Reader travel

BARELY Methodical Troupe are at the forefront of a new kind of physical performance. Their shows mix circus acrobatics with the emotional punch of theatre.

Bromance is a circus show about camaraderie and affection. It’s a tour-de-force of physical heroics, where handshakes become handstands and back slaps become backflips.

It is at The Corn Exchange, Newbury, on Wednesday, April 19.

Doors open at 7.45pm, with tickets available for £20.25, or £14.75 for under 25s.

n For tickets and information, call the box office on: 08455 218218 or log on to: www.cornexchangenew. com

Flight and passion

A TERRENCE Rattigan drama performed in Wokingham describes romantic conflict and raging war.

In Flare Path, RAF bomber pilot Teddy,is celebrating a reunion with his actress wife Patricia.

When her ex-lover and Hollywood heart-throb Peter arrives, and an urgent bombing mission over Germany is ordered, Patricia finds herself at the centre of an emotional conflict as unpredictable as the war in the skies.

Audiences can see the play at Wokingham Theatre from Thursday, April 27 through to Saturday, May 6. Doors open at 7.45pm, and tickets cost £15. n For more details, or to book, call the box office on: 0118 978

Bracknell – South Hill Park southhillpark.org.uk 01344 484123

Kinky Boots. Until Sun 16. The Comedy

Cellar. Fri 14. Night of the Guitar: Tom Gamble, Dale Harris and Amrit Sond. Wed 19. Justin Moorhouse.

Thurs 20. Nothing Happens (Twice).

Fri 21. Isadora The Barefoot Dancer.

Sat 22. Paranation Ghost Hunt events. Sat 22.

FILMS: Royal Opera House LiveCinderella (12a). Sun 16. Women Talking (15). Fri 14-Sun 16. Lunana: A Yak In The Classroom (PG). Mon 17-Tues 18. Exhibition on Screen: Vermeer, The Blockbuster Exhibition.

Wed 19-Sun 23. National Theatre

Live: Good. Thurs 20. The Son (15).

Tues 21. Full Time (TBC). Fri 24-Sun 26. Lift Off: Creature (12a). Wed 26.

Camberley – Theatre camberleytheatre.biz 01276 707600

The Hollies Story. Thurs 13. Pop Diva

Live. Sun 16. Robert Temple: The Hypnotist. Thurs 20. Uptown Joel.

Fri 21. Lionel - the Music of Lionel Richie. Sat 22.

Guildford –Yvonne Arnaud yvonne-arnaud.co.uk 01483 440000

Grease. Thurs 13-Sat 15. The Way Old Friends Do. Tues 17-Sat 22. Second Summer of Love. Thurs 20-Fri 21.

Daddy Issues. Sat 22.

High Wycombe – Swan wycombeswan.co.uk 01494 512000

The ELO Experience. Thurs 13. Totally Tina. Fri 14. Giovanni Pernice - Made In Italy. Sat 15. Buckinghamshire County Youth Orchestra. Sun 16.

Nadiya and Kai - Once Upon A Time.

Sun 16. Six The Musical. Tues 18-Sun 23. Hellfire Comedy Club. Thurs 20.

5363 or visit: wokinghamtheatre. org.uk

Upbeat look at mental health help

PERFORMER Matt n For more details, or to book, call the box office on: 01344 484123 or log on to: www.southhillpark. org.uk

McGuinness says he is proud to work with Samaritans.

His show, We Are What We Overcome, combines upbeat, original acoustic music with thought-provoking comedy and stories.

It describes one man’s journey to good mental health - via a very bad idea.

The event, supported by Arts Council England & New Art Exchange can be seen at Bracknell’s South Hill Park Arts Centre.

The performance is on Wednesday, April 26 at 7.30pm.

Tickets cost £13.50.

A show full of Madness

A MUSICAL filled with hits from 80s group Madness, is coming to Henley.

Our House, is a London love story set to the band’s music.

When 16-year-old Joe breaks into a building site to impress his girlfriend, the police turn up and the lad’s life splits into two.

Is he Good Joe, who stays to help, or Bad Joe, who flees?

The show includes Madness hits: House of Fun, Baggy

Henley – Kenton kentontheatre.co.uk 01491 525050

Beatles Ballet. Fri 14. Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band farewell tour. Sat 15. Cinderella The Ballet. Sun 16. Michael McIntyre Work In ProgressSOLD OUT. Mon 17.

Maidenhead –Norden Farm www.nordenfarm.org 01628 788997

Eshann Akbar - The Pretender. Thurs 13.

Pianists at Norden Farm - Meng Yang

Pan. Thurs 13. Rock n Roll Concertini.

Fri 14. Mummies (U). Fri 14. Art Themen sax. Fri 14. Rye Lane (15). Fri

14. Flash - A tribute to Queen. Sat 15.

Winners (PG). Tues 18. The Man Who Left the Titanic. Wed 19. National Theatre Live - Good. Thurs 20, Fri 21.

The Ocelots. Thurs 20. Alex KealyWinner Takes All. Fri 21. 80 For brady (12). Fri 21. The Vinyl Frontier - Best Years of Our Lives. Sat 22. Forever Elton - Greatest Hits Tour. Sat 22.

