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Music Theatre Cinema Books
Inspired by The Great Outdoors
October 2019
Autumn colours
Step inside ceramicist’s ‘secret’ studio
Celebrating the arts in Derbyshire and the Peak District
Winter Artisan Fair at The Whitworth Centre
Free Entry
Browse and buy from Peak District artists, designers and makers together in one venue.
9th - 10th November 2019 10am - 4pm
The Whitworth Centre, Station Road, Darley Dale, Derbyshire DE4 2EQ
FREE Parking peakdistrictartisans.co.uk
CTP Pantomimes Ltd and Buxton Opera House present
Thursday 12 December 2019 – Wednesday 1 January 2020
Written & directed by
PHILIP DART Musical Director & Arrangements
ADAM GERBER Choreographer
TRACEY ILIFFE
n Shannon Flyn eet,
tion Str Corona Road and o o Waterl ani’s Castle D ’s C B B C erella as Cind
Call our friendly Box Office team on 01298 72190 or visit www.buxtonoperahouse.org.uk
James Holmes
‘Clive’ from BBC’s Miranda as Ugly Sister Ivana
Tickets fro m
£18.50
A unique shopping destination and a great place to meet up with friends and family Gallery – Tea Rooms Workshops – Shops full details on our website
Ferrers Gallery – Ferrers Frames – Green Man Ceramics – Janet Gibson Jewellery Kevin Shepherd Artist – B&J Blacksmiths – Crinoline Upholstery The Victorian Model Workshop – Paint a Pot Craft Studio – Simon Price Furniture Staunton Hardwoods – Country Cottage Crafts – Russell Lister Artist and Craft maker Michelle Holmes Embroidered Textiles – Rituals Retreat – Tip Top Hair Design Metal Manipulation – Staunton Stables Tea Room Most of the workshops and shops are open 11-4pm Tuesday to Sunday. Closed Mondays. Please check website for individual opening times. Telephone 01332 864863. Staunton Harold, Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire. LE65 1RW
www.ferrerscentre.co.uk
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contents
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40
In conversation
Music
9 Nature’s plentiful bounty feeds the inspiration of ceramicist Jo Bunbury 22 Inherited photograph album leads to new collection of poetry 42 Willow sculptor creates badger family for hospital’s arts charity
53-58 To catch the best of the music this month check out our listings
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Stage 40 The new Live & Local season will bring shows to a village hall near you artsbeat October 2019
editor’s letter
42 9
Gallery 25 COVER STORY: Autumn shadows in a painting by John Connolly
Photography 31 Wirksworth lensman Phil Plumb is thrilled by the vastness of the USA artsbeat October 2019
Visiting a hospital is not usually something we do joyfully. More often than not a trip to the Royal Derby would be steeped in emotion and stress. That’s why Air Arts, the hospital’s arts charity was formed 12 years ago to help create a welcoming environment for visitors and to support recovery and wellbeing among patients. During that time it has grown considerably and now boasts 300 pieces of artwork in its current exhibition which ends this month. The charity also organises live musical Amanda Penman performances and creative craft classes to beat boredom on the wards. One of the latest commissions by Air Arts is a willow sculpture of a badger family by Belper artist Emma Parkins, which you can read about on page 42 and see for yourself close to the hospital’s main entrance. You can read more about Air Arts at airarts.uk Please note the editorial/advertising booking deadline for November is October 10. email: advertising: advertising@arts-beat.co.uk editorial: editor@arts-beat.co.uk telephone: 07872 066719 post: 19 Nottingham Road, Belper DE56 1JG website: artsbeatblog.com While every effort is made to ensure listings are accurate and up-to-date, readers are advised to check with the venue before travelling, as no responsibility can be accepted for changes to programmes, errors or omissions. artsbeat2
@artsbeat
Putting Derbyshire first: artsbeat is published by Penman Publishing, 19 Nottingham Road, Belper and printed by Buxton Press
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ROB WILSON
WINTER SHOW 9/10 NOVEMBER
Venue: Lockside Mill, St.Martins Road, Marple, SK6 7BZ. 10am-5pm www.robwilsonart.co.uk
NATURE’S HARVEST Jo Bunbury invites artsbeat editor Amanda Penman into her ‘secret’ ceramics studio
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irksworth is full of quirky little cottages and hidden narrow winding footpaths which you never seem to walk along the same direction twice. It is one of the things that makes the town’s annual festival such fun. I thought I had been down most of them, but then Jo Bunbury invited me to her home in Bowling Green Lane. This tiny pathway had passed me by, and I had no idea it was there. Even if you did stumble across it and wander up the lane there would be little chance of spotting the ceramicist’s studio. It is perched high up above the path surrounded by trees on the very edge of the town before the landscape descends into Dale Quarry. Realising she hadn’t warned me there would be a mini trek up to the studio Jo glanced at my footwear, and was relieved to see I was wearing flat boots. “Thank goodness for that,” she laughed as she led the way up a winding ivy clad path through the trees. “It’s a bit tricky so watch your step,” she advised. All I could think was that it must have been a logistical nightmare getting a studio built up there in the first place. artsbeat October 2019
Jo Bunbury and a selection of her striking, nature-inspired ceramics
Jo explained that she and her partner bought the plot of land from a neighbour after moving to their home, and when she first mooted the idea of having a studio at the top she was politely ignored. But with gentle persuasion over time she won him over. “It is a perfect studio for me to escape to. It’s so peaceful and such a relaxing space, where I can really be inspired by the
countryside around me,” she enthused. Jo’s ceramics are unashamedly influenced by nature. Seed pods, , fruit, urchins and anemones feature in much of what she creates. The colourful organic forms have been turning heads of visitors to the Peak District Artisans’ fairs since she joined their ranks last year. Her stunning glazed ceramic
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INGLEBY Gallery
Autumn Exhibition 13th - 27th October
Rosemary Mafrici Ingleby, Nr Melbourne, Derbyshire DE73 7HW Telephone Gill Watson 01332 865995 gillwatson@ingleby-gallery.co.uk www.ingleby-gallery.co.uk
Open Wed - Fri 10am - 4pm Sat - Sun noon - 5pm
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spheres are especially eyecatching. “Being accepted by the PDA has given me more confidence with my work. Being a part of a professional core of artists pushes you to develop what you do and focus on what you are making,” said Jo, who until a year or so ago was working as a ceramics lecturer at Chesterfield College. “I had 20 years working there and I was never bored. There was so much creativity it was really buzzing, but I have decided that I want to focus on my own ceramics. It is my time now.” It was at Chesterfield College that 55-year-old Jo learnt the art of ceramics back in the 1980s. “I was fortunate to be on such a good course back then and I received a real grounding in how to make a strong pot. I went on to study studio ceramics and learnt about wheel-thrown forms,glaze effects and different firing techniques and what I learnt then still features in my work.” Jo admits that in her school days she struggled to know artsbeat October 2019
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I have decided I want to focus on my own ceramics – it’s my time now what she was going to do and left with few qualifications. It was the participatory arts organisation Junction 28 (now Junction Arts) that was operating near her thenhome in South Normanton that opened her eyes to the possibility of a creative life. “I was among what was probably their first intake of young students and we had great fun working on projects such as making screen posters. “They were very encouraging and nurturing and it led to a few of us returning to our studies, where I gained further qualifications to study art foundation at Chesterfield College. I have them to thank for all this,” she said gesturing to her studio. artsbeat October 2019
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B R U S H E D
An exhibition of inspirational contemporary ceramics curated by Kyra Cane 12 October – 10 November 2019
WWW.GALLERYTOP.CO.UK
Gallerytop Chatsworth Road Rowsley Derbyshire DE4 2EH info@gallerytop.co.uk 01629 735580
THE BIG
Jonathan Rugman Channel 4 News The Ruskin Debate Pam Ayres
WEEKEND FRI 18 - SUN 20 OCT
Buxton International Festival’s autumn encore of opera, music & books 01298 721 90 buxtonfestival.co.uk
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La Voix Humaine with Dame Felicity Lott Sacconi Quartet Flanders and Swann Jazz Lunch at the Old Hall Hotel
more events online
Special Offers* 4 events: 10% off 5+ events: 15% off *does not include Jazz Lunch
artsbeat October 2019
PILGRIMS’ PROGRESS
Atlantic crossing inspired by the Mayflower to unite people in art
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rtist and sculptor, Rachel Carter has retraced the historic Mayflower voyage across the Atlantic Ocean as part of a sculptural project she is working on to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the pilgrimage. Rachel is to create a bronze sculpture named The Pilgrim Women. Rachel set sail from Liverpool in July aboard a cargo ship – in an echo of the 1620 Atlantic crossing of the Mayflower Pilgrims. She spent her time working on her project and when she arrived in America she carried out an artist-in-residency at the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum in Boston MA. “I made my own pilgrimage to get a sense of the feeling and isolation from my family. I wanted to try to understand and experience the feelings that the original Mayflower Pilgrims felt during their 66 day trip in 1620, so travelling to the US by ship, completely cut off from communication was the only way to do this. “The journey was such an amazing adventure, we had sunny conditions for just one day, which was when the ship left Liverpool, then rain, wind and rough seas for the remainder of the Atlantic crossing until the very last day,” she said. “It really makes you wonder how the Mayflower passengers coped on a smaller vessel and
artsbeat October 2019
Rachel Carter, left, pictured with visitors enjoying one of her workshops weavings using traditional techniques
without all of the conveniences we have today. “Stepping onto dry land after just eight days was extremely liberating and my time in Provincetown and at the museum was fantastic. “I have met members of the Wampanoag Tribe and many more people of all ages. As well as creating the woven panels for the final sculpture I have been teaching visitors how to weave using the macramé method.” Rachel specialises in woven materials and texture, similar to the practices of the North American Wampanoag people who wove belts which often depicted stories or family symbols. Her sculpture, which will be unveiled in 2020, will feature a
Tudor-style dress with a fitted kirtle and full skirt made up of woven panels that Rachel created herself while on board the ship and during a series of weaving workshops, engaging women from across the Pilgrim roots areas to create a historically accurate Tudor gown, covered in intricate hand knotted panels. The completed dress, to be modelled by Rachel, will be captured using Photogrammetry to enable the sculpture to be 3D printed and then cast in bronze using the traditional lost-wax-technique, with which she has become synonymous. The sculpture is supported by Arts Council England and endorsed by Mayflower 400 as a Spirit of Mayflower project.
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ST JOHN STREET GALLERY Contemporary Fine Art
artists workshop space available We currently host workshops for a number of artists including Wendy Darker, Lewis Noble and John connolly. if you are interested in holding one please contact us. We provide: space for 12 students lunch and refreshments free parking nearby admin and fee collection
y paintings y prints y glass y sculpture y ceramics
50 St John Street, Ashbourne, DE6 1GH, open Monday to Saturday 9.30am-5pm Telephone: 01335 347425 Email: enquiries@stjohngalleryandcafĂŠ.co.uk www.stjohngalleryandcafĂŠ.co.uk 14
artsbeat October 2019
arena
All the latest news from the Derbyshire arts community Renishaw Hall to host celebration of Sitwells’ poetry
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et behind National Poetry Day celebrations this October by visiting Renishaw Hall, the home to three of the most significant writers of the 20th Century – the famous Sitwell ‘Trio’. The historic house in north Derbyshire, surrounded by award-winning gardens, will host a special POETrees trail around the grounds, guiding visitors throughout the garden to appreciate fine tree specimens in Renishaw’s famous collection, each displaying a poem written by Edith, Osbert or Sacheverell Sitwell. Stroll down the Lime Avenue, made famous in one of Sacheverell Sitwell’s poems; meet Renishaw’s former head gardener via Osbert Sitwell’s poetic portrait Mr Hague in the Park; and spend a quiet moment in the Secret Garden – Dame Edith Sitwell’s favourite place in the garden reading her poem, Romance. Published poet and former Renishaw Hall volunteer, Ted Fairclough, will read his poem Edith Sitwell’s Words as well as some of the works written by the Sitwell Trio, in a free poetry recital for visitors. There will also be Poetry Teas available in the café at the hall, where visitors can take the opportunity to read
artsbeat October 2019
The Sitwell Trio Osbert, Edith and Sacheverell
Sitwell poetry while relaxing in comfortable surroundings. The recently-updated Sitwell Museum is focusing on the fascinating history of the family and its home of almost 400 years. There will be so much for visitors to explore and enjoy at the historic estate that has inspired generations of artists to write, paint, create and think, as the country celebrates poetry. Renishaw Hall owner Alexandra Sitwell, said: “The influence Renishaw Hall and Gardens has had on poets and artists is huge. From my own family’s work to the writing of other globally-acclaimed writers, the house and its grounds have had a magical effect on creative individuals that still continues today. “It’s only fitting we are supporting the nation’s annual
celebration of poetry by hosting a special weekend here at Renishaw. “I do hope to see many people come along and be inspired by what they see and enjoy an informative day out with us.” From Friday, October 4 to Sunday October 6, Renishaw Hall and Gardens will open up its huge literary heritage for all visitors to enjoy. There will be hall tours on the Friday; Ted Fairclough will read Edith Sitwell’s Words – which is included in his 2017 publication In Fading Light – alongside poetry by Edith, Osbert and Sacheverell Sitwell, on the Saturday afternoon. The POETrees event in the garden and the Osbert exhibition in the museum will be open all weekend. n For more details go to renishaw-hall.co.uk
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n arena PoW photographs BEHIND the Barbed Wire, the amazing story of German Prisoners of War at Donington Hall and Kegworth Camps from 1915-1919 will be discussed at a one-day symposium at the University of Nottingham’s Sutton Bonington Campus on October 23. Speakers will be Professor Panikos Panyani from De Montfort University and the University of Nottingham’s Professor John Beckett. The symposium will present research findings inspired by a unique collection of glass plate negatives and prints from the collection of WW Winter photographers of Derby. It is free but tickets need to be obtained from Eventbrite (Link https://bit. ly/313pZdX) For more details email friends@wwwinter. co.uk or call 01332 345224.
Spice it up! THE REUNION of the Spice Girls is being celebrated at The Roundhouse, Pride Park, in Derby, with a showing of Spice World the Movie. The Roundhouse will be turned into a cinema on Saturday, October 19, for a one-off showing of the film. Doors will open at 6pm and there will be street food and themed cocktails available ahead of the screening. After the film the over-18s only audience will be invited to hit the dance floor for the after-party featuring well-known songs from the evening’s movie along with tracks from the 80s, 90s and 00s. Tickets start from £16.50 plus booking fee and can be purchased via Eventbrite https://spiceworldmovienight. eventbrite.co.uk.
