Welcome to July
This months magazines are packed with events from the Roman Theatre Festival, Harpenden Live and the International Organ Festival to Battle Proms, Open Air Theatre, Classics on the Common and so much more.
We’ve also included an interview with comedian Rhys James, who’s appearing at St Albans Comedy Garden in Verulamium Park this month along with lots of other big names in comedy. If you run your own business we’d love to include you, it’s so easy just book your space online today!
Jane & Wendy@theNOWmagazines
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Out & About
St Albans Museum + Gallery
Time for Tea until 5th Nov
Exploring the fascinating journey of tea from leaf to cup. With 36 billion cups consumed a year in the UK, 3,000 varieties available and tea being the second most popular drink only to water, it is firmly entrenched in British culture. Taking you through what tea is, how it comes to the UK, is packaged, stored, made, and then drunk from different vessels. There will be lots of activities including talks, creative workshops and a Georgian Costume Ball on 26th August.
Museum Minis 10th July 11.30, 1pm & 2pm
Enjoy a tea-themed story, craft activities and a treasure hunt. The stories are Pass the Jam, Jim! by Kaye Umansky and The Tiger Who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr. £5, ages 2-4
Talk: Spilling the Tea: A History of Protest and Change 20th July the Museum will be open for you to explore from 6.30pm
From the suffragettes to the abolition of slavery, British history is full of examples of how tea and its culture have played a significant role in protest movements and social change. Discover how the nation’s favourite drink repeatedly influenced the course of our history. £10, online £6
St Peter’s Street AL1 3DH
www.stalbansmuseums.org.uk
Bishop of St Albans
Summer Garden Opening
Sundays until 6th Aug 2pm - 4pm
Dogs welcome on leads. £4, child free Abbey Gate House AL3 4HD
National Garden Scheme
2 Barlings Road Harpenden AL5 2AN
30th June & 1st July 5pm - 8pm
A haven of privacy and peace with mature trees, shrubs, climbers and perennials giving year-round structure and colour. £5
14 Watling Street St Albans AL1 2PX
14th July 6pm - 9pm
A vibrant garden with perennials, striking foliage including Chinese rice-paper plants, foxglove trees, chusan palms, cardoons, echium and honey flowers. Ending in a glade of bamboo shaded by maple trees. £4 www.ngs.org.uk
Summer Fair 1st July 12 noon - 4pm
All the fun of the fair with a crockery smash, coconut shy, candy floss, BBQ, laser tag, toys, books, vintage/bric-a-brac, crafts and more.
St George's School, Harpenden AL5 4TD
OakFest 1st July
A summer festival like no other, with live music from supergroup Boyz on Block featuring Shane Lynch (Boyzone), Abz (Five), Ben (Phats & Small) and Bradley (S Club 7). Plus BBC’s Bluey, a funfair, bar, food stalls, DJ and more.
Oaklands College, Smallford Campus AL4 0JA www.oaklands.ac.uk
Highfield Park
Family Solstice Guided Walk 1st July 2pm
Learn about different habitats and wildlife and get to experience some mindful moments. £5
The Mikado 9th July 3pm
With a fresh take on a well-loved story, sing along on this hilarious journey. £6 - £22
Bat Night 14th July 10.15pm
Go out into the night with bat detectors to listen to and identify the bats who live in the park. £5
Forest School 25th July 10am free
Den building, bug hunting and learning about nature and bush craft. Ages 4 - 11, please book Highfield Park, St Albans AL4 0DY
www.highfieldparktrust.co.uk
Hitchin Festival 1st - 30th July
A celebration of arts and culture with concerts, talks, walks, shows and more.
www.hitchinfestival.co.uk
Sustainable St Albans
Open Food Gardens
Visit local gardens and pick up tips about growing food and plants, or share your own ideas. Free
2nd July 3pm - 5pm
23 Gresford Cl, St Albans AL4 0UB
15th July 2pm - 4pm
11 Woodvale Park, Sutton Rd, St Albans
16th July 1pm - 4pm
Russell Avenue Incredible Edible Come and Grow (suitable for wheelchair users)
29th July 2pm - 4pm
2 Cowper Rd, Harpenden AL5 5NG
Guided Walk: Our Planet Our Future: Exploring Batford Springs
11th July 7.30pm
Hear about the green space development plans and activity at Batford Springs, followed by discussions at the Amble Inn, Station Road. Please book, meet at Volunteers HQ Building, 32 Lower Luton Road AL5 5AQ
Harpenden Sustainability Market
16th July 10am - 3pm
Harpenden Common, outside Park Hall
www.sustainablestalbans.org
St Albans International Organ Festival
Enjoy the 60th anniversary events, with music by inspirational performers, celebrating the organ and so much more, from solo piano, jazz and classical song, to choral music, chamber ensembles, classic silent horror film with improvised live music to a film showing, the Master of the King's Music Judith Weir in conversation and an art exhibition
Interpretation & Improvisation Competitions
3rd - 14th July
Organists aged 33 and under compete from around the world. From £15 per session, concs free
Please check the website for locations
St Peter’s Church
Song Recital: James Gilchrist with Anna Tilbrook
3rd July 8.15pm £15
Documentary: Organ Stops: Saving the King of Instruments
4th July 12.30pm free
St Albans Cathedral
Rachel Podger with Christopher Glynn
4th July 8.30pm
Recital of Mozart Sonatas. £25
Talk: Judith Weir in Conversation
5th July 1pm free
Bach Corner 1.15pm free
6th July Paul Greally
7th July Ophelia Amar
13th July Johannes Güdelhöfer
14th July Charles Francis
The Tallis Scholars Birthday Concert
6th July 8pm £10
Britten Sinfonia & St Albans Bach Choir
8th July 7.30pm £10
Angela Hewitt, Piano 9th July 8.30pm
Solo Bach and Schumann £15
Elaine Delmar 10th July 8.30pm £15
One of the truly legendary jazz singers
Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective
11th July 8pm £15 at
Der Golem, Silent Horror Film
12th July 9.30pm £18
Presentation of Awards & Prize-Winners’ Concert
15th July 11am £15
www.organfestival.com
NOW at the Cathedral
Medieval Poetry Recital 4th July 1.30pm
With Trestle Theatre. Free
The Lady Chapel - More to Explore
16th July 1.30pm free
Explore the stories of this beautiful space, created in the early 1300s and restored by the Victorians.
