility, celebrating women’s voices, women’s stories, and one person’s journey towards creative autonomy. View the trailer HERE
POPULAR TV celebrity cook, Mary Berry, is to appear at this year’s Thame Food Festival on September 22.
Mary will be doing an interview, followed by a book signing. Others appearing in an all-star cast of chefs and bakers on the main demonstration stage include previous The Great British Bake Off and MasterChef winners and contestants, plus lots of new people too, Briony May, Alex Hollywood and Chris Bavin to name a few.
BOOK YOUR TICKETS NOW and be entered into the prize draw to have a reserved seat in the front row!
THAME Players are opening with their production of Agatha Christie’s Witness for the Prosecution at the Players Theatre on Tuesday, May 7.
Generally regarded as one of Christie’s most accomplished plays, this suspenseful thriller keeps audiences guessing until the very end.
The plot centres on a court case involving a man, Leonard Vole, who stands accused of murdering a wealthy older woman, Emily French, who has made hm her heir, unaware that he is married. The stakes are high, with shocking witness testimony, impassioned outbursts from the dock, and a young man fighting to escape the hangman’s noose. The jury’s verdict is only the beginning of a story that is full of twists and turns.
This play was suggested to Agatha Christie by her theatre producer, Peter Saunders. The first draft was entitled Hostile Witness, but this was changed to Witness for the Prosecution at an early stage. Peter Saunders enlisted the services of Humphrey Tilling, a barrister, to verify the authenticity of the legal aspects of the plot. A lot of research went into the play, with both Christie and Saunders writing long letters to each other debating points and Christie also reading several volumes of the Notable British Trials book series to ensure everything was just right.
Witness for the Prosecution premiered at the Winter Garden Theatre in London’s West End in October 1953 and was a huge hit. It became Christie’s proudest achievement as a dramatist.
Agatha Christie’s output includes over 70 novels and 150 short stories. She also wrote over 20 plays. The most famous, The Mousetrap, which opened in 1952, is the longest-running play in the world. With more than two billion books printed she is outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare. Agatha Christie has been widely adapted for TV, film, radio, publishing, stage and digital, and her books have been translated into more than 100 languages, making her the most translated writer of all time.
Agatha Christie’s Witness for the Prosecution is being performed at The Players Theatre, Nelson Street, Thame OX9 2DP from Tuesday – Saturday, March 7 – 11, 2019 at 7.45pm.
Tickets are all £8 on Tuesday 7th and Wednesday 8th, and £10 (£9 concessions) from Thursday 9th – Saturday 11th. Tickets are available from Spear Travels, Greyhound Walk, Thame, telephone 01844 217228, or online from www.thameplayers.co.uk
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL – PATRICK COLLINS
Sunday 19th May Ticket price tbc
Another evening of poetry, readings and music in aid of Amnesty International
EXTREME CHAMPIONSHIP IMPROV
Friday 24th May at 7.45pm Tickets £10
Extreme Championship Improv is the latest and greatest form of improvised theatre from Sparky Buddy Productions, a film and theatre company based in the UK. Originally founded in 2010 by artistic director David Pustansky, the company was originally formed as a pure improvisation theatre company
HATS OFF TO LED ZEPPELIN
Sunday 2nd June at 7.45pm Tickets £15
Experience the power and the passion of a Led Zeppelin concert, played by one of the most exciting Rock’n’Roll bands on the circuit today. These guys have performed with the best and are a truly professional outfit guaranteed to give you a night that you won’t forget in a hurry!
COMEDY @ THE PLAYERS
Friday 7th June at 7.45pm Tickets £12
Alfie Brown: Lunatic (plus supporting act)
From a complete sell out run at the Edinburgh Festival, Alfie Brown is coming to Thame on his first UK Tour. His latest show, Lunatic, is about identity politics and trying to be a good father in a horrible world. He provides no answers, only questions.
DUNG BEATLES
Saturday 8th June at 7.45pm Tickets £12 with £10 concessions
Hailed by The British Beatles Fan Club as ‘definitely not your average Beatles band’, the band has earned high praise for its authentic musical renditions and close-harmony vocals. Based in Buckinghamshire, The Dung Beatles got together in 2013, with Danny Prendergast on lead guitar and vocal, Mike Ashton on drums, Steve Hillier on rhythm guitar and lead vocal, and Phil Toler on bass and vocals. Martin Kent joined in 2017 on keyboards.
