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SEPTEMBER 2020
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Is Sharing the love with g-eazy
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Rolling Stones to open ‘RS No. 9 Carnaby’ store
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he Rolling Stones will open a worldfirst flagship store in London on 9 September. ‘RS No. 9 Carnaby’ will launch on Carnaby Street, in the heart of London’s Soho, the historic London destination synonymous for its connection to British music and fashion culture since the sixties. Created in partnership with Bravado, the store will feature all the hallmarks of the band’s iconic journey, whilst on-going releases
sit at the heart of the shop’s pulse. It will be home to exclusive new fashion and merchandise under the ‘RS No. 9 Carnaby’ brand. The Rolling Stones said: “Soho has always encapsulated Rock ’n’ Roll so Carnaby Street was the perfect spot for our own store. We are confident this exciting project that our friends at Bravado have created will be an unrivalled experience for everyone to come to London and enjoy.” The shop was jointly curated by The Rolling Stones and Bravado. Mat Vlasic, chief executive officer
of Bravado, commented; “With this innovative partnership, the Rolling Stones add yet another cultural touchpoint to their rich legacy. “RS No. 9 Carnaby is the result of years of planning and decades of building one of the world's most recognized brands. It creates a destination where fans can connect and immerse themselves in the music, style and spirit of one of the world's most iconic and beloved bands.” Photo Credit: Mark Seliger
l The Rolling Stones
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Fresh Prince returning in a grittier dramatic format
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Bastille Excitedly Release New Track Bastille’s electrifying new song might feel like a bit of a surprise release, not least to the band themselves, but as frontman Dan Smith says: “We finished the song and it felt urgent. We didn’t want to sit on it.” A thunderous, furious short sharp shock, ‘What You Gonna Do???’ comes after the dust settled on the band’s acclaimed third album Doom Days — the final instalment in a trilogy that’s spanned eight years and brought Bastille multi-platinum sales, global success and a position as one of the world’s most streamed bands. Fans may have grown
accustomed to albums arriving with fully formed, meticulously executed creative ecosystems, but this time it’s all change. “This next phase feels like a new beginning. It’s about completely tearing up our process, being spontaneous and starting again,” Dan states. “We’re just really excited by the new songs. I think we’re making some of the best music we’ve ever made. “We want to put it out now and not wait for the whole album to be done before anyone starts to hear it. This is about where we are now and hearing us in real-time”
l Will Smith
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n West Philadelphia born and raised, on the playground was where he spent most of his days... Now The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air - played by Will Smith in the beloved 90s sitcom - is coming back in a reboot. But this time the story of the streetwise teen who moves in with his upper-class uncle and aunt will not be a comedy, according to US reports. The new version will be based on a viral YouTube trailer that reimagined the series as a hard-hitting drama. Smith is working on the series with Morgan Cooper, who created the alternative trailer last year. At the time, the actor praised the trailer as a "brilliant idea, the dramatic version of The Fresh Prince for the next generation". Smith's company Westbrook Studios will make it with Universal TV, while Netflix, HBO Max and Peacock are among the platforms bidding to stream it. Original creators Andy and Susan Borowitz will serve as executive producers, as will Smith and original executive producers Quincy Jones and Benny Medina.
The original Fresh Prince ran from 1990 until 1996, putting Smith on the map as a bona fide comedy star, earning him two Golden Globe nods for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical. From there he went on to become one of the biggest box office draws of the decade, with films like Independence Day, the first Men In Black movie, Bad Boys and I Am Legend. It is also yet to be confirmed whether Will would appear in front of the camera in some capacity in the new version of the show – an actor by the name of Jerry Madison portrayed his character in the gritty Bel-Air trailer from last year. Unconfirmed as well is whether other favourite cast members from the first version of the show – including Alfonso Ribeiro, Tatyana Ali, Karyn Parsons and Joseph Marcell - would be involved in this new go-round. Actor James Avery, who played Will's conservative and rich uncle Phil, passed away at age 68 in 2013. The cast of the show reunited for a tearful tribute to the actor during their Snaptchat reunion in April.
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The tale of a disheartening relationship, grief and moving on T
as men don’t often talk about their emotions and the character Andrew is no exception.
struggle to find self-acceptance and learn to let go.
The book is emotional and a tear-jerker. Why did you decide to make the concept of grief central to the story?
