Theatr Brycheiniog Brochure Winter 2009

THEATR BRYCHEINIOG BRECON l ABERHONDDU JANUARY - MAY l IONAWR - MAI 2009

BELLOWHEAD SYLVAIN EMARD DANCE WAVE

DIVERSIONS FOR YOU MICHAEL BERKELEY & IAN MCEWAN’S

DANCE COMPANY OF WALES

THE FUREYS & DAVEY ARTHUR

ED BYRNE

ELKIE BROOKS REAL DIAMOND

SCOTTISH FALSETTO SOCK PUPPET THEATRE

DAVE SPIKEY JASON MANFORD BBC NATIONAL ORCHESTRA OF WALES AN EVENING WITH BENJAMIN ZEPHANIAH

CIMARRON & CATRIN FINCH

BOX OFFICE l SWYDDFA DOCYNNAU

01874 611622 www.theatrbrycheiniog.co.uk

MONTHLY

JAZZ BRYCHEINIOG Sit back and chill at Theatr Brycheiniog's jazz-in-the-bar experience.

TUESDAY 27 JANUARY 8.00PM Hot club style jazz with Swing Junction.

TUESDAY 24 FEBRUARY 8.00PM Bluesy Susie - great vocals and band.

TUESDAY 24 MARCH 8.00PM Highly acclaimed trumpet-led quartet - the Ben Thomas Band.

TUESDAY 28 APRIL 8.00PM Ruth Bowen's Gardenia Swing: smooth vocals, returning by popular demand

ENTRANCE £4.00 WWW.JAZZINTHEBAR.COM

MONTHLY

BRECKNOCK KNOCK The theatre bar is the perfect place to enjoy the best up-and-coming comedians that Wales and the UK has to offer.

THURSDAY 15 JANUARY

WEEKLY - FRIDAYS

Gareth Richards with guest compere Elis James

BALLROOM & LATIN DANCE CLASSES

WEDNESDAY 18 FEBRUARY Jason Manford - see main entry

THURSDAY 26 MARCH Act to be confirmed

Learn to dance the waltz, rumba, tango, jive and many more. Beginners and improvers classes available. Bring a friend or partner. £5.00 PER PERSON PER WEEK For further details, please contact Teresa Godmon 07791780350 / 01981 500209

WEEKLY - WEDNESDAYS

B-BOYING AT BRYCHEINIOG Get to grips with popping and locking, boogaloo and breaking at Theatr Brycheiniog's breakdancing classes. £6.00 PER WEEK £60.00 PER TERM (12 WEEKS)

Image

HAPPY NEW YEAR! We usher in 2009 with a new look brochure - hope you like it - and a scintillating season of arts and entertainment.

In these gloomy times for the economy, I’ve lined up some of the best comedy in the UK to cheer us all up. Jason Manford and Ed Byrne will tickle anybody’s funny bone - as long as you’ve got a ticket!

Design: Savage and Gray

T: 029 2034 5533 www.savageandgray.co.uk 3777/08

And don’t forget the youngsters! They like a good laugh too. We’ve got Paddy the Clown and Bink & The Hairy Fairy this season.

Excitingly, Theatr Mwldan, Astar and Theatr Brycheiniog are working together again to tour the Cimarron/Catrin Finch collaboration which sold out theatres throughout Wales in 2007. Cimarron, fresh from a thrilling appearance at the World Music Expo in Seville in November, and Catrin, after a busy year recording and touring the Goldberg Variations amongst other projects, will be an electrifying proposition again and I just know that the concert here on 6 March will probably be a season highlight for many.

I’m looking forward to the next few months - I hope you are too!

ANDY EAGLE Director Recognised as a Regional Performing Arts Centre by the Arts Council of Wales Cydnabyddir gan Gyngor Celfyddydau Cymru fel Canolfan Ranbarthol y Celfyddydau Perfformio

FRIDAY 9 JANUARY 7.30PM

HOSTED BY OPERA SCHOOL WALES

OPERA MASTERCLASS WITH DAVID SYRUS, HEAD OF MUSIC AT THE ROYAL OPERA HOUSE, COVENT GARDEN This is a rare opportunity to hear one of the UK’s top opera professionals at work.

David Syrus is holding a three day Masterclass at Theatr Brycheiniog with twelve talented young professional singers. This concert given on the last day of the course will not only offer a chance to hear some superb singing of a wide variety of operatic ensembles and arias, but also give an opportunity for the audience to ask questions of David, and to discover more about life at Covent Garden.

TICKETS £14.00 CONCESSIONS £12.00

SATURDAY 17 - SATURDAY 24 JANUARY

WESTENDERS

DICK WHITTINGTON CELEBRATING SIXTY YEARS OF PANTOMIME The Westenders present the magical journey of mystery and wonder that is Dick Whittington.

SATURDAY 17 & SUNDAY 18 JANUARY 4.00PM TUESDAY 20 - FRIDAY 23 JANUARY 7.00PM SATURDAY 24 JANUARY 2.00PM & 7.00PM Sponsored by The Brecon & Radnor Express

TICKETS £9.00 SENIOR CITIZENS £8.00 CHILDREN £7.00

SATURDAY 24 JANUARY 8.00PM

AT BRECON CATHEDRAL

BRECKNOCK SINFONIA SOLOIST TOM POSTER Mozart Overture Cosi fan Tutte Mozart Piano Concerto K. 491 Beethoven Symphony No. 4 Tonight the orchestra is joined by one of the UK’s leading young concert pianists fresh from his recent success at the Scottish International Piano Competition.

