Places & Faces North Norfolk 14 May 2018 by Countrywide Publications

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OVER PAGES OF WHAT’S ON —

Fashion: POSH POLKA DOTS

fabulous

FESTIVALS —

MARTIN MARQUEZ —

DERREN BROWN

NOEL MELGALLAGHER C

—

RICHARD BAINBRIDGE

Victoria Sponge —

COCKTAIL THE ROYAL YOU’VE SEEN THE LAST OF OASIS GREAT YARMOUTH RACES EARL GREY LADIES NIGHT

CELEBRITIES / FOOD / TRAVEL / FASHION / HOMES & GARDENS / THEATRE ISSUE № 94

www.placesandfaces.co.uk 2 0 5 2

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4 6 7 6

0 9

ISSUE № 14

www.placesandfaces.co.uk

Jarrold Ladies Day SUNDAY 3 JUNE, 2018

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exchange the vehicle. *With Solutions Personal Contract Plan. 18s+. Subject to availability and status. T&Cs apply. Offer available when ordered by 02/07/18 from participating Retailers. Indemnities may be required. Offer not in conjunction with any other offer and may be varied or withdrawn at any time. ^One year’s insurance included at no extra cost from Volkswagen Insurance is available on new Polo models ordered from 4th April to 2nd July 2018 and registered by 30th September 2018 for drivers aged 18-80 (GTI is 25 and over). Drivers under 18 are not eligible. Excludes Northern Ireland. Drivers aged 18-24 are required to share their driving style data with a telematics product. Other eligibility criteria apply. Go to www.insurewithvolkswagen.co.uk/polo for full terms and conditions. This offer may be extended, changed or removed at any point. Volkswagen Motor Insurance from Volkswagen Financial Services is arranged and administered by Carrot Risk Technologies Limited. Standard

EU Test figures for comparative purposes and may not reflect real driving results. Official fuel consumption figures for the Polo model range in mpg (litres/100km): urban: 37.2 (7.6) – 56.5 (5.0), Extra

urban: 55.4 (5.1) – 78.5 (3.6), Combined: 47.1 (6.0) – 68.9 (4.1), CO2: 139-94. Excludes battery, electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

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INTERIORS

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A WELL ESTABLISHED FAMILY RUN PUB/RESTAURANT. OFFERING GREAT SELECTION OF REAL ALES LAGERS AND WINE, QUALITY PREPARED FOOD FROM FRESH INGREDIENTS

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Helhoughton Road, Hempton, Fakenham NR21 7DY Tel: 01328 864743 or 855321 Email: sales@norfolkreclaim.co.uk www.norfolkreclaim.co.uk

WELCOME

TO MAY’S PLACES&FACES®

M E E T T H E T E A M COLIN HUGGINS PUBLISHER

M: 07775 858862 E: colin@h2creativemedia.co.uk

DONNA TITCOMBE FASHION & BEAUTY EDITOR

E: donna@h2creativemedia.co.uk

ANDREW HIRST HEAD OF CLIENT SERVICES / STUDIO

T: 01502 725860 E: andrew@h2creativemedia.co.uk

ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGER

ROB FOSBROOK

E: rob@h2creativemedia.co.uk T: 01502 725876 M: 07780 430706 ACCOUNT MANAGER

SAMANTHA GARSTANG

E: samantha@h2creativemedia.co.uk T: 01502 725878 BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT EXECUTIVE

JAMES PHILLIPSON

E: james.phillipson@micropress.co.uk T: 01502 725800

CONTRIBUTORS

Helen Culliing, Katja Bainbridge, Madeleine Johson, Amy Deering, Jean Levy, Richard Batson, David Wakefield, Mark Nicholls, Kate Morfoot, Judy Foster, John Bultitude, Pete Goodrum, Ellen Mary, Nicholas Mobbs, Peter Clarke, Carl Lamb, Julian Gibbons, Eliza Miller, Jennifer Dwyer, Melanie Cook, Kayla Dunne, Hayley Philpott, Lucy Downing, Samantha Thompson, Julie Handforth Doidge, Paul Patterson, Benet Catty, Louisa Lay, Jack Jay.

WITH THE WARM WEATHER now finally here we hope you

enjoy this packed May issue. It’s going to be a busy and varied year ahead for Melanie C. But you would not expect anything else of the high voltage member of the Girl Power gang the Spice Girls. As Sporty Spice she found global fame as a singer - which has continued as a solo artist as she prepares to gig and release her eighth album two decades after the girl group took the music world by storm. But multi-talented Melanie Chisholm has also been an awardnominee stage star and is now gearing up for a new venture as a live event DJ. Richard Batson spent time chatting to Mel before she revisits Norfolk this summer in a new guise – presenting an evening of 1990s tracks to crowds at Great Yarmouth Racecourse’s Ladies Night in July. Derren Brown is an English mentalist and illusionist. Since his television debut with Derren Brown: Mind Control in 2000, he has produced many other shows for stage and television and he is now heading back to Norwich Theatre Royal with his brand new show Underground which runs from June 19th to June 23rd. As he makes his return to the city, he tells Places&Faces® what makes him happy, reflects on the future of magic entertainment and reveals he will be back on our TV screens soon. Festival fever is upon us and this year there are some great events taking place around the two counties. Mark Nicholls rounds up some of the fabulous festivals lined up for Norfolk and Suffolk over the summer months, from music to comedy, food to maritime history, culture, arts and fun-packed parades, the summer festival season is upon us and ready to celebrate all that is best in Norfolk and Suffolk. Now in its 33rd year, the Bury Festival welcomes a star-studded programme for a world class celebration of culture. With 59 events across 14 venues in just 10 days the Festival offers award-winning music acts, street theatre, films and exhibitions and the Norfolk & Norwich Festival runs from 11th to 27th May and this year features over 100 World premiers, a major new art installation, unique concerts and large scale free outdoor events. And if you are a keen traveller Kate Morfoot reviews Alphonse Island, a luxury private paradise destination with its unblemished white sand beaches and lagoons in the fabulous Seychelles located 400 km south west of the mainland Mahe. And of course not to mention our regular features and columns that we know you really enjoy reading every month.

12 ISSUES FOR £24

Call 01502 725800 or visit: placesandfaces.co.uk

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Fountain Way, Reydon Business Park, Reydon, Suffolk IP18 6DH H2CREATIVE MEDIA IS A TRADING NAME OF MICROPRESS PRINTERS LTD

PRINTERS: MICROPRESS Fountain Way, Reydon Business Park, Reydon, Suffolk IP18 6DH

Follow us on Twitter @PlacesandFaces www.placesandfaces.co.uk | www.h2creativemedia.co.uk TERMS & CONDITIONS Copyright on all content is with H2Creative Media. Reproduction in part or whole is forbidden without the express permission of the publishers. All prices, events and times were correct at the time of print, and you are encouraged to contact the businesses and venues prior to making bookings. All expressions and opinions demonstrated within the publication, are those of the Publisher including contributors. Places&Faces® is a registered Trade Mark of H2Creative Media. H2CREATIVE MEDIA IS A TRADING NAME OF MICROPRESS PRINTERS LTD.

come along and join us for a fantastic night out Packages now available to book in our brand new fun casino lounge

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O P P O S I T E W E L L I N G TO N P I E R AT M A R I N E PA R A D E , G R E AT YA R M O U T H , N O R F O L K , N R 3 0 3 J G

01493 850444

W W W. G RO S V E N O RC A S I N O S . C O M

CONTENTS

30 COVER STORY 42

Mel C

PERSONALITIES 46 48 50 82

Derren Brown Martin Marquwz Ten things: Freddie Mercury Five minutes with...

FASHION, BEAUTY & HEALTH 53

55 57

Ladies Fashion: Posh polka dots Fake tans Cool and casual

WHAT’S ON 17 19 25 28 30 32

34 35 36 39 40

Visit North Norfolk What’s on in May What to do with the kids Festival round up The Bury Festival The Norfolk and Norwich Festival Wild about the Wensum LitFest 2018 Local Books Suffolk Plant Show The Oliviers

59 TRAVEL

FEATURES

FOOD AND DRINK

HOMES AND GARDENS

70 73

58 59 60 64 67

Our Travel Time round-up The Norfolk Broads Cocktail time !! Richard Bainbridge Food and wine from The Imperial Hotel Restaurant Review: Rocky Bottom Dining out around the world

77 81

63 79

Wedding transport Horsing around Eric Bates: Handmade Kitchens JHD Interior Design Tips

BUSINESS 13

Financial advice from Carl Lamb

W E

G OT A P R O J EC T I N M I N D ? W I L L W O R K W I T H YO U TO AC H I E V E

I T.

DESIGNS FOR LIVING

HANDMADE

IN NORFOLK

Start planning your new project today and book your no obligation consultation, or visit us at: Station Business Park, Horning Road West, Hoveton, Norwich, Norfolk NR12 8QJ, England. T: 01603 781771 E: info@ebsfurniture.co.uk

See more of our beautiful interiors at: www.batesfurniture.co.uk

ENJOY SEASONAL MENUS AT

t u r n e r ’s R E S TAU R A N T

with HEAD CHEF TREVOR CLARK

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AA Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence

From artisan Belgian pralines to dreamy clotted cream fudge and liquorice Harald’s, 6 Garden Street, Cromer 01263 516802 www.haraldschocolates.co.uk

40 sto v displa es on y in o ur show room

Stockists of Morso Parkray Charnwood Yeoman and many more

Booking advised via

01553 774996 01263 711 539 / 07880 658 866 Unit 3h, Glaven Road | Hempstead Road Industrial Estate | Holt | NR25 6DL

www.coastalstoves.co.uk

5-6 Tuesday Market Place, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE30 1JS

www.dukesheadhotel.com

Extra Hands Providers of Home Care in Norfolk

Norfolk Care Awards 2018 Winners We are a local award winning family run independent Home Care company, providing carers across Norfolk trained to the highest standards including Dementia Care. We offer a wide range of services within the home setting which are tailored to suit individual needs from personal care to shopping and companionship. Our services can be arranged on either a short term or long term basis, we offer flexibility when organising care packages and can assure our customers that we will meet their requirements every step of the way. If you or anyone you know may be interested in our services please do not hesitate to contact us on the numbers below or visit our website to find out more.

Supporting people in their own homes for over 25 years

Tel: 01603 898623

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For the Highest Quality Financial Advice

Talk to a Chartered Financial Planner

Pensions

Life Insurance Investments

Find out more at almarygreen.com Tel 01603 706740 Email enquiries@almarygreen.com Almary Green Investments Ltd, Greenfields House, 10 Meridian Way, Meridian Business Park, Norwich NR7 0TA

WEALTH MANAGEMENT

WORKPLACE PENSIONS: M E E T I N G YO U R CHANGING NEEDS MANY EMPLOYERS ARE NOW HITTING THE THREE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF SETTING UP THEIR WORKPLACE PENSION SCHEMES. THIS MILESTONE BRINGS WITH IT A RANGE OF RESPONSIBILITIES. CARL LAMB LOOKS AT WHAT IS INVOLVED.

WORKPLACE PENSIONS are firmly embedded in businesses throughout the UK with employees now committed to building personal pension funds throughout their working lives. This April saw the next stage in the gradual increase to minimum contribution levels for both employers and employees which will make greater inroads into take-home pay and employer budgets. It has been an interesting process to watch the roll-out of workplace pensions to small and medium-sized businesses. For many, it has proved a real challenge. The selection of a scheme in the first place was one hurdle to overcome and there will be employers who have found that their chosen provider and scheme falls short of their expectations. Those who selected the more basic functionality of NEST and multi-employer schemes may have found that support for their scheme has been in short supply and that the choices on offer to their staff members are more limited than they had envisaged. The result of this dissatisfaction has been a real desire in many businesses to review the scheme they have in place. The three-year anniversary of the starting date for a workplace pension scheme is the perfect time to take a step back and review your scheme, the options it gives your

employees and the administrative functionality it provides. At this anniversary, as an employer, you must meet a number of specific obligations. Firstly you must re-enrol those members of your staff who opted out of the scheme when you set it up. Even if you know that they will still want to opt out, you must go through the re-enrolment process and they must actively opt out again. You must carry out an assessment of your workers to determine their eligibility and entitlements and re-enrol any staff affected. In addition, you must write to any staff you are re-enrolling within six weeks of the re-enrolment date, explaining that they have been reenrolled and detailing their options. Your next task at the three-year point is to check that your scheme still meets the rules and to complete a redeclaration that your scheme is compliant. This may not be as straightforward as it sounds even if you have made no changes to your scheme. Some of the rules have changed since the early days of auto-enrolment: for example, a limit has been put on the amount that the fund provider can charge to manage the schemeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s default investment fund(s). This charge cap has been set at 0.75%. Any schemes set up before this change in the rules may no longer be compliant if they involve a default investment fund that carries a higher charge. Reviewing your scheme is an area where the support of a financial adviser can be invaluable. An adviser will assess if your existing scheme is still fit for purpose and may carry out an audit to make sure that you are still complying with workplace pension rules. If the adviser identifies problems with the existing scheme, he or she will help you explore alternative options and potential new providers. If requested by the employer, an adviser may also provide employee education sessions to ensure that your staff understand the choices available to them within the parameters of the scheme. In addition, the adviser can be engaged to provide one-to-one advice to some or all of your staff members. This advice can be limited to questions about the workplace pension scheme alone, or opened up to explore their entire financial circumstances. At Almary Green, we provide a range of employer support services to help you with both the re-enrolment and redeclaration processes and will carry out a review of your workplace pension to ensure it still meets your needs.

Carl Lamb

Almary Green Chartered Financial Planners www.almarygreen.com | 01603 706740

For independent advice about workplace pensions, contact Almary Green on 01603 706740 or email enquiries@almarygreen.com Please remember that the guidance here is generic and we recommend that you get individual personalised advice.

AFTER

BEFORE

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SPRING SPECIAL OFFERS Massive savings & big brand special offers The Number One Choice for Beds and Advice Choose from a superb selection of divan-sets & mattresses, fabric upholstered bases & headboards, wooden & metal bedframes all from classic traditional to the latest contemporary styles Disposal service available and free delivery Come and visit the bed experts today at: Curtis Road, Norwich NR6 6RB Tel: 01603 483636 22 Ber Street, Norwich, NR1 3EJ Tel: 01603 768260 Cowper Road, Dereham, Norfolk NR19 2DA Tel: 01362 690498 Osier Road, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP33 1TA Tel: 01284 700846 Greyfriars Road, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP32 7DX Tel: 01284 723723 Western Way, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 3SP Tel: 01284 247090

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On the Stunning North Norfolk Coast in Cromer

Sunday Luncheon served in the Westcliff Restaurant 12noon - 2.30pm Sea and cliff top views Grade II listed building Locally sourced fresh produce served to your table Extensive Wine List, Real Ales 3 Courses £19.95 - 2 Courses £16.50 For those with small appetites 1 Course £12.95 Children’s Menu We look forward to serving you soon

Visit our web site for more photographs and online booking

Tel: 01263 512543 www.cliftonvillehotel.co.uk

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VISIT NORTH NORFOLK

Step back in time in N O r t h N O r fo lk

C a s t l e s a n d p r i o r i e s a r e a p o p u l a r s i g h t t h r o u g h o u t t h e n o r t h No r f o l k l a n d s c a p e with fascinating histories dating back to medieval times, says Kayla Dunne from V i s i t No r t h N o r f o l k .

uring the 10th and 11th century period of the Norman Conquest, Norfolk formed part of the earldom of Harold I of England. Offering no active resistance to William the Conqueror, castles and churches were subsequently built. When Norwich became a prosperous port during this time, more than 20 castles were built in Norfolk. The castles and ruins you can see dotted around north Norfolk date back to the Norman times, and therefore play an important part in English history. Today, you can see the amazing stonework and get a real feel for what it must have been like to live in a medieval castle. Castle Acre near Swaffham is a planned Norman settlement comprising the castle, bailey gate, church, village and priory. The castle was founded after the Norman Conquest in the 1070s by William de Wavenne, who was awarded the land by William the Conqueror. Although there is not much built stone left, the earthworks are still very impressive and together with the priory and walled town of Castle Acre, comprises one of the best examples of Norman estate planning in the country. The extensive ruins of Baconsthorpe Castle, a moated and fortified 15th century manor house, are a testament to the rise and fall of a prominent Norfolk family, the Heydons. Over 200 years, successive generations of this ambitious family built, then enlarged, and finally abandoned this castle. Sir John Heydon probably built the strong inner gatehouse during the turbulent Wars of the Roses period, and his son Sir Henry completed the fortified house. In more peaceful times, their descendants converted part of the property into a textile factory, and then added

the turreted Elizabethan outer gateway, inhabited until 1920. In a meadow of forty acres, a house of Austin Canons was founded in 1206, in honour of the Blessed Virgin, by Alice, widow of Sir Robert de Nerford, governor of Dover Castle. You can now see the remains of the Creake Abbey church dating from 13th century, including presbytery and north transept with chapels. Within the grounds you can find Creake Abbey CafĂŠ Food Hall & Courtyard Shops, home to many Norfolk artisans. Walsingham Priory was a monastery of Augustinian Canons seized by the crown at the Dissolution of the Monasteries under King Henry VIII. The priory is perhaps best known for housing a Marian shrine with a replica of the house of the Holy Family in Nazareth. Enjoy the tranquil atmosphere surrounding the Priory ruins, wildflower meadows, 18 acres of woodland carpeted with seasonal flowers, and quiet river walks alongside the Stiffkey. Walsingham Abbey Grounds and ruins are open throughout the year. Binham Priory is among the most complete and impressive monastic ruins in Norfolk. This Benedictine priory was founded in 1091 by Peter des Valoines, a

nephew of William the Conqueror. Many of its priors were unscrupulous and the history of the priory is one of almost continuous scandal. The nave of the priory church, with its splendid 13th century west front and fine tiers of Norman arches, is now the parish church, and displays the former rood screen with medieval saints overpainted with Protestant texts. The extensive ruins reveal the footprint of the original the monastery. Castle Rising was built in 1140 by William Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Albini as a way of showing his increased importance after marrying Alice of Louvain, the widow of Henry I. The Keep is set in 12 acres of grounds, ideal for exploring and picnics, and has some of the largest ramparts in Britain, in some places, 120 feet from top to bottom. The beautifully preserved village of Castle Rising features a fine Norman church and an important 17th century Almshouse.

