Arts & Entertainments

Crafts weekend

The ever-popular Christmas Arts and Crafts weekend at Pamphill Village Hall will be held on Friday, December 2, from 1pm-4pm, and Saturday and Sunday, December 3 and 4, from 10am-4pm. The show features paintings, greetings cards and handmade craft items all made by industrious and talented members of Wimborne Art Club. The proceeds of a raffle and donations will be given to Wimborne Community Foodbank Supply. Hot drinks and seasonal warm mince pies are on offer. The painting above is Christmas Robin by Jan Wall.

Bah! A Christmas Carol story

by Lorraine Gibson

It’s 1843 and with Christmas looming, Mr. Dickens is about to publish his latest instalment of the cautionary yuletide tale. Meanwhile, Mr Scrooge is at his desk, working desperately to tell his side of the story. This is the premise of an innovative, one-man show that aims to put the record straight on the truth behind A Christmas Carol... Ebeneezer Scrooge opens his diary to expose the awful truth about Tiny Tim, the Fezziwigs, Jacob Marley and the disgustingly-jolly, gluttonous, consumer-driven Ghost of Christmas Present, as he calls out Dickens, the ‘vengeful, slanderous, upstart author’ of said novel... At the suggestion that Marley was dead to begin with, Scrooge retorts: “Humbug, Mr.Dickens! Dead? Marley was not dead but rather sitting on some sun-soaked, off-shore beach squandering all the hard-earned money that he had so fraudulently embezzled from my firm over the years! “You know nothing Mr.Dickens! You are a fraud sir – an embezzler of the truth! Bah!...”. The Scrooge Diaries: Saturday, Dec 17, 7.30pm, Hinton Martell Village Hall. (01258 840066). Sunday, Dec 18, 4pm. Studland Village Hall. (01929 450587). Tickets online at artsreach.co.uk.

A wonderful arrival!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year at Dorset’s top family theme park! The magic returns with even more to enjoy this year! The team at Adventure Wonderland are busy getting ready for the arrival of Father Christmas! Santa really is coming to town! Enjoy a visit to Santa in his snowy log cabin and receive a souvenir gift plus appearances from Rudolph and the elves. A visit also includes unlimited use of Wild Thing, the huge Aztec-themed indoor play centre. But that’s not all! You can also enjoy a game of crazy golf and, back by popular demand this year, The Christmas Craft Cabin! Then take your seats for the festive family pantomime, Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs! Hi ho, hi ho, it’s off to Adventure Wonderland we go this Christmas! There is also an afternoon of SEN Santa sessions on Monday, December 19. These will have a reduced capacity to ensure that guests get a slightly longer visit to Father Christmas. The afternoon performances of Snow White will also be amended for SEN guests. “Our Christmas event is always a sell-out success but that means it’s often too busy and too noisy for guests who may have additional needs and sensory processing disorders,” says Andy Brennan of Adventure Wonderland, “Which is why we’re introducing some amendments to the experience.” These incredible value Christmas experience tickets are on sale now so early booking is recommended! Book now online at adventurewonderland.co.uk.

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by Lorraine Gibson

As is now a winter tradition, when night falls at Kingston Lacy, lights transform the historic house and grounds into an ethereal wonderland. Trees are thrown into colourful relief or stark silhouette and objects take on a magical quality as visitors ‘ooh’ and ‘ah’ along the customary pathway into a dreamlike landscape. This year, two new installations are planned for the event which runs up until Christmas Eve, adding to the spectacle. A laser garden will immerse crowds in thousands of slowlyrotating coloured beams in atmospheric fog. ‘Street traders’ will sell food, you can grab a spiced winter warmer or hot chocolate and a marshmallow stall will be offering the sweet treats. The trail is designed for all ages. Book in advance to secure your choice of date and time. Christmas at Kingston Lacy, from December 2 to 24, (closed December 5 & 6). From 4.30pm, last entry 8pm. The event closes daily at 10pm. Admission: Advanced from: Adult £19.50, Child £14, Family £65 (2 adults & 2 children). Free entry for carers and children aged two and under. Parking £8 per car (free for National Trust members when booked in advance). Website: christmasatkingstonlacy. seetickets.com