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BUXTON International Festival has introduced an Autumn Edition of glorious opera, gorgeous music and great authors. The Big BIF Weekend, from October 18-20, includes much-loved poet Pam Ayres, pictured above, talking about her book Up In The Attic. You can also experience Poulenc’s La Voix Humaine, an intimate 50-minute tour de force for solo soprano by a composer going through his own heartbreak; join the
Cinders named
Big BIF Weekend experts to discuss Ruskin’s legacy celebrating 200 years of his ideas and influences and hear Amelia Gentleman, the Guardian journalist who broke the Windrush scandal, speaking to Colin Grant author of Homecoming: Voices of the Windrush Generation. For details of all the events taking place over the weekend and to buy tickets go to buxtonfestival.co.uk SHANNON Flynn will be appearing in the role of Cinderella at the Buxton Opera House pantomime this Christmas. Shannon is known for her appearances in CBBC’s Dani’s Castle and as a presenter for Shout Out Saturday. Adults will be familiar with her from Waterloo Road (as Emily James), and she has also appeared in Coronation Street as Lauren. Her Prince will be played by Ryan Bennett, who has appeared in an international tour of Jersey Boys.
artsbeat October 2019
n arena Picture perfect? IF YOU visit Chatsworth this month with your camera you could enter the Chatsworth in Autumn photographic competition and win yourself a first prize which includes a Gold Friends Membership, an overnight stay for two at the Cavendish Hotel, £250 of farm shop vouchers, a hamper and a brewery tour. All you have to do is post your picture on Instagram with the tag #AutumnatChatsworth by October 26. For full details of the entry rules and other prizes go to chatsworth.org
Inspired by water WATER Swallows is a new sonic artwork for Buxton created by awarding-winning artist Amy Sharrocks and made in collaboration with people who live there. It looks at the landscape of water and the experience of living there. It has been commissioned by the Buxton Crescent Heritage Trust with Arts Council England funding. The work roams through a landscape of springs and dams, through prehistoric,
Jack hits the road COMEDIAN Jack Dee will be bringing his stand-up show Off The Telly to Buxton Opera House on April 2. Tickets are selling very fast so you will have to move quickly to secure a seat. Go to buxtonoperahouse.org.uk for details. “In these difficult and uncertain times people need hope – a ray of sunshine to brighten their day. And that’s artsbeat October 2019
Roman and Celtic histories and modern day experience. It wanders through the sounds of rain and rivers,negotiating natural resources, commodification and sharing, mineralisation and economies. The full version of the work will be available to listen to, free, from the Pump Room, Buxton until September 30 2020. All you have to do is pick up a headset and take the sound work for a walk. For more details go to buxtoncrescentexperience. com
very much where I come in,” says Jack. Star of TV sitcoms Bad Move, Lead Balloon and Josh, Jack also hosts the legendary Radio 4 show I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue. Additional credits include presenting Jack Dee’s Helpdesk on BBC Two, C4’s The Jack Dee Show, ITV’s Jack Dee’s Saturday Night, BBC’s Jack Dee’s Happy Hour and Jack Dee Live at the Apollo.
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n arena Library switch DERBY City Council will hand over operation of Chellaston Library to community management this month. The Library will be operated by Derby charity Direct Help and Advice from October 28. Chellaston Library’s last day under council management will be October 12. During the closure, the council will carry out training to enable a smooth transition for customers and volunteers alike. In the interim, customers can use other Derby libraries, with eBooks continuing to be accessible online. Chellaston will become the seventh city library to switch to community management. Allenton, Springwood and Derwent libraries are expected to be transferred by the end of February 2020.
Derby leads way THE UK Creative Community Fellows Programme led by Derby Museums has been awarded £468,000 from the Arts Council England’s Transforming Leadership Fund to build an adaptable cross-sector network of collaborative leaders working at the intersection of arts, culture and community development. Hannah Fox, director of projects and programmes at Derby Museums, said: “We will be creating opportunities for a diverse group of community leaders to develop their ideas and skills, deepen connections within their communities, and share knowledge across sector borders. “This will result in stronger, more connected networks for change in the UK.”
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SINFONIA VIVA – the Derbybased professional orchestra of the East Midlands – has been awarded further funding by BBC Children in Need to expand its creative work with children and young people who have long-term illnesses or special educational needs. The three-year project, supported by £119,265 from Children in Need, will start this autumn and involve hundreds of young people across the East Midlands. Creative work will focus on improving young people’s emotional wellbeing, developing self-belief and building self-esteem for the
Buxton original
Musical youth future – as well as providing a fun and enjoyable experience. Previous successful programmes have included Sinfonia Viva Fever music sessions for children in hospital with long-term illnesses. These will be expanded under the new programme with 16 half-day music making sessions at hospitals in Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottingham as well as at the Rainbows Hospicefor children and young people in Loughborough. IN celebration of Buxton and the opening of Buxton Crescent, Buxton Opera House and the Buxton Crescent Heritage Trust are developing a new play about the town – Deep. Written by Rob Young, Deep tells the story of Jan, a teenager rejected by his peers and unable to cope with his father’s illness. Jan finds solace in a voice that speaks from the deep. There may still be a chance for local performers aged 16-30, to take part in the play which will be performed on January 26 2020. Email skell@boh.org.uk for details. artsbeat October 2019
n arena Single weighs in FORMER Belper and now Leeds-based duo Sunflower Thieves have a new single out on September 30. Amy Illingworth and Lily Sturt-Bolshaw’s ethereal vocal harmonies and honest lyrics are at the fore in this beautiful track called Heavyweight. The pair had a successful tour in Europe during the summer and will be performing at their biggest headline show at Orporto in Leeds on November 12. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram to find out where you can download their music.
Turner tribute THE hits of Tina Turner will fill Derby Arena on October 17. Fans can expect a night of high-energy, feel-good rock-and-roll featuring Tina’s greatest hits performed by the amazing vocal talent of Elesha Paul Moses, supported by a full ten-piece live band. The show will include Tina’s classic hits such as Private Dancer, What’s Love Got To Do With It?, River Deep, Simply The Best and many more. Tickets from derbylive.co.uk
Strictly personal STRICTLY Come Dancing’s Giovanni Pernice is bringing his fourth solo tour – Giovanni Pernice This Is Me – to the Pomegranate Theatre in Chesterfield next year. Giovanni has become a firm fan favourite, having been a professional dancer on the hit BBC TV show since 2015 and has reached the final three out of the four years, with Georgia May Foote, Debbie McGee, artsbeat October 2019
and Faye Tozer respectively. With the Italian’s natural charm, combined with beautiful choreography perfectly complemented by a fabulous soundtrack, This is Me pays homage to the music and dances that have inspired Giovanni’s career, from a competition dancer to one of the biggest names on the hit BBC show. For tickets for the show on February 28 go to chesterfieldtheatres.co.uk
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Church Farm Art Gallery CHURCH STREET, BASLOW, NR BAKEWELL
LEABROOKS ARTS COMPLEX LEABROOKS GALLERY
A tiny gallery packed with work featuring landscapes, seascapes flora and fauna We also offer framing services with a wide choice of mounts and mouldings OPEN THURSDAY-SATURDAY 10.30AM-5PM WHEN CLOSED RING THE BELL TEL: 01246 582334
www.churchfarmgallery.co.uk
Chas Wilby Landscapes
October 5th-November 1st
Woods, Water and Flora in Watercolours
Open: Monday to Saturday 10am-5pm Wednesday by appointment Sunday 11am-3.30pm Leabrooks House, Leabrooks Road, Somercotes 01773 602961
www.leabrooksartscomplex.com
Prints
42 HIGH ST, BUXTON, SK17 6HB Tel: 01298 73100 Monday–Saturday 9.30am to 5pm Sundays 12pm to 4pm scrivbooks@hotmail.co.uk www.scrivenersbooks.co.uk
Framing
Scarthin Books
SCRIVENER’s SECONDHAND & ANTIQUARIAN BOOKS & BOOKBINDING
Originals
A homely refuge and social hub
New, secondhand and antiquarian bookshop with almost 100,000 titles We buy books and music by appointment
Vegetarian & Vegan Cafe with cosy outdoor seating area
Bookshop 9-6pm Monday-Saturday, 10-6pm Sunday Cafe 10-5.15pm Monday - Saturday, 10-6pm Sunday
Listed by the Guardian online as one of the ten ‘best bookshops in the world’ The Promenade, Scarthin, Cromford, DE4 3QF Tel: 01629 823272 email: nickscarthin@gmail.com
www.scarthinbooks.com
Follow us on
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One of The Guardian’s 10 Best Bookshops
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artsbeat October 2019
READERS’ NOTES
Songwriter who is passionate about the written word has a novel idea
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he manager of George Street Community Bookshop in Glossop, singer-songwriter Steve Roberts is undertaking a project to compose songs that explore our relationships with books. He has funding from Arts Council England and says he is taking the opportunity to act as a propagandist for books and bookshops. To help him in the task he has set up a survey to find out what it is we love about books and he has commissioned the painting, right, by New Mills artist Paul Gent entitled All Power to the Bookshops! Steve started his musical career in his home city, Liverpool, in the 1980s and has been involved with a number of bands over the years. A 30th anniversary gig for one of them – Sixteen Tambourines – in the city on November 9 is already a sell-out. He moved to Glossop in 2008 and he established himself in the area’s musical community getting involved in organising gigs and festivals along with writing songs for short films and stage plays. “For just over a year now, I’ve also worked part time as the manager of Glossop’s typically wonderful second-hand bookshop. Books are a passion of mine and through the shop artsbeat October 2019
I’ve found hundreds of people in the community just as passionate,” he said. “Over the months the idea for this project came to me from these conversations. My brief is pretty straightforward – write songs that do justice to all the many and personal reasons that people love books. “To help me I’ve created a survey. It isn’t an academic undertaking; I’m trying to capture the emotional and intellectual heart of our love for books. They hold memories for us along with the stories they impart and somehow, I want to get that content, or spirit and soul into the songs. “Surveys won’t tell me everything of course but I hope to gain some understanding of why we love books so much.
Any support I get from people completing it will help greatly. “I’m also hoping to encourage reading throughout our community. I know that children love books, they instinctively recognise which books are ‘theirs’ even if they haven’t been in a bookshop before. They recognise something about the colours and typefaces and their faces light up. “The surveys returned so far confirm my belief. Books for young people are a gateway to enlightenment and thought, to concepts that wouldn’t occur if you’d never read a book.” n If you want to help Steve either go to the bookshop where he has copies of the survey or fill it out online at steverobertsmusic.com
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n Hundreds of keenly priced prints n A huge variety of artists n National Railway Museum posters
Scott Naismith
Jo Grundy
Iain Mackay
Railway posters
Sam Toft
Professional framer for 21 years offering expert advice. Artists’ range of moulding available.
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Monday to Saturday 10am-5pm, closed Wednesday 22 Market Place, Wirksworth, DE4 4ET
A POETIC TRIBUTE TO SOLDIER
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Tel: 01629 824994
wirksworthframing.co.uk
Artsbeat Event Space Sept.pdf 1 10/09/2019 15:46:20
Gallery | Shop Creative Meeting Space
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For all types of creative workshops, launch events and meetings. Get in touch for more information. Sheffield Road,Chesterfield,S41 7LL 01246500799 www.weststudios.co.uk
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The Unknown Soldier was launched at the Wirksworth Festival and will have London launches at the Poetry Cafe on October 7 and the Barbican Library on October 9, and in Sheffield at the Off the Shelf Literature Festival on October 19
Poet and performer Seni Seneviratne, who describes herself as a passionately anti-war, has spent the past few years exploring the experiences of her much-loved father during his years fighting as one of ‘Monty’s Boys’ in the North African desert. After his death she inherited an album of black and white photographs recording a friendship between two signalmen in an army camp in 1941. The subject of the photographs was her father, a 24-year-old Ceylonese telephone and telegraph fitter who enlisted in the Royal Signals in 1940. The second soldier was the photographer. This album became the starting point for Seni’ s third collection of poetry – Unknown Soldier. Through the photographs she finds the voices of the two men and thus begins her journey to meet her father, the first soldier, the unknown soldier. artsbeat October 2019
‘
I regretted I never had the conversations I should have had
Seni Seneviratne
“I regretted I never had the conversations I should have had with him, and think that he was trying to protect me from knowing what happened. “When I found the album I was intrigued and thought it would be a new way of having a different kind of relationship with my father,” explains Seni at her home in Wirksworth. “I thought it was going to be a pamphlet when I began but it just came to life as I wrote.” The collection begins and ends in an imaginative recreation of the life suggested in those photographs, many reproduced in the collection which has just been published and was officially launched during the Wirksworth Festival. Speaking in both in the voice of the father and of the unknown photographer, poems explore the mix of male camaraderie and casual racism of that experience, but also the deep affection hinted at in the way the photographer has framed ‘Snowball’ in his lens. artsbeat October 2019
Seni’s father and his unidentified army comrade, pictured in 1941 in North Africa
From this imaginative core Seni’s poems also move out to reflect on more personal memories of her father and the life he had as a migrant from Ceylon, now Sri Lanka making a home and life for himself in Yorkshire. Seni was born and raised in Leeds, and is of English and Sri Lankan heritage. Her work as a poet and live artist has been praised particularly for the unique talent of engaging an audience through poetry and song. Seni’s first collection, Wild Cinnamon and Winter Skin published in 2007, offered a poetic landscape echoing
themes of migration, family, love and loss and reflecting her personal journey as a woman of mixed heritage. “I was in my teens when I first started writing for myself and it was in the 1980s that I first had something published but it was some years before I considered myself a poet. The shift happened when I took some time out to work and I started talking about myself as a writer. “Wild Cinnamon and Winter Skin was 20-odd years of work pulled together.” Her second collection The Heart of It followed in 2012, and now she is proudly promoting Unknown Soldier. n For more details go to seniseneviratne.com
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Award-winning traditional Peak District pub serving breakfast, lunch and dinner
Quality framing service including sports memorabilia, medals, posters, prints and photographs Needlework and canvas stretching
Original art l prints l art materials l gifts
www.outframed.co.uk
n Tel: 01773 747251 n Market Place, Ripley, DE5 3FJ
Cromford Studio and Gallery Featured artist for October
Tracy Fennell
Portraits and floral work in ink and watercolour
Open: 10am-5pm Wednesday to Sunday Market Place, Cromford, DE4 3QE 01629 826434
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Telephone 01298 83288 Mobile 07866778847
see www.peakpub.co.uk for details
DERWENT GALLERY Walking the Peaks by Tim Hulley from September 28th
Open Wednesday to Saturday 11am-4pm, Sunday 1pm-4pm
Main Road, Grindleford, S32 2JN Tel 01433 630458 www.derwentgallery.com
artsbeat October 2019
gallery
artsbeat previews this month’s stand-out exhibitions The Green Man Gallery, Hardwick Hall, Buxton
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he National Forest was first forest created in England for 1,000 years, an inspired regeneration project transforming more than 200 square miles of ex mining country. It is the inspiration for painter Sue Gardner who has a solo exhibition Wildlife of the National Forest at Buxton until October 23. In shady nooks, sheltered coppices and sunlit wildflower meadows, the land is coming back to life and is joyfully populated by the creatures that appear in this exhibition. “An advocate for animals from an early age, I now spend my days trying to capture them in paint. “We live in the heart of the
Exhibitions and galleries
Gallery in the Gardens, Buxton n The gallery at the heart of the Pavilion Gardens is the home of the High Peak Artists group. It contains the work of 43 artists and craftspeople. Go to galleryinthegardens.co.uk for details. Banks Mill, Bridge Street, Derby n Around the World in a Million Pixels is a solo show by Susan Bedford that will run until October 6. Opening times are Monday to Friday 10am-3pm and Sundays 1-4pm. The artsbeat October 2019
National Forest, and I am inspired every day by the beautiful surroundings and wildlife here,” said Sue, whose studio is in Ashby de la Zouch. Oil paint is my medium of choice, as I appreciate the richness and vibrancy of the colours, and the creamy
consistency of the paint. I like to create empathetic animal images, sharing with the viewer the world of the creatures I study. “Vivid colours glazed intuitively over dark or metallic layers, give a glow that fills their habitat with magic.”
