st albans NOW March 23

Welcome to March

As always at this time of year we’re loving the lighter evenings, and seeing a bit more sunshine. Why not get out and about, there’s all sorts to do, from the Doggy Fun Day and Dog and Daffs Charity Walk to Mothers Day Afternoon Teas and volunteering at Luton Hoo Walled Garden or with local charity, Remap.

If you run your own business we’d love to include you, it’s so easy just book your space online today! Jane

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NOW for some Entertainment

Abbey Theatre

The Incident Room

24th Feb - 4th March 8pm & 26th Feb 2.30pm

This tense detective drama, offers a fascinating insight into the life of the incident room during the investigation of the Yorkshire Ripper case. £13, £12

Sister Act 30th March - 1st April 7.30pm & 1st April 2.30pm

Produced by St Albans Youth Music Theatre. Abbey Theatre, St Albans AL1 2DL 01727 857861 www.abbeytheatre.org.uk

The Alban Arena

Grease 2nd & 3rd March 7.30pm & 4th March 2pm & 6.30pm

Welcome to the singing and dancing world of Grease the most successful movie musical of all time.

Madama Butterfly 7th March

Performed by the Dnipro Opera from Ukraine with an impressive cast and a live Orchestra of over 30 musicians.

Henning Wehn – It’ll All Come Out In the Wash

10th March 8pm

See Henning give everything a good rinse and witness him wring sense out of the nonsensical.

Petty Criminals – the greatest hits of Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks 11th March 7.30pm

A first of its kind and not to be missed by any fan of either Tom Petty or Stevie Nicks!

Chris McCausland: Speaky Blinder

17th March 8pm

One of the UK’s top stand-ups is back with his Sunday Times Best of the Edinburgh Fringe show.

A Country Night in Nashville 18th March 7.30pm

Recreating a buzzing Honky Tonk in downtown Nashville, capturing the energy and atmosphere of an evening in the home of country music.

The Bootleg Beatles 20th March 7.30pm

From Love Me Do to Let It Be, from the Cavern to the Apple rooftop, the world’s Premier Beatle band will take you on a whistle stop journey through the Swinging Sixties.

The Sensational 60’s Experience

23rd March 7.30pm

Step back in time to when pop music was at its best!

Come What May - A Tribute to Moulin Rouge

30th March 7.30pm

An all-singing, all-dancing extravaganza, featuring Strictly Come Dancing’s sensational Robin

Windsor and a cast of top West End performers. Civic Centre, St Albans AL1 3LD www.alban-arena.co.uk

The Eric Morecambe Centre

A Tribute To The Carpenters 4th March 7.30 pm

Starring the fantastic Sally Creedon as Karen Carpenter and an incredible cast made up of musicians straight from London’s West End. 100 and Counting with John McGuinness and James Whitham 10th March 7.30pm

A look back at 100 TT starts and 23 TT wins with John McGuinness, and a lap of the TT with on board commentary by John and James.

Thank ABBA For The Music 17th March 7.30pm Capturing the magic of one of pop history’s most iconic bands.

Steve Hewlett Ventriloquist - “A Day in the Life of Arthur Ledger” 19th March 2.30 pm

A unique story of a Dummy who has lived life before the ventriloquist came along!

Follies

29th March - 1st April 7.30pm & 1st April 2.30pm With Stephen Sondheim’s music from the 20s, 30s and 40s, this is a fascinating peek into a bygone era. Rothamsted Park, Harpenden AL5 2FR www.the-emc.co.uk

The Radlett Centre

With a Song in my Heart - Paul Potts UK Tour

4th March 7.30pm £24

An intimate collection of songs, with just Paul’s voice and a piano for accompaniment.

Dreamcoat Stars 16th March 7.30pm £25.50

A colourful show with songs from shows such as Joseph, Jesus Christ Superstar, Six, Wicked, Mamma Mia, We Will Rock You and more.

James Ketchell - It's all Mental 23rd March 7.30pm £17.50

Having climbed Everest, cycled around the world and rowed an ocean, James will share the mentality needed to achieve these amazing goals.

