march 2018 thebedfordclanger.com the bedford … · 2018. 3. 1. · 2 the bedford clanger • march...

MARCH 2018 THEBEDFORDCLANGER.COM

CLANGERBEDFORDTHE

Y O U R C U L T U R A L G U I D E T O T H E B E S T O F B E D F O R D

2 The Bedford Clanger • March 2018

Team ClangerEditor: Erica Roffe @bedfordclanger [email protected]

Commercial Manager: Julia Crofts @clangerads [email protected]

Design: Emma Lemon twitter: @emmaloulemon instagram: @emmalemonlettering

Front cover: Sara Sayer

Photography: Cat Lane @catlanephoto

Music: Lloyd Lugsden @lloydlug

Theatre: Paula Walker @pauliwauli2

Food & Drink: Stephen Bywater @authorbywater

Website: Alec East @ Narrative Industries

Letter fromthe EditorThis month – from our front cover by Sara Sayer, to the back page - we’re celebrating the women of Bedford as part the #vote100 commemorations. 2018 will see plenty of events and activities around Bedford (including the erection of the town’s first statue of a woman), and this month sees the launch of the Higgin’s celebratory Women of Bedfordshire exhibition. There’s also the BedPop Science Labsand Hey Clay! to take part in, plus a plethora of theatre, live music, comedy and film, plus our review of Riobello, as featured on Channel 5 last month.Have a fabulous, culturally enriched month, Bedford! - Team Clanger

THE

CLANGER

NEWS IN BRIEF

Here’s one club we ‘knead’ to join…

Help to spread ‘The Lost Words’ to the schools of Bedford BoroughMost of the time we love twitter. It’s a great place to find like-minded people and share ideas and information. It was on twitter that we ‘met’ Lisa Bremner. Lisa had seen a successful crowdfunding initiative in Scotland with the aim of donating a copy of the book, The Lost Words into every primary school in Scotland. Beautifully illustrated, The Lost Words, by Jackie Morris, features words that are slipping out of common usage, and as such have been removed from the latest version of the Oxford University Press Junior Dictionary. Many of these words evoked the natural world, such as conker, clover and willow. The author’s campaign raised so much money that she had enough for every primary, secondary and special school in Scotland.

“Wouldn’t it be wonderful, I thought, if someone would do that around here,” said Lisa. “Then I realised it was a case of ‘if not me, who?’ So after overthinking it for ages, and putting it off for ages, and coming up with lots of reasons why not, I decided to go for it and it’s now out there!”

If enough people donate, Lisa will be able to give a copy of this beautiful book to every single school in Bedford Borough. Let’s help make it happen!

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/the-lost-words-for-bedford-schoolchildren

Companions’ Bread Club is

held the first Saturday of every

month from 10am at the bakery

on Mill Street. Relaxed and

informal, it’s basically, a coffee

morning themed around bread!

Membership is just £5 a year

which allows the use of

Companions’ bread oven by arrangement; then £1 per

meeting to cover refreshments. “Each session is different,”

explained Companions Real Bread founder, Maggie Rich.

“Sometimes we choose a type of bread, have a go at

home and bring along the results to share and discuss the

recipe and techniques we’ve used. We’ve also had

hands-on bread demonstrations, including chapattis and

naan bread.” In addition to Bread Club, Companions run

Workshops once a month for a maximum of five people.

Said Maggie, The cost is £60 per person and the team are

very happy to create bespoke workshops to a particular

group or product. Companions Real Bread, The Old Fire

Station, 36 Mill Street, MK40 3HD companionsrealbread.

uk tel: 07742 755543

2 The Bedford Clanger • February 2018

Team ClangerEditor: Erica Roffe @bedfordclanger [email protected]

Commercial Manager: Julia Crofts @clangerads [email protected]

Design: Emma Lemon twitter: @emmaloulemon instagram: @emmalemonlettering

Photography: Cat Lane @catlanephoto

Music: Lloyd Lugsden @lloydlug

Theatre: Paula Walker @pauliwauli2

Food & Drink: Stephen Bywater @authorbywater

Website: Alec East @ Narrative Industries

Letter fromthe EditorHappy New Year and welcome to our first issue of 2018. As usual, it’s packed full of the best of Bedford’s art, culture, food, music, theatre and shopping; your one-stop-shop of what’s on and what to see.

This year, we welcome a new designer on board. You will already have seen Emma Lemon’s work in the Clanger (she designed the Taste Bedford logo and created our indie retail guide) and we’re really looking forward to having her on the team. As a freelancer, Emma is always seeking new projects, so please do get in contact if you’d like to add your business to her portfolio.