exhibition will include a collection of original mixed media textile artworks, alongside developmental studies and photography, inspired by extensive travel around the world. As a prolific photographer, Susan captures images during her travels to inspire her outcomes as a mixed media textile artist. Works on show will include original framed artworks, photographs and watercolour studies produced during her travels as well as a collection of photostitch originals. Baslow Pottery, Baslow n The ceramics gallery displays
original work from more than 20 local artists. Wednesday to Saturday, 10.30am-5.30pm and 11am-5pm on Sundays and bank holidays. More details at baslowpottery.co.uk. Buxton Museum and Art Gallery n Limestone – The Shrouded Aesthetic by Steve Gresty, is a fine art photography exhibition on until November 16. The body of work is a series of 19 large photographs exploring how our cultural principles influence the way we see and value the land and the manner in which it is used, specifically land utilised for limestone quarrying – an industry
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n gallery that seeks to meet our unrelenting desire for the comforts and conveniences of consumer products. Go to derbyshire.gov.uk for more information. Chesterfield Art Club, St Thomas’ Church Community Centre, Chatsworth Road, Chesterfield n Now in its 90th year this is the art club’s final exhibition for 2019. More than 100 paintings exhibited and for sale on October 26, 10am-4.30pm. Church Farm Art Gallery, Baslow n The gallery is a showcase for both professional and talented amateur artists. Owner Norman Tomlinson, exhibits his own work, and others such as Caroline Appleyard, David Alderman, Mike Connley and Judy Tomlinson. Open ThursdaySaturday 10.30am-5pm. Go to churchfarmgallery.co.uk for details. John Connolly’s Ormscliffe Studio-Gallery, Bolsover n More than 300 original paintings are on show at this personal studio and gallery in Bolsover. Go to connollyart.com for more details. Cromford Gallery and Studio, Market Place, Cromford n The October exhibition is portraiture and floral studies by Tracy Fennell, who has worked as an illustrator for several years using a wide range of media, primarily inks and watercolours, with the addition of digital applications, to produce stylish and feminine imagery. Tracy also runs workshops, teaching life drawing and visual skills in in Derbyshire. The gallery is open WednesdaySunday 10am-5pm. Go to cromfordstudioandgallery.weebly. com for details. Déda, Chapel Street, Derby n A Riotous Assembly curated by David Manley, until October 26. Paintngs and prints that range widely in their outcomes but start from a similar place. n The Print Project Group – monochrome photographic
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Banks Mill Studio, Derby THE International Print Exchange, at Green Door Print Making Studio in Derby is a unique opportunity to see work from printmakers all around the world, to explore various printmaking methodologies and practices and to purchase quality prints at an affordable price. The prints will be exhibited from October 11-November 9. The studios are open 11am-3pm, closed Tuesdays and Sundays. The public are invited to celebrate the launch on October 11 from 5pm-8pm. This year, the International Print Exchange has received 286 submissions from artists based in 25 countries from all around the world, creating a new record. Each participating printmaker creates and exhibition, until October 26. More details at deda.uk.com The Derwent Gallery, Grindleford n Walking In The Peaks by Tim Hulley, from September 28 and throughout October. Total immersion in the landscape from climbing, walking, cycling and even swimming
Work by Tim Hulley can be seen at the Derwent Gallery Grindleford in his exhibition Walking In The Peaks
submits a limited edition of ten prints specifically for the exchange. Of the ten prints submitted, Green Door Printmaking Studio keeps two; the first for their archive and exhibition; the second for sale to fund future exchange projects. Each printmaker receives eight random prints in return from participating printmakers. Every year, prints submitted to the International Print Exchange are also compiled into an artist’s book for both posterity and for sale. has led Tim to produce dramatic paintings in acrylic. He applies the paint using palette knives, sometimes mixing the colours directly onto the canvas, creating vivid landscapes of fields and edges, boulders and birch trees in woodland. The gallery is open 11am-4pm Wednesday-Saturday and 1pm-4pm on Sundays. Telephone 01433 630458. Duffield Gallery, 7 Bridge Street, Belper n Work by James Preston, Colin Halliday, Phil Dyke, James Brereton, Nick Walker, Lynn Smith, Peter Watson, Frank Wright, Jenny Aitken, Robin Mason, Ruth Gray, Mark Fox, Lynne Wilkinson, Mark Beresford and Martin Davis. The gallery is artsbeat October 2019
n gallery Derby Museum and Art Gallery GIANT spiders, dancing skeletons, winged goblins and hordes of ghostly warriors are among the subjects depicted in a display of striking 19th century woodblock prints, drawn from the Ashmolean Museum’s rich collection of Japanese art. The exhibition, entitled Japanese Ghosts and Demons, includes 24 colourful ukiyo-e prints, including a number of dramatic multiple sheet images that have rarely been on public display before. It focuses on open Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-4pm and closed Sunday and Monday. For details go to duffieldartgallery.co.uk Ferrers Gallery, Ferrers Centre for Arts and Crafts, Staunton Harold n Autumn Treasures until November 3 – an exhibition of work celebrating the season. Visit the gallery as it celebrates British craftsmanship in a variety of mediums: glass, ceramics, textiles, paper and print. For details go to ferrersgallery.co.uk Gallerytop, Rowsley n The next event at the gallery will be Brushed opening on October 12. An exhibition of inspirational contemporary ceramics curated by Kyra Cane.The gallery is open Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm and Sunday 11am-4pm. More details at gallerytop.co.uk
Detail of The Spirit of Oiwa by Utagawa Kuniyoshi, colour woodblock print, 1847-8 © Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford
works by the celebrated print designers Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797-1861) and Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839-1892), two of the most prolific and successful artists of their day. This touring exhibition has been organised by workshops and exhibitions go to gallery23.co.uk The Gallery, High Street, New Mills n The gallery is run collectively by 30 artists and showcases a variety of work including paintings, jewellery, silk scarves, ceramics and feltwork. Open 10am-4pm. Closed Wednesday and Sunday. Green Door Printmaking Studio, Banks Mill, Derby n The International Print Exchange
Gallery 23, Union Road, New Mills n The gallery, open 10am-5pm, Monday to Saturday, exhibits travel photography by Peter Aitchison and mixed media work by Christine Ormsby. For more information about artsbeat October 2019
Janet Mayled’s work can be seen at St John Street Gallery in Ashbourne until October 12
the Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford. Alongside it Derby has put on an exhibition of Japanese watercolours and prints from its own collection which focus on the beauty of nature. Both exhibitions are on until January 26. – a unique opportunity to see work from printmakers all around the world, to explore various printmaking methodologies and practices and to purchase quality prints at an affordable price. The prints will be exhibited from October 11-November 9. The studios are open 11am-3pm, closed Tuesdays and Sundays. More details on page 26 or at greendoorprintmaking.co.uk The Green Man Gallery, Buxton n Wildlife of the National Forest – Sue Gardner, until October 23, oil paintings of the wildlife and nature around the artist’s home. More details on page 25. n October 14-15, White Light, White Peak – Photographs by Simon Corble depicting a year in the White Peak to coincide with the live experience on October 19. n Contemporary Mix, October 25November 20, paintings, textiles, mixed media and photography by Ann T Mann, Mary Worwood, Sue Gledhill and Suzanne Pearson. Meet the Artists: October 25, 6.30pm8.30pm. For further information
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n gallery contact hello@thegreenmangallery. com or 01298 937375. Haddon Hall, near Bakewell n A new, permanent exhibition exploring Haddon’s restoration and revival in the 1920s by the 9th Duke of Rutland. More details at haddonhall.co.uk Hallam Art Group, Hallam Community Centre, Hallam Grange Crescent Exhibition and sale, November 2-3, 10am-5pm, refreshments available. Go to hallamartgroup.wordpress.com for more details. Hall of Frames, King Street, Belper n Original and limited edition artwork from a variety of artists. More details at hallofframes.co.uk High Stone Gallery, 2D Via Gellia Mill, Bonsall n Featuring work of photographer Ian Daisley, this gallery displays a range of beautiful fine art prints of images of Derbyshire and The Peak District, along with other areas across the UK and beyond. There will be open weekends throughout the year. The next open days are October 26 and 27, 10am-4pm. For more details go to highstonegallery. co.uk Ingleby Gallery, Ingleby n The Autumn Exhibition 2019, October 13-27. See more details on page 30. The gallery is open on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 10am-5pm and weekends from noon-5pm. Go to ingleby-gallery. co.uk for details. Isla Fine Art Cards and Gifts, 4b The Colonnade, Buxton n A gallery and gift shop with a beautiful range of work. The gallery area regularly features work by local artists. Go to Isla–Fine Art on facebook for more details. Jarva Gallery, Market Street, Whaley Bridge n The gallery’s festive show will be starting in November. The gallery exhibits about 90 per cent British
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Baslow Village Hall, Baslow TWENTY-FOUR years ago a one-off exhibition was launched showcasing the work of ten artists. The early success led to more, the obvious title stuck and Ten Artists are still exhibiting together. Only two of the original ten are still exhibiting, Gerry Kersey and Isabel Blincow, but a careful choice of successor artists has meant a highly complementary group, producing work and artists that gel together. designers’ and artists’ work. Open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 9.30am5pm, Wednesdays 9,30am-3pm, and Saturdays, 9.30am-4pm. For more details go to jarvagallery.com. Leabrooks Arts Complex, Somercotes n Arwyn Quick, landscapes, until October 5. n Chas Wilby landscapes of wood water and flora, October 5-November 1, see more details right. The gallery is open MondaySaturday, 10am-5pm and 11am3.30pm on Sundays. Wednesdays
The Samaritans has benefited from the start, with £36,000 raised so far for the charity. This year, Lyn Littlewood, Brian Smith, Mark Beresford, Judy Day, Mark Turner, Phil Lockwood, Helen Martell, and metal sculptor Jason Heppenstall, will join the original two artists, each showing ten new pieces of work. The exhibition is on Saturday and Sunday, October 26 and 27, from 10am-5pm. There is a £1 admission which is donated to the charity. by appointment only. For details go to leabrooksartscomplex.com The Living Threads Group, Trent College Long Eaton n Connections: Inspirations in Fabric and Thread, October 24-November 1. This is the group’s 19th exhibition. For details go to livingthreadstextileartists.com The Messy Hare, Crossley House, Burton upon Trent n A vibrant and creative gallery and coffee shop with almost 30 local artists on show. The coffee shop and gallery is open from 8am-5pm Tuesday to Saturday artsbeat October 2019
n gallery West studios, Chesterfield DARK PORTRAITURE – an exhibition at Chesterfield College’s arts studios will be running from October 3-10. It will feature a preview of Northern Soul by artist Wynn Ryder (work pictured right). This is the first time he has exhibited his work. He says he has found a way of creating his paintings his own way through the use of paint markers. “I take five colours and and 10am-4pm on Sundays. Go to messyharegallery.co.uk for more details. Mellor Arts Society, St Martin’s Church Hall, Brabyns Brow, Marple n The society’s 18th Annual Art Exhibition with an extensive range of original artwork for sale. October 11, 1pm-6pm; October 12, 10am-5pm and October 13, 11am-5pm. You can find up-to-date information on the group’s Facebook page. Nicholson Museum and Art Gallery, Leek n Call of the Wild, landscape photography exhibition, until November 2. From wild rugged crags to meandering lush valleys this exhibition will capture the diverse landscape and celebrate the wildlife of the Staffordshire Moorlands and the Peak District. More details on the Nicholson Institute’s facebook page. The New Court Gallery, Repton School, Burton Road, Repton n Black, White, Greys, Colour – An exhibition of work by Geoff Machin, until October 8. Open to the public by appointment by telephoning 01283 559301. No. 28, The Market Place, Belper n Shottlegate Art Group are artsbeat October 2019
layer them in the same way I would if it were acrylic, frequently blending with my fingers and generally making as much mess as possible. “I’m currently working with photographer Lee Black on a series of paintings for an art book documenting the Northern soul scene. “I’m very excited to be showcasing a number of pieces from that series in their various stages of completion,” he added. The studios are on Sheffield Road, and are open 10-4pm Monday to Friday and until 1pm Saturdays. exhibiting their paintings on October 12, from 9am-4.30pm and October 13 from 10am-4pm. All welcome. Refreshments available. The Old Lock Up Gallery, Swift’s Hollow, Cromford n Salon 11 – Work by Amanda Ansell, Day Bowman, Robyn Litchfield, Donna McClean, Mandy
Payne, Rachael Pinks and Judith Tucker. October 12-27. Visit theoldlockupgallery.org for more details. The gallery is open 11am5pm, Friday through to Sunday. QUAD, Derby n For more details of the new exhibition for the autumn go to derbyquad.co.uk
Leabrooks Gallery, Somercotes CHARLES Wilby will be exhibiting a completely new collection of his landscapes in the Main Exhibition Room of the Gallery from October 5-November 1. Most of the paintings are watercolours which is a new medium for him, but they retain the vibrancy of his usual acrylic work. His images of woods, water and flora, as always, have the power to delight, while igniting memories and inspiring appreciation of our countryside.
You can meet the artist at the gallery on October 15 from 1pm- 4pm when the gallery will also be celebrating his 80th birthday.
