Word

Elvis McGonagall, Ledbury Poetry Slam

Poetry & Storytelling

Sat 4 April LEDBURY POETRY FESTIVAL: POETRY SLAM Enjoy a head-spinning cocktail of potent poetry and spirited performances. Bard-tenders Elvis McGonagall and Sara-Jane Arbury call the shots as a bevy of fine wordsmiths pour out vintage verse. The Courtyard, Hereford, 7.45pm, 01432 340555. Sat 18 April FIONA SAMPSON POETRY READING Questions of humanity, of point of view, are at the heart of Sampson’s new collection, ‘Come Down’. Sidney Nolan Trust, The Rodd, Presteigne, 7pm, 01544 260149, www.sidneynolantrust.org Sat 25 April POETRY CAFE Light breakfast and poetry readings. Reading Rooms Cafe, Bleddfa Centre, near Knighton, 9.15am-10.30am, £8, 01547 550377.

Comedy

50 Fri 3 April PETE FIRMAN AND THE AMAZING TBC Magician/comedian Pete Firman will be joined by a special guest who has no previous conjuring experience. Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, 7.30pm, £18, 01743 281281. Sat 4 April CHRIS RAMSEY - 20/20 Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, 4pm & 7.30pm, £24, 01743 281281. Sat 4 April & Sat 16 May BOX OF FROGS IMPROV COMEDY BOX OF FROGS brings you a night of high-octane improvised comedy, based entirely on your suggestions. 4 April - SpArC Theatre, Bishop’s Castle, 6.30pm, £10/£6/£35, 01588 630321. 16 May - Chapel Lawn VH, 8pm, £10, 07964 710983. Arts Alive. Thurs 9 April MATT RICHARDSON: IMPOSTER As seen on ‘Roast Battle’, ‘Celebrity Juice’ and host of ‘The Hangover Games’. The Courtyard, Hereford, 8.30pm, 01432 340555. Wed 15 April SPONTANEOUS POTTER An entirely improvised Harry Potter comedy play, based on an audience suggestion of a fanfiction title. For ages 16+. Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, 7.30pm, £17.50, 01743 281281. Sun 19 & Thurs 30 April JOEL DOMMETT - UNAPOLOGETIC (IF THAT’S OKAY?) For ages 14+. 19 April - Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, 8pm, £20, 01743 281281. 30 April - Savoy Theatre, Monmouth, 8pm, £18, 01600 772467. Mon 20 & Tues 21 April ROSS NOBLE What happens when pure comedy takes human form? Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, 8pm, £27.50, 01743 281281. Wed 22 April ARABELLA WEIR ‘Does my Mum Loom Big in This?’ For everyone who’s had a mother or been a mother. For ages 14+. Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, 7.30pm, £19.50, 01743 281281. Thurs 23 April MATT FORDE - BREXIT, PURSUED BY A BEAR Britain’s leading political comedian. Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, 8pm, £16.50, 01743 281281. Fri 24 April COMEDY CLUB For ages 16+. Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon, 8pm, £10.50, 01874 611622. Fri 24 April WESTONS CIDER COMEDY CLUB The Courtyard, Hereford, 8.30pm, 01432 340555. Thurs 23 & Fri 24 April MARK STEEL ‘Every Little Thing’s Gonna Be Alright’. For ages 14 years+. 23 April - Regal Cinema, Tenbury Wells, 8pm, £16.50, 01584 811442. 24 April - Borough Theatre, Abergavenny, 8pm, £15, 01873 850805. Tues 28 April ED BYRNE The master of observational comedy. The Courtyard, Hereford, 8pm, 01432 340555.

