The Place Theatre, Bedford Sept to Dec 2016 by The Place Theatre

SEPT TO DEC 2016 EVENTS BROCHURE theplacebedford.org.uk

OUR PLACE IS YOUR PLACE!

INFORMATION Tickets for all shows are available online (with no booking fees) from www.theplacebedford.org.uk/tickets Tickets can also be booked by telephone on 01234 354321, call the theatre between 9.30am and 3pm on weekdays, or in person by appointment. We are a very small team and office staff are not always on site. The Place Theatre Bradgate Road Bedford MK40 3DE

FREE ONSITE PARKING

Kimbolt

on Ave

Rd Tiverton

St Minver Rd

d Rd

North Wing Hospital

Richmon

Bradgate Rd

e Goldington Av

Rugby Ground

bell R

Camp

Caveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lane

lto

Merton

Devon Rd

Cornwall Rd

Oaklands

Tennis Club

Fox & Hounds

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Goldin

We are happy to support young people who are working towards an Arts Award. Call or email us for advice about planning a visit.

The Place Theatre is managed by Bedford Players Trust, Charity Registration No: 290124 and has received funding from The Harpur Trust the Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation and the Wixamtree Trust.

eMail: info@theplacebedford.org.uk Web: theplacebedford.org.uk

WELCOME Welcome As memories of the summer fade and the nights draw in we are pleased to offer you a very warm welcome to our friendly little theatre. We have another fabulous line up of music events, films, musicals, classic texts and family theatre to entertain you this autumn and we will also be presenting some great new writing for theatre to challenge, provoke and share ideas with you and promote wider debate. The Place Theatre aims to bring you a mixed programme of professional work with something for everyone in each season and to provide an affordable, well equipped venue for the voluntary theatre sector in Bedford. In order to do this we need your help. Please consider joining our team of front of house volunteers or help us by distributing leaflets in your local area, become a member of our new Friends scheme or encourage your company to become a corporate sponsor of The Place. Laura Pottinger Venue Manager

Tel: 01234 354321 Facebook: ThePlaceBedford Twitter: @ThePlaceBedford

FRIENDS Do you want to become a Friend of the Place ? WHY SHOULD I JOIN AS A FRIEND? Bedford Players Trust, a charity, is responsible for running the theatre and does not receive any direct financial support. It is reliant on ticket sales, hire income and bar sales. Hopefully by your continued attendance you like what we do and we want not only to continue the current programme but to extend it and improve the facilities that we are able to offer you. With all this in mind we are starting a Friends of the Place scheme from September 2016. WHAT DO I GET BY BEING A FRIEND? Primarily the satisfaction that you are helping to maintain Bedford’s only full-time community theatre WHAT ELSE? • A discount of £1.00 on selected shows indicated with the symbol

in the brochure

• Advance notice by email of the season before publication • Advance notification by email of any show that is contracted after the brochure is printed, before it gets announced generally • Invitations to season launch events with refreshments • 50 pence off all drinks up to 30 minutes before the stated start time of the show and after the show WHAT WILL IT COST ME? The cost of this would be £20 per annum for an individual, £35.00 for a family. If you want our brochures posted to you there will be an additional charge of £5.00. If you are a UK tax payer you can gift aid your membership fee increasing the value to us. For full details email friends@theplacebedford.org.uk

eMail: info@theplacebedford.org.uk Web: theplacebedford.org.uk

SEPTEMBER Bedfordshire Youth Opera presents

A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC COMMUNITY PERFORMANCE OR HIRE TUES 30 AUG TO SAT 3 SEPT

7:30PM

FULL £15 / CONCESSIONS £12

Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Book by Hugh Wheeler. Suggested by a film by Ingmar Bergman. The Bedfordshire Youth Opera has been an inspiration to both singers and audience and was the launch-pad for the careers of several professional artists such as Rachel Nicholls, Carolyn Samson, Tyler Clarke, Kitty Whately (who is the BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist 2013-2015) and Donna Lennard who made her Royal Opera House debut in December 2013.