THE

CLANGER

NEWS IN BRIEF

Friends like these New year, new DJs and new shows on In2beats FMLast month, In2Beats welcomed three new team members to the station: Amy Botes, Aims and Sassy B. We asked the girls what inspired them to give radio a go?

Amy Botes: I have a rich history as a professional actress which has taken me from the Royal Shakespeare Company, to the West End, to Broadway. I have also worked for the BBC Radio 4 drama company and was the runner up for the prestigious Carleton Hobbs award in 2004. I am also a successful Entrepreneur and I love bringing the two worlds of business and performance together. That’s why I was so determined to bring a weekly podcast to In2beats, sharing my knowledge and expertise in communication skills in business. Listen in on Mondays 10-11am to hear tips and empowering information.

Aimz: I love the studio atmosphere, I love music and I love talking, it’s really that simple!

Sassy B: DJing is something I have always liked the idea of but never thought I could do it! With encouragement I have had a go and really enjoy it! Aimz and I will be on-air Wednesdays 1-4pm.

Tune into In2Beats at 106.5fm

the puddin clubPuddings • Cakes • Breakfast • Cheeseboard Great Coffee • Prosecco • Wine • Beer • Cider Ice Cream • Milkshakes • Afternoon Tea (booking required)

Open late every Friday until 10.30pm

Private hire available on a Saturday nights

07773 943586Facebook: thepuddinclub120a Castle Road, Bedford, MK40 3RG

get your just desserts

Please do share the Clanger love with your friends and family and don’t forget you can find us on Instagram, twitter, Facebook andour website thebedfordclanger.com.

Happy Valentine’s and see you next month, Team Clanger

Bedford is fortunate to have some great cultural venues on our doorstep. Both the Quarry Theatre on St Peter’s Street and The Place on Bradgate Road, host a diverse range of productions

from drama to comedy, film to stand-up. Both theatres have recently launched ‘Friends’ schemes, so you can now help to support the work they do while receiving some brilliant benefits.

Annual membership of each scheme is £20 (or £35 per couple at the Place), with benefits including discounted tickets on selected shows, priority information and booking plus a discount on drinks in the bar*. For further information and to sign up, visit quarrytheatre.org.uk and theplacebedford.org.uk. Why not join both? One can never have too many friends! *terms & conditions apply. Please see

websites for more details.

Get in touch: [email protected]

insta: @emmalemonlettering

A BOARDS • WEDDING STATIONERY

MURALS • SIGNWRITING • BRANDING

BY EMMA LEMON

quarrytheatre.org.ukThe Quarry Theatre at St Luke’s is part of Bedford School, which is part of The Harpur Trust

Ticket price

£12.50

(£10.50 conc)

Age suitability

13+

Running time

90 minutes

A new verbatim play made up entirely of the words of real people, Carry on Jaywick is a story of hope amongst the hopeless, of laughter in the darkest times and a celebration of what it means to fight for where you come from.

This heart-warming and hilarious play travels through village halls and dance classes, family rows and moments of inspiration in the seaside village of Jaywick to reveal a slice of English life which has largely been forgotten.

Box office 01234 362337

carry on jaywickTuesday 13 March, 7.30pm

The Bedford Clanger • March 2018 3

New exhibition at the Higgins Bedford: Celebrating Women of BedfordshireThis Spring, The Higgins Bedford celebrates the achievements of women in Bedfordshire with a new exhibition.2018 marks 100 years since the Representation of the People Act

gave some women the right to vote for the first time. The exhibition will reflect on the achievements of women in Bedfordshire in those 100 years.

Bedfordshire has a long history of great women and this exhibition will highlight the achievements of 60 women who have achieved in the fields of Politics, Education, Sport, Community, STEM, Wartime, Business, and the Arts. Women have been nominated, researched, shortlisted, and selected by an exhibition development panel made up of volunteers from the local community.

Cllr Sarah-Jayne Holland, Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture said, “With so many events to mark 100 years since some women were first allowed to vote running across the country this year, this exhibition

presents a fantastic opportunity to look back right here in Bedford. Take the opportunity to find out more about the amazing women of our county and celebrate their achievements over the last century.”

One of the strongest themes amongst the women nominated is their contribution to the community. Amongst the represented groups is Access Bedford. Founded by Emma Sparrow, Suzie Sampson, Catherine Wright and Alison Crook in 2013, the group has worked with the Deaf community in Bedford to bring people together, increase access to services, increase representation and awareness and worked with organisations and service providers to increase accessibility. Alison said ‘We are thrilled to be part of a celebration of women in Bedfordshire. Bedford is an extraordinary place for passionate and committed community groups and we’re very proud to be amongst them.’

