4 1 0 2 R A M N A J www.disscornhall.co.uk
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The most rewarding part of the Corn Hall success story has been the support and enthusiasm shown by the people of the town. Confirming what we hear from our audiences after every event, a survey conducted by Diss Town Council has just revealed that a morale-boosting 80%+ of respondents think that the work of the Corn Hall Trust is either ‘very important’ or ‘important’. We think this new programme will keep the feel-good factor going. There is top entertainment for every musical taste. The one and only Courtney Pine is here in February as part of his exhilarating House of Legends Tour. We’re promised great bluegrass vocals and a thrilling dance style from Geordie Mackeeman & His Rhythm Boys, and all-star folk group, Faustus will win us over in March. In January, you can enjoy one of the best outfits on the British Blues scene, The Dave Thomas Blues Band and, if you missed the landmark open-air staging of Peter Grimes on Aldeburgh Beach, you can catch it on film at our encore screening. In February, Honor Blackman will reveal stories and anecdotes about her astonishing life in conversation with her friend, the director Richard Digby Day. Two excellent theatre companies return, Townsend Productions with their acclaimed production of We Will Be Free! - the story of the Tolpuddle Martyrs and Eastern Angles with their moving and magical play, Palm Wine & Stout . I particularly urge you not to miss the extraordinary Adventures of Alvin Sputnik, described by the Sunday Mail as ‘theatrical magic’. There are fun shows for the young, and the young at heart too. This season we have three more fantastic family Saturday Club shows – There’s a Monster in My Piano, Kid Carpet and Grisly Tales from Tumblewater. Then there’s Luke Wright’s Stand-up Poetry Club, The Six Wives of Henry VIII, Lee Hurst – Things That Make You Go Aaarggh!!, The Reduced Shakespeare Company – The Bible (abridged) plus our regular Corn Hall Comedy Club, all guaranteed to delight as well. The excellent exhibitions in the gallery continue this quarter with Jane Ironside, Lucy Kayne and a second exhibition of highly sought-after prints by one of our most celebrated landscape artists, Norman Ackroyd. And on Wednesday nights? Well , that’s when we screen our hand-picked selection of the very best of the recent films – do join us.
Angela Sykes, Diss Corn Hall Manager
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BOX OFFICE 01379 652241 Mon - Fri 11am - 4pm Sat 11am-2pm www.disscornhall.co.uk
The Old Stables, beside the Corn Hall, St Nicholas Street, Diss IP22 4LB
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Exhibition Film Word Family Film Music Film Comedy Music Film Word & Music Exhibition Film Theatre / Comedy Music Film Family Film Theatre
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EVENT
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Still Life and Landscapes by Jane Ironside Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa (15) Luke Wright’s Stand-up Poetry Club The Saturday Club – There’s a Monster in My Piano I Wish (PG) Dave Thomas Band Blue Jasmine (12A) Corn Hall Comedy Club Peter Grimes on Aldeburgh Beach The Great Beauty (15) Honor Blackman – as Herself On the Eve of… Photographs by Lucy Kayne Sunshine on Leith (PG) The Six Wives of Henry VIII – Living Spit Theatre Company Gordie MacKeeman & His Rhythm Boys Rush (15) The Saturday Club – Kid Carpet: Blast Off! Captain Phillips (12A) We Will Be Free! – Story of the Tolpuddle Martyrs – Townsend Productions Lee Hurst – Things That Make You Go Aaarggh!! About Time (12A) Courtney Pine – House of Legends Tour The Counterfeit Beatles – District Rotary Club Norman Ackroyd – The Furthest Lands Le Week-End (15) Kiss Me, Figaro! – The Merry Opera Company In a World (15) The Bible: The Complete Word of God (abridged) – The Reduced Shakespeare Company The Saturday Club – Grisly Tales from Tumblewater Wadjda (PG) The Adventures of Alvin Sputnik – Deep Sea Explorer – a Weeping Spoon production Faustus Philomena (12A) Palm Wine & Stout – Eastern Angles Corn Hall Comedy Club
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January “…memories of people, places and events are awakened...”
Art
Film
An exhibition in the Corn Hall Gallery 7-31 January Box Office Hours Free
Wednesday 8 January 8pm Tickets £5 / Under 18s £2.50
Still Life and Landscapes by Jane Ironside Jane works in a variety of media to suit the subject. She often focuses on the environment, climate change and, in particular, the local coast, rivers and woodlands as well as journeys, both inner and outer, liminal spaces and what is discovered there. During the process of painting, memories of people, places and events both from the past and her imagination are awakened and often become part of her work. http://seamlesstextiles.co.uk
Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa
(15)
Directed by Declan Lowney, 2013, UK, 90 mins With Steve Coogan, Colm Meaney, Anna Maxwell Martin Norfolk’s own Alan Partridge, the inept veteran of five radio and tv series, now finds himself starring in this wonderful comedy action movie. His current employer, North Norfolk Digital, is invaded by a vengeful ex-employee and it’s Partridge who finds himself reluctantly recruited as the rescuing hero. There is genuine excitement as well as laughs as Norwich and Cromer descend into cleverly orchestrated chaos.