Box of Frogs

April & May BRECKNOCK ART SOCIETY 14 April - ‘Alice & Meredith Williams, A Creative Partnerhsip’, a talk by Phyllida Shaw. 22 April - Study Day, ‘The Gate of Heroes on the China Trail with speaker, Lars Tharp of the ‘Antiques Roadshow’. (To be held in The Henderson Hall, Talybont on Usk). 12 May - ‘Charles Mackie - Good Friend of Edward Hornel’, with speaker, Pat Clark. Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon, 2.30pm, £8, 01874 611622. April & May THE ARTS SOCIETY HEREFORD (TASH) 14 April - ‘Damien Hirst and Contemporary Art’, an illustrated lecture by David Worthington. 12 May - ‘The Ploughman, An Incestuous Knight, An Eloped Heiress and a murderous Queen: Decoding a Medieval Masterpiece, The Luttrell Psalter’, an illustrated lecture by Michelle Brown. The Green Dragon Hotel, Broad St, Hereford, 2.15pm, members free, guests £9, new members welcome, 01568 797703. April & May SOUTH WEST SHROPSHIRE GARDENING CLUB 22 April - ‘Creating Beautiful Borders’, a talk by Jack and Laura Willgoss. 27 May - ‘Potagers’, a talk by Chrissy Ching. Lydbury North Village Hall, 7.30pm, £5, free to members, 01588 620953. April & May HEREFORD ARTS APPRECIATION SOCIETY 17 April - ‘The Story of British Pub Signs’, a talk by Dorothy Nicolle. 15 May - Outing to the Cardiff area. Kindle Centre, adjacent to ASDA, Hereford, 2.30pm. 01432 890469. April & May HAY CAMERA CLUB 7 April - ‘Nature Photography’ and ‘Creative Macro’, a video evening. 14 April - ‘Field Trip Photo’, member’s night. 21 April - ‘Demonstration on the use of of graduated filters’, by Allen Lloyd. 28 April - ‘Ladakh and its Mountains and Monasteries’ and ‘Wildlife of Costa Rica’, presentations by Peter and Lin Wyles. 5 May - AGM. Masonic Hall, Brecon Rd, Hay-on-Wye, 7.30pm, non-members welcome, £5. www.haycameraclub.co.uk April HARDY PLANT SOCIETY - HEREFORDSHIRE AND MID WALES 11 April - ‘Aulden Farm - From Conception to Chaos!’ A talk by Jill Whitehead. Glasbury Village Hall, 2pm, £4, 01544 262795. Wed 1 April AN EVENING WITH BRIAN BLESSED Actor, writer and presenter will combine anecdotes from his illustrious acting career with tales of his adventuring. The Courtyard, Hereford, 7.30pm, 01432 340555. Wed 1 April TYBERTON SPIRITUALITY TALKS Theme: ‘A Kinder Place: Resilience in a time of change and fragility’. St Mary’s Church, Tyberton, HR2 9PT. Details email abbeydoredmc@gmail.com Thurs 2 April BORN LIPPY: AN EVENING WITH JO BRAND Jo will be in conversation with Peter Florence CBE, Hay Festival Director, talking about her career, including film, TV and book writing, presenting and acting and her passions in life. The Courtyard, Hereford, 7pm, 01432 340555.