Also featured is one of the town’s most famous artists, Dora Carrington, who moved to Bedford with her family in 1903. Educated at Bedford High School, Carrington excelled at drawing and when she was 17 her teachers recommended that she apply to the Slade School of Art where she was to become part of what her teacher Henry Tonks described as the school’s last ‘crisis of Brilliance’. The Higgins Bedford has been collecting works by Carrington for a number of years and now has one of the finest collections in the world.

thehigginsbedford.org.uk

UNIQUE BEDFORD 10th March – 23rd September 2018 - Free Entry

Super science fun at BedPop Science Labs!Saturday 10th March from 10am


Hey Clay! is a national celebration of clay which gives everyone the chance to unleash their inner potter at venues across the UK through free workshops and taster sessions. This year’s Hey Clay! will take place from 23-25 March 2018 as part of the Get Creative festival and from Orkney to St Ives, 100 venues across the UK are hosting events, including Bedford College.Open to all ages, participants are able to try their hand in throwing, coiling, stamping & slip decoration. Last year’s event was super popular and spaces are very limited, so book early to avoid disappointment. Suitable for: EVERYONE! (Children accompanied by adults)Where? South Bank Arts Centre, Bedford College, Cauldwell Street, Bedford MK42 9AHTo book: phone Sharon Warren on 01234 291415 Further info: bedford.ac.uk

Join like-minded creatives at Bedford Heights on 28th March for a four-hour event with speakers from all across the art world. Headline speaker is upcycling guru and Channel 4 presenter Max McMurdo. Max will be talking about his creative journey from working on a small scale to a national level. Erica Roffe, founder of BedPop and The Bedford Clanger will be sharing her experience of pop up events and the positive effect they can have on the local economy. Additional speakers will share their top tips for arts marketing and giving advice on funding. To round up, the future of the arts will be analysed, particularly the possible impacts of Brexit on our artistic climate. There will be opportunities for creatives to network and catch up at regular intervals as well as over lunch (covered in the ticket price).

Early bird tickets £15.00 available 16/02/2018, while stocks last.Full price tickets £20.00 available 21/02/2018.Tickets: bedfordcreativearts.org.uk/projects/creative-bedfordshire-conference-2018

As part of British Science Week, the BedPop Science Labs will once again be popping up in venues across Bedford, bringing dozens of STEM activities to the heart of the town.

On Saturday 10th March, eight BedPop Science Labs will host dozens of hands-on workshops, activities, demos and experiments. Everything is completely FREE to take part in and everyone’s invited!

“This year we’ve added some incredible new events and we’re especially thrilled to be bringing Mark Rutherford School’s pop up Planetarium to Bedford Central Library,” said co-organiser, Julia Crofts. “Visitors will be able to step inside and experience the wonders of the solar system, right in the middle of Bedford. We’ve also got an ‘escape room’, DJ and radio production workshops and you can even meet a T-Rex!”

“We want as many people to be able to enjoy these events as possible,” said Julia. “Bedford has a wealth of science excellence on our doorstep and we’re grateful that so many scientists, engineers, teachers, artists, DJs, cartographers, astronomers and STEM ambassadors have volunteered their time to share their passion for STEM.”

Throughout the day, a plethora of inspirational women in STEM will be taking centre stage at Rogan’s Books to answer questions about their jobs and encourage the next generation of scientists.

And thanks to a partnership with Access Bedford, four of the outdoor science demos hosted by Bedford Modern School will have sign language interpretation and all venues have disabled access.

This year’s venues include In2Beats radio station, Gallone’s ice cream parlour, Bedford Central Library, Rogan’s Books, The Higgins Bedford, Ready Steady Roll, Slide Record Shop, the John Bunyan Museum and the Basement @ Bunyan. The BedPop Science Labs are made possible thanks to generous sponsorship from the Harpur Trust, Cranfield University, Clearblue, the Bedford Clanger, Polam School and You Can Book Me and Gallone’s.

To download this year’s BedPop Science Labs programme visit bedpop.co.uk

To book workshops visit Eventbrite.co.uk and search BedPop Science

Hey Clay! events at Bedford College

Creative Bedfordshire Conference 2018


CluedUpp: the Bedford Murder Mystery Experience

It was 5.35am on a damp, dark morning when the police were first called to the Genesis Nightclub on Ravewell Street. There, in the centre of his own dance floor, lay the bloodied body of notorious nightclub owner Jimmy Johnson....but who wanted him dead?

Would-be super sleuths who join the hunt can expect a fun-filled day of clue-solving as they make their way around Bedford town centre, locating virtual witnesses and unravelling each piece of the puzzle.

