Preview By Gay Pirrie Weir

August

PREVIEW

Musical anniversaries galore

BURTON BRADSTOCK BURTON Bradstock Music Festival celebrates its 40th festival, from 16th to 21st August, with the annual art exhibition at the village hall al week, and three days of outstanding classical and jazz music.

Before lockdown, the festival director, violinist David Juritz, had planned to mark two anniversaries: the centenary of the legendary Dave Brubeck and the 90th birthday of the Dorset-based composer Peter Hope.

These two milestones will still be celebrated, in 2022, with the added attraction of another major jazz centenary. Jake McMurchie, one of the UK’s most exciting saxophonists, will join David Gordon and other musicians for an evening of Brubeck and Charles Mingus (born 1922). The festival programmes also include two works by Peter Hope—his string trio and his Divertimento for guitar and strings featuring Craig Ogden.

This year brings the anniversaries of two great French writers, both with deep musical associations: Molière (born 1622), several of whose plays were set to music by Lully, and Marcel Proust (died 1922), who actually created his own composer, Vintueil, in À la Recherche du Temps Perdu.

Lully and his Baroque contemporaries will be the theme of the late-night Thursday concert led by pianist David Gordon. There is another Proust connection, with harpist Eluned Pierce playing music by the novelist’s lover Reynaldo Hahn.

Striking a more immediately contemporary note, David Juritz has programmed two works to reflect on the ongoing war in Ukraine: a virtuoso string trio by the father of Ukrainian music, Mykola Lysenko; and Igor Shamo’s accordion concerto with the virtuoso Milos Milivojevic as the soloist in the final evening’s gala concert.

Sadly, Mary Ryan, who founded the festival with her husband Ronald Gilham, passed away in April this year. David Juritz says: “I feel a great debt of gratitude to Mary, not least for handing her festival on to me. David Gordon will be playing the second movement of Beethoven’s Emperor concerto in Mary’s memory at the gala concert.”

This year’s musicians include clarinettist Anna Hashimoto, Miloš Milivojević, accordion, David Juritz and Fiona McCapra, violins, Yuri Zhislin ,viola, Adrian Bradbury, cello, Sandy Burnet, bass, and David Gordon, piano. All the concerts take place at St Mary’s Church.

Festival Treats

Purbeck Folk Festival

The Michael McGoldrick Band will be at Purbeck

FEATURING outstanding, original young folk, roots and world music, the Purbeck Valley Folk Festival always encourages young up and coming musicians as well as booking national and international folk acts and local music. There’s something for everyone. From 18 - 21 August there are three full days of brilliant music across 5 stages (and Thursday evening), music workshops, sessions, Purbeck Rising (bringing new talent to the our stages), Purbeck Poetry Slam and children’s area. Visit: purbeckvalleyfolkfestival.co.uk.

B Cider Seaside 15

Chaz Thorogood joins the lineup at Bredy Farm BREDY Farm’s end of the summer event to be held on the August Bank Holiday weekend. This is the little festivals that pack a big punch—a super friendly and chilled atmosphere meaning you can relax, let your hair down and enjoy yourself without a care in the world! From 26 - 29 August enjoy a small festival that showcases some of the finest local, national and international touring artists from a multitude of genres including: Ska, funk, reggae, dub, electro, blues, soul, rock’n’roll, folk, alternative rock, americana, cumbia, soca, calypso, latin & world music. Visit: bredyfarm.com/ events-at-bredy/ for tickets.

A deliberately anachronistic re-telling of an Arthurian Legend in Dorchester, Yeovil and Buckland Newton

Is this a baguette I see before me?

OPEN AIR TOUR THE Last Baguette will be performing their uniquely dotty version of the Arthurian legends at three open air venues in August, starting at Maumbury Rings at Dorchester on Sunday 1st at 2.30pm.

They are also at the Octagon Theatre in the Park at Yeovil on Saturday 6th at 2.30pm, and The Gaggle of Geese, at Buckland Newton, with Artsreach, on Thursday 18th at 4pm.

Armed only with their talent, some dodgy costumes and some distinctly unthreatening baguettes, King Arthur is a farcical family adventure with knights, wizards, mist, magic and an amplified lute!

Somewhere in England, a long time ago, a very, very, very long time ago. So long ago that nobody quite knows whether it happened or not. Or where it happened or not. A boy pulled a sword from a stone and became King.

This fun and farcical adventure is a deliberately anachronistic re-telling of the Arthurian Legend with live music, physical comedy and lo-fi acrobatics.

Youth theatre returns

LYME REGIS THE Marine Theatre at Lyme Regis is launching new classes for seven to 18 year olds, starting this September.

In the new Marine Youth Theatre, participants will work alongside experienced tutors and other young people to develop their creativity and performance skills, explore themes and devise new theatre to share with friends, family and the public.

Sessions are fun, welcoming and inclusive. The young people will not need previous experience, just a desire to get involved and work creatively.

Music and the sound of laughter

SANDFORD ORCAS THREE Inch Fools, one of the most energetic of the summer open air theatre touring companies, bring their hilarious version of Twelfth Night, to Dorset for two performances in August.

This acclaimed, innovative touring theatre company has built a reputation for bold and vibrant productions, with a fast- paced, musically-driven style featuring a huge variety of instruments, actors playing multiple roles and many a quick costume change along the way.

Prepare for an evening of mischief and hilarity as a cast of five present an inventive take on this favourite comedy for all the family.

Pack a picnic, dress for all weather, bring your cushions and camping chairs and join Three Inch Fools on an outdoor adventure at Corfe Castle on 11th

Lucky Pigeons, an exciting and inventive circus show by Brainfools coming to Litton Cheney in August

August, and with Artsreach at Higher Orchard in Sandford Orcas on Sunday 21st August. Performances are at 7pm.

The Three Inch Fools bring their other summer 2022 production, a new and doubtless anarchic take on The Gunpowder Plot, to the stunning setting of Powderham Castle on 14th August.

Pigeon fancies

LITTON CHENEY THE playing fields beside Litton Cheney community hall will be the venue on Saturday 13th August at 6pm for Lucky Pigeons, an exciting and inventive circus show by Brainfools.

A young businessman struggles with the demands of city life and, after losing his job, takes his frustrations out on a group of pigeons. Karma follows, when the man finds himself turned into a pigeon, where he quickly learns about the playful world of this misunderstood bird.

With a mix of absurd and extravagant theatre, impressive acrobatics, empathetic and funny stories and a pinch of satirical spice and puppetry, a cast of seven will perform daring aerials and acrobatic feats in this soulful story.

Brainfools, who are led by two graduates of the National Centre for Circus Arts, will also be at Stalbridge village hall on Sunday 14th August at 2pm. The short tour has been arranged by Artsreach.

John Robertson, Ian Kindred, Peter Earle and Joe Musto bring Slinky Machine to Bridport on August 28

SLINKY Machine, The fantastically talented jazz fusion outfit from Lyme Regis will be appearing in Bridport in August. A four-piece instrumental band who are equally at home in a jazz bar as they are playing to a festival crowd, they play a set ranging from exciting original material, through jazz fusion classics, to classy re-workings of contemporary tunes. Slinky will also play tunes from their new album Choose Your Froot.

Promoted by Bridport Arts Centre they will be supported by Bristol fusion trio, King Heron, at Millenium Green in Bridport on August 28 from 4pm (music from 6pm). Tickets are £5 and available from the box office at Bridport Tourist Information centre or at www.bridport-arts.com