Goblin Theatre presents

PENGUIN! ELEPHANT! TOURING & PROFESSIONAL THEATRE SUNDAY 4 SEPT

3PM

FULL £10 / CONCESSIONS £8

“Waddle waddle waddle, stomp stomp stomp”. Penguin is a little bit selfish. Penguin loves fish fingers, but never shares them. Everything is black and white and that’s just the way Penguin likes it. Until one day Elephant turns up. Elephant is big. Elephant is messy. Elephant likes lots of colour everywhere. However will Penguin cope!? With original songs, hilarious physical comedy and dance, Penguin! Elephant! is a magical new show about celebrating differences for anyone who’ve ever waddled like a Penguin or stomped like an Elephant. The show includes a rap about Fish Fingers, some food based-mess and a magical balloon ride that will have children jumping for joy. “A funny, visually expressive piece of storytelling... Exploring diversity has never been so much fun” The Stage Tel: 01234 354321 Facebook: ThePlaceBedford Twitter: @ThePlaceBedford 05

SEPTEMBER Bedford Friends of Al Walaja presents

OPEN BETHLEHEM FILM SCREENING AND Q & A WITH THE DIRECTOR FILM 7.30PM (DOORS 7PM)

THURSDAY 8 SEPT

ALL TICKETS £5

Open Bethlehem explores a thriving city with a prosperous spiritual, cultural and commercial life through the ages, a place that should not be stifled by a Wall. Leila Sansour, the Director, set up an NGO to promote and protect the life and heritage of Bethlehem. She is from an old Palestinian Roman Catholic family, but was born in Moscow, further demonstrating why Bethlehem belongs to all faiths, and all people. Leila will introduce the film and take your questions afterwards. Bedford Friends of Al Walaja is an informal twinning group with the village of Al Walaja, in the West Bank between Jerusalem and Bethlehem, working to support the people there and to inform people here about the suffering of the Palestinians as they lose their land and freedom of movement to settlements and the “separation wall”.

Swan Theatre Company presents

ENTERTAINING MR SLOANE COMMUNITY PERFORMANCE OR HIRE

TUES 13 - SAT 17 SEPT

7:30PM

12+

TUES PREVIEW £6 / FULL £10 / CONCESSIONS £8 It may be Swinging 60s London but out in the suburbs, behind closed doors, Kath is lonely. Craving love and affection, Kath and her bachelor brother take in a lodger. Soon both become infatuated with the shady young tenant with a murky past - Mr Sloane. As the pair compete for the affections of their new lodger, they embark on a dangerous game of blackmail and murder. Joe Orton’s fiendishly dark comedy is a landmark of modern British drama. 06

eMail: info@theplacebedford.org.uk Web: theplacebedford.org.uk

SEPTEMBER Townsend Productions presents

DARE DEVIL RIDES TO JARAMA TOURING & PROFESSIONAL THEATRE SATURDAY 24 SEPT & WEDNESDAY 30 NOV

7:30PM

FULL £10 / CONCESSIONS £8.50

12+

Spain 1936: Speedway star and daring Wall of Death motorcycle rider Clem “Dare Devil” Beckett felt his place was with Spanish people defending freedom and democracy against Franco’s rising fascist armies. Following the success of The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, We Will Be Free! and United We Stand, Townsend Productions new play, commissioned by the International Brigades Memorial Trust, commemorates and celebrates the contribution and sacrifice of the volunteer International Brigades on the 80th anniversary of their creation with stirring contemporaneous songs, live music and poetry. Townsend Productions is resident company at The Place and we are proud to have supported the development of this play. It will premiere here on 24 Sept and return to The Place at the end of its National tour on 30 Nov.

Leeds Studio presents

NINE LIVES TOURING & PROFESSIONAL THEATRE WEDNESDAY 28 SEPT

7:30PM

FULL £10 / CONCESSIONS £8.50

14+

‘Some of us wanted to belong.’ Ishmael has fled from his home in Zimbabwe, where a fresh wave of homophobia threatens his life. In Leeds is the prospect of sanctuary, and of a new life among strangers. But will those strangers accept him? The clock is ticking, and his fate is being decided… can Ishmael find a place to call home again? This gripping new play from Zodwa Nyoni (Channel 4 Writer in Residence 2014) threads together humour and humanity to tell the real personal story behind asylum headlines.

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SEPTEMBER Swings The Thing presents

BASIE, BUBLÉ AND WINEHOUSE COMMUNITY PERFORMANCE OR HIRE THURSDAY 29 SEPT

8PM

ALL TICKETS £12.50

ALL AGES

Have you ever wondered what Michael Bublé or Amy Winehouse would sound like in front of the Count Basie Orchestra? Well, now is your chance to find out in this two hour musical spectacular. Swings the thing have been heavily influenced by the music of Count Basie, something which prompted Peter Moreton (BBC’s Dr. Swing) to say, “This Band plays Basie better than Basie did”. Bublé and Winehouse have both had similar influences on their vocalists Nigel Adair and Katherine Mclean. Each get the opportunity to perform some of their favourite songs. An evening not to be missed.

