WHAT’S ON

What’s on in November

Raggs by Big Jeff Hansel and Gretal at Arnos Vale Cemetery

BRISTOL BRIDGE CLUB: SUPERVISED SESSIONS

n Every Saturday, 10am – 12pm, via Zoom Bristol Bridge Club has been running free online supervised sessions with some teaching throughout the pandemic on Zoom and will continue to do so, every Saturday morning from 10am to 12 noon. To take part, go to Bristol Bridge Club’s website, click ‘Learn and Play’ and follow the links. bristolbridgeclub.co.uk

BRISTOL BRIDGE CLUB: BEGINNERS’ LESSONS

n Throughout November, Oldfield Road Bristol Bridge is back welcoming members and guests in their premises on Oldfield Road. The club is running beginner lessons on Tuesday mornings and Wednesday evenings. Join Bristol Bridge Club for a taster session before signing up to 10 lessons, which costs £100 including the documents to cover the lessons. Contact teaching@bristolbridgeclub.co.uk

AUTUMN STARGAZING 3D

n Throughout November, We The Curious Fly to worlds on the edge of our understanding and gaze up at alien skies in this spectacular journey through the astronomical discoveries we’ve made and the stories they inspire. This awe-inspiring show combines knowledgeable presenters with the first 3D planetarium system in the UK. It is suitable for beginners and experienced hobby stargazers. Recommended age 10 and up; wethecurious.org

LOST HORIZON HQ

n Throughout November, St Jude’s By popular demand, Lost Horizon HQ, the creative arts centre, bar and live venue from Glastonbury's Shangri-La, is now officially a permanent year round fixture in the heart of Bristol. On 13 November the ShangrilART Market will return to the venue, and on 20 November, self-titled 'craftivist' Carrie Reichardt will be delivering Community Matters; a mosaic making workshop that will result in a piece of communal artwork being installed temporarily in Lost Horizon until it finds a permanent home within the community. losthorizonlive.com

CAM VALLEY ARTS TRAIL

n 6 & 7 November, across the Cam Valley This year’s Cam Valley Arts Trail will be taking place in village halls and studios across the Cam Valley. As always organisers are planning a fabulous event with over 30 artists exhibiting in seven venues. Visit the website to see the artists appearing over the weekend and download the brochure to plan your visit. camvalleyartstrail.co.uk

AFRIKA EYE FILM FESTIVAL

n 8 –16 November, various locations Afrika Eye is back screening to live audiences once again, celebrating filmmakers who are bringing important issues to our attention. As well as its annual outing at Watershed, the festival will be screening at Easton Community Centre, The Curzon, Clevedon, The Cube and The Old Picture House, Totterdown, plus a pop-up event for families at Felix Road Adventure Playground with a movie and storytelling. As always there’ll be post screening discussions, Q&A’s and conversations. afrikaeye.org.uk

CITY OF BRISTOL CHOIR

n 12 November, Clifton Cathedral City of Bristol Choir, Bristol Youth Choir and UWE Singers Conducted by David Ogden will be putting on an upbeat and thought provoking concert to coincide with the COP26 Climate Change conference in Glasgow, featuring the world premiere of Toby Young’s Raise a Voice – a rebellious songbook for our times. Tickets £5; cityofbristolchoir.org.uk

MOTHERING SUNDAY

n 12 –18 November, Watershed In this beautiful, sensual adaptation of Graham Swift’s novel. Jane (Odessa Young) works as a maid for the Nivens (Colin Firth and Olivia Colman), one of several local ‘grand’ families who have been devastated by the loss of sons in the war. Jane is having a secret affair with Paul (Josh O’Connor), son of the Nivens’ neighbours, for the last time before he leaves to marry the daughter of one of the local families of note. It’s the final moment, though she doesn’t realise it, before changes in her own life are set in motion forever; watershed.co.uk

