CONFESSIONS OF A THEATRE ADDICT

Rosie Cunningham

The last time I visited Birmingham must, I am sorry to admit, have been about thirty years ago so I was delighted to recently pay a trip to the Birmingham Rep Theatre which is hosting a production entitled Idiots Assemble: Spitting Image Saves the World. Those of you who remember the iconic puppet show which graced our TV screens from 1984-1996, satirically lampooning politicians and other celebrities, will be thrilled to hear that the puppets are back in Birmingham, where they were first filmed forty years ago. The loose plot is that Great Britain is in trouble and has lost its way, so King Charles hires Tom Cruise, that well-known Anglophile, who recruits a band of warriors which includes RuPaul and Tyson Fury, to save the country. Meghan and Harry feature and a whole raft of politicians including a hairy Boris, a weedylooking Rishi, Priti Patel as a bat and Suella Braverman resembling Morticia Addams. The Queen and Margaret Thatcher both come back to enforce some law and order and reprimand the cabinet and the Royal Family for squabbling. The whole production is completely bonkers, and the audience loved every minute of it. Most of the puppets were easy to guess and Cruise’s was a quarter of the size of everyone else. Oh, Putin and Jinping had a side box on the stage and their conversation was hilarious. Watch out for Putin’s sparkled g-string! It runs in Birmingham until 11th March but I am certain that this production will run and run.

There is so much to do in Birmingham, not least visit Bourneville. It is now a charity and community-based housing organisation but it was built by the Cadburys in 1861 as a community of houses for their workers and, due to their Quaker beliefs, they ensured that there were plenty of gardens and open spaces to maintain health and mental wellbeing. The Jewellery Quarter is also fascinating and still contains many old workshops tucked away down back streets and up steep attic staircases. Malcolm, a jeweller in his 80s, was proud to demonstrate his skills, a trade which he had learnt as a boy and for whom not much had changed. After the offer of a cup of tea, we chatted for thirty minutes or so as he regaled me with his stories. One of the most important things he told me was that the people in Birmingham are very friendly and I can certainly corroborate that! birmingham-theatre.co.uk lavenderhillmobplay.co.uk

I went to see The Lavender Hill Mob at the Royal Theatre Bath with Miles Jupp and Justin Edwards in the key roles of Mr Holland, who worked in the Bank of England, and Mr Pendlebury who owned Gew Gaws Die Casting factory. Billed as ‘the 24-carat comedy caper!’, this was a contemporary, gaudy, poorly rendered stage adaption of the magnificent 1951 black and white film starring Alex Guinness, Stanley Holloway, Sid James and a vignette by Audrey Hepburn. I left at half-time, the man next to me slept throughout and the audience seemed more stunned than appreciative. On arriving home, I watched the old film and marvelled at the London scenes, which still showed the destruction and damage done by the German bombs and the Eiffel Tower shots where tourism did not mean cramped and expensive viewing platforms.

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Counter Culture

Paul Maskell, The Beat and Track

No. 19 De la Soul - 3 feet high and still rising

In 1989 I was a self-professed metalhead – Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, Suicidal Tendencies et al. Thanks to the likes of Anthrax introducing the metal crowd to Public Enemy and their hip-hop ilk, from time to time you got to experience a different genre. As music back then was quite tribal it was often frowned upon when your taste deviated from your core genre. Then an album arrived on the scene that changed all that. It appealed to everybody and hasn’t wavered in the 34 years of its existence.

De La Soul’s debut album 3 Feet High and Rising was released in 1989 and quickly established the group as one of the most important and influential acts in hip-hop. The album’s unique blend of musical styles, introspective lyrics and innovative use of samples helped to push the boundaries of what was possible in the genre and cemented the group’s place in the pantheon of hip-hop greats.

The group formed in the late 80s and consisted of Posdnuos, Trugoy, and Pasemaster Mase. They were brought together by a shared love of hip-hop and the desire to put their own stamp on the genre. They started performing in local clubs and quickly gained a reputation for their unique style and innovative approach.

