WHAT’S ON

How to Save the Planet at the Egg Theatre

Lou Sanders at Komedia

CHRIS WOOD 9 March, 8pm

n Chapel Arts, Lower Borough Walls, Bath Chris Wood is an uncompromising writer whose music reveals his love for the unofficial history of the English speaking people. He weaves the tradition with his own contemporary parables. His most recent album So Much to Defend has received wide critical acclaim. £15. chapelarts.org

U3A OPEN MORNING 10 March, 10.30am–12.30pm

n Bath Pavilion, North Parade Road If you are retired from full-time employment and would like to meet new people and learn new skills, or join others in a creative or leisure activity then come to the u3a in Bath Open Morning and see what u3a has to offer. Free admission. u3ainbath.org.uk

CHLOE RITCHIE 11 March, 8pm

n Rainbow Casino, Explore Lane, Bristol This March and April, Rainbow Casino are supporting the best local talent, from guitarists and jazz soloists to a saxophonist. Chloe is a powerhouse vocalist singing everything from Jess Glynn to ABBA. Based in Weston Super Mare, Chloe has performed all over the UK and in London’s theatres. Membership is required –it is free and can be done upon entry with a valid photo ID. rainbowcasino.co.uk

BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL 17–26 March, 7.30pm, plus matinees

n Theatre Royal Bath Beautiful tells the inspiring true story of music legend Carole King’s rise to stardom, from being part of a hit songwriting team with husband Gerry Goffin, to her relationship with fellow writers and friends Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, to becoming the successful popular music solo act. Tickets from £29.50. theatreroyal.org.uk

JOSHUA BURNELL BAND 18 March, 8pm

n Chapel Arts, Lower Borough Walls, Bath Singer-songwriter and storyteller, Joshua Burnell now resides in York, but everyone assumes he’s from Rivendell. At some point, English folk, prog, contemporary classical, and vintage pop-rock all got mixed up and everyone had a great time so he decided to make a career of it. Joshua and his band will premiere new and unreleased material and tried and tested favourites. £15. chapelarts.org

THE HANDFUL: TOWARDS THE LIGHT 19 March, 7.30pm

n St Mary the Virgin, Bathwick BA2 4EB Kodaly’s magnificent Missa brevis, once performed to the accompaniment of distant gunfire during the siege of Budapest while the composer took refuge in the cellars of the opera house, frames a programme of luscious Lenten music ranging from Lotti’s famous 8part Crucifixus, with its luxuriously long and indulgent suspensions, to the world premiere of Via Crucis by Peter Relph. Commissioned by The Handful as part of its commitment to supporting new works, it's a setting of the Stations of the Cross designed as a meditative procession, with melodies inspired by medieval plainchant, Cumbrian folk song, and contemporary classical music.

The Handful will be joined by Peter King, Organist Emeritus of Bath Abbey, and by composer Peter Relph who will give a short talk about his commissioned piece after the interval. Tickets £15 (£5 for under 25s, free for under 16s) through bathboxoffice.org.uk; thehandful.org

NATASHA SOLOMONS FOR I, MONA LISA 21 March, 7pm

n Topping & Co. Bookshop, Friends

Meeting House, York Street

I, Mona Lisa is a deliciously vivid, compulsive and illuminating story about the

Lara Melda & Bath Philharmonia at Bath Forum. Photo by Emrah Bostan

lost and forgotten women throughout history. Within her talk, Natasha will reveal the mysteries she unearthed while researching her new novel – beginning at the heart of Leonardo Da Vinci’s Florentine studio from the moment of Mona’s creation and into the twentieth century. £14.99 including book. toppingbooks.co.uk

LOU SANDERS: ONE WORD WOW 23 March, 7.30pm

n Komedia, Bath It’s time for a little get together; so pull up a chair, get all cosy and let Lou Sanders (aka Dr Giggles) take the evening on. She’ll bring her skates, you bring your wallet and you can all take some piccies. Perhaps this show is the real vaccine? tickets £16. komedia.co.uk

CAPPELLA NOVA: IF MUSIC BE THE FOOD OF LOVE 26 March, 7.30pm

n St Luke's Church, Hatfield Road, Bath Bath-based chamber choir Cappella Nova in a concert of choral music on the theme of love and romance. The evening starts with the 16th-century madrigals of Josquin and Lassus, and moves via Elgar and Finzi to songs by contemporary composers John Rutter, Eric Whitacre and Ola Gjeilo. Selected readings will complement the music. This concert, promoted jointly with the Bear Flat Association, is in aid of Voices for Life, a charity providing fun opportunities for primary school children to express themselves through music and singing. Tickets £12 via eventbrite.co.uk; cappellanova.org.uk

TOM –GUITARIST 26 March, 8pm

n Rainbow Casino, Explore Lane, Bristol Rainbow Casino have invited Bath singer, songwriter and guitarist Tom, known for his unique and personal take on covers from every era of music. Membership is required –it is free and can be done upon entry with a valid photo ID. rainbowcasino.co.uk

