Category: entertainment and leisure news

COINCIDING with the release of his new, free, five track EP, called ’75’, rising singer-songwriter talent, Joshua Gilbert will be the feature artist at the First Thursday Music Club?s May event on Thursday, May 3, at the James Figg in Thame.

Joshua is a hugely talented singer songwriter, just embarking on a career in the music business and, judging by his burgeoning local support, he has a very good chance of making some serious headway.

Joshua?s stage personality allows him to be a charismatic entertainer with the confidence to hold the stage and communicate with his audience with humour and intelligence ? and then deliver intensely personal, intimate and insightful thoughts via his music.

Joshua Gilbert will be taking the stage at around 10pm and is expected to be playing to a huge crowd. Don?t miss it!

Last month?s FTMC event featured Papa Truck who stormed the night with half an hour of home-grown Bluegrass made from mandolin, banjo guitar, fiddle and bass, and some sweet three part vocal harmonies. In addition, there were another 13 acts that played throughout the evening providing an eclectic array of performances and styles ? all for free!

The first act will be on at around 8.30PM

SOURCE: Contributed

GARDEN Opening in aid of Berks, Oxon and Bucks Air Ambulance at Towersey – Sunday, April 29:

2pm to 5pm at Towersey Manor, Manor Road, Towersey, Near Thame OX9 3QR – Adults

PUT your brain to the test this month, when the Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity (FNHC) comes to Chearsley Village Hall for its popular general knowledge quiz.

Back for the third year, eggheads are being encouraged to take part by submitting a team (maximum eight people) for the event taking place on Saturday 28th April from 7.15pm.

Tickets cost

STUDENTS at Stagecoach Theatre Arts, Thame, have given a warm welcome to their new principal Nicky Goodwin, who is keen to spread the word about the wider advantages to young people of the performing arts.

Stagecoach Thame has been running at The Phoenix Performing Arts Centre, Lord Williams?s (Lower) School for two years, providing high quality training in singing, dance and drama to children aged 4 to 18.

New Principal, Nicky Goodwin, is looking forward to her new role. “I am so excited to be taking over such a welcoming school with a fabulous, lively atmosphere,” she said. “There’s a team of incredibly talented and dedicated teachers who make every lesson exciting and fun. I am a firm believer that Stagecoach does not only give children training in Performing Arts, but also valuable skills for life.

“Having previously worked for six years at Stagecoach Oxford and having two of my own children attend Stagecoach, I have seen first-hand the difference Stagecoach can make to a child and it is fantastic to be able to offer this opportunity to children in the Thame area!”

On Saturday, May 5, at 2.30pm. at The Phoenix Performing Arts Centre, in Towersey Road, Thamem Stagecoach Thame will be holding an Open Meeting where parents can go and meet Nicky and her teachers at the school, to find out more about what Stagecoach Thame has to offer. For further information, or to enrol for the new term starting Saturday, April 21, contact Nicky on 01865 763767. www.stagecoach.co.uk/thame

WHO? Thame Players present: WHAT? PRESENT LAUGHTER by Noel Coward; WHERE? at THE PLAYERS THEATRE, Nelson Street, Thame; WHEN? at 7.45pm from Tuesday 8th May to Saturday 12th May, 2012.

THAME Players welcome two newcomers to The Players Theatre stage in their latest production of Noel Coward?s masterpiece, Present Laughter. Clare Peecock, who plays Daphne Stillington and Alistair Mackay, who plays Roland Maule, make their Thame debuts on Tuesday, May 8, at 7.45pm. The play is also the debut as a director for The Players of Chris Parker, although he brings with him much experience from elsewhere.

Present Laughter follows the exploits of popular actor, Garry Essendine (played by Tim Proctor), who revels in being a temperamental prima donna. Now separated from his wife, Liz (played by Abigail Tester), he still remains under her control. Following a fling with Daphne Stillington and when he becomes more deeply involved with his manager?s wife, Joanna (played by Sarah Rosling), it becomes clear that it will be difficult for him to extricate himself. Liz returns and takes him under her control again. Noel Coward wrote the part of Garry for himself and some might say, apart from the change of name, Garry was Noel Coward.

Performances run from Tuesday 8th May until Saturday 12th May at 7.45pm each day. Tickets cost

OXFORD BAND, Lest We Forget, which includes Thame-born drummer, Fergus Taylor, has taken the judging panel of the UK?s biggest original music competition by storm and is now just one good performance away from playing at London?s O2 in the Grand Final of Live and Unsigned which is part of Live Fest; London?s biggest indoor festival.

They were voted by judges as one of the best in the Regional Final Showcase and now they will be competing against the most talented bands and artists in the country in the South-West England and Wales Final on May 27, at Sub89 in Reading.

Lest We Forget battled against the best talent in the region, to secure a coveted spot in the Area Finals and now has the opportunity to prove that they are the hottest unsigned act in the UK. Acts taking part in the live Area Final Showcase in front of hundreds of spectators will also get to perform to a professional judging panel, including judges from Radio One, Kerrang and Choice FM.

Band member, Harry Lingard, told Thamenews.net: “We started about a year ago and have been playing shows all across the county, including the two of the biggest venues, including the Oxford O2 Academy, and we have an EP out on iTunes (Recorded at Black frog studios in Thame.) We play hard rock/metal and are currently winning a competition to play the main stage at Birmingham’s Infernal Festival.”

More than 10,000 acts entered nationally and the few still left in the competition are in with a chance of making their way to the Grand Final at London?s O2, winning the

WHEN? Friday April 20, at the Co-Op Cafe, High Street, Thame, between 3:30pm and 5:30pm.

Please come along. This is your opportunity to speak with your Neighbourhood Officers to discuss any local issues of concern you may have. If you are unable to attend but wish to speak with your Neighbourhood Officers, please call 101.

PARENT Workshops in Haddenham; The Children?s Centre is holding a series of workshops for parents of children aged 2-5. The first – on Early Speech and Language Development – is on Thursday, April 19, (8-9.30pm) in the Walter Rose Room at the Village Hall.

There will be a talk, delivered by two qualified Speech and Language Therapists, telling you everything you need to know about speech and language development and how you can best support your child.

For more details or to book a place contact Kim (07867 553378) or Sam (07825 431062), who are the Family Support Workers at Haddenham Children’s Centre.

THE popularity of Jazzersize as a form of exercise and fun is growing and the Jazzersize ladies and gents will be aiming to ‘do their thing’ for four hours continually on Saturday (April 28)!

The Jazzerthon will be happening between 10am-2 pm at Meadow View Park, Thame Football Club, and all the money collected from donations will go towards purchasing a bowel scanner for Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

To find out more about Jazzersize, visit their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/JazzerciseBucksandOxon

THAME CINEMA 4 ALL – Saturday, April 14th; Wuthering Heights – UK 2011, 129 minutes, 15 certificate, Directed by Andrea Arnold, Starring Kaya Scodelario, James Howson

TO describe this film as a Bront