By Mandip Singh Taunque
he Phoenix meets author Kent Hung for a virtual interview on the release of his book ‘Letting Go’.
Spoiler-free, what can you tell us about the book?
l Author Kent Hung
One of the book’s central characters is Andrew. His outlook has been moulded by a childhood brought up alone by his mother, by his fear of abandonment which developed from that childhood and by the numerous losses in his life. It tells the story of a disheartening relationship which forms between Andrew and his son’s friend Justin, which forces them both to make choices in their lives. Eleven years later, following a tragic event, Andrew suddenly has to re-evaluate his own life and
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You have had a varied career but what made you decide that the time is now to publish your book?
In the beginning the storyline mostly focused on a disheartened relationship between the two main characters of the novel but as I further developed the plots and storylines and most importantly found the title “Letting Go”, it was a natural direction to go. I think we all have unprocessed grief, anger, sorrows, frustrations and pain so I feel that if by reading my novel could help somewhat to let go to those feelings then I feel that I have achieved something.
Was writing the book cathartic for you?
By creating characters and their stories helped me to understand their point of view which helped me to be more empathetic and be more understanding towards others but also towards myself.
Have you used any personal experiences of grief in your writing?
Yes and also stories I heard from others that had moved me. Grief is very private and a lonely journey. I am sure we all have experienced losses in our lives and dealt with them the only way we knew how.
What do you hope to achieve with this book?
I enjoyed the process of creating
I used to write articles on food for a magazine when I lived in Brussels, Belgium. I have always enjoyed writing as a way of expressing my thoughts. I don’t consider myself as a good writer, rather, I would be a good storyteller. Along the way, there had been so many people who supported me and believed in me throughout this journey of writing.
characters, imagining what they are like and developing a storyline around them. Now that it will be released, I would like this book to reach a wide audience and that readers will see it is ok to share with your friends, family and colleagues about grief, losses in life and it is important to give allowances to others but mostly for themselves.
What motivated you to write this book?
I wanted to write about struggle finding self-acceptance and learning to let go of self-inflicted pain and guilt, I want to make awareness about this topic especially for men
You are currently working on your next book, what can you tell Phoenix readers about it?
I am working on an idea about a family of three generations. I have sketched-out most of the characters and the storyline, but my plan is to spend some time developing the storyline in my head before I continue writing. Kent Hung was born in Taiwan and his family immigrated to Sweden when he was about 12. He has worked in the humanitarian field in Geneva and Copenhagen, before making a home in Scotland in 2014. ‘Letting Go’ was published by Pegasus at the end of May 2020.
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Tributes Pour In For Chadwick Boseman Hollywood superstar Chad Boseman, was best known for playing ‘Black Panther’ in the hit Marvel superhero franchise after coming to prominence playing reallife figures - baseball great Jackie Robinson in the film ‘42’, and soul singer James Brown in ‘Get on Up’. It will, though, be as the titular ‘Black Panther’ in the blockbuster 2018 film he will be best remembered. He starred as the ruler of Wakanda, a fictional African nation with the most advanced technology on earth. As well as winning critical praise and taking more than $1.3 billion (£973m) at cinemas worldwide, the film was widely seen as a cultural milestone for having a largely Black cast and a Black director, Ryan Coogler. South Carolina-born Boseman said last year that the film changed what it means to be “Young, Gifted and Black”. Black Panther was the first superhero film to get a nomination for best picture at the Oscars. The news has left fans and the film
world stunned. Get Out director Jordan Peele, said it was “a crushing blow”. “A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought you many of the films you have come to love so much,” his family said in the statement. “From Marshall to Da 5 Bloods, August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and several more - all were filmed during and between countless surgeries and chemotherapy. It was the honour of his career to bring King T’Challa to life in Black Panther.” Tributes pouring in for the star, including from actor and fellow Marvel star Mark Ruffalo. Actor Dwayne Johnson tweeted: ‘Thank you for shining your light and sharing your talent with the world. ‘My love and strength to your family’. Democratic Vice Presidential nominee Kamala Harris also posted her tribute to the star. The hashtag #WakandaForever has been trending since. Boseman was diagnosed with colon cancer four years ago but had not made the information public. He was 43.