Peppermint Muse presents

THE COLOURS OF KENNY ROACH TOURING & PROFESSIONAL THEATRE FRIDAY 30 SEPT

7:30PM

FULL £10 / CONCESSIONS £8.50

14+

The Colours of Kenny Roach is a warm, funny and deeply moving drama about creativity, the nature of the artist and the self-destructive impulse of addiction. Kenny is a Glaswegian artist and lecturer; talented, charismatic, charming. But even his wife cannot save him from the demons that turn his colourful world to black. Projection, music and true-life accounts combine in an honest, humorous and heart-breaking portrait of one man’s struggle with his art and his battle with addiction as he fights for his life. Rich in satirical wit, this is a crisply written, cool and classy play; performed with a natural, engaging ease it oozes with a Pinteresque sense of sexual tension and dramatic intrigue. Edinburgh Guide

eMail: info@theplacebedford.org.uk Web: theplacebedford.org.uk

OCTOBER Polski Wzrok presents

JACEK STESZEWSKI TRIO COMMUNITY PERFORMANCE OR HIRE SATURDAY 1 OCT

DOORS 6PM

£8 ADVANCE / £10 DOOR

ALL AGES

Renowned Polish composer and singer songwriter Jacek Steszewski performs with his trio. “Beautiful music, unforgettable voice.”

ALI (2001) FILM WEDNESDAY 5 OCTOBER

7:30PM

ALL TICKETS £5

15+

Director: Michael Mann Starring: Will Smith, Jon Voight, Jamie Foxx Focusing on ten years in the life of the legendary Muhammad Ali, ALI starts in 1964 with a young Cassius Clay beginning his meteoric rise through the tough world of professional boxing. He meets and is greatly influenced by controversial civil rights leader Malcolm X who becomes something of a mentor to the brash boxer. Converting to Islam and changing his name to Muhammad Ali, the boxer becomes a political lightning rod with his outspoken views on racism and the growing Vietnam War. Director Michael Mann, with his signature visual style, gives ALI a visceral punch that becomes almost as dynamic as the man it portrays. Running time 2hrs 57mins.

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OCTOBER Theatrical Niche presents

DR. FAUSTUS TOURING & PROFESSIONAL THEATRE THURSDAY 6 OCTOBER

7:30PM

FULL £10 / CONCESSIONS £8.50

12+

Greatness. Is there any price too high? Exquisite puppetry, physical theatre and circus artistry throw petrol over the flames of Christopher Marlowe’s hellish tale of pride and the battle for one circus leader’s soul. Under the straining tent poles of the world’s most famous circus, Dr. Faustus employs the one show tactic not yet undertaken to achieve glory - black magic. Devilish neon puppets wander the stage in this visceral and physical reimagining, whilst the fast-paced backbone of modern dialogue rockets this classic text into full techni-colour for today’s audience. “Superb... West End Quality” Kent Messenger on Theatrical Niche

White Cobra presents

THE SHAKESPEARE REVUE TOURING & PROFESSIONAL THEATRE FRIDAY 7 OCTOBER

7:45PM

FULL £10 / CONCESSIONS £8.50

ALL AGES

Award winning theatre company White Cobra brings its first musical to The Place. The Shakespeare Revue celebrates Britain’s most famous playwright, marking the 400th anniversary of his death this year. The show was originally created for the Royal Shakespeare Company for their annual birthday celebrations, it subsequently transferred to the Barbican Theatre and the West End. It includes material from some of Britain’s finest comedy writers including Victoria Wood, Fry and Laurie, Peter Cook and Dudley Moore, and music from theatrical giants such as Stephen Sondheim and Cole Porter.

eMail: info@theplacebedford.org.uk Web: theplacebedford.org.uk

OCTOBER Folk Nights

URBAN FOLK QUARTET MUSIC SATURDAY 8 OCTOBER

8PM (DOORS 7.30PM)

ADVANCE £12 / DOOR £14

ALL AGES

Joe Broughton, Paloma Trigás, Tom Chapman and Dan Walsh are The Urban Folk Quartet. Since forming in 2009, The UFQ’s genre-defying, all-embracing approach to folk music has captivated audiences in high-energy performances across the world. This is fiddle-led music that draws heavily from celtic dance forms and traditional song but from there on in it is unlike any folk band you have ever heard. From funk grooves to middle-eastern melodies, afrobeat to north Indian rhythms. This visit to Bedford is a special one - the first night of UFQ’s tour with a new show, promoting their brand new live album. “I was absolutely slain. Fans of ambitious folk should check this out.” The Telegraph

Cultural Aspects presents

UP CLOSE & PERSONAL WITH SOPHIA SOUL AND ADELE HARLEY COMMUNITY PERFORMANCE OR HIRE SUNDAY 9 OCTOBER

7.30PM

FULL £10 / CONCESSIONS £9

ALL AGES

Sophia Soul is one of Bedford’s best r n b, soul and reggae singers. She is a singer and song writer who performs up and down the country. Adele Harley’s love of reggae music led her to work as a vocalist for Reggae artists and has seen her perform at both the Leeds and London Carnivals. Adele also regularly tours Europe.