Evening viewing Wednesday 8 January 6.30-7.45pm Come and meet Jane in person. Join us afterwards for our screening of British comedy Alpha Papa.
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Word Friday 10 January 8pm Tickets £8 / Students £6
The Saturday Club Saturday 11 January 2pm Tickets £5 / Children £3 (4+ yrs) Garlic Theatre presents
Stand-up Poetry Club – featuring Ross Sutherland This month Luke Wright plays host to Ross Sutherland, the man with whom he started poetry collective Aisle16. Ross is one of live literature’s greatest innovators, combining his words with music, live projections and choreography to produce some of the most cutting edge spoken word shows of the last ten years. His work is modern, irreverent and very funny. Think Chris Morris doing a turn as a space age impressionist and you’re getting there. It’ll be ace. www.lukewright.co.uk
There’s a Monster in My Piano Q. What do you do when you hear a strange munching noise inside a piano? A. Call the Piano Doctor of course. He might be able to help with his bag full of ears and his collection of weird and wonderful tools. But when he looks inside – the musical notes are packing their bags and running away. What are they scared of and who is hammering at the keys? A jazzy tale starring puppets, clowning, animation and a very highly-strung monster indeed! Running time 45mins.
www.garlictheatre.org.uk
Film Wednesday 15 January 8pm Tickets £5 / Under 18s £2.50
I Wish
(PG)
Directed by Hirokazu Koreeda, 2011, Japan, 128 mins With Koki Maeda, Ohshirô Maeda, Hiroshi Abe This delicate family drama has drawn audiences into its often mysterious depths. Two real-life brothers give terrifically natural performances as the cheerful young casualties of a troubled marriage. One lives with the hard-working mum, the other with the laid-back dad. Both children dream of reuniting the parents, but meanwhile other intriguing narrative strands enrich a film that reinforces Koreeda’s reputation as a master film maker. 5
January “It’s sheer film-going pleasure.”
Music
Music
Saturday 18 Jan 8pm Tickets Advance £10 / Door £12
Dave Thomas Blues Band A blues musicians’ musician, Dave Thomas plays traditional blues with style, flair and feeling. His guitar playing has been compared with BB King and he is often asked to back visiting blues legends when they visit the UK. The Dave Thomas Blues Band line-up is: Dave Thomas – guitar & vocals, Joe Bernard – bass & vocals, Rick Hudson – drums, Phil Marshall – tenor sax, Hugh Birkenhead – keyboards, Hugh Gregory – rhythm guitar & vocals. ‘Dave Thomas is a real breath of fresh air… one of the best outfits on the British scene.’ Blues & Rhythm, UK
Film Wednesday 22 Jan 8pm Tickets £5 / Under 18s £2.50
Blue Jasmine
(12A)
Directed by Woody Allen, 2013, US, 98 mins With Cate Blanchett, Alec Baldwin, Sally Hawkins Woody Allen returned to comedy form with Midnight in Paris. Blue Jasmine proves he can also succeed with one of his rarer, serious films. Although shot through with wry comic irony, Cate Blanchett’s outstanding performance as a socialite fallen on hard times gives the film a tragic aura. Sally Hawkins (star of Made in Dagenham) is also superb as the sister who takes her in but has to struggle with her own demons. It’s sheer film-going pleasure. 6
Saturday 25 January 7pm Tickets £14 / Concessions £13
Peter Grimes on Aldeburgh Beach – encore screening Director Tim Albery, conductor Steuart Bedford, Featuring Alan Oke (Peter Grimes), Giselle Allen (Ellen Orford), the Britten Pears Orchestra As part of Benjamin Britten’s centenary, the viscerally beautiful Peter Grimes came home to the very beach that inspired it, in a landmark open-air staging by Aldeburgh Music. Is fisherman Grimes responsible for the death of his young apprentice? Is he mad, evil, or a misunderstood visionary? This encore screening of the extraordinary live performance on Aldeburgh Beach last June, demonstrates why Britten’s masterpiece has captured audience’s imaginations worldwide ever since its premiere in 1945. ‘No opera house can create an atmosphere like this.’ HHHH The Times Running time 2hrs 45mins including interval.
Film Wednesday 29 January 8pm Tickets £5 / Under 18s £2.50
The Great Beauty (15) Directed by Paolo Sorrentino, 2013, Italy, 142 mins With Toni Servillo, Carlo Verdone, Sabrina Ferilli This compelling tragi-comedy is in the tradition of classic Italian directors Antonioni and Fellini. Rome’s leisured classes are still enjoying la dolce vita. But one ageing man-about-town’s contented complacency is challenged by an unexpected visitor. The director of Il Divo has an uncanny eye for the buildings, bodies and faces in a city where glamour and the grotesque go side by side.