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n gallery The Richard Whittlestone Wildlife Gallery, Pilsley, near Chatsworth n The gallery is open 10am-5pm Tuesday to Saturday. More details at richardwhittlestone.co.uk Rob Wilson Art, Lockside Mill, St. Martins Road, Marple n Rob will be staging his Winter Show on November 9 and 10. Otherwise the gallery is open to visitors every Friday, 10am-4pm. Go to robwilsonart.co.uk for more details. Smallprint Company, Friary Street, Derby n Trees by Gustavo Expinosa, until October 12. More details at smallprintcompany.com The Spotted Cow, Holbrook n An exhibition of contemporary and abstract paintings by emerging Holbrook artist Roz Hamer, until October 28. This collection includes oil, mixed media and acrylic paintings which trace the artist’s response to places and people. St John Street Gallery, Ashbourne n Janet Mayled, A Sense of Place, until October 12. The gallery is open 9.30am-5pm, Monday-Saturday. For more information go to stjohngalleryandcafe.co.uk U Choose Smoothie Art Gallery, Ilkeston n Original work by more than 20 local artists can always be seen at the gallery. For more details go to uchoosesmoothie.co.uk Ten Artists, Baslow Village Hall n An exhibition of work by ten artists each showing ten new pieces of work. October 26 and 27, 10am-5pm. £1 admission to The Samaritans. See more details on page 28. Two Birds Gallery, Borough Street, Castle Donington n The featured artist this month is Jessica Lennox’s highly detailed coloured pencil, British wildlife and canine art. Jessica grew up in Staffordshire
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Ingleby Gallery, near Melbourne THE Autumn Exhibition inludes Robin GregsonBrown’s paintings of butterflies and moths as well as a pencil study of a fishing boat in Boscastle harbour by Patrick Prentice, a Melbourne artist who was featured in last month’s artsbeat. Other artists exhibiting include Rosemary Mafrici, a fine artist who and spent most of her childhood exploring Cannock Chase, she now draws inspiration from the flora and fauna she encounters while walking her dog. The gallery is open
The work of Tracy Fennell can be seen at Cromford Studio and Gallery this month
paints the effects of light on natural scenes; Victoria Claire Dawes with terracotta tableware; Di Lorriman an artist and illustrator; Peter Rix’s rocking horses; Mayflower bespoke jewellery; and Sue Riley’s limited edition bronze resin sculptures of ballerinas and other life form. Chris Hindley, a wood carver whose work is pictured above, will be demonstrating his techniques on October 20 from noon until 4pm. Monday-Friday, 9.30am-5pm and 9.30am-4pm on Saturday. Wirksworth Framing Company, 22 Market Place, Wirksworth n A family-run framing business that exhibits work by a mixture of local artists and prints by nationally renowned artists. Including work by Iain Mackay, Scott Naismith, Jo Grundy, Richard Pett, Sam Tofts, Alex Clarke and Thomas Joseph. Go to wirksworthframing. co.uk for details. West Studios, Chesterfield n Dark Portraiture, featuring a preview of Northern Soul by Wynn Ryder, October 3-10, Monday to Friday 10am-4pm and Saturday 10am-1-pm. Launch event October 5, 10am-1pm. For more details see page 29 or go to chesterfield.ac.uk artsbeat October 2019
PHOTOGRAPHER’S TAKE ON NATIONAL PARKS
Trio’s expert tuition inspires new focus for lensman whose engaging work has a global perspective
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America’s National Parks hold a special fascination for amateur photographer Phil Plumb. The wilderness, the light, the sheer beauty of the landscape – especially in Yosemite and the Grand Canyon – call him back again and again. “There is something spiritual about the national parks for me. It is something I can’t really explain but they are just sublime and the way I feel when I am there is almost perfect,” he said. artsbeat October 2019
Phil Plumb
Phil has been fortunate to be able to travel widely during his 68 years having worked in the aviation industry but now, retired from full time work, he has more time to concentrate on his hobby from his home in Wirksworth. He has been a member of the Matlock Camera Club for ten years and says he tends to make sure his camera is always at hand wherever he goes.
He has a collection of images on flickr which reveal his love not just for the vast open spaces of the American West but also Africa, India and Europe. “I have been taking pictures since I was 12 years old but only started taking them more keenly in the 70s when I got my first SLR. I am enrolled as a Licentiate of The Royal Photographic Society. Phil’s photographs are carefully composed and sensitive to tonal balance – in the past he has concentrated on his favourite wild landscapes and the natural world, but more recently has found inspiration in architecture and urban landscapes. It was wanting to learn more about those subjects that led to him taking a course with three Derbyshire-based
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Clockwise from above: Highway 89 near Page USA; Manhattan; Jellyfish; and Humpback Whale, Monterey Bay. Previous pa
photographers: Paul Hill, Nick Lockett and Martin Shakeshaft who stage workshops as The Photographers’ Place. “The course was held in Wirksworth and the practical advice and feedback I gained from such experienced tutors was brilliant. I went on the course to help me develop a theme to my work and it was really very good. “Over the past few years I have been driven by improving my photographic technique but I haven’t really spent time looking into what I am trying to portray in my pictures. “I have always wanted to be
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able to paint pictures but I can’t. “What I can do is take photographs and I believe it is a medium I am good at, so I was really pleased with the positive feedback and advice I had on the workshop. “It really inspired me to try something new and I am looking to working on a new project with the town’s traders. It is still early days – I am still in the planning stage – but I hope to get started soon.” n You can see more of Phil’s photography on his Flickr page. artsbeat October 2019
age: Grand Tetons National Park
artsbeat October 2019
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FOREWORD LOOKING
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Derby Book Festival’s new director has extensive literary links
he new director of Derby Book Festival is Vicky Dawson, who is also at the helm of the Buxton International Festival’s literary event. “I am delighted to be joining the team at Derby Book Festival. To be sharing my passion for books and contributing to two diverse festivals across Derbyshire is an enormous privilege,” she said. Vicky succeeds Theresa Keogh who became the first festival director in 2017 and is now pursuing a teaching career. Liz Fothergill, who chairs the Derby festival said: “The festival has gone from strength to strength in our first five years and we are delighted with its success and the city’s response to it. “Vicky has the ideal mix of skills to take the festival to the next exciting stage in its development, and we feel sure she will have the leadership skills to create an even more successful festival and creative team in the coming years. “Her energy, enthusiasm and passion for the festival impressed us all and we feel very confident about her appointment.” Vicky has spent three decades in the book trade and was latterly a partner in two independent bookshops in Scotland. She was a founder member of Eastbourne’s Champion Women Festival, a Trustee of the Aboyne & Deeside Festival 34
Vicky Dawson steps in for city’s Autumn Edition event
and has organised literary events for bookshops and festivals across the UK. The 2019 festival sold just under 7,000 tickets during its nine-day run in June and the demand for more events during the year has led to the first Autumn Edition of Derby Book Festival which will be held from October 25-27 with ten events planned. They include visits from Sir Vince Cable MP, BBC editorial director and former
economics editor, Kamal Ahmed, best-selling writing partnership Nicci French, Costa Prize nominee Raynor Winn (The Salt Path) and novelist and psychiatrist, Joanna Cannon. Liz Fothergill said: “None of our success would be possible without the support of all our funders, including Arts Council England and the University of Derby, as well as our festival partners, sponsors and volunteers. “We are already planning the next festival in 2020 and want to ensure we retain the same high quality of events, authors and activities as this year.” artsbeat October 2019
have a go
Brush up on your skills – or try something entirely new Get switched on to upcycling at lamp workshop
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or those of you who are fans of recycling artsbeat has found the perfect course at a studio in Wirksworth. At Upcycled Creative you can create your own lamp at a four hour workshop. While the studio is a relatively new space the award-winning business has been running since 2012 when it was founded by Lee Richards. At one stage they were at Cromford Mills and more recently they moved to St John Street in Wirksworth. Lee is well known for his upcycling and creates his own lamps and lights from quirky
Workshops and Courses Artcore, Derby n Many different creative living, health and well-being courses. n Every Monday Craft Club at 1pm. n Every Wednesday – Art For Life, 1pm.. For details go to artcoreuk. com, email info@artcoreuk.com or call 01332 384561. Arts Society Derby, Landau Forte College, Derby n Pots and Frocks: The World of Grayson Perry, speaker Ian Swankie, October 1, 7.15 pm. The next meeting is on November 5 when the artsbeat October 2019
objects such as old bike gears, foot pumps and even oil cans.
uring this workshop, from D 11am-3pm, you will learn how to safely and correctly wire a plug for your lamp, drill and prepare the body of the lamp and wire the light fitting. Once completed and checked
speaker will be Sarah Dunant, with a talk entitled The Most Infamous Family in History: The Borgias. New members are welcomed. For details go to https:// theartssocietyderby.com/ membership/ or phone 01332 751574. Non-members may attend as guests for £5 per person. Adele Kime Jewellery, Whaley Bridge n Day workshops at a canal-side studio. Small group – maximum four – with homemade cake and refreshments. Beginners/Improvers. Learn a variety of techniques to make your own unique jewellery. For more details and booking go to facebook.com/adelekimejewellery
you will be provided with a low energy filament style bulb. The course price is for you to create one lamp of your choice. You are encouraged to take along an item that you would like to transform into a lamp although they can provide some alternatives like reclaimed wood or glass jars. Lee and his team also recently opened The Coffee Bunker which serves a wide range of speciality teas, coffee, ice cream and milkshakes as well as lots of sweet treats. The whole place is also the showroom for Lee’s recycled creations and the coffee shop has been created from recycled materials. There are lamp making courses on October 6 and 24 and more in November and December. The cost is £80 including lunch. Go to upcycledcreative.co.uk for more details. or email adelekimejewellery@gmail. com Anna Massey, Weekly Painting and Drawing Classes n Various venues in and around the Peaks. Several courses in New Mills, Stockport and Sheffield, including painting and drawing classes: Wednesdays 9.30-11.30am, New Mills; and Wednesdays 1.15-3.45pm, Hazel Grove. For more details go to annamasseyartist.com or call 07947380078 Anne Alldread Textiles n Weekly Textile Groups, Monday pm and Wednesday am in Belper. Small groups with an emphasis on having fun while creating.
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Stitch&Frame Professional lacing and framing of needlework cross stitch and embroideries Main Road, Grindleford, S32 2JN Tel 01433 630458
www.stitchandframe.co.uk
BOBBIN LACE MAKING
one-day workshops and weekly evening classes 6 Friar Gate Studios, Ford Street, Derby Telephone 01332 742533 or visit the website for more details
www.louisewestlacedesign.co.uk
Green Door Printmaking Studio
advertise here for just £45 10% off all courses with the code: ARTSBEAT
www.greendoor-printmaking.co.uk BANKS MILL STUDIOS | 71 BRIDGE ST | DE1 3LB
celebrating the arts in Derbyshire Tel: 07872 066719 email: editor@arts-beat.co.uk
Betty’s Sewing Box & Vintage Tearoom Cokayne Avenue, Ashbourne, Derbyshire DE6 1EJ 01335 347241
leabrooks artists’ forum Are you bursting with ideas you want to share or looking for inspiration and guidance? Join our free forum for artists where we share information, ideas and enterprise
• Designer and • Craft Workshops Vintage fabric • Crochet Groups • Liberty • Quilting Group Tana Lawn • Beginners Sewing • Stylecraft Wool • Machine Hire • Patterns • 1:1 sessions • Artisan Crafts • Private Hire • Variety of cards • Friendly happy for all occasions service
First Saturday of the month from 10.30am-1pm Leabrooks Arts Complex, Somercotes, DE55 4HB
www.leabrooksartscomplex.com
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www.bettys-sewing-box.co.uk artsbeat October 2019
n have a go A variety of techniques to include wet felting, dyeing, tapestry, printing and much more. Full day workshops also available. Please contact Anne for further information at annealldread. com or on 07817745705 Betty’s Sewing Box, Cokayne Avenue, Ashbourne n Craft workshops, crochet groups, quilting, beginners’ sewing, felting. For details go to bettys-sewing-box. co.uk Elizabeth Blades, Art Tuition, Studio 4:2, Banks Mill Derby n One-to-one tuition with artist Elizabeth Blades. For further information and details of how to book a session email elizabethlouieblades@gmail.com. Chesterfield Branch Embroiderers’ Guild n First Thursday of each month 7-9pm The Saints Parish Rooms. St Mary’s Gate, Chesterfield S41 7TH. Go to embroiderersguild.com Cromford Studio and Gallery, Market Place, Cromford n Watercolour tuition is available for small groups or on a one-to-one basis, all abilities welcome. Call 01629 826434 for more details. Derby Photographic Society n The society meets at 7.30pm on Mondays between September and April at Eborn House, Leylands Estate, Broadway, Derby. Visitors and new members very welcome. Full details can be found at derbyphotographicsociety.co.uk Derbyshire Adult Education n Various courses available. To book a place call 01629 533290, email swadlincote.ace@derbyshire. gov.uk or go to, derbyshire.gov.uk/ coursesearch. Esther Tyson Screenprinting workshops, Via Gellia Mills, Bonsall n Gain a basic knowledge of screenprinting. All equipment and materials provided. For details email esther.tyson@network.rca.ac.uk artsbeat October 2019
Glossop Branch of the Embroiderers’ Guild, Glossop Cricket Club, SK13 7AS n Meetings are held on the last Wednesday of the month, 1-3pm. Go to glostitchedup.blogspot.co.uk for details. Green Door Printmaking Studio, Banks Mill, Derby n Screen Printing for Illustration, October 5 and 6, 11am-3pm. n Screen Printing for Beginners night class October 7, 14, 21 and 28, 6pm-9pm. This four-week course is an opportunity to explore screen printing and its many techniques. Concessions and student discounts available. For more details and to book online, go to greendoorprintmaking.co.uk or call 07919 823 097. Green Man Gallery, Buxton n Every day – 6x4: Inspired by Landscape. Drop-in at any time and join this fundraising attempt. The aim is to exhibit 5,000 original art works measuring 6” by 4” (postcard size). Entries can also be sent by post. Cost: £1 per entry. All funds raised help with gallery upkeep. n Every Tuesday – Life Drawing. A weekly session for artists at any stage who want to develop their drawing practice with a professional life model. Easels provided; paper may be purchased at the session. Some drawing tools available but artists are encouraged to bring their own. Session 7pm to 9pm. Over 16s only. n Every Wednesday – Artspace. A session for anyone who needs creative space in their week,. 11am1pm. Donations for materials. No need to book. n Artists at Work Day, October 5. Resident Artists and guests turn The Green Man Gallery into a studio for the day with demonstrations and other activities. Free entry. 10.30am4pm. n Writers’ Retreat, October 12. A chance to write without distractions from 10am-4pm. Monthly event
organised by Writers’ HQ. Booking essential. Details at writershq.co.uk/writing-retreats For further information and booking for other courses contact hello@ thegreenmangallery.com or 01298 937375 unless otherwise stated. High Peak Stitchers, Glossop Cricket and Bowling Club, North Road, Glossop n Meetings first Wednesday of the month, from 2-4pm, visitors’ entrance is £4. High Peak Artists, Print, Paint & Create, Pump Room, Buxton n In a collaboration with the Buxton Crescent Heritage Trust, eight members of the High Peak Artists group will be offering a series of creative workshops The series will offer silk painting, lino printmaking, dry felting, drypoint printing, wire sculpture, jewellery making and acrylic inks with watercolour painting. The last two workshops will take place on on October 7 and 21 from 6pm-8.30pm. For more information go to galleryinthegardens.co.uk John Connolly, Ormscliffe Studio, 16 Langwith Road, Bolsover n Acrylics and mixed media tuition is available for very small groups or one-to-one. All abilities welcome. More details at connollyart.com or Call 07967 316622. Leabrooks Artists Forum, Somercotes n Artists sharing information, ideas and enterprise. Meetings are on the first Saturday of every month from 10.30am-1pm. Beverages and cake cost £3.50, if required, everything else is free. Painters, sculptors and potters who have experience of exhibiting are invited to join the group. Go to leabrooksartscomplex. com for more details. Lesley Linley, watercolour classes n Watercolour workshops, classes and demonstrations see lesleylinley. co.uk, call 07919 465222 or email lesleylinley1@gmail.com.