Sun 5 April ONLY FOOLS AND BOYCIE - AN INTIMATE EVENING WITH JOHN CHALLIS Best known as Boycie in BBC1’s Only Fools and Horses, John Challis will reveal secrets from the set with stories and anecdotes from his career. Signed copies of his autobiography, ‘Being Boycie’ and his novel, ‘Reggie: A Stag at Bay’ will also be available. Regal Cinema, Tenbury Wells, 7.30pm, £20.50, 01584 811442. Mon 6 April HISTORY OF EATON BISHOP & IT’S LANDSCAPE Eaton Bishop Historical Society. Speaker, David Lovelace. Eaton Bishop Village Hall, 7.15pm, members free, £4 visitors, 07979 597483. Tues 14 April THE SHROUD OF TURIN A presentation by local historian, Hugh (Boz) Farey. Conquest Theatre, Bromyard, 7pm, 01885 488575. Tues 14 April TEACUPS & TIARAS - WILLIAM HANSON Best-selling author and trusted authority on matters of etiquette, enlightens the audience with the history of customs, tastes and manners. Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, 7.30pm, £23.50, 01743 281281. Wed 15 April EATON BISHOP GARDENING CLUB Gardener’s Question Time. Eaton Bishop Village Hall, 7.30pm, refreshments. Wed 15 April LEOMINSTER HISTORICAL SOCIETY ‘Second World War time on the Clee Hills’, a talk by Alf Jenkins. Grange Court, Leominster, 7.30pm, members free, visitors welcome, £4 on the door. Wed 15 April ARTS SOCIETY TEME VALLY ‘The Art of the Steal: Nazi looting during WW2. Ludlow Assembly Rooms, 2.15pm, visitors welcome, £8, Theartssocietytemevalley.org.uk Thurs 16 April EFFECTIVE ALTRUISM Dr Simon Jenkins PhD, Philosophy Department, Warwick University will deliver a lively talk on the concerts that bother people who want to help those less fortunate in other countries. University Centre Shrewsbury, Guildhall, Frankwell Quay, Shrewsbury, SY3 8HQ, 7.30pm, tea/coffee/chat at 7pm, 07970 479185. Thurs 16 April WIGMORE GARDENING CLUB ‘The Houses and Gardens of E.L. Lutyens’. a talk by Richard and Gill Rallings, owners of Mynd Hardy Plants at Diddlebury. Wigmore Village Hall, 7.30pm, £2 including refreshments, 07813 733240. Thurs 16 April SHROPSHIRE PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY ‘The Making of Landscapes’, a lecture by Charlie Waite. Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, 7.30pm, £20, 01743 281281. Fri 17 April FOWNHOPE LOCAL HISTORY GROUP ‘The Life of Blanche Parry, Chief Gentlewoman of the Privy Chamber at the Court of Elizabeth I’. An illustrated talk. Fownhope New Memorial Hall, 7.30pm, members free, visitors £3 including refreshments, 01432 860319. 52

Tues 21 April GARWAY HERITAGE GROUP ‘Boil a Mouse in Urine: The Care of Infants in Tudor Times’, Dr Malcolm Watkins’ description of the Tudor and Stuart’s approach to childbirth and child care follows a very short AGM. Garway Community Hall, 7.30pm, all welcome, £5 non-members. Tues 21 April LUDLOW & MARCHES HUMANISTS ‘Compassion is not a Crime’. A talk by Sarah Wootton, CEO of Dignity in Dying. The Friends Meeting House, St Mary’s Lane, Ludlow, 7.30pm, 01584 872492. Tues 21 April LEOMINSTER & DISTRICT U3A, LEARN, LAUGH & LIVE ‘A Life in Insolvency’. A talk by Eddie Hunt. John Abel Room, Grange Court, Pinsley Rd, Leominster, 2pm, members free, visitors £2, 01568 709246. Wed 22 & Thurs 23 April CLIVE ANDERSON: ME, MACBETH AND I The host of ‘Whose Line is it Anyway’, this one man show is guaranteed to be funnier than Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy. 22 April - The Courtyard, Hereford, 7.30pm, 01432 340555. 23 April - Savoy Theatre, Monmouth, 8pm, £19, 01600 772467. Thurs 23 April ARTS SOCIETY MID WALES & BORDERS ‘A Day at the Roman Games’, with speaker, Mike Clegg. Powis Suite, Royal Oak Hotel, Welshpool, 2.30pm, 01938 555574. Mon 27 April CAROLINE CRIADO PEREZ IN CONVERSATION Imagine a world where your phone is too big for your hand, where your doctor prescribes a drug that is wrong for your body, where in a car accident you are 47% more likely to be seriously injured... Blake Theatre, Monmouth, 7.30pm, 01600 719401. Tues 5 May MARCHES MEADOW GROUP AGM will be followed by a talk from Peter Carty of the National Trust, Cardingmill Valley speaking of the relationship between MMG and the Stepping Stones Project. Snailbeach Village Hall, 7.30pm, 01743 791476.