BRISTOL ENSEMBLE: BACH’S BRANDENBURG CONCERTOS

n 13 November, Trinity-Henleaze URC This concert features some of the great

Ishmael Ensemble

composer’s best-loved music, the Brandenburg Concertos. The Second Concerto showcases a diverse group of solo instruments representing almost every section of the orchestra – trumpet, recorder, oboe and violin. The Fourth Concerto interweaves two sprightly recorders with solo violin against a backdrop of strings, whilst the innovative Fifth Brandenburg Concerto features virtuosic harpsichord playing, designed by the composer to show off his own tremendous skill at the keyboard. This joyous work is full of driving rhythmic passages and ingenious counterpoint. Tickets £16.50; bristolensemble.com

TOM BRIGHT

n 15 November, The Louisiana With the likes of Guy Garvey (BBC 6 Music) and John Kennedy (Radio X) championing him, Tom Bright is gearing up for his highly anticipated sophomore album Legacy (out 12 November) –produced by Ed Harcourt. Tom –who has performed at Glastonbury Festival, in Vivaldi's courtyard with Mick Jones of The Clash and featured as a Q Music Film of the Year nominee –now finds himself with an incredible collection of new songs and a world waiting to see him back on the stage. Tickets £8; thelouisiana.net

ISHMAEL ENSEMBLE

n 16 November, Thekla Bristol’s Ishmael Ensemble is a pioneering force within contemporary UK jazz. With saxophonist and producer Pete Cunningham at the helm, the group fuses mesmerising jazz instrumentals with expansive electronics and dub inflections. Ishmael Ensemble will be playing at Thekla on 16 November –book your tickets via Bristol Beacon’s website: bristolbeacon.org

BIG JEFF’S SOLO EXHIBITION

n 16 –21 November, The Island The exhibition entitled ‘Welcome To My World’ will see the unveiling of 20 new paintings alongside the first 14 paintings from phase one of the collection from Big Jeff, well known as one of Bristol’s best known music aficionados. There will also be an opportunity to see the new and existing works online with Jeff talking about some of the paintings and what they mean to him. bigjeffjohnsart.com

BRISTOL ENSEMBLE: THE MUSIC OF ÁSTOR PIAZZOLLA

n 17 November, St George’s Bristol To mark the 100th anniversary of celebrated Argentinian composer and bandoneon player, Ástor Piazzolla, Bristol Ensemble joins forces with celebrated bandoneonist Mirek Salmon and the Bristol Russian Ballet School to present an immersive programme of music and dance. The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires forms the centre piece of this performance, alongside more intimate works by the master of tango. Tickets £20; stgeorgesbristol.co.uk

THE CRAFT4CRAFTERS SHOW

n 25 –27 November, Bath & West

Showground

The Bath and West Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset The Craft4Crafters Show returns to the Bath & West Showground after a two-year break - ideal for great Christmas crafting ideas, crafting supplies, learning a new crafting skill or finding Christmas gifts. You'll find thousands of crafting supplies, daily workshops, live demonstrations, crafting celebs and great craft ideas and inspiration. Leading local and national exhibitors will offer products for card-making, papercrafts, stamping, scrapbooking, sewing, cross stitch, embroidery, beading, painting, patchwork, quilting and knitting. Tickets from £9; craft4crafters.co.uk

LOOKING AHEAD

HANSEL AND GRETAL

n 3 December, Arnos Vale Cemetery As darkness falls, follow Hansel and Gretel through the magical illuminated woodland of Arnos Vale Cemetery, where not everything is as it seems. Discover a strange cottage, and a mysterious figure with an unsavoury appetite, and revel in this celebration of the imagination… but will you trust a trail of breadcrumbs to find your way home? Bursting with poetry and song from acclaimed writer Saikat Ahamed (Three Kings, Strictly Balti) and composer Ellie Showering (Rumpelstiltskin, The Tempest), this magical production will linger in your imaginations for many years to come. Tickets from £12; insaneroot.org.uk