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n have a go Life Drawing with Lily Hammond Art, Ashover Village Hall, Ashover n The first Thursday of every month, complete beginners are more than welcome. Classes are two hours and cost £15 with materials included. email info@lilyhammondart.com for booking and more information. Louise West Lace Design 6 Friar Gate Studios, Derby n Evening classes in bobbin lace making, Tuesdays 6-8pm. n One-day bobbin lace workshops for a maximum of ten students, £30. The next ones are October 26, November 6 and 23, and December 11 and 14. n Louise also holds Bedfordshire Lace weekend courses. Go to louisewestlacedesign.co.uk for booking details. Marie Falconer Photography, Cromford Wharf, Cromford Mill n Back to Basics: Shutter Speeds, Apertures, ISO and all that Jazz! October 19-20. A weekend photography course with Marie and Paul Hill. More details at mariefalconer.co.uk Matlock Artists’ Society, All Saints Church Hall, Smedley Street n The Club’s Portrait Group meets on the first Wednesday of every month from 9.30am-noon. For details contact Doreen Andrews 01629 824640. The Old Lock Up Gallery, Swifts Hollow, Cromford n Life drawing, Tuesdays 6.308.30pm weekly £12. n Monthly djembe drumming group. n Sketch Group Mondays 7pm 8.30pm weekly £6.50. Booking essential. Go to the gallery website for further information theoldlockupgallery.org The Old House Studio, Woodhead Road, Torside, Glossop n Art courses in the Peak District. Top UK artists. For more details visit pennine-art.uk Tel: 01457 857527, email: info@pennine-art.uk
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Pam Smart, Art Workshops in the Studio With a View, Buxton n Autumn Sketchbook, October 19. Full day workshop from 10am-4pm with materials and refreshments. For details go to pamsmart.co.uk Pauline Townsend Silk Painter n Workshops for beginners and improvers in Buxton. Workshop schedule available on the website: silkpainter.co.uk Pitchblue Creative, Coldwell Street, Wirksworth n Full day workshops from 10am3.30pm with lunch, a half day is until 1pm. You can choose one day or two. There are also regular weekly courses. Go to pitchbluecreative. com for details. Sew Need A Drink, Via Gellia Mill, Bonsall, sewing classes with Louise James n All classes include a kit with all the materials cut out and ready to sew, instructions, tuition, homemade cake and refreshments. For more details go to sewneedadrink.co.uk Small Print Company, 2-3 Friary Street, Derby n Various courses including Creating a Letterpress Print, and Coptic and Japanese Bookbinding. Details of all the courses and their prices can be found at smallprintcompany.co.uk StraightCurves, 104 Saltergate, Chesterfield n A range of arts and crafts workshops and courses from drawing and painting to mosaics and beading, for all ages and abilities from accessible studios in Chesterfield. There are also regular events see details below. Book online at straightcurves.co.uk 01246 807575. n Woolly Wednesdays – every Wednesday, 10am-12.30pm and 6.30-9pm. All arts and crafts are welcome at this session. n Little Creatives – a workshop designed especially for pre-school
children and their parent, every Friday and Monday 9.45-11am. n Book Club – 7-8pm on the third Thursday of the month, refreshments included. St John Street, Gallery, Ashbourne n John Connolly, Dramatic Landscapes, September 30 and October 1. n Sue Lewis Blake, Drawing with Coloured Pencils, October 3 and drawing light and shade, October 31. n Janet Mayled, Alllotment painting Workshop, October 9. n Dave Gelder, Jewellery, October 14. n Sandra Orme, Under Stormy Skies in pastels, October 16. n Lewis Noble, Sketching and Painting the Derbyshire Landscape en plein air. To book, phone 01335 347425 or email enquiries@ stjohngalleryandcafe.co.uk. Storer Farm Landscape Painting Courses, Ashleyhay n Course leader: Jeremy Bournon, retired director of art, Repton School. October 5 and 6. Further details on application to jeremyhbournon64@ outlook.com. Viveka Bowry, Life Drawing Classes, Strutts Centre, Belper n Life Drawing group (non-tutored) with yoga poses to draw, first Wednesday of month, 10am-noon. Contact Viveka on 01629 258362. West Studios, Sheffield Road, Chesterfield n For more information call West Studios on 01246 500 799, email hello@weststudios.co.uk or go to weststudios.co.uk for details. Zantium Studios, Godfrey Hole House, Hopton n Mosaic Autumn School, October 7-11. Go to zantium.co.uk or telephone 01629 824377 for details. artsbeat October 2019
SILVER-TONGUED CHORUS
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f you are dreaming of joining a women’s fourpart a cappella chorus then Ignite UK would love to meet you. The Belper-based singers want to recruit new members and swell their current 40-strong team to around 50. For the past month they have been running a course to let potential members have a taste of what’s involved and Ellie Reynolds, who is responsible for membership, said after the first session that they were delighted with the response. “We had 25 women come along to see what we do and learn a new skill and hopefully some of them will consider joining us and go through the audition process,” she said. Ignite UK was launched three years ago under the guidance of musical directors Debbie Varley and Harriet Adamson. They sing a mixture of contemporary pop and barbershop songs. artsbeat October 2019
They have performed in numerous shows, charity events and at special occasions. The chorus took a bronze medal in their first competition in Ireland and have taken part in two international competitions in Cardiff and Gateshead. They will be performing at a charity fundraiser for the Wirksworth Cancer Research UK group at Wirksworth Town Hall on Saturday, November 9. And they have been booked to perform at the annual Rotary Club Conference in Scarborough and the Ripley Professional Women’s Charity Dinner in October. Ellie said: “We have a good mixture of members aged from 17-70 and that’s what makes it such an enjoyable place to be. There are obviously physical benefits to singing, but the social aspect of our choir is also very important. “Even though this particular course has just about finished
we would still welcome anyone interested to come along to a future rehearsal and give it a go. “Come and hear us sing, join in with our vocal and physical warm-up, have a chat with us and enjoy a cuppa. You don’t have to read music and won’t have to sing on your own – and if you enjoy it you can take it further and audition.” The chorus is open to all women over the age of 16. If you are interested then in the first instance email igniteuk@ yahoo.com or call Ellie on 07713 730987 to find out when you can go along. You can see the women at a rehearsal session, which are held every Thursday evening at 7.30pm, at Strutt House, Bridge Foot, in Belper, by scanning the QR code. To find out more about the group go to igniteuk chorus.com
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John Connolly Art Commissions, workshops and one-to-one tuition
SHOWS CLOSE TO YOU
Exciting line-up for autumn and winter season is unveiled Ormscliffe Studio – Gallery
open by appointment 16 Langwith Road, Bolsover S44 6HQ 07967-316622 email: john@connollyart.com
www.connollyart.com
HADDON HALL Bakewell, Derbyshire, DE45 1LA
Experience Christmas at Haddon Hall Mercatum – Artisan Market 13th – 17th November 2019 VIP Evening – 12th November 2019
Experience Christmas at Haddon Hall 1st – 23rd December 2019 Visit www.haddonhall.co.uk for more details info@haddonhall.co.uk | 01629 812 855
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ive & Local will be bringing a stunning line-up of theatre, dance, music and family shows to Derbyshire this autumn and winter. Piano Divas, presented by Chesterfield’s Wendy Kirkland Quartet, is a tribute to the very best female jazz pianist-singers, including one of its unsung heroes: Kirkland herself. She is at Breadsall Memorial Hall on October 13 and at Kirk Langley Village Hall in February. Keeping the art of silent film music alive, soundtrack group Minima’s superb live soundscape perfectly captures the mood of Alfred Hitchcock’s atmospheric 1926 masterpiece The Lodger: A Story Of The London Fog, about the hunt for a Jack the Ripper-style killer in London. You can see it at Kirk Langley Village Hall on October 19 at 7.30pm. For tickets call 07563 531811. With top-class musicianship and brilliant entertainment, Moscow Drug Club play an intoxicating mix of 1930s Berlin Cabaret, Hot Club de France, Nuevo Tango and artsbeat October 2019
Piano Divas, presented by Chesterfield’s Wendy Kirkland, has two dates in the county in the coming months
Gypsy Campfire music. Catch them at Brackenfield Church on November 1. Pentabus Theatre Company brings a darkly comic romp through 24 hours in the life of a Norfolk village (The Tale Of Little Bevan) to the stage at New Mills and Great Longstone in November. Heanor Baptist Church will welcome upcoming Nottingham-based dance company Next Door Dance with The Beautiful Game, their inventive, playful, laugh-outloud funny ode to football fanatics across the country, on November 14. They will also be at Melbourne Assembly Rooms in March. Spiltmilk Dance celebrates some of the most memorable moments from some of the biggest movies of the last 80 years with their two-woman comedy-sketch-singalongartsbeat October 2019
cabaret-dance show Desert Island Flicks which will be at Biggin Village Hall on November 24 and West Hallam Village Hall in March. Kiriki Club brings a raw, energetic performance style to a captivating blend of vintage 1950s R&B and exotic sounds from around the world to Tansley in November and Crich in January. The Gypsy-inspired acoustic chamber jazz quartet Latchepen play high quality, exciting instrumental music and will be at St Leonards Mission Church at Spital in Chesterfield in March. Described by Stephen Fry as ‘quite remarkable musicians’, Faith and Branko Ristic (Faith i Branko) will take audiences at Melbourne, Winster and Dronfield on a journey from elegant Balkan Romani laments to exuberant old folk-
dance ‘kolos’ with their show Roma Tales. Get ready to party Punjabistyle as RSVP Bhangra bring their bombastic performance style and groove-heavy tunes to Tideswell in January. Bhangra is dance music which melds traditional Punjabi songs and drumming with electronic rhythms, creating a modern twist on old Indian and Pakistani celebratory performance. Making a Live & Local premiere will be Last Chance Saloon with Sherlock Holmes & The Blue Carbuncle / Curse Of The Mummy, a laugh-out-loud double bill of spoof comedy shows. They can be seen at North Wingfield Resource Centre in December. n For details of all the season’s shows and where you can get tickets go to liveandlocal.org. uk
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illow sculptor Emma Parkins and Air Arts have just unveiled a major new installation at Royal Derby Hospital. The trio of badgers takes centre stage in the hospital’s courtyard
artsbeat October 2019
Emma Parkins with her giant badgers at Royal Derby Hospital
near the main entrance and are delighting patients and visitors alike. Air Arts, which was formed in 2007, is a charity promoting health and wellbeing through the arts and arts participation at the Derby Teaching Hospitals. Its aim is to create a calm and welcoming environment, providing support and reassurance for patients, staff and visitors, enhancing the environment and providing moments of reflection and distraction. A year ago it commissioned Belper artist Emma to make a large sculpture from willow. “After some discussion we decided to go with the theme of British Wildlife. I chose the badger because of its wonderful markings and character. Also it is an animal rarely seen, so I thought it would be interesting to create one in the centre of the hospital for all to see. artsbeat October 2019
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I feel that I’ve captured the badgers’ essence and character “Eventually one became a family of three,” said Emma. The project presented the artist with many new challenges as it is the largest piece she has made. There were lots of logistical issues, such as getting a four metre frame through a small door in a very busy waiting area. “Miles Halpin was the fabricator of the metal work and with his experience and logical brain he came up with a way to get the frame through the door and bolt it together on site,” explained Emma. “Once I started weaving it became evident that people were taking a curious interest
in what I was doing. It became a guessing game as to what they would be. Finally when the white willow was added most people knew. “I feel that I have captured the essence and character of the badger. I want people to smile and feel a sense of comfort when they look at them. I have had some very positive feedback and I wasn’t expecting how well received they would be. They are giving people joy in what sometimes can be a time of great stress, sadness and anxiety.” The artist says that her sculptures will slowly change and bio-degrade, and be used as a home for many insects, becoming a mini eco system. “I love this aspect of willow. I make eco-friendly art that has very little impact on the planet,” she added. n To see more of Emma’s work and find out about workshops she runs go to emma-parkins. co.uk
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cinema
Find out where movies are being screened near you Honeyland is creating a buzz
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hen a nomadic family move in and break Honeyland’s basic rule, the last female wild beekeeper in Europe must save the bees and restore natural balance. Nestled in an isolated mountain region deep within the Balkans, Hatidze Muratova lives with her ailing mother in a village without roads, electricity or running water. She’s the last in a long line of Macedonian wild beekeepers, eking out a living farming honey in small batches to be sold in the closest city – a mere four hours’ walk away. Hatidze’s peaceful existence is thrown into upheaval by the arrival of an itinerant family, with their roaring engines, seven rambunctious children and herd of cattle. Hatidze optimistically meets the promise of change with Assembly Room Theatre, Bakewell Town Hall, Bakewell n Film Friday: Eighth Grade, October 4. Highly acclaimed newcomer Elsie Fisher stars in Bo Burnam’s Golden Globe nominated coming of age drama. Kayla Day (Fisher) is an eighth grade student finishing her final week at a public middle school in the state of New York. She posts motivational videos on YouTube about confidence and self-image that get almost no views. Struggling to make friends at school, she wins the ‘Most Quiet’ award
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an open heart, offering up her affections, her brandy and her tried-and-true beekeeping advice. It doesn’t take long however, before Hussein, the itinerant family’s patriarch, senses opportunity and develops an interest in selling his own honey. The debut feature from documentarians Ljubo Stefanov and Tamara Kotevska, Honeyland was shot over
three years by a skeleton crew committed to an intimate collaboration between filmmakers and subject. The movie won three awards at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. You can see it at Buxton Cinema from October 5-8. Watch the trailer by scanning this QR code.
from her classmates. A beautifullyobserved, touching and funny portrait of adolescence that will ring true with parents and teenagers. Please note, this film is rated 15 for strong language and sex references. For more details go to bakewelltownhall.co.uk
Centre, Bakewell, on the second Sunday of the month. More details at bashfilms.org.uk Belper Ritz, King Street, Belper n Full monthly programme of top films, silver screen, Ritz Recommends and dementia-friendly screenings. Go to ritz-belper.co.uk for the full details of the month’s films. Buxton Cinema, Pavilion Arts Centre, Buxton n The Souvenir, September 27-October 2. n The Mustang, October 1-3.