An Evening with Bryan Robson

31st March £90, £45, £35

Meet the legend and hear about his incredible career. Aldenham Avenue, Radlett WD7 8HL www.radlettcentre.co.uk

Barn Theatre

Treasure Island

24th March to 1st April 8pm & 1st April 2.30pm

Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic story of mutiny, murder and money! £14

Welwyn Garden City AL8 6ST www.barntheatre.co.uk

A local family business offering regular, occasional and one off gardening and maintenance services

Lawn Mowing I Hedge Cutting Weeding I Garden Clearance Fencing I Power Washing/Sealing Turfing I General Maintenance + Much more… Contact us now for a free quote! 01582 529429 I 07854 449371

info@detailgardening.co.uk

DetailGardening www.detailgardening.co.uk

DJ&M

●Electric and Power Showers Fitted

●Ball Valves and Overflows

●Blocked WC’s, Sinks, Baths and Basins

●Repair/Renew Stopcocks and Taps

●Plumb in Washing Machines and Dishwashers

●Repair Leaking Pipes

●Outside Taps Dean Herrington 01727 764217 07830 159010 info@djmplumbing.co.uk www.djmplumbing.co.uk

see our main advert on the inside back cover

We’re here for you

How much do you value your time?

Why do all the jobs you hate doing, like cleaning and gardening, instead of doing stuff you enjoy?

Free up your weekends and evenings and allow our friendly teams to maintain your garden on a regular basis. Our clients save at least 6 hours per month of their time so just think what you could do instead!

Our regular and reliable garden maintenance service has served thousands of clients over 30 years in North Herts and Beds and now we have landed in your area too! No more back breaking hours mowing your lawn and weeding those pesky borders and as for climbing up ladders to trim that hedge, just leave it to us and sit back and relax. One easy call for your free quotation and your work/life balance will change for the best.

From the start of March until the end of November, we will provide a regular weekly or fortnightly service to ensure a neat and tidy garden all year round. Our service will include:

 Lawn mowing & edging

 Borders & beds weeded

 Shrubs trimmed, shaped & kept under control

 Hedges trimmed once per year

 Patios and driveways kept weed free

 Leaves and branches all picked up and finally, but very importantly, we remove the garden waste after each visit and take it a recycling centre to make "Ace of Herts" compost

 One-Off Tidy Ups Also Available

“If our clients need anything doing in their garden we contact Dave and his team as we know they will always do a great job.”

Mark, Shilcock Estate Agents Hitchin

“Excellent & reliable service - my garden is unrecognisable. Polite helpful and hardworking guys. Thank you. Would recommend for any out of control gardens.”

Maria, Ickleford

Harpenden

StAlbans

Walks & More!

Luton Hoo Walled Garden

Guided Estate Walks 1st & 15th March

Enjoy the long vistas and tranquillity of this ancient landscape. Approx 6 miles. £15, please book

Talk: 21 Years Reviving the Walled Garden

24th March 11am, £7.50, please book

Volunteer Day 29th March 11am - 1pm

Get involved with; gardening, conservation, children’s work or the research team. Please book

Luton Hoo Estate, Luton LU1 4LF

www.lutonhooestate.co.uk 01582 721443

City of St Albans Tour Guide Walks

Historic St Albans

5th, 12th, 19th & 26th March 11.15am

Ghosts and Ghouls

9th & 23rd March 7.30pm

Please book, all walks cost £6

Meet outside St Albans Museum + Gallery

www.stalbanstourguides.co.uk

Herts & Middx Wildlife Trust

Both events are free, but donations appreciated

Practical Conservation Taster Session

22nd March 10am - 1pm

Try meadow cutting and learn about the traditional method of scything. Please book

Cassiobury Park Watford, WD18 7LG

Great Oak Heritage Walk 25th March 10.30am

Join volunteer David for a short walk around the historical parts of Panshanger Park visiting the Dairy Garden to see the Orangery and finishing at the famous Panshanger Great Oak. Please book

Panshanger Park, Hertford SG14 2NA

www.hertswildlifetrust.org.uk

Hertfordshire Health Walks

Highfield Park

YMCA Highfield Park Centre

59 Russett Drive, St Albans AL4 0DB

Mondays 9.30am - grade 3

Tuesdays 1.30pm - first steps, wheelchair /buggy friendly

Tuesdays 1.30pm - grade 3

Harpenden

Conference Centre car park, Rothamsted Research, West Common AL5 2JQ

Tuesdays 10.30am - grade 3

Wheathampstead

East Lane car park, behind The Bull AL4 8BL

Thursdays 10.30am - grade 4

Greenwood Park

Community Centre, St Albans AL2 3HW

Fridays 2pm - grade 3

Redbourn

Cricket Club Car Park, Redbourn AL3 7DB

Saturday 4th March 2pm - grade 4

Batchwood Hall

Batchwood Hall Car Park, St Albans AL3 5XA

Sunday 19th March 10.30am - grade 4

www.hertfordshire.gov.uk

Chapman Auto Services

for some Music

The Horn

Faux Fighters UK 4th March 9pm

A tribute to the Foo Fighters, as the Faux Fighters' reproduce the raw power of the original band.