Tom Poster is a regular performer on the international stage and is frequently to be heard on BBC Radio 3.

TICKETS £10.00 UNDER 18S £1.00 FAMILY TICKET £20.00

SATURDAY 31 JANUARY 7.00PM

JAMES BOND CHARITY BALL IN AID OF USK HOUSE HOSPICE TICKETS £30.00

SUNDAY 1 FEBRUARY 7.45PM

BELLOWHEAD Bellowhead is a dynamic 11-piece musical collective combining traditional skills with contemporary electric percussion and funky brass.

Don't miss this chance to catch the return to Brecon of one of the UK's most innovative live bands whose fans unite across generations and genres.

Legendary for their musically thrilling live performances, Bellowhead have stormed the UK festival scene, playing The Big Chill, Larmer Tree, TFF Rudolstadt, Roskilde Festival, Summer Sundae, Beautiful Days, Cambridge Folk Festival and Womad UK.

TICKETS ÂŁ14.00 CONCESSIONS ÂŁ12.00

MONDAY 2 - SATURDAY 7 FEBRUARY 7.00PM

BRECKNOCK YOUNG FARMERS ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL DRAMA & PANTOMIME FESTIVAL TICKETS ON SALE MONDAY 19 JANUARY 10.00AM

TUESDAY 17 FEBRUARY 6.00PM

SCOTTISH FALSETTO SOCK PUPPET THEATRE The stars of BBC3's Comedy Shuffle and MTV's Best Show Ever, bring you a night that has to be seen to be believed. Songs, sketches and socks, with extra added Shakespeare.

TUESDAY 10 - THURSDAY 12 FEBRUARY 7.30PM WEDNESDAY 11 FEBRUARY 12.00PM

BRECON HIGH SCHOOL

LES MISERABLES SCHOOL EDITION A musical by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg.

This school edition specially adapted and licenced by Josef Weinberger Limited on behalf of Music Theatre International and Cameron Macintosh (Overseas) Ltd.

TICKETS £10.00 CONCESSIONS £7.00

'For sheer energy and laughs per hour, these comic stockings are the biz... denier miss it.' THE SCOTSMAN 'Hilarious... the Abbott & Costello of the sock world' TIME OUT TICKETS £7.00 CONCESSIONS £5.00

WEDNESDAY 18 FEBRUARY 8.00PM

PHIL MCINTYRE ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTS

JASON MANFORD CO-PROMOTED WITH BRECKNOCK KNOCK

The multi-award winning comedian and star of 8 Out of 10 Cats, Live at the Apollo, The Secret Policeman’s Ball 2008 and XFM, embarks on his first live national tour with this exciting and hilarious show that will have audiences begging for more.

‘Deserves a cult following’ SCOTSMAN ‘Very funny’ PETER KAY ‘Hilarious’ JOHNNY VEGAS ‘Engaging and witty’ SUNDAY TIMES TICKETS £15.00

THURSDAY 19 FEBRUARY 8.00PM

THE BOOTLEG SIXTIES

Featuring three screens, an awesome lightshow and special guests, The Bootleg Sixties takes you on an unforgettable journey with the songs, stars and images of pop’s greatest decade.

It stars The Overtures, one of the finest exponents of Sixties music in the world today and a band that counts Sir Elton John as a fan (he booked them to be the main act at his star-studded wedding).

With endorsements like that - what are you waiting for?

TICKETS £14.50

WEDNESDAY 25 FEBRUARY 7.30PM

OPERA DELLA LUNA

DIE FLEDERMAUS Die Fledermaus is surely one of the world’s most famous operettas and it now gets a glittering, and saucy, new look by the country’s best small-scale operetta company.

Opera della Luna have earned themselves a matchless reputation, touring the country for over ten years with acclaimed productions of Gilbert and Sullivan and Offenbach. They now turn their hand to the 'waltz king' Johann Strauss, and this most sparkling of scores.

TICKETS £15.00 CONCESSIONS £14.00

'Jeff Clarke’s vivacious production is truly delightful. Mischievous and witty and the outfits have all the razzle-dazzle of Versace.'

FINANCIAL TIMES

SATURDAY 21 FEBRUARY 7.30PM

THE 12TH ANNUAL

RORKE’S DRIFT CONCERT

Featuring over 100 musicians and performers, including those from Army Cadet Forces representing Powys, Glamorgan, Kent, Shropshire, Lincolnshire, Gwent, Cumbria, Berkshire, this annual event is a highlight of the theatre's calender.

From jazz to classical, this evening has it all and this year's special guests are the newly formed Derbyshire ACF Band & The Bugles and Fife & Drums from Cambridgeshire ACF. Sell-out guaranteed - early booking recommended.

TICKETS £7.50 CONCESSIONS £6.50

THURSDAY 26 FEBRUARY 7.45PM

FRIDAY 27 & SATURDAY 28 FEBRUARY 7.30PM

RANNEL THEATRE COMPANY

THE CIRCUS OF HORRORS

FLHIP FLHOP EVERYTHING HAPPENS ON THE BREAK

Curiosity meets one-upmanship as two decorators investigate their surroundings, competing to entertain each other in an attempt to forget about the monotony of everyday working life.