The game is delivered entirely through Cluedupp’s award-winning smartphone app and players will need to have their wits about them as there are challenges and red-herrings around every corner. “As always, we expect a good turnout in Bedford,” said the CluedUpp team. “The last event we delivered in the town saw over 300 Sherlocks turn up throughout the day!”

Saturday 31st March

Wednesday Art Workshops atBasement @ Bunyan7th March: glass mosaic

14th March: felt-making

28th March: painting

Join the Basement @ Bunayn’s artist-in-residence, Anne Marie Stijelja at the ever-popular Wednesday Art Workshops.

From 10am – 12pm, each session costs just £5 and all materials are provided. A great opportunity to learn a new skill, take up a hobby and meet like-minded creative people in the heart of Bedford’s cultural quarter.

Basement @ Bunyan, the John Bunyan Museum, Mill St, Bedford MK40 3EU

bunyanmeeting.co.uk/basement-at-bunyan

COMPETITION: We have one team ticket to give away to a lucky reader. This will cover entry for six detectives. Simply email us with the name of Sherlock Holmes’ arch enemy. Entry closes on Monday 19th March. Email your answer, with the subject ‘Elementary’ to [email protected]

The Bedford Clanger • February 2018 7

A contemporary outdoor film installation set in two streets in Bedford - Film Night: March 24 2018, 5-9pm FREE- Chester Road, Queens Park, Bedford, MK40 4HLCollaborative duo, artist Julie Myers and filmmaker Maria Anastassiou, are working alongside the families from two streets in Bedford creating films and inspiring new resident-led art and community projects. The artistic outcomes of this year-long collaboration will be a one-night film installation and exhibition spanning the two streets. Vignettes of the film will be projected onto and into spaces such as garden walls, front doors, garages and sheds. Visitors will be taken on a walking tour of the installation by the participating young residents.

The project consisted of workshops and events held throughout the year and set within a thriving community of multi-cultural diversity where the residents support each other by sharing skills and resources, undivided by race, religion or culture. Said artist, Julie Myers, “The feedback we’ve received so far is wonderful – we’ve seen children with a new-found confidence become inspired to be journalists or filmmakers – and they now see the arts industry as a valuable career option.”

bedfordcreativearts.org.uk

CLUBHOUSE: Cinema Paradiso Bedford style

CREATIVE BEDFORDSHIRE CONFERENCE 2018

www.bedfordcreativearts.org.uk/creativebeds @CreativeBeds creativebedfordshire creativebeds

Supported by:

BEDFORDCREATIVE

AR

TS

The 2018 Creative Bedfordshire Conference will take place at Bedford Heights and this year will be bigger than ever!

Join us for a four-hour event with speakers from all across the arts world including our headlinespeaker, upcycling guru and Channel 4 presenter Max McMurdo. Max will be talking about his creative journey from working on a small scale to a national level.

We will also be joined by BedPop and Bedford Clanger founder Erica Roffe talking about the effectthat temporary venues and spaces can have on the local economy.

We will also have speakers talking about top tips for arts marketing as well as funding advice. Finally, we will also be taking a look into the future of the arts by hearing about the possible impacts Brexit could have on our artistic climate.

There will be opportunities for creatives to network and catch up at regular intervals as well as over lunch (covered in the ticket price).

So, join us on March 28th between 10am and 2pm for Creative Bedfordshire’s biggest event yet.

Tickets: £20 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-creative-bedfordshire-conference-tickets-43121004084

Image Credit: Andy Willsher

What’s on… March 2018

10th February 2018 to 27th January 2019Edward Bawden Gallery, the Higgins Bedford • Free Entry

This enchanting exhibition shines a light on the characterful, often hilarious creatures that inhabit so many of Edward Bawden’s prints and illustrations. More than sixty art works featuring animals are on show, drawn from the renowned

Cecil Higgins Gallery Collection. thehigginsbedford.org.uk

Bawden’s Beasts

Tuesday 27th March 2018 at 7.30pm Julia Fischel and Dr Robert Travers – John Armstrong

John Rutherford Armstrong (1893-1973) was a British artist and muralist who also designed for film and theatre and became well known for his Surrealist paintings which owe something to his European contemporaries, but also have an unmistakably English feel.The Higgins Bedford (No booking required) Tickets - Friends £3, Guests £8

Friends of the Higgins Lecture

Tuesday 13th March at 7.30pmThe Erskine May Hall, Bedford School, De Parys Ave, Bedford MK40 2TU • Free Entry

Art dealer, historian and writer Bendor Grosvenor is the latest exciting speaker in Bedford School’s Gilbert Lloyd lecture series. Famous for discovering a number of lost works by Old Master artists including Rubens, Claude and

Breughel and his knowledge of Anthony van Dyck, his lecture promises to offer a fascinating insight into the art world.

