The Swindonian September 2019 Issue by The Swindonian

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August Shorts Just in case you missed it, check out the news from the last month.

Welcome to the September issue of The Swindonian.

STFC kick off 2020 sponsorship with Wiltshire Air Ambulance

Help needed to repair Avebury Manor Garden Wall

Robins offer fans a way to spread the cost

There’s a new face in Swindon inSwindon BID is delighted to welcome Roxy Theobald to the team.

New food bank donation point launched in Haydon Wick

Whats On! Looking for some entertainiment then check out our whats on page.

“PREPARE TO BE TWISTED!” Girl on the train comes to The Wyvern Theatre this September

Musical Musings! with Dave Franklin

Stage Coach check out whats on at your local theatres

The summer came and went just as quick as my ice cream melting in the scorching heat that we had in August! The September issue has something for everyone, if you missed last months news then check our August shorts too get you all up to date on last month. We get an update from inSwindon who have brought Roxy Theobald on board as an addition to inSwindon Street Team Ambassadors. Check out our What’s On guide to see what takes your fancy, from Ruby Wax at The Wyvern Theatre to Raged Uk at the Oasis. We also have a 4 page feature on the stage adaptation of Girl on the train, which is showing in September at The Wyvern Theatre. For more of what to see and do check out Musical Musings with our very own Dave Franklin and don’t forget to see what Ben Thomas from Stage Coach has in store for you this month. If you have something you would like to appear in next moths magazine or online, feel free to drop a message to getintouch@theswindonian.co.uk

See you in October

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THESWINDONIAN.CO.UK // SEPTEMBER 2019

AUGUST SHORTS Two men charged in connection with Spring Gardens stabbing

Lee Paul Sparks, 38, of no fixed address, and Anthony Gardiner, 61, of no fixed address, have both been charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent. They are charged in connection with an incident in Spring Gardens, Swindon. The victim, a man in his 50s, was taken to Southmead Hospital with superficial injuries to his arms and back and has since been discharged.

Tesco staff throughout Swindon face anxious wait after supermarket giant announced 4,500 job losses Tesco staff across Swindon and Wiltshire face an anxious wait after the supermarket giant released a shock announcement that it will be cutting 4,500 jobs. The UK’s biggest supermarket has said its Metro stores will be hardest hit in the latest round of redundancies with positions also set to go at some Express and larger stores. Tesco has one Metro store in Swindon along with seven Express stores.

The changes to stores will include fewer products in the back of the store, with more moving straight to the shop floor when they are delivered. In 134 Tesco Express stores – out of 1,750 – there will also be a reduction in opening hours due to low footfall. 4

Changes to waste and recycling services come into effect in bid to improve recycling Recycling is now compulsory in Swindon as part of a drive to increase the amount of household waste that is reused. The change has been introduced to help protect the environment and move Swindon towards the Government target of 60 per cent recycling by 2029. It was agreed as part of the Council’s Waste Strategy last year which included a range of measures to encourage residents to recycle more and waste less. Currently only 40 per cent of waste produced by residents is recycled using the correct containers. It is hoped this new initiative will encourage those who don’t recycle to take it up alongside the many who already do. Residents are being asked to present all of their recyclable materials such as paper, cardboard, cans, glass bottles and jars in the appropriate boxes instead of the black wheelie bin/blue bag.

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Robins snatch back unexpected victory against Wolves Swindon snatched a 46-44 victory from the jaws of the defeat in an incredible finish to their Premiership clash with Wolverhampton. The CFS Filtration Robins trailed by eight points on two occasions and were still six down with four heats remaining â&#x20AC;&#x201C; as they looked set to suffer a damaging home loss against one of their direct rivals for a play-off place. But two 5-1s in Heats 12 and 15 transformed the meeting, with the last-race decider featuring a sensational ride by Polish star Tobiasz Musielak to team up with skipper Jason Doyle and stun the Wolves. 5

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Charity receives £10,000 grant to help county’s bereaved children A Swindon based child bereavement charity is celebrating a £10,000 grant from the Wiltshire Community Foundation. The money will help set up new bereavement support programmes in Wiltshire over the next 2 years.

says Katherine Brownlee, Bereavement Service Lead. “Our programmes have helped so many Swindon families and we are now ready to set up projects in Wiltshire, closer to the families who need us.”

either through employee volunteering, charity partnerships or skills sharing. The charity also needs individual members of the community who are able to volunteer directly with children and young people and/or fundraise.