Elements of hip-hop, B-boying, DJ’ing, MC’ing and beatbox are hidden and twisted into a dynamic physical performance combining witty dialogue and intricate choreography to create an energetic and hilarious comedy.

TICKETS £10.00 UNDER 18S £6.00

APOCALYPSE IN THE ASYLUM

Don't miss this uncontrollable cast of burlesque beauties and chaos-mongers together with some of the world's greatest, grotesque, most daring & bizarre circus acts - all live on stage at Theatr Brycheiniog this winter.

Presided over by the undead ringmaster Doktor Haze, The Circus Of Horrors is an amazing amalgamation of witchdoctors, voodoo acrobats, bendy bodies, demon dwarfs, blood curdling stunts and flying vampires.

It really is bloody marvellous.

'The most outrageous show on Earth’ THE WEEKLY NEWS TICKETS £15.00 CONCESSIONS £14.00

‘Rannel have taken a refreshingly quirky turn down an alley on the hip-hop theatre map' JONZI D, HIP-HOP PIONEER

SUNDAY 1 MARCH 7.30PM

LEGENDS OF THE OCHE

STARRING ERIC BRISTOW, BOBBY GEORGE AND JOHN LOWE HOSTED BY DUNCAN ‘CHASE ME’ NORVELLE This great night of entertainment sees three legends of darts taking to the oche.

Theatr Brycheiniog welcomes Eric Bristow, Bobby George and John Lowe - players with over 1500 titles to their names including 40 world titles and the first ever televised perfect nine-dart game.

This will be a hugely entertaining evening. Hear stories of their games, listen to comedy from Duncan and revel in the darting skills of three legendary players.

TICKETS £12.50

THURSDAY 5 MARCH 7.45PM

RGS LECTURE

HUGH THOMSON BEYOND MACHU PICCHU Hiram Bingham made his dramatic discovery of Machu Picchu in 1911 and popularised a view of ‘the lost city in the clouds’ as a religious hideaway for the Virgins of the Sun. Almost a century later, Hugh Thomson discusses the real significance of Machu Picchu in the light of other recent discoveries in the Peruvian Andes. Over the last twenty years, he has taken several expeditions to remote sites in this area and knows it well: the Incas left many other ruins in mountain settings as equally spectacular and accessible as Machu Picchu, at heights of up to 12,000 feet. The question is why?

TICKETS £10.00 CONCESSIONS £9.00 UNDER 16S £7.00 RGS & U3A £7.50

DON’T FORGET! THURSDAY 5 MARCH 1.00PM

SCAMP THEATRE & POOMANALLEE

PRIVATE PEACEFUL

BY MICHAEL MORPURGO TICKETS £6.00

FRIDAY 6 MARCH 8.00PM

CIMARRON & CATRIN FINCH ALL NEW SHOW!

This extraordinary, exciting and high-profile harp-based international music project combines the remarkable talent of Catrin Finch with Cimarron (Colombia), a seven piece llanera group drawn from the Mestizo people that inhabit the savannahs of the great Orinoco river.

Catrin Finch and Cimarron first met each other in Caernarfon, Wales in November 2007. During an intense four days, they exchanged and developed tunes and songs from each other’s native culture, each being led by the other’s harp tradition. Traditional Colombian rhythms saw the injection of Catrin’s stunning virtuosity, whilst traditional Welsh melodies became infused with a vibrant Latin identity.

Their sell-out tour of Wales received standing ovations and an ecstatic response that enveloped both artists and audiences.

Now this stunning collaboration celebrating two extremely rich musical heritages and the versatility and beauty of the harp returns - with a musical chemistry that will captivate and entrance!

TICKETS £15.00 CONCESSIONS £14.00

This Astar / Creu Cymru / Galeri / Theatr Brycheiniog / Theatr Mwldan co-production is supported by the Welsh Assembly Government and the Arts Council Of Wales through the Arts Outside Cardiff Fund.

SATURDAY 7 MARCH 7.45PM

REAL DIAMOND John Hylton is Europe’s foremost Neil Diamond tribute performer.

Featuring the hits such as Love on the Rocks and Brother Love, this is an electrifying show that will convince you that you have spent the evening with Neil himself!

'John’s voice is uncannily like Neil’s and he most certainly gives a flawless performance, leaving you wanting more.'

NEIL DIAMOND FAN CLUB

SPECIAL BONUS EVERYONE ATTENDING THE SHOW WILL RECEIVE A FREE REAL DIAMOND CD.

TICKETS £14.50 CONCESSIONS £13.50

SATURDAY 14 MARCH 7.45PM

ELKIE BROOKS Elkie Brooks is one of the most successful and popular singers the UK has ever produced and is still proving to be one of the most powerful and versatile vocal talents of a generation.

Performing some of her classic hits, blues, jazz and perhaps a song or two from her forthcoming album, an electric evening with Elkie is guaranteed to leave you begging for more.

Elkie is a stunning performer and whatever she does, she does it best live. Don't miss the chance to see a truly great artist in action.

