Arts & Entertainment
Fiona pushes the envelope with moving stationery tale Nursery assistant Fiona Allen at Sunny Hill Nursery at Bruton School for Girls has become a published author, with her children’s book, The Stationery Drawer. To make do and mend is the message behind the story, which tells the tale of an assortment of useless stationery items that have a life of their own and work together to foil a dastardly plan. The story teaches young readers that just because something is a little bent or broken it can still be useful. Mrs Allen, who also has a
daughter in Year 8 at Bruton School for Girls school was delighted to share one of the first copies of the book with the children she cares for in the nursery. She said: “The importance of being introduced to books at an early age cannot be underestimated. Children’s imagination, creativity and their grasp of vocabulary and language are hugely enabled by reading. It is an absolute joy to watch a child enjoying a book.” The Stationery Drawer by Fiona Allen is available to purchase on Amazon.
TELLING A STORY: Fiona Allen shares her book The Stationery Drawer, with nursery children India and Hector
Lion production roaring onto stage Having soldiered on through lockdowns, Shaftesbury Arts Centre’s Music and Drama Group have refused to ditch their annual January show, so their latest production, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a truly ‘must see’ performance and proof that well-loved tradition shines through in the toughest of times. Performances for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe are being held on: nThu 28 Jan and Fri 29 Jan at 7.30pm. nSat 30 Jan and Sun 31 Jan at 2.30pm nThu 4 Feb and Fri 5 Feb at 7.30pm nSat 6 Feb and Sun 7 Feb at 2.30pm Rehearsals had been in progress for just one week when the second lockdown was announced, but undaunted and refusing to ‘throw in the towel’ the two casts (because of covid precautions, there are two separate teams in place) decided they were willing to 60
give Zoom rehearsals a try. Both casts have worked independently in separate bubbles to ensure that if anyone should fall ill with the virus, another cast member would be ready and willing to take over. And when live performances begin, the teams will be in place for a week each. This is the much-loved C S Lewis story of the Pevensey children. Evacuated during the Second World War, they move to an old house, with a professor and his terrifyingly strict housekeeper. There they discover a wardrobe, through which they journey to the land of Narnia where a magical ageold tale of good versus evil
unfolds. This production is quite a family affair, with two children in each bubble being siblings, and one bubble having an entire family involved, all of which has made the social distancing very much easier to deal with. Directed by Rosie King and with set design by Kim Pragnell, this is Shaftesbury Art Centre’s very own quest for the status quo to prevail, despite the ongoing threat of covid. The Cast The Professor/Aslan: Sam Skey/Alex Chase Mrs. Mcready/The White Witch: Marie Stubbs/Susan Grant
Peter: Callum Long/Max McCall Susan: Holly PottsSkey/Charlotte Berry Edmund: Seth Collis/Noa McCall Lucy: Daisy Potts-Skey/Isla Bower Mr. Tumnus: Sam Stubbs/Robert Kennett Mr. Beaver: Peter Morris/Phil Ellsworth Mrs Beaver: Sam Merry/Katie Darragh Father Christmas: Sam Skey/Alex Chase Maugrim: Jon Corry/Robert Kennett Dwarf: Katy Merry/Callum Long Leopard: Anne Louise Richards/ Stephanie Prideaux-Aspinall Leopard: Lanayha Glasson/Aimee Brawn There will be two four-day runs performed by different casts. Tickets: Thursday Adults £8, Under 18s £5 Friday- Sunday Adults £12.50, Under 18s £8, Members £10 shaftesburyartscentre.org.uk