Bakewell and Ashford Film Society, Medway Centre, Bakewell n Rocketman (2019) 15, A musical fantasy about the fantastical human story of Elton John’s breakthrough years, October 13. .Films are always at the Medway
artsbeat October 2019
n cinema n Honeyland, October 5-8 n Downton Abbey, October 11-17. n The Lion King (autism friendly), October 12. n Billy Connolly: The Sex Life of Bandages, October 13. n Tomorrow, October 20-24.. n Ad Astra, October 20-24. n Grease, October 21 n Judy, October 26-31. n The Goldfinch, October 29-31. Go to buxtonoperahouse.org.uk for the details. Buxton Film, Pavilion Arts Centre Studio, Buxton n The Chambermaid, October 7. Eve is a chambermaid working in a posh hotel in Mexico City. We watch her painstaking, meticulous and tedious work, making sure everything is perfect for the guests who barely know she exists. Yet she is witness to their intimate and personal lives. The contradictions, emblematic of the society she inhabits are not lost but there is nothing loud or in-your-face here. n Neither Wolf Nor Dog, October 14. n Yuli, October 21. n Photograph, October 28. Details at buxtonfilm.org.uk MARs Cinema Club, Melbourne Assembly Rooms n Rocketman, October 25, 6.30pm. No reserved seating. Membership of Melbourne Film Club is £5 per film. To join call MARs 01332 863522 or email to info@ melbourneassemblyrooms.co.uk Movies at M.A.D.E. @No.18, Church Street, Alfreton n The cinema is based in a courtyard Stable behind the cafe. The cinema shows a range of films from current releases, classics, films for children, as well as independent films, heritage and documentaries and films by local young film makers. Screenings are at 8pm on Fridays, and 3.30pm and 7.30pm on Saturdays. Go to madeatno18.co.uk for details. artsbeat October 2019
Rocketman the story of Elton John’s breakthrough years can be seen at Bakewell and Ashford Film Society and Melbourne Assembly Rooms
QUAD, Derby n Go to derbyquad.co.uk for details The Northern Light Cinema, North End, Wirksworth n Go to thenorthernlightcinema. co.uk for the full details of the films showing in February. Parwich Film, Memorial Hall n Usually, but not always, on the second Friday of the month. Go to parwich.org for more details. Peak Film Society, Partington Players Theatre, Glossop n Women at War, October 5. Halla, a woman in her 40s, declares war on the local aluminium industry to prevent it from disfiguring her country. She risks all she has to protect the highlands of Iceland, but the situation could change with the unexpected arrival of a small orphan in her life. Icelandic, Spanish, English and Ukrainian languages, with English subtitles. n Nae Pasaran, November 2, the true story of the workers who defied Pinochet. In a Scottish town in 1974, factory workers refuse to carry out repairs on warplane engines in an act of solidarity against the violent military coup in Chile. Four years pass before the engines, left to
rust in factory yard, mysteriously disappear in the middle of the night. English and Spanish languages with English subtitles. More details about membership at peakfilmsociety.org Cinema @ Spring Bank Arts, New Mills n Films usually the second and fourth Thursday of the month. Go to springbankarts.org.uk for more details. Tansley Film Community Cinema, Tansley Village Hall n Bohemian Rhapsody, October 1. n The Favourite, October 29 (Note it is not November 5). First Tuesday of the month, Seat reservations essential at book@ tansleyfilm.org.uk. More information at tansleyfilm.co.uk Tideswell Cinema, George Inn,Tideswell n The Keeper, October 31, 7.30pm. Telling the extraordinary love story of a young English woman and a German Prisoner of War who together overcome prejudice, public hostility and personal tragedy. Bert Trautmann is a talented goal keeper and after the war signs for Manchester City, causing outrage to thousands of their football fans. Bert’s path to acceptance peaks at the 1956 FA Cup Final when he secures victory for Man City by playing on despite breaking his neck. Yet fate twists the knife for both Margaret and Bert… Go to tideswellcinema.com for membership details. Youlgrave Cinema, Youlgrave Village Hall, Holywell Lane n Sisters, Brothers, October 4. It’s the Wild West. It’s 1851, and two brothers have been given a job to do. The Sisters boys are bounty hunters, travelling to California, and their target is a chemist who has discovered the secret of finding gold. n Maudie, November 1. Monthly, September-May, usually on a Friday at 7.30pm. Go to youlgrave.org.uk for details.
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n bookshelf
n Breaking and Mending: A Junior Doctor’s Stories of Compassion and Burnout By Joanna Cannon (Profile Books, £12.99)
In this powerful memoir, Ashbourne author Joanna Cannon tells her story as a junior doctor in visceral, heart-rending snapshots. We walk with her through the wards, facing extraordinary and daunting moments: from attending her first post-mortem to sitting with a patient through their final moments. These memories, and the small sustaining acts of kindness and connection that punctuate hospital life, teach her that emotional care and mental health can be just as critical as restoring a heartbeat. This book brings to life the vivid, stories of doctors and patients, and shows us why we should take better care of those who care for us.
n Serotonin By Michel Houellebecq (Cornerstone, £20)
Dissatisfied and discontent, Florent-Claude Labrouste
feels he is dying of sadness. His young girlfriend hates him and his career as an engineer at the Ministry of Agriculture is pretty much over. His only relief comes in the form of a pill. Recently released for public consumption, Captorix is a new brand of anti-depressant which works by altering the brain’s release of serotonin. Armed with this new drug, Labrouste decides to abandon his life in Paris and return to the Normandy countryside where he used to work promoting regional cheeses. But instead of happiness, he finds a rural community devastated by globalisation and European agricultural policies, and local farmers longing, like Labrouste himself, for an impossible return to the golden age.
n Planet In Peril Edited by Isabelle Kenyon (Fly on the Wall Press, £18.99)
There has never been a more critical moment in this planet’s history. Ecosystems and species stand on the precipice of extinction and await human action. Spurred by the urgency of the situation, Fly on the Wall Press has teamed up with WWF, The Climate Coalition, Dr Michelle Cain (Oxford University), former Derbyshire Poet Laureate, Helen Mort, and wildlife photographer, Emily
Gellard, to create an anthology for our future. Planet in Peril combines beautiful photography of endangered species and delicate ecosystems, with poetry designed to increase public awareness of the complex issues surrounding climate change. Available from flyonthewallpoetry.co.uk.
n On Fire: The Burning Case for a Green New Deal By Naomi Klein (Penguin Books, £20)
For more than 20 years Naomi Klein’s books have defined our era, chronicling the exploitation of people and the planet and demanding justice. On Fire gathers for the first time more than a decade of her impassioned writing from the frontline of climate breakdown, and pairs it with new material on the staggeringly high stakes of what we choose to do next. It investigates the climate crisis not only as a profound political challenge but also as a spiritual and imaginative one. Delving into topics ranging from the clash between ecological time and our culture of ‘perpetual now,’ to rising white supremacy and fortressed borders as a form of ‘climate barbarism’, this is a rousing call to action for a planet on the brink.
Bookshelf is sponsored by Scarthin Books, of Cromford 46
artsbeat October 2019
stage
Catch the best shows and performances in the county Blood Brothers – and Lyn Paul – head for Derby
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ritten by Willy Russell, the legendary Blood Brothers tells the captivating and moving tale of twins who, separated at birth, grow up on opposite sides of the tracks, only to meet again with fateful consequences. Few musicals have received quite such acclaim as this multi-award winning show and you can see it at Derby Theatre from October 14-19. Bill Kenwright’s production surpassed 10,000 performances in London’s West End, one of only three musicals ever to achieve that milestone. It has been affectionately christened the Standing Ovation Musical.
Theatre
Derby Theatre, and Derby Theatre Studio, Derby n The Lady Vanishes, starring Gwen Taylor and Andrew Lancel, October 7-12. n Blood Brothers, October 14-19. See more above. n Two Trains Running, An English Touring Theatre and Royal and Derngate Northampton coproduction, October 22-26. It’s Pitsburgh 1969 and the iconic American playwright August Wilson paints a vivid portrait of everyday lives in this defining moment of American history. n Trying It On, written and artsbeat October 2019
The score includes Bright New Day, Marilyn Monroe and the emotionally charged hit Tell Me It’s Not True. Lyn Paul, who first rose to fame in the early 70s as a member of the New Seekers,
returns to the show for her farewell tour in the iconic role of Mrs Johnstone, which she first made her own in London’s West End. For tickets go to derbytheatre. co.uk
performed by David Edgar, October 28, 7.30pm. n Five Years by Neal Pike, who explores identity and community during the time he was at a special needs school, October 5, 7pm. n You’re In a Bad Way, a play about dementia, October 11, 6.30pm. n White – a solo show by Koko Brown about being a mixed-race woman and always feeling like an outsider, October 12, 7pm. n Louder is Not Always Clearer, October 25, 8pm. n Queens of Sheba, October 26, 8pm. n The Good Companions’ Stage Society present The Wedding Singer – an upbeat and energetic stage
show, based on the 90s hit movie starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore. The Wedding Singer takes us back to a time when hair was big, greed was good, collars were up, and a wedding singer might just have been the coolest guy in the room. Featuring a score that pays loving homage to the pop songs of the 1980s. The production runs from November 5-9, at 7.30pm, with a matinee on November 9, at 2.30pm. Find more details at derbytheatre.co.uk Bakewell Town Hall, Bakewell n Go to bakewelltownhall.co.uk for details of the latest shows.
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n stage Catch the rhythm of the dancers THE TOM Dale Company will be presenting Step Sonic at Déda in Derby on October 17 and 18. The noise of bodies impacting and the sound of feet and limbs on the floor create the score of this new dance work. Shotgun microphones, custom made instruments, plate re-verbs and amplified boxes capture the rhythms and sounds. Sampled and processed live by composer Jo Wills, the dancers become the band, creating a new type of dance music/music dance. For tickets go to deda.uk.com Belper Players, Strutts Centre, Belper n A new play takes a fresh look at Shakespeare’s Macbeth and turns the traditional story on its head. Ross, written and directed by Jeff Moule, looks at the events of the original play through the eyes of a
Tracey Wilkinson and Janet Allison as the Witches in Ross by Belper Players
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minor character, whose name gives the new work its title. In Shakespeare’s version, Ross is a fellow soldier with Macbeth, and witnesses his comrade’s rise to power as a blood-thirsty, paranoid King. He watches much of the action, but says little. Jeff Moule’s new play gives him a voice and puts him at the heart of the action in a way that challenges the audience’s traditional understanding of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Ross is performed in blank verse, echoing the spirit of the original without being a parody. It also draws on historical sources about the real Macbeth. And of course, it wouldn’t be complete without some witches. November 13-16, at 7.30pm. Tickets are available from belperplayers.com or by calling 07544 374088. Buxton Opera House, Buxton n Austentaious, October 17, 8pm. See more details right. n Buxton Drama League, The Box of Delights, November 15 and 16.
In this new adaptation of the classic children’s story by John Masefield, Kay Harker begins his Christmas holidays by journeying to Seekings House, the home of his guardian Caroline Louisa. But when a Punch and Judy Man hands him for safekeeping something magical from ancient times, Kay has no idea of the adventures that lie ahead. Go to buxtonoperahouse.org.uk for tickets. Fourblokes Theatre Company, Repton School 400 Hall Theatre, Willington Road, Repton n Fourblokes’ 2019 production, Arthur Miller’s classic A View From The Bridge, will be performed between October 16 and 19 with a matinee on the Saturday. Set in an Italian-American neighbourhood in Brooklyn in the 1950s, it tells the story of the Carbone family - Eddie, Beatrice and their niece Catherine. As Eddie takes in Beatrice’s cousins from Italy, Marco and Rodolpho, the burgeoning relationship between artsbeat October 2019
n stage Improv’ requires little persuasion AUSTENTATIOUS is an improvised comedy play starring a cast of the country’s quickest comic performers. At every single show the cast conjures up a brand new ‘lost’ Jane Austen novel based on nothing more than a title suggested by the audience. The show comes fresh from six sellout runs at the Edinburgh Fringe, a weekly residency in London’s West End and a BBC Radio 4 special to mark the bicentenary of Austen’s death. Buxton Opera House hosts Austentatious on October Catherine and Rodolpho troubles the hard-working docker Eddie in an unexpected way, setting off a chain of devastating events that will change all of them. Tickets from derbylive.co.uk Live and Local, various locations n It Is Now, presented by Anonymous Is A Woman Theatre Company, October 6, 7.30pm, Crich Glebe Field Centre, Crich. n The Stars Look Down presented by Northumberland Theatre Company, October 11, 7.30pm, Spring Bank Arts Centre, New Mills, tickets from 01663 308202. n Once Upon A Time..., presented by Gonzo Moose Theatre. An anarchic and devilishly funny fairytale adventure bursting with physical comedy, absurd jokes and magical illusion, as little sister Lotte confronts a great evil in order to save her beloved Brothers Grimm. Taddington Village Institute, October 17, 7.30pm. Tickets from 0129 885 n Juliet and Romeo presented by artsbeat October 2019
17, at 8pm, to entertain and astonish audiences in equal measure. Previous ‘lost’ masterpieces have included Sixth Sense & Sensibility, Double 0 Darcy and Mansfield Shark. No two shows are ever the Lost Dog Dance. What if Romeo and Juliet hadn’t died on that fateful night? What if, instead, they got hitched, had a baby and fell into a midlife crisis? That’s where we find Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers in this inventive reimagining. The Peel Centre, Dronfield, October 27, 7.30pm.Tickets 01246 418122. n The Frozen Roman presented by Badapple Theatre, All Saints’ Church Bradbourne, October 30, 7.30pm. More details on page 50. Phosphoros Theatre, Ashbourne Methodist Church, Church Street, Ashbourne n In partnership with Ashbourne One World Group Phosphoros Theatre is staging a free performance of Pizza Shop Heroes. at the church on October 19 at 7pm. Phosporos is a London-based company that makes political performance starring refugee and asylum seeking actors. The group, which has links with Derbyshire, performed the play at Derby Theatre earlier in the year. If
same. Performed in period costume with live musical accompaniment, this is a Regency treat guaranteed to delight Austen novices and die-hard fans alike. For tickets go to buxtonoperahouse.org.uk you missed it that time around make sure you book tickets for this show. Go to eventbrite.co.uk/e/pizza-shopheroes-tickets-64497569968.