‘Still one of the great British voices' THE GUARDIAN

TICKETS £20.00

THURSDAY 12 MARCH 7.00PM

SOUTH POWYS YOUTH MUSIC CONCERT Beethoven Delius Susato Saint-Saens

Leonore (Overture) On Hearing The First Cuckoo In Spring Dances from Danserye Danse Macabre

Featuring the South Powys Youth Orchestra, conducted by Alan Davies and Tim Cronin, and smaller string, percussion, wind and vocal consorts, this promises to be a splendid evening of music from the region’s most talented young musicians.

TICKETS ON SALE 1 FEBRUARY

TUESDAY 17 MARCH 7.30PM

NLAIS TRADGY S Y , E R A LF THE WE MING AT R O F R E P

LONDON CLASSIC THEATRE COMPANY

HUMBLE BOY

BY CHARLOTTE JONES

Past and present collide with love and uncertainty in this original and captivating play, an awardwinning comedy with a delightful sting in the tail.

Following the sudden death of his father, thirty-five-year-old Felix Humble, a Cambridge academic, returns to his Middle England home and his difficult and demanding mother. After a chaotic funeral, and the disappearance of his father’s prized bees, it becomes clear to Felix that life at the Humble home will never be the same again...

CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE. RECOMMENDED AGE LIMIT 14+

SATURDAY 14 MARCH 7.30PM

THE FUREYS & DAVEY ARTHUR

There is nothing we can say about these legends of Irish Music that people don’t already know.

Don’t miss this concert and the opportunity to hear their hits including When You Were Sweet Sixteen, The Green Fields Of France, The Old Man, Red Rose Café, From Clare To Here, Her Father Didn’t Like Me Anyway, Leaving Nancy, Steal Away plus many, many more.

This concert is co-promoted by Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon, and The Welfare, Ystrandgynlais.

TICKETS £15.00 CONCESSIONS £13.50

TICKETS £12.50 CONCESSIONS £11.00

WEDNESDAY 18 MARCH 8.00PM

PHIL MCINTYRE ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTS

ED BYRNE DIFFERENT CLASS

Half toff, half pikey... All comic!

Irish comic and star of BBC 2’s Mock The Week, Ed Byrne returns with his blisteringly funny new one man show about marriage, class, the youth of today and anything else that strikes him as humorous.

TICKETS £15.00

‘A stunningly original piece of work - a comedy star’ IRISH TIMES

THURSDAY 19 MARCH 7.00PM

THE ROTARY CLUB SCHOOLS DRAMA FESTIVAL 2009 Following a sell out at the first Rotary Schools Drama Festival, this biannual event organised by the Rotary Club of Brecon promises to be an evening to remember.

Students from Brecon, Crickhowell and Gwernyfed High Schools, together with Christ College, perform a selection of drama, dance and musical theatre.

Come and be amazed by the young talent on display.

TICKETS £7.50 CHILDREN & SENIOR CITIZENS £6.50

FRIDAY 20 MARCH 8.00PM

TIM EMMETT EXTREME HIGH Tim Emmett is a well-known personality in the climbing and extreme sports world.

In the last couple of years, Tim has become known for his para Alpinism - climbing a big mountain and then BASE jumping off in a wing-suit and flying to the ground reaching speeds of up to 250mph with absolutely no petrol or CO2 emissions!

In this lecture, Tim will be talking about his incredible life, giving the audience an insight into the mindset of an extreme sports athlete. A seasoned speaker, Tim’s lectures are as energycharged as his life, using video footage, sound effects and images to provide a dramatic backdrop to his gripping stories.

TICKETS £12.00 CONCESSIONS £10.00

SATURDAY 21 MARCH 8.00PM

THE BROTHERS GIBB It’s got groove! It’s got meaning!

A stunning fully live concert celebrating the greatest hits of the world’s foremost songwriters and the undisputed champions of popular music - The Bee Gees.

Don’t miss this two hour roller-coaster ride through four decades of non-stop hits starting from the early 60's with New York Mining Disaster and Massachusetts through to the disco explosion of the 1970s including the all-time classics Staying Alive, Jive Talking and Saturday Night Fever.

Performed by the finest artistes in the land with breathtaking authenticity and flawless musicianship.

TICKETS £16.00 & £15.00

WEDNESDAY 25 MARCH 7.45PM

SYLVAIN EMARD DANCE WAVE

Wave is the last chapter of Sylvain Émard’s Climatology Of Bodies cycle, which brought us Pluie (2004) and Temps de chien (2005). In this highly acclaimed trilogy, Sylvain Émard uses the climate as a metaphor for external influences that affects our lives.

Wave explores with finesse our capacity and our individual desire to melt, to become part of an increasingly vast and multi-dimensional environment.

Performed by five exceptional female dancers, this tidal wave sweeps forth to reveal dance as the exquisitely tuned music of bodies.

Energetic, remarkable and moving beyond words.

TICKETS £12.50 UNDER 18S £5.00

A co-production by Sylvain Émard Danse, Station Zuid (Netherlands), the Grand Théâtre de Lorient (France) and Usine C (Canada). Sylvain Émard Danse gratefully acknowledges support from the Canada Arts Council, the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec and the Montreal Arts Council.

SATURDAY 28 MARCH 7.30PM

BRECKNOCK SINFONIA AND THE MARCHES CHAMBER CHOIR

Bach Sinfonia from Cantata No. 42 Easter Oratorio Magnificat The Orchestra will be joined this evening by the Marches Chamber Choir and outstanding local soloists for a programme which includes some of J.S. Bach’s bestloved music and the celebrated Easter Oratorio.

