Arts & Entertainments

Arts & Entertainment Fiona pushes the envelope with moving stationery tale

Nursery assistant Fiona Allen daughter in Year 8 at Bruton at Sunny Hill Nursery at School for Girls school was Bruton School for Girls has delighted to share one of the become a published author, first copies of the book with with her children’s book, The the children she cares for in Stationery Drawer. the nursery. To make do and mend is the She said: “The importance of message behind the story, being introduced to books at which tells the tale of an an early age cannot be assortment of useless underestimated. Children’s stationery items that have a imagination, creativity and life of their own and work their grasp of vocabulary and together to foil a dastardly language are hugely enabled plan. by reading. It is an absolute The story teaches young joy to watch a child enjoying readers that just because a book.” something is a little bent or The Stationery Drawer by broken it can still be useful. Mrs Allen, who also has a 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

Arts & Entertainment New £23m Octagon theatre planned

Councillors were set to debate a potential £23 million investment for arts and entertainment in South Somerset – including a new building for Yeovil’s Octagon – yesterday (7th). South Somerset councillors were hoped to agree in principle to progress the development of a substantial project that will transform The Octagon Theatre and see major improvements at the venue. Councillors say this sort of investment could secure thee future of the venue and potentially make it selfsustaining, without the need for regular council funding. The venue would be able to host many of the bigger shows, drawing in a wider audience and become an exemplar for arts venues. The project, set to cost in the region of £23 million excluding VAT, would see the theatre add a fly tower and circle that would take the seating from 622 to 900. This would mean big advances in productions that could attend the venue, including touring plays and musicals. Work would also see the venue become fully accessible throughout, add two additional boutique spaces which could potentially be a cinema/studio plus an additional cinema. The venue would also see purpose-built studios created, with an improved community ‘café hub’ and separate restaurant areas. The Executive Committee were due to discuss whether to agree in principle to progress the development of the project and the underwriting of the total net project costs, up to £23.01m. If councillors agree the plan it will go to the Executive Committee for approval, and then the Octagon can apply to funders that would reduce the amount required from the council. The theatre has been entertaining audiences since 1974 and attracts many visitors from far and wide –last year 125,000 tickets were sold, while thousands more took part in one of the weekly classes held there. Councillor Mike Best, portfolio holder for health and wellbeing, said: “Potentially, this could be a massive investment within South Somerset, making this premier venue even more attractive to visitors and also performers; so we really could open up the market for attracting bigger and better performances here in the South West. “This is a key decision for my fellow councillors to make because of the large investment, but a project plan and the finances involved have been scrutinised by everyone so far involved in the project. The project has the potential to pay for itself over time and not cost the taxpayer a penny. This really could mark a major investment for the local area, with wide-reaching benefits for our communities across the region.” Councillor Peter Seib,

EXTRA SEATS: An artist’s impression of the proposed new theatre interior, above, and exterior, main picture

portfolio holder for finance, added: “The Octagon is a fantastic draw, bringing visitors in from across the region whilst delivering huge social value by supporting many local performance groups. However, the theatre urgently needs a significant amount of money spending on repairs just to stay open and it is reliant on council taxpayer subsidy. “What is proposed is a stepchange investment to transform the offer, bringing national touring shows and competing with major centres like Bristol whilst still keeping its local arts scene focus. An enlarged Octagon would be highly sustainable and would operate free of council subsidy even at pricing appropriate to local residents and user groups. “We are fighting town centre decline across the district caused by the collapse of shop-based retail, and the long-term effects of covid. A new, distinctive and defining cultural offer would counter that, bringing more visitors in, and enhancing the area’s attractiveness to inward investors looking to re-locate their business, and their family, to South Somerset. “In many ways, this type of investment defines the placemaking role of a district council, responding creatively to local economic needs.”