RSC cancels theatre programme over cuts
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he Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) has cancelled its theatre productions until 2021 due to coronavirus. The production company in Stratford-upon-Avon, in Warwickshire, said social distancing measures meant it would not be able to stage indoor performances. It also announced redundancies for staff and a consultation period with employees. Outdoor events will continue, the RSC said, adding it will develop its online offering for autumn and winter months.
In a joint statement, artistic director Gregory Doran and executive director Catherine Mallyon said: "We had hoped that things would have become more positive by now. "We very much hope that the government review of social distancing measures in November will bring positive news for the industry and provide a timeline for when we can welcome our audiences back into our theatres again." S t r a t f o r d - u p o n - Av o n , the birthplace of William Shakespeare, attracts up to six million visitors annually and the town's tourism industry has
been hit hard during lockdown. In April, the Centre for Progressive Policy think tank said it expected Stratford-uponAvon to take one of the biggest economic hits in the UK. Since lockdown started, the district council has handed out more than £32m in grants to small and medium sized businesses. The RSC, which has 750 employees, closed its theatres in March and has not been able to reopen since. It said it was having to consider redundancies "to safeguard the long-term future of the company".
Saint Raymond Shares New Track 'Love This Way'
Saint Raymond set the foundations for the second chapter of his story with his latest release ‘Right Way Round’. With Radio 1 airplay from Huw Stephens and a selection of key playlists including Spotify’s Indie Summer, the track is already approaching 1 million streams. Buoyed by that strong start, he now offers fans a fresh taste of his long awaited second album by sharing the new track ‘Love This Way’ which shows the bright new sound that he introduced with ‘Right Way Round’ is no one-off. It’s a sun-kissed fusion of bold indie hooks and tropical alt-pop rhythms, with his sparkling guitar motifs boosted by punchy synths and a surprising denouement. His topline brims with passion, adding a joyous urgency to lyrics that explore awkward and contradictory emotions.
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I'm A Celebrity Moving To A Castle In Wales
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he next series of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! will be filmed at Gwrych Castle in north Wales, ITV has confirmed. The long-running reality show has had to relocate from Australia this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. Ant and Dec will return as hosts, and the winner will be crowned the King or Queen of the Castle (instead of the Jungle). The celebrities taking part in the 2020 series have yet to be announced. ITV's director of television, Kevin Lygo, said the majority of the contestants had been booked before the relocation, raising fears they might pull out. "We were worried they thought they were going to hot sunny bug-infested Australia, and now they are going to north Wales in the dark, but everyone is still there and excited," he said. "I think it will be fascinating to see and to have this reboot of a treasured brand forced upon us, I think, is a good thing." Gwrych Castle, meaning "Hedge Castle" in Welsh, was built on the site of a late medieval fortress near Abergele, on the north coast of Wales, between 1812 and 1822 by Lloyd Hesketh Bamford-Hesketh as a memorial to his mother's ancestors, the Lloyds of Gwrych. During World War Two, it was used by the government to house 200 Jewish children who had fled the Nazis in Europe; and later became a training ground for boxer Randy Turpin, ahead of his title fight with Sugar Ray Johnson. The 2019 series was won by former EastEnders actress Jacqueline Jossa.
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he Grammy Award-nominated multi-Platinum artist Lukas Graham has teamed up with chart-topping rapper G-Eazy for the anthemic new single ‘Share That Love’. Produced by long-term producer Rissi (Kygo, Julia Michaels), the song is accompanied by a time-lapsed lyric video created by acclaimed Copenhagen street artist Rasmus Balstrøm, who painted a massive ‘Share That Love’ mural at a landmark music venue in Lukas’ hometown of Christiania, Denmark. Lukas explains: “I grew up in a neighbourhood where if you had something, you shared it. The place is called Christiania. It’s an old army base that got squatted in 1971. “The community operates from the concept that nobody owns their house and that you can do what you want, as long as you don’t inhibit others from doing what they want. For all the upsides to living in Christiania, there was also trouble with the police, or issues with gangs in the city. “I’ve tried to embody all of that in this song, and when I listen to it I’m reminded of some of the ways our community has really come together, like all the great parties we’ve thrown, or the huge protests where we’ve marched against the government threatening to evict us from Christiania. “In these troubling times, I guess it is more important than ever to share what we have, especially your love.” The Danish superstar Lukas Graham recently exceeded 6 billion streams worldwide following ‘Love Songs’, ‘Scars’ and last year’s ‘Lie’. ‘Love Someone’, from 2018’s ‘3 (The Purple Album)’, has been streamed more than a billion times and has been certified 18 x Platinum across multiple continents. Lukas Graham made his global debut with his 2016 self-titled album, which featured the huge global hit ‘7 Years’. The track went on to spend five weeks at #1 on the UK’s Official Singles Chart as it amassed over 3 billion streams at Spotify and three Grammy nominations. It became the biggest selling single by a debut artist in 2016. ‘7 Years’ catapulted Lukas to sold-out
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tours all over the world as he earned critical acclaim from the likes of the New York Times, Rolling Stone and Billboard. It also resulted in performances at the Grammy Awards and the MTV Video Music Awards, where he was also nominated for Best New Artist. The song transformed Lukas’ life into a whirlwind — a world away from his beginnings, born on a couch in Christiania, an impoverished quasi-commune located in the centre of Copenhagen.