1323 - And the Walls Came Tumbling Down
17th July 8.30pm free
Hear a story of rebuilding and renewal, to mark the 700th anniversary since part of the nave collapsed.
Gilded Illumination Workshop 22nd July 10am
Join illuminator Toni Watts and learn how to design, gild and paint your own illuminated letter inspired by medieval manuscripts. £70
Gin & Rum Festival 22nd July 12.30pm - 10.30pm
With over 120 Gins and Rums, seasonal Cocktails, authentic sipping Tequilas, Beer, and of course Fizz!
A Day in the Life of a Monk
26th July & 23rd Aug 10.30am
Learn about the medieval Monastery, Medieval Medicine, Illuminated Lettering and Medieval Singing. Ages 8-12 and accompanying parents. £10
Cathedral at Night and Compline 28th July 7pm
See history brought to life with the stunning ‘Saints in Colour’ project and become immersed in an atmosphere of tranquillity and reflection. Free
Organ Concert: Oliver Morrell 30th July 3pm free St Albans Cathedral, Sumpter Yard AL1 1BY www.stalbanscathedral.org
NOW for some Entertainment
Roman Theatre Festival until 6th Sept
A little bit about what's planned for July
Romeo and Juliet until 29th July
A new adaption, set on the streets of Northern Ireland’s capital in 1998.
Private Lives 23rd June - 19th Aug
Noel Coward’s brutal comedy.
A Little Night Music 28th June - 2nd July
The story of the secrets, betrayals and loves of 3 wealthy families and their domestic servants.
Much Ado About Nothing 5th - 8th July
Shakespeare’s classic comedy is transposed to 80s Britain.
The Railway Children 14th July - 20th Aug
An imaginative and humorous stage adaptation of this children's classic.
Norses Off 16th & 17th July
A new telling of marvellous myths of the Viking gods.
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland 24th July
A delightfully anarchic show that gets curiouser and curiouser with live music and audience interaction
Classical Crossover 25th July
A journey through the best that music has to offer...all with a classical twist.
A Summer Evening of Opera 30th July
75 minutes of magic; arias, songs and ensembles.
The Canterbury Improv Tales 31st July
Guaranteed fun, bawdry and bedlam.
Roman Theatre of Verulamium St Albans AL3 6AE
www.ovo.org.uk
Abbey Theatre Home 30th June - 1st July & 4th - 8th July 8pm & 2nd July 2:30pm
Five people meet, exchange pleasantries and make small talk in an informal garden one autumnal day. While their conversation seems inconsequential, they gradually reveal, through their comments and anecdotes, what brings them together. £13, £12
Abbey Theatre, St Albans AL1 2DL 01727 857861
www.abbeytheatre.org.uk
Football Freddie 1st July 11.30am & 2pm
A warm and witty show for children and their grownups about football, team-work and the
joy of joining in.