Wiltshire Treehouse, which marks its 5th anniversary this year, helps children and young people who have experienced the death of a loved one.

In order to succeed the charity are now looking for companies who could provide corporate assistance

If you can help, or for more information, please contact admin@wilthsiretreehouse. org.uk

To date its programmes have only been run in Swindon, but they are now ready to set up further afield. Darren chose to travel an 80 mile round trip with his child in order to get to a Treehouse group. “Before Treehouse we’d never met any other children who were dealing with bereavement. For us the power of being in a room of likeminded people was simply invaluable. Our little boy still speaks about Treehouse now; the stories that he read with the group and the arts and crafts that he still has stuck up on his wall which are a reminder of the skills he learnt to process his grief.” says Darren. “This grant will really help us to support more children.” 6

Have you joined our new community? We are proud to have launched a new facebook group ‘Ask a Swindon Vet’. The group has been created by Nick and his team of vets to provide the pet owners of Swindon and surrounding areas a safe and welcoming online community. The group allows you to freely ask questions about your pet’s health and wellbeing as well as being able to share useful tips and knowledge with other like-minded and local pet owners. Find us on facebook and join our new online pet community today

Ask a Swindon Vet

THESWINDONIAN.CO.UK // SEPTEMBER 2019

STFC kick off 2020 sponsorship with Wiltshire Air Ambulance Wiltshire Air Ambulance’s logo will sit proudly on the back of Swindon Town’s away shirt for the 2019/20 season.

The Sky Bet League Two club has chosen Wiltshire Air Ambulance as its Charity of the Year partner for another season and has kindly donated the prominent sponsorship area to the lifesaving service, which is based in Semington, near Melksham. In addition, the Robins have pledged to sponsor trainee critical care paramedic Keith Mills, aiming to raise £8,500 8

throughout the season to fund his training, medical equipment and uniform. Keith, 46, joined Wiltshire Air Ambulance in 2015 after spending two seasons working as a paramedic at Swindon’s home matches. Wiltshire Air Ambulance chief executive David Philpott said: “Swindon Town have been long-term supporters of our charity and we’re very grateful to the football club and their sponsors Imagine Cruising for all the money they’ve helped to raise to date.

“We were delighted to welcome Richie Wellens, his staff and playing squad to the airbase today, where they were able to meet Keith, the trainee critical care paramedic they will be sponsoring throughout the season. “We’re also very proud to take pride of place on the back of the away shirt in what we all hope will be a memorable campaign ahead.” Swindon’s away kit, produced by Puma, is mirage grey for the 2019/20 season and will

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“We very much look forward to all the partnership activation planned and to the day when we can announce that we have hit the target and as a club we have funded a trainee critical care paramedic.” now include the Wiltshire Air Ambulance logo on the neckline above each player’s name and squad number. Last season the Wiltshire club raised £12,000, along with primary sponsors Imagine Cruising, to help fit out the charity’s RRV (Rapid Response Vehicle). Adam Wainwright, the club’s commercial manager, said: “Last season Imagine Cruising, our mainline sponsors, supported us brilliantly with our £12,000 target and are once again fully engaged with us and Wiltshire Air Ambulance to deliver on the new fundraising total as a three-pronged partnership.

terms of profile and we can raise their profile considerably. “A great deal of planning has gone into the unique location for this season’s team photo. It was magnificent to be hosted at the airbase; being pictured by the helicopter and RRV emphasises the strength of the partnership. We have a part to play and genuinely care about the community and are passionate about achieving results off the field of play too.