The Choir will be taking this programme on tour to Italy to perform in the Florence Music Festival.

TICKETS £10.00 UNDER 18S £1.00 FAMILY TICKET £20.00

DON’T FORGET! FRIDAY 27 MARCH 7.15PM

GWERNYFED PRIMARY SCHOOL CLUSTER CONCERT TICKETS £5.00

MONDAY 30 & TUESDAY 31 MARCH 7.30PM

CLWYD THEATR CYMRU

GREAT EXPECTATIONS ADAPTED AND DIRECTED BY TIM BAKER

A chilling Christmas Eve encounter on the misty marshes between young orphan Pip and escaped convict Abel Magwitch is the prelude to Great Expectations, one of Dickens’ finest and best-loved novels.

Pip’s unforgettable journey unfolds as he encounters the eccentric Miss Havisham, her beautiful daughter Estella, brought up to avenge her stepmother’s heartbreak at being jilted at the altar, and a mysterious benefactor, legally represented by Mr Jaggers, who has designs to take the boy away from his humble roots to a new life as a gentleman in London.

Who is Pip’s secret benefactor? Will he ever find happiness with his sweetheart Estella and will his great expectations ever be fulfilled?

TICKETS £12.50 CONCESSIONS £11.00 SCHOOLS £5.00

WEDNESDAY 1 APRIL 7.45PM

NICK BROOKE LTD PRESENTS

FASCINATING AIDA

STARRING DILLIE KEANE, ADELE ANDERSON & LIZA PULMAN Britain’s top female comedy trio are twenty-five years old! (well, older actually, but they have decided their Silver Jubilee can be celebrated for a few more years at least!)

Twenty-five years, five continents, six West End runs, six albums, five nominations (including three Oliviers) and two books. Not bad going!

Join Dillie, Adele and Liza, thrill to the beauty of the harmonies and marvel at the rhymes and help them celebrate their auspicious birthday.

Happy Birthday Fascinating Aida!

TICKETS £15.00 CONCESSIONS £13.00

FRIDAY 3 APRIL 7.30PM

MAYOR’S CONCERT In aid of the Mozart Music Fund, L'Arche Community, Brecon and the Medical Foundation For The Victims Of Torture.

With a razzle-dazzle cast including John Arye and the Aberhonddu Male Choir, this will be a spectacular evening of music and entertainment for the whole family.

TICKETS £10.00

SATURDAY 4 APRIL 7.30PM

SWANSEA CITY OPERA

THE ELIXIR OF LOVE A COMIC OPERA IN TWO ACTS

BY GAETANO DONIZETTI Following highly successful productions of The Daughter of the Regiment and The Magic Flute, Swansea City Opera now bring this timeless and charming comic opera to life, updating it to the 1920s and setting it in the uniquely beautiful village of Portmeirion, North Wales.

Full of hilariously colourful characters, this deliciously frothy tale of romance has delighted audiences throughout the world.

Sung in English, the score is full of memorable tunes including Una furtiva lagrima, a favourite of tenors from Caruso to Gigli, and the aria that catapulted Pavarotti to fame.

TICKETS £17.50 & £16.50 CONCESSIONS £15.50 & £14.50 This Theatr Brycheiniog/Rhondda Cynon Taff Theatres co-production is supported by the The Welsh Assembly Government and the Arts Outside Cardiff Fund.

WEDNESDAY 8 APRIL 2.00PM

PADDY THE CLOWN Extremely funny and fine-tuned to his audience, Paddy uses simple props, superb timing and a fair amount of self-deprecating humour to thrill kids and entertain parents.

'fast, witty and spontaneous... highly recommended' THE STAGE

TICKETS £7.00 CONCESSIONS £6.00

DON’T FORGET! SATURDAY 11 APRIL 7.30PM

THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC A celebration of Brecon’s outstanding musical talent over the last fifty years, featuring one local band representing each decade from the sixties to the present day.

TICKETS £7.00

THURSDAY 16 APRIL 8.00PM

BRECKNOCK KNOCK SPECIAL

PAPPY’S FUN CLUB Pappy's Fun Club are Britain's best new sketch troupe. After being nominated for the if.comedy award at the 2007 Edinburgh Festival they appeared on BBC3's Comedy Shuffle, Radio 1's Switch and ITV's Comedy Cuts. This year they starred in their own self-titled show on Radio 4, and a half hour special on Channel 4. They capped all this off with the Chortle award for Best Sketch Act.

TICKETS £5.00

FRIDAY 17 APRIL 2.30PM

PEOPLE'S THEATRE COMPANY

BINK & THE HAIRY FAIRY The swashbuckling, romantic adventure about true love and the importance of using your head!

The People’s Theatre Company’s last production (The Witch's Bogey) was one of the highlights of 2008. Theatr Brycheiniog brings the company back in 2009 with another terrific, full scale musical adventure, complete with free introductory workshop where you and your children will learn everything you need to know to about the songs, the story and the characters in the show - including who to hiss and boo!

TICKETS £8.00 CONCESSIONS £6.00 FAMILY TICKET £26.00

TUESDAY 21 APRIL 7.45PM SCHOOLS EXPLORER WORKSHOP WEDNESDAY 22 APRIL 1.00PM

DIVERSIONS DANCE COMPANY OF WALES BITTER SUITE

Join Diversions for a sensational evening as the company’s ten hand-picked dancers raise the temperature with three cutting-edge new works from leading international choreographers.