Comedy Friday 24 January 8pm Tickets Advance £9 / Door £10 Min age 18
Corn Hall Comedy Club Tiffany Stevenson Tiffany kicked off her comedy career in 2006. Since then she has starred in ITVs ‘Show Me the Funny’, BBC2s ‘Never Mind the Buzzcocks’, ‘The Office’ and appeared in the West End alongside David Tennant. ‘Original observations, fantastically sharp lines, spot on’ Jo Brand ‘…A stroke of genius, witty, well constructed and full of jokes’ HHHH Sunday Telegraph
Tiffany Stevenson
Rhys James ‘...a sickeningly talented young stand-up. He’s a super-sharp writer, with a ton of smart, intricatelywritten jokes and stories where you’re never more than a few seconds away from another punchline.’ Time Out ‘Rhys had the best one-liners of the night. Big things await. Annoyingly talented’ Richard Herring
Rhys James
Luke Graves (compère) Luke’s easy going and confident stage presence creates a natural rapport with the audience… a real crowd pleaser. ‘A brilliant young comic bursting with promise’ Arthur Smith Hot chilli & rice and bar from 6.30pm. Line up is subject to change.
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Luke Graves
February “You will laugh and you will cry…”
Word Saturday 1 February 7.30pm Tickets £14 / Concessions £12
Art An exhibition in the Corn Hall Gallery 4-28 February Box Office Hours Free
Honor Blackman
On the Eve of…
– as Herself
A year-long project focussing on the objects which people discard. Photographing outside at night at TW Gaze auction rooms in Diss, Lucy has gone in search of everyday items which await a new life. These photographs are devoid of human life, yet Lucy aims to bring a sense of humanity to each object, as if they are sitting there calmly and patiently in the dark, while the town sleeps, waiting for their new lives to begin.
Honor’s career on stage, television and in films extends over 60 glorious years but she has rarely appeared simply as herself. Here, in conversation with her colleague and friend, the director Richard Digby Day, she will look back over her astonishing life, revealing stories of her childhood, her rise to stardom, her leather-clad triumph in The Avengers and her casting as Pussy Galore in Goldfinger. She will share anecdotes concerning family, friends and colleagues – both hilarious and otherwise – all told with her usual sense of humour and perspective. Honor will also be singing a few of her favourite songs. www.honorblackman.co.uk
– photographs by Lucy Kayne
Evening viewing Wednesday 5 Feb 6.30-7.45pm Meet Lucy in person.
Film Wed 5 February 8pm Tickets £5 / Under 18s £2.50
Sunshine on Leith
(PG)
Directed by Dexter Fletcher, UK, 100 mins With Peter Mullan, Jane Horrocks, Kevin Guthrie It shouldn’t work: a laughter-and-tears tale set in Edinburgh with actors suddenly bursting into songs by a Scottish folk rock duo. But Mamma McMia succeeds wonderfully, as the returning squaddies come to terms with civilian life and family pressures. Jane Horrocks can sing; Peter Mullan can act; the youngsters charm as they dance and sing The Proclaimers songbook. You will laugh and you will cry; you can dance if you want to. 8
Theatre Thursday 6 February 7.30pm Tickets £9 / Concessions £8 / Family (2 adults, 2 children) £30 Living Spit presents
The Six Wives of Henry VIII Two actors. Too many characters. One big ego. The Six Wives of Henry VIII was an undisputed hit at Bristol Old Vic, and with live original music, embroidery, barbie dolls, silly songs and historical hysteria, this promises to be an illresearched lesson in Tudor history that you’ll never forget! Howard Coggins (Bristol Old Vic) looks like Henry VIII. Stu McLoughlin (Kneehigh Theatre) doesn’t really look like any of Henry’s wives, but he’s going to give it a go… ‘Cleverly written, beautifully acted, and, dare I say it, educational.’ Bristol Evening Post ‘Hysterically funny… left me with aching cheeks from laughing so much.’ StageWon www.livingspit.com
Music Saturday 8 February 8pm Tickets £13
Gordie MacKeeman & His Rhythm Boys Hailing from Prince Edward Island, the awardwinning Gordie MacKeeman and His Rhythm Boys serve up old-time roots music with an energy level that practically yanks you out of your seat by the collar! If ever someone was deserving of the nickname ‘Crazy Legs’, it would have to be Gordie MacKeeman. His thrilling dance style mixed with great bluegrass vocals, Peter Cann’s blistering guitar solos, and the lively multi-instrumental talents of Thomas Webb and Mark Geddes make Gordie MacKeeman and his Rhythm Boys the complete entertainment package. ‘jaw-dropping, stagecraft and showmanship’ Montreal Folk Festival www.gordiemackeeman.com
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February “…high energy rocktastic fun for everyone…”
Film
The Saturday Club
Wednesday 12 Feb 8pm Tickets £5 / Under 18s £2.50
Saturday 15 February 2pm Tickets £6 / Children £4 (4+ yrs) house in association with Tobacco Factory Theatre present
Rush
(15)
Directed by Ron Howard, 2013, US, 123 mins With Daniel Brühl, Chris Hemsworth, Olivia Wilde Not a documentary like Senna, but with just as much dramatic appeal. Based on the real-life rivalry between drivers James Hunt and Nicki Lauda, it visits a time when Grand Prix racing was really dangerous. Hunt is the reckless playboy, but calculating Lauda the one who is almost killed. Brilliant camera and sound work take us into the driving seat; Peter (Frost/Nixon) Morgan’s skilful script takes us into the drivers’ minds.