Imagine Cruising’s Martin Palmer commented: “As Swindon Town Football Club’s main sponsor for the past five years, we are delighted to help assist them in their fundraising goals to fund a trainee critical care paramedic. “We never know when any of us, our friends or family might need the life-saving services that the Wiltshire Air Ambulance provides and look forward to working together to help save more lives in Wiltshire.”

“We are immensely proud as a Football Club to be right at the heart of the community with this partnership and to have our crest embroidered on the flight suit of the trainee critical care paramedic when he is out saving lives is very powerful. “It gives us great pleasure to gift the charity the back of our away shirt sponsorship too. We feel ultimately to do the campaign justice, their logo needs to be high in 9

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Wiltshire Air Ambulance seeks runners for its 30th birthday Wiltshire Air Ambulance will celebrate its 30th birthday on the day of the 2020 Bath Half Marathon – and you can join the party for a special early bird rate, saving 10%! The charity has been involved with the Bath Half Marathon for a number of years and is delighted the event coincides with the start of Wiltshire Air Ambulance’s 30th year celebrations. It was on the 15th March 1990 that Wiltshire Air Ambulance began operating by sharing a helicopter fulltime with Wiltshire Police. The charity became a standalone air ambulance in 2015 and moved to its new airbase in Semington, near Melksham, in May 2018. The charity relies on donations, as it is not funded directly by the Government and receives no National Lottery grants. It costs £3.75 million a year to keep the lifesaving service operational – that’s just over £10,000 per day. Events such as the Bath Half Marathon are key to the charity’s fundraising, providing in excess of £110,000 in the past five years.

If you want to take part in the 2020 Bath Half Marathon, on Sunday 15th March, and join Wiltshire Air Ambulance’s 30th birthday celebrations, participants can sign up before 31 August to receive an early bird discount of 10% against the full sign up price. That’s just £30 to sign up, with a fundraising target of £200 per person. “The Bath Half Marathon is always a popular event in our calendar and it’s extra special in 2020 given that it falls on the day of our 30th birthday,” said Kenresa Stratford, events co-ordinator for Wiltshire Air Ambulance.

and we’re hoping to have a bumper number of runners on the start line donning the yellow and green of our charity.” You never know when you could need Wiltshire Air Ambulance, so if you’ve already booked your own place in the race, please consider raising funds for the charity. You really can make a difference and help save lives. To sign up or for more information, visit: www.wiltshireairambulance.co.uk/events/waaevents/2020-bath-halfmarathon/ or email kenresa@wiltshireairambulance.co.uk

“We’ll have plenty planned to celebrate the occasion 11

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Help needed to repair Avebury Manor Garden Wall The National Trust have launched an appeal to raise £20,000 to rethatch the historic garden wall between Avebury Manor and St James’ Church at Avebury. Thatched walls are very characteristic of Wiltshire. This wall at Avebury is not only charming to see, but is also a wildlife habitat, supporting a number of insect species within the cracks and crevices, and even small birds have been seen nesting in between the stones that it’s made from. These locally sourced sars12

en stones – some of which may have even originated from the Avebury stone circle – keep the heat, warm the garden borders and act as the boundary between the manor and the church. However, time and weather have taken their toll and the thatch on the top of this ancient wall has badly deteriorated. Reverend Maria Shepherdson of St James’ Church offers her encouragement “We work very hard to care for the church and church-yard for the

community and it’s very important to make sure it’s looked after for future generations, so we’re delighted that the Trust are undertaking this project.” The Trust is raising money in a number of ways, including inviting visitors to take part in their annual raffle, to make a donation online or to ‘Walk for the wall’ by raising sponsorship through the Wiltshire Landscape Walking Challenge. The Wiltshire Landscape Walking Challenge is in its