Taking a step back in time by visiting the castles and priories of north Norfolk is a perfect day out for all ages, while discovering these fascinating buildings which played an important part in the history and heritage of north Norfolk. To find out more, see visitnorthnorfolk.com

Places & Faces 1/4 Page Ad 93mm x 128mm

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1 Albert Street, Holt NR25 6HX

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01263 478020 www.seahorsestudio.co.uk seahorsestudio@icloud.com

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SPRING EXHIBITION 29th May - 28th June

A VERY WARM WELCOME awaits you in our stunning contemporary exhibition space which holds monthly exhibitions featuring both international and UK based artists. The Arts Lounge displays an eclectic, bespoke mix of paintings, sculptures, mosaics, photography, glass, ceramics, jewellery and other artistic creations.

01760 723624

15 Market Place | Swaffham | Norfolk | PE37 7AB www.theartslounge.co.uk

Unique glass beads, jewellery and gifts

Find me on Facebook!

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M n ' O s t AY WHA IN

JARROLD LADIES DAY Save the date for one of the best days out this summer, as the Jarrold Ladies Day at Fakenham Racecourse returns for a second year on Sunday 3 June. Fashion, food and having a flutter – it has to be the annual Jarrold Ladies Day at Fakenham Racecourse. A key date in the Norfolk calendar, the day gives you the chance to put on your best outfit and enjoy a day of horse racing and dining with friends. Now in its second year, Jarrold Ladies Day promises to be a fun day out, and along with the races there is the chance to be crowned the best dressed in three competitions running throughout the day. Dress to impress and you could be selected by one of Jarrold’s styling scouts who will be looking out for the best dressed lady, best dressed couple and best hat. Make the day even more special by booking a table at Weston’s Seafood Restaurant or enjoy private dining in the Firth Restaurant, or why not bring your own picnic and dine al fresco? – Jarrold Ladies Day, Fakenham Racecourse Sunday 3 June. Gates open at 11am www.fakenhamracecourse.co.uk

THE RASPBERRY CANNOLI CABARET Mister Jack is launching the “The Raspberry Cannoli Cabaret” a New York, Italian-American club. Live music and live cabaret performance come together for an evening of spectacle, dancing, cocktails and so much more. The “Godfather of Swing”, Ray Gelato and The Giants will perform a sensational musical set supported by mesmerising dance, cabaret and burlesque performances. Escape to “The Raspberry Cannoli Cabaret” where style, big hair, hats, pizzazz, bling and happiness are compulsory. – The Open Norwich Saturday 5 May | Age 18 + www.opennorwich.org.uk

NATIONAL WAITERS DAY The city centre is playing host to National Waiters Day. Teams from restaurants across the city will be racing each other whilst holding trays of drinks. The race will start at 10am from Guildhall and will feature teams from Benedicts, The Assembly Rooms and The Library. It’s all for charity and all money raised will go to Hospitality Action. – The Library Restaurant Tuesday 22 May www.thelibraryrestaurant.co.uk

RHYTHM OF THE NIGHT Ian Waite and Oti Mabuse, two of Strictly’s favourite dancers, with a high intensity night of Latin and Ballroom numbers. Oti is fondly remembered for her pairing with Danny Mac, and their perfect score of 40 in the Samba. Ian is a regular on our screens, with the spin-off programme on BBC 2, It Takes Two. They are both previous finalists on the hit BBC show. A very limited number of tickets are available for an exclusive chance to meet Ian and Oti before the show for autographs and photos. – Norwich Theatre Royal Sunday 20 May www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk

M n ' O AY s t A H W IN

THE JERSEY BOYS The internationally acclaimed stage sensation, Jersey Boys is working its way back to Norwich! This smash hit musical has won 57 major awards worldwide, including the Olivier Award for Best New Musical. Jersey Boys tells the true life story of four boys from the wrong side of the tracks who wrote their own songs, invented their own unique sound, and sold 100 million records worldwide. Please be aware Jersey Boys contains genuine New Jersey language which may not be suitable for younger audiences. – Norwich Theatre Royal Tue 5 June to Sat 16 June www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk

HORNING BOAT SHOW 2018 The Fifth Horning Boat Show is to take place on Saturday 5 May 2018 starting at 10.00am until 5.00pm. Over 100 exhibitors take part in this Charity event raising funds for Local good causes. There will also be attractions for all the family including Fashion Shows, Classic Cars, Entertainment and Fun for the Children. Entry to the show, is free and there will be Free parking at BeWilderwood with a shuttle bus to the show. A great day out for all the family. – Horning Boat Show Saturday 5 May www.horningboatshow.co.uk

ACOSTA DANZA Following an exceptional career as a ballet star, international dance icon Carlos Acosta launches his brand new company, Acosta Danza. Based in Havana, the company is made up of the best dancers Cuba has to offer, who have trained in both ballet and contemporary dance styles. They will perform new and existing pieces by Cuban choreographers who have rarely been seen outside the country, and commission new pieces from international choreographers who will take inspiration from their iconic nation. For their UK tour, in which Acosta himself makes a guest appearance, they will perform works by Cuban choreographer Marianela Boán, UK-based Jorge Crecis, Spanish dance-maker Goyo Montero, New York City Ballet resident choreographer Justin Peck and Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. – Norwich Theatre Royal | Thursday 31 May and Friday 1 June www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk

AN EVENING WITH ROY HUDD OBE Comic actor, walking encyclopaedia on all things to do with Music Hall and star of radio’s longest-running comedy series, Radio 2’s satirical swipe at current affairs, The News Huddlines. Sixty years in show business Debbie Hudd interviews as only she dares, and digs out some of the stories, song and anecdotes from Roy’s long career. From variety, musicals, pantomime, stage, radio and television – Roy will tell all about his extensive career and will spill the beans on the legendary names he loves and admires. The evening is a wonderful opportunity to be entertained by one of our best loved entertainers. – Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds Sunday 27 May www.theatreroyal.org 20

KATHLEEN TURNER FINDING MY VOICE Fane Productions present twotime Tony Award nominee and two-time Golden Globe Award winner, Kathleen Turner, in her debut cabaret, appropriately titled ‘Finding My Voice’. Lending her trademark husky alto to classic tunes from the American songbook, Kathleen interweaves songs including ‘Let’s Fall in Love’, ‘I’d Rather be Sailing’, ‘On the Street Where You Live’, ‘Every Time We Say Goodbye’ and many more, with stories from her remarkable life and career. Accompanied by Mark Janas, the show is directed by Andy Gale. Her filmography includes such classics as Body Heat, Romancing the Stone, Jewel of the Nile and War of the Roses, as well as her star turn on TV in Friends. – The Apex, Bury St Edmunds Wednesday 9 May www.theapex.co.uk

THE CHURCHFITTERS The Churchfitters is a folk band like no other. A double bass made out of a saucepan. Heart-wrenching vocals accompanied by a musical saw. Foot-stompingly fast fiddle mixed with infectious funkrock rhythms. And traditional tunes reinvigorated with mesmerising jazz sax. The three virtuoso musicians from England and France strut their stuff on a stage that bristles with instruments – adding flute, banjo, dulcimer, tin whistle, guitar, ukulele, electric hub-cap bassbouzouki and a sack full of percussion to their ensemble. And let’s not forget the unique ‘bing-bong’ machine made out of hack-saw blades. – Corn Hall Diss Friday 1 June www.thecornhall.co.uk

WORLD MUSIC WORKSHOP FESTIVAL The World Music Workshop Festival is all about musical discovery, learning and inter-cultural exhange. It presents over 120 participatory workshops in singing, music and dance across nine venues with a stunning line-up of artists from around the world. Live concert performances, children’s workshops, relaxation zones and much more all go into making this event truly unique in the Suffolk festival calendar. – The World Music Workshop Festival Thursday 5 to Sunday 8 July www.wmwfestival.com

HEATHER SMALL It has been 25 years since Heather Small, ‘The Voice & Face of M People’, burst onto the music scene. After over 11 million record sales and 1994 and 1995 Brit award winners, Heather Small is embarking on her nationwide “How Can I love You More” Tour, which will be a 25th Anniversary Celebration of the music of Heather Small & M People, featuring all the hits – ‘Moving On Up’, ‘One Night in Heaven’, ‘Search For A Hero’, ‘Renaissance’, ‘Open Your Heart’, ‘Testify’, ‘Dreaming’, ‘Angel St’ and the anthemic ‘Proud‘. Heather’s rich and distinctive voice has earned her a reputation for being one of Britain’s most accomplished soul divas. – Ipswich Regent Saturday 12 May apps.ipswich.gov.uk

Your Wildest Dreams plus his solo worldwide hit with the timeless Forever Autumn from the The War of the Worlds. Plus special guest Mike Dawes – Norwich Theatre Royal Monday 28 May www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk

THE LIFE AND RHYMES OF BENJAMIN ZEPHANIAH He’s back with his first tour in eight years, to coincide with his remarkable autobiography, The Life And Rhymes Of Benjamin Zephaniah. In a compelling and inspiring show, Zephaniah will explain how he fought injustice and discrimination to lead a remarkable life, while sharing a selection of favourite stories and poems. He befriended Nelson Mandela, fought in the 1980s race riots and recorded radical and relevant reggae music with Bob Marley’s former band. –

The Apex Bury St Edmunds Wednesday 23 May www.theapex.co.uk Norwich Playhouse Saturday 2 June www.norwichplayhouse.co.uk

WHAT’S ON

The Legendary Voice of The Moody Blues Legendary singer-songwriter, Justin Hayward, arrives in Norwich performing songs from his recent albums as well as Moody Blues favourites. As the driving force behind The Moody Blues, Justin penned classics like Nights in White Satin, New Horizons, Question, The Voice and

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WHAt's On MAY IN

DANNY BAKER GOOD TIME CHARLIE’S BACK! My fellow Vaudevillians, following the extraordinary success of the Cradle to Grave tour I was asked to reconsider my initial statement that I would never undertake such a venture again. The applause of the public can be a seductive narcotic and weaker souls than I would be tempted to repeat the thrills harvested during that ‘uproarious whirligig of joy’ simply to bolster their already outsized egos. After much reflection I have decided that I cannot allow such rampant narcissism to cloud my judgment. I said ‘one farewell’ tour’ and I meant ‘one farewell tour’. There will be no more. Therefore I am pleased to announce that, to mark this momentous decision, I will be embarking on a nationwide, high-principled, peppy series of one-night-stands calling at dozens of theatres around the country starting in May 2018. These exhibitions will be startling, high kicking, fresh, eruptive and often under three hours long. On this, once again, you have my word. To help me mark the festivities I will be joined on some nights by both Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan – two of the nicest dogs I have ever owned. I hope people will understand my resolve never to tour again and also why these upcoming performances are absolutely necessary to mark such a declaration. I hope you can once more attend to help celebrate my iron will in this matter and on the night reflect that, even in these fickle times, there are still men who will hold fast to their principles. I am that man. So vote for me. Sorry, not ‘vote’, I meant ‘come and see’. It will be almost certainly your last chance. To quote the philosopher Slocombe, “I am unanimous in that’. Now raise the curtain, pour the drinks, play the music - because here we go again… – Ipswich Regent | Thursday 10 May www.apps.ipswich.gov.uk

HENRY BLOFELD: 78 RETIRED Voice of Test Match Special, journalist, novelist, oenophile, bon viveur, collector, quintessential Englishman and national treasure; Henry Blofeld is hanging up his best touring (red) trousers for good, but not before one final lap of the country! He boasts some of the finest stories from on and off the pitch, as well as unrivalled anecdotes from the world of journalism and through-the-keyhole tales of the glitz and glamour of celebrity life. So, “my dear old things!” join Blowers for one final night of inimitable hilarity and story-telling as he takes to the road for 78 and Out: The Henry Blofeld Farewell Tour. – The Maddermarket Theatre Norwich Friday 4 & Saturday 5 May www.maddermarket.co.uk

Princess Theatre Hunstanton Sunday 13 May www.thelittleboxoffice.com

THE MAGIC OF THE BEATLES If you’re looking for an authentic, lively dose of ‘Beatlemania’ then you need to look no further! The Magic of The Beatles is one of the UK’s leading Beatles tribute shows who play to ecstatic sell-out audiences all over the world. The stars of this lavish production not only look and sound like John, Paul, George and Ringo, they also generate the same incredible excitement and unique sense of humour too. The world class performers use authentic guitars and amps to ensure every note is just the way you remember. – Marina Theatre Lowestoft Friday 25 May www.marinatheatre.co.uk

KOSMOS ENSEMBLE An inspirational combination of Tango, Gypsy, Balkan and Japanese music. Prepare to be intoxicated by entrancing dance rhythms, soulful improvisation and gypsy passion delivered with inimitable panache and virtuoso technique. Referencing classical composers including Brahms and Dvorak, with fearless improvisation and impeccable technique. All three members of Kosmos are soloists in their own right and have recorded concertos with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, English Symphony Orchestra and Orchestra Nova to critical acclaim. Harriet MacKenzie (violin), Meg Hamilton (viola), Milos Milivojevic (accordion). – The Apex Theatre Bury St Edmunds Thursday 24 May www.theapex.co.uk

RICHARD DIGANCE Richard resumes as normal after his Golden Anniversary celebrations doing what he loves best, telling stories, playing the guitar and singing songs. This year there’s a whole new show having shaken off the nostalgic trip of 50 years last year. With a BAFTA Nomination and Gold Award recipient from The British Academy of Composers, 4,000 live shows, 62 British tours, 14 books, 3 stage plays, 32 albums and nearly 4 million YouTube hits, need we say more? – The Maddermarket Theatre Norwich Thursday 17 May www.maddermarket.co.uk

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WHAT’S ON - KIDS

T o t A H W he T h t i W DO

KIds

With the summer now officially here there is so much to do and see in Norfolk & Suffolk when it comes to planning your next adventure. Here are a few suggestions that are well worth considering. If the weather is good then a trip to the beach makes for a relatively inexpensive day out with the family and take in the fresh sea air and the beautiful Norfolk and Suffolk coasts. In the hot summer months you walk on unspoiled sand and let the kids build sand castles, paddle in the shallow waves or even walk the dog. Take along a picnic and a blanket and have a relaxing family day... and don’t forget to pack the suntan cream. Great Yarmouth is famous for its Golden Mile, but the Greater Yarmouth coastline stretches along 15 miles of beautiful sandy beach, past sand dunes and seaside amusements, taking in donkey rides and bouncy castles from Winterton in the north to Hopton in the South.