Lights fantastic at Kingston Lacy

Seasonal feast

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at Fordingbridge’s Regal Cinema, which has a feast of seasonal movies to book. You can see Elf on Saturday, December 3 and Friday, December 23, Arthur Christmas on November 26, Home Alone and Bridget Jones’s Diary on December 10, The Polar Express on Saturday, December 17 and White Christmas and It’s A Wonderful Life on Christmas Eve. For more details visit theregalcinema.org

Christmas fair

Shaftesbury Town Hall will be hosting three events for small local businesses that will be selling beautiful items to make perfect gifts for Christmas. Supporting Weldmar Hospice and Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, they take place on Saturday, November 19, 9-5pm, and on Sundays, November 20 and 27, 10-4pm.

Cox at Carl’s Comedy Club

Ferndown-raised Carl Filer is bringing Carl’s Comedy Club to the Barrington Centre for the first time on Friday, December 2. The debut show will see Carl himself introduce five acts from across the UK including two from the local area. Opening the show will be Ben Harrington whose wry outlook at the world, ability to interact with the audience and funny anecdotes centred around his family, ageing body and bizarre encounters make him an enjoyable act to watch. Poole-based Lee Smith is up next as he paints a vivid picture of his anxiety attacks through self-deprecating humour that will have the audience chuckling the night away. Bournemouth-based duo, Plastic Jeezus have hilarious lyrics covering everything from the mundane to the surreal. Their genuine musical talent will keep their deadpan, up-tempo wryness in your head for days. Expect stupidity and nonchalance in equal measure with Wayne The Weird’s ‘Magical’ comedy a sight to behold. Headlining will be the hilarious Mike Cox, pictured above. Mike’s sharp-witted observational comedy saw him crowned 2014 South Coast Comedian Of The Year and was a finalist in the prestigious Amused Moose Laugh Off in 2016. Tickets are available from the Barrington ticket office or fromcarlscomedyclub.com.

HIGH ST, CHRISTCHURCH (01202) 499199

www.theregent.co.uk THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN (15)

Fri 18 Nov: 17:15 | Sat 19 Nov: 20:30 | Mon 21 Nov: 17:15 | Tue 22 Nov: 20:00 | Wed 23 Nov: 17:15 | Thu 24 Nov: 17:15

AMSTERDAM (15)

Fri 18 Nov: 20:00 | Mon 21 Nov: 20:00 | Tue 22 Nov: 17:00 | Wed 23 Nov: 14:00 | Thu 24 Nov: 20:00

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG (PG)

Sat 19, Sat 26, Sun 27 Nov: 10:00 (KID’S CLUB)

ROYAL BALLET: A DIAMOND CELEBRATION (12A)

Sat 19 Nov: 14:00 Celebrating the 60th anniversary of The Friends of Covent Garden

RHYTHM OF THE DANCE CHRISTMAS SPECIAL (LIVE)

Sun 20 Nov: 14:30 & 19:30 Prepare to be taken on a special journey that is Irish in essence with that added touch of Christmas magic

BACKSTAGE TOUR

Tue 22 Nov: 10:00

TIM MINCHIN: BACK (15)

Wed 23 Nov: 20:00 Tim Minchin brings his eclectic repertoire, hilarious wit and philosophical refl ections to cinemas for the fi rst time.

SOUNDS OF THE SEVENTIES WITH THE ZOOTS (LIVE)

Fri 25 Nov: 19:30 Experience The Zoots’ smash 70s show in all its poptastic glory!

THE GREATEST MAGICIAN: AN EVENING OF WONDERS (LIVE)

Thu 1 Dec: 19:30 Experience mind-bending feats of illusion, from making people forget their own names to vanishing them from the auditorium entirely.

QUEEN RHAPSODY (LIVE)

Sat 3 Dec: 19:30 A high energy show which will rock the house with top hit after hit.