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Strictly's Bruno Tonioli to miss some of new series
runo Tonioli will not be behind the Strictly Come Dancing judges' desk for some of this year's series, while he takes part in the US version. The impassioned Italian usually appears on both Dancing With The Stars and the BBC show, flying back and forth. But that's not possible this year. He won't be replaced on the UK panel. The BBC said Tonioli would still "be involved remotely" in the Sunday results shows and then return, full time, "towards the end
of the series". This year's series will be will be "slightly" shorter than usual due to the coronavirus pandemic, the broadcaster has said. It normally begins in September and ends in mid-December. Its run largely overlaps with Dancing With The Stars, which normally ends in late November. The BBC hasn't said how long this series will be, or how long Tonioli will be away. The timing of his return is likely to depend on the transmission dates of Dancing With The Stars and any
quarantine requirements. Previously, Tonioli has commuted between the shows every week. However, the current rules say anyone flying from the US to the UK and vice versa must self-isolate for two weeks. The BBC also didn’t give any details of how he would take part in the results shows remotely. Tonioli’s fellow UK judges Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse and Craig Revel Horwood will all return.
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ENTERTAINMENT MOTORS New Bentley Fragrance Bottles A Signature Attitude For Men Bentley Fragrances, the international luxury brand, introduces Silverlake, an exciting new addition to its Bentley For Men range. Crafted from the highest-quality natural materials, this spirited new fragrance meets the same exacting standards as Bentley cars. The scent opens with a rush of icecool notes, as lemon and peppermint essences blend to create the effect of a gust of pure, invigorating mountain air. As the heart of the fragrance unfolds, the green, moist-earth accents of violet leaf absolute evoke a majestic forest, touched by the frosty bite of pink pepper essence. The cool sheen of lavender hints at the silver water of a lake, reflecting the clear blue sky. Boosting these bracing accords, a powerful blend of ambery woods carried by a breeze of pure white musk give the scent its crisp, modern, long-lasting trail.
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NISSAN GIVES A CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL TO REMEMBER
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issan is bringing e l e c t r i f i e d excitement to the UEFA Champions League Final by giving a lucky group of Nissan LEAF drivers a socially distanced game-day experience. With fans unable to attend this year’s game in person, Nissan is setting up a drive-in cinema for 50 LEAF owners, whose cars will be parked in team formation facing a giant screen, bringing them closer to the action while still maintaining social distancing. The watch party will take place at a secret location communicated only to the selected fans, each of
whom can bring a guest. Among those attending will be the owner of the 5,000th LEAF sold in Portugal and UEFA Champions League legend Nuno Gomes, who will join an exclusive meet-and-greet. With all necessary hygiene measures in place, the fans will also have access to the UEFA Champions League trophy for an exclusive photo opportunity, before it heads to the stadium. Nissan is in its sixth season as the official automotive sponsor of the UEFA Champions League, the world’s largest annual sporting event. “For six seasons now, we have been electrifying the UEFA
Champions League Final,” said Gareth Dunsmore, Vice President for Marketing Communications, Connected Car Services and Customer Experience at Nissan Europe. “This year, we felt even more motivated to add to the excitement of the event. “Nothing can recreate the excitement of being in the stadium, but we hope we can give our LEAF owners the next best thing.” In addition to hosting the watch party, Nissan will parade the UEFA Champions League trophy through Lisbon to Estadio Da Luz aboard its electric performance car, the Nissan LEAF NISMO RC.
