WemTown Hall programme May–July 2011
Arts · Learning · Community · Enterprise
WemTown Hall May–July 2011 Hello and Welcome It’s hotting up at Wem Town Hall as summer approaches bringing a new season of cinema, music, theatre, dance, exhibitions and workshops for you to enjoy. May sees the launch of Shropshire Screen, a new exciting venture showing 3D cinema and alternative content, including theatre, ballet, music and sports. To launch the scheme Wem Town Hall will be presenting the spectacular filmed performances of The Royal Ballet’s Beatrix Potter (April) and Lord of the Dance 3D (May). See special events and film section for more information. Live event highlights include New Perspectives Theatre performing ‘Lark Rise to Candleford’, London based company Flamenco Express performing fiery flamenco and the spell binding Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill in Concert. Online booking for events will be coming soon, check wemtownhall.co.uk for up to date information. If you’d like to keep up to date about everything that’s going on at Wem
Town Hall join our mailing list, email or postal, by calling in at reception, providing your contact details via our website link, or by email, or simply call us on 01939 232299. Along with the arts and learning programme, we are pleased to host the weekly Thursday market, together with a wide array of private hires, community and special events, business meetings and conferences. We have a great range of spaces available and offer high quality catering to suit all tastes and budgets. Our café/bar is open Monday to Saturday and for events, and provides a warm welcome to all visitors. With free wi-fi access, the light and airy surroundings are the perfect place to meet up, relax, eat, drink and share. Our locally sourced menu offers homemade and high quality dishes and we offer speciality coffees, teas and soft drinks, along with a range of wines and local beers. Visit us for an event or just come to Wem on a whim!
FILM FILM SCREENINGS Unless stated all films are priced at £5 Adults, £4.50 Concessions and £4 for 16’s and under
Another Year (12) Thursday 12 May 7.30pm (129 mins) Over four seasons, a happily married middleaged couple endure other people’s problems, enjoy their son’s newly-discovered partner, and cope with an unexpected family bereavement. Starring Jim Broadbent and Ruth Sheen. BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND…
The Kings Speech (12A) Thursday 5 May 5pm (111mins) Brilliant new British historical drama starring Colin Firth with Helena Bonham Carter, Geoffrey Rush, Michael Gambon, Timothy Spall and Derek Jacobi in a biopic about reluctant wartime monarch George VI. Winner of four Oscars including Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Director.
“a deeply involving, intelligent, compassionate drama of the sort only Mike Leigh can create.” The Guardian
Oh Brother Where Art Thou (12) Part of Wem Town Hall Fiddle Festival Thursday 5 May 7.30pm (106 mins) A visual delight, this rich and fabulously entertaining tale follows hair-obsessed smart Alec Ulysses (George Clooney) as he leads two fellow escapees from a Mississippi prison chain gang, on the adventure of a lifetime. As they set out to find hidden treasure, they discover a talent for mishap and music. Directed by the Coen Brothers the film has a folk music soundtrack running through-out the film which won a Grammy for Album Of The Year.
Lord of the Dance 3D (U) Wednesday 18 May 7.30pm (100 mins) Starring Michael Flatley Lord of the Dance tells a timeless story based on Irish folklore of good versus evil. Millions of people around the world have been enchanted by the production and since its premiere in 1996, it has been thrilling audiences and critics around the globe. Now filmed and released in 3D, with unprecedented access to the performance, moviegoers will get an unparalleled sense of the scale of the show as never seen before. The
FILM spectacular new set design, lighting, special effects and costumes are sure to captivate audiences and fans around the world. Experience the magic, excitement, and passion by being part of the performance at the first ever 3D screening at Wem Town Hall. Tickets: £11 Adult, £10 Concessions and Child £9 Family Ticket: Two Adults and Two Children £36 (Prices include specialist 3D glasses)
Wild Target (12) Thursday 19 May 7.30pm (98 mins) British comedy starring Bill Nighy, Emily Blunt and Rupert Grint. A solitary assassins’ professional routine is interrupted when he saves one of his intended victims and unexpectedly acquires a young apprentice in the process.
Me and Orson Welles (12) Thursday 26 May 7.30pm (109 mins) Set in 1937, a high school student happens upon the yet-to-open Mercury Theatre and is noticed by its mercurial founder, Orson Welles. The man lands a bit part in “Julius Caesar,” the production that catapulted Welles to the top, and spends the next week learning about life and love. Directed by Richard Linklater, with outstanding performances by Zac Efron and Christian McKay, this comingof-age story is not to be missed.