Workshops & Courses

April HEREFORD CULTURE CLUB In partnership with Cathedral Library. 6 April - ‘Book of Chains’ with Rosemary Firman. Cathedral Library, 10am12.30pm, 01432 880545. Or email herefordcultureclub@ gmail.com

April & June SIDNEY NOLAN TRUST 17 - 19 April - ‘Sharpening Your Eye on the Land’. Poetry with Fiona Sampson Price. £250 - course fee, food and accommodation. £170 - course fee and food only. 5 - 7 June - ‘Writing With Nature’. Writing with Sarah Thomas. £250 - course fee, food and accommodation. £170 - course fee and food only. Sidney Nolan Trust, The Rodd, Presteigne, www.sidneynolantrust.org 01544 260149. Tues 5 - Fri 8 May VOICE COACHING RESIDENTIAL WORKSHOP Ledbury Poetry Festival presents an exciting opportunity for new and emerging poets to improve their peformance technique. Applications close 5pm, 3 April. Hellens Manor, Much Marcle, HR8 2LY. www.poetry-festival.co.uk Sat 9 & Sun 10 May BOOK FAIR Secondhand books, DVDs and CDs. The Market Hall, Bishop’s Castle. 1st Saturday READING GROUP Bleddfa Centre, near Knighton, afternoons, donations, 01547 550377. Mondays WRITING ROOM The Courtyard, Hereford, 6.30-8.30pm, £75 per term, 01432 340555. Mondays STORY CORNER AT THE COURTYARD For ages 4 years and under. The Courtyard, Hereford, 01432 340555. Fourth Monday SCIENCE CAFÉ Informal group, talks and discussions on scientific topics. The Swan at Hay, 7pm, free, all welcome, sciencecafe@outlook.com Every Tues & Wed SPANISH LESSONS FOR BEGINNERS Tues - Advance beginners 5.30pm, begin- ners 7pm, Wed - Advance Spanish B1, 10am, with Mely. Private tuition - GCSE students and A Level. The Globe, Hay-on-Wye, 7pm, 07837 160505. Every Tues READING ROOM The Courtyard, Hereford, 10.30am-12.30pm, £55 per term, 01432 340555. First Wednesday of each month BABARS’ BOOK CLUB All welcome, 6.30pm, Babar’s Cafe, Union St, Hereford, 01432 342334. First Wednesday of the month POETRY CAFE, Charlton Arms, Ludlow, 7.30pm, 01584 872813. 2nd Wednesday of each month WYESIDE WRITERS GROUP An informal writers’ group for wordsmiths. Wyeside Arts Centre, Builth Wells, 7pm, £2.50, 01982 552555. Every Thursday WELSH CLASSES FOR ADULTS Presteigne Assembly Rooms, 10.30am-3pm, 01639 841751. Every other Thursday PHILOSOPHY CAFE Informal group which offers the chance to discuss philosophical issues. The Globe, Hay-on-Wye, 7pm, 01497 821762. philosphycafe@outlook.com Last Thursday of the month BOOK CLUB De Koffie Pot, Bridge St, Hereford, 8pm, 01432 357753, ECStarling@theherefordacademy.org.uk Fridays READING ROOM EXTRA The Courtyard, Hereford, 6-8pm, £55 per term, 01432 340555. International Poetry Writers’ Collective: Abergavenny 01873 856350 Leominster Writers' Circle, Leominster Community Centre, Frank Pavitt, chairman LWC, 01568 614973, meet first Tuesday, monthly, 2pm. Presteigne Writers’ Circle, 3rd Thursday, Assembly Rooms, 7.30pm, 01544 260398.