Elfyn Evans Revved Up For WRC Restart In Estonia Elfyn Evans is relishing the restart of the FIA World Rally Championship – even more so as the Welshman currently holds a strong second place in the 2020 title race having made his best-ever start to a season. After the opening three rounds staged in Monte Carlo, Sweden and Mexico before the global COVID-19 lockdown, Evans is only topped in the points standings by Sébastien Ogier, his six-time World Champion teammate at Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT.
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Now, after a six-month hiatus due to COVID-19, the WRC is ready to resume on the super-fast gravel roads of Estonia at the start of next month (4-6 September) and Evans is excited to be back behind the wheel. “It’s been a long lay-off for sure and I’m really looking forward to finally getting going again,” he confirmed after spending much of the last six months trying to keep match fit at home in north Wales by combining his mountain biking activities in Snowdonia with regular gym and
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weight sessions. To dust away any cobwebs, Evans and co-driver Scott Martin will be back together in their regular Toyota Yaris WRC to contest this Sunday’s nonchampionship South Estonia Rally. “We will treat that as a final warm-up to get us, and the team, back in the competitive groove,” he confirmed. “We will try to fine-tune a few different chassis set-ups and use the event as a competitive test session in the build up to Rally Estonia itself.”
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ASTON MARTIN VANTAGE GTE FIGHTS TO DOUBLE-PODIUM FINISH IN SPA
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ston Martin Racing fought back from adversity in a fiercely-contested Total 6 Hours of Spa – Round 6 of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) – to record a hugely competitive double-podium in Belgium and maintain its convincing lead in the GT Manufacturers’ and GTE Pro Drivers’ standings. Despite two torrential rain showers, one of which forced the race to begin behind the Safety Car, three further Safety Car periods, two punctures and several critical strategic calls to manage an ever-changing race,
the #95 Aston Martin Vantage GTE driven by Danish duo Nicki Thiim and Marco Sørensen raced through to second place – finishing just 5.6s behind the GTE Pro leader. Behind them, in third position were their team-mates Maxime Martin (BEL) and Alex Lynn (GB), who came within seven minutes of fuel’s-worth of winning the Belgian race for the second year in succession. Another short Safety Car period was all they needed to save enough fuel for a brilliant victory, but alas in the end it required a spash-and-dash with two laps to go and they dropped
to third position. Moreover, the #97 crew had been nursing a brake issue in the closing stages and Martin drove brilliantly to fend off his rivals and take the podium. Aston Martin now leads the GT Manufacturers’ Championship by 29 points with 219, while Thiim and Sørensen hold a 19-point lead in the Drivers’ standings. The result also means that an Aston Martin Vantage GTE has finished on the podium 15 times out of 24 attempts, while at least one works Aston Martin Racing crew has stood on the podium at every race this season.
l Lynn and Martin
l Thiim and Sorensen
Countdown Underway To UK’s Biggest Motor Show
August should have held the opening day of the return of the muchanticipated British Motor Show. So although we are all a little sad here, we thought we would remind ourselves about what’s already planned at next year’s event. No other Motor Show has even delivered such a variety of content, celebrity guests and live action, nor has it had such a focus on supporting out incredible industry, which
contributes £18.6 billion to the British economy at a time when it needs it most. So today, it’s time to take a look at the list of what’s planned for the country’s premier automotive expo at Farnborough next August. There is so much already confirmed, so to celebrate the start of our 365-day countdown we thought we would summarise what is already confirmed for the show. Already confirmed are: Live Arena – One of the main
attractions is surely going to be the Live Arena. Paul Swift will be putting on no less than 3 different stunt shows each day, with a variety of classic and new cars. When Paul isn’t in the arena, we will have a variety of classic car and supercar parades, record breakers, solar cars, live group tests, mountain bike displays and more… Live Stage – Want to hang out with some of the most famous faces in motoring, take part in a quiz or have a bit of fun? The Live Stage is where you will find it, hosted by Mr Wheeler Dealer himself Mike Brewer. The stage will host celebrity interviews, quizzes, prize giveaways, panel sessions, new product launches and more, sure to be packed throughout the weekend Celebrities - Mike Brewer will be joined by a host of celebrities from the motoring world including Tim Shaw & Fuzz Townshend from CAR SOS, Mike Brewer, Vicki Butler-Henderson, Zef Eisenberg, Mike Rutherford and stars from the world of motorsport and TV and much more!