Comedy
Buxton Opera House and Pavilion Arts Centre, Buxton n Josh Widdicombe, Bit Much... October 4. n Buxton Buzz Comedy Club, October 4. n Jimmy Carr, October 8. n Rhod Gilbert, The Book of John, October 9. n Sofie Hagen, The Bumswing, October 10. Derby Theatre, Derby n Stewart Francis: Into the Punset, October 30. n Count Arthur Strong: Is Anybody Out There? November 10, 8pm. Funhouse Comedy Club n The Blessington Carriage, Derby: October 14, Jack Gleadow, David Smith, Andy Storey, Jay Droch, Josh
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n stage Theatre pupils’ dazzling show DAZZLE Me is a fabulous, colourful showcase of dance, performed by students and pupils of Bakewell’s Peak Performance Theatre School as part of its 30th anniversary. This kaleidoscope of fabulous themes and routines, features dance styles including jazz, ballet, tap, lyrical, street and contemporary. The pupils range from as young as four to senior students. Berry, Wilson Milton with compere Spiky Mike. October 28, Thomas Green, Bentley Browning, Jinx Yeo, Sergi Polo, Eric Rushton, Zeeshan Yousuf Mustafa with compere Spiky Mike. n The Old Bell, Derby, October 25, Steve Shanyaski, Andrew Bird,
Picture by Derbyshire Photographic
Reflecting eras of musical theatre, song and film, this is a guaranteed to be a hit for audiences of all ages. You can see the two hour Wouter Meijs and Compere Barry Dodds. Book tickets at funhousecomedyclub. co.uk
shipoffoolscomedy@yahoo.co.uk 07804 563371
No. 28, Market Place Belper n Ship of Fools Comedy night. Bring your own drinks, October 12, 7.30pm. Booking essential
Buxton Opera House and Pavilion Arts Centre, Buxton n Greg Minnaar – Size Matters, October 19. n Huw Jack Brassington, The Dragon’s Back, October 22. Tickets: buxtonoperathouse.org.uk
Roman empire
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Spoken word
Buxton Crescent Heritage Trust Buxton Pump Room, Buxton n Balls Belles and Bugles, by Peter Youds, October 9. n A Crash Course in Buxton’s History, by Trevor Gilman, November 20. Details at buxtoncrescenttrust. org, tickets from buxtonoperahouse. org.uk
strikes back AN EMERGENCY meeting is taking place at the Phoenix pub and things are getting heated. The hapless villagers are all racking their brains for some way to halt the impending housing development that will threaten their peaceful way of life. That’s when the discovery of a Roman burial ground underfoot comes into play. The Frozen Roman. is a new theatre production by Kate Bramley and a truly life-affirming double-dose of
show at at the Pomegranate Theatre, Chesterfield, on October 28 at 7pm. For tickets go to chesterfieldtheatres.co.uk
comedy where the normally sedate villagers’ lives go ‘ballisticus maximus’. You can see it at All Saints’ Church, Bradbourne, on October 30. Tickets on 01335 390080.
Derby Theatre, Derby n An Audience with Lesley Garrett, October 27. An evening of song reminiscences and chat with Britain’s most popular soprano. n Doug Allan: Wild Images, Wild Life, October 31, 7.30pm. For tickets go to derbytheatre.co.uk Derby Poetry Society n Nerissa Kisdon: Riddles and artsbeat October 2019
n stage Catch Scrooge on autumn tour THE CHATSWORTH Players are going on tour with their autumn production – A Christmas Carol – for six consecutive nights in different venues, with the final show on their home stage at Chatsworth House. “We toured with our first two or three productions over ten years ago,” said s director Lindsay Jackson. “We decided to do so again this time because we feel that everyone will want to see John Mortimer’s wonderful adaptation of A Christmas Carol, and it’s extra special if you can see it without having to travel too far.” The production has an unusually large cast of 20 and includes six newcomers aged under 16 – as well as the society’s youngest-ever Longings in Anglo-Saxon poetry, October 11. Monthly meetings on the second Friday of the month. Room 3, Friends’ Meeting House, Derby, 7.30pm. Contact Gina Clarke on 01773 825215 for details. Matlock Storytelling Cafe, Imperial Rooms, Matlock n. This October the storyteller will be Pete Sturgess with Bikes and Buddhas – A Journey through Asia. Based on a true story of a bicycle journey from Vietnam to Thailand, Saigon to Bangkok, but like those films inspired by true events, which parts are true and which are fiction? The audience will be taken to great cities and ancient temples, and will meet wild animals, a beautiful woman, an old monk, a grumpy old man, and a very bad busker. Additionally there will be tales from artsbeat October 2019
performer playing the part of Tiny Tim. “It’s been an absolute joy to see their development, their growing confidence and the wholehearted way in which they throw themselves into the performance,” added Lindsay. Deb Page and Phil Coogan who will bring further stories from the east. The cafe is always the first Friday of the month. Doors at 6.45pm. For more details go to matlockstorytellingcafe.co.uk Scrivener’s Bookshop, High Street, Buxton n Book Club, first Wednesday of every month 7-8pm. Everyone welcome. Call 01298 73100. n Storytelling Sundays: the second Sunday of the month, from 2-3.30pm, telephone 01298 71622. Spoken Words, CODA vinyl cafe, 2 South Avenue, Buxton n An open mic without a mic where people can read out their own poems and/or short stories or just listen to the performers and be well entertained. First Tuesday of each month, 6.30pm to 8.30pm. Free entry. For details call 07713 246391.
A Christmas Carol is on the current GCSE English literature curriculum and Lindsay, herself a former teacher, knows how helpful it can be to see a live performance of a story that is being studied, so she is hoping that there will be some students in the audiences and that the Players can play a small part in helping them to love this Dickens story. Starting on October 21 at the Whitworth Centre in Darley Dale, productions are at Youlgrave Village Hall, Bakewell Town Hall, and Tideswell Fountain Square Church, reaching Chatsworth House for the Friday and Saturday performances on October 25 and 26. The Players and Chatsworth House will also host a celebratory black-tie pre-theatre dinner before the Saturday evening performance. For tickets go to chatsworthplayers.com
Dance
Buxton Opera House, Buxton n The Ballroom Boys, Ian Waite and Vincent Simone, October 7. Russian State Ballet and Opera House, Don Quixote, October 23, 7.30pm. A spellbinding, lavish, fullproduction touring ballet. Tickets at buxtonoperahouse.org.uk Déda, Chapel Street, Derby n The Tom Dale Company with Step Sonic, October 17 and 18. See more details above. For tickets go to deda. uk.com Sensational Salsa, The Old Clubhouse, Buxton n Salsa dance classes, Tuesdays upstairs at The Old Clubhouse, in Buxton. Beginners 7.30-8.30pm. Improvers 8.30-9.30pm. For details call 07811 100191.
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artsbeat October 2019
music
artsbeat’s essential guide to Derbyshire’s best live tunes Opera House to stage Kurt Weill’s ‘lost’ singspiels
E
nglish Touring Opera (ETO) will return to Buxton Opera House this month to present new productions of a rare Kurt Weill opera, The Silver Lake – A Winter’s Tale and the underperformed Mozart comedy, The Seraglio. Both operas are singspiels (‘plays with music’), an accessible and popular operatic form that mixes spoken dialogue with music. The ETO will also take opera into the local community, providing a free Gilbert and Sullivan workshop for young people at St John’s Baptist Church and will collaborate with Nottingham-based homelessness charity Streetwise Opera (Nottingham Hub). Weill’s poetic and uplifting singspiel The Silver Lake (1933) is considered by many to be his masterpiece. It was written in early 1930s Germany, during a time of economic collapse and the rise of the far-right. Its radical messages and sharp satire of Germany’s political situation meant it was closed down and banned by the Nazis, and the composer and librettist were forced to flee Germany. It is a piece about those who are left behind – the poor man driven to steal a pineapple, the
artsbeat October 2019
The Silver Lake – A Winter’s Tale by the English Touring Opera
poor relation who is passed from house to house, the policeman with principles, the starving people who at the very beginning of the show are busy burying Hunger itself. It is a “winter’s tale” that could not be more appropriate to modern Britain. Conducted by Weill specialist James Holmes, and directed by ETO Artistic Director James Conway, this is the first professional UK performance of the The Silver Lake in 20 years. In 1781, Mozart arrived in Vienna and desperately needed to land a hit in the theatres, to both support himself and make his name in a new city. For this, he turned to the genre of the ‘singspiel’ which had great popular appeal. The Seraglio (1782) provided this much-needed success. Set
in a splendid Turkish harem, it reflects the eighteenth-century Viennese audience’s fascination with all things eastern. It contains some of Mozart’s wittiest music, some of his most vocally challenging music, and some of his most lyrical. Though written during a time when attitudes to the East and to Islam were strongly ambivalent, Mozart’s instinctive understanding of human nature elevates the story onto a higher plane; in his hands it becomes an exposition of the need for tolerance and understanding between different cultures. You can see this opera on October 11 and The Silver Lake on October 12, both are at 7.30pm. For tickets go to buxtonoperahouse.org.uk
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n music Conductor leads cathedral return HAVING launched the autumn season with another outstanding performance in front of a 20,000-strong audience at Darley Park on September 1, awardwinning Sinfonia Viva will return to the city on Wednesday October 23 for an evening performance at Derby Cathedral. Under the baton of principal conductor Frank Zielhorst, the programme starts with one of Mozart’s most quintessential and famous works Symphony No.40. This iconic piece was composed in 1788 and continues to feature heavily in film and television scores to this day. The concert also features Clara Schumman’s 3
Rock and Pop
Buxton Opera House, Buxton n Lulu, October 2. n Abba Forever, October 5. n Sinatra: Raw, October 13. n Lloyd Cole, From Rattlesnakes to Guesswork Tour, October 16. n Roy Orbison and the Traveling Wilburys Experience, October 18. n Buddy Holly and the Cricketers, October 25. n Al Stewart, October 29. For more details and tickets go to buxtonoperahouse.org.uk n Queen’s Head, Belper n Bob Cheevers USA, November 8. For details and dates of other gigs go to queensheadbelper.weebly.com
Folk and Jazz
Alstonefield Village Hall n Collister and Fix, October 19,
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Romances, Op.22 (originally for violin and piano) which are known as a tense and acrobatic musical ride with their impressive and nimble upward leaps. This version by Zielhorst for cello and orchestra features Sinfonia Viva’s principal cello Deirdre Bencsik as soloist. Kodály’s Summer Evening 8pm. The amazing singer Christine Collister paid her dues on the British club scene before becoming vocalist in the Richard Thompson band (and becoming well-known for singing the theme tune to the cult BBC series Life & Loves of a She Devil). Over the years, she has shared the stage with Martin Simpson, Bonnie Raitt, The Bangles, Richard Thompson, Dave Kelly and Loudon Wainwright III. Australian Michael Fix is widely acclaimed as one of the world’s finest acoustic guitarists, mentored during his early career by the legendary Tommy Emmanuel. With Christine’s sultry, sensuous voice and unsurpassed brilliance in range, combined with Michael’s exquisite guitar playing, they create a rare musical synergy, that transcends cultures and musical traditions to enrapture audiences wherever they perform.
then ripples beautifully and paves the way for the power and emotional depth of the final piece – Grieg’s Holbert Suite. Zielhorst said that he was looking forward to returning to Derby Cathedral, a regular venue for Sinfonia Viva in recent years. Tickets from sinfoniaviva. co.uk or derbylive.co.uk For tickets go to alstonefield.org or wegottickets.com Buxton Opera House, Buxton n Clare Teal and her Trio, October 12. n The Pitmen Poets. The industrial and coal mining heritage of the north east of England will be celebrated in song, storytelling and humour when four legends of the folk music scene arive on October 26.They will also be at the Foxlowe Centre, Leek on October 17 and the Winding Wheel in Chesterfield on November 12. The Pitmen Poets features ex Lindisfarne singer Billy Mitchell, award winning songwriter Jez Lowe, distinguished singer and instrumentalist Bob Fox who played the Song Man in the West End and world tour production of War Horse and Tyneside song connoisseur, Benny Graham. Details at buxtonoperahouse.org.uk artsbeat Octoberr 2019
n music Village date for chamber trio THE Aurora Trio will be performing in the last Mayfield Music session for the foreseeable future on October 20. This exciting young chamber ensemble, Emma Halnan (flute), Jordan Sian (viola) and Heather Wrighton (harp) first established at the Royal Academy of Music, already has a superb repertoire which comprises new pieces and original arrangements alongside the core works for flute, viola and harp. The programme is to include works by Ravel, Prokofiev, Ibert, Bax, Piazzolla and Buckley. Since its inception in 2012,
the trio has performed widely across the UK; recent engagements include recitals at the Wigmore Hall, Colston Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall Front Room,
Old King’s Head, Belper n Belper Folk Club, every Tuesday at 8.30pm. For more details check out their facebook page or go to belperfolkclub.co.uk
Chesterfield Jazz, Club, Chester Street, Chesterfield
No 28, Market Place, Belper n Check out what’s on and book via the No28 Facebook page.
Derby Folk Weekender, Derby City Centre Various events taking place in
n Mike Outram, guitar, October 17, 8.30pm. For gig details go to chesterfieldjazz.wordpress.com.