Their debut was produced by Prince Paul, who helped to create a sound that was both experimental and accessible. The group’s use of samples from a wide range of sources, from Hall and Oates to Johnny Cash, helped to create a sound that was both eclectic and cohesive. The album’s playful lyrics dealt with themes of self-awareness and social commentary.

One of the album’s standout tracks and the group’s biggest-selling single, Me, Myself and I, is an upbeat, hook-laden celebration of individuality. Another, Eye Know which features a sample from Steely Dan’s Peg deals with themes of knowledge and self-empowerment.

3 Feet High and Rising took the use of samples to another level. The track Plug Tunin’, lifts elements from Synthetic Substitution by Melvin Bliss, The Payback by James Brown, Impeach The President by The Honeydrippers, and Soul Makossa by Manu Dibango. This is the beauty of De La Soul – they managed to create something that is both nostalgic and fresh at the same time.

The band’s ability to weave together samples from such a wide variety of sources created a diverse, genre-defying sound that was unlike anything that had been heard before in hip-hop music. The album is still as relevant and groundbreaking today as it was when it was first released and continues to inspire and influence countless others. It remains a must-listen for any music lover.

De La Soul’s career took off after the release of 3 Feet High and Rising. They went on to release several more albums throughout the 90s and 2000s, each one building on their style.

For a considerable time, their debut album was not available on streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. The album’s heavy use of samples meant the group were unable to secure all the necessary licensing rights and it became a symbol of the ongoing legal issues in the music industry.

The influence of 3 Feet High and Rising can still be heard in the music of today, with many artists citing the album as an inspiration. It’s an important piece of hip-hop history, one that helped to shape the genre and push it in new and exciting directions. 3 Feet High and Rising is an absolute classic of an album but don’t take the word of just me, myself and I.

This article was written shortly before the sad passing of David ‘Trugoy the Dove’ Jolicoeur at the age of 54. Trugoy leaves a legacy that others can only dream of. A pioneering hip-hop artist and forefather of The Daisy Age - a fleeting, colourful moment of positivity in a scene often associated with chest-thumping bravado.

RIP Trugoy. thebeatandtrack.co.uk

WHAT'S ON

Every Monday & Thursday 1.30pm-4pm

Sherborne Indoor

Short Mat Bowls

West End Hall, Sherborne 01935 812329. All welcome

Mondays 2pm-5pm & Tuesdays 7pm-10pm

Sherborne Bridge Club

Sherborne FC Clubhouse, Terraces 01963 21063. bridgewebs.com/sherborne

Tuesdays 10am-12pm

Fine Folk Dancing

Charlton Horethorne Village Hall £2.50 per session. Beginners welcome. 01963 220640.

Every 1st Thursday 9.30am Netwalk for Business Owners & Entrepreneurs Pageant Gardens. @Netwalksherborne

Thursdays 1.45pm-4.45pm

Rubber Bridge

Sherborne Bowls Clubhouse, Culverhayes car-park 01963 21063 bridgewebs.com/sherborne

Thursdays 7.30pm-9.30pm

St Michael’s Scottish Country Dance Club

Davis Hall, West Camel £2. Call Elspeth 07972 125617 stmichaelsscdclub.org

Monday to Saturday until Saturday 4th March 1pm-4pm (& all performance evenings)

Yeovil Art Group’s New Year Exhibition

The Gallery, Octagon Theatre, Yeovil Parking nearby. Disabled access.