All Tickets available online from www.thameplayers.co.uk or from Spear Travels on 01844 217228
THAME this October will be celebrating a decade of inspiring books, art and music, when the fun begins for the tenth Thame Arts and Literature Festival (TAL).
Plans are already well underway for this auspicious anniversary of this festival which attracts award-winning authors, artists, poets, playwrights, comedians and musicians.
To whet your appetite, some of the well-known names already lined up to appear at TAL this year include author Penelope Lively and political writer and broadcaster Matthew Parris.
A comedian, a poet, a historian, novelists, historians and more….
Returning to TAL, will be a favourite TAL guest,Will Gompertz, writer, presenter and the BBC’s first Arts Editor; the hilarious Adam Kay, the doctor-turned-comedian; Roger McGough (he just can’t stay away from TAL!), much-loved poet and presenter of the BBC’s Poetry Please, and Alison Weir, one of Britain’s top-selling historians. Also appearing in this very special TAL year, will be Dominic Sandbrook, presenter, commentator, broadcaster and author, and Novelists Victoria Hislop and Virginia Nicholson.
“We absolutely love creating each festival and watching it find its unique voice,” said TAL Festival Founder and Festival Director, Yvonne Maxwell, who this year received the Thame Town Award for Creative Arts Achievement.
A four day feast of culture and fun
As always, the TAL festival will be full of entertaining, enjoyable and informative events to spark your imagination, with lots of amazing talks, debates, ideas, laughter and music thrown in.
Back by popular request is TAL’s very own Glyndebarn with Opera Anywhere; Rumsey’s Tea Concert; the Thame Ghost Walk, and the inspiring and colourful Art Crawl.
More entertainment to come!
More events are yet to be added to the programme, including creative workshops, something for the little ones at TAL Kids, and even a Parent Panel. Watch this space!
There’ll also be plenty of surprises in store for all ages so sign up for regular newsletters so that you won’t miss out when online booking opens earlier than usual this year, at 12 noon on Saturday, June 1.
Contact: info@talfestival.org
A final word from TAL’s founder, Yvonne Maxwell: ““TAL has been my passion since the first festival in 2009. It’s great to see that so many people share this with us, by the growing numbers attending each year and with such enthusiasm.”
As previous TAL visitors have commented:
“It’s wonderful to have such a good festival in the centre of town.”
“It’s an amazing community event.”
“An unique experience to hear people one has long admired.”
WITNESS for the Prosecution, by Agatha Christie, directed by Pat Shepherd, will be performed from May 7, to 11, at 7.45pm, at the Players Theatre in Nelson Street, Thame.
Leonard Vole stands accused of murdering a rich widow. The stakes are high with shocking witness testimony, impassioned outbursts from the dock and a young man’s fight to escape the hangman’s noose. Generally regarded as one of Christie’s most accomplished plays, this suspenseful thriller keeps audiences guessing until the very end.
With a cast of 18, it’s a great play for as many actors to take part in as possible. It’s a very complex set designed by our very own Doug Taylor and will be outstanding. Come and be ‘wowed’. The play is set in the 1950s when hanging was still in force.
It’s a long show but should finish by 10.30pm.
Tickets are selling very fast with some performances almost 3/4 sold so don’t delay. We still have opportunities for a member of the audience to take part as the Foreman of the Jury with the chance to pronounce the verdict on two performances so contact Pat Shepherd on 01296 747017 if you’d like to do this.
Tickets available online from www.thameplayers.co.uk or from Spear Travels on 01844 217228 although those wishing to be Foreman of the Jury need to ring Pat Shepherd on 01296 747017 to book that opportunity.
Tickets are £8 on Tuesday and Wednesday 7th and 8th May. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 9th, 10th and 11th May tickets are £10 with £9 concessions.
Contributed by Pat Shepherd
FOLLOWING a successful run at the 2018 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, The Johnny Cash Story takes you on an incredible journey through the career of the 18-times Grammy winner.
Immerse yourself in the world of the ‘Man in Black’ in this groundbreaking ‘show-umentary’ format.