Kid Carpet
– Blast Off!
The Noisy Animals are THE biggest band in the world. They are about to blast off into outer space on a mission to find their brand new sound. There’s lots of laughs and live music in this super duper adventure as our friends encounter noisy planets, cheesed-off nursery rhyme characters, shooting stars and Shakespeare. Bring your rock-out attitude and your astronaut costume (fancy dress optional) because we’re going to space! ‘high energy rocktastic fun for everyone… Go see, it’s stellar!’ Guide to Bristol Running time 50mins.
http://kidcarpet.wordpress.com
Film Wednesday 19 Feb 8pm
Tickets £5 / Under 18s £2.50
Captain Phillips
(12A)
Directed by Paul Greengrass, 2013, US, 134 mins With Tom Hanks, Barkhad Abdi, Barkhad Abdirahman As you’d expect from the director of United 93 (about the 9/11 plane hijack) and the latest Bourne films, this one will have you on the edge of your seats, as if in the middle of real-life dramatic action. Tom Hanks is completely convincing as the captain of a ship taken over by Somali pirates. Their captain is played with great conviction by Barkhad Abdi; the tense confrontations between the two are electric. 10
Theatre
Comedy
Thursday 20 February 7.30pm Tickets £10 / Concessions £9
Saturday 22 February 8pm Tickets £16 Min age 16
Townsend Productions present
Lee Hurst – Things That Make You Go Aaarggh!!!
We Will Be Free! – the story of the Tolpuddle Martyrs
Best known to television viewers as the quirky and quick-witted panellist on BBC1’s popular sporting quiz, They Think It’s All Over, stand up comic Lee Hurst is travelling throughout Britain for his new show to find out what really winds you up. Everyone has at least one thing that pushes their button and sends them over the edge. What’s yours? Come along for a night of laughter and letting off some steam.
The company who brought us The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists last year returns with the true story of George and Betsy Loveless and the Dorset farm labourers who were convicted and transported for swearing a secret oath and forming a Trade Union in 1834 to fight against wage cuts inflicted by the local landowner.
Lee’s reputation of being able to pull laughs out of thin air with his razor sharp ability to ad lib is well-deserved. The rapturous applause to his previous brilliant show at the Corn Hall proved the point. See Lee perform live, you will not be disappointed!
An inspirational and entertaining evening of theatre, political cartoon, puppetry and the musical arrangements of revered folk singer and squeezebox player John Kirkpatrick. ‘A must see!’ The Stage ‘…this utterly charming play is a delight.’ HHHH The List www.townsendproductions.org.uk
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February-March “…an exhilarating mix of Merengue, Ska, Mento and Calypso…”
Film
Music
Wednesday 26 February 8pm Tickets £5 / Under 18s £2.50
About Time
(12A)
Directed by Richard Curtis, 2013, US, 123 mins With Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams, Bill Nighy The latest from the writer of films like Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill and director of Love Actually has attracted his best reviews for years. Bill Nighy is the dad who informs his coming-of-age son (Domhnall Gleeson, star of Anna Karenina) that the men in the family can time travel. Cue the shy boy’s courtship of Rachel McAdams. ‘You’ll need a sweet tooth for this film, but it’s heartfelt, with a fragile sort of sincerity.’ (Guardian)
Friday 28 February 8pm Reserved seats £20
Courtney Pine – House of Legends Tour Deeply steeped in the traditions of the Caribbean, this very personal project sees Courtney on top form, bringing together musicians from Africa, the Caribbean and Europe for vibrant exchanges that tell tales of life from a truly multicultural view point. Expect an exhilarating mix of Merengue, Ska, Mento and Calypso as played through the lens (saxophone) of a UK born artist with strong, proud Afro-Caribbean roots. HHHH Unquestionably one of the most joyous albums Pine has ever made, it’s just brilliantly effective dance music” Jazzwise on House of Legends (Jazzwise Album of the Year 2012) LINE-UP: Drums / Dube – Robert Fordjour Double Bass – Vidal Montgomery Guitar – Cameron Pierre Steel Pan – Samuel Dubois Soprano Saxophone / Ewi – Courtney Pine www.courtneypine.co.uk
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Music Saturday 1 March 7.30pm Reserved seats £15 / £13.50 / £12.50 Diss & District Rotary Club present
The Counterfeit Beatles One of the UK’s most sought after international acts, The Counterfeit Beatles have two of the highest profile performances ever undertaken by a Beatles tribute band under their belts. They headlined at Japan’s Fuji rock festival with Coldplay, Elvis Costello and Bjork to an audience of 80,000 and starred in the £300,000 stage production Beatlemania in Greece. She Loves You, Please Please Me, Hey Jude and many more hits by the ‘Fab Four’ will have you singing along in this exciting show.
