Category: entertainment and leisure news

THIS August sees the return of Thame Youth Theatre’s annual Summer Project, with the musical Disney’s Aladdin Jr, written by Alen Menken, Howard Ashman and Tim Rice.

After the success of last year’s performance of Peter Pan, Thame Youth Theatre hopes that this year’s production will be bigger and better than ever before.

“Our performance project has been running for five years now,” said Tom Mackriell, Youth Arts Development Manager for TYT, “and has seen some great shows like Guys and Dolls, Hairspray and Little Shop of Horrors performed. The TYT project is something that we are very proud of. It gives our members and the community alike, a chance to learn from professionals within the industry through singing, dancing and acting workshops, and gives the skills in which to work as a team to produce a full scale musical in five days.

“We believe that it is important for all our members and everyone involved that the performances are always full of fun and are enjoyed by all involved. The project runs from August 11-15, with the final performance on the 9th at 7.30pm. We still have a few places available; it is £85 for the week and we have a sibling discount of £160. We will be holding auditions on Wednesday, July 16, at the Phoenix performing arts studio at Lord Williams’s Lower School between 5pm – 8pm.”

Please email: admin@thameyouththeatre.co.uk or phone 07805 88 58 46 to obtain an enrolment form.

THE Thame-based Greatest Hits Choir,  which has sung and raised funds for a variety of local charities, is looking to recruit more male singers.

The choir’s Musical Director, Carol Canning, sang with the Swingle Singers for eight years and has been a professional singer since 1980, travelling all over the world. She has worked in many different genre including jazz at Ronnie Scott’s, opera at La Scala Milan, musicals for BBC radio, film sessions such as Lord of the Rings, backing on a Bjork album, close harmony with the Swingle Singers, contemporary music projects with composers such as Berio and Steve Reich, classical concerts such as the Proms and popular projects such as the world premiere of Paul McCartney’s ‘Ecce Cor
Meum’.

Carol is an experienced vocal arranger having written for the Swingle Singers, Five Live and the King Singers. She has also composed music for BBC television. She has been teaching since 1989.

The choir meets in Thame on Thursdays at the Thame Guide Hut,  Southern Road, Oxon OX9 2EE – Between 20:00 to 21:30.

THE June edition of The First Thursday Music Club in Thame is a very special one. The Towersey Festival is partnering with FTMC to launch its 50th festival this year, on June 3.

In addition to being the biggest and best Open Mic night in the district, this month’s event will feature the fabulous singer/ songwriter, Megan Henwood, in the 10 o clock spot, together with announcements about this year’s Towersey festival – and, as always, it’s all FREE!

Megan Henwood was the BBC Radio 2 Folk Award winner and has worked with many of the industry’s big names including Joe and Sam Brown, Steve Marriott’s daughter Mollie and one time Jethro Tull member, Barrie Barlow. She has a new album coming out very soon entitled ‘Head Heart Hand’ and has received great reviews.

Despite FTMC’s growing reputation, anyone can turn up and play by signing up before 7.45. The first act is usually on just after 8pm with music all the way through until midnight.

Check out the club on Facebook, The First Thursday Music Club. or at www.firstthursdaymusicclub.com where you can find more info’ including contact numbers and addresses for the organisers.

FAMILY fun days, talks and walks for community groups and conservation taster events are all happening in July at Meadow Farm, Blackthorn near Thame.

Meadow Farm project officer, Cathie Hasler, is looking forward to meeting people who want to know more about the wildlife of this very special group of meadows. “The first two weeks of July will be a great time to see butterflies flitting through the colourful wild flowers,” she explained. “We’re welcoming representatives of groups who are interested in discovering the meadows for arts or heritage projects, wildlife conservation activities and nature discovery for children. The event is on Thursday, July 10, from 7 to 9pm with a guided walk, tea and cake.”

The Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust now owns and manages Meadow Farm after a successful fundraising appeal last summer, and a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

“Our three year project will involve lots of people from Bicester and the surrounding villages,” says Cathie. “We’re looking forward to working with local volunteers who are keen to help us manage the meadows and hedgerows, and meeting families who would like to discover the wildlife of the meadows.”

The Meadow Farm events in July are:
· July 8, from 10am to 3pm: Conservation Taster Day for Volunteers

· July 10, from 7pm to 9pm: Community Groups evening walk around the meadows for representatives of local
community groups

· July 12, from 2pm to 4.30pm: Marvellous Meadows for all the family, enjoy the butterflies, grasshoppers and moths
among the wildflower meadows.

Book your place at these events by calling the Meadow Farm office on 01869 245864 or email: meadowfarm@bbowt.org.uk

THE Thatch in Thame is throwing a life-line to female guests who find themselves passed over for the football this month. Anyone whose other half refuses to make plans for the evening or who simply can’t face four weeks of wall-to-wall world cup, can treat themselves to their very own night out on Tuesday, June 24.