Rango (PG) Tuesday 31 May 2.30pm and Thursday 2 June 5pm (107 mins) An inventive oddball spaghetti western animation with the plot of Chinatown. Johnny Depp voices, superbly, a hapless bulgingeyed chameleon named Rango who is made sheriff of a drought-afflicted desert town after lying about a heroic past as a gunslinger. Inspired by Clint Eastwood westerns this film is entertaining for both young and old.
The Way Back (12) Thursday 9th June 7.30pm (127 mins) Directed by Peter Weir and inspired by an incredible true story, this epic film of survival against-the-odds tells the story of a group of seven prisoners who escaped from a Soviet labor camp in Stalin-era Russia and walked over 4,000 miles across some of the most unforgiving terrain in the world, crossing the Siberian Arctic, the Gobi desert and the Himalayas before finally arriving in British-ruled India.
Chico and Rita (15) Thursday 16 June 7.30pm (94 mins) Chico is a young piano player with big dreams. Rita is a beautiful singer with an extraordinary voice. Music and romantic desire unites them, but their journey – in the tradition of the Latin ballad, the bolero – brings heartache and torment. “This beautifully-designed 40s-set animation about Cuban jazz musicians who head from Havana to New York is a wonderfully passionate film” Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian
FILM I’m Not There (15) Thursday 23 June 7.30pm (135 mins) The first cinematic attempt to tackle the epic landscape that is Bob Dylan's shape-shifting life and work is a wildly experimental and entertaining film, and is as far away from the tired terrain of the traditional biopic as it is possible to go – six actors (from Heath Ledger to Cate Blanchett) depict different facets of Dylan's life and public persona. Dylan liked the film – granted permission for his music to be featured. If you’re a Bob Dylan fan, you’ll love it and if you’re not, you’ll love it…it’s a great journey and worth the ride so buy a ticket now!
Orlando (PG) Thursday 30 June 7.30pm (90 mins) Visually stunning film directed by Sally Potter and based on Virgina Woolf’s novel Orlando: A Biography. Young nobleman Orlando, played by Tilda Swinton, is commanded by Queen Elizabeth I to stay forever young. Miraculously, he does just that. The film follows him as he moves through several centuries of British history, experiencing a variety of lives and relationships along the way, and even changing sex.
Africa United (12) Thursday 14 July 7.30pm (84 mins) The extraordinary story of three Rwandan kids who walk 3000 miles to the Soccer World Cup in South Africa. Using a sack load of ingenuity and sass (and a World Cup wall chart for a map), our pint-sized protagonists set off through the endless horizons of Africa in pursuit of an unlikely dream.
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (Cert. tbc) Friday 15 July 7pm, Saturday 16 July 5pm and Thursday 21 July 7.30pm (141 mins) Captain Jack Sparrow crosses paths with a woman from his past, and he's not sure if it's love – or if she's a ruthless con artist who's using him to find the fabled Fountain of Youth! When she forces him aboard the ship of the formidable pirate Blackbeard, Jack finds himself on an unexpected adventure in which he doesn't know who to fear more: Blackbeard or the woman from his past!
Film-making and Animation Workshops Regular sessions for children, young people and adults. Details from reception.
Film Club Tuesdays 4–6pm Free cinema for children and young people run in partnership with local schools. Contact reception for details. AUDIO AIDS Infra Red enhanced hearing headsets are available to amplify sound for hard of hearing patrons. They can be worn with or without a hearing aid. Please call 01939 232299 to book your headset.
Box Office: 01939 238279 • Reception: 01939 232299 • www.wemtownhall.co.uk
MUSIC Thomas Adams School Music For A Summers Evening Monday 23 May 7.15pm A varied programme of beautiful vocal and instrumental pieces from students of Thomas Adams School.
“If your live music rations were limited to a single concert in the entire year, then you'd be either crazy or foolish if you didn't pass that precious time in the company of Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill.” Irish Times
Tickets: £4 full price, £2 concessions
Tickets: £12 full price, £10 concessions (if bought by 20 May) thereafter tickets at £14 full price, £12 Concessions
WTH Fiddle Festival Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill in Concert
TaikoFest
Friday 3 June 8pm
Friday 24–Saturday 25 June Taiko is a form of Japanese drumming and TaikoFest will offer you the opportunity to see performances from special guests as well as Wem based Taiko Groups. Try out a workshop and experience playing the drums, working up simple rhythms to perform at the end of the session. Contact reception for more details.