Wednesday 1st 10.45am for 11am

The Probus Club of Sherborne Talk - Doctor at Sea

The Grange, Oborne DT9 4LA probus-sherborne.org.uk

Wednesday 1st 3pm and 7pm Mad Men and Artists –How the Advertising Industry Exploited Fine Art Digby Hall, Hound Street Free for members, £7 for non-members theartssocietysherborne.org/

Thursday 2nd 2pm Lady of the Palms & Paddy Fields: Sherborne’s Forgotten Botanist Digby Memorial Hall, Digby Road Members free, visitors £5. sherbornemuseum.co.uk

Thursday 2nd 8pm

Julian Halsby - The Making of the Riviera: People and Places Digby Hall, Hound Street Members free, visitors £5 sherbornehistoricalsociety.co.uk

Friday 3rd 6.30pm for 7pm Talk and Book Signing with James Naughtie Cheap St. Church

Tickets £5 from Winstone’s Books. winstonebooks.co.uk

Saturday 4th 2pm

Dean Carter Live CD Launch The Beat & Track Record Store, 4 The Old Shambles, South St, Sherborne Free. 01935 389655 ahiahel@live.com

Sunday 5th 9am-12pm

Sound Healing & Cacao Ceremony with Hatha Yoga

Digby Memorial Hall, Digby Road

Info - hello@yogasherborne.co.uk

Sunday 5th 6.30pm

Callum Patrick Hughes - Thirst

The Gaggle of Geese, Buckland Newton

Storytelling and song. Suitable 16+. 01300 345249. £5. artsreach.co.uk

Saturday 11th 10.45am-12.30pm & 2.30pm-4.30pm

Longburton Community Hall and Playground Opening with Chris Loder MP

Coffee morning, painting exhibition, Short Mat Bowls demonstration, plus Mamma Mia film showing at 7pm. Free.

Monday 14th 6.30pm for 7pm

Words with Wine - Dickens and Travel by Lucinda Hawksley

Raleigh Hall, Digby Road £5 on the door or from Winstone’s. sherborneliterarysociety.com

Wednesday 15th 10.45am for 11am

The Probus Club of Sherborne Talk - The Falklands War

The Grange, Oborne DT9 4LA probus-sherborne.org.uk

Wednesday 15th 7.30pm

Julia Titus Blues and Gospel Singer

Cheap Street Church, Sherborne. £15. Bookings: raymondwood1949@gmail.com

Thursday 16th 8pm (preceded by the AGM at 7.45pm)

Talk - Where History Meets

Legend: Research and Presentation at Tintagel Castle Digby Hall, Hound Street

Members free, visitors £5 sherbornehistoricalsociety.co.uk

Saturday 18th 10am-12.30pm (last repair 12.15pm)

Repair Cafe

Cheap Street Church Hall

Bring household items to be repaired & avoid landfill. repaircafesherborne@ gmail.com or @repaircafesherborne

Saturday 18th 7.30pm

Sherborne Chamber Choir

J S Bach Mass in B Minor, with Period Orchestra Sherborne Abbey. Tickets £5-£20, from sherbornechamberchoir.org.uk

Sunday 19th 1.30pm-4.30pm

Sherborne Folk Band

Workshops

Digby Memorial Hall, Digby Road, DT9 3NL. Suitable for all levels. £15

March 2023

(or cheaper via the website) sherbornefolkband.org info@sherbornefolkband.org 07527 508 277

Monday 20th – Saturday 26th 7.30pm & Saturday 26th 2.30pm

Amateur Players of SherborneThe Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾

Sherborne Studio Theatre, Marston Rd £9-£12 07786 070093. aps-sherborne.co.uk

Friday 24th 1pm-5pm & Saturday 25th 9am-1pm

Artisan Route Open Day Digby Hall, Hound Street Specialists in alpaca, pima cotton and silk. artisanroute.co.uk

Friday 24th 7.30pm

Bash Street TheatreThe Battling Butlers

Yetminster Jubilee Hall

Physical theatre, circus skills, original songs and live music. 01935 873546. £10, £5 u18s, £25 fam. artsreach.co.uk

Sunday 26th 2pm-4pm

Singing Bowl Soundbath

Oborne Village Hall, DT9 4LA £15. Advance bookings 01935 389655 or ahiahel@live.com

Sunday 26th 6.30pm

Jonny Fluffypunk - If We Just Keep Going, We Will Get There In The End The Gaggle of Geese, Buckland Newton

Acclaimed stand-up poet, storyteller and