Art An exhibition in the Corn Hall Gallery 5-28 March Box Office Hours Free
Norman Ackroyd RA – The Furthest Lands Academician Norman Ackroyd is one of our most celebrated landscape artists, with a worldwide reputation and his etchings are always highly sought after at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition which he co-ordinated in 2013. Weather, landscape and water are the stuff of his highly experimental and atmospheric compositions – and in this exhibition, subtitled ‘A Journey round the British Isles’, he records his coastal travels, from the flatlands of North Norfolk to the jagged cliffs of the Shetlands. Opening viewing Wednesday 5 March 6.30-7.45pm David Case, formerly a director of Marlborough Fine Art, will give a brief introduction to the exhibition at 7pm. Join us afterward for our screening of Le Week-End (see p.14).
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March “An evening of love, laughter and classic favourites…”
Film Wednesday 5 March 8pm Tickets £5 / Under 18s £2.50
Le Week-End
Music Thursday 6 March 7.30pm Tickets £15 / Concessions £12 / Family £45 The Merry Opera Company presents
(15)
Kiss me, Figaro!
Directed by Roger Michell, 2013, UK, 93 mins With Jim Broadbent, Lindsay Duncan, Jeff Goldblum
Merry Opera’s previous productions, The Messiah and The Magic Flute, have had our audiences in raptures. Kiss me, Figaro! – a romantic comedy set backstage at the opera – is bound to do the same. The soprano diva has hated the handsome tenor ever since he jilted her at the altar – but now he’s returned and wants her back. An evening of love, laughter and classic favourites by Mozart, Handel, Donizetti, Puccini, Monteverdi, Delibes, Irving Berlin and more. www.merryopera.co.uk
Hanif Kureishi’s script gives an insightful edge to this unsentimental film about a sentimental journey. Jim Broadbent and Lindsay Duncan spend a weekend in Paris to celebrate 30 years of marriage but find themselves falling out. So the comedy is like them: downbeat, prickly, bloodyminded, as they consider their lives. Yet there’s an erotic charge, and intimacy – thanks to warm, intelligent central performances.
Film Wednesday 12 March 8pm Tickets £5 / Under 18s £2.50
In a World
(15)
Directed by Lake Bell, 2013, US, 93 mins With Lake Bell, Jeff Garlin, Fred Melamed This snappy satire focuses on the specialist world of the voiceover artist. Lake Bell wrote the screenplay, directs her first feature and stars as the daughter of Sam Soto, the king of voice-overs. She is a vocal coach, but gets a lucky start in his strangely competitive world. This widens the rift between them and sets up ripples of comic confusion, mixed with subtle reflections on gender inequality and family dysfunction. 14
Theatre
The Saturday Club
Thursday 13 March 7.30pm Tickets £17.50 / Concessions £15.50
Saturday 15 March 2pm Tickets £6 / £4 (8+ yrs)
Newbury Productions present
Teasel Productions presents
The Reduced Shakespeare Company – The Bible:
Grisly Tales from Tumblewater By Vincent Bruno
The Complete Word of God (abridged) The Good Book just got better! Yes, it’s an affectionate, irreverent, roller coaster ride from fig leaves to Final Judgment as the Reduced Shakespeare Company tackles the great theological questions: Did Adam and Eve have navels? Did Moses really look like Charlton Heston? And why isn’t the word ‘phonetic’ spelled the way it sounds? Whether you are Catholic or Atheist, Muslim or Jew, Protestant or Purple People Eater, you will be tickled by the RSC’s romp through old time religion. ‘This is a slick, fast, very funny show…’ The Times ‘Pure fun.’ The Washington Times ‘This is a trio of incredible comedians.... The laughs come like a flood.’ Ma’ariv News – Jerusalem www.reducedshakespeare.com
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Join fearless orphan, Daniel Dorey as he races to save his sister and battles evil Caspian Prye on the rain-soaked streets of Tumblewater. A darkly comic, high-energy adventure with laughs, frights and live music. Dickens meets Dahl via Horrible Histories. HHHHH ‘Witty, musical and magical... Fabulous.’ Three Weeks Magazine HHHH ‘Astonishing... a thoroughly enjoyable and wonderfully vibrant show.’ Edinburgh Festivals Magazine MUST SEE ‘A beacon of light-hearted pleasure.’ The Stage ‘A sparkling diamond of a show: magical storytelling for all ages.’ Fringe Report www.teaseltheatre.co.uk
March “…this multi award-winning piece of theatrical magic…”
Film
Theatre
Wednesday 19 March 8pm Tickets £5 / Under 18s £2.50
Wadjda
(PG)
Directed by Haifaa Al-Mansour, 2012, Saudi Arabia, 98 mins With Waad Mohammed, Reem Abdullah, Abdullrahman Al Gohani This bittersweet comedy is the first feature by a female Saudi director, indeed the first film shot entirely in Saudi – and already an Oscar contender. Wadjda is 11, lives in Riyadh, and wants a green bike. Her struggles, inside the family and beyond, reflect the wider picture of a society where woman don’t ride bikes and are not allowed to drive cars. It’s a sensitive and remarkable achievement from a country with no cinemas.