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second year, and it encourages people to explore, through printed walks, all the National Trust sites cared for by the Wiltshire Landscape team. The twelve walks range from between 4 and 10 miles each and are self-led. Packs cost £12 and entrants have a chance to win a prize for completing it. Eva Stuetzenberger, National Trust Operations Manager at Avebury, says “The Walking Challenge is a fantastic way to see some of the less well-known places that the National Trust look after. Now people can choose to enjoy these walks – at their own pace and any time of year – whilst at the same time raising money to support the work of the Trust.” The ‘Walk for the wall’ appeal will run all year,

until the Walking Challenge closes on 31 Dec 2019, so there’s plenty of time to get involved. Eva continues ”there are many other ways to support our wall appeal; people can get sponsorship to complete one of the free 10km running events (Trust10) that take place from Avebury every forth Sunday of the month until October. Or, if this all sounds too much of a challenge, visitors to Avebury can simply purchase a £1 raffle ticket to help us restore the wall, whilst at the same time being in with a chance to win the top prize of £10,000.” One small part of the wall has already been rethatched, and you can see from the picture that this work has been transformational.

The families of Northmore-Ball and Knowles arranged to have the small section over their family memorials repaired, and in doing so give us a glimpse of how wonderful the wall will look when completed. Jan Tomlin, General Manager of National Trust Wiltshire Landscape says “It’s thanks to the generosity and dedication of our supporters that we are able to care for Avebury Manor and this appeal will help us secure the funds needed to conserve this beautiful wall for generations to come”. Further information can be found at nationaltrust.org. uk/avebury.

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P&O Cruises announce cancellation of Arabian cruises due to tensions between UK and Iran

P&O Cruises have announced that a number of cruises to Dubai and the Arabian Gulf will be cancelled due to tensions between Britain and Iran in the Straits of Hormuz. Cruises on P&O Oceana this winter and early next year are to be cancelled with passengers booked on the cruises affected being offered a refund and a discount on a future cruise. P&O Cruises statement: “We have been closely monitoring the situation within the Straits of Hormuz over recent months and taking advice from external authorities. The increased tension in the region highlighted by the attacks on tankers in the Straits in recent months and the detention of a Britishflagged tanker by the Iranian authorities means as a British company flying the Red Ensign it is not advisable for us to maintain our planned Dubai and Arabian Gulf programme this winter season.

We are very sorry but we have therefore taken the unusual step of withdrawing Oceana from the region, which will impact holidays due to depart later this year and in early 2020.The safety of our guests and crew is paramount and given our

UK status, coupled with the uncertainty in the region, we have had to make this difficult decision for this upcoming season, which we hope you understand is due to factors beyond our control.

Ask AMS

80+ videos on ‘AMS Accountancy’

Our Scout Group needs annual accounts. Can we save on the fees? If the income is below £25,000, just have them scrutinised by an independent person with the relevant experience and knowledge. An unqualified accountant or bookkeeper – someone used to preparing accounts. If income exceeds £25,000 but is less than £100,000, then you will need to arrange for an “independent examination” by a person with the right ability and practical experience, typically a bank/ building society or an accountant (possibly retired), who must carry out a competent examination of the accounts. I would imagine that your Scout Group falls into one of the above two categories – which should mean you are charged a low fee - if any. Peter Bromiley ACA @AMSAccountancy www.ams-accountancy.co.uk

THESWINDONIAN.CO.UK // SEPTEMBER 2019

Robins offer fans a way to spread the cost Swindon Speedway have announced a new way to watch your favourite team in action for the 2020 season. Throughout the year Robins fans will pay the club a fixed monthly fee for each of the 12 months starting on March 1st each year. Simply sign a direct debit form and the club will do the rest. Provisional* prices for 2020 are £21 per month for adults and £19 per month for concessions. There are no interest charges. This will entitle the supporter to entry plus a free programme for every meeting held in the 2020 season. That’s it – no more lump sums for a season ticket or finding the cash when two meetings come along in the same week. Just sign up for a monthly direct debit and there are no more additional costs. Interested in knowing more? Supporters can call 01793 384111, text “Interested” to 07968 123406, or send an email to info@swindonspeedway.com. *2020 prices subject to confirmation.