Belgian Stijn Celis brings a sizzling groundbreaking dance backed by a combination of the voice of the legendary James Brown and music from celebrated New York composer Steve Reich.

Roy Campbell-Moore presents a beautiful new creation working with the gorgeous music by the late Welsh composer Alun Hoddinott.

Energy and excitement are guaranteed with the Diversions team working for the first time with celebrated star performer, andchoreographer and cofounder of DV8, Nigel Charnock.

TICKETS £10.00 CONCESSIONS £9.0 UNDER 18S £5.00

THURSDAY 23 APRIL 7.45PM

CO-WRITER & STAR OF PHOENIX NIGHTS

DAVE SPIKEY THE BEST MEDICINE... REPEAT PRESCRIPTION The double British Comedy Award winner, BAFTA nominee and star of 8 Out Of 10 Cats, Dead Man Weds and Magnolia returns with a brand new live show tacking the old adage ‘Laughter is the Best Medicine’.

It was his dad’s favourite saying; which explains why, when Dave was six, he nearly died with diphtheria. Scientific evidence endorses these wise words and it has been proved that laughter boosts the immune system, reduces stress and blood pressure and, here’s the clincher, burns calories!

So, this new show is Dave’s small contribution to improving the health of the nation. Come along, have a laugh and hopefully you’ll go away in much better health and you could burn off 200 calories – and that’s a pint of lager!

TICKET £18.00

FRIDAY 24 APRIL 7.30PM

BBC NATIONAL ORCHESTRA OF WALES THE ITALIAN CONNECTION

Conductor James Judd | Soprano Gail Pearson Symphony No 94, ‘Surprise’ Haydn Mozart Nehmt mein Dank | Chi sa qual sa | Schon lacht der holde Fruehling Mozart Idomeneo Overture | Non temer amato bene Mendelssohn Symphony No 4, ‘Italian’ The blazing heat of the midday sun and long evenings spent sitting under the cypresses are caught to perfection in the radiant light and Mediterranean grace of Mendelssohn’s Italian Symphony. It is heard here next to some of Mozart’s Italian arias and one of Haydn’s best loved symphonies whose comic moments still have the ability to catch out less attentive members of the audience…you have been warned!

TICKETS £18.00 CONCESSIONS £16.00 FAMILY TICKETS AVAILABLE

SATURDAY 25 APRIL 8.00PM

MAD ABOUT THE MUSICALS Mad About The Musicals returns to Brecon with its award-winning and spectacular 2009 show.

Transporting you on a whistle-stop tour into the heart of London’s theatre-land, the show contains over twenty-five of your favourite musicals from composers such as Andrew Lloyd Webber, Boublil and Schonberg.

So, sit back and enjoy two hours of unforgettable West End and Broadway favourites, the stunning vocal talents of a West End cast, top notch dancing, stunning lighting and glitzy costumes.

TICKETS £16.00 CONCESSIONS £14.50

WEDNESDAY 29 APRIL 7.45PM

LONDON MOZART PLAYERS THE CABINET OF DR CALIGARI This April at Theatr Brycheiniog, The London Mozart Players perform a stunning new work by composer Lynne Plowman to accompany a screening of one of the most influential German Expressionist films and the first true horror film.

Made in 1920, The Cabinet of Dr Caligari tells the tale of the doctor and his sleepwalking friend Cesare, an attraction at a local carnival who prophesies someone’s death. The villagers chase Dr Caligari and Cesare as they suspect their involvement with the murder. The plot twists and turns to bring the film to an unexpected end.

A combination of great music and great cinema will make for an unforgettable evening.

TICKETS £14.00 CONCESSIONS £12.00

THURSDAY 30 APRIL 7.45PM

CLIVE CONWAY PRESENTS

AN EVENING WITH BENJAMIN ZEPHANIAH Benjamin Zephaniah is one of the most high-profile international authors writing today.

The Rastafarian poet has enormous breadth of appeal. Best known for his performance poetry with a political edge for adults and groundbreaking performance poetry for children, he also has his own rap/reggae band and has appeared on Desert Island Discs.

Join him at Theatr Brycheiniog this April and hear him talk about his life, read extracts of his poetry, take questions from the audience and sign copies of his books, including his new book Gangsta Rap, about the troubled world of excluded students and the rivalries of rap bands.

TICKETS £14.50 CONCESSIONS £12.50

SUNDAY 3 MAY 7.30PM

SHOW OF HANDS Show of Hands - Phil Beer and Steve Knightly - are undeniably one of the strongest current forces in acoustic music - England’s finest and most popular roots duo and something of a ‘people’s band’, regularly voicing the hopes, fears and life stories of scores of people in song.

Losing nothing in translation, Show Of Hands have taken their music all over the world, from Australia to India, Germany to Canada, the Netherlands to Hong Kong plus key festival appearances including Glastonbury, WOMAD, Cambridge and Celtic Connections.

Don’t miss them at Theatr Brycheiniog this spring!

TICKETS £14.00 CONCESSIONS £12.00

FRIDAY 8 MAY 8.00PM

FRIDAY 29 MAY 7.30PM

SOUL’D ON BLUES

MUSIC THEATRE WALES

FOR YOU

Three legendary voices were at the heart of the UK blues and soul scene in the Sixties and you can catch them in Brecon this spring.

