Things to do in October/November

Things to Do

1. BREAK A LEG!

The Hall For Cornwall in Truro is due to open this month, following a three-year, multi-million-pound transformation of the venue. First to tread the freshly varnished boards of the Cornwall Playhouse auditorium is the world premiere of Fisherman’s Friends: The Musical. The cast has been announced, and includes actor Calum Callaghan (Mr Selfridge) as Danny, a fish-out-of-water music manager who stumbles across a group of shantysinging fishermen in Port Isaac. Local talent includes Drop The Dead Donkey star Robert Duncan, originally from St Austell; and Edward Rowe, aka Kernow King, star of the BAFTA-winning film Bait. Star of stage and screen Susie Blake also joins the company as pub landlady Maggie. See it from October 13 to 30; tickets from £15, call 01872 262466 or www.hallforcornwall.co.uk

2. CREATIVE SCILLY

Autumn visitors to the Isles of Scilly will enjoy Creative Scilly, a three-week celebration of art, literature, poetry, music, theatre, comedy and spoken word. From October 9 to 30, this tiny cluster of wild little islands will host over 60 live events. Expect al fresco pop-ups, workshops, open studios, creative courses, imaginative talks and performances in beautiful surroundings. Enjoy folk-rock from Winter Mountain, aka singer/songwriter Joe Francis; experience impulses and soundwaves from plants using state-of-the-art wearable technology with sound artist Justin Wiggan; and see literature brought to life on the beach as Scary Little Girls make their Scilly debut. Paint The Day on Tresco encourages budding artists of all ages and abilities to pick up materials and explore the islands, with submitted artwork to be judged and exhibited; and Talk Scilly will include wildlife expert Lucy McRoberts’ account of Wally the walrus’ visit. www.visitislesofscilly.com

3. REDRUTH SOUND WALK

Embark on a journey of discovery in Redruth via a new immersive sound walk. Historic England has been working with the National Trust, Sound UK and local artists to bring hidden high street histories and stories to life in six UK locations. In Stret an Levow/Street of Voices, Anna Maria Murphy, Sue Hill and Ciaran Clarke have applied their collective imaginations to represent a broad spectrum of Redruth residents and their experiences. Hear the tale of Emily Knuckey, delivered from Redruth to the Bodmin court wrapped in a carpet; the ballad of fierce cross-dresser Gracey Briney; the memories of the West End Stores’ Christmas grotto; and the story of Robin Knight and his revolutionary duvet demonstration. “Redruth’s Fore Street is full of riches and tales that are important to hear - delightful, poignant and entertaining,” says Sue. Listeners will take a self-guided route, supported by an illustrated map, at their own pace; download the walk onto a smart device at HistoricEngland.org.uk/SoundWalks

4. MIRACLE THEATRE: EVERYMAN

When your time’s up, how will you account for your life on Earth? That’s the lofty question at the heart of Everyman, a 15th century English morality play updated by former Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy and presented by Cornwall’s Miracle Theatre. Everyman works hard and plays harder. He has success, wealth, good looks and is living the dream - until Death comes calling. As he attempts to justify his life choices, who will speak in Everyman’s defence before his time runs out? This is an intense multi-media

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experience with live music, projection, choreography and a high-energy cast of four. Recommended age 15+. The play will be toured with The Fleapit, an intimate and safe performance space with separate audience booths. Individual seats £20, booth (seats seven) £120. Venues include the Royal Cornwall Showground and St Ives Guildhall. www.miracletheatre.co.uk

5. HALLOWE’EN

As the clocks go back and the nights draw in, our thoughts turn to the dark side! Halfterm coincides with Hallowe’en, meaning many family attractions are offering spookythemed activities – for example, the National Maritime Museum Cornwall in Falmouth presents Silhouettes and Shadows, a programme of crafts and trails from October 23 to 31 www.nmmc.co.uk. Meanwhile, the Headland Hotel in Newquay - the setting for the 1990 film adaptation of Roald Dahl’s The Witches - has hired its very own Grand High Witch to preside over a particularly spooky season of afternoon teas. Think white chocolate mice, pumpkin cheesecake and treacle tart www.headland.co.uk

For a super-scary grown-up experience, Bodmin Jail offers Ghost Walks, scary movies (including Hallowe’en on October 31), an after-dark experience and paranormal tours. Learn about the inmates who lived and died in the jail – and be warned, sudden drops in temperature have been reported on previous tours! www.bodminjail.org