MOTHER’S DAY MUSEUM VISIT 27 March, 10am –5pm

n American Museum & Gardens, Claverton Manor, Bath Celebrate Mother’s Day and enjoy the early Springtime in the museum’s reopened gardens. Every visiting mother (grandmothers included!) will receive a complimentary cream tea from the Garden Café. Advance booking required. Normal admission applies. americanmuseum.org

HOW TO SAVE THE PLANET 29 March, 1pm and 7pm

n The Egg Theatre, Theatre Royal Bath What do you do when you can’t afford solar panels on your house and can’t skip school to attend a protest? A solo show with loads of fun, music, raw emotions and the rush of taking climatepositive actions into your own hands. Tickets £10. theatreroyal.org.uk

THE STATUS-QUO OR A MAVERICK? FRENCH PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS 2022 29 March, 7.30pm

n BRLSI, 16 Queen Square Bath, and online In April 2022, the French electorate will go to the polls in the first round of voting for the presidential elections. Macron’s bid to re-secure the Elysée is, however, far from certain. In this talk, Dr David Lees, Associate Professor of French at the University of Warwick, considers the range of candidates standing in the 2022 French presidential elections and examines whether the French are more likely to opt for the status-quo or for a maverick. £2–£5. eventbrite.co.uk; brlsi.org

LOOKING AHEAD:

MR HANDEL’S JUBILEE CELEBRATION 2 April, 7.30pm

n Bath Abbey Join Bath Minerva Choir at Bath Abbey, for a Jubilee Celebration as only the great Mr Handel can provide: three of his magnificent Coronation Anthems, including Zadok the Priest, his celebrated Hallelujah Chorus and the epic final chorus from Messiah, plus a selection of his most ravishing solo arias for female voice. With Bristol Baroque providing stylish accompaniment and two extraordinary soloists on the verge of major careers, this will be an uplifting and truly celebratory paean to Her Majesty in this, her Platinum Jubilee year. Tickets bathboxoffice.org.uk; bathminervachoir.co.uk

U3A: FROM BARROW TO BAGHDAD AND BACK AGAIN 7 April, 10.30pm

n Bath Pavilion, North Parade Philip Caine will describe his fascinating career, beginning with him leaving school and ending with the writing of his first novel. He has worked in the hotel industry and on offshore oil rigs. At the end of the Iraq War in 2003, Philip went to Baghad where he directed the operations and project management of multiple accommodation bases for the American Coalition. Admission to the talks is free for members and asks for a donationof £2 for non-members. u3ainbath.org.uk

Please confirm with organisers that events are running. See our website for updates and new events added throughout the month: thebathmagazine.co.uk

You’re welcome in!

The doors are open again at No. 1 Royal Crescent, the Herschel Museum of Astronomy and for the first time since closing due to the pandemic, Beckford’s Tower and Museum.

At the Herschel Museum of Astronomy we are commemorating the 200th anniversary of the death of William Herschel. Working with many partners across the UK, there will be exhibitions, activities, trails, workshops and events. Thanks to a National Lottery Heritage Fund Grant, this work will be delivered in Bath, Slough and online with new digital content. Claire Dixon, Director of Museums for BPT said “2022 is a really important year for the museum and an opportunity to showcase the home of the Herschels and the place where William discovered the planet Uranus and Caroline discovered many comets. We are looking forward to working with our partners to reach new audiences and inspire young people to engage with science and astronomy.”

Beckford’s Tower will also re-open at weekends from March until October and during this time, exhibition content will showcase potential new stories that may form part of a new museum at the Tower, due to open in 2024 subject to successful fundraising. Claire said “this year will provide us with an important opportunity to invite visitors back to the museum and tell us what they think about our plans. We want to know if they are interested in the stories we plan to tell and get as much feedback as possible, before we commit to our final interpretation strategy.” The Tower is also a popular venue for weddings and events and Claire went on to say “We work hard to ensure a good balance between cultural and commercial activity, to ensure public access to the Tower and Museum whilst also generating sufficient income to be sustainable.” Having been closed for two years, it will be a great opportunity to visit the Tower before it closes again in 2023 for significant repairs and the installation of the new museum.

At No. 1 Royal Crescent visitors can experience a variety of immersive visitor experiences, with ‘The Georgians at Home in Bath’ running daily, except on the last Friday of every month, when visitors can enjoy ‘Jane Austen in Bath’. New for 2022, a museum guide is available on a new App for smart phones, with borrowable devices also on site. This will help visitors to find out more about the house, dressed rooms and collections whilst still enjoying the immersive story. The museum will also have new resources for families and those with access needs, thanks to a new trail and sensory bags. Later in the year a new interactive will enable audiences to find out more about the characters in the experience and there will be fully accessible house tours available on tablet devices, for those who cannot physically visit the full house. All of these experiences are due to Cultural Recovery Funding secured in 2021.