Thursday 20 March 7.30pm Tickets £12 / Concessions £10 / Family £40 House presents a Weeping Spoon production
The Adventures of Alvin Sputnik – Deep Sea Explorer By Tim Watts Direct from sell out seasons in New York and Sydney, this multi award-winning piece of ‘theatrical magic’ (Sunday Mail) is a heartwarming, one-man micro-epic about enduring love and the end of the world. ‘…akin to a theatrical Wall-E’ (New York Times). A tiny tale set in the deepest dark blue sea, of a solitary explorer – Alvin Sputnik – with a heart as big as a whale. ‘If Pixar had a theatrical division… they’d create something like this show.’ NYTheatre.com www.weepingspoon.com www.housetheatre.org.uk
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Music
Film
Saturday 22 March 8pm Tickets £12 / Concessions £10
Wednesday 26 March 8pm Tickets £5 / Under 18s £2.50
Faustus
Philomena
Faustus is an all-star folk line-up featuring: Saul Rose (Waterson:Carthy, Whapweazel), Benji Kirkpatrick (Seth Lakeman Band, Bellowhead) and Paul Sartin (Bellowhead, Belshazzar’s Feast) – three of the leading lights of their generation.
Directed by Stephen Frears, 2013, US, 98 mins With Judi Dench, Michelle Fairley, Steve Coogan
They have a plethora of experience between them, brought together here in a virtuosic display of musicianship and testosterone. Rooted deeply in the English tradition, in 2007 they received a 75th Anniversary Award from the English Folk Dance and Song Society. ‘Frill-free folk music, superbly and tastefully performed… a folk essential.’ HHHH Sunday Times ‘A considered album of exceptional class.’ Daily Telegraph ‘Dynamically fascinating to watch, entertaining and intriguing.’ Folk and Roots ‘Superb playing; lovely arrangements; great material’ Living Tradition Running time approx 2hrs including interval.
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(12A)
A gripping tale based (how faithfully is disputed) on the true story of an Irish woman trying to find the son taken from her by nuns 50 years earlier. It’s another tour de force from Judi Dench, ably backed by Steve Coogan as Martin Sixsmith, the journalist and ex-spin doctor who helps Philomena in her transatlantic quest. Many relationships are explored in this radiant, funny, moving, understated drama.
March “If you get the chance, go see her…”
Theatre Thursday 27 March 7.30pm Tickets £11 / Concessions £10 Eastern Angles presents
Palm Wine & Stout By Segun Lee French This moving, funny and magical play is full of family secrets and is based on the writer’s own journey back to a small Nigerian village in search of his father. Palm Wine & Stout premiered in 2010 when it received fantastic feedback from audiences and critics. Now Eastern Angles are touring the show to a wider audience. This play will strike a chord with those familiar with the amusing eccentricities and petty politics of the village! ‘A tale of pride and tenderness, money and mourning that is warm, sharp, funny and refreshingly challenging.’ The Stage
Comedy Friday 28 March 8pm Tickets Advance £9 / Door £10 Min age 18
Corn Hall Comedy Club John Moloney John headlines at all the major comedy clubs around the world, including London’s prestigious Comedy Store. He’s also featured in Channel 4’s ‘World Top 100 Stand Ups’, won ‘Best Live Performer’ at The London Comedy Festival – twice. Abi Roberts Abi and her big hair exploded onto the scene in 2011, now she plays to packed houses up and down the country. Here’s what Comedy Chords had to say when she opened for Michael McIntyre recently: ‘If you get the chance, go see her. She will be big and she will be famous, so do it now before you are paying £25 for the privilege.’
John Moloney
Abi Roberts
Mark Dolan (compère) Mark is resident MC at the legendary Amused Moose comedy club in Soho and can regularly be seen on your TV hosting the iconic ‘Balls of Steel’ and ‘The World’s… and Me’. Hot chilli & rice and bar from 6.30pm. Line up is subject to change. Mark Dolan
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COMING TO
CLASSES & COMMUNITY Pilates Classes 9.30-10.30am or 10.30-11.30am – Waveney Room, Diss Corn Hall Every Monday except Bank Holidays A fantastic form of exercise to improve your health, improve your posture and improve your concentration and coordination. Getting together each week to exercise with a Pilates group feels good! For more information contact Amanda on 07557 025513 or go to: http://amandapilates.com.
These forthcoming events are on sale now. Go to www.disscornhall.co.uk for more information and the latest updates. Saturday 5 April 7.30pm £16.50 / £13.50
Raymond Froggatt – The top UK country music entertainer has made over 40 records, written around 3,000 songs and was voted the top male singer by the British Country Music Association for six years in a row. His songs have been recorded by artists around the world and he has toured with Rod Stewart, ELO, Tammy Wynette and Glen Campbell. ‘Froggie’ has delighted audiences at the Corn Hall for many years and is back once again due to public demand.