This one-off Ladies Night, will be filled with bubbles, ice cream and all things indulgent. There will be plenty of things to feast your eyes on, including handsome waiters and barmen keeping the fizz flowing on the night, starting with a tasting of champagnes from around the world with ice creams chosen to match, ending with music and dancing.

“This year as every year we shall be making The Thatch a football free zone, but this time around we wanted to do something nice to help all the women out there escape from their world cup hell,” said manager of The Thatch, Evelin Rae. “With the dreaded day, the start of the world cup, now dawned, we decided to invite the ladies to put their men in the blokes crèche at The James Figg pub down the road to watch the game, and spend their evening with us at The Thatch.

“We’re planning a wonderful night out with plenty of bubbly, sweet treats and excellent company, when the f-word will most definitely will be banned. Tuesday, June 24, coincidentally a world cup night, is going to be a very special night for the ladies. We’ll also be raising money for a great local cause by supporting Friends of O.S.C.A.R, the Didcot charity which supports children with brain and spinal tumours and their families. So join us and enjoy a fabulous night out.” 

The Thatch’s ladies night starts at 7pm and tickets cost £10. They can be booked from the pub by calling 01844 214340 or by going online at  www.thethatchthame.co.uk 

The Thatch is at 29-30 Lower High Street, Thame, Oxon, OX9 2AA. Tel: 01844 214340

THAME & District Round Table hosted another successful duck race again this year, raising thousands of pounds for local causes.

The race took place on Sunday (15/02) and enjoyed a great turnout with hundreds of local people coming to support the race and see if they had bought the winning ticket. The race raised £4,260, thanks to the ongoing support for this event from the people of Thame and the surrounding villages. Captain Ducky led the proceedings as usual and although his boat was a lot more shipshape than it’s been in previous years, it didn’t keep him any drier!

In a busy weekend, Round Table were also in action on Saturday too, when they joined forces with Thame Lions to run the bar at Thame Carnival. Working together with the Lions, the two groups raised a further £1,000 for local charities.

Neil Shorter, Chairman of Thame Round Table, said: “We’d like to thank everyone who supported the race by buying tickets and helping us to raise so much money. We would also like to thank all the family and friends who joined us on the day and helped to set the race up and in particular, to collect up all the ducks afterwards and get them cleaned and dried ready for next year. Finally, we’d like to thank The Falcon pub for providing their pop up bar for us to use and for helping throughout the day on Saturday too.”

THE undocumented lives of migrant children in this country will be explored in a very special performance by students of Lord Williams’s School, on Wednesday. The performance will be a collaboration with COMPAS, a research department of the University of Oxford. COMPAS is the Centre on Migration, Policy and Society where they undertake research into migration issues to inform policy making and public debate.

COMPAS has published some research into the experiences of migrant children with illegal status in the UK and developed dramatic monologues from the interviews. Researchers have approached the Lord Williams’s school to work with Year 10 students to develop a drama production which the students will perform in the school’s Phoenix Drama studio.

Nicky Stallwood, the Personal Development Curriculum Manager at Lord Williams’s School, explained: “This is a public performance and it would be wonderful to welcome community groups and individuals as well as staff and students to the performance. ​

“Whilst this is a small scale production, we are excited by the collaboration with COMPAS and we believe the evening will be of interest to those who want to understand the issues facing young migrants coming into the UK.”

The performance on June 18, will start at 6.30pm.

TOWERSEY Manor is once more to be the beautiful setting for this year’s Towersey Fete, on Sunday, June 22, with all the attractions of a traditional village fete in the lovely garden, from 12.30 – 4.00pm.

Last year’s Towersey fete was a resounding success with record attendances, and with children’s and adult’s races (egg and spoon, sack race etc) and competitions for the best scones, fairy cakes and lego models, the village is hoping for an even better turn out.

Refreshments include BBQ, beer, Pimms and ice creams and cream teas and cakes in the beautiful barn. Debbie Mellor, who is helping to promote the event, said: “We are hoping to continue our successful run of warm sunny weather – relax in the gardens, take a garden tour and enjoy rock and blues band The Notations with singer Hayley Gomm.

“Stalls include bric-a-brac, plants, cakes, preserves and crafts, tombola, toys and books, and the Manor Boutique stocking nearly new ladies’ clothes. For children, there’s a bouncy castle, and Professor Boodle’s Punch & Judy show. Towersey Morris will be dancing in the courtyard and the Village Voices Community Choir will perform some of their songs. Last but not least, there is the chance to win one of many very attractive prizes in the Grand Raffle or place a bid in the Silent Auction.

“Plenty of free parking (including disabled parking) will be available off Manor Road in a field close to Towersey Manor. Admission price is just £1 for adults, with accompanied children up to the age of 12 admitted free. Website for further details: www.towerseyfete.org.uk