Jacob Hawley 5th March 7pm

Comedian Jacob, fresh from a four star run at the Edinburgh Fringe, covers mental health, social class, drugs, anti-pasti and if he’s ready to be a father.

Half Life 17th March 10.30pm

Half Life is a local rock covers band, formed in 2018 largely to give them an excuse to spend more time in the pub in the name of art

The 88 31st March 10.30pm

Local legends are back for another stonking night of Indie Rock Covers.

The Horn, Victoria Street, St Albans AL1 3TE www.thehorn.co.uk

Orchestral Classics

11th March 7.30pm

St Albans Symphony Orchestra play Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel Overture, Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G major and Beroliz’s Symphonie Fantastique. £8 - £18, student £5, child £2 01525 862097

St Saviour’s Church, St Albans AL1 4DF www.saso.org.uk

de Havilland Philharmonic Orchestra

12th March 4pm

To celebrate International Women’s Day enjoy a concert by female composers who fought to be accepted as mainstream in a male-dominated musical world. Ethyl Smyth - The Wreckers (Overture) / Ruth Gipps - Horn Concerto / Shostakovich - Symphony No.5. £15, concs £12, child £6

UHArts, The Weston Auditorium AL10 9EU 01707 281127 www.herts.ac.uk

Faure: Requiem 18th March 7.30pm

Harpenden Choral Society presents Vaughan

Williams: Dona Nobis Pacem

£17, child / students £7

High Street Methodist Church, Harpenden www.harpendenchoralsociety.org

Hardynge Choir Spring Concert

25th March 7.30pm

Lili Boulanger - Hymne au Soleil (1912) / Francis

Poulenc - Organ Concerto / Gabriel Fauré - Pavane

Maurice Duruflé - Requiem. £15, students £8

High St Methodist Church, Harpenden AL5 2RU www.hardyngechoir.org

NOW at the Cathedral

Abbey by Night 1st March 8pm

Be transported back in time to the medieval abbey as you encounter the fantastic stories of the past under candlelight. £18

Talk: The Orthodox Church of Ukraine

2nd March 7.30pm

Explore the history and cultural context of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine. £10

Visually Impaired Persons' Tour

3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th & 31st March 1.30pm

Discover over 1700 years of history on this new free audio-described tour.

St Albans Chamber Choir 4th March 7.30pm

Rachmaninoff - Vespers (All-Night Vigil)

Allegri - Miserere

Mendelssohn - Warum toben die Heiden

Mahler / Gottwald - Ich bin der Welt

£26, £16, concs £6

Talk: Breakspear: the Pope from St Albans

11th March 1.30pm

Discover the history behind England's only Pope, Nicholas Breakspear. £10

More to Explore: The North Transept - in full! 12th March 1.30pm

In this transept there is a fascinating collection of disparate items: the oldest walls in the cathedral, a Victorian map, memorials and much more. Hear all about them and the history of this amazing space.

Joint Schools' Choral Society & Orchestra Concert

15th March

St Albans School and St Albans High School for Girls are delighted to present this annual concert accompanied by a semi-professional orchestra.

Choral Discoveries: Jesu, Meine Freude

18th March 8pm £20, child £8

With the Lea Singers

Bach - Jesu meine Freude

Bortniansky - Lord let me know mine end

Nystedt - Prayers of Kierkegaard

Tavener - Mother and Child to take you

£20, child £8

Organ Concert: Oliver Morrell

22nd March 12.30pm free

St Albans Bach Choir - Antonin Dvorak

Requiem Op 89 25th March 7.30pm

Dvorak’s Requiem with the Sinfonia Verdi Orchestra, soloists and St Albans Bach Choir. £12 - £30

Light and Movement: Debussy, Music, and the Book of Nature 30th March 7.30pm £12.50

St Albans Cathedral, Sumpter Yard AL1 1BY www.stalbanscathedral.org

Out & About

Sustainable St Albans

Borrow a Thermal Imaging Camera

7th & 16th March

Identifying draughts in your home will help reduce energy bills, book a free information zoom session if you would like to borrow a camera. www.sustainablestalbans.org

RAF London

Talk: Pauline Gower and the Spitfire Women

8th March 6.30pm - 8.30pm £15

Celebrate International Women’s Day and learn all about Pauline Gower, the leader of the Spitfire women during WW2. RAF London NW9 5LL www.rafmuseum.org.uk

Waddesdon Manor

Spring at Waddesdon

15th - 19th March 10am-4pm

See the gardens bursting into colour.