Thursday 10 April 7.30pm £10 / Concs £9 / Students £5
Romeo and Juliet – Two young lovers, caught in the middle of a blood feud, pay the price of forbidden love when they are forced to take their own lives. Following last year’s sell-out tour of Carrie’s War, the vibrant Yakety Yak performs this Elizabethan tragedy with all the gusto of youth in an imaginative and exciting adaptation.
Friday 11 April 7.30pm £9 / Concs £8
A Touch of Class – From Champagne Charlie to Working Class Hero, from Poor Little Rich Girl to Well-Respected Man – the trio Something Happened’s hilarious new show takes us on a journey through songs of money and class of the past 100 years, with a little help from the pens of Noel Coward, George Formby, Ray Davies, Jake Thackray, Bessie Smith and many others.
Sunday 27 April 7.30pm Adults £15 / Under 12 £6
Yevgeny Onegin – The Burgate Singers, one of Suffolk’s leading choirs, will be giving a concert performance of Yevgeny Onegin, Tchaikovsky’s lyric opera, with professional orchestral players and international soloists under the direction of Alain Judd.
Saturday 3 May 7.30pm £12.50
Dire Streets – perfectly capture the authentic sound of one of the biggest guitar bands of all time. They play with an attention to detail and musicianship that marks them as the standout Dire Straits tribute in the UK. 19
Baby Café 1pm-2.30pm – Waveney Room, Diss Corn Hall Every Monday except Bank Holidays Baby café has a friendly, relaxed atmosphere with advice and support always on hand for those who are breastfeeding. Contact the Children’s Centre on 01379 651786.
Sunday Brunch Café – Big Skies Food Co. 9.30am-2.30pm – Waveney Room, Diss Corn Hall Most Sundays (do check if you’re travelling any distance) Enjoy local seasonal food in a relaxed atmosphere. Our meals are made using the finest local ingredients and we offer both meaty and veggie dishes. We have a selection of vinyl records but do bring your own to play if you wish. Well-behaved dogs are welcome. Cash only but ATM’s close by. For menus go to www.bigskiesfoodcompany.co.uk. To reserve a table contact email: bigskiesfoodcompany@yahoo.co.uk or phone 01379 643303.
Blood Donor Sessions 1-3.30pm and 5-7pm Tuesdays 21 Jan, 18 Feb and 11 March New donors: please register in advance at www.blood.co.uk.
Auction of Promises Saturday 8 March Raising funds for Diss Town Mayor, Neil Howard’s chosen charities, Quidenham East Anglian Children’s Hospice and Diss First Responders. Tickets £5 incl a glass of wine. For more information and to book tickets contact Diss Town Council on 01379 643848.
Wilderness Stores ANTIQUES & DECORATIVE HOMEWARE HARLESTON, NORFOLK
1- day Paint Your O wn Furniture W orks 25 January, hops – 22 Fe & 22 March b
Shabby-chic and… French rustic… Bullock Fair Close, Harleston IP20 9AT
Tel 01379 853067 www.wildernessstores.com
…furniture and much, much more
– Woodcuts by Michael Carlo – Paintings by Maggi Hambling – Etchings by Sean Scully
t. 01379 668875 e. davidcasefineart@btinternet.com www.davidcasefineart.com
www.ildivorestaurant.co.uk
Family Friendly CORN HALL Pizza & Pasta Restaurant “Events nights” Special offer 01379 644447 Any main course and 3 Cobbs Yard a glass of house wine £10 Diss IP22 4LB Open Monday to Saturday from 11am lunchtimes and 5.30pm evenings Booking advisable Credit and debit cards accepted Eat early and still get to see the show 20
Lunches From £5
Vouchers are redeemable for 12 months from the date of purchase and may be made up to whatever value you wish, starting from just £5.
VOUC GIFT HERS
We can also provide gift Friend memberships, see below for more information about costs and benefits.
Diss Corn Hall Gift Vouchers make great Christmas or birthday presents. And, you’ll be helping to support the Corn Hall at the same time!
To purchase a Gift Voucher or gift Friend membership, visit the Box Office in the Old Stables Mon-Fri 11am-4pm, Sat 11am-2pm or ring on 01379 652241.
Become a Friend of Diss Corn Hall If you believe that the Corn Hall should be an important feature in the life of Diss – please support us by becoming a Friend – and there are of course benefits! Become a Friend for £25 a year (under 25s £15) – get £1.50 off tickets at most performances and £1 off films Become a Good Friend for £100 or a Very Good Friend for £250 – Good Friends get 6 free tickets, and Very Good Friends 15 free tickets each year
Please complete this form and send it, along with your cheque made out to “The Diss Corn Hall Trust”. To: Diss Corn Hall, St Nicholas Street, Diss IP22 4LB I would like to
become a Friend – enclosing £25 become a Good/ Very Good Friend – enclosing £ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................................................................................................. .......................................................................................