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There’s a new face inSwindon If you’ve visited the town centre in the last couple of weeks, you may have noticed a new face patrolling the high street. inSwindon BID is delighted to welcome Roxy Theobald into the town centre ambassador role. Roxy joins the team after 10 years in retail with the last 4 years at Debenhams, and comes with plenty of customer experience. The role of the inSwindon Street Team Ambassador is to support the 470+ businesses within the BID area. A team of four, the Street Team Ambassadors work closely with Wiltshire Police to reduce crime levels through the BID’s Daysafe, Nightsafe and Pubwatch schemes. They play an integral role in helping to raise the profile of the town centre, providing a day-to-day operational and high visibility assistance with issues ranging from lost children and shoplifting through to public safety control and event management. Di Powell, inSwindon BID CEO had this to say on the appointment of Roxy and the development of the Street Team: “We’re delighted to welcome Roxy

to the team. She has thrown herself straight into the role and on her first day was greeting and welcoming visitors with ice lollies on what was one of the hottest days of the year. It’s our aim to ensure that the town centre a pleasant experience for visitors and to support our BID members with the day-to-day management of the town centre. The Street Team are our eyes and ears, and through the successful radio network system and working closely in partnership with Swindon Borough Council and Wiltshire Police, we are

pleased that street drinking, begging and rough sleeping has been reduced significantly. With this, and our extensive events programme, including the hugely successful Urban Beach at Wharf Green, this ensures that we are a great place to work, shop and relax, meeting our objectives in helping to raise the profile of Swindon Town Centre.” The Street Team Ambassadorial role has been in existence since the BID was first formed in 2007 and supported the thousands of visitors to the town centre, offering helpful advice and providing a warm welcome. 19

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New food bank donation point launched in Haydon Wick

Local supermarket Morrison’s in Haydon Wick is establishing a new donation drop point in their store which will support the work of The Swindon Food Collective.

The three parish councillors David Renard, Garry Perkins and Oliver Donachie attended the launch of the scheme to show their support for the work of the Swindon Food Collective and appreciation of the Morrison’s partnership. Morrison’s supermarket in Haydon Wick is supporting the work of the Swindon Food Collective by installing a customer’s food donation point at the end of their tills. The stores Community Champion Sandra Graver said that “Our staff team wanted to help the local food bank and we thought that the best way we could do that was to have a point where people can regularly give to the charity as we know that they are completely dependent on the generosity of local people as donors of non-perishable indate food. These donations will help ensure that the food collective can continue to help local people who find themselves in such a tough financial situation that they cannot put a meal on the table for their family. Morrison’s are proud to be partnering with the

Swindon Food Collective to help our local community”. Cher Smith, The Swindon Food Collective Manager said “This new initiative is really appreciated as we are starting to see more and more people from the SN25 area being referred to us and this is a way for neighbours to help each other anonymously.

Last year The Swindon Food Collective gave out over 6 tons of food and fed 6,191 people of whom almost 30% were children. The opening of this donation point means that people can give to the charity more easily and indirectly help their friends and neighbours.” The Swindon Food Collective partners with a wide range of professionals such as teachers, health visitors and social workers as well as Citizens Advice and many other statutory and voluntary organisations to identify people in crisis and give them a food bank voucher to access emergency food. People can then bring their voucher to one of the Swindon Food Collective’s 7 distribution centres where it can be redeemed for three – five days’ emergency food. Their volunteers welcome people to the centres and over a cup of tea offer them a listening ear and on

many occasions’ people can be sign posted to further support to help resolve the crisis they face. The Swindon Food Collective help local people look after other local people as all the in-date food donations go straight back to people in our local community. No one should be left hungry because of illness, disability, family breakdown or the loss of a job – all of which could happen to any of us at any time. Cher Smith went on to say “Many of our clients tell us that their salary or basic income is not covering the cost of essentials or they have delays in their benefit payments or changes to their circumstances have affected them badly and it is this which has caused the crisis and their need for an emergency food parcel”. Anyone wishing to support the Swindon Food Collective can do so by leaving donations of food at the store or via their Facebook page.

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“PREPARE TO BE TWISTED!” Thriller fans are clearly in for a treat when director Anthony Banks promises the stage adaptation of The Girl On The Train “is absolutely packed with twists and turns”. Anthony, after all, has a string of acclaimed thrillers to his credit but even he has to admit: “This has even more twists and turns than I’ve ever had to juggle before.”

an unhappy alcoholic who thinks the couple she sees from her commuter train every day are perfectly in love.