Newbury – Corn Exchange cornexchangenew.com 0845 5218 218

Tots Cinema. Thurs 13. The Wizard of Oz.

Fri 14-Sun 16. Aftersun. Sat 15-Tues

18. Bromance. Wed 19. Axel Blake. Thurs 20. Looking For Me Friend. Fri

21. John Wick Chapter 4. Fri 21-Sat

22. Family Film: Shaun The Sheep Movie. Sat 22. Shape Of You. Sat 22.

NT Encore: Good. Sun 23.

Newbury – The Watermill www.watermill.org.uk 01635 46044

Visitors. Until Sat 22.

Reading – South Street whatsonreading.com 0118 960 6060 n For more details, or to book, call the box office on: 01491 525050 or log on to: www. kentontheatre.co.uk

Bilal Zafar - Care. Thurs 13. Ivo Graham - My Future, My Clutter. Fri 14-Sat 15. Poets’ Cafe. Fri 14. Sold. Thurs 20.

Trousers, Driving in my Car, It Must Be Love and Our House.

The musical can be seen at The Kenton Theatre, from Wednesday, April 26, through to Saturday, April 29.

Performances are at 7.45pm, with an additional matinée on Saturday at 2pm.

Tickets cost £20, with concessions available for £18.

Newbury is full of The Valley of Fear

ARTHUR Conan Doyle’s final novel is brought to life in a new stage adaptation.

The Valley of Fear sees Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson drawn into a tale of intrigue and murder that leads them to the bleak Pennsylvanian Vermissa Valley.

Faced with a trail of bewildering clues, Holmes begins to unearth a darker, wider web of corruption, a secret society and the sinister work of one Professor Moriarty.

Original music, theatricality and story-telling combine in this event at the Corn Exchange. It can be seen on Wednesday, April 26 and Thursday, April 27 at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £20.75, with concessions available for £18.75.

n For more details, or to book, call the box office on: 08455 218218 or log on to: www. cornexchangenew.com

Sonubi - Emancipated. Fri 21. Eshaan Akbar - The Pretender. Sat 22. Alex Kealy - Winner Takes All. Sun 23.

Reading – The Hexagon whatsonreading.com 0118 960 6060 La Boheme. Thurs 13. Ward Thomas. Mon 17. Rumours of Fleetwood Mac. Tues 18. NT Live Presents Good. Thurs 20. Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour. Tues 25.

Reading – Concert Hall whatsonreading.com 0118 960 6060 Jonathan Biss piano. Tues 18.

Reading – Progress progresstheatre.co.uk 0118 384 2195

Dinner. Fri 14- Sat 22.

Reading – Reading Rep www.readingrep.com 0118 370 2620 Peter Pan. Until Sat 29.

Shinfield – Players shinfieldplayers.org.uk 0118 975 8880

Ravenscroft. Wed 26-Fri 29.

Sonning – The Mill millatsonning.com 0118 969 8000 Noel Coward’s Hay Fever. Until May 13. Dire Straits Money For Nothing. Sun 16. The Roy Orbison and Buddy Holly Show. Sun 23.

Windsor – Theatre Royal theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk 01753 853888

Legally Blonde Jr. Until Sat 15. Dom The Play. Wed 19-Sat 29.

Wokingham – The Whitty www.thewhittytheatre.org 0118 974 3247 Teechers - Leavers 22. Wed May 10.

Woodley – Theatre woodleytheatre.org 07488337838 Educating Rita. June

Serious road traffic collision

THAMES Valley Police is appealing for witnesses following a serious road traffic collision in Reading.

At around 5pm on Saturday, April 8, a Lifan LF 125 motorbike and a blue Tesla collided on the A329 Purley Rise between Pangbourne and Purley on Thames.

The motorcyclist sustained severe injuries, leaving them hospitalised.

Investigating officer, PC Adam Price, of the Joint Operations Roads Policing Unit, said: “We are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this collision, or has dashcam foottage, to please come forward.

Paul has raised £67,000 for charities

and he’s not stopping anytime soon

PAUL FARMER is a man with numbers on his mind, writes James Hastings

The 67-year-old has now raised £67,000 for numerous charities in and around Reading.

The latest coffee morning at All Saints Church in Downshire Square, notched up a further £205 for the Reading Association For The Blind - and Paul says he has no plans to stop.

“I started organising fundraising events about 12 years ago and just kept going,” he smiles.

“I love doing it and it’s good to know that local charities benefit from people’s generosity. I enjoy poking around in charity shops for raffle prizes and people are very generous in donating items.

“There is also a social benefit from something like a coffee morning especially for people living alone. We all like a good chat with a coffee and a slice of cake.”

Over the last 12 years, Paul has organised events such as Christmas fairs, summer fayres, jumble sales and tombolas. He has also run the Reading Half Marathon for the last 13 years and abseiled 86 metres down The Blade.

“That was out of my comfort zone but it was thrilling,” he adds.

“I like to think up different ways to fund raise and perhaps one day I’ll do a parachute jump.”

Paul says his favourite charities are the Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice in Maidenhead and the Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice.

“At the end of the day, fundraising events raise money for good causes of all descriptions and I am glad to play a small part in helping them.”