Amazona Zoo

Amazona Zoo in Cromer is a unique and fun day out for the whole family. It’s home to over 200 animals from tropical South America, including jaguars, monkeys, peccaries, otters, owls, macaws, parrots, capuchins, spiders, snakes, flamingos, rheas, guinea pigs, iguanas, caimans, pumas and tapirs. Families will love exploring the Amazona in Cromer, set in secluded grounds on the north Norfolk coast. The zoo is committed to helping visitors discover nature and provide education on conservation issues. Highlights include a Feline Forest with ocelot, pumas and jaguar; a tropical house with spectacled caiman, anaconda snake and iguanas, as well as, Chilean flamingos and South American wildfowl. In addition, discover Amazon parrots, macaws, squirrel monkeys, red-legged seriema and Geoffroy’s spider monkeys. For the under 12’s there’s also a large, well-equipped, indoor soft play area, ‘Jungle Tumbles’, with slides, ropes, bridges, tunnels and interactive toys, as well as comfortable seating for parents. Outside there’s an expansive well-equipped play area, Rainforest Springs, and there are two large jumping pillows for hours of Braziliant bouncing fun! The zoo is owned by the Cabbell-Manners family. On Saturday 23rd June 2018 Amazona Zoo will be celebrating their 10th Birthday with a Teddy Bears Picnic! See the news page on their website for more details. www.amazonazoo.co.uk

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WHAT’S ON - KIDS

Pleasurewood Hills

If you are looking at somewhere that offers fun for all the family whatever the age then Pleasurewood Hills is a firm family favourite to consider. If you’re looking for live entertainment then look no further than our fantastic shows including our classic Sea Lion and Parrot shows which will amaze and delight the whole family. If you’re an adrenaline junkie the Thrill Rides are the ones for you! Take a ride on Wipeout, the only Vekoma Boomerang coaster in the UK, enjoy the views from the top of the Jolly Roger which stands at over 60 feet and see whether you can stay dry on Timber Falls. You will be able to hear the shrieks for miles around as the logs go on a turbulent white water ride in Timber Falls. Prepare to get wet as the freshly cut logs rocket down and watch out for the splash from passing log boats. The drops are fairly high but it’s a great ride for smaller thrill seekers and remember - We did warn you that you’d get wet! New for summer 2018 Pleasurewood Hills are excited to announce that a brand new soft play area and sensory room is being added to the parks attractions. Woody’s Club House will have plenty of places to run, jump and climb and has been designed to be the perfect place for children to burn off excess energy. The Mad Hatter and Alice have brought an exciting, interactive dining experience to Pleasurewood Hills and want you to join them! Be transported to Wonderland as you enjoy a delicious afternoon tea with plenty of cakes, sandwiches and lots of treats to eat and drink. www.pleasurewoodhills.com

Africa Alive

Africa Alive is set in 100 acres of stunning Suffolk countryside and also offers the chance to spot a wide range of British wildlife. Bird lovers can also enjoy spotting native species from the New “Waders Lake” boardwalk or see some African feathered friends in the new Woodland Walk. The spectacular centrepiece of this beautiful park is the “Plains of Africa” the perfect place to spot five species of African savannah animals, including the graceful giraffe and heavyweight rhinos. During the summer months there is even the chance to get up close to these magnificent creatures with the parks “Plains of Africa” experience. You can enjoy a bird’s eye view of the magnificent Lions from the viewing point “Lookout Lodge” and visit “Lemur Encounters” which offers you the chance to get right in with the action as you walk through the lemurs enclosure. The park is also home to some other amazing primates including Bushbabies, King Colobus monkeys and the rare golden-bellied Mangabeys. You can also climb aboard the “Safari Roadtrain” for an entertaining journey around the park. The park also offers great indoor and outdoor adventure play areas as well as restaurants, free car parking, disabled facilities and a gift shop. In 1968 Banham Zoo was founded and in 1992 Africa Alive (Formerly Suffolk Wildlife Park) was purchased. The founding of The Zoological Society of East Anglia (ZSEA) puts the park in public ownership through charitable status, so rewarding the people of East Anglia and those visiting Norfolk and Suffolk too. www.africa-alive.co.uk

OUT THERE FESTIVAL

| MAY 2018

FEStivAls Mark Nicholls rounds up some of the fabulous festivals lined up for NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK over the summer months.

oldest Northumbrian folk songs to life again; circus company, and the Barely Methodical Troupe headline the Adnams Spiegeltent. Also appearing is Mary Chapin Carpenter and Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Visit: www.nnfestival.org.uk

Norfolk and Norwich Festival May 11-27 With a programme spanning performance, theatre, music, visual arts, literature, circus, outdoor and family, the festival showcases renowned international artists from across the globe alongside the best local Norfolk and UK talent. World premieres include Mercury Music Prize winner Talvin Singh at Norwich Cathedral; Norwich, Ely and Peterborough Cathedral Choirs combining to perform the premiere of BBC Young Composer Of The Year Alex Woolf’s new piece; Kathryn Tickell & The Darkening bringing the

Bury St Edmunds Festival - May 18-27 With 59 events across 13 venues and now in its 33rd year, the programme offers 10 days of cultural excellence. Performers include Jools Holland & His Rhythm and Blues Orchestra featuring Marc Almond, chart toppers UB40, singer-songwriter Gilbert O’Sullivan and The Tap Pack. Opera star Sir Willard White joins the Brodsky Quartet for an exclusive concert while wine expert Oz Clarke invites audiences to join him for an evening of wine tasting in the company of the Armonico Consort. For the full programme see www.buryfestival.co.uk

Crab and Lobster Festival - May 19-20 Lively celebration with Cromer and Sheringham joining together to create a friendly weekend festival promoting local seafaring heritage with a range of events including a traditional seaside variety concert and showcasing the finest seafoods with local restaurants, chefs, and food producers taking part. Visit www.crabandlobsterfestival.co.uk

LEO SAYER - HOLT FESTIVAL

rom music to comedy, food to maritime history, culture, arts and fun-packed parades, the summer festival season is upon us and ready to celebrate all that is best in Norfolk and Suffolk. Some are long established, while others - though relative newcomers are already becoming a mainstay of the summer calendar. Major events such as the Latitude Festival, which has gained national and international acclaim with stunning headline acts, rub shoulders with smaller arts and food festivals that help showcase all that is best about this region. Here are a few of the finest to add to your calendars for summer 2018:

FESTIVALS

Southwold Arts Festival - June 23-30 Featuring more than 30 events, the festival enters its fifth year with a bill that includes music, comedy, art and drama. Following the opening parade and street event, the week begins with rhythm and blues giant Georgie Fame; and continues with ‘Piano Circus’ providing an evening of classical and contemporary music with six pianists, plus talks from BBC and Royal Correspondent Michael Cole and actor Terry Molloy. Other highlights include a talk by Andy McConnell from the ‘Antiques Roadshow’, an evening of comedy with the legendary Barry Cryer and a finale on June 30 with the internationally renowned soul and gospel music singer, Mica Paris. For information visit: www.southwoldartsfestival.co.uk Circus 250 in Norwich and Great Yarmouth - July 6-15 A year-long nationwide festival marking the 250th anniversary of the first circus, the main focus will fall on the six designated ‘Cities of Circus’, with Norwich and Great Yarmouth jointly selected for celebratory events. In June Seachange Arts in Great Yarmouth will present a procession led by a trio of artist-created circus elephants as part of Great Yarmouth Carnival and Festa Fiesta. July will find all manner of circus celebrations in Norwich, launched with a parade featuring a herd of life-size elephant puppets, acrobats, jugglers and performers on July 6. The highlight will be Chapelfield Summer Circus, hosting contemporary circus shows from around the world between July 10-15. For more information visit: www.circusnorwich.co.uk King’s Lynn Festival - July 15-28 World-famous orchestras will open and close the 68th King’s Lynn Festival. The Festival will welcome the Hallé Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Big Band with singer Claire Martin, guitarist Craig Ogden teaming up with jazz

JOOLS HOLLAND - BURY FESTIVAL / PHOTO: MARY MCCARTNEY

Latitude - July 12-15 Headliners at Henham Park, Southwold include The Killers, Alt J, Solange, Harry Hill and Bridget Christie, alongside Rag ‘n Bone Man, The Vaccines and The Charlatans. Meanwhile, the Lake Stage curated by BBC Radio 1’s Huw Stephens introduces “g-folk” creator Hak Baker and in the Comedy Arena, QI comes to Latitude for the first time with Sandi Toksvig and Alan Davies. Visit www.latitudefestival.com Dereham Blues Festival - July 12-15 Four days of blues in the central Norfolk market town opens with Georgie Fame at the Memorial Hall and a stunning line-up of bands over the weekend at a range of local venues. See www.derehambluesfestival.org.uk Holt Festival - 21-29 July Celebrating its 10th anniversary, Holt Festival brings eight days of outstanding theatre, music, comedy, film, literature, exhibitions, children’s and visual art events to the picturesque North Norfolk Georgian town. Big names include Jasper Carrott, chart-topper Leo Sayer and former Liberal Democrats leader Lord Paddy Ashdown. The classical music programme is headed by Italian classical piano megastar Gloria Campaner, with further household names being announced in the near future. Visit www.holtfestival.org North Norfolk Food and Drink Festival September 1-2 Taking place in the grounds of Holkham Hall, stallholders, food concessions and sponsors will gather to celebrate local food and drink. Produce on sale includes ales, fresh meat and poultry, local seafood, vegetables, local honey, fruit, ice cream, cheese, fresh juices, cakes, puddings and tarts and much more. Visit www.holkham. co.uk/event/north-norfolk-food-and-drinkfestival-2018

Sundown Festival, Norwich August 31-September 2 Taking place at the Royal Norfolk Showground, across an array of stages, headliners include Shawn Mendes and Clean Bandit. See www.sundownfestival.co.uk Great Yarmouth Maritime Festival, September 8-9 A weekend of fantastic maritime events on South Quay with ships to go aboard, shanty folk music, street theatre, exhibitions and demonstrations for visitors to explore. More details to be announced in due course. Visit www.great-yarmouth.co.uk/maritimefestival/ Out There Festival, Great Yarmouth, September 15–16 The Out There International Festival of Circus & Street Arts features outdoor performances and events along the seafront, in town centre streets and parks, with acrobatics and wonderful walkabout acts, to dazzling large scale promenade parades. A full international line up will be revealed in early summer. See www.seachangearts.org.uk and www.outtherefestival.com GORILLA CIRCUS - OUT THERE FESTIVAL

CASUS HEAD TRAPEZE

singer Jacqui Dankworth, and impersonator Alistair McGowan whose career has taken a new direction as a pianist. There will be a special treat for Strictly Come Dancing fans when 2017 finalist Giovanni Pernice ends his 56-date national tour at the festival. Classical music provides the cornerstones of the programme with leading names from the classical music world, British folk singer Eddi Reader, and Los Pacaminos with Paul Young also appear. For more information visit www.kingslynnfestival.org.uk

| MAY 2018

The Bury

l A v i t s E F 2018

ow in its 33rd year, the Bury

Festival welcomes a star-studded programme for a world class celebration of culture. With 59 events across 14 venues in just 10 days the Festival offers award-winning music acts, street theatre, films and exhibitions. During this year’s festival the picturesque setting of Nowton Park welcomes chart toppers from across the decades, in a collaboration with OEP Live!. Kicking off the alfresco concerts will be national treasure, pianist, bandleader and broadcaster, Jools Holland with his world-famous Rhythm and Blues Orchestra and special guests, including Soft Cell’s Marc Almond. Legendary musician, Gilbert O’Sullivan, will be celebrating five decades in the music industry with a special matinee concert. A perfect excuse to grab your picnic basket and enjoy a sparkling afternoon of classics such as ‘Alone Again Naturally’, ‘Nothing Rhymed’, ‘Clair Matrimony’ and ‘Get Down’, as well as songs from his forthcoming album. To round off the Festival in style, Bury St Edmunds welcomes Grammy and Brit award-nominated UB40. With over 50 hit singles in the UK and over 70 million

records sold worldwide they have become one of the worlds most successful reggae bands and will make for a sensational evening of 80s classics. With a line-up full of firm music favourites there is guaranteed to be something to suite all tastes from the vocal stylings of Berlin’s Ute Lemper, to the South Africa’s Grammy awardwinning Ladysmith Black Mambazo (the stars of Paul Simon’s multi-million selling ‘Graceland’ album), and the stunning

TAP PACK

Academy of Ancient Music. One of the world’s leading wine experts, and much-loved TV personality, Oz Clarke invites audiences to join him for an evening of wine tasting in the company of the Armonico Consort who will be playing appropriate music to accompany each wine selected. Celebrating local talent is an exciting collaboration between one of the most prolific entertainers of the past 30 years, Aled Jones, and the young talent of Bury St Edmunds’ Voice Squad as well as performances from the St Edmundsbury Singers, The Edmund Octet and Suffolk Philharmonic Orchestra. Music is not the only art form on display. In the abundance of brilliant acts, literary legend and one of Britain’s most remarkable poets Benjamin Zephaniah returns to the stage with his first tour in eight years, the hilarious Roger McGough will be setting his wit and wordplay to the musical sound of Little Machine and direct from Sadler’s Wells the festival welcomes The Tap Pack for a cocktail of high-energy tap dancing entertainment. To mark 100 years of women’s suffrage the Abbeygate Cinema are holding a film festival celebrating strong and

BURYSOUND AUDIENCE Photo by EMMA WINTERS

This year the festival will run for 10 days between Friday 18 – Sunday 27 May. Tickets are now on sale with festival brochures available from The Apex and other locations in Bury St Edmunds. A full line-up of events can also be found online at www.buryfestival.co.uk

inspiring female characters on screen and behind the camera. This very special collection of films will include powerful stories and portrayals to mark the Vote 100 anniversary. The series of 10 films includes the 1964 children’s classic Mary Poppins, Nora Ephron’s Silkwood, the 1983 true story of nuclear whistleblower Karen Silkwood, and the 2016 inspiring story of three African American female NASA mathematicians, Hidden Figures. With the setting of a charming market town the festival takes to the streets again this year with a series of festival walks exploring the local history and iconic sites of the town with events for both

young and old explorers from a hysterical family trail to a discovery of Bury at War. The Festival will also welcome a host of amazing street performers to delight visitors to the town. Bury Festival Director, Nick Wells, commented “We are delighted with the line-up for the Bury Festival 2018, which once again combines star names with local and regional talent, young and old. Bury St Edmunds is a vibrant town with plenty of arts and entertainment on offer throughout the year and the festival draws a lot of that together in a wonderful concentration and celebration of activity. It has been a joy to put together.”

UTE LEMPER

MAC & EDEN

| MAY 2018

k l O The Norf h C i & NOrw l A v i t s FE 2018 T

OVER 10 WORLD PREMIERES, A MAJOR NEW ART INSTALLATION, UNIQUE CONCERTS AND LARGE-SCALE FREE OUTDOOR EVENTS

he 2018 Norfolk & Norwich Festival runs from 11th to 27th May. The programme, which spans performance, theatre, music, visual arts, literature, circus, outdoor and family events, includes world and UK premieres, one-off spectaculars, and a host of free events across the Festival. The Festival will showcase renowned international artists from across the globe and countries as widespread as Syria, Australia and India, alongside the best local Norfolk and UK talent presented across the county, from Norwich city centre and Great Yarmouth to Wells-next-the-Sea. Daniel Brine, Festival Director said: “The Festival is a wonderful time to celebrate our city and county, to bring communities together to experience great art and performance, and to welcome artists and visitors from across the UK and around the world. Our programme is broad and rich and we’re proud to be presenting world premieres alongside celebrated productions not previously seen in Norfolk. This year the Festival has been put together by all of our team. My predecessor, William Galinsky, laid the foundations with major commissions and partnerships and the team, along with our principal programming partners Britten Sinfonia, Serious and

Writers’ Centre Norwich has given flesh and life to the programme. I’ve joined as we put the finishing touches in place and I have quickly immersed myself in the excitement and challenge of delivering one of the UK’s most dynamic arts festivals.” World premieres include: Mercury Music Prize winner and pioneer of Asian Underground music Talvin Singh at Norwich Cathedral; Norwich, Ely and Peterborough Cathedral Choirs combining for a concert to perform the premiere of BBC Young Composer Of The Year Alex Woolf’s new piece; a durational choral

piece from The Voice Project; Kathryn Tickell & The Darkening bring the oldest Northumbrian folk songs to life again; the internationally acclaimed circus company, Barely Methodical Troupe headline the Adnams Spiegeltent with Shift; Improbable present The Paper Man, inspired by the unexplained The 2018 Festival will see multiple world premieres in performance. Improbable will present the world premiere of The Paper Man, exploring what we do when fascism comes to town and inspired by the unexplained death of

NORFOLK & NORWICH FESTIVAL Austrian football star Matthias Sindelar in 1939, who humiliated the Nazi regime by refusing to throw a match. The production follows the middle-aged, white British, Football addict-in-recovery and Improbable co-founder, Lee Simpson in his search for answers. The internationally acclaimed UK circus company, Barely Methodical Troupe headline the Adnams Spiegeltent with the world premiere of Shift following their previous hits Bromance and Kin. The company have been garnering acclaim since their first show toured for over 18 months worldwide drawing on the company’s background in circus, dance and parkour. The Isle of Brimsker presented by Frozen Light is a new multi-sensory story from specialists in making theatre for audiences with Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities about a lighthouse keeper and a runaway. Provisional Figures is a new piece of theatre from award-winning Portuguese film and theatre director Marco Martins, inspired by the 10,000 Portuguese immigrants arriving in Great Yarmouth in the mid-2000s. Presented in Great Yarmouth the show will be accompanied by a celebration of Portuguese culture, food and drink. Other performance highlights include: cabaret sensation Le Gateau Chocolat’s personal tribute to his musical heroes, Icons; Forced Entertainment’s comical, absurd and acclaimed Real Magic; plus, as part of the City of Literature programme, Rosy Carrick’s mixed media time travel show Passionate Machine; tour de force of the live literature circuit Hannah Silva’s Talk in a Bit; Jack Dean’s protest show Nuketown; Tim Clare and Mark Grist’s Voted Out which uses state-of-the-art voting technology to give the audience the power of choice

The dance programme for 2018 includes the return of world-renowned choreographer Hofesh Shechter with his heart-stopping Grand Finale, animated by six musicians live on stage, Gandini Juggling’s new show Sigma blending juggling and classical Indian dance and multimedia projections and inclusive dance companies Stopgap and Flex, who bring two free shows to outdoor spaces. There’s also the return of the ever-popular audience led Ragroof Tea Dances to The Adnams Spiegeltent. The Free Outdoor Programme at the Festival brings world-class performances from across Europe to Norwich’s parks and open spaces completely free of charge. This year’s Festival will open with Transe Express as carnivalesque drummers take over the streets of the city and larger than life singing dolls on stilts transform Norwich into a fantastical open air opera house. The parade will move through the streets of the city and culminate in a spectacular aerial finale.