Postcode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Email . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Telephone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
COMING TO These forthcoming events are on sale now. Go to www.disscornhall.co.uk for more information and the latest updates. Thursday 8 May 7.30pm £10 / £9
Blackadder Goes Forth – The Seagull Rep – Join Edmund as he bounces Baldrick and George around the trenches in his efforts to outwit Melchett and Darling, in this meticulous recreation of the first three episodes of the classic BBC comedy series, live on stage.
Saturday 10 May 7.30pm £17.50
Motor City Memories – An evening of Supreme Temptation – following their hugely successful UK tour in 2012, The Sounds of The Supremes return with special guest Louis Price, former lead singer of both The Temptations and The Drifters. Join us for an unforgettable evening of irresistible Motown tunes including, Stop! In the Name of Love, Baby Love, Someday We’ll Be Together, The Way You Do the Things You Do, My Girl and many more.
Thursday 22 May 7.30pm £9.50 / Concs £8.50
Woman in Mind By Alan Ayckbourn – Open Space present a dark comedy by one of Britain’s most well-known playwrights.
Saturday 24 May 2pm £5 / Children £3 8pm £10 / Concs £9
Megson: Family folk show & evening gig – A delicious double serving of the awardwinning, three times BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards-nominated, folk duo. Stu and Debbie Hanna give authentic and fun folk concerts for big and little music lovers with their infectious blend of heavenly vocals and lush harmonies. ‘Simply Brilliant’ Sunday Express
Saturday 21 June 8pm £10 / Concs £8
The Roving Crows – The multi-award winning, folk-fusion outfit return with their fiery fiddle playing, trumpet, guitar, drums and vocals and an irresistible blend of Celtic vibe and influences from ska, folk, Klezmer and blues. 22
HIRE This impressive historic building in the heart of Diss offers flexible accommodation which can meet a variety of needs at very reasonable cost. This includes the Assembly Hall (seating capacity 300) for dinners, dances, wedding receptions, corporate hospitality, productions, fairs, sales and exhibitions, indoor sport and educational gatherings. The Waveney Room and Council Chamber provide excellent locations for classes and workshops, rehearsals and seminars. With a range of room sizes, versatile seating and layout possibilities, a fully-equipped bar, kitchen and large dance floor, Diss Corn Hall is the obvious first choice when organising your event. For more details go to the Hiring page on our website www.disscornhall.co.uk, come to the box office in the Old Stables or phone Angela Sykes on 01379 652239. Viewings may be made by appointment.
designer makers@21
Thursday to Saturday 10 – 5 pm 21 St Nicholas Street, Diss, Norfolk www.designermakers21.co.uk
Local extraordinary crafts-people
Grain Brewery, Alburgh, IP20 0BS www.grainbrewery.co.uk 01986 788884 23
BOX OFFICE 01379 652241 Mon-Fri 11am-4pm
Sat 11am-2pm
The Old Stables, beside the Corn Hall, St Nicholas Street, Diss IP22 4LB www.disscornhall.co.uk email: boxoffice@disscornhall.co.uk diss.cornhall @disscornhall Tickets In person: During box office opening hours. By phone: Card payment is accepted (credit cards incur a 50p processing fee). Outside box office opening hours you may leave a message and your call will be returned. Tickets will be held for collection on the door or can be posted to you for an additional 50p if requested. By post: Send full details of the tickets you require along with a SAE and a cheque for the full amount. Cheques should be made payable to the Diss Corn Hall Trust. Online: Tickets for most events may be booked online at www.disscornhall.co.uk. Email: You may email requests for tickets to boxoffice@disscornhall.co.uk.
Accessibility There are three disabled parking bays on the street in front of the Corn Hall. The hall, bar and accessibility toilet are fully accessible to wheelchair users via the side entrance. Please inform the box office when booking. The main hall is fitted with an induction loop which covers all seats. Hearing aids should be switched to the t-position. Please note: sound enhancement is only available for films and amplified performances.
Bar and door opening times The bar opens at 6.30pm on event nights. The auditorium will usually open 30 minutes before the start of the performance.
DI SS
Getting involved If you are interested in volunteering as a steward, in the box office, or in any other way, email admin@disscornhall.co.uk. We’d love to hear from you.
Thanks Our heartfelt thanks go to: Diss Town Council, South Norfolk Council, Norfolk County Council and our dedicated team of volunteers. Special thanks to our Good Friends Terence Blacker, David Case, Lynn Clark, Peter Dudley, Don Dunkin, Brian & Gunilla Falk, Christopher Grocott, Charles & Liz Handy, Stephanie Harrison, Jo & Gary Hincks, Alun Howkins, Paul Howling, Martha Kearney, Jay Leader, Mrs A Leitch, Dr A Linder, Glynne Lloyd-Davis, Richard Mabey, T. Manning, Linda Merricks, Elizabeth Mooney, Sheila Moss-King, Laura Purling, Sue Shrager, John Taylor, Richard Vivian and Corporate Friends: Grain Brewery, Il Divo, Mere Players, Spice Cottage, John Taylor Builders and Wilderness Stores.
Patron The Duke of Norfolk.