CEZANNE: PORTRAITS OF A LIFE (RATING TBC)

Sun 4 Dec: 14:30 New documentary from Exhibition on Screen

JIMMY’S ICED COFFEE PRESENTS: DIE HARD (18)

Tue 6 Dec: 20:00

Have a wizard of a time at the town’s theatre

There’s guaranteed heartwarming festive family fun this Christmas with the Wizard of Oz at the Barrington Theatre, Ferndown. Join the beloved Dorothy as she ventures over the rainbow, follows the Yellow Brick Road, gaining new friends along the way including a Silly Scarecrow, Heartless Tinman and a Cowardly Lion. But will her quest to find the Wizard and make it home to Kansas be straightforward or will the Wicked Witch have other plans? Stars include the ever-popular, incredibly silly and local entertainer ‘Krazy Kev’ as Scarecrow, Britain’s Got Talent finalist and Amanda Holden’s Golden Buzzer Act - Sammy (The Wicked Witch), Honey (Glinda the Good Witch), panto legend ‘Lucy Rose Rollason’ as the beloved Dorothy, BBC’s ‘All Together Now ‘Steven Yallop’ as the Tinman, Theo Bazeley-Smith as the lovable Cowardly Lion and Samuel Wolstenholme as the Wizard. Plus the fabulous junior dancers of AK academy of dance.

Performances run from Thursday to Saturday, December 15-24. Running time 2 hours 20 minutes (approx.) including a 20 minute interval and tickets cost from just £12!

Thursday and Friday December 15 and 16, 6pm. Saturday, December 17, shows at 10.30am (relaxed performance), 2pm and 6pm. Sunday, December 18, 2pm and 6pm. Monday, December 19 to Friday, December 23, shows at 2pm and 6pm. Saturday, December 24, 10.00am, 1.30pm and 5pm. Tickets available in person from the Barrington Theatre Box Office, by phoning the Box Office on 01202 894858 or visiting BarringtonCentre.co.uk.

Crafty Christmas shopping

A group of local, amateur artists who call themselves Twenty 4 Art, will be selling their work to raise money for local charities, the Samaratins and Poole Refuge (Helping Hands). The eclectic range of their bespoke pieces includes charmingly wistful watercolours, brooding seascapes and unique jewellery items - all of which will be on display at the Holt Village Hall Christmas Art & Craft Exhibition. If you’re looking for a gift with a difference or even a treat for yourself, the Twenty 4 Art group will be delighted to show you their latest works. There’s free entry and parking and refreshments and home-made cakes will be on sale. Saturday and Sunday November 26 & 27. 10am to 3.30pm, next to the Old Inn.

December AT THE

Friday 2 December at 7.30pm

Celine My Heart Will Go On

Experience the ultimate Celine Dion tribute Concert as it tours across the UK. My Heart Will Go On is a stunning celebration of the music and life of one of the greatest singers of our time.

Vocalize Choir at Christmas

Vocalize are a local community choir from Verwood and the surrounding area. Specialising in a range of musical genres, they have sold out every show they have put on at The Verwood Hub.

Therefore, we felt they would be perfect to be our 2022 Christmas show.

Book now for 3 December

Arts & Entertainments BSO soloists on superb form for birthday concert Ralph Vaughan William’s (VW) Phantasy Quintet was flanked by a Beethoven Quartet and a Mozart quintet in this well-attended concert at the Methodist Church in Broadstone in the final celebration of VW’s150th birthday, writes Rex Bale. There was a short and witty introduction from Simon Coombes, chairman of the Vaughan Williams Society which sponsored the event. The revival of the ‘phantasy’ was due to a competition which VW won in 1912. BSO Principal Cellist Jesper Svedberg introduced the Beethoven quartet (Op 18, No2) saying that the composer ‘set the bar high’ for what was a fairly new format at the time. After the interval Mozart quintet (No 3 in C, K515) was introduced by principal violist Tom Beer, the final movement of which sent the audience away in a happy, exhilarated mood.