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OCTOBER The Pantaloons present

ROMEO AND JULIET TOURING & PROFESSIONAL THEATRE MONDAY 10 OCT & TUESDAY 11 OCT

7:30PM

FULL £12 / CONCESSIONS £10

Romance. Swordfights. Potions. Tragically slow messengers… The critically-acclaimed Pantaloons give Shakespeare’s tale of ill-fated love a fresh twist! A delightfully inventive take featuring live music, audience interaction and that famous bit with the balcony. You’ll laugh until you cry… “Part alternative rock band, part thespian… wholly charming.” The Times

Full House presents

THE BRAVEST MOUSE TOURING & PROFESSIONAL THEATRE THURSDAY 13 OCTOBER

6:30PM

ALL TICKETS £7

A poignant and heart warming new play for children from Full House Theatre. A story with music, song and live piano. Timble lives with his family underneath the floorboards of Bess and Stanley’s house. He is an adventurous mouse and is desperate to see the world. When Stanley leaves for France, Timble takes his chance and stows away in his backpack. Contact Full House on 01525 630783 for details of daytime performances for schools. Supported by The National Lottery through Arts Council England. Image © Shaun Armstrong.

eMail: info@theplacebedford.org.uk Web: theplacebedford.org.uk

OCTOBER Dawn State Theatre Company presents

THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING TOURING & PROFESSIONAL THEATRE FRIDAY 14 OCTOBER

7:30PM

FULL £10 / CONCESSIONS £8.50

12+

A tale of greed, adventure and ruin inspired by Rudyard Kipling’s classic mercenary yarn. This is the story of Peachy Carnehan and Daniel Dravot; soldiers-for-hire amid the shifting borders of the Middle East. Tired of the mercenary life, Peachy and Daniel have come up with a plan; head to Northern Afghanistan, enslave the natives, and install themselves as kings. Dawn State (“A fantastic upcoming company”- British Theatre Guide) combine searing text, bold physicality and original music to bring Kipling’s ground-breaking novella to life, in a thrilling new play exploring Britain’s colonial legacy in the Middle East. “Flawless” The Stage Supported by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

Cultural Aspects Presents

THE BIG COMMUNITY SHOWCASE COMMUNITY PERFORMANCE OR HIRE SATURDAY 15 OCTOBER

7:30PM

FULL £9 / CONCESSIONS £7

ALL AGES

Celebrating Black History Month with music, singing, dance and the spoken word.

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OCTOBER Bedford Drama Company presents

DRACULA

COMMUNITY PERFORMANCE OR HIRE WEDNESDAY 19 TO SATURDAY 22 OCT

7:30PM

FULL £9.50 / CONCESSIONS £8

12+

This new adaption by Stephen Dietz restores the suspense and seduction of Bram Stoker’s classic novel to the stage. As Count Dracula begins to exert his will upon the residents of London, they try to piece together the clues of his appearance, in a valiant attempt to save themselves from a hideous fate! Rich with both humour and horror, this play paints a wickedly theatrical, gothic picture of Stoker’s famous Vampire.

London Contemporary Theatre presents

TEDDY BEARS’ PICNIC TOURING & PROFESSIONAL THEATRE SUNDAY 23 OCTOBER

2:30PM

FULL £10 / CONCESSIONS £8

Today is the day of the Teddy Bears’ Picnic but one invitation has gone missing! Freddy Teddy is a little bear on a big adventure; join him on a fun filled musical journey through Teddy Bear Wood as he encounters all kinds of creatures who all seem to be wondering the same thing: “Why aren’t you at the Teddy Bears’ Picnic?” Bring your favourite teddy and bags of enthusiasm to see if you can help solve the mystery of the missing invitation. Featuring Live music, puppetry & loads of colour.

eMail: info@theplacebedford.org.uk Web: theplacebedford.org.uk

OCTOBER Action Hero presents

WRECKING BALL TOURING & PROFESSIONAL THEATRE TUESDAY 25 OCTOBER

7:30PM

FULL £10 / CONCESSIONS £8.50

14+

A male photographer is taking a photograph of a female celebrity. She wants to be reinvented. She wants to be For Real.Wrecking Ball is about consent, power, authorship and putting words in other people’s mouths. It’s about the seductive power of make-believe. That’s not a real pineapple she’s holding, that’s not his real cooler full of beers, those aren’t her real thighs, those aren’t his real feelings. But does the real really matter? In this funny, surreal and unsettling new play for two performers and an audience, “maverick company” (The Guardian) Action Hero asks who’s really in control and how subtle abuses of power shape our relationships –with art, language and with each other.