Mother's Day Afternoon Tea 18th & 19th March

£28.50, child £16.50

Gin Tasting

18th & 19th March 12.30pm & 2.30pm

Learn about the history of the spirit and the distilling process, as well as sampling a number of gins. £15

Easter Adventures at Waddesdon

29th March - 10th April 10am - 5pm

Have fun on the Easter trail. Please book, £3 per trail Waddesdon, Aylesbury HP18 0JH www.waddesdon.org.uk

Doggy Fun Day 18th March 11am - 4pm

The day will include a scent display and workshop, a dog show and many other activities. Organised in aid of The Thin Blue Paw Foundation and Essex & Herts Air Ambulance Trust. Rothamsted Park, Harpenden www.harpenden.gov.uk

Bletchley Park

Build your own Morse Tutor

18th March 10am & 1.30pm

A fun, hands-on workshop with The Radio Society of Great Britain. Ages 11 - 18, please book, £10

Mothers Day Afternoon Tea

19th March 12 noon & 2.30pm

With vocalist Alison Carter.

£65, concs £60, ages 12-17 £50, under 12’s £22.50

Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK3 6EB www.bletchleypark.org.uk

Hatfield House

Dogs & Daffs Charity Walk

19th March 9.30am

Take part in the Fun Dog Show and stroll the grounds

of Hatfield Park, in aid of Riding for the Disabled. £6 www.hatfield-house.co.uk

Mother’s Day Sunday Lunch

19th March 12.30pm

£39, child £29

Knebworth House Stevenage SG1 2AX www.knebworthhouse.com

Shuttleworth

Mother’s Day Market 19th March 10am

Explore the grand rooms and grounds of Shuttleworth House and meander around local food, craft and gift stalls. Market free, normal admission charges apply

Talk: The Swiss Garden: Restoration of a Regency Gem 22nd March 10.30am

Learn about the 200-year history of the Swiss Garden from its creation to the present day. £10

Spring Walk and Lunch with Head Gardener

24th March 10.30am £40

Shuttleworth, Biggleswade, Beds SG18 9DT www.shuttleworth.org

Rothschild Library Extinct Bird Tour

23rd March 10.30am, 11.30am

Visit the awe-inspiring Victorian Rothschild Library, once Walter Rothchild's personal book collection, usually closed to the public. It holds books from the 1600s that Walter used to write his 1907 work on extinct birds. £10

The Natural History Museum, Tring HP23 6AP www.nhm.ac.uk

IWM Duxford

IWM History Festival 25th & 26th March 9.30am

Bringing together rarely seen objects from IWM’s collections and book signings from leading historical authors. Immerse yourself in real stories from WW1, WW2 and contemporary conflict at the airfield that made history. Day tickets from £40

IWM Duxford, Cambridge CB22 4QR

www.iwm.org.uk

National Garden Scheme

Walkern Hall 25th & 26th March 12 noon - 5pm

This medieval hunting park is known for its established trees like the tulip trees and a magnificent London plane tree which dominates the garden. £5 Walkern, Stevenage SG2 7JA

Amwell Cottage 26th March 2pm - 5pm

An informal garden around a 17th century cottage with a large orchard planted with daffodils. Extensive lawns with borders, framed by tall yew hedges and old brick walls. £5 Amwell Lane, Wheathampstead AL4 8EA

204 Hart Lane 26th March 2pm - 5pm

A small gem, with year-round seasonal plants, mature shrubs, a water feature and seating areas to enjoy the garden with a cream tea. Luton, Beds LU2 0JH www.ngs.org.uk

Herts County Show

27th & 28th May

Celebrate Hertfordshire’s finest farming, food, entertainment and shopping.

The Showground, Redbourn AL3 7PT

www.hertsshow.com