Take a trip down memory lane

by Faith Eckersall

If you’ve ever heard the questions: ‘What was it like before the internet?’ and ‘What do you mean, there wasn’t an X-Box?’ it’s time to take the young questioner for a trip down your particular memory lane, to Dorset Museum’s newest exhibition. The answer to the above inquiries and many others can be found at the new I Grew Up 80s exhibition, which is stuffed with 200 treasures of the era, from Atari computer consoles to Rubik Cubes. Along with the answer to many a mystery; including why people of a certain age still call Starburst ‘Opal Fruits’ there will also be a beautifully-preserved 1981 Mark 1 model Golf GTI, on loan from the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu. Dorset Museum will be the first to have this iconic car displayed within this touring exhibition. The displays have been curated by collector and social commentator Matt Fox, whose passion for the era he grew up in remains undimmed. “Those that grew up 30-40 years ago, before the internet, can genuinely state that life was very different then,” he says. “In my view, the 80s were a remarkable time to be a child.” He says the exhibition contains things that children owned or would have wanted to own, such as Dunlop Green Flash trainers alongside some achingly cool Adidas High Tops. “There’ll be toys and electronic games you once dreamed about on shop shelves or in the Argos catalogue, and iconic albums you played to death on vinyl and cassette,” he says. There will also be examples of vanished goodies, such as Peanut Treets and Sweet Cigarettes, along with boom boxes, Swatch watches and purple shell suits. Exhibitions manager at Dorset Museum Lucy Johnston said: “This exhibition promises to be big, bright and loud. It will bring the new as well as the nostalgic to our exhibition programme, enabling visitors to experience the ‘I remember that’ moment.” I Grew Up 80s runs from December 3 to February 26, 2023. More details, including prices, at dorsetmuseum.org.

Although it is not currently a legal requirement, please consider wearing a face covering to protect yourself and others when visiting the Tivoli.

MRS HARRIS GOES TO PARIS (PG) PLEASE KEEP CHECKING OUR WEBSITE

18th November 2pm 21st & 22nd November 7.30pm Tickets £8 eves £7 matinee £6 U16s

(Box Office bookings incur £1 booking fee per transaction) CHRIS McCAUSLAND: SPEAKY BLINDER

OVER 16s ONLY (SOLD OUT)

Friday 18th November 8.00pm Tickets £19

(Box Office bookings incur £1 booking fee per transaction) FOSTER & ALLEN: WE’LL MEET AGAIN TOUR 2022

Saturday 19th November 7.30pm Tickets £24

(Box Office bookings incur £1 booking fee per transaction)

MILTON JONES: MILTON IMPOSSIBLE (SOLD OUT)

Wednesday 23rd November 7.30pm Tickets £27.50

(Box Office bookings incur £1 booking fee per transaction) THE STEVE GIBBONS BAND

Thursday 24th November 7.30pm Tickets £18.50

(Box Office bookings over £20 incur £1 booking fee)

BEN WATERS BIG BAND Rock’n’Roll with 10 Saxophones

Sunday 27th November 7.30pm Tickets £25 CHRISTMAS WITH BLAKE

Tuesday 29th November 7.30pm Tickets £22.50 THE UPBEAT BEATLES

Wed 30th November 7.30pm Tickets £23, Concs £21

MARTY WILDE & THE WILDCATS

Thursday 1st December 7.30pm Tickets £27 TALON: BEST OF THE EAGLES

Friday 2nd December 8pm Tickets £27

A rather macabre Christmas drama

Dorset’s rural arts charity Artsreach is welcoming ‘Owdyado Theatre back to the county this December with yet more dark and twisted drama in Twisted Christmas, a deliciously depraved take on the holiday season! With brand-new stories by writers from Cornwall and across the UK, Twisted Christmas features a macabre combination of seven original micro-plays including tales of how to buy the perfect gift for your unloved ones, the dark side of Christmas cracker jokes, and one woman’s maniacal plot to murder Santa Claus! Winterborne Stickland Hall (01258 880920) on December 2, and Portland Royal Manor Theatre (03336 663366) on December 3. Visit artsreach.co.uk.

Museum boost for kids

Broke parents now have the chance to take their kids to explore more than 250 million years of Dorset history for free. To help families find affordable things to do, Dorset Museum says it will allow children to enter free every weekend over the winter months, when accompanied by a full-paying adult or annual pass holder. Dorset Museum’s interactive galleries include the prehistoric marine reptiles of the Jurassic Coast. The museum regularly holds family-friendly events such as their Sunday or half-term art and craft activities, ArtyFacts, which are included with admission. Visitors of all ages can also explore popular culture of 1980s Britain through the eyes of a child in the upcoming exhibition I Grew Up 80s.