Squashbox presents

TALES FROM THE TREES TOURING & PROFESSIONAL THEATRE WEDNESDAY 26 OCTOBER

2:30PM

FULL £10 / CONCESSIONS £8

Tales from the Trees is a terrific tangle of puppetry, storytelling, live music and comedy, with a theme that embraces natural history, folklore and ecology. Let Squashbox Theatre be your guide to the tremendous world of Trees! Say hello to the friendly Forest Ranger, our resident outdoor expert; meet the mysterious old Wizard of the Woods, a friend to all the forest creatures; gaze at the beautiful Dryad, mystical spirit of the trees; encounter crazy characters, woodland wonders, and fantastic flora and fauna.

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OCTOBER Don’t Go Into The Cellar! presents

MURDER BY GASLIGHT TOURING & PROFESSIONAL THEATRE THURSDAY 27 OCTOBER

7:30PM

FULL £10 / CONCESSIONS £8.50

12+

Murder by Gaslight is a ghoulish audience with two of the most infamous poisoners in British history - William Palmer and Harvey Crippen. We invite you to encounter these murderous men of medicine as the diabolical doctors regale you with their case histories, and invite you to judge for yourselves whether they were in fact, guilty as charged! Brought to you by Don’t Go Into The Cellar! Theatre - the British Empire’s leading practitioners of macabre Victoriana!

Folk Nights

GIGSPANNER MUSIC SATURDAY 29 OCTOBER

8PM (DOORS 7.30PM)

ADVANCE £14 / DOOR £16

ALL AGES

Since his departure from folk-rock pioneers Steeleye Span at the end of 2013, legendary fiddle player Peter Knight has turned his full attention to his trio Gigspanner, and in the process has firmly established their burgeoning reputation as one of the most innovative acts on the folk/roots scene, garnering along the way a reputation for dismantling traditional music and song and reassembling it in an intriguing, imaginative and beautiful way. Peter is joined by Roger Flack on guitar and Vincent Salzfaas on Percussion, both of whom are powerful and intelligent musicians in their own right. “With his trio, Peter Knight breaks new ground and is second to absolutely nobody... ground-breaking, engaging, frequently astonishing, Gigspanner deliver a quite simply superb set” Maverick Magazine

eMail: info@theplacebedford.org.uk Web: theplacebedford.org.uk

NOVEMBER Theatre in Transit presents

ANTIGONE

COMMUNITY PERFORMANCE OR HIRE WEDNESDAY 2 NOVEMBER TO SATURDAY 5 NOVEMBER FULL £8 / CONCESSIONS £6

7:30PM

14+

Theatre in Transit returns to The Place with Sophocles’ Antigone. When Creon refuses one of her warring brothers proper burial rites, Antigone defies him and performs the ritual herself, setting her belief in the laws of the gods against the laws of man. Questioning honour, love, civil obedience, law and pride, Antigone asks us whether we would stand up against the state for what we believe.

Swan Theatre Company presents

MEASURE FOR MEASURE COMMUNITY PERFORMANCE OR HIRE TUES 8 NOV TO SAT 12 OCT

7:30PM

12+

TUES PREVIEW £6 / FULL £10.00 / CONCESSIONS £8.00 1960. London. The coffee bars and jazz clubs of Soho provide the background as the young and the restless are revolutionising youth culture and forging a new lifestyle of sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll. Injustice, hypocrisy and the challenge of inflexible virtue combine in Shakespeare’s most searching exploration of sexual politics and social justice.

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NOVEMBER ShowCo Bedford presents

SISTER ACT

COMMUNITY PERFORMANCE OR HIRE WED 16 TO SAT 26 NOV

7:30PM + 2:20PM MATINEE (19 NOV ONLY)

FULL £13 / CONCESSIONS £12

Sister Act is the feel-amazing musical comedy based on the smash hit movie starring Whoopi Goldberg and Maggie Smith. Featuring original music by Tony and 8-time Oscar winner Alan Menken, dazzling dance routines and songs inspired by Motown, soul and disco, Sister Act is the funniest and funkiest musical around. The life of a disco diva takes a surprising turn when she witnesses a murder and is hidden in the one place she won’t be found – a Convent! Come and see why this fabulous, family friendly show has been seen by more than 6 million people worldwide. This amateur production is presented by arrangement with Josef Weinberger on behalf of Musci Theatre International.