LIBRETTO BY IAN MCEWAN COMPOSED BY MICHAEL BERKELEY Michael Berkeley and Ian McEwan’s new opera for Music Theatre Wales is a thrilling tale of dark obsession and misplaced passion.

Join Chris Farlowe, Cliff Bennett and Herbie Goins, together with the Norman Beaker Band, for a true blues and soul summit meeting.

The brilliantly crafted text by Ian McEwan has all the elements that have made his novels Atonement, Enduring Love, Saturday and On Chesil Beach number one bestsellers. It has inspired a wonderful score from composer Michael Berkeley - music filled with powerful undercurrents, dramatic force and impassioned vocal writing.

Though they were known for unforgettable hits such as Out Of Time, Handbags And Gladrags, Got To Get You Into My Life, One Way Love and Number One In Your Heart to name but a few, they have never lost their love for blues and soul and the trio will be revisiting their own hits and those of Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, James Brown and BB King.

TICKETS £17.50 & £16.50 CONCESSIONS £15.50 & £14.50

TICKETS £15.00

‘For You is a class above most new operas … the music leaps off the page and into the imagination’

Photograph Clive Barda

FINANCIAL TIMES

‘a dazzling and taut chamber piece’ THE INDEPENDENT

Ilona Bayley David

Gwernyfed High School

Herefordshire College Of Art

Rachel Cole

EXHIBITIONS SPRING 2009 IN THE ANDREW LAMONT GALLERY FRIDAY 9 - SATURDAY 31 JANUARY

ILONA BAYLEY DAVID

Ilona currently lives and paint in Pembrokeshire, although she lived for long period in the Brecon Hills. Her work has grown to represent images born of the unconscious soul, and of the growing pains that accompany many of our more emotional awakenings. The predominant use of blue is carried throughout the work.

WEDNESDAY 4 - SATURDAY 28 FEBRUARY

GWERNYFED HIGH SCHOOL

This exhibition shows recent work by students from Gwernyfed High School, of which 100% achieved A grades at A Level in 2008, while 97% of GCSE students achieved A* C grades at GCSE, of which 39% were A* and A grades. The exhibition includes Fine Art, Photography and Graphic Design.

FRIDAY 6 - SATURDAY 28 MARCH

HEREFORDSHIRE COLLEGE OF ART

This exhibition of mixed-media work by Graduates of the Foundation Degree in Fine Art at Hereford College of Arts aims to explore a range of themes relating to physical, psychological and cultural landscapes. The work reflects an eclectic mix of conceptual imagery which should appeal to a wide variey of tastes.

FRIDAY 3 APRIL - FRIDAY 1 MAY

RACHEL COLE

Lliwiau, meaning colours, has played a key part in Rachel’s paintings; the greens of the sweeping countryside and energetic waterfalls; the blues of the crashing waves against stormy skies; the pure vibrance of blazing red skies. Colours are painted in washes, splatters and runs blending into each other over canvas, or the textured surface of the board in my search for the dramatic and engaging in the environment.

Please note that, on occasions, access to the Andrew Lamont Gallery may be restricted due to other activities taking place.

ACCESS Spaces for wheelchair users in stalls and balcony Level access to all public areas Lift to all levels

MONEY SAVERS CONCESSIONS Unless indicated otherwise, concessions are available of you are under 16, a student, a senior citizen (60 yrs+), claiming disability benefit, an Equity member or registered unwaged. Please bring proof of eligibility to the performance.

Access toilets on ground and first floor

GROUP

Access dogs welcome

Reduced rates are available at many performances when you bring a party of ten or more - check box office for details.

Infra-red sound enhancement Designated car parking

FRIENDS Ask at Box Office about how you can save money when you join the Friends Of Theatr Brycheiniog.

REFUNDS & EXCHANGES

OPENING TIMES Theatr Brycheiniog is open Monday to Saturday from 9.00am to 11.00pm on performance nights (9.00am to 5.00pm otherwise). When a performance is scheduled on a Sunday or Public Holiday, the theatre will open from one hour before the show starts.

Tickets may not be refunded unless an event is cancelled. Theatr Brycheiniog can try to resell your tickets but the venue’s own unsold tickets take priority. Tickets may be exchanged for different tickets for the same show. A £2.00 fee per ticket will be charged for re-sells or exchanges.

HOW TO BOOK TELEPHONE

On 01874 611622 and pay by credit/debit card from 9.30am to 5.00pm Monday to Saturday.

IN PERSON

At the theatre and pay by cash, cheque, or by credit/ debit card.

BY POST*

To the theatre and pay by cheque (payable to Theatr Brycheiniog) or your credit/debit card details.

BY FAX*

On 01874 622583 and pay by credit/debit card. * Remember to include your name, address, together with the title, date and time of the performance and add 35p if you would like the tickets posted to you (or enclose an SAE).