Other programme highlights this year include Marco Barotti’s robotic woodpeckers popping up across the city and transforming mobile signals into beats tapped out onto the city’s architecture and Wayfaring, a large scale world premiere from And Now: inspired by the ancient routes of the Icknield Way, taking place on Wells Beach with illumination, music and performance in a huge free celebration. Alongside multiple events for families in the Free Outdoor Programme, Britten Sinfonia will present Alice through the Looking Glass and Kid Carpet and the Noisy Animals will take younger audiences on a silly and lively journey about going on holiday. Plus there are free storytelling, dancing and music events for Early Years in the Spiegeltent. _ The Norfolk & Norwich Festival runs from Friday 11th May to Sunday 27th May www.nnfestival.org.uk

| MAY 2018

PENSTHORPE NATURAL PARK

Wild About The Wensum Photo by PAUL CARTER

TV presenter, author and naturalist, Nick Baker, is

set to open The Pensthorpe Conservation Trust’s* annual community event Wild About the Wensum on Saturday 12th May 2018. Intrepid explorer and natural history expert Nick, who has famously presented Weird Creatures (C5), The Really Wild Show (BBC One) and Springwatch Unsprung (BBC Two), will officially open the event, meet members of the public and even host a bug hunt for kids! Wild About the Wensum, now in its twelfth year, is a special one-day event held by the Pensthorpe Conservation Trust with the sole focus on encouraging people of all ages, especially families who often don’t get the chance to be outdoors, to enjoy the beautiful Wensum Valley, within which Pensthorpe Natural Park is located. This year’s theme ‘Hare Today, Gone Tomorrow’ takes a look at the plight of the Hare in the English landscape and celebrates Norfolk as one of the last strongholds for Hares in Britain. Local wildlife groups and nature charities such as the Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Wensum Alliance and Norfolk Bee Keepers Association will be in attendance plus there will be a special trail to follow and free ‘hands-on’ nature activities to try. Deb Jordan, co-owner of Pensthorpe Natural Park comments: “We are thrilled that Nick Baker, someone as passionate about the natural world as we are, will be joining us for our community day. Nick shares our enthusiasm for re-engaging with nature and nothing encapsulates our desire to inspire our visitors more than Wild About the Wensum. “We want to encourage all generations to get outdoors and embrace the delights of nature – it’s accessible to all!” Nick Baker comments: “Pensthorpe not only boasts a fabulous location within Norfolk’s environment-rich Wensum Valley but it is a great example of an attraction with a cause - keen to do nothing more than encourage visitors to reconnect with the outdoors. It’s an ethos which is very close to my heart and I look forward to joining them and being part of the event.”

Nick will be hosting a meet and greet in the picnic area at 10am, officially open Wild About the Wensum at 11am, run an interactive bug hunt for children at 2pm, and at 3pm will host a book signing and talk entitled ‘how to make a naturalist’. As part of his day at Pensthorpe, Nick will also be invited to judge an art and photography competition, which 39 local primary and junior schools have been invited to take part in. As the event is aimed at families and those in the local community, Pensthorpe reduce admission prices to a nominal fee of £2 per person for tickets booked online in advance, and £3 per person on the day. Under 3’s are free. Please note there will be an additional charge to access indoor play area Hootz House. To book tickets or for more information about Pensthorpe visit pensthorpe.com

LitFest

LITFEST 2018

2018

Litfest 2018 is a brand new literary festival to develop

Westacre Theatre into a rounded arts centre, and also to fill a void in the offering available in West Norfolk. They are keen to make this initial series of events so successful that they can justifiably seek Arts Council funding for the festival’s future sustainability going forwards from 2019. There are three weekend groupings of dates within the overall Litfest across the Summer: • Friday 18 to Sunday 20 May • Saturday 23 to Sunday 24 June • Sunday 2, Friday 7 and Saturday 8 September All the contributing authors have strong Norfolk connections with some (like Peter Wilson as ex-CEO of Theatre Royal Norwich and Dame Stella Rimington DCB who was the first woman Director General of MI5) being well known names

internationally. So, as well as being an amazing new idea culturally, its highlights have newsworthy elements too. Litfest launches on 18 May with Peter Wilson reciting the haunting ‘Four Quartets’, a quintessentially modernist poetic work by the great Anglo-American T S Eliot. Published in 32 languages and 51 countries, Sophie Hannah is a best-selling writer of Psychological Crime Fiction. On 19 May she will reveal the intrigues of her relationship with Hercule Poirot in ‘The Monogram Murders’ and ‘The Closed Casket’ and may just divulge to the audience at Westacre Theatre what the future holds for the Belgian detective in her next book ‘The Mystery of Three Quarters’ due to be released on 23 August. On 20 May, Dame Stella Rimington DCB who became the first female Director General of MI5 will share tales of her career with the Security Services and explain how it has provided the inspiration for her several novels set in the world of intelligence and counter-terrorism. Her next book ‘Moscow Sleeper’ launches this year. Theatre Group Three’s Company will perform a literary tour of Norfolk called ‘Brecks to Broads’. On 23 June Irma Fowler, Lesley Mardle and Leah Spencer take to the Westacre Theatre stage for a journey ranging from David Copperfield on Yarmouth beach to the whaling ships frequenting the port at King’s Lynn. 24 June presents an opportunity to meet two local authors. Charlotte Paton gives a detailed insight into Norfolk artist Walter Dexter and Frederick Rolfe who was better known as King of the Norfolk Poachers. Sharing the bill with a contrasting topic is Will Stebbings recounting tales of West Norfolk in the 1960s and 1970s. All these wide-ranging events offer hospitality to make for convivial occasions in the scenic setting of East Anglia’s only all-year-round rural theatre.

Online booking by visiting www.westacretheatre.com at any time or by calling the Box Office during normal business hours on 01760 755800. 35

| MAY 2018

LOCAl booKs

Places&Faces ® recommended round-up of local reads

GrEAtth Yarmou WALl The

This Wall, as it stands today, to many it may appear as just the remains of an old wall. In terms of cost, labour and time, it is the biggest undertaking Great Yarmouth has, and will ever, endure. After surviving around 700 years, today its greatest enemy is ignorance of its compelling history. This book attempts to illustrate the importance of what remains, and why it should be preserved.

Basically, as a Yarmouth man I’ve always been curious about the history of the wall, that we all take for granted. It all started from one illustration, my original intention was to reproduce one of the missing gates, if only to see how it would look today had it survived, and now after 10 years I suppose you could say I got carried away. I decided on the NorthGate. Recreating a gate from an old illustration and a little imagination was not good enough. If I wanted accuracy I would have to research. I searched and bought every available antiquarian book on Yarmouth I could find. This didn’t come cheap, but I thought what the hell, I wanted to produce a book for the town from the heart, not the pocket. I walked the wall endlessly taking notes, and measurements, it was in my research I discovered areas of the wall that just did not make sense, and curiously never questioned by some of Yarmouth’s great history authors. (Swinden, Manship, Damet, Parkin and Palmer) But in their defence these authors made transcripts of old Yarmouth records, they didn’t 36

research the wall in depth. So, naively I took up the challenge to solve these curious areas of the wall, and found myself well and truly hooked. The most fascinating thing about this wall is the secrets it still hides - and there are many, still staring us in the face. Recreating the North Gate and connecting wall proved this. Strange angles that made no sense, and a different quality in the building of the wall, all have good reasons behind them, finding the reason was challenging. It was these questions that made me realise every new discovery frequently contradicts a previous conclusion. I was not only discovering a wall, I was unfolding time, a seven hundred year old arthritic flint dinosaur, complete with layers of sticking plasters. Without going into great detail, my biggest discoveries and thesis are the lost 1349 plague pit and its 7000 bodies (not the smaller later one found in Sainsbury’s car park). Also, my theory of how the wall reshaped the town and consequently produced the Yarmouth rows. These are all revealed in Volume two.

LOCAL BOOKS

Sue Welfare lives and works deep in the heart

The Great Wall of Yarmouth

190 pages containing facts about the medieval wall of Yarmouth Including never before seen illustrations of how the wall and gates looked, and how they would appear today had they survived. Written and illustrated by Paul B. Patterson Volume 1 published by Murage - £18.95

of rural Norfolk, writing as Sue Welfare, Gemma Fox and Kate Lawson. After over twenty years of writing romantic comedy, in 2015 Sue’s debut thriller, Next of Kin, hit the bookshelves to stunning reviews for a chilling masterpiece from a newcomer in domestic noir and psychological thrillers. Between moving house, raising a family, falling in love with Phil, singing in a choir, walking the dogs, working in the garden, taking endless photos and cooking Sue/Gemma/Kate is also a scriptwriter and artist, originating and developing a soap opera for BBC Radio Norfolk, along with a pantomime for the town where she lives (Downham Market) and creating stunning work for a number of art galleries. On a cold, dark February morning, Chris and Leah Hills do that thing most of us do on a long journey, stop at a service station and grab a coffee, taking a break from a long journey to stretch their legs, in fact it was a similar trip that gave author, Sue Welfare, the idea for Losing Leah. After a career writing romantic comedy Sue was looking for a change of direction and decided it was finally the moment to go back to her first love, thrillers. Chris and Leah Hills are Mr and Mrs Average, the kind of couple you wouldn’t give a second glance if you passed them on the street. In an isolated service station a stone’s throw from the Welsh Borders Leah grabs her coat and heads inside. The weather is terrible. She’s cold. They’ve stopped at the Hoden Gap services before and the coffee is always good. Chris locks the car and follows Leah inside to order their drinks. The queue for coffee is short, which is perfect as Chris has no plans to linger. They’re on their way to their holiday cottage and there are things he needs to sort out when they get there. His drink arrives. The minutes pass. Everything tells him that Leah won’t be long; she’s not one to hang around or shop. Chris starts to pace, feeling the first flutter of annoyance. Where has she got to? He watches the faces, trying to see her in the crowd. He waits and he waits, but Leah doesn’t come back. When Sergeant Mel Daley and her boss, Detective Inspector Harry Baker, arrive to begin a search for the missing woman, their investigation calls everything into question. Is she alive? Did she leave the service station with someone else? Did Leah ever even leave Norfolk? While her husband becomes more frantic, the two detectives begin to unravel a tangle of dark secrets from the past. An ordinary day, an ordinary couple, a terrible secret. Perfect for fans of Robert Galbraith and Paula Hawkins’ The Girl on the Train. LOSING LEAH is published as an e-book and paperback by Mirror Books. Order from Amazon or MirrorCollection.co.uk / 0845 143 0001 (lines open Mon - Fri 9am - 5pm). 37

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GARDENERS AND THEIR FAMILIES This is the eighteenth year of this well-loved specialist plant fair which offers a popular mix of specialist nurseries, conservation organisations and artisan stalls selling every from salvias and clematis to handmade soaps and vintage French collectables. There will be familiar and new nursery exhibitions, including The Place for Plants, Rose Cottage Bulbs and the Southwold Flower Company. Plant enthusiasts will be tempted by an exciting range of alpines, ferns, shrubs and trees. The Suffolk Plant heritage stall is packed with rare and unusual plants, some of which are not available elsewhere and all grown by the Group’s propagation team. National Collections from Suffolk and further afield will be on display, including Iris (Cedric Morris introductions) and Dianthus (Malmaison). Garden accessories for sale include antique garden tools, modern sculpture and garden furniture. Children will have fun in their own Marquee with craft activities, a plant quiz and free goodie bags. The first 800 visitors to claim a free plant will receive Penstemon ‘Drinkstone Red’, an unusual garden plant raised specially for the fair. The Garden Marquee will host a programme of practical workshops on a wide range of gardening subjects. Visitors can enjoy the Grade 1 listed gardens of Helmingham Hall with walled kitchen garden, herbaceous borders, roses and ancient deer park. Live music, a dance tent, homemade lunches and teas as well as a range of food stalls and artisan snacks help to make this a great day out for gardeners and their families. Lady Xa Tollemache who has won gold medals at Chelsea for her garden designs, will be taking a group of visitors around the Helmingham Hall gardens. This is a unique opportunity for a guided tour of Helmingham with an expert. Numbers for this tour are strictly limited, so early booking is advisable. The tour will be at midday on 27 May during the Plant Fair. Tickets cost £10 each. Admission including entry into the Grade 1 Listed gardens is £7 for adults and children are FREE! Tickets can be bought on the gate (please note that credit/debit cards cannot be accepted on the gate on the day), on the day or in advance by calling: 01473 890799. Suffolk Plant Heritage Specialist and Artisan Market at Helmingham Hall. Sunday May 27 2018 10.00am - 4pm. Helmingham hall is 9 miles NE of Ipswich on the B1077. Post code IP14 6EF www.suffolkplants.org.uk and www.helmingham.com 39

| MAY 2018

WEST END REVIEW

TOP SHOWS CELEBRATED AT

THE OLIVIERS Benet Catty looks back at an impressive year on the London Theatre Scene

he recent Olivier Awards, presented in an impressivelyproduced ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall (highlights of which can be found on YouTube), is a good opportunity to survey what has been perhaps the strongest year in the London theatre scene for over a decade. The big winner of the year was Hamilton, as it should have been. Hamilton, as reported here in the spring, is unarguably the best musical of the 21st Century and deserves to be on any list of the greatest musicals ever, such is the density of plot and characterization, the ambition of its dramatic telling, and the innovation of its musical treatment. It is the

most nominated show in the history of the Olivier Awards, with thirteen nominations of which it won seven. It added awards for Best Musical, Choreographer, Lighting, Sound, Music, Leading Actor (Giles Terera as Aaron Burr, the Judas to Hamilton’s Jesus), and Supporting Actor (Michael Jibson as George III) to its numerous Broadway awards, the Grammy for its cast album, and the Pulitzer Prize. Hamilton was against a lot of other tremendous musical productions which, in other years, could have expected a sweep of prizes. Girl from the North Country, the Conor McPherson musical play weaving in largely-obscure songs by Bob Dylan, won awards for Sheila Atim and Shirley Henderson. An American in Paris, the classiest show in London last year, was rightly awarded for its dazzling set design by Bob Crowley and 59 Productions. Follies, the National’s triumphant revival of the Stephen Sondheim musical, won best musical revival and best costumes, in both cases beating the dazzling showbiz celebration that is 42nd Street, which equally deserved the choreography award, and remains one of the most glamorous nights out, now starring Lulu. No prizes, sadly, for Everybody’s Talking about Jamie, the popular British musical based on the true story of a teenage transvestite, which has made the career of its star John McCrea. Nothing, either, for Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein, by all accounts a much better production here than the Broadway original but which couldn’t beat the stiff competition from other quarters. The straight play categories were also hotly contested, although straight plays have had a more mixed year, to my mind, than musicals. Jez Butterworth’s The Ferryman won Best Play and Best Director for Sam Mendes, whose marshalling of a huge cast reminded us of his theatrical skills after so much time in recent years focusing on blowing things up for James Bond. Laura Donnelly also won for Best Supporting Actress. The original London cast are soon to open on Broadway. Both of James Graham’s London plays were nominated for awards this year, with Labour of Love (which

starred Tamsin Greig) winning him his first Olivier. Ink, his play about the beginnings of The Sun newspaper, was stuck uncomfortably between popular entertainment and serious art but none the less won Bertie Carvel his second Olivier (having been the original Trunchbull in Matilda) for his performance as Rupert Murdoch. Graham’s new play Quiz, about the coughing major scandal on Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, is now running in London. As well as Follies, the National Theatre also scored two other huge hits this year. Network, Lee Hall’s adaptation of the classic 70s film; and Angels in America, Tony Kushner’s 2-part 8-hour epic which is a strong contender for the greatest play of the last half century. Network, extravagantly over-produced by Ivo Van Hove was event theatre, complete with video wall, constant under-scoring, audience members eating dinner on stage and various presentational magic tricks. It was wonderful entertainment, but amidst all the gimmicks it was Bryan Cranston’s face which made the evening special and which won him the Olivier for Best Actor. Angels, now on Broadway, was a more mixed picture than expected: the stronger part one was under-designed and over-acted by some of the cast; the second play finding the style and scale more successfully. Nathan Lane, the Broadway star, was the dazzler performance although it’s Andrew Garfield’s performance in the key role of Prior Walter that wowed the critics and Denise Gough’s that won the Olivier. The production won best revival. It’s hard to imagine a theatrical year with more high-quality highappeal shows opening in such quick succession. Many top shows - Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, for instance went home with no awards at all, such was the competition. With many of the big hits (Hamilton, Jamie, The Ferryman) still running alongside the big hit of last year (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) and the perennial icons of Phantom and Les Miserables, anyone wanting to treat themselves to a show every month would have no trouble finding something special every time. And that’s rarely been as possible as now. 41

| MAY 2018

LADIES t h g i N Spice Girl Melanie C is ready to wow racegoers with a 90s music DJ session at the Great Yarmouth Racecourse

It’s going to be a busy and varied year ahead for Melanie C. But you would not expect anything else of the high voltage member of the Girl Power gang the Spice Girls.

And, as she chats, she reveals one very special practice session. “It’s my daughter’s ninth birthday so it will be Disco DJ Mummy at the decks – one of my warm-ups for Great Yarmouth.”

As Sporty Spice she found global fame as a singer – which has continued as a solo artist as she prepares to gig and release her eighth album two decades after the girl group took the music world by storm.

The racecourse event songs will be a 1990s set. “It’s probably what people would expect of me. It is such a great decade of music. We can cross from pop and dance to R&B and Brit pop. Lots of music people are going to love to hear and get up and have a great time.