Friends of Refugees Bedford present

FORFEST 2D - HOLD THE FRONT PAGE COMMUNITY PERFORMANCE OR HIRE SUNDAY 27 NOV

7:30PM

£5 SUGGESTED DONATION

10+

A satire to scorch and assault your senses senseless.. FORfest brings you a unique take on current affairs with spoof Question Time and a host of curious characters including Bovis The Breadbin and Dimble the Presenter. Keep your eyes and ears open for truth when you see it. An extract from real refugees and the play Kindertransport will also be presented. 18

eMail: info@theplacebedford.org.uk Web: theplacebedford.org.uk

NOV/DEC Townsend Productions presents

DARE DEVIL RIDES TO JARAMA TOURING & PROFESSIONAL THEATRE WEDNESDAY 30 NOVEMBER

7:30PM

FULL £10 / CONCESSIONS £8.50

12+

JOYEUX NOEL (2005) FILM THURSDAY 1 DECEMBER

7:30PM

ALL TICKETS £5

13+

Director: Christian Carion In December 1914, an unofficial Christmas truce on the Western Front allows soldiers from opposing sides of the First World War to gain insight into each other’s way of life. Running time 1 hour and 56 minutes. In French, German and English with subtitles.

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DECEMBER Folk Nights

QUICKSILVER MUSIC FRIDAY 2 DECEMBER

8PM (DOORS 7.30PM)

ADVANCE £12 / DOOR £14

ALL AGES

With one of the most staggering voices in British acoustic music, Hilary Spencer is best know to folk fans from her work with top trio Artisan. The other half of this talented duo Grant Baynham became a household name on BBC1’s That’s Life! Grant is a formidable songwriter with an energy and enthusiasm that create a high-powered performance of material from virtually every genre you can imagine. “Comic song touched with gold” Ned Sherrin BBC Radio 4

Clap Trap Theatre presents

IMPACT TOURING & PROFESSIONAL THEATRE SATURDAY 3 DECEMBER

7:30PM

FULL £10 / CONCESSIONS £8.50

12+

Two deaths, two families, two stories... Two riveting one-act plays written for the company by Tom Needham and Libby Pearson. Both tell how lives can be changed in a second, and how an accident becomes a defining moment for a family - the impact it has, the truth and lies it reveals; and the life-changing decisions that have to be made...

eMail: info@theplacebedford.org.uk Web: theplacebedford.org.uk

DECEMBER GreenMatthews presents

A MEDIEVAL CHRISTMAS MUSIC SUNDAY 4 DECEMBER

3PM & 7PM

FULL £12 / CONCESSIONS £10

ALL AGES

Following on from their highly successful touring shows A Victorian Christmas and A Brief History of Christmas, acclaimed musicians Chris Green and Sophie Matthews (with special guest Jude Rees) now delve further back in time to bring you A Medieval Christmas. Featuring long-forgotten festive songs (plus some surprisingly familiar carols!) played on authentic instruments such as cittern, bagpipes and shawm, this celebration of Yuletide Past is sure to warm the hearts of young and old. A Medieval Christmas is the ideal show for anyone looking to recapture the simple Yuletide pleasures of music, song, tales, mirth and fellowship.

The West End in Concert presents

THE WEST END AT CHRISTMAS TOURING & PROFESSIONAL THEATRE FRI 9 DEC & SAT 10 DEC

7:30PM PLUS 2:30PM SAT MATINEE

FULL £14 / CONCESSIONS £12

ALL AGES

Back by popular demand... Stars from the West End present a magical evening of entertainment featuring hits from the musicals and the best of Christmas song. The talented cast have starred in many West End productions and national tours such as Les Miserables, We Will Rock You, South Pacific, Singing in the Rain, Starlight Express, Phantom Of The Opera, Godspell, Joseph and Cats... to name but a few! “This wonderful concert guarantees to bring you joy and fill you with Christmas cheer” Evening Post

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DECEMBER Swings The Thing present

TOP OF THE POPS 1930s/40s COMMUNITY PERFORMANCE OR HIRE THURSDAY 8 DECEMBER

8PM

ALL TICKETS £12.50

ALL AGES

TOTP didn’t exist in the 40s so Swing’s The Thing have created their own version. Vocalists Katherine Mclean and Nigel Adair will perform a selection of seasonal big band vocals and help count down the Top 10. This is nonstop vintage swing music from some of the most popular bands of the time including Charlie Barnet, Count Basie, Jimmy Dorsey, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller and more.