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Birmingham Hippodrome cancels Christmas season
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s a theatre which stages one of the UK's most popular p a n t o m i m e s Birmingham Hippodrome has announced that it has cancelled its Christmas programme due to Covid-19 and will not reopen this year and that its major live performances were "not financially viable" amid social distancing. With productions in the main auditorium not resuming until February at the earliest, it said, it means that the festive pantomime, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, will not go ahead. Annual performances of The Nutcracker by Birmingham Royal Ballet, which uses the theatre as its home venue, have also been scrapped there.
The Hippodrome said the move followed discussions "at length" with both the ballet and pantomime producer, Qdos. Fiona Allan, the theatre's chief executive and artistic director said it was "a massive blow" to lose the shows. "It leaves us in a very difficult financial position... a quarter of our annual income comes from this Christmas season, 150,000 people come through our doors between pantomime and The Nutcracker, so it's really quite devastating. We're just trying to weigh-up it up, what it means, if we can continue to operate as we did before." The Hippodrome had previously announced scale backs because of the pandemic. In June, the theatre said about 60 employees - around
half its staff - could be made redundant in a bid to stay afloat. It benefitted from the government's £1.5bn support package for the arts, announced in July, but Ms Allan said social distancing prohibited full-scale productions. Goldilocks, starring Jason Donovan, has been rescheduled for the 2021 Christmas period. Reacting to the news on Twitter, Emma Rowley said: "My heart literally breaks with this news. I'm so sad to everyone at my absolute fave [sic] place." Leon Phillips added: "This is sad to hear, but at a time like this what else can you do, safety of your audience and staff members is very important, and your [sic] being very responsible at this moment.
"It's nice to see how understanding your audience member [sic] are as well." Birmingham Royal Ballet says it is "working hard" to find a new host for The Nutcracker and The Hippodrome said it would be contacting ticket-holders for the ballet production over the coming days. Qdos announced it was pushing back pantomimes in Aberdeen, Belfast, Edinburgh and Southampton to next Christmas amid ongoing uncertainty about when theatres would be able to reopen fully. Its managing director Michael Harrison said: "The Birmingham Hippodrome pantomime is the UK's biggest regional panto and postponing the show has been a difficult decision."
Birmingham REP and BRB form creative partnership B irmi n gham Repertory Theatre and Birmingham Royal Ballet (BRB) have announced they are embarking on a creative partnership to work on new shows together, starting with a ballet inspired by social distancing. The two companies have joined forces to work together and develop dance productions for Birmingham audiences and help revive the city’s cultural life following lockdown. It is the creation of the companies’ new artistic leaders, Sean Foley at Birmingham Rep, and Carlos Acosta at BRB, both of whom joined their respective organisations within the past year. Acosta said: “I hoped the cross-sector collaboration would maximise our different creative networks and represented a shared vision to making Birmingham the greatest city in the arts". The partnership will begin with four shows staged for live audiences at the Birmingham Rep in October. These will include the premiere of a new ballet by Will Tuckett, Lazuli Sky, which is inspired by and uses social distancing. Of the plans Foley said: "This is the beginning of an exciting partnership that will encompass
full-scale productions, and new ways to create audiences together. Combining the Rep’s own history with Birmingham Royal Ballet’s reputation for worldclass ballet gives us both hope that we can help establish Birmingham as the very best city for theatre, for dance and the creative arts. "The arts must find new and inventive ways to collaborate and create new works. The new collaboration will deliver excitement and artistic excellence for the people of Birmingham and wider afield - both nationally, and internationally". Lazuli Sky will be part of a triple bill of ballet, with music by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia, running from October 22 to 24 which will also include the neo-classical Our Waltzes by Vicente Nebrada and solo piece Liebestod, by Valery Panov. Birmingham Rep and BRB are also developing a new work for 2021 entitled City of a Thousand Trades, which will be part of a season celebrating 30 years since BRB moved from London to Birmingham. The one-act ballet, inspired by the stories of Birmingham and is residents, is due to premiere next May.