But multi-talented Melanie Chisholm has also been an award-nominee stage star and is now gearing up for a new venture as a live event DJ. It will see her revisit Norfolk this summer in a new guise – presenting an evening of 1990s tracks to crowds at Great Yarmouth Racecourse’s Ladies Night on Wednesday July 18. “It seems like a very natural progression to make,” she explains. “Everything I have done is music based. Music is my first love. I love to perform. I have always loved listening and dancing to music. It is nice to have slightly different role and hopefully getting everyone else dancing. “I will probably be popping up doing a few quiet gigs to cut my teeth before getting up to you guys in Great Yarmouth. “

“There is an enormous choice so we can get a really interesting set. And it would be rude not to include the Spice Girls.” Melanie has just begun recording the new album – which she aims to release late summer, with a couple of singles from it before that. “I am keeping my cards close to my chest about the style. I was very proud of my last album Version of Me but this one feels different and people will find it surprising,” she says. Her musical roots dig deep into her childhood on Merseyside, where her mum and stepfather were both musicians so she was “brought up on it.”

CELEBRITY INTERVIEW a

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There is an enormous choice so we can get a really interesting set. And it would be rude not to include the Spice Girls.

MAY

BOX OFFICE: (01603) 63 00 00 Mon 30 Apr-Tues 1 May DANIEL O’DONNELL Easy-listening singing superstar £10 - £45

Tues 15 May GRAND FINALE* Hofesh Shechter’s ambitious new dance £8 - £26

Thur 3-Sat 5 May ENGLISH TOURING OPERA Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, Puccini’s Il Tabarro & Gianni Schicchi £10 - £37.50

Wed 16 May LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO* Joyful, powerful vocal music £8 - £32

Sun 6 May LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION! Stella School of Dance £10 - £18.50 Tues 8 -Sat 12 May THIS HOUSE Biting and criticallyacclaimed drama of 1970s politics £8 - £28.50

Thur 17 May MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER* Award-winning singer songwriter £8 - £32

Fri 18 May MISHA GLENNY: MCMAFIA Renowned investigative journalist with international crime expose £10 - £18.50 Sat 19 May BEN FOLDS* Multi-platinum-selling singer songwriter £8 - £28 Sun 20 May IAN WAITE & OTI MABUSI Strictly favourites £10 - £26.50 Fri 25-Sat 26 May CINDERELLA IN HOLLYWOOD English Youth Ballet £10 - £23.50

Sun 13 May JIMMY CARR Greatest Hits tour £10 - £28.50

Sun 27 May BEETHOVEN SYMPHONIES 4 & 5* Britten Sinfonia with Thomas Ades £8 - £34 Monday 28 May JUSTIN HAYWARD The voice of The Moody Blues £10 - £38.50 Tues 29 May NILS LOFGREN Legendary E Street Band guitarist £10 - £35.50 Thur 31 May-Fri 1 June ACOSTA DANZA Carlos Acosta’s new Cuban dance company £10 - £39.50

THIS HOUSE

Book online: www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk THEATRE STREET, NORWICH NR2 1RL

| MAY 2018

CELEBRITY INTERVIEW

Melanie says: “I spent my childhood listening to mum’s music - Beatles, Stones, Motown, lots of Stevie Wonder, and Gladys Knight. I am a child of the 80s so when I asked for my first cassettes it was bands like Wham! I loved Madonna and Michael Jackson.”

Melanie has also made day trips to the area “though not as often as I would have liked, because it is a very beautiful part of the world.”

“I like any style. We live in a world when so many genres merge and you don’t have to belong to a tribe any more and can have a bit of everything.”

“It’s always a fun day – I have been to races and just had an absolute blast. It’s a great day out and nice to be part of the entertainment afterwards.”

Great Yarmouth won’t be her first gig in Norfolk. She has performed in Norwich as a solo artist, and with Jools Holland.

Looking back over her career highlights she is proud of her two solo number ones, and an Olivier best actress nomination for her role as Mrs Johnstone in Blood Brothers, which she “never expected in a million years.”

She has also performed at racecourses before Chepstow with Jools and solo at Ascot – but never as a DJ.

The Spice Girls memories are topped by their appearance at the 2012 London Olympics closing ceremony singing from taxi cabs. “It was so exciting and magical because of the setting, and knowing we were being watched by billions all over the world as well as seeing the new social media going into meltdown.” And she is also proud of the Girl Power legacy left behind by the Spice Girls – whose feisty songs played a part in empowering women. “We meet people who are now all grown up and they say such positive things about being a fan when they were younger,” Melanie says. “It gave them confidence, they didn’t feel they had to fit in. It was cool to be different and an individual. We hear lovely stories of people inspired to try and achieve their goals. “Girl Power still resonates today. We have 100 years since women won the vote plus a lot going on about gender equality. We have a generation of young girls, a lot of whom were Spice Girls fans who feel proactive – hopefully we were a part of that.” Melanie C is at Great Yarmouth Racecourse on Wednesday July 18. Tickets for Great Yarmouth Ladies Night are available at www.greatyarmouth-racecourse. co.uk or call 01493 842527. Ladies Night, which last year featured Radio 2 DJ Sara Cox, is one of 23 fixtures at Great Yarmouth this season running from April 24 to October 23 and including the flagship Eastern Festival from September 18-20. The course is one of 16 run by Arena Racing Company (ARC) the largest racecourse operator in the UK.

Melanie C will DJ at this summer’s Great Yarmouth Races Ladies Night on Wednesday 18 July

GREAT YARMOUTH RACECOURSE www.greatyarmouth-racecourse.co.uk

| MAY 2018

Underground D E R R E N B R O W N H

e is back. Derren

Brown is heading back to Norwich Theatre Royal with his brand new show Underground on June 19-23. As he makes his return to the city, he tells Places&Faces® what makes him happy, reflects on the future of magic entertainment and reveals he will be back on our TV screens soon. First question Derren. For those who haven’t seen Underground yet, what can they expect? It began as a show to take abroad for people who hadn’t seen me. It is made up of all the best bits of the previous tours put together to form a new show with its own stand-alone integrity. The result, everyone felt, was such a strong show that we decided to tour it here. The material has been re-envisioned and re-worked (and by its nature is different from night to night anyway). People who come after having seen those previous shows are telling me they are being caught out and surprised again, which is great to hear.

Ha - no not at all. Though I started off as a live performer, so I suppose it’s always been my first love. Any sort of magic is always better live than on TV so I’ve let the television work move into a very different area while keeping the mind-reading and so on for the stage. I’ve worked with the same couple of guys - Andy Nyman and Andrew O’Connor - for almost all of the shows, which is invaluable. We really understand what goes

You’ve gone on record as saying Underground has been the most rewarding show you’ve created. Can you tell us why? Firstly it’s all the best material. So nothing feels like filler: it’s the absolute favourite routines, been picked from 15 years of touring. That’s a great starting point. Then I get to re-work them as the performer I am now. For some of them that’s 15 years on. But perhaps above all I have worked this in more than any previous show. I took a different production of it out to NYC, and have performed it pretty much every night for ten months: It has reached a point of total comfort for me, where everything that could have gone wrong has gone wrong, every possibility has been explored, and it’s a total delight to go out and enjoy night after night. 2018 will mark the 15th year that you’ve consecutively toured with a live show. When you started out in 2003, did you ever imagine you would establish this genuine and durable bond with the British theatre-going public?

DERREN BROWN

Tuesday 19-Saturday 23 June at 7.30pm and Saturday matinee at 2.30pm. Tickets £10-£45. Discounts for Friends. www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk

CELEBRITY

into a show and how to work together to make it happen. And how to make it over-deliver: to give you more than you expect. It’s been huge fun for us all to go back through the material, choose our favourites, and re-work them into a new and coherent show. We each have our own strengths and somehow they all come together to make a big bundle of joy. In 2019, you’re planning to tour America with Derren Brown Secret. Does this mean we won’t be seeing you perform in the UK that year? Quite possibly. Might be a bit much to do both in one year. But home is where the heart is and so on, so I won’t be gone for long. Your Secret show was a big success in New York, but why did you wait this long before taking a stage show abroad? And why do you think the time is right now? There are all sorts of grown-up considerations involved in getting a show together, on or off Broadway. You have to have investors and new producers and whatnot. It takes a while. I’ve barely done anything in the US over the years as I wanted to make sure I did it properly and in a way that was enjoyable. Going the stage route seemed to be the most fun option: I’ve always enjoyed stage more than TV. Talks had been going on between the grown-ups for some time and then one day it all came together. The weather was nice, it’s an extraordinary city, and I made some new friends. It was a delight. You haven’t done a TV special for a while. Is there something in the pipeline? Yes - for Netflix. They are showing

Miracle and The Push - two of my C4 shows - and right now I am making a brand new special for them. That’s been another interesting change - away from terrestrial TV into quite a different world. Channel 4 has been wonderful to me over the years and I hope we’ll do more together in the future: at the moment this is very exciting too. Do you still have that desire to shock audiences? I’ve never aimed to shock for shock’s sake - such a thing isn’t that shocking at all. I try to find a strong dramatic hook, a good intelligent reason for doing it, and not pull any punches. Some of the shows have been ‘noisier’ than others: after ending the world for poor Steven in Apocalypse, I had a group of OAPs steal a painting from a gallery. So I try to stay interesting, make strong dramatic work, and let the shows grow up with me as my own interests change. I think that’s the best anyone can do. The advantage of travelling so much has been the opportunity to focus on one of your abiding passions – street photography. How did you get started on that and tell us about the book you have coming out? Ah yes! This has been a passion for a few years now. Street photography is a kind of candid photography, out and about on the street, and has its own noble historical niche. When you’re well-known you get used to keeping your head down without even knowing you’re doing it: taking pictures has kept me more engaged. Plus I get bored and glum if I don’t have a creative project to work on: a camera is such a portable thing and keeps you very present and on your toes. I love it. A book with a bunch of my pictures and some words I’ve written about it should be coming out soon. Current title is Meet The People With Love. Although your career has seen you go beyond the boundaries of conventional magic and pave the way for a new generation of performers, are you still a magician at heart? I’m not sure. I never want to show people tricks in real life. It’s

a strangely childish preoccupation. Occasionally I see a great magic show the last one was Derek DelGuadio’s In and Of Itself, a magic show of sorts in New York, and I get excited to be part of that world. But the things that used to delight me - card tricks and so on tend to leave me cold nowadays. So I’m not sure where I’m at with it all. I’m just following my nose through it all and letting it take me wherever seems enjoyable. Do you think the future of magicinspired entertainment is in safe hands? I’m sure. More than anything we need to experience surprise when we watch magicians of any sort, so the performers who just offer minor variations of whomever is in vogue at the time won’t ever quite cut it. But every now and then someone comes along with a genuinely original vision and it’s all rather exciting again. There’ll always be new physics or technology we don’t quite understand that will prove to be a rich source of magical premises. At one point the new science of electricity was almost exclusively used by magicians for demonstrations. Next it’ll be quantum physics: it’s already used as a catch-all for The Law of Attraction and other New Age nonsense, because it sounds impressive and is sufficiently misunderstood. I’m sure a future wave of magi will find their home there. Finally, you’ve inspired a lot of people with your book Happy but what truly makes you happy? Well, writing the book made me very happy. I think I’m at my happiest engaged in a project like that. Reading and writing for hours on my own makes me feel very good. Especially as I tend to do it most when I’m on tour, so I get to then go out and show off on stage for a couple of hours after being tucked away working. A big source of happiness is having meaning, and immersion in a creative project certainly offers that. And being outward- rather than inwardlooking: letting your sense of self spread out and connect with others - or at least something outside yourself. I feel that strongly when I’ve been reading the right sort of book and then I step out into the street and feel all warm and gooey towards everyone. That’s the best feeling. It’s important for us to find our own ways of getting lost in something bigger than ourselves: that’s how we find meaning, and we are meaning-seeking creatures.

Photograph by JOHAN PERSSON

| MAY 2018

rom his role as head barman Gino Primirola in TV’s glamorous five-star Hotel Babylon, to playing Billy Elliot’s dad on stage, Martin Marquez is an actor who slips easily between theatre and film or television work. He’s appeared in everything from The Bill (where he played DS Danny Pearce), Doc Martin, EastEnders, Benidorm and The Crown to the 2012 Oscar-winning movie of Les Misérables. But the stage remains his first love and he has trodden the boards for the National Theatre, Shakespeare’s Globe and the Young Vic in productions ranging from Husbands & Sons, Anything Goes, Mother Courage & Her Children, Much Ado About Nothing and The Iceman Cometh. He is thrilled to be currently appearing in the National Theatre’s UK tour of criticallyacclaimed political thriller This House, which heads to Norwich Theatre Royal from May 8-12. Set in the Westminster hung parliament of 1974 to 1979, it throws a light on the behind-the-scenes political machinations of the opposing Labour and Tory whips’ offices as Labour desperately tries to hold on to power. “I’ve always said it and I say it now even more, if theatre paid as well as TV and film I would happily do theatre only, whereas if it was the other way round I wouldn’t. I want to do theatre. It’s why I became an actor,” Martin said. “I love the rehearsal process. I love putting it on in front of an audience, especially if I’m doing comedy, and having some form of control over it each night in terms of pacing it. That’s the thrill for me, the buzz, and that’s very difficult to get on TV and film which is set a few times and then that’s it. You can’t really hone it on TV and film. But by the end of the tour, This House will be so good. I’m enjoying it now but by the end of the tour it will be so slick.” This House is written by playwright, television writer and one-time actor James Graham. A biting, energetic and humorous production, it strips politics down to the practical realities of those behind the scenes who roll up their sleeves, and on occasion bend the rules, to manoeuvre a diverse and conflicting chorus of MPs through the lobbies to register their crucial votes as a government battles to maintain power. The fast-paced action is played out in the opposing whips’ offices and in the chamber, 48

where tough talk is interspersed with razorsharp wit and smatterings of 1970s music from a lively onstage band. The set gives a real feel of the battle across the despatch boxes with its green benches and wood panelling, and even the office chairs display the Westminster portcullis symbol. Martin plays Labour Chief Whip Bob Mellish – the no-nonsense son of a docker who represented Bermondsey in the London borough of Southwark. He was an ‘old school’ Labour MP and loyal to Harold Wilson who was Prime Minister from 1974-76. When Harold Wilson resigned in 1976, Jim Callaghan defeated Roy Jenkins and Michael Foot for the leadership of the Labour Party. Bob had supported Michael Foot, but he disliked Jim Callaghan so much that he resigned from the cabinet. Martin said: “The play has been written by James Graham with quite a bit of artistic licence. As I started to research my particular character Bob Mellish, it became clear that what he had written was a version of him. Bob was from Bermondsey. He was certainly very political. His dad was a docker and would have been involved in the dockers’ strikes [of 1899 and 1912]. So when Bob was 16, he went straight into working in the docks and was in the offices working for the trades unions. “Throughout his career he did a lot for hospitals because they had helped his mum and he was very grateful for that. I think, rather sadly, by the time it got to the stage where he parted company with the whips’ office because he didn’t get on with Jim Callaghan, if it had been Michael Foot who had won the leadership then he would have been in still. Then the politics of Labour moved and it didn’t suit him, so he actually left the Labour Party a bit unceremoniously, which is a shame because he was a really good man and a good father.” Both Bob and his fellow MPs are a colourful bunch and Martin said: “You don’t get particularly characterful politicians any more. You get a couple and they are made fun of like Boris Johnson. I think he would fit in the 70s. But generally speaking they are all clean and very careful about what they say and how they say it. I think it’s a bit of a shame, but I do think an element of passion will come through into politics again through the younger generation – I’m hopeful.”

Most of the cast paid a visit to the House of Commons in the run-up to rehearsals. “I couldn’t go to Parliament, but most of the cast did. I had been before so I knew the feel of it - there’s an element of school to it,” Martin said. He was aged ten to 14 during the period in which the play is set. “I do remember that time a little bit, the music references and I knew about Jeremy Thorpe. I knew the Prime Minster was changing at the time, but I don’t remember a hung parliament. So it is informative. It was a really interesting tense time for politics, and all these other things are going on in the background. There’s a referendum on going in or staying out of Europe and there’s chaos and a hung parliament, and that’s very topical.” He finds the tactics used by the whips interesting as they endeavour to get what they refer to as the ‘odds and sods’ to vote with them. “I’m sure they don’t use the same tactics now, but there was talk of physical bullying. Isn’t it strange - you are going back 30 to 40 years and you would have thought by 2018 it would have been a thing of the past, but we are still struggling with it?” So do audiences need a political understanding to enjoy the play? Martin thinks not: “Younger generations who don’t know that period have really enjoyed it because it is about characters, it’s about humanity – it’s about people and how they cope and how they deal with it.” With 19 actors in the cast, the action moves quickly and energetically. “When the votes are called there’s only a short time to get everyone thorough the lobbies, and it’s not about getting everyone to tick a box. They have to come down the stairs and physically go through the lobbies. If they don’t want to vote because they don’t agree, then the whips have to go and chase them and bring them down. As a result of that energy, it is very funny. It’s interesting the different laughs we get in different venues,” Martin said. He is a man who likes his comedy. Born to a Spanish father and English mother and raised in Coventry, Martin worked as a personal trainer and a barman before becoming an actor. He and his brother, John, who acted alongside him in Hotel Babylon and also in Doc Martin, are known as The Brothers Marquez and have performed their much acclaimed comedy theatre show at Edinburgh and the Soho Theatre in London; while the comedy genes continue in his daughter, Ramona Marquez, who played the endearing Karen Brockman in the awardwinning BBC sitcom Outnumbered. Martin also gets to show off his singing talent in This House too with a David Bowie number performed in the second half with the live band. While he enjoys touring, Norwich is the one venue on the This House UK Tour tour schedule that he has never visited. “It’s been put on the map with Alan Partridge hasn’t it?” he jokes, but then reveals that he nearly became a student in the city. “I nearly went to the UEA to study English and American Literature as it had a very good course for that. So I envisaged myself being in Norwich, but it didn’t happen.”