Moon On A Stick presents

JACK FROST TOURING & PROFESSIONAL THEATRE MONDAY 19 DECEMBER

4PM

FULL £10 / CONCESSIONS £8

A magical, wintery production brings Jack Frost to life through puppetry, live music and enchanting storytelling. Meet our mischievous sprite as he takes us on a snowy adventure but wrap up warm or you’ll catch him nipping at your fingers and toes! A story of friendship and bravery to warm our hearts this winter. A playful production perfect for ages 3+. This will be a ‘relaxed’ performance with house lights on and lower sound levels. Everyone is welcome and the show will be particularly suitable for children on the autistic spectrum. To arrange a visit to the venue beforehand call the office.

eMail: info@theplacebedford.org.uk Web: theplacebedford.org.uk

DECEMBER Squashbox presents

THE CHRISTMASSY CHRISTMAS SHOW OF CHRISTMASSY CHRISTMASSNESS TOURING & PROFESSIONAL THEATRE TUES 20 AND WED 21 DECEMBER

1PM & 4PM TUES, 11AM & 1PM WED

FULL £10 / CONCESSIONS £8

Knock Knock? Who’s There? IT’S CHRISTMAS!!! Squashbox Theatre’s new show is a celebration of everything Christmassy, from fir trees, fairy lights, stockings and sleigh bells to cookies, crackers, presents and puddings! The Christmassy Christmas Show of Christmassy Christmassness is an overstuffed stocking of seasonal surprises crammed with puppets, songs, storytelling and comedy, and over-flowing with crazy characters, silly slapstick, tall tales and fantastic facts, all presented in that unique Squashbox style!

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OTHER BEDFORD GOSPEL CHOIR WORKSHOP WO R K S H O P S A N D PA R T I C I PA T I O N SATURDAY 15TH OCTOBER

REGISTRATION 10.30AM WORKSHOP 11AM – 16.30PM

£15 IN ADVANCE / £17.50 ON THE DOOR

15+

Come and discover singing, improve your singing and maybe even join the choir. Whatever your reason, come and have some fun hitting those notes! Contact details: 07917 032326 or 07804981416

The Bedford Language Centre

EUROPEAN LANGUAGE READING GROUPS AND LANGUAGE LESSONS AT THE PLACE WO R K S H O P S A N D PA R T I C I PA T I O N Come and enjoy European literature over coffee in an informal group. Meetings every six weeks for those with a good command of Spanish, French or Italian with a weekly guided reading for those still learning the language. Spanish lessons on Wednesday mornings during term time. Booking essential.

eMail: info@theplacebedford.org.uk Web: theplacebedford.org.uk

OTHER BOOKING ESSENTIAL

CREATIVE DAYS WO R K S H O P S A N D PA R T I C I PA T I O N SATURDAYS MORNINGS IN TERM TIME

Creative Saturdays art workshops are open to all 4 to 13 year olds. Children work with a new theme each week, exploring a wide range of techniques and materials, the changing seasons, the world around us as well as different artists and cultures. Contact Philippa on 07824345042 or email creativedaysbedford@gmail.com for more information. www.creative-days.co.uk

ACT ONE THEATRE SCHOOL WO R K S H O P S A N D PA R T I C I PA T I O N SATURDAY MORNINGS IN TERM TIME

Running successfully since 2002, Act One Theatre School holds sessions on Saturdays during term time for Juniors, Intermediates and Seniors. As well as offering acting lessons, each year students have the opportunity to enter the Bedfordshire Festival of Music, Speech and Drama and to study for acting examinations set by the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art â&#x20AC;&#x201C; LAMDA.

7+ BOOKING ESSENTIAL

Contact Sally Hammelev on 07988 762170 or email actone.theatreschool@yahoo.co.uk for more information.

Tel: 01234 354321 Facebook: ThePlaceBedford Twitter: @ThePlaceBedford 25

OTHER

Eagle Gallery Artists

EXHIBITIONS AT THE PLACE EXHIBITIONS The Place Theatre hosts a rolling programme of selling exhibitions by members of the Eagle Gallery. Work can be viewed when the venue is open for events or by appointment during office hours. Anthony Mackay August 22 – Oct 5 Urban and Natural Landscapes (Top left) The exhibition will contrast semi-abstract urban landscapes, derived from personal experiences living in Shanghai, with earthy, natural landscapes which examine the patterns and forms of both the surface and the underlying layers. Whilst the urban will focus on the geometry and architectural make up of the city, with awareness of reflections and distortions, the natural will uncover something of the archaeology of settlement and of the structure and history of rock and earth strata. Sue Room Oct 5 – Nov 16 Venice (Top right) Sue studied sculpture and printmaking at Liverpool Art College. She will be showing a range of oils, watercolours and collagraphs inspired by her visits to Venice, exploring the way the interplay of light and texture in that ancient city evoke the passing of time. Mark Burley Nov 16 – Dec 21

eMail: info@theplacebedford.org.uk Web: theplacebedford.org.uk

OTHER Swan Theatre Company

POETRY EVENINGS AT THE EAGLE GALLERY T A L K S , P O E T R Y A N D S P O K E N WO R D LAST SUNDAY OF THE MONTH

7PM

Â£5 (ON THE DOOR OR ONLINE)

ALL AGES

Members of the Swan Theatre Company present an evening of poetry, with some prose and drama, and a new theme each first Sunday of the month. Readings take place over a drink in the informal surroundings of the Eagle Gallery, 101 Castle Road, Bedford.

