week 10 special features
American Independence Day celebrations at the Civic Theatre on 4 July include Showco's Life is a Cabaret at 7.30 pm and Happy Birthday America directed by Sylvia Bebb at 2.30 pm - all age song and dance with Adhoc Swing Big Band - Ruth Lusby and Charlotte Lucas as the Andrews Sisters - Sylvia's dancers - Leighton Buzzard's Vickie Webb as "Annie" . . . and from TATS, Jonathan Davis and Martin Hargreaves and their side splitting affectionate tribute to Laurel and Hardy! Not to be missed! Get those star spangled waistcoats and hats out. Come on down!
25 YEARS OF BARTON PLAYERS AMDRAM JOIN WITH BEDFORDJERSEY ARTS FESTIVAL FROM 1 MAY ACROSS THE COUNTY AND AT THE GROVE THEATRE ON 30 MAY sponsored by South Bedfordshire District Council - that was!
How many Bedfordshire residents are in on the secret that Barton-le-Clay is really the heart of amateur theatreland? The innocence of youth—the orphans’ sharing porridge at Mr Bumble’s establishment and the winsome plaintive young request of this overweight bombastic tyrant “Can I have some more?” A quickfire flirty-intimate scenario between Widow Corney; “One boy for sale” Bumble sings—and the reader will recognise the show!
Barton Players are celebrating 25 years of Barton-le-Clay Village Hall of plays, reviews and musicals which have a habit of selling out! A record number of 825 theatregoers pass through the doors this week—and as their Chairman Keith Badham told me “We actually do very little publicity. Our tickets sell largely by word of mouth. We’re doing a pantomime this year.”
Reviewing village amateur productions has to be one of the delights and privileges of art’icle magazine voluntary writers, such is the welcome, intimate atmosphere and frequently outstanding often small stage production. Village life at its best perhaps? All age, all ability contribution and mostly for the benefit of village audiences? Possibly except for those of us who have caught on that village amdram is something of a tradition just as is the water pump or mill pond to be seen on many a village green
Barton may or may not have these but, my goodness, have they got dramatic talent in the heart of Central Bedfordshire countryside and on bus routes for the carless. This production of Oliver was faultless. The Chair doubling as Producer and Fagin; his wife, Kirsty Badham’s directing about as good as it gets! An artistic family of note—Upstage Youth Theatre/Centre Stage 21 belongs to them: daughter Chloe playing the Artful Dodger, the father and daughter real life relationship giving rise to first class spontaneous dialogue and interaction. As an ever appealing Oliver vocally and confidently asks “Where is Love?”, one realises the lighting plot has to compete with spills of sunshine through curtains—but wins with some very clever atmospheres created! The emotion and pathos of this scene brings the audience almost to its feet as all are fully absorbed into the story. Physical theatre and slapstick echo through the funeral director’s parlour as Oliver ‘fights back’ against Dickensian oppression.
With tickets at £8.00 £6.00 (unwaged), a glossy programme at 50p, full orchestral backing track throughout and the Badham;s UpStage/Centre Stage 21 young members’ making up half the cast indicating the high quality stage training on offer, this was a production to be very proud of. Keith Badham is an absolute natural on stage. This is the third leading role I have seen him take, one alongside Kirsty. His raucous ’Faganesque’ entries, his tall slender wiry frame and countenance needing little makeup I should think! Did he grow his hair deliberately? The dirtiest old raincoat and dirtier still brimmed hat surrounded on stage by his ‘day job’ tutees playing Fagin’s boys: perhaps it is time he considered the professional stage!
Director, Kirsty’s sensible use of the auditorium to enormous effect and few would have not felt part of the action by the interval. Over foyer drinks, the characters continued to mingle with unsuspecting guest, the whole hall and small stage becoming the set for the second half. Evil Bill Sykes (Mick George), Nancy (Caroline Dobbs), Mr Bumble (John Murphy/Alan Baldwin), Dodger (Chloe Davis, Chloe Badham), Widow Corney (Sue Thomas, Debbie Radcliffe) . . .and all those famed Dickensian characters brought to the musical stage by genius Lionel Bart, a show at the root of popular musical theatre. The casting was a joy.
Bedford Jersey Arts Festival celebrates Bedfordshire amateur dramatic theatre throughout its 10 week season starting on 1 May. All Bedfordshire libraries, tourist information centres and the Bedford Central Box Office have free programmes brimming with features. Amateur productions cross the county from the Grove Theatre to Barton to Stewartby and to Bedford’s Civic Theatre and Sharnbrook Mill Theatre. Jersey Amateur Dramatic Society fly into Luton on 26 May to present a David Tristram double bill at Stewartby Village Hall at 6 pm. Bedford artists that night include Jenny Curzon, director of the Bedford Pantomime Company’s superb Corn Exchange pantomime in 2008. Wootton Upper School’s popular drama teacher and local amdram star, Barry Thompson with Cranfield professional actor Richard Hardwick paying tribute to their friend and Festival Showbiz Patron, John Oliver, Bedford comic now setting the USA alight with his genius. The bar will be open from 5.45 pm: make a date to share all this with Bedford Marianettes, Bedford Pantomime Company and others. Full programme on www.bedfordjerseyartsfestival.co.uk. Tickets from Bedford Central Box Office - telephone 01234 269519. 66 events in 10 weeks and many tickets at £5! This is a Festival full of summer surprises—and staged by the voluntary sector—through Bedford Arts Forum/art’icle magazine bedford UK. See you there!
Sandra Dudley, Organiser of Bedford Jersey Arts Festival
www.bedfordjerseyartsfestival.co.uk
www.articlemagazinebedford.co.uk
Bedford Jersey Arts festival
1 May – 5 July 2009 in Bedfordshire UK
Celebrating 70 years of friendship 1939—2009
“Victoria College, Jersey children evacuated to Bedford School during the Nazi Occupation of Jersey in WWII”
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This website is an ongoing project started in late January 2009.