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Adapting To The New Classroom Environment
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he role of a parent is to nurture, love and guide the early learning of their newborn babies and
toddlers. As an infant, we all show desire to imitate and copy others around us, for example when a baby see you standing up, they will try to do the same but of course until their limbs are strong enough and they are strong enough to stand on their own two feet , then they will topple backwards and their will be someone to catch them. As a parent we are there to prevent them from hurting themselves and show them how with a bit of support and by helping them to stand up they will be soon be making their first baby steps. As they get more confident we are able to let go of them but still are close by to catch them in case they start to topple over. As the child grows they become more inclined to imitate both good and bad behaviours that they see and hear around them, so it is important that the parent teaches them what is the difference, the Do’s, the Don’t, The How To’s and so on. On their first day of school, everyone including the parents and the children themselves are both anxious and excited to be taking this new step forward. Parents will always have a place to guide, develop and nurture their children’s future when they are at home. But now when the child enters the school classroom the parents and the children are given a helping hand in the form of the Teacher. The Teacher is there to support and feed the desire for knowledge and learning that all children have, they all want to know more about the world around them and having this hunger for knowledge develops our brain power. For the child themselves, this is a journey like no other. They will make friends of course and come across challenges with other children and adults alike. Some will handle this better than others and some will no doubt struggle to deal with the challenges they face. However, what is common is that no
matter how they decide to deal with these challenges, that come in many different ways, that they all need support and guidance to overcome and deal with them. Going back to school during the Coronavirus Pandemic or even joining a new school or class presents many complexities both for the children and for the teaching staff. For some this will just be part of their life’s story and adjust easily but for others there may well be fear and dread
of doing so. The children themselves and their parents will feel many different types of emotions ranging from the positive, upbeat and enthusiastic to the negative, downbeat and sadness and depression. For some children they will be seeing their school friends that they have missed seeing but there may be others that they would not have missed seeing for a number of reasons. One of which could be around the issue of peer pressure leading to bullying and being fearful of. So how should a child deal with the fact that they are being bullied themselves or indeed witnessing other children who are being bullied by
others around them - See my website www.bigdave.online for more help for the children and for the parent. The two things that really helped me when I was younger and being bullied was talking to someone who properly listened to what I was saying. A child must tell someone and not suffer in Silence. They must be encouraged to ‘Talk, Talk, Talk’ talk to their Parents, talk to their Teachers, talk to friends and or other adults. And when a child does talk to you, you should listen and act as appropriate. The second thing was by developing ‘A Never Say Can’t’ attitude, which has been the underlying characteristic that drives me on to achieve what I have been able to achieve. You are more powerful than you think. It is not the physical strength but it is the mind strength that we possess. Your Mind Is The Highest Level Of Strength. Big Dave can help to support both the children and the parents alike and has a lot of information and coping strategies to deal and manage some of these challenges. This can be found on my website www.bigdave.online. As adults we have to learn and adjust to the new norm with the Coronavirus Pandemic and our children will have to do the same. But they need the support of others, especially their parents, their teachers and friends around them. We are all learning new lessons in life and new words to describe what is happening and the meanings of these new words such as social distancing, lockdown, facemask and bubble. It is important that our children are supported through this critical time for their learning on life’s journey. Big Dave Says; Knowledge is power and with this power comes great responsibilities and we all need to support the children to understand the world around them and to get through together what is surely a dramatic period of everyone’s life journey and to adapt to the new classroom and dare I say world environment. Stay Safe Everyone and Spread The Love
The Art of Forgiveness
H
o’oponopono is a healing technique that was first practiced by the ancient Hawaiians and it has the simple message of repentance, gratitude but above all taking 100% responsibility for everything you say and do. The purpose is to clear negativity from the mind and thoughts and is used as a daily practice for healing, selftransformation, inner peace and love. Ho’o means ‘to make’ and Pono means ‘right’, as it’s repeated, it is being right with yourself and others ..... Ho’oponopono. It can be practiced in four easy steps and this is called the ‘Ancient Hawaiian Prayer’. Step 1. SORRY... Once you realise that YOU are responsible for everything you do and say, you will naturally feel sad or sorry. Maybe you’ve drunk too much, added a little more weight than you’d have liked to , started smoking again. So let’s say ‘I’m sorry’ to ourselves and mean and believe it. Step 2. PLEASE FORGIVE ME... It doesn’t have to be anything specific, you can just say those words and truly feel and believe that you want to be forgiven . Step 3. THANKYOU... Practice gratitude, be grateful for everything. Thank yourself for being YOU... Thank
your God, the Universe, the Angels, your Family/Friends , the food you eat, the Sunshine ... Step 4. I LOVE YOU... Nothing is more powerful than LOVE. Say I love you to the air you breathe , the food you have, Mother Earth, family/ friends/neighbours that surround you with love ... These four powerful phrases complete the Ancient Hawaiian Prayer .. I’m sorry, please forgive me, thankyou and I love you . You can say these words as a daily mantra as many times as you need to for yourself and others , just add your or their name or situation first then the prayer/mantra.. Believe me it is not an easy one to use, your ego will get in the way and say .. “Why should I say sorry or forgive” etc But Why Not? This is all about Self-transformation, making YOU a better person , the best life, relationships, friends etc that you can have. What’s Not To LOVE.