CELEBRITY

From head barman to political bruiser Judy Foster speaks to

MARTIN MARQUEZ

THIS HOUSE

Tuesday to Saturday, 8-12 May, 2018, 7.30pm nightly with 2.30pm matinees on Thursday & Saturday. Tickets £8-£28.50. Discounts for Friends & Corporate Club, Over-60s, Under-18s and Groups. Captioned performance on Thursday 10 May at 2.30pm. Onstage seating at £21 per person is available for each performance but limited to 18 people per show please call the box office for more information www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk 49

| MAY 2018

Flamboyant yet private Freddie Mercury was something of an enigma. He was born in what is now known as Tanzania, then the Sultanate of Zanzibar. A British citizen he came to the UK when his family fled the 1964 Zanzibar Revolution. He graduated in Art and Graphic Design from Ealing Art College, held down a job at Heathrow Airport and ran a second hand clothes stall on Kensington Market. Freddie’s personal life was complicated. His romantic relationship with long term girl friend Mary Austin ended in 1976, but he thought of her as his best friend and ‘common law wife’ until the end. He left his house to her. Freddie died in November 1991. His friend Dave Clark of the Dave Clark Five was with him. He passed away in the evening of the 24th. In the early hours of the 25th the media were full of the news. By the 27th a Zoroastrian priest had conducted his funeral service. Thing had always moved quickly in Freddie’s life. So they did in death. There will always be unanswered questions and mysteries about him, but here are ten things you quite possibly didn’t know about Freddie Mercury.

AND THEN...

In April 1970 Freddie met a couple of chaps who had been in another short lived band called Smile. They were Brian May and Roger Taylor. By the time they’d met John Deacon they had a band. There were some reservations on the part of the management company but Freddie was insistent. The new band would be called ‘Queen’.

FREDDIE, KENNY, AND THE BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY THING.

In 1974 Freddie was a guest on Kenny Everett’s Capital Radio Breakfast Show. They got on famously. The following year Freddie visited Kenny, and took with him an advance copy of a record called ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. Everett was initially worried that, at over six minutes, the single was too long for radio stations to play. When he heard it he was enthralled. Capital not accepting the track didn’t stop Kenny. Constantly referring on air to a record that ‘he had but couldn’t play’ he broadcast the single ‘accidentally’. ‘Oops’ he would say, ‘my finger slipped’. Indeed! On one day he played Bohemian Rhapsody ‘accidentally’ 36 times. At Capital Radio the switchboard was jammed. People were demanding to know when the record was going to be released. Kenny’s friendship with Freddie had ‘accidentally’ propelled ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ towards legendary status.

AND THERE WAS ANOTHER ACCIDENT… which in truth Freddie

probably regretted. On December 1st 1976 Freddie went to the dentist. He wasn’t a regular attender; this was his first appointment in fifteen years. The overdue visit made him sufficiently uncomfortable to cancel the band’s scheduled appearance on that

He was born, on September 5th 1946, as Farrokh Bulsara. It was when he was at St. Peter’s, a Mumbai boarding school for boys, that he started to call himself Fred, or Freddie, Bulsara. In 1970 he legally changed his full name to Freddie Mercury.

LIVERPOOL!

It’s sometimes overlooked now but Freddie’s first forays into the British scene took him to Liverpool. It was a bit later than Beatlemania but, in 1969, in the legendary centre of pop, Freddie joined local band Ibex, who would go on to rename themselves Wreckage. Living in a flat over a pub our hero worked at the gigs and the dates but Wreckage were not destined for the big time. Neither was Sour Milk Sea, the next outfit that Freddie took up with. By the start of 1970 they too were consigned to the long list of ‘might have beens’.

AND ANOTHER ONE! Freddie’s

famous use of what’s become known as the ‘bottomless mic’ was the result of another accident. Fairly early on in Queen’s touring days, and half way through a show, Mr Mercury’s mic stand snapped in half. Undaunted, he carried on. He liked the way it looked, so he kept on doing it for the rest of his performing career.

THE MUSIC BEGINS.

In 1959. At the age of 12, and still at St. Peter’s, Freddie formed a band. ‘The Hectics’ played cover versions of Little Richard - and Cliff Richard! Friends from the time recall what he was obviously an innate talent. Freddie had an uncanny ability ‘to listen to the radio and replay what he heard on piano.’

evening’s episode of the talk show ‘Today’. They’d been due there to promote their new album, ‘A Day at the Races’. Anxious not to miss any promotional opportunity their label, EMI, sent instead their new signing; a band called The Sex Pistols. Somewhat ‘relaxed’ by copious amounts of free drink The Sex Pistols found themselves faced by a (legend has it, equally ‘relaxed’) confrontational host in Bill Grundy. He goaded them. They retaliated with obscene language. Within minutes The Sex Pistols were catapulted into notoriety. The ‘establishment’ Grundy who had sought to show them up had effectively launched their careers and wrecked his own. Simultaneously, the gap between the punk ethos and the rock star world of Queen was defined in a moment... and all because Freddie Mercury went to the dentist.

THE NAME.

THAT VOICE. Freddie Mercury’s vocal

range extended from bass low F (F2) to soprano high F (F6). He could reach tenor high F (F5). It was a voice that

caused interest. In 2016 Professor Christian Herbst led a research team who wanted to explore its appeal. They studied ‘vocal samples’ from ‘23 commercially available Queen Recordings, his solo work, and a series of interviews of the late artist’. They also used ‘an endoscopic video camera to study a rock singer brought in to imitate Mercury’s singing voice’.

FREDDIE AND THE CATS. Not the

name of a band, but an important part of Freddie’s personal life. He loved his cats and at one point had ten. He wrote songs for them. He had their portraits painted. And when he was on tour he ‘phoned his cats. Every day.

THE MAN KNEW HOW TO PARTY!

On September 5th 1987 Freddie Mercury celebrated his 41st birthday. There were 700 guests. Held at the Pikes Hotel on Ibizia the party has been described as ‘the most incredible example of excess the Mediterranean island had ever seen.. .’ The original cake collapsed and was replaced with a sponge showing the notes to ‘Barcelona’. It was two metres long. When the bill for the party was presented to Queen’s manager it included the cost for broken wine glasses…… 232 of them.

TEN THINGS

P ET E G OOD RUM’S mo n th l y l oo k a t s om e o f t h e l e s s e r kn ow n fa ct s o f ro ck a n d po p…

ThiMniggs ht You not Know AbOut:

FREDDIE MERCURY 51

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INGR EDIEN TS: (MAK ES ONE) • 25ml Earl Grey Syrup

• 25ml Gin

• 15ml Shot Orange Blossom Water

ing • Top up with Nyetimber (Or any other white sparkl you might fancy or have in your fridge)

TO MAKE THE EARL GREY SYRU P • 2 Tbsp of Loose Earl Grey Tea (We use Blue Lady from Wilkinson’s in Norwich)

• 200g White Sugar • 200ml Water

heat on a Put all the ingredients into a sauce pan and medium heat until simmering. allow to cool Once simmering remove from the heat and lid or a bowl a with tub plastic a into er transf slightly, then with the and cling ﬁlm and allow to cool fully in the fridge lid on so the syrup infuses. le. Strain the syrup through a sieve into a little bott

TO MAKE THE COCK TAIL

Grey Syrup, In a cocktail shaker with ice, pour in the Earl Gin and Orange Blossom Water and shake for approximately 10 seconds. Strain into a coupe glass or a glass of your choice (A vintage tea cup would also look nice!)

Top up with Nyetimber to add a little sparkle. h with Garnish with an edible ﬂower or you could garnis s to hand. orange zest if you don’t have any edible ﬂower

COCKTAIL OF THE MONTH

T H E ROYA L E A R L GR E Y

We are in the month of May and the event of the year is fast approaching, no I don’t mean the FA Cup Final I’m talking about the Royal Wedding!

It will be taking place on Saturday 19th May in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, as with many other Royal events the whole country (as well as many others) are buzzing with excitement!Neighbourhoods up and down the UK will be hanging the bunting, finding every chair in the house to line up along the tressel tables and constructing the gazebos in preparation for the inevitable British weather. The tables will be laden with cucumber sandwiches, scones, tea cakes, trifles and of course a tipple or two ready to celebrate with the neighbours. For a very British cocktail combine the Royal Family’s love of a good brew with English Sparkling wine and a touch of gin perfect for sipping whilst the celebrations are in full swing and you’re all listening to the rain patter on the gazebo!

Photography by KATJA BAINBRIDGE

Restaurant Manager at Benedicts Restaurant in Norwich www.restaurantbenedicts.com info@restaurantbenedicts.com or call 01603 926080

Photography by KATJA BAINBRIDGE

Maddy Johnson

RECIPE

Richard Bainbridge

V IC T OR I A SP ONGE

is the chef proprietor of Benedicts Restaurant in Norwich www.restaurantbenedicts.com info@restaurantbenedicts.com or call 01603 926080

May to me is the start of summer, with May Day celebrations, the Maypole, Village Fetes and the days getting warmer. A staple at all village fetes is the ‘Bake Off’ competition where the nerves are high and you can cut the tensions between families and friends with a knife. The Victoria Sponge is the nemesis of so many with its iconic layers of jam and buttercream and lighter than air sponge. This cake represents everything

that is British like our ever lasting hope for long warm Summers. So if you want to be a contender, a marvel to family and friends at your next village fete then this is the recipe for you. My little twist is to use a Genoise sponge as it is quick, easy, light and tastes delicious! So “Here-here” to the Royal Wedding, “Here-here” to British Summer time and “Here-here” to the ever victorious Victoria sponge cake!

FOR THE SPON GE INGR EDIEN TS: • 250g Plain Flour

• 8 Medium Eggs

• 250g Caster Sugar

• 60g Salted Butter (Melted)

Pre heat oven to 190°c Place eggs and sugar into a Kenwood bowl and whisk for about 12 minutes or until it has doubled in size and leaves a thick ribbon trail. Lightly sift the ﬂour into the bowl and delicately fold in with a plastic spatula, then add the melted butter. Bake for 8-10 minutes, once cooked remove from the oven onto a cooling rack covered with a cloth.

FO R TH E BU TT ER CR EA M IC IN G IN GR ED IEN TS : • 140g Butter (Soften

• 280g Icing Sugar

ed)

• 1-2 Tbsp Milk Beat the butter in a large bowl until soft. Add half of the icing sugar and beat until smooth. Add the remaining icing sugar and one tablespoon of the milk and beat the mixture until cre amy and smooth then beat in the res t of the milk. For the Jam Homemade is always best but if not I recommend Bo nne Maman Strawberry Jam.

TO ASSE MBLE

Slice your sponge into thirds spreading the jam on one layer then the buttercream on top and repeat on another layer leaving one without for the top layer. Garnish with fresh raspberries and dust the top with icing sugar.

| MAY 2018

STEM GINGER

Now that the summer evenings are on their way Peter Clarke head chef of the Imperial Hotel cooks up a delicious dessert to impress your guests this May

CITRUS SAUCE GRATED DARK CHOCOLATE AND BERRIES

Photography by MALCOLM HIRST

e k a c e Chees

ta, polenta, sant, whitepolen lklkphea leg,white Confititleg, Breas sant,Conf phea Norfo ofNorfo tof BreastSTEM GINGER CHEESECAKE jus berry black a nuts jus Berries berry and , ,hazle a black and black nutsand hazle es berries Citrus Sauce, Grated Dark Chocolate blackberri SIX METHOD IENTS SIX SERVES INGRED IENTS Breast of SERVES Norfolk INGRED

ee ter Pe Clar arkke Peter Clark terCl Pe head chef utive exec e head executiv head chef utive exec ofofthe the ELEL RIAL HOTEL IMPE LHOT IMPERIA HOT RIAL IMPE chef head outh e executiv Yarm t th Grea Yarmou inin Great Yarmouth in Great

Peter Clarke

RECIPE RECIPE RECIPE RECIPE

pheasant, Confit leg, white polenta,

fridgefat, to set for at pepper least 3 hours but ideally Whiz the digestive biscuits up in a food and salt duck • •Thyme, pepper t legs and salt pheasan 44 and duck fat, t breasts •blackberries ,add hazlenuts and aThyme, blackberry jus legsin pheasan and t breasts overnight. processor and the butter,t put a pheasan •4 4pheasan Oil For the citrus sauce, place everything into cheesecake mould or ring and bake for 4• • each ries Oil • •3 blackber each SIX ries 3 blackber INGREDIENTS a medium saucepan and bring to the minutesSERVES in an oven at 1800c. Once they come the onon cut and peeled carrots sized heritage 3 • the cut and peeled s • 3 heritage roasted • •40g s cool and then transfer to hazelnut boil. carrots Continue to boil at a lower heat until out ofhazelnut the oven let roasted 40g

• 4 pheasant breasts and 4 pheasant legs

. . and pepper lozenges into • slant Thyme, duck fat, salt lozenges into slant

the sauce is of thick syrup consistency. Place fridgeflour( until quick they are cold. Meanwhile place cook) • •6 6ozozpolenta cook) flour( quick polenta with sieved and pureed Oil • 3 blackberries eachcream in a bowl and whisk to •• • blackber 12 in aries bowl and reserve for serving withbut do not the double sieved and pureed ries blackber 12 n n bowl place the cream1tbsp ofrefrigerate. parmesa grated ofsoft ozoz • •2.5 water parmesa To serve place the grated peaks. In another of 2.5 water of • 3 1tbsp heritage carrots peeled and cut on cheesecake the • 40g roasted hazelnuts offlozenges. centre to the side of the plate. Add some and work with a whisk until smooth slant into water ofof pint aa pintscheese 1/2 toto •• •1.5 reduced stock water • •2 2pint pint 1/2 reduced stock beef pintbeef 6 1.5 oz pints polenta flour( quick cook) and creamy. Add the stem ginger syrup and

of the citrus sauce to the berries per portion

milk 12 blackberries pureed and sieved ofof a pint •• •Half shoots pea milk and distribute neatly on thewith plate. Drizzle •• •25g stem ginger and incorporate until pint Half shoots 2.5 oz a ofchopped grated parmesan pea 25g of the 1tbsp ofyour water citrus sauce around the plate. Grate the evenly distributed. Place the whipped double erer butt oz •• •4 IMPERIAL HOTEL butt oz 1.54 pints of water chocolate the plate on top of the cream into the cream cheese and fold • 2 pint beef stock over reduced to 1/2and a pint in Great Yarmouth cheesecake and enjoy. together. Half a pint of milkFill the moulds up and place in the INGREDIENTS MAKES SIX INDIVIDUAL •METHOD • 25g pea shootsa trying pan on capable if taking 4 METHOD put Next aa inin place and put a trying pan on capable if taking 4 thyme and Next fat duck place •Take 4 ozthe butt er and thyme and fat duck the Take and add 1 tbsp of oil, heat up

• 150g digestive biscuits • 50g butter • 200ml double cream • 400g full fat cream cheese • 4tbsp ginger syrup • 8 pieces stem ginger pieces in syrup finely chopped Citrus sauce • 2 lemons juice and zest • 3 oranges juice and zest • 1 lime juice and zest • 1oz sugar

To Serve • 4 raspberries, 4 blueberries and 2 blackberries per portion and grated dark chocolate

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t tchefs ofofbrillian • •AAteam chefs brillian team A team of brilliant chefs list wine •Superb wine Superb •Superb wine list list here atmosp ck Laid-ba •Laid-back here atmosp ck • Laid-baatmosphere perfect restaurant for dinner or

for dinner restaurant The perfect TheThe perfect restaurant for dinner or or Hotel, AtAtthe lunch. Sunday Hotel, Imperial theImperial lunch. Sunday Sunday lunch. At the Imperial Hotel, 1EQ. , NR30 Drive, North , NR30 Yarmouth GtYarmouth Drive, North North Drive, Gt Gt Yarmouth, NR30 1EQ.1EQ. 842000 01493 call book 842000 01493 call To To book call 01493 842000 book To

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- 2pm 12.30 Sunday Sunday 12.30 - 2pm - 2pm 12.30 Sunday - 10pm 6.30 - Saturday Monday Monday - Saturday 6.30 - 10pm - 10pm 6.30 - Saturday Monday daily. is isopen TheThe Terrace is open daily. ForFor opening opening Foropening daily. open Terrace TheTerrace tel.co.uk totoimperialho gogo & &menu times & menu go to imperialhotel.co.uk times tel.co.uk imperialho menu times

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BAR & RESTAURANT Sculthorpe, Fakenham, Norfolk NR21 9QD

The Hourglass is situated in the Village of Sculthorpe a mile away from the market town of Fakenham. This village pub was transformed in 2007 into a contemporary open plan restaurant which serves both lunch and dinner, offering traditional cuisine with the odd modern twist.