Featuring powerful renditions of Folsom Prison, Ring Of Fire, Man In Black, Hurt and many more.
This astonishing back catalogue is realised with authenticity by Jamie Rodden, a critically acclaimed performer whose renditions of Cash’s songs have won audiences and wowed critics.
“powerful and compelling singer” Fringe Guru
“very engaging stage presence” Fringe Review
“Highly recommended for all lovers of music” ScotGay
The Johnny Cash Story is on at https://www.thameplayers.co.uk/ on the May 17.
THE New Foxtrot Serenaders will be making a welcome return to The Players Theatre, Thame, on Saturday, April 6, with what promises to be one of their best shows for years.
The much-revered Serenaders will be celebrating giants of the British traditional jazz scene from the 50s, 60s and 70s. Many of us remember growing up with legendary names like Chris Barber, Kenny Ball and Acker Bilk, and won’t want to miss ‘the hottest little big band in the south east’, when they bring their tribute to the very best of British Dixieland Jazz to Thame on Saturday! They’ll be performing some of the greatest songs of the era, such as Petite Fleur, Stranger on the Shore, Midnight in Moscow, At the Jazz Band’s Ball, Way Down Yonder in New Orleans, High Society, Hello Dolly and many more.
The Serenaders promise a lively, foot-tapping show that has been selling out at venues across the south of England. So, if you haven’t seen this great band before, come to The Players Theatre on Saturday for a real treat!
Tickets are £12 and available online from www.thameplayers.co.uk or from Spear Travels on 01844 217228.
‘The New Foxtrot Serenaders look and sound like the real thing. Their style is authentic and nostalgic, with a real feel-good factor. They’ve performed several times for the Big Band nights at the bandstand, and attracted large, enthusiastic audiences.’ Eastbourne Today
THE final headline acts for Saturday night at this year’s Towersey Festival, and the the line-up for the August Bank Holiday Monday Roy Bailey tribute, have been revealed!
The acclaimed songwriter, guitarist and sometime actor, Newton Faulkner, is coming back to Towersey. Throughout his career he’s sold over 1.5 million records with 180 million streams, making him one of the UK’s most successful singer-songwriters this millennium. Recently, Newton’s been on the road with Jeff Wayne’s spectacular The War Of The Worlds UK arena tour, and he’s just released a new album, The Best Of … So Far, a career-spanning summary of his first decade.
See Newton Faulkner on Saturday, August 24, 2019. LINK
Without a doubt one of the best live bands in the UK right now, From The Jam featuring legendary Jam bassist Bruce Foxton.
With almost 1,000 headlines shows under their belts, they expertly recreate the incendiary live performances of the original band, whose enduring string of hits includes Eton Rifles, Town Called Malice, Start, Down In The Tube Station At Midnight, Going Underground, and more.
Without a doubt one of the best live bands in the UK right now is From The Jam, featuring legendary Jam bassist Bruce Foxton.
With almost 1,000 headlines shows under their belts, From The Jam expertly recreate the incendiary live performances of the original band, whose enduring string of hits includes Eton Rifles, Town Called Malice, Start, Down In The Tube Station At Midnight, Going Underground, and more.
Get your tickets for From The Jam now LINK
ROY REMEMBERED
For 53 years Roy Bailey played at Towersey Festival and for many of those he was the festival’s Patron. Roy passed away in December 2018, not many months after a brilliant performance at the 2018 Festival.
In honour of his countless achievements, both on and off stage, as well as his long-running association with the festival, the festival will present Roy Remembered: A Celebration of the Life and Times of Roy Bailey. LINK
An afternoon of music, stories and collaborations, the concert will feature an A-Z of friends and associates, all of whom worked closely with Roy over the years.
Among those appearing will be songwriter and BBC 6Music presenter Tom Robinson, Martin Simpson, Andy Cutting, John Kirkpatrick, The Wilson Family, Boff Whalley (Chumbawamba), Stephen Taberner (The Spooky Men’s Chorale), Ray Hearne, Kit and Max Bailey, Nancy Kerr, James Fagan, and Marc Block.
With host Steve Heap, they’ll be sharing their memories of Roy and performing choice songs from his vast repertoire.
Visit the Towersey Festival website HERE for the full line up!
Book tickets HERE