NOTES The information in this brochure is correct at time of going to press. Theatr Brycheiniog reserves the right to make alterations if necessary. The use of cameras or recording equipment in the auditorium is forbidden. Please ensure mobile phones and pagers are switched off before entering the auditorium. Latecomers may be asked to wait until a convenient moment before entering the auditorium.

tickets 01874 611622

Theatr Brycheiniog is a no-smoking venue.

www.theatrbrycheiniog.co.uk

Theatr Brycheiniog Canal Wharf, Brecon Powys, LD3 7EW

MYNEDIAD Mae lle ar gyfer defnyddwyr cadair olwyn yn y seddau blaen a’r balconi Mynediad gwastad i’r holl ardaloedd cyhoeddus Lifft i bob lefel Toiledau hawdd i’w cyrraedd ar y llawr gwaelod a’r llawr cyntaf Croeso i gwˆn mynediad Offer is-goch i wella swˆn Mannau parcio dynodedig

ARBED ARIAN CONSESIYNAU Oni nodir yn wahanol, mae consesiwn ar gael os ydych o dan 16 oed, yn fyfyriwr, yn bensiynwr (60 oed neu hyn), yn hawlio budddal anabledd, yn aelod o Equity neu wedi’ch cofrestru’n ddigyflog.

Dewch â phrawf eich bod yn gymwys i’r perfformiad.

GRWPIAU Mae cyfraddau rhatach ar gyfer nifer o berfformiadau os byddwch mewn grwp o ddeg neu fwy gofynnwch yn y swyddfa docynnau am fanylion.

CYFEILLION

ORIAU AGOR

Mae Theatr Brycheiniog ar agor o ddydd Llun i ddydd Sadwrn o 9.00am tan 11.00pm ar nosweithiau lle bydd perfformiad (9.00am tan 5.00pm fel arall). Pan fydd perfformiad ar ddydd Sul neu ar wˆyl Gyhoeddus, bydd y theatr yn agor awr cyn i’r sioe ddechrau.

SUT I GADW LLE FFÔN

Ar 01874 611622 a thalu trwy gerdyn credyd/debyd rhwng 9.30am a 5.00pm o ddydd Llun i ddydd Sadwrn.

Gofynnwch yn y swyddfa docynnau am sut i arbed arian wrth ymuno â Chyfeillion Theatr Brycheiniog.

AD-DALU NEU GYFNEWID Ni roddir arian yn ôl am docynnau oni bai bod digwyddiad yn cael ei ganslo. Gall Theatr Brycheiniog geisio ail-werthu eich tocynnau, ond byddwn yn gwerthu tocynnau sydd ar ôl gan y theatr yn gyntaf.

Gellir cyfnewid tocynnau am docynnau eraill ar gyfer yr un sioe.

Codir ffi o £2.00 y tocyn am ailwerthu neu gyfnewid.

YN BERSONOL

Yn y theatr a thalu ag arian parod, siec, neu gerdyn credyd/debyd.

TRWY’R POST*

I’r theatr a thalu â siec (yn daladwy i Theatr Brycheiniog) neu roi manylion eich cerdyn credyd/debyd.

TRWY FFACS*

Ar 01874 622583 a thalu â cherdyn credyd/debyd. * Cofiwch gynnwys eich enw, cyfeiriad, a theitl, dyddiad ac amser y perfformiad, ac ychwanegu 35p os hoffech i ni bostio’r tocynnau atoch (neu gynnwys amlen a stamp)

NODIADAU Mae’r wybodaeth yn y llyfryn hwn yn gywir adeg cyhoeddi.

Mae Theatr Brycheiniog yn cadw’r hawl i addasu pethau os bydd rhaid. Gwaherddir defnyddio camerâu neu offer recordio yn yr awditoriwm. Gwnewch yn siwˆr fod ffonau symudol a galwyr (pagers) wedi’u diffodd cyn mynd i mewn i’r awditoriwm. Efallai y byddwn yn gofyn i rai sy’n hwyr aros am adeg gyfleus cyn mynd i mewn i’r awditoriwm.

Ni cheir ysmygu yn Theatr Brycheiniog

tocynnau 01874 611622 Theatr Brycheiniog Canal Wharf, Aberhonddu, Powys, LD3 7EW www.theatrbrycheiniog.co.uk

As featured in THE GOOD FOOD GUIDE 2008

TIPPLE’N’TIFFIN @ BRYCHEINIOG RELAX WITH A GLASS OF ONE OF OUR MODERN STYLE WINES AND A LIGHT DISH OR TWO BEFORE THE SHOW; OR STAY WITH US FOR A HEARTIER MEAL AND ENJOY THE FULL RANGE OF OUR CAREFULLY CHOSEN MENU WITH SOMETHING TO SUIT EACH AND EVERY TASTE.

Prepared with fresh, local ingredients, the dishes complement each other and can be combined in a way you choose. It’s a chance to experiment with something new.

Or perhaps enjoy an old favourite with a twist. You can share each dish with the rest of your party or keep your plate to yourself - its up to you! We just want you to enjoy your food, your wine and being together.

Whether you’re looking for a great night out with a party, a business lunch, an intimate dinner or pre-show supper, Tipple’n’Tiffin provides the perfect location.

Whatever you choose, and whomever you choose to share it with, we are sure that you will enjoy the Tipple’n’Tiffin experience in the stunning canal-side setting of Theatr Brycheiniog.

Richard and Louise Gudsell look forward to welcoming you soon…

TIPPLE’N’TIFFIN THEATR BRYCHEINIOG CANAL WHARF, BRECON POWYS LD3 7EW TELEPHONE 01874 611866