Scripted by Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel, the play - which is touring the UK from August untilNovember 2019 with Samantha Womack in the lead - is as an adaptation of Paula Hawkins’ 2015 bestselling novel. The 2016 film version starring Emily Blunt relocated the story to the United States but the stage version returns it to its UK roots. It revolves around Rachel Watson,

Acclaimed for his direction of Strangers On A Train and Gaslight, set in the 1950s and 1930s respectively, Banks believes the fact The Girl On The Train is set in the present day, in familiar but unspecified locations, is an extra lure for theatergoers.

Then the wife Megan disappears and, as Rachel inveigles her way into the life of Megan’s husband Scott, she finds herself both a witness and potential suspect.

“It’s instantly recognisable for that reason,” says the director, “and it could be your street, they could be

your neighbours, this could be happening to you.” He was intrigued by the visual potential of Hawkins’ plot, saying: “On stage we can play out a scene between two characters which is naturalistic and believable while showing something that contradicts it. It’s a crime drama that takes place across a week, each day they get closer to finding out who the perpetrator is and all the evidence is about images and identity.” The action takes place in domestic spaces, like living rooms and kitchens, and of course there’s also a train. Anthony and designer James Cotterill (who previously collaborated on the drama Twilight Song) have taken inspiration from Rachel in the novel talking

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about having a black hole in her memory. Before rehearsals the director met with Paula Hawkins and they talked about how Rachel is losing her grip on her identity because of the effect heavy drinking has on her shortterm memory. “Because she can’t remember what happened last night or last week she starts to forget who she is. Her identity is eroding and she describes it as a black hole so the design is also a black hole in which appear domestic spaces, a train, a police cell, an interrogation room and also the wasteland by the train tracks where the body is found.”

Samantha Womack, who recalls being gripped by the novel when she read it, and also a challenging one. “There are about 70 pages of dialogue for me to learn,” says the actress best known for playing Ronnie Mitchell in EastEnders. “It’s like playing Hamlet.” Samantha smiles. “I never shut up.” Having appeared in the West End in Guys And Dolls and toured in South Pacific and The Addams Family, Brighton-born Womack isn’t as worried by all that dialogue as she is about playing a convincing drunk. “It’s a really hard thing to do,” she says. “Drink is like

all the boundaries so rather than a comical element, with the slurring and slipping up, I think Rachel’s just completely unpredictable. It’s about what happens when she’s drunk and where does her brain go?” Womack is chatting during a break from rehearsals in an East London studio where she and co-star Oliver Farnworth (who plays Scott) have been running through an intense scene where tensions flare up between Rachel and Scott. The break is also a welcome one for Coronation Street star Jack (he was Andy Carver on the soap until 2017), although he’s really enjoying sinking his acting teeth into the complex role of Scott. Careful not to give spoilers, Farnworth says: “Throughout the play you’re drip-fed more information about him so the audience gets to build up a case file. Has he been left by his wife? Has something happened to make her run away?”

Rachel is a dream role for

a truth syrup that removes

Having been a bit of a bad lad in Corrie prior to which he was manipulative Will Hacket in Hollyoaks, the actor adds: “Roles like this are more interesting to me as an actor rather than playing the prince charming, nice guy, boyfriendnext-door sort of thing. I like roles that have a bit of meat and a bit of weight to them.” 25

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Also in the cast are John Dougall as Detective Inspector Gaskill, who is investigating Megan’s disappearance, as well as Kirsty Oswald as Megan herself. Adam Jackson-Smith plays Rachel’s ex-husband Tom, Lowenna Melrose is his new wife Anna and Naeem Hayatt is Kamal, a therapist who may or may not have been having an affair with Megan. It’s a tangled web they all weave, with Farnworth pointing out: “All the characters in the play are multi-faceted and complex and it’s not a goody/baddie story. All the characters are slightly flawed and that makes for interesting, exciting drama.” West Yorkshire-born Oliver, who trained in Bristol and worked mainly in Liverpool (where Hollyoaks is filmed) and London in the likes of Mr Selfridge, enjoyed returning to his Northern roots for Corrie.