The Pitmen Poets will be at The Foxlowe Centre, Leek on October 17, Buxton Opera House on October 26 and Winding Wheel, Chesterfield on November 12
artsbeat October 2019
Halesworth Festival and the Norwich and Norfolk Festival. The concert in St John the Baptist Church, Mayfield, DE6 2JR will start at 3pm. different venues in the city including the Cathedral and The Old Bell Hotel, October 4-6. The full line-up is available at derbyfolkfestival.co.uk Derby Jazz, Derby Theatre n Ka Safar, The Cube, Deda, October 4. n Kind of Blue with the Tony Kofi Sextet, Derby Theatre, October 7, 7.30pm. n Denys Baptiste Quintet, Baby People Derby, October 19. Go to derby-jazz.co.uk for details. Green Man Gallery, Buxton n Freddie Garner Jazz Quartet, October 5. Popular veterans of the Pavilion Arts Centre lunchtime jazz gigs bring their unique sound to The Green Man stage. 7.30pm Tickets on the door, from the gallery or online at wegottickets.com/event/481844 n Hungrytown, October 12. Brilliant and original folk duo from Vermont, USA, return for their fourth gig at The Green Man by popular demand. Tickets on the door, at the gallery
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n music Czech out this musical feast! CUMBRIA-BASED Czech singer Katuš Young and kora player Yankuba Conteh will be playing traditional Gambian music and original European folk from her album The Spring of 2022 at the Green Man Gallery in Buxton on October 26. Booking is essential. Tickets £10 in advance/£12 on the door. Book at the gallery or online at wegottickets.com/ event/481849 or online at wegottickets.com/ event/481846 n Talaro: Katus Young and Yankuba Conteh, October 26. Traditional Gambian music and original European folk from Czech singer Katus and kora player Yankuba. See details above. Booking essential. Tickets at the gallery or online at wegottickets.com/ event/481849 More details from the gallery or at thegreenmangallery.com/whats-on
Live & Local, various locations n Worry Dolls in Concert, The Verney Institute, Pleasley, October 5, 8pm. Throw together Earl Scruggsstyle banjo, rhythm guitar, a little ukulele and two women with tales to tell, and what do you get? Worry Dolls. Box Office: 01332 831 577. n Piano Divas presented by Wendy Kirkland Quartet, Breadshall Memorial Hall, October 13, 7.30pm. Wendy Kirkland’s Piano Divas is a tribute to the very best female
Collister and Fix will be playing at Alstonefield Village Hall on October 19
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pianist-singers of jazz, including one of its great unsung heroes: Kirkland herself. Box Office: 01623 810035. For more details go to liveandlocal. org.uk Medway Centre, Bakewell n An evening of dancing to the music of the Well Dressed Ceilidh Band, October 4, 7.30pm to 10pm. A caller will ensure you have a fun time with the dances new and old. No previous ceilidh dance experience necessary. There will be a bar available with a selection of wine, beers, lagers and soft drinks on sale. Tickets are available at the Bakewell Corner Book Shop, The Medway Centre or phone Di 07875593978 The Old Hall Hotel, Hope n Acoustic sessions with guests second and fourth Wednesdays of the month.October 9, Paul Pearson and October 23 Andy Murdoch. Go to folkandblues.wixsite.com for details. Spring Bank Arts, Spring Bank Arts Centre, New Mills n Ian McMillan and Tony Husband: A Cartoon History of Here, November 15, 7.30pm. A fast-flowing, rapidrafting adventure, in which two top artsbeat October 2019
n music funny men reflect upon local stories and legends at Spring Bank Arts, New Mills, this November. The night promises a live-action cartoon starring friendly folks, fantastic fortunes, dazzling ambition and tender moments. The performance will be created by suggestions from the night’s audience, orchestrated by Yorkshire poet, broadcaster and comedian Ian McMillan and Cartoonist of the Year, Tony Husband. Two top funny men cook up poems and cartoons to go. Here as you’ve always dreamed it. For tickets go to springbankarts. org.uk The Winding Wheel, Chesterfield n David Hull Promotions Presents Charlie Landsborough, The Farewell Tour of Britain October 6. For tickets go to chesterfieldtheatres.co.uk
Classical Music
Abbotsholme Arts Society, Abbotsholme School Chapel n Leon McCawley, October 12, 7.30pm. One of Britain’s foremost pianists, Leon McCawley has forged a highly successful career since winning first prize in the 1993 International Beethoven Piano Competition in Vienna and second prize at the Leeds International Piano Competition in the same year. For details go to abbotsholmeartssociety.co.uk Buxton Opera House and Pavilion Arts Centre, Buxton n Carnelian Saxophone Quartet, Coffee Concert, October 4. n La Voix Humaine with Dame Felicity Lott, soprano and Adrian Kelly, piano, October 18. n Sacconi Quartet, October 19. n Tim FitzHigham and Dundan Walsh Atkins, perform Flanders and Swann, October 19. n Larisa Piano Trio, Coffee Concert, November 1. Go to buxtonoperahouse.org.uk for tickets. artsbeat October 2019
Orchestra back for Buxton show THE Northern Chamber Orchestra return to St John’s Church, Buxton in November with trumpeter Tracey Redfern following a successful stint at the Buxton International Festival in the summer. Tracey the NCO’s principal trumpeter, has won many prizes and plaudits for her musicianship throughout her career. Dalesmen Male Voice Choir and Derby A Cappella, St Alkmund’s Church, Duffield n A joint concert in aid of Prostate Cancer UK, October 26, 7pm-9pm. Admission free, but there will be a retiring collection. The two groups are staging the event as the chairman of Derby A Cappella Graham Kirkham was diagnosed with and successfully treated for the cancer during the last year. He wanted to raise awareness of the disease and raise money to help others who may have it in the future. Derby A Cappella invite men who want to try their style of singing to rehearsals on Tuesday evenings
During this programme at 4pm on November 10, she takes on Jeremiah Clarke’s Trumpet Voluntary together with a lively Torelli concerto. Also on the programme are English string favourites by Elgar and Holst and Massenet’s gorgeous Last sleep of the virgin, from the oratorio La Viege. The concert is book-ended by Handel’s great B minor concerto grosso and Mozart’s brilliant divertimento, composed at the age of 16 For tickets and more details go to ncorch.co.uk from 7.30pm, at Chester Green Community Centre, City Road, DE1 3SA. Derby Chamber Music, Multi-Faith Centre, University of Derby n Ning Kam and Katherine Jenkinson, violin and cello. Mozart: Duo in G, K.423; Sollima: Alone for Cello Solo; Bach: Adagio and Fugue from Sonata No.1 in G minor for Solo Violin; Martinu: Duo No.1 for Violin and Cello; Ravel: Sonata for Violin and Cello in C major; Servais/Ghys: Variations brillantes sur l’air God Save the King. October 11, 7.30pm. For more details go to derbychambermusic.org
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n music Derby Concert Orchestra, St Mary’s Church Wirksworth n Concert October 12, 7pm, with music to include: Verdi – Force of Destiny Overture; Copland – Appalachian Spring and Brahms – Symphony No. 4. For more details go to derbyconcertorchestra.co.uk Derby Cathedral, Derby n Derby Bach Choir present Mozart Requiem, November 2, 7.30pm. Mozart: Requiem (Druce edition); Mozart: Overture to The Marriage of Figaro; Michael Haydn: Te Deum; Weber: Clarinet Concertino in E flat.The conductor will be Richard Roddis and Derby Bach Orchestra leader Derek Williams. For tickets go to derbybachchoir.com Details from derbycathedral.org The Derwent Valley Wind Band and V&A Ensemble Joint Concert, Holy Trinity Church, Matlock Bath n A concert of varied instrumental music and original songs by local composers, November 2, at 7:30pm.Further details from info@ dvwb.org.uk or on Facebook @ vandaensemble. Tickets: phone 01335 310 366 or 07786 441 771. Derwent Singers, The Strutts Centre, Belper n Come And Sing – Ralph Vaughan
Catch Clare Teal and all that jazz RADIO 2 presenter Clare Teal’s concerts with her Trio are renowned for their fabulous arrangements interspersed with Clare’s warm and witty storytelling. This new show promises a rich jazz-infused repertoire and eclectic song list, bringing you exhilarating swing and sparkling melodies as Clare and her band celebrate the Great American and British songbooks as well as contemporary writers creating the standards of today. As one of the UK’s greatest interpreters of song and much loved performers, Clare and her Trio guarantee an evening of inspired Williams, September 28. This will be an opportunity to spend a day exploring a collection of fine works by a well-loved composer. The main focus of the event will be two of Vaughan Williams’ less frequently performed choral pieces:
music and unbridled entertainment. You can see her at the Pavilion Arts Centre, Buxton on October 12. For tickets go to buxtonoperahouse.org.uk An Oxford Elegy and Serenade to Music. For more details go to derwent singers.co.uk Music at Duffield, St Alkmund’s Church, Duffield n Bemrose Bursary Recital, Maxim Kinasov (piano), October 5, 7.30pm. Maxim Kinasov made his concerto debut in Moscow at the age of nine and his solo recital debut a year later. He performs a wide range of repertoire from Bach to Shostakovich. For details go to musicatduffield.com The Sitwell Singers, St John the Evangelist Church, Mill Street, Derby
Ian McMillan and Tony Husband will be at Spring Bank Arts Centre in New Mills on November 15
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n Faure: Requiem, also featuring motets by Tchaikovsky, with Tom Corfield on the organ, October 12, 7.30pm.Tickets £12, under 16s free. Booking available via sitwellsingers. org.uk, from 01332 662519 and on the door subject to availability. artsbeat October 2019
attitude
Comment and opinion from reviewers and readers Comedic romp is anything but a one-man show
T
he award-winning One Man Two Guvnors isn’t an easy play to produce. The deliberate chaos has a frenetic pace. It’s an organised mess of one-liners, elaborate running gags, clowning, innuendo, slapstick and farce. And it’s outrageously funny. This a show that needs the right team to make it work and with director Sarah Brigham as the Guvnor you can be assured that the team is excellent and the production top-notch. What really shines through in Brigham’s production is the chemistry between the whole cast. They are genuinely having fun on stage and it’s so infectious they spread joy throughout the theatre. The whole audience was experiencing eye-watering comic hysteria practically throughout. Not only that, the set by Neil Irish was incredible, and The Rozzers Skiffle Band playing Grant Olding’s toetapping songs would have been entertainment enough on their own. One Man Two Guvnors is Richard Bean’s terrific revamp of Carlo Goldoni’s muchloved commedia dell’arte farce, A Servant Of Two Masters. Directed by Nicholas Hytner and starring James Corden in the title role it opened at the National Theatre in 2011 and artsbeat October 2019
after a UK tour went to the West End and Broadway. It never made it to Derby, but who cares, this home-produced show has more than made up for it. That, in large part, is down to David O’Reilly, pictured above, who completely stormed it in the central role as the hilarious Francis Henshall. It was almost as if the role had been written for him, as he revealed his own mischievous personality, cocking his head with a twinkle in his eye as he sent the audience into raptures. O’Reilly clearly wasn’t fazed by Corden’s much-lauded performance that went before him and he firmly put his own stamp on the part. Bean’s play is set in 1963 Brighton, as out-of-work skiffle player Francis Henshall becomes separately employed by two men – Roscoe Crabbe, a gangster, and Stanley Stubbers (George Kemp), an upper class twit.
Francis tries to keep the two from meeting, in order to avoid each of them learning that he is also working for someone else. Complicating events, Roscoe is really Rachel Crabbe (Alice Frankham) in disguise, her twin brother Roscoe having been killed by her boyfriend, who is none other than Stanley. Meanwhile local hard man Charlie ‘the Duck’ Clench (David Cardy), has arranged his daughter Pauline’s engagement to Roscoe despite her love for wannabe actor Alan Dangle ( Jack Brett). Chaos ensues prompted by several letters, a very heavy trunk and Alfie (T J Holmes), an octogenarian who is working his first day as a waiter who stumbles and pratfalls his way through dinner service in a performance that is superb and totally unforgettable. Samantha Hull is delightful as the ineffably dimwitted daughter Pauline, of whom her own father declares “They’ve tried but they can’t make bricks thicker” and Rosie Strobel was glorious as the wiggling, sexy bookkeeper Dolly. The rest of the cast were Craig Armstrong, as Gareth, Duane Hannibal as Lloyd Boateng, Ivan Stott as Harry Dangle and Roberto Boyle, Dylan Bull, Megan Clark and Karen Lawley in the ensemble. The Rozzers were Dominic Gee-Burch, Oraine Johnson, Jay Osborne and Tomas Wolstenholme. It’s on until September 28 . AP
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n attitude Classical music reviews by Mike Wheeler Derby Cathedral Summer Organ Recitals Alexander Binns Alexander Binns’ first fulllength recital as the Cathedral’s director of music opened with Alfred Hollins’ Concert Overture No 1, Mendelssohn’s influence tempered by individual touches. Harrison Oxley’s Elegy built from soft opening to window-rattling climax, followed by his airy Clarinet Tune, and Reginald Goss-Custard’s jolly Chelsea Fayre. Following the secretive scurrying at the start of Duruflé’s Prélude et Fugue sur le nom d’Alain, changes of colour and additional weight were meticulously placed. The broodingly atmospheric opening of Joseph Bonnet’s In Memoriam Titanic, was allowed to expand in its own good time. The continuity between sections in Franck’s Grande Pièce Symphonique was well maintained, the climactic fugue and triumphant ending delivered with panache. Sachin Gunga Former Derby Cathedral chorister and organ scholar, now sub-organist at Portsmouth Cathedral, Sachin Gunga began with a measured, stately reading of JS Bach’s Fugue in E flat, BWV 552. He kept a firm grip on the ebb and flow of expressive intensity in Franck’s Choral No 2, and in Marcel Dupré’s Prelude
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Alexander Binns, director of music at Derby Cathedral
and Fugue in B maintained the momentum through the Prelude’s technicoloured splash. The smaller pieces slotted in between the big ones ranged from the changing moods in four of George Dyson’s 12 Variations on Old PsalmTunes, the gentle sunlight of Bairstow’s Evening Song, and Judith Weir’s quietly meditative The Tree of Peace, to the white-knuckle ride of David Bednall’s Iubilium, delivered with terrific firecracker energy. Roger Sayer Describing the Marche Pontificale from Widor’s Organ Symphony No 1 as “slightly pompous and tongue-in-cheek”, Roger Sayer certainly suggested the occasional sly grin. Here and in Saint-Saëns’ Fantaisie No 1 a big sound avoided sonic overload. The central climax of John Ireland’s Elegiac Romance verged on the ferocious, before Sayer sent Dubois’ Toccata on its merry way. Tournemire’s Fantaisieimprovisation sur le ‘Ave Maris Stella’ quickly got airborne, and Sayer was a lucid guide through the denser textures towards the end. He rose with aplomb to the grand gestures of Vierne’s
Third Symphony, alongside his engaging encounter with the second movement’s rhythmic waywardness, and his rather spooky touch in the phantasmagoric Intermezzo. Edward Turner Kenneth Leighton’s Paean is an exuberant star-burst of a piece, but Edward Turner, the Cathedral’s assistant director of music, allowed it to sparkle rather than simply explode. Franck’s Chorale No 1 occasionally meanders a little, but any threat of structural incoherence was kept well in check. The chosen solo stop in JS Bach’s lovely chorale prelude Schmücke dich, O liebe Seele was a bit startling, but allowed us to savour the tendrils thrown out by the chorale melody. To end with came five of Henri Mulet’s Esquisses Byzantines. After a real sense of mystery in Nef, the gentle song without words of Vitrail, sombre tranquility in Chapelle des Morts, and the tolling monotone of Campanile, we were ready for a change of pace. Tu es petra... ends the set with a racing toccata, Turner producing an apt welter of sound, without compromising clarity. artsbeat October 2019
n attitude Unhappy home lives, early experience with death, troubled schooling were the experiences shared by Janetta Woolley, Lys Dunlap, Barbara Skelton and Sonia Brownell. They might be found in the Ritz Grill or on continental tours, but at other times they were pasting address labels to subscribers, or on one day, blacking out a vulgarity from 1,000 copies of the magazine before it could be released from its printers. Previously there had been New Women, then Bright Young Things (the subject of an earlier book by Taylor), and yet to come was feminism. For these Lost Girls, Taylor says, “what mattered most was not material comfort but autonomy”, though it has left other biographers recalling bossy and difficult women. Perhaps they showed that difficulty can sometimes be overcome. Lost Girls: Love, War and Literature: 1939-51 by DJ Taylor (Constable, £25)
A decade in the life of four women Think of Ian Fleming’s Miss Moneypenny and Loelia Ponsonby or The Navy Lark’s Wren Chasen – ignore the sexual chatter or humour and what you have are efficient and strong women. It was, of course, the demands of the Second World War that women such as these rose to meet: liaising, organising, producing. Some men could not bear the thought of such capability. Sometimes, though, the women who were so strong at work were much softer in their personal lives. In fact, as DJ Taylor takes four women and follows them for a decade it becomes clear why he calls them Lost Girls. Concentrating on their personal lives, rather than the war work that took them away to government ministries and army outposts in Cairo,
Review by Les Hurst of Scarthin Books, Cromford
Taylor describes the magazine Horizon, its sybaritic editor Cyril Connolly, the rich friends off whom Connolly would sponge, contributors including Evelyn Waugh and George Orwell, a young Lucien Freud, and the young women who were caught in this spider’s web. FREE
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Studios in full bloom Event previews: Belper, Buxton, Little Ed and Derby Book Festival
Celebrating the arts in Derbyshire and the Peak District
Pollyanna’s big cat legacy Celebrating the arts in
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July & August 2019
A little bird tells me. . .
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September 2019
Summer festivals special
Derby Festé Melbourne New Mills
. . . it’s the 40th anniversary of Buxton Festival Fringe
Celebrating the arts in
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Ofton Wirksworth Woodland
Celebrating the arts in Derbyshire and the Peak District
Tell them you saw it in artsbeat – the little magazine with a big audience artsbeat October 2019
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