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Page 36 - The Phoenix Newspaper - September 2020
ENTERTAINMENT
New Amazon Prime Video Announcements from Edinburgh TV Festival
A
t the Edinburgh TV Festival, Director of European Originals for Amazon Studios Georgia Brown announced two new Amazon Original shows, including a brand new eightpart immersive reality dating show and the brand new musical drama series, Jungle. The eight-part reality dating show, produced by Studio Lambert, will see a cast of grade-A unlucky-in-love Brits try to find ‘the one’ by going back to High School for a second time. The participants won’t just be going ‘back to school’ but entering the nostalgic pictureperfect world of 80s, 90s and 00s American High School movies to complete a search for love. Jungle follows the connected lives of two separate strangers, each facing their own struggles, viewed through the prism of UK grime and drill music. The series will be told through a unique blend of music and dialogue, working alongside creatively ambitious cinematography and design to create a tilted, timeless version of today’s world.
www.streetcredmagazine.com
Council chiefs welcome reopening of The Way Youth Zone C ouncil chiefs have welcomed the reopening of Wo l v e r h a m p t o n ’s state-of-the-art youth zone to more children and young people for the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in March. The Way began running evening sessions for limited numbers of visitors, bookable in advance, from Monday 13 July, and intends to deliver more evening sessions, mentoring, detached work, a targeted holiday club and a new dinner club, providing affordable
and healthy meals for families for £1, this month. To ensure the safety of young people, staff and volunteers, social distancing and additional hygiene measures are in place, with up to 40 visitors able to attend The Way at any one time,
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in ‘bubbles’ of 10. The centre had to close its doors in late March but was able to provide remote support to around 4,500 children and young people online and over the phone. This service continues. Councillor John Reynolds, the
City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: "The Way is a fantastic facility which we should all be very proud to have in our city. “It managed to keep hundreds of children and young people active, entertained and engaged online throughout the coronavirus pandemic and it's great news that it has now reopened its doors in a Covid-secure way and is providing face to face activities to dozens of visitors every day. “Obviously, the full range of activities will not be available
immediately, but I would encourage children, young people and families to take advantage of the opportunities which are now on offer." Carla Priddon, CEO of The Way Youth Zone, said: “At the start of the coronavirus crisis, we pivoted our delivery model to ensure thousands of youngsters could still gain vital access to trusted, professional youth workers remotely. “Youth services are an essential part of helping a generation of young people that stand to be hit hardest by the economic, social, health and mental wellbeing implications of the crisis for many years to come. Achieving this whilst protecting the health and wellbeing of young people, employees, volunteers and the wider community is our primary focus. “We are delighted to be up and running in person once more, and it’s great to be able to welcome children and young people back into our centre. We will continue to monitor and review the coronavirus restrictions and respond accordingly.” The £5.5 million Youth Zone was developed by national charity OnSide Youth Zones, the City of Wolverhampton Council and the local business community and opened in 2016. In more normal times it supports over 1,000 young people aged eight to 19, and up to 25 for those with additional needs, each week, offering state-of-the-art facilities including basketball courts, football pitch, climbing walls, dance studio, fully-equipped gym, music room and a gaming room, all for just 50p a visit. For further information on The Way Youth Zone, please visit www.thewayyouthzone.org.
0208 865 1922 (London)