“It’s an iconic show, the team is great, you’re really well looked-after and I got to work with some legends,” he recalls. “I got to do the everyday Weatherfield stuff of working in the shops and going down the street in the rain but then I got to do car chases and stunts and be trapped in a burning building.” Samantha, who came to fame as Mandy in the sitcom Game On and made her EastEnders debut in 2007, admits she misses her co-stars and crew. “I miss my EastEnders friends and family and they really are a family. You go through so much together - marriages, losses, births and you become incredibly connected.” Not being tied into a long-running soap allows her to do more theatre,

although she confesses: “The unpredictably of my future is terrifying. Ten years ago when I went into EastEnders I was younger and you embrace the unknown. The older I get the scarier it is, although I’m learning to enjoy it again.” If pushed Womack would choose stage work over TV. “I’m a control freak,” she grins. “From the minute I’m on stage it can’t be edited. I also love the immediacy of theatre.” Laughing about the appropriate analogy, she adds: “I love being on a train and not getting off until it’s done.” Farnworth hasn’t toured with a show since Kes eight years ago and then it was only for eight weeks. “This is a much bigger tour and I’m looking forward to visiting places I haven’t been before.

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sympathy for her because of everything she’s been through.” Anthony raves about his leading lady. “Samantha is outstanding and it’s a great collaboration because she is extremely thorough about understanding not only how her character works but also how all the characters and the whole concoction works.”

I’ve never been to Ireland, for example, and it’s always good to explore new places, spending a week there and getting under the skin of a place.” Anthony Banks, meanwhile, feels even audiences familiar with the novel will be surprised by The Girl On The Train on stage. They haven’t changed key plot points but in the book there are three character narratives - namely those of Megan, Anna and Rachel - while on stage Rachel is the focal point. “In the novel,” Banks elaborates, “the way that facts are revealed and the sort of drip-drip of that is through three fragmented chronologies. Here it’s more simple, told across six chronological days, but the scenes withhold information from the audience in hopefully a similarly experiential way to how the novel withholds information from the reader. It’s the same story but the presentation is different.”

Oliver accounts for the popularity of stage thrillers with: “People just like a good detective story, simple as that. Audiences like gasps and to be on the edge of their seats and they like to second guess. In the interval everyone will have their opinions and that’s brilliant.” An expert in the genre, Banks adds that theatregoers are drawn to thrillers because they tap into our fascination with good and evil and a desire to know whodunnit. The specific hook with The Girl On The Train, he feels, is that it revolves around an anti-heroine. “And it’s fascinating for an audience to follow the journey of a protagonist like that.” Samantha agrees. “There’s something about Rachel’s devil-may-care rebellion that appeals to lots of people. She says what you shouldn’t say, she thinks what you shouldn’t think, she’s a victim of circumstance and you have

Rachel doesn’t leave the stage for the entire show. “And that terrifies me,” Womack admits. “I don’t always take things in at first and it wasn’t until the middle of rehearsals that it hit me that ‘Oh, it’s basically just one long scene for me’. I never get to leave the stage and regroup. One scene leads me straight into another and it’s like a dance.” The actress agrees that the show has jolts and surprises whether or not you’ve read the novel. “Yes we’re replicating the story but there are changes and nuances that are very different. I hope that by the time they leave the theatre people have been shaken about a bit.” Farnworth agrees. The recipient of an Inside Soap award for Best Shock Twist (for the revelation that Andy Carver, presumed murdered, was still alive) grins. “There are more twists than you can shake a stick at. Be prepared to be twisted!” 27

Musical Musings

with Dave Franklin

It’s a busy month ahead on the live music front so without further ado… The 8th of September sees The Tuppenny back from their summer break and opening the batting in fine style with Fly Yeti Fly. This deft duo take a wander through the roots music sound palette then throw in some 60’s singer-songwriter vibes and a contemporary indie edge, the perfect calling card to announce that the venue is back in business. 28

Half a decade after the dissolution of Tribes, Johnny Lloyd can be found wielding a whole different sort of sound. Gone are the indie anthems and in their place are a set of more understated folk songs and the fact that he calls Xtra Mile Recordings his home and Frank Turner his good friend speaks volumes. You can check out this new direction at The Victoria on 12th with Plummie Racket supporting.