COMING UP IN 2017 DATE

COMPANY

SHOW

14 Jan

Folk Nights

Vin Garbutt

18 - 20 Jan

Act One Theatre School

Arabian Nights

28 Jan

Mill Race Folk

Stick in the Wheel

02 Feb

house

The Vanishing Man

04 Feb

Adie Muller

Sandman

09 Feb

Folk Nights

Southern Tennant Folk Union

10 Feb

house

Burton

11 Feb

Outer Circle Arts

In the Motherhood

Additional events may be added after these brochures are printed so please check our web site and sign up to receive our monthly email newsletter.

Tickets for all Shows are available online (with no booking fees) from www.theplacebedford.org.uk/tickets Tel: 01234 354321 Facebook: ThePlaceBedford Twitter: @ThePlaceBedford 27

DIARY DATE

COMPANY

SHOW

Tues 30 Aug to Sat 3 Sept

Bedford Youth Opera

A Little Night Music

Sun 4 Sept

Goblin Theatre

Penguin! Elephant!

Thurs 8 Sept

Friends of Al Walaja

Open Bethlehem Entertaining Mr Sloane

Tues 13 to Sat 17 Sept

Swan Theatre Company

Sat 24 Sept

Townsend Productions

Dare Devil Rides to Jarama

Wed 28 Sept

Leeds Studio

Nine Lives

Thurs 29 Sept

Swing's The Thing

Basie, Buble and Winehouse

Fri 30 Sept

Peppermint Muse

The Colours of Kenny Roach

Sat 1 Oct

Polski Wzrok Jacek Steszewski Trio

Polish Music event

Sun 2 Oct

Swan Theatre Company

Poetry at the Eagle Gallery

Wed 5 Oct

Film Screening

Ali

Thurs 6 Oct

Theatrical Niche

Faustus

Fri 7 Oct

White Cobra Productions

The Shakespeare Revue

Sat 8 Oct

Folk Nights

Urban Folk Quartet

Sun 9 Oct

Cultural Aspects

Up Close & Personal

Mon 10 & Tues 11 Oct

The Pantaloons

Romeo and Juliet

Thurs 13 Oct

Full House

The Bravest Mouse

Fri 14 Oct

Dawn State Theatre Company

The Man Who Would Be King

Sat 15 Oct

Cultural Aspects

The Big Community Showcase

Sat 15 Oct

Cultural Aspects

Bedford Gospel Choir Workshop

Wed 19 to Sat 22 Oct

Bedford Drama Company

Dracula

Sun 23 Oct

London Contemporary Theatre

Teddy Bearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Picnic

Tues 25 Oct

Action Hero

Wrecking Ball

Wed 26 Oct

Squashbox

Tales from the Trees

Thurs 27 Oct

Don't Go Into The Cellar

Murder By Gaslight

Sat 29 Oct

Folk Nights

Gigspanner

Sun 30 Oct

Swan Theatre Company

Poetry at the Eagle Gallery

Wed 2 to Sat 5 Nov

Theatre in Transit

Antigone

Tues 8 to Sat 12 Nov

Swan Theatre Company

Measure for Measure

Wed 16 to Sat 26 Nov

ShowCo Bedford

Sister Act

Sun 27 Nov

FORfest 2

FORfest 2d - Hold the Front Page

Sun 27 Nov

Swan Theatre Company

Poetry at the Eagle Gallery

Wed 30 Nov

Townsend Productions

Dare Devil Rides to Jarama

Thurs 1 Dec

Film Screening

Joyeux Noel

Fri 2 Dec

Folk Nights

Quicksilver

Sat 3 Dec

Clap Trap Theatre

IMPACT

Sun 4 Dec

GreenMatthews

Medieval Christmas

Fri 9 & Sat 10 Dec

West End in Concert

West End At Christmas

Thurs 8 Dec

Swings the Thing

Top of the Pops 1930s/40s

Mon 19 Dec

Moon on a Stick

Jack Frost

Tues 20 & Wed 21 Dec

Squashbox

The Christmassy Christmas Show of Christmassy Christmasness

eMail: info@theplacebedford.org.uk Web: theplacebedford.org.uk