Irish fiddle virtuoso Martin Hayes and American guitarist Dennis Cahill possess a rare musical kinship, ranking them amongst the most memorable partnerships of our era. Together they have garnered international renown for taking traditional music to the very edge of the genre, holding listeners spellbound with their slow-building, fiery performances. Martin Hayes has been an All-Ireland fiddle champion six times over and has been awarded Folk Instrumentalist of the Year from BBC Radio. Dennis Cahill is a master guitarist, whose innovative accompaniment is acknowledged as being a major breakthrough for guitar in the Irish tradition. Martin and Dennis played for President Barack Obama at the White House in March 2011 for his St Patrick’s Day celebrations. Don’t miss them at Wem Town Hall.
Please note that Taiko is a loud drumming activity and those with a sensitivity to loud noises may be affected.
Squeezing Shropshire Saturday 2 July Workshops 10.30–5pm; Concert 7.30pm A day of workshops and an evening concert led by some of Britain’s finest melodeon players: Pete Coe, Brian Peters, Simon Care, Katie Howson and Ray Langton. Workshops are aimed at players of all standards from basic to advanced. ‘Squeezing Shropshire’ ale will be specially brewed for the event by Gertie Sweet’s brewery. It should be a roofraising occasion! Workshop tickets £28 including a complimentary concert ticket. For further workshop information see www.raylangton.com. Concert tickets £11 Adults, £9 Conc., £20 Family.
THEATRE Lark Rise To Candleford New Perspectives Theatre Friday 20 May 7.30pm ‘Goodbye, Laura. And don’t forget to write!’ When young Laura Timmins sets out from the tiny village of Lark Rise to start a new life in the nearby market town of Candleford she finds herself torn between her love of the countryside and the lure of the town, the traditions of the past and the promise of the future.
Steven Sogo and Hope Street Thursday 7 July 8pm Steven Sogo is hailed as the most promising singer to have emerged from the central African country of Burundi in years. He sings about life, love and peace in a style that mixes traditional Burundian music with jazz, blues and pop. He is a virtuoso bass guitarist and a master of numerous traditional instruments. His song ‘Il Est Beau Mon Pays’, a hymn to the beauty and vast human wealth of his ravaged country, was a huge pan-African hit. Sogo sings in Kirundi, Swahili and French, but the emotion in his music speaks volumes to anyone willing to listen. “My music comes from the depths of my heart,” says Sogo. “I say to the youth, never forget the identity of our music. It’s our only wealth.” Tickets: £10.50 full price, £9 concessions (if bought by 23 June) thereafter tickets at £12 full price, £10 Concessions
Taiko Drumming Workshops
Following the success of the recent awardwinning BBC television series, criticallyacclaimed New Perspectives Theatre Company presents a captivating new adaptation of Flora Thompson’s classic portrait of growing up in rural Oxfordshire in the twilight years of the nineteenth century.
Young People Monday Afternoons Adults Monday 7–8.30pm An exciting opportunity to try your hand at the ancient style of Taiko drumming led by an expert Taiko master, James Barrow.
Featuring drama, storytelling and live folk music, this unsentimental yet deeply affectionate picture of life in a forgotten England is faithfully recreated by a cast of unforgettable and much-loved characters.
New course to begin in May. Contact reception for more details.
Tickets: £8.50 full price, £7 Concessions (if bought by 6th May) Thereafter: £10 full price, £8 conc.
DANCE Workshop with Flamenco Express
Flamenco Classes with Ana Garcia
Saturday 14 May 4–5.30pm An amazing opportunity to work with dancers of this renowned company from London. A rhythm-based workshop for beginners with full guitar accompaniment. Experience for yourself the essence of true gypsy flamenco. All ages and abilities welcome.
Tuesdays 7–8.30pm Back by popular demand! An unmissable opportunity to learn real Flamenco dance with Ana Garcia, one of the most popular native Flamenco dancers in the UK. Flamenco is a very passionate dance from Andalucia. In this introductory course Ana will be concentrating on simpler, more light-hearted forms of flamenco dance. (Low, black-heeled shoes and full skirts (ladies), no flat shoes or trainers. All ages and abilities welcome.
Tickets: £5 Full Price, £4 Concessions Why not complement the evening with mouth watering Spanish Tapas at 6.30pm – see special events for more information
Flamenco Express Performance Saturday 14 May 8pm Flamenco is music, sex and history all rolled into one, the fiercest expression of the human spirit ever devised. For 15 years Flamenco Express has worked with the best flamenco performers available, giving them total artistic freedom, and bringing them to the stage. The result has been an amazing range of artistic performances by artists committed to delivering their own view of the world in the only way they know how, through flamenco!