SUNDAY LUNCH from £12.95

Served between 12.30pm and 3pm MKTP&F18

SPECIAL OFFER Book a table for Sunday Lunch before 31st August to receive a ‘2 for 1’ Golf green fee voucher (Cut out this advertisement and hand to the Brasserie team to receive your voucher) Office use, please return to Marketing Team

Book your table on 01603 759393 or online: www.barnham-broom.co.uk BRASSERIE AT BARNHAM BROOM, HONINGHAM ROAD, NORWICH, NORFOLK NR9 4DD

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WFF070 Local Press A5L v2.indd 1

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We can scribe your units to walls, ceilings, coving and skirting board to create a seamless finish in any room regardless of the age or style of property. And finally, our after sales service. We want you to always love your room and to ensure this we will return after a six-week settling-in period and check all doors and drawers are running smoothly. We will also inspect the finish and make any adjustments necessary. We pride ourselves on the longevity of our furniture and are happy to assist in the future with any issues that may occur. The standards that we set ourselves are applied to all our furniture, be it kitchen units, fitted wardrobes, vanity units, beds, dining tables or occasional furniture. Our reputation is built on everything you have read and we would welcome the opportunity to work with you on your next project, large or small. Our showroom is open Monday to Saturday 10am – 4pm at Unit 2 Station Business Park, Horning Road West, Hoveton, NR12 8QJ. No appointment is necessary and we look forward to seeing you… 63

| MAY 2018

y k c o R s m o t t o B

Mark Nicholls enjoys the seafood flavours of the Norfolk coast at

RESTAURANT REVIEW

ummer lunchtime by the coast; for me,

it has to be a crab salad. Some may describe it as a combination made in heaven, but what us is certain is that it is a treat perfectly sourced and served in Norfolk. I stopped by Rocky Bottoms, a cosy crab and lobster café near West Runton owned and run by Ali and Richard Matthews, for a spot of lunch on a warm spring day to savour one of Norfolk’s finest foods. With provenance of food of the utmost importance nowadays, another big plus for RBs – as it is known – is that the food served up by owner Ali and her staff will have been freshly-caught hours earlier by Richard, who has been fishing for crab and lobster off the North Norfolk coast for the best part of 40 years. It is with this in mind that I took my seat in their eaterie, a sturdy little building with its own history. Originally a brick kiln dating from the 1800s, it closed down in the mid-20th century and was later used as agricultural storage until it became derelict. Discovered by Richard and Ali a few years ago, it was revived and transformed into a restaurant in May 2015 to quickly become one of the more popular seafood spots along the North Norfolk coastline. Rocky Bottoms has tables inside as well as dining al fresco, from where you can gaze out over the sea and the source of the food on your plate. The menu is simple, yet varied, and sticks enthusiastically to its fresh seafood ethos, with crab and lobster the basis of the signature dishes. When it comes to dining on the coast, I feel very loyal to crab and duly ordered the excellent Weybourne King Crab Salad with buttered chive new potatoes and homemade lemon mayo (£14). Not only was it deliciously tasty, the accompanying salad was lovely and fresh and with an irresistible dressing. I had started with the pan friend garlic king prawns for £7.50, which is also available as a main course at £12.95. Fellow diners were tucking in to grilled half lobsters, either with garlic butter or Thai style (£19), while other options included fish cakes; crab, garlic and chilli linguine; beer battered cod; and ‘Tart of the Catch’. There’s also a specials menu with dishes such as salmon and king prawn laksa; king prawn, crab and samphire tart; or a warm salad of roasted beetroot, braised fennel and smoke sea trout.

There are light lunches, sandwiches – such as the lovely whole crab sandwich or posh fish finger ciabatta – and a children’s menu as well as desserts, including lemon cheese cake and Rocky’s sticky toffee pudding. With a range of soft and hot drinks, diners have the option to bring in their own alcohol at £2.50 per person with glasses provided. Richard’s fishing boat, the Anna-Gail, is a traditional doubleended crab boat and one of the few remaining traditional fishing boats on local waters today. On return from fishing, Richard boils the crabs and lobsters and Ali dresses them ready for the table, with head chef James Fitzpatrick working alongside sous chefs, trainee manager Joseph Gasse-Coope and a team of waitresses. RBs also provides a number of other local businesses with Weybourne crabs and lobsters and the restaurant also has a takeaway service with customers often dropping in for a fresh crab to take home. The takeaway seafood counter is open from 10am daily and dining at Rocky Bottoms from 12noon to 5pm and until 8pm on Friday and Saturday evenings when surf and turf (with a 6oz steak) is available between 6-8pm. With the restaurant overlooking the sea, the philosophy is of serving up fresh crab and lobsters for customers that love to “eat, drink and enjoy the view” in a true (lobster) pot to plate experience. And as the weather warms, what better taste of summer in Norfolk is there than eating crab and lobster caught freshly offshore a few miles away. For more information: Rocky Bottoms, Cromer Road, West Runton, Norfolk, NR27 9QA. To book, call 01263 837359 and visit www.rockybottoms.co.uk for more information.

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DINING OUT AROUND THE WORLD

| MAY 2018

World

DINING OUT AROUND THE

The diversity in dining opportunities in Norfolk & Suffolk mean that you could eat around the world and try something new every week of the year.

rom traditional African stews to the best modern British cuisine and street food style eating, our two counties have plenty to shout about. Norfolk and Suffolk both offer a fantastic array of eateries from fine dining experiences and traditional pubs to farm cafe’s and tea rooms, taste wonderful local produce from this region of culinary excellence. Both counties are famous for enjoying a good night out and the quality of the restaurants is bound to be an important aspect for foodies alike. Both counties have a great deal to offer when it comes to food from Chinese to Greek and Italian to Thai, Indian to Vietnamese as well as pub classics like Fish and Chips and a good old Sunday Roast. We have a wonderful array of cosmopolitan restaurants in both counties which goes to show how the British palate is now thoroughly stimulated with a huge range of tastes from around the world. Norfolk proudly boasts two Michelin-starred restaurants Morston Hall in Holt and Neptune in Hunstanton, but did you know there are 26 other eateries in the county which have received recognition from Michelin? A number of these restaurants feature in a section of the guide which is known as Bib Gourmand and highlights eateries that offer “exceptional good food at moderate prices” and to qualify they have to serve menu items below a set price. Suffolk also boasts a wide range of fine dining options, from classis English pubs serving homemade pub classics, light-bites and traditional Sunday roasts to fine dining restaurants. Suffolk may not be blessed with Michelin stars but when it comes to great eating places and cooking with fresh local ingredients they can compete with anyone. Anyone seeking delicious, high quality, a la Carte French cuisine in beautiful and interesting locations in Suffolk

are in for a real treat with the following three restaurants. The Mariners Restaurant in Ipswich, The Maison Bleue Restaurant in the heart of the beautiful and historic town of Bury St Edmunds and The Great House Restaurant & Hotel in Laveneham which has been owned and run by Martine and Regis Crepy since 1985 Cosmo brings an authentic tour of the world’s most loved dishes to Norwich. The restaurant is conveniently located in London Street just a short walk away from intu Chapelfield shopping centre, Norwich Cathedral and Norwich Theatre Royal, making it the perfect pit stop. Cosmo’s authentic world kitchen was inspired by some of the best five star hotels in the world and brought world cuisine together under one roof elevating the buffet concept to new levels. The restaurant serves up more than 150 dishes from around the world including China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, Mongolia, Singapore, Vietnam, England and India. Examples of dishes include sushi, sweet and sour pork, pizza, salmon fillet in black bean sauce and Chicken Korma. For dessert you can enjoy bite sized morsels of homemade cakes, comforting puddings, creamy profiteroles, fresh fruit and gelato galore. For just one fixed price you can experience eight live cooking stations and take your pick from over 150 dishes. If you enjoy Indian cuisine then you will love Planet Spice. You can be assured of a warm welcome at Planet Spice and be greeted by relaxed and comfortable surroundings, tempted by an unrivalled range of authentic and imaginative dishes, which are prepared by the restaurants caring chef using only the highest quality ingredients. Established in 2010 in a picturesque village of Ormesby St. Margaret, in the heart of the Norfolk Broads, Plant Spice 67

Just yards from lovely Hemsby Beach

Crawfish Inn

Thai Restaurant & Bar

Tel 01328 878313

FOOD FOR ALL OCCASIONS PLUS

Holt Road, Thursford, Norfolk. NR21 0BJ

BEVANS SUNDAY CARVERY, LICENSED WEDDING VENUE

& we have a bright brand NEW CONSERVATORY, perfect for afternoon tea, small functions, family parties

Opening Time: Tuesday - Sunday from 6pm

01493 733281

www.thelaconarms.co.uk

Senior Citizen Special

MONDAY-FRIDAY IN THE RESTAURANT ONLY £6.95

Eat in or take away – you're sure to love our menus!

WE ARE A FAMILY-RUN BUSINESS PROUDLY SERVING TASTY FISH & CHIPS MADE IN THE TRADITIONAL WAY SINCE THE 1960S WWW.FISHERSOFHUNSTANTON.COM

01485 532487

2-4 GREEVEGATE, HUNSTANTON, PE36 6BJ

DINING OUT AROUND THE WORLD brings to you a new concept in culinary fare. At Planet Spice their approach is for healthy eating. No food additives are used in their dishes. Indeed most of the herbs and spices they use in their kitchen are natural and organic, and are freshly ground to maintain natural flavours and aromas with all dishes being made fresh to order to suit your taste. If Mediterranean style dishes are your taste then you will love The Olive Garden restaurant in Gorleston, friendly service, relaxed atmosphere and at the same time capturing the essence of Cyprus. The chef’s father grew up in a small village in Cyprus and absorbed a real passion for food from a very young age. His father’s love of bringing people together to enjoy a meal certainly rubbed off. The ethos at The Olive Garden is to use locally sourced produce, prepared using authentic recipes. Specialties include Greek and Cypriot food as both senior chefs originate from the beautiful island of Cyprus. The Olive Garden Restaurant was established in Great Yarmouth in 200 then moved to its current location on Gorleston High Street in 2016. The new premises offer a larger capacity, a private dining room and much improved customer parking facilities. Well worth a visit. If you like Thai cuisine then the Crawfish Thai Restaurant near Fakenham is a must for you as they prepare their dishes with the finest ingredients obtained from Thailand. On the menu you will find seasoned Kaffir lime leaves, Thai basil, Pandun leaf and other essential Thai ingredients. The combination of classical Thai authentic seasoning combined

with fresh local produce gives the chefs the freedom to create an extraordinary array of distinctive dishes, from the pleasantly mild to the intensely spicy. So no matter what your palate is, their dishes are freshly cooked just to your liking. Built in 1833 The Crawfish Inn located on the main Fakenham to Holt Road (A148) is the only public house in Thursford Village. As a Free House they have a wide range of drinks to suit your taste from local cask Ales to a popular range of draught beers. A recent newspaper review on The Copper Smokehouse at Oulton Broad headed up the article “A meat spectacular that will leave your taste buds dancing for joy” With a headline like that it will come as no surprise that the menu is loaded with meat, meat and then more meat, however they also cater well for vegetarians. For those meat lovers amongst you the portions are on the rather large size. A 6oz surf and turf is priced at £18 and an 8oz Sirloin or Rib Eye is priced at £19.The sharing Combo for two is a popular

choice - the meat range on the menu includes sliced brisket, barbecue ribs, pulled pork, smoked sausage, burnt ends, chicken wings, beans, fries, corn and slaw and is priced at £18 per person. The reviews on The Copper Smokehouse are good, so we would say this is well worth a visit at some point soon. Formerly the UK’s first public subscription library, this wonderful listed building is now home to the Library Restaurant in Guildhall Hill, Norwich. Boasting a plethora of fantastic food, cocktails and wine, and the Library’s codirectors Nigel & Jayne Raffles’ biggest project to date. This stunning building is rich with historic features and boasts a large lounge, bar and brasserie. There is also an outside courtyard, perfect for alfresco dining, where food is cooked on a specially imported, wood fired grill. The a La Carte menu offers a variety of beautifully presented dishes to satisfy every palate. Many menu items are cooked on a specially imported wood-fired grill and feature quality local produce from across Norfolk. The menu includes succulent locally sourced hand cut steaks, homemade and wood grilled burgers, pan fried sea trout to vegetarian dishes including baked Vietnamese eggs with toasted peanuts and crispy baked shallots. When it comes to a good old fashioned traditional British meal then you will have to go a long way to beat fish and chips. It is the undisputed National dish of Great Britain, instantly recognisable the World over... hence the saying “As British as fish and Chips”. The origins of Fish and Chips appear to be around the mid 19th century, closely associated with the industrial revolution, which lead to many changes in Britain including the British palate. Its popularity has never really changed and is still a hugely popular original and affordable takeaway. Fishers of Hunstanton are a proud family run restaurant with a great reputation for serving freshly caught local fish. When you visit their restaurant you can be assured you will be greeted with a warm friendly welcome from the staff and family, and award winning fish and chips ready and waiting for you. Over the course of 40 years Fishers of Hunstanton have built a reputation for providing excellent fresh food for both their takeaway and restaurant customers.

| MAY 2018

Travel

HOTEL CALA DI VOLPE, PORTO CERVO, COSTA SMERALDA SARDINIA Lying on the most strikingly romantic stretch of the Costa Smeralda, Cala Di Volpe hotel resembles a charming fishing village, with its picturesque Sardinian houses and landing stage jutting out into a sea of translucent turquoise, emerald green and deepest azure. Each of the 100 sea-view rooms and 21 suites pays tribute to Sardiniaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unique artistry and natural beauty. The minimal chic decor is inspired by traditional Sardinian workmanship. And for an even more exclusive ambience, the Presidential Suite, with three bedrooms, two lounges, a steam bath, one private heated swimming pool and a stunning view of the emerald bay. In 1976 Bar Pontile was the setting for the movie 007, The Spy Who Loved Me with Roger Moore and Barbara Bach. After so many years, there are still many of James Bond fans who come seeking the suite of the most famous spy in the world with an airy lounge that is very popular amongst hotel guests and a space for exclusive events such as Porto Cervo Fashion Week. www.caladivolpe.com INVERDOORN GAME RESERVE AND IZIBA SAFARI LODGE Sprawling across 10,000 hectares in the Ceres Karoo, Inverdoorn Game Reserve and Iziba Safari Lodge is situated two and a half hours from Cape Town. The reserve is home to an abundance of wildlife, including the Big Five and offers thrilling safaris and the best luxury accommodation. As a conservation stronghold, Inverdoorn strives to save threatened species and return animals to their natural habitat. This is evident from the rescue stories of animals that now roam free on the reserve. In 2012, Inverdoorn introduced elephants into the reserve, marking it as a Big Five destination. Inverdoorn Game Reserve and Iziba Safari Lodge offer guests complete relaxation in stylish accommodation, designed to complement the arid beauty of the Karoo. It is the perfect setting for a safari destination, with a tranquil ambiance which allows guests to unwind and take in the wonders of nature. Whichever luxury accommodation option you choose, be it a Guest House, Chalet, Luxury Chalet or the Ambassador Suite, excellent service and comfort are guaranteed.. www.inverdoorn.com

TRAVEL

SIX SENSES NINH VAN BAY VIETNAM Arriving at Cam Ranh International Airport (NHA), it takes 60-minutes by car to the resort’s lounge, from where you will set out on the next leg of your transfer, which is a 20-minute boat ride to Six Senses Ninh Van Bay The resort boasts beachfront and over water villas, as well as villas nestled into the island’s rock formations, a stunning feature for this multi-awardwinning resort. Choose to join an excursion or make use of the resort’s facilities and wide variety of sporting equipment; There are many excellent times and opportunities to visit, Ninh Van Bay, depending on what you would like to see and experience. If you are a passionate scuba diver the best time is between February and October when the visibility is the best. March to November is ideal for sailing and hiking due to good weather conditions. The restaurants at Six Senses Ninh Van Bay serve international and local favourites with East meets West specialties. They provide ample space for lounging on daybeds with drinks from the wine cave, or healthy fresh juices and favourite libations from the bar. Nha Trang is fortunate to be supplied fresh organic produce grown in the temperate climate of Dalat, which is 3-hours away. This is complemented by the best local seafood, including lobsters, king prawns and fish caught fresh every day. www.sixsenses.com

HOTEL SARATOGA, HAVANA The Hotel is situated just inside the historical centre of the electric and sensual city of Havana. The Saratoga was one of Havana’s most stylish establishments of its time. Notorious since the 1930’s as a favorite haunt of artists and socialites from all over the world, for its superb cuisine, the open air entertainments held in its pavement arcade, and the concerts given there by such renowned musicians as the Anacaona Orchestra. Nowadays Saratoga has been recreated behind the original façade. It combines exquisite style and sense of place as well as state of the art technology. The Saratoga has all the amenities one would wish for in an exclusive city center hotel, including a stunning rooftop pool. The hotel has 96 rooms including 7 suites and various junior suites, and is managed to an international 5-star standard. www.hotel-saratoga.com

Destination

EXPERIENCE TIMELESS INDULGENCE IN THE SHADE OF TABLE MOUNTAIN Set in the vibrant heart of Cape Town, this luxury hotel and spa offers easy access to all that’s happening in this dynamic city. Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel has long been regarded as one of the city’s top five star hotels. It offers the perfect combination of leafy tranquillity and contemporary buzz. Whether dining on exotic Cape cuisine, soaking up the sun or exploring the buzzing streets, your time here promises endless memories to cherish. Follow in the footsteps of Winston Churchill, John Lennon and Nelson Mandela with a stay in this iconic retreat. Pad out onto the balcony of your deluxe room to soak in the sunshine with a signature cocktail. Wander down a path lined with rose bushes to your idyllic Victorian cottage. Inside, a wealth of exquisite details beckon. Picture four-poster beds, Venetian mirrors and cosy fireplaces, Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel is brimming with old-world charm. Indulge in a feast of seasonal specialities at Planet Restaurant, from summer salads to winter beef wellington. Take time over an afternoon tea layered with tempting sandwiches and sweets. Or go light with delicious poolside snacks at Oasis Bistro. Boasting some of the best restaurants and bars in Cape Town, a stay at Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel is foodie heaven. www.belmond.com

7171

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| MAY 2018

NORFOLK BROADS

NOrfolk brOADs Peace and tranqu illity

The NOrfolk Brand wildlife in abundance Oads has it al l! History of the Norfolk Broads

The Norfolk Broads is a man-made struc ture created due to the peat digging which took place throughout the mi ddle ages. Peat was a source that was highly depe ndent on for fuel thr oughout these times, which is why people would dig down into the Earth in ord er to extract the pr oduct. Eventually, these pit s which were create d and still used to extract peat began to fill wi th water due to the rise in sea levels and were ab andoned because of this. Once they started fill ing with water, the y then proceeded to flood until finally cre ating the Broads as we kn ow them today. Th e area of Norfolk Broads is historical due to the information and wa ys which we have kn owledge on, showing us how the Broads were cre ated as well as symbols of historical agricultur e such as numerous wind mills which have no w been restored, still stand ing today.