6. OCEAN FILM FESTIVAL

Witness intrepid human-powered challenges and mind-boggling marine and mountain wildlife, all from the comfort of a cinema seat. Redruth’s Regal Theatre hosts two breathtaking film festivals this autumn. The Ocean Film Festival returns on October 27 and November 11, with a selection of short films starring wild seafaring voyages, extreme watersports and marine conservation from the least explored depths of the planet. Visit the volcanic Kuril Islands, between Russia and Japan, with ragtag Russian marine biologist Vladimir, and follow university friends Lucy and Mathilde as they tackle an ambitious kayaking trip along the Inside Passage, down the coast of Alaska and Canada. The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour arrives on November 9 and 10, including a coveted mountaineering first on K2 and a raucous running expedition in Tajikistan. Visit www.oceanfilmfestival.co.uk and www.banff-uk.com Redruth Regal: page 16

7. JOIN THE AUTUMN SEED SEARCH

One of the easiest ways to help Mother Nature is by potting up a seed and growing a native tree - and you’re never too young, or too old, to learn how to do it. Autumn is the perfect time, and Cornwall Wildlife Trust and Cornwall Council are hosting a countywide seasonal seed search. Simply take a container (eg. a yoghurt pot), plus some good quality peat-free compost and gritty sand for drainage. Then pull on your wellies and go seed hunting! Collect a variety of seeds, plant them in pots and look after the saplings until they are strong. For potting and storage advice, and to let the Trust know how you got on, visit www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk/seedsearch

8. THE ST BURYAN SESSIONS

The new solo album by award-winning singer/songwriter Sarah McQuaid will be launched on October 15 at a very special benefit concert in – and for – St Buryan Church, where it was recorded and filmed. The St Buryan Sessions were conceived when Sarah’s gigs and tours were

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cancelled due to COVID-19. A successful crowdfunding campaign financed a live recording of songs that span her 24-year career, in the lovely medieval church near her home in rural west Cornwall. No entrance fee will be charged on the launch day, but there will be a voluntary retiring collection for church funds. Two further Cornwall dates feature in the subsequent six-week tour: Praa Sands Community Centre on October 30 and Sterts Studio near Liskeard on November 28. sarahmcquaid.com/tour

9. LOOK TO THE SKIES

It wouldn’t be November without a flash of colour in the sky. The Cornwall Drive-In Firework Spectacular takes place at the Royal Cornwall Showground near Wadebridge on Sunday, November 6. Simply buy your ticket online, arrive in good time, park up, enjoy great hot food and drink and marvel at an impressively large display. www.fireworkscornwall.com. Alternatively, Flambards hosts a Hallowe'en Fireworks Spectacular on Wednesday, October 27, during half-term week. www.flambards.co.uk with lantern parades, Santa grottoes and shopping sprees. The charitable Cornwall Christmas Fair returns to the Eden Project on November 10 and 11, featuring an enticing mix of gifts, home accessories, clothes, jewellery and mouth-watering produce. Tickets include a meal and free admission to Eden, with all proceeds donated to Cornwall Community Foundation, which supports Cornwall’s struggling communities (last year’s online auction raised an impressive £50,000). Wednesday 5pm to 9pm: £28; Thursday 10am to 4pm: £15. www.cornwallchristmasfair.com

The Shipwreck Treasure Museum in Charlestown will open its underground tunnels from October half-term through to early January. This year the tunnels will be transformed into an Arctic wonderland by a group of creative artists and a leading snow and ice special effects company. www.shipwreckcharlestown.co.uk

11. KILHALLON COW PIE & BEER FESTIVAL

Liberate your inner Desperate Dan at Kilhallon Barn, near Par, on Saturday, October 23 with James Kittow Butcher & Grazier. Beer lovers will be treated to a selection of more than a dozen special real ales to choose from, and Jah Hemmings from Moor to Sea Food Company will be creating mouth-watering pies to enjoy, with ingredients including beef reared on the farm. There will also be a dash of live music during the evening. From noon until 10pm. Tickets cost £5 (includes a special festival glass) and are on sale at www.jameskittow.co.uk/events-experiences

12. TRIGGER HAPPY PENZANCE

Remember Dom Joly, he of the enormous mobile phone with the Nokia ringtone? “HELLO?? I’M ON THE TRAIN!” He brings his latest show, Holiday Snaps: Travel and Comedy in the Danger Zone, to Cornwall this autumn, his first UK tour since 2011. Dom will be talking about his exploits as a serial globe-trotter and seeker of dangerous travel spots, from North Korea through the Congo and Syria to Chernobyl. The best-selling author will meet fans after the show to sign copies of his latest book, The Hezbollah Hiking Club. Tickets £20. Sunday, October 17: The Acorn Penzance, http://theacornpenzance.com; Thursday, November 11: Launceston Town Hall, 01726 879500, www.crbo.co.uk