Hat Factory Arts Centre, Luton LU1 2EY www.culturetrust.com
Choral Discoveries: Rachmaninov
1st July 6pm
The Lea Singers perform Rachmaninov’s Liturgy of St John Chrysostom. £20
Palladian Church, Ayot St Lawrence AL6 9BZ www.leasingers.co.uk
St Albans Symphony Orchestra
1st July 7.30pm
Mussorgsky’s Prelude to Khovanschchina, Scriabin’s Reverie, De Falla’s El Amor Brujo Suite and Borodin’s second Symphony
£13 - £18, student £5, child £2
St Saviour’s Church, St Albans AL1 4DF www.saso.org.uk
M Festival 1st July
A great family day out, with 8 live music acts, kids entertainment, pyrotechnics, silent disco, food, drink and firework finales. The festival has raised over £110k for the school and other local causes. Please book, adults from £26, students from £13
The Marlborough Science Academy, St Albans AL1 2QA www.mfestival.co.uk
Shenley Park Walled Garden
Jazz Picnic 1st July gates 1pm
Join the Herts Big Band for a summer's afternoon of the best in jazz from swing, Latin and funk. £5, £3 Emma 16th July 7pm
A hilarious new adaptation of Jane Austen’s satirical story. £15, child £9
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland 23rd July 3pm
A hilarious take on Lewis Carroll’s nonsensical novel. £15, child £9
The Comedy of Errors 29th July 7pm
Cartoonish capers in Shakespeare’s funniest farce! £15, child £9
Shenley Park Walled Garden WD7 9DW www.shenleypark.co.uk
Open Air Theatre
Twelfth Night 14th - 30th July
Fridays & Saturdays: 7pm, Sundays: 4pm
Expect mistaken identity, forlorn lovers and plenty of mischief in this exciting and innovative version. £18, concs £12
The Living Theatre, Whitwell www.thelivingtheatrewhitwell.org
Jane Austen’s Persuasion 22nd July 7pm
This multi-roleplaying production is bound to delight all Austen fans. £18
Shaw’s Corner Welwyn AL6 9BX www.nationaltrust.org.uk
The Wizard of Oz 31st July 1.30pm
A magical family show guaranteed to have you in stitches from beginning to end. £16, child £10 Hatfield Park AL9 5HX www.hatfield-house.co.uk
Sounds of Summer 2nd July 2pm
St Albans Chamber Choir perform Weather ReportBob Chilcott / Early one Morning - Percy Grainger / Who killed Cock Robin? - Jonathan Dove / To be sung of a Summer Night on the Water - Frederick Delius, plus songs by The Beatles. £16 St Saviour’s Church, St Albans AL1 4DF www.ticketsource.co.uk
Comedy at The Old Town Hall
Hal Cruttenden: Its Best you Hear it From Me
4th & 5th July 8pm
Dominic Holland: Takes on Life 8th July 8pm
Paul Chowdhry & Rob Auton 19th July 8pm
The Old Town Hall, Hemel Hempstead HP1 3AE www.oldtownhall.co.uk
St Michael's Folk Evening 5th July
With Morris dancers, bellringers, maypole dancing, live music, food and drink. St Michael's Street, St Albans
The Alban Arena
Bugsy Malone
6th & 7th July 7.30pm & 8th July 2pm & 6.30pm
Youth production of this popular show with songs such as ‘Bugsy Malone’, ‘Fat Sam’s Grand Slam’ and ‘Bad Guys’ and exciting dance routines. £20
Beyond 15th July 2.30pm & 7.30pm
Energetic and talented performers combine dance, musical theatre, singing with a live band.
Cirque - The Greatest Show 21st - 23rd July
Musical theatre meets circus spectacular as showstoppers from favourite West End hits combine with aerialists, contortionists, and trapeze artistes.
Troy Hawke - Sigmund Troy’d!
27th July 7.30pm Age 16+ £20
Dragons & Mythical Beasts 28th - 30th July
Enter into a magical world of myths and legends in this new interactive family show. £14
Civic Centre, St Albans AL1 3LD www.alban-arena.co.uk
A New Heaven
8th July 7.30pm
An eclectic and exciting mix of choral music presented by Music Director Olivia Tait and The Music Makers Choir of Harpenden, including works from Thomas Tallis, John Rutter, Gerald Finzi, Charles Stanford, Hubert Parry and David Bowie. £10 - £17, light lunch included
High Street Methodist Church Harpenden AL5 2RU www.ticketsource.co.uk/musicmakers
St Albans Organ Theatre
Theatre Organ Concert with Andrew Nix
8th July 3pm
Sunday Opening 9th July 3pm
Hear the mechanical organs and musical boxes. www.stalbansorgantheatre.org.uk
The Sandpit Theatre
Honk JR 9th July 1pm & 6pm
Delightful adaptation of The Ugly Duckling; a celebration of being different with sparkling wit and unique charm. £17.50, child £12.50
Urinetown The Musical 23rd July 3pm & 7pm
In a Gotham-like city, a water shortage has led to a ban on private toilets. Hilariously funny and touchingly honest. £17.50, child £12.50
Grease
27th - 29th July 7.30pm & 29th July 2.30pm
This fantastic production will have you dancing in the aisles.
The Ridgeway, St Albans AL4 9NX www.sandpittheatre.co.uk
Much Ado About Nothing
13th & 14th July 7.30pm & 15th July 2.30pm
Open air production presented by High Street Players outside Cornelia's Café, Harpenden. £10
Tickets from Manor Pharmacy, Harpenden www.hsplayers.org.uk
The Eric Morecambe Centre
Sherlock & the Case of the Horrible Thing
13th - 16th July
Performed by Hurst Children’s Theatre Group. A show for the whole family with songs, dances, chases, disguises and plenty of laughs along the way. £16, £14, £10
Talk: Saints & their Emblems in Medieval & Renaissance Art 20th July 10.30am
The Arts Society Harpenden Area
The EMC, Rothamsted Park, Harpenden AL5 2FR www.the-emc.co.uk