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| MAY 2018

NORFOLK BROADS

See the Norfolk Broads by bOat There are so many options when it comes to

enjoying the Broads but a great way to see the broads is to hire a self-drive day boat by the hour up to a full day and numerous boat trips to choose from, on which you can sit back, relax and let the crew do the work. Perfect for those taking to the water for the first time or novices, day boats can be hired from many locations around the Broads, including Wroxham, Horning, Hickling and Oulton Broads. Be your own skipper for the day and take your crew on an adventure! with hires available from one to eight hours you can spend as much or as little time cruising as you like. Many are powered by diesel although there are also electric boats for hire. There are also numerous places in the Broads where you can hire canoes. And if you really want to see the Broads at their best, then by boat is the only way.

HIPPERSONS OF BECCLES Day boats can be hired from Hippersons at Gillingham Dam, Beccles for any period of time up to a whole day, 9.15am to 4:45pm. They are called Otter, Heron, Grebe, Teal, Bittern and Catchalot, all apart from Heron are electric, making for quiet and easy cruising. They take a crew of between 4 and 7 people. Dogs are permitted but a large dog may count as one crew member. Each boat is licensed so you can explore the local broads from Geldeston Lock upriver or down to Oulton Broad depending on the amount of time you have.vThe cost is £20 an hour or £100 for the whole day. Fishing is permitted from boats when the engine is not running, this is to ensure the line does not get caught in the propeller. www.hippersons.co.uk

Wildlife on the Norfolk BrOads The Broads National Park is the

largest wetland area in the UK and one of the most important in Europe, and it’s a haven for birds and all kinds of wildlife. Indeed, there are more rare species in the Broads than anywhere else in Britain. You can see grebes, herons, kingfishers, owls hunting for food and if you’re lucky you might catch a glimpse of the rare bittern. You might also see the rare swallowtail butterfly, which is found nowhere else in the UK, and these days it’s not unusual to spot an otter poking its whiskered snout out of the water.

Inspiring and Distinctive Outdoor Furniture and Accessories. Exciting new products for 2018 now available Visit our showroom. Open 7 days a week 10am - 4pm Norfolk Leisure Lifestyle Ltd, Setchey, Kings Lynn, Norfolk PE33 0AX Tel: +44 (0) 1553 811717 Email: sales@norfolkleisure.co.uk www.norfolkleisure.co.uk

Charlton Carriage Services PROVIDING HORSE DRAWN CARRIAGES

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Wedding

WEDDING TRANSPORT

| MAY 2018

TRANSPORT How you choose to make your entrance as a bride and how you choose to get your guests from the ceremony venue to the reception will have an impact and make a difference to both your schedule and your budget.

ne of the most popular cars for weddings and engagements is a beautiful chauffer driven Rolls Royce with its undeniable charm and larger than life presence, it is no wonder why it’s so in demand. If that isn’t for you then you may want to consider a Bentley, a horse drawn carriage or vintage double Decker bus? The romance and charm of a vintage wedding car make them a popular choice with couples the world over, especially with those having a traditional or classic themed wedding. Vintage cars are beautiful and full of character, so make full use of your wedding car by including it in the wedding photos. If possible have it parked against a beautiful backdrop and have your group photos taken next to it. Make sure you have a number of photographs taken with it, and that your groom has at least one photo taken behind the wheel. Vintage car shots can look great in black and white or sepia, so discuss possibilities with your wedding photographer beforehand. A beautiful horse drawn Landau wedding carriage will help ensure a truly memorable wedding day. There is something so special about the arrival of the bride at the ceremony venue, and similarly the arrival of the bride and groom at the reception that can provide the most beautiful photographs. Throw in some confetti, an elegant horse drawn carriage and a good photographer and your photographs will prove timeless Planning for your wedding transport arrangements can prove a minefield. With so many options out there it’s important that you find a company and a car which meets all your requirements.

Here are some helpful tips you might find useful. 1. Check timings Decide the exact times that you will require wedding transport for. If you are having a church service, you’ll need the transport to take you to the venue and for photo opportunities once you arrive. Even couples who are hosting the ceremony and reception in the same venue might wish to hire a wedding car for an hour or two to have some private time with one another during the big day. 2. Theme it Choose a wedding car that suits the theme of your day. Classic cars are a popular choice because they suit all types of wedding. Knights Wedding Cars offer a selection of vintage models which match a traditional wedding perfectly. Cars can also be dressed to suit your colour scheme with ribbons and flowers as part of the package. 3. Service provision Find out whether your chosen car company offers a chauffeur service. This will avoid the stress of finding a driver or asking friends or family members to step in – unless they want to, of course. 4. Look locally Local firms are best placed to provide you with a personable and reliable service. Their drivers will know the areas (and wedding venues) the best, so take a look at the providers in your area when finding one that is reputable. Most venues will even be able to recommend a few local firms, so consult with them first and foremost. 5. Check availability Wedding car companies can get booked up months in advance (especially during peak season), so it is always best to prioritise your transport to ensure you can secure the booking. Once you have found a business that can cater to all your needs, don’t hesitate to give them a call for a quote and begin the conversation.

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INTERIORS

Julie Handforth Doidge Proprietor / Interior designer at JHD Interiors in Norwich www.jhd-interiors.co.uk jhdinteriors@gmail.com or call 01603 722 385

H A PPY HOL I DAY DE SIGNS This month our Resident interior design expert is getting ready for the holiday season.

ne trend I’ve noticed,

in the last few years especially, is that rather than the traditional two weeks in the sun, more and more people are choosing to forget worrying about the weather, zip up their cagoule and get out and explore what Britain has to offer – often with their own mobile holiday home in tow. As holidaymakers discover the joy of the staycation, I’ve worked on numerous projects to refurbish static and touring caravans, motorhomes and – as you might expect with the beautiful Broads and coast right here on our doorstep – boats. In this hyper-connected age, where we’re glued to our smartphone screens 24/7, I can really appreciate the appeal of the back to basics holiday where you can truly switch off and the freedom of hitting the open road. Whether people have a vintage original VW camper van which is in need of some TLC or someone wants to put their own stamp on a prestyled and furnished interior that they perhaps find a little dull and functional, made to measure upgrades are one of our specialities. Often the older models of caravan and camper van are sound, but look tired and dated and I love breathing new life into them. Replacement foam is often called for in the seating areas, and we hold a stock of various densities to ensure everyone is sitting – and sleeping – comfortably. We can also custom make Venetian, roller, vertical and Roman blinds, which can be fully installed by our trained fitters. We find that many caravan and camper van owners love to add a twist of nostalgia inspired by the holidays they enjoyed as a child – such as Cath Kidston-style vintage florals. Even the orange, brown and olive green colour schemes of the 70s are making a comeback. Or you can go super modern – with our huge selection of fabrics to choose from, when it comes to furnishings, curtains, blinds and pelmets there really is no limit.

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EQUESTRIAN

HORSING AROUND Places & Faces looks at the joy of riding.

If you love horses and are looking for a pastime that

will keep you fit in the great outdoors, horse riding is for you. It’s a rewarding and exciting sport that can be enjoyed by all ages. However, finding somewhere to ride, especially for the first time, can be a bit daunting. A good place to start is to find a British Horse Society (BHS) approved centre, visit www.bhs.org.uk for more details. The British Horse Society can help you find somewhere to learn safely and effectively where you can be sure that all necessary standards have been met. As a charity, the overarching purpose of all that they do is to improve the lives of horses and want a world where every horse is properly protected and cared for. Each BHS Approved Centre has been inspected by a highly experienced representative of The British Horse Society, who will have looked carefully at the level of instruction available to clients, the on-site facilities and equipment, and the standards of safety, horse care and management. The scheme includes more than 600 riding establishments across the UK and Ireland, so wherever you live, there will be somewhere that you can experience riding close at hand. Choosing a BHS Approved Centre means that you can be assured that it is safe and well run, so you can just relax and enjoy the ride. But you can also make sure the riding school suits you personally by paying a visit. Are the riding areas properly enclosed and safe, are the stables in good condition? Do the horses seem happy and friendly? What to look for in a riding school • The right type of horse or pony – the school needs to have a variety of horses to cater for the type of rider they specialise in teaching. For a beginner, the horses and ponies need to be steady and experienced.

• The right equipment – tack should be in good condition and clean.

• Safe riding areas for lessons – properly enclosed with a safe surface and well maintained.

• Friendly atmosphere, patient and knowledgeable instructors offering a good standard of instruction. Ask about the qualifications of the instructors and which instructors teach beginner riders.

• Even if you do not know much about horses, you will be able to judge if they are nervous and highly strung, or quiet and relaxed. Watching a lesson is another excellent guide to the standard of school.

Pakefield Riding School is one of the oldest

and best known horse riding centres and stables in East Anglia. Pleasantly situated close to the countryside and Pakefield beach, they offer a wide range of activities to novices, experienced and advanced equestrian enthusiasts. The School offers BHS Qualified Instructors and 25 well mannered horses and ponies suitable for all ages and abilities and is recognised and approved by the British Horse Society, Association of British Riding Schools and Riding for the Disabled. Pakefield Riding School offers a variety of activities and classes for all levels of horse riding ability - from novice to advanced and from children through to the much more experienced riders. The School has a variety of pony and horses for all ages and abilities - from the delightful ponies all the way to our Lusitano, Lipizzaner and Andalusian specialist horses for the more advanced riders. The riding school has 6 BHS qualified instructors and up to 30 well mannered horses and ponies suitable for all ages and stages. Facilities at Pakefield Riding School include thirty loose boxes, an indoor school, floodlit sanded ménage, jumping paddock, car park for patrons, and even heated club house and tack room, which will all ensure a fantastic horse riding experience. www.pakefieldridingschool.co.uk

GWC is a small friendly family run yard in the

quiet village of Wingfield on the Norfolk/Suffolk Border who prides themselves on their ability to tailor services to the specific needs of every client and their horse/s. They only offer full livery not DIY livery They have an onsite feed and animal supplies shop selling a good range of bedding, fodder and feed so no need to shop elsewhere helping you save both time and money. All year round individual turnout (subject to no extreme weather conditions) is available with horses out 24 hours from May to October. GWC also organise on site equestrian events and activities throughout the year which are for every level of horse or pony owner, from the happy hacker to the more advanced rider. Everyone is welcome at GWC and they look forward to welcoming all standards of riders at their events in 2018. www.pottersfeedstore.com

| MAY 2018 the boats we build to their final operational areas. At what age did you discover your affinity with boats? I was at sea with my Dad on his fishing boat before I could walk. My first repairs to my Dad’s boat were carried out at the age of 11. Sadly, due to a bad storm he lost one and its hard now to imagine the pain this must have caused as they could not afford insurance. This led to a massive push to buy a replacement boat needing several repairs, which I am proud to have assisted with.

ALAN GOODCHILD Managing director of Goodchild Marine Services, based at Burgh Castle, which is celebrating its 40th year of business.

You founded Goodchild Marine four decades ago at the tender age of 19, how did it come about? Having worked at a hire fleet boatyard, I completed my apprenticeship building traditional wooden craft and had an ambition to build the best quality boats with the latest materials and methods available at that time. Naturally at such a young age I could have not achieved my ambitions without the wonderful support of my parents, who provided practical assistance when needed. Dad offering a helping hand and running errands and mum donning her overalls to assist with painting. What sort of work do you undertake? Any specialist craft that presents a challenge in design and performance, from small dinghies up to 28-metre offshore commercial craft. We also take an active approach to work on historic craft and repairs. One very exciting project was to convert a lovely old timber gentleman’s launch to the latest hybrid propulsion system. We squeezed all this technology into the existing timber joinery units to avoid taking away any of the original features. On the other end of the spectrum we build resin infused punts for operation in Cambridge and offer specialist repairs to the latest RNLI

lifeboats. We have also just delivered three ORC 17m Pilot boats to the Port of Liverpool. Tell us about the day to day workings of the business. We have a very dedicated and skilled workforce, who are very receptive to new technologies and methodologies. No two days are alike. Every job is bespoke and designed to each client’s exact requirements and this is our motivation. One of my most rewarding outcomes is producing high-speed heavy weather offshore craft, making significant fuel savings for the operators. We are currently developing what we think will be the UK’s first Hybrid Pilot vessel, as ports serving major cities are becoming much more aware of their environmental impacts and this is proving an immensely exciting project. Your talent and expertise has seen you collaborate with designers and boat builders all over the world, how do you continue to innovate? I go to bed with a problem on my mind and often wake up with an extremely good solution. I then discuss this with the knowledgeable people in my business and industry to form a commercial end product. We don’t limit our work to the UK. We build specialist dredgers in Italy and work very closely with a naval architect in France. I don’t speak another language so trying to relay a true Norfolk accent can have its challenges too! Describe some of your biggest professional achievements. Building my first timber fishing boat in a rented converted piggery. Attempting to grow a beard to combat the constant criticism of being ‘too young’ for working on my own in this industry, and then successfully introducing my first pilot boat into a very competitive market at the age of 22. I later went on to qualify as a commercial yacht master, allowing me to deliver most of

What is the secret behind the company’s longevity? Many irons in the fire and never dismissing an opportunity, be it small or large. The philosophy of the company is there is no one large cog, but many small cogs that make it work. We never have an ‘ I’ in our team. We never rest on our laurels, but always try to seek out innovative ideas. One such product is our unique Man Overboard Recovery System developed to lift casualties horizontally to reduce the risks of cardiac arrest. These have been supplied to many port authorities as far afield as Australia. If you could own any boat what would it be? I always joke and say if I had enough money I would own a super yacht. My wife however would not join me (so perhaps another good reason for owning one!) But I am extremely lucky having a sailing dinghy, motor boat and the odd canoe or three, which I get immense enjoyment from. You also have a keen passion for aviation, tell us more. Having a commercial yacht master ticket and many sea hours I enjoy the thrill of navigation, which has spilled over into aviation. Flying is a fantastic privilege and introduces a third dimension to navigating, which I enjoy, following a trial lesson my wife bought me over 20 years ago. I am chairman of Seething Flying Club, which introduces and qualifies young people into the world of aviation. This I am very proud of and its wonderful seeing such dedicated young people studying hard to become the next generation of pilots. Reveal something about yourself that people don’t know. Cooking and grocery shopping is a challenge too far. I did try to cook once during a ‘men’s day’ where our wives disappear and leave us to prepare the evening meal. I was asked to cook the onions for a curry- the difficulty was I forgot to turn the cooker on. My culinary skills shall remain limited to beans on toast (proving adequate cooking instructions are on the tin!). I also enjoy watching films and I am immensely proud of my family, especially my grandchildren. Favourite meal and in which restaurant. Has to be the Thai restaurant in Norwich where I also proposed to my wife Sue. I guess I could say it was the most expensive meal of my life. Describe yourself in five words. Determined, Honest, Hardworking, Loyal, Focussed.

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Book your test drive today. Norwich Audi Meridian Way Norwich NR7 0TA 01603 709200 www.robinsonsaudi.co.uk Official fuel consumption figures for the Audi Q2 Sport 1.0 TFSI 116PS manual in mpg (l/100km): Urban 45.6 (6.2), Extra Urban 62.8 (4.5), Combined 55.4 (5.1). CO2 emissions: 117g/km. Fuel consumption and CO2 figures are obtained under standardised EU test conditions (Directive 93/116/EEC). This allows a direct comparison between different manufacturer models but may not represent the actual fuel consumption achieved in ‘real world’ driving conditions. Optional wheels may affect emissions and fuel consumption figures. Image shown for illustration purposes only. More information is available on the Audi website at www.audi.co.uk and at www.dft.gov.uk/vca Robinsons Autoservices Limited trading as Norwich Audi is a broker and not a lender and can introduce you to a limited number of lenders, who may pay us for introducing you to them. *At the end of the agreement there are three options: i) pay the optional final payment and own the vehicle; ii) return the vehicle: subject to excess mileage and fair wear and tear, charges may apply; or iii) replace: part exchange the vehicle. With Solutions Personal Contract Plan. 18s+. Subject to availability and status. T&Cs apply. Offer available when ordered by 1 July 2018 from participating Centres. Indemnities may be required. Offers are not available in conjunction with any other offer and may be varied or withdrawn at any time. Accurate at time of publication [April 2018]. Freepost Audi Financial Services.