The same day also sees dexterous, finger-picking, folky troubadour Chris Webb return to the Tuppenny. Although Bristol based and with a new line up since their Swindon days, Martyrials has lost none of the sonic madness and musical hi-jinks. Psychedelic synth punk? Emerson Lake and Palmer meets Dead Kennedys? Call it what you will, just make sure that you are at The Victoria on 15th to catch up with their latest adventures.

THESWINDONIAN.CO.UK // SEPTEMBER 2019

The wonderfully named Las Poftas and Tuffragette tag along for the wild ride. It’s been a long time coming. An album, then a band, then some live shows but finally Circu5 make their Swindon debut at Level III on 21st. Perhaps best known as part of the recent TC&I line up that saw half of XTC reunited for a run of shows, Steve Tilling’s own music, for it is he, wanders some very different musical tracks.

Joining Circu5 will be I Am The Manic Whale who lean towards more proggy tendencies plus the gnarly, math rock of Let’s Swim, Get Swimming.

Sitting somewhere between weighty alt-rock and a focused and melodic prog vibe, he adds poignant lyrics and a vibrant live show into the mix.

With Ghosts of Machines, Heriot and Edenfalls providing the perfect local, sonic aperitifs of this hard hitting musical menu.

The 26th sees Two Man Ting’s Afro-roots acoustica grace the Tuppenny whilst on 28th The Victoria is the place to be if you like your music with a more aggressive edge as We Struck Gold and Cope head into town.

And last, but certainly not least, something very special can be found at Christchurch. Pete Gow will be best known for fronting Case Hardin for many years and although the band have recently called it a day, this new chapter has seen him put out a solo record and on 28th plays with a 5-piece string section and a band gathered from the great and good of his fellow Clubhouse label mates. Tamsin Quin opens the show. Heavenly music in an awesome church setting… Songs of Praise indeed.

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Stage Coach

THESWINDONIAN.CO.UK // SEPTEMBER 2019

With Ben Thomas

In September a mostly star-studded production of Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Lady Vanishes” chugs into the Wyvern Theatre. Well, it’s not Hitchcock’s; not really. The Master of Suspense directed the original cinematic 1938 mystery thriller – admittedly – but that was written by Sidney Gillat and Frank Launder and they based it on a 1936 novel, “The Wheel Spins”, By Ethel Lina White. Hitchcock pointed his camera at the action back in 1938 – true – but he’s not directing this iteration due to him having been dead since 1980. So it’s not Hitchcock’s “The Lady Vanishes”. It’s Gilat and Launder’s. Or possibly Ethal Lina White’s. Maybe it’s Roy Marsden as he’d

directing this one. Who knows? I hear this stage version is very good though, so go and see that. It’s on 2nd to 7th September at the Wyvern. Just don’t watch the 1979 film version with Elliott Gould and Cybill Shepherd. Because it’s utter bilge. On 28th September the Wyvern goes from “Hitch” to “Cock” as “Puppetry of the Penis” visits Swindon as part of the show’s 20th anniversary tour. Yes, 20 years of todger-based origami. Can you actually believe that? First performed at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival (which explains a few things). Originally directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

Not really. I think it was by Woody Allen (from the novel by Ethel Lina White). Also in September: “Teechers” by John Godber on 10th September at the Swindon Art Centre (“raucous and robust”). Jane Austin’s “Sense and Sensibility” on 13th September also at the Art Centre (“classic comedy of manners”). And “Spectacular Spacebot” at the Shoebox Theatre on 21st September (“a new family show about autism and space adventures”). All of the above may or may not have been directed – at some point - by Alfred Hitchcock. Who knows, quite frankly? 31

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