Course Dates: May 24th (Then 1 week break for half term) June 7th, 14th, 21st and July 5th Course Cost: £20 for the 5 weeks
Ballroom and Sequence Dance Friday 17 June 8pm Ballroom and sequence dancing with live music by Robin Horton. Food and raffle on the evening. Tickets: £4.50
Tickets: £8.00 Full Price, £6.00 Concessions
Street Dance Classes Tuesdays Learn street dance moves and build up a routine in this energetic, invigorating and satisfying class with our qualified tutor. Course Dates: May 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th (Then 1 week break for half term) June 7th, 14th and 21st Times: Ages 5 to 7: 4.30–5.30pm. Ages 8 to 11: 5.45–6.45pm Course Cost: £24.50 for the 7 weeks
Box Office: 01939 238279 • Reception: 01939 232299 • www.wemtownhall.co.uk
GALLERY
SPECIAL EVENTS
The Garden Room Until 4 June
Wem Town Hall Fiddle Festival
In the late 1800’s the renowned horticulturalist Henry Eckford, moved to Wem, and here bred the modern Sweet Pea. This achievement is celebrated every year with the annual Sweet Pea Festival, held in July. Today, the love of gardening continues to thrive, as evidenced by home gardens, allotments and community spaces. This exhibition celebrates this common-or-garden passion, with our glass box gallery serving as a hot house, germinating ideas to inspire both beginners and experienced gardeners. The exhibition will be supported by talks and workshops, and has been made possible by the kind support of Wem Gardners Club, The Sweet Pea Society, Wem Transition Towns, The Millennium Green Committee, Shropshire Community Wood Recycling and The Wem Town Hall Community Trust.
The festival celebrates the brilliance of the Fiddle showcased in three events. Bayou Seco perform in April, followed by a Film Screening of Oh Brother Where Art Thou? On Thursday 5 May, and the brilliant Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill in concert on 3 June.
Textiles Group Show By Students of Thomas Adams School Monday 13 June to Saturday 16 July Students from the Thomas Adams Sixth Form College in Wem will showcase a wide variety of fashion and textile design exploring themes such as texture, colour, topography and the influence of world cultures on fashion and textiles.
Spanish Evening Flavours of Spain: Tapas Saturday 14 May 6.30pm Why not be transported to Andalucia through the mouth-watering, vibrant tastes of Spanish tapas. £6.00 (booking by 9 May essential)
Shropshire Screen Launch Wednesday 18 May Wem Town Hall is a key partner in Shropshire Screen. The new and exciting scheme, made possible through investment from UK Film Council, Shropshire Council and Screen WM, will enable us to enhance our cinema and start screening 3D cinema and alternative content, including theatre, ballet, music and sports. The official launch of Shropshire Screen is at WTH on the 18 May and kicks off with two very different screenings: Rio, a 3D animated film in the afternoon, followed by The Lord of the Dance, a screening of the filmed stage show in 3D!
Summer of ’79 Monday 25 July to Saturday 24 September In 1979 a young local woman, Thelma George aged 22, spent the long hot summer photographing Wem. Her black and white photos, capture stillness, a moment in time, portraits of people going about their daily lives, and places, some now changed, some not. A group of ladies, dressed up for a day out, wait excitedly at the station platform. A shop assistant sits alone, surrounded by a sea of shoes and boxes. Everyday scenes that might otherwise be forgotten.
Table Top Sale Wem Town Hall Community Trust Saturday 4 June, 9am–1pm To book tables or for more information please call 01939 232299
Summer Market Table Top Sale In Aid of Wem Swimming Pool Saturday 23 July, 9am–1pm To book tables of for more information please call 01939 234668
VENUE INFORMATION
To plan your journey
Parking information
please visit www.wemtownhall.co.uk
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Access to the first floor can be gained via a lift.
The nearest parking is located at the main car park, adjacent to the Co-op, just off High Street. Disabled parking on site (limited) please book in advance. Please do not park on Noble Street.
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Wheelchair accessible toilets are available on all floors.
Wem Town Hall
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Infra Red enhanced hearing headsets are available for cinema patrons.
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Induction Loop system operates in the main hall and foyer.
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Guide Dogs are welcome in all parts of the building.
Access information
High Street, Wem, Shropshire SY4 5DG Box Office: 01939 238279 (Tickets and Bookings) Reception: 01939 232299 (Information) www.wemtownhall.co.uk info@wemtownhall.co.uk Open: Monday–Friday 10am–5pm, Saturday 9am–4pm and for evening events.
Large print versions of brochure and other information are available upon request, please contact reception.
The Flamenco Performance and Workshops are part of Dance Alive, a Dancing for the Games Project inspired by London 2012 and part of the Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands. The image of the Hoopoe bird denotes an event has been kindly sponsored by a local resident.
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