Bedford School Gilbert Lloyd lecture: Dr Bendor Grosvenor

Sunday 18th March at 7.30pmThe Great Hall, Bedford School • Free Entry

Celebrate composer Carl Orff’s wonderfully scenic cantata ‘Carmina Burana’ in the beautiful setting of Bedford School’s Great Hall. The choral concert will feature the combined voices of singers from Bedford School, Bedford Girls’ School, the Bedford School Chapel Choir and the Eagle Choir, accompanied by the Phoenix Ensemble.

CHORAL SOCIETY CONCERT

The team behind The Pad bring you a brand new club night, ‘Well Done’, EVERY SINGLE SATURDAY at Esquires starting from the 3rd March. Well Done will be offering discount entry (£3) via their Instagram page each week. Follow @welldonesouds on Instagram, look out for the first imagine on 3rd March and await further instructions.Esquires, 60A Bromham Rd, Bedford MK40 2QG

Well Done, Esquires.

Friday 2nd March at 7.30pmTickets: £12 (concessions £10)

The star of BBC2’s The Mash Report and Live At The Apollo takes to the road with his new show following a sell-out season at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Tickets and further inforatmion: quarrytheatre.org.uk

Comedy at the Quarry Theatre:Geoff Norcott: Traditionalism

Thursday 15th March at 7:30pmNorth End Social Club, 60 Roff Avenue, Bedford MK41 7TW

Well, they always said that the best jokes are the old ones, so why not ask an archaeologist? An archaeologist and comedian (same person, Paul Duncan McGarrity) sits in a room and answers your questions on any subject as honestly as possible. Could be rude, probably crude. Be prepared to talk

candidly with the protection of context. bedford.skepticsinthepub.org

Skeptics in the Pub: Comedy Night ‘Ask an Archaeologist’

Following the success of their 2017 exhibition, ’25 and counting’, NOHAT arts collective is pleased to announce their next group show entitled, ‘Women Shall Inherit the Earth’ taking place at the Panacea Museum from 12th – 26th August 2018. This year’s theme is Apocolypse – Art – Women and artists are invited to interpret this freely. NOHAT will show new or existing work by female artists from any visual artistic discipline, working in Bedfordshier and beyond. Artistic applications close on Monday 5th March. Email [email protected] to apply.panaceamuseum.org/events/woman-shall-inherit-the-earth

Last chance: NOHAT open call to artists closes on 5th March

CREATIVE BEDFORDSHIRE CONFERENCE 2018

www.bedfordcreativearts.org.uk/creativebeds @CreativeBeds creativebedfordshire creativebeds

Supported by:

BEDFORDCREATIVE

AR

TS

The 2018 Creative Bedfordshire Conference will take place at Bedford Heights and this year will be bigger than ever!

Join us for a four-hour event with speakers from all across the arts world including our headlinespeaker, upcycling guru and Channel 4 presenter Max McMurdo. Max will be talking about his creative journey from working on a small scale to a national level.

We will also be joined by BedPop and Bedford Clanger founder Erica Roffe talking about the effectthat temporary venues and spaces can have on the local economy.

We will also have speakers talking about top tips for arts marketing as well as funding advice. Finally, we will also be taking a look into the future of the arts by hearing about the possible impacts Brexit could have on our artistic climate.

There will be opportunities for creatives to network and catch up at regular intervals as well as over lunch (covered in the ticket price).

So, join us on March 28th between 10am and 2pm for Creative Bedfordshire’s biggest event yet.

Tickets: £20 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-creative-bedfordshire-conference-tickets-43121004084

Image Credit: Andy Willsher

Theatre By Paula Walker


theplacebedford.org.uk/tickets

01234 354321

ZOO CO

GIANTFRI 6TH APRIL / 6:30PMFULL £12 CON £10 FAMILY £36 AGE 10+ #DRAMASINPYJAMAS

HOUSE AND TOM GILL

GROWING PAINSSAT 17TH MARCH / 7:30PMFULL £12 CON £10 / AGE 14+

PUB CORNER POETS

SAD LITTLE MANTHURS 5TH APRIL / 7:30PM

FULL £12 CON £10 / AGE 14+

TOURING

& PROF

TOURING

& PROF

TOURING

& PROF

The Place Clanger Mar2018.indd 1 21/02/2018 11:23

Tuesday 13th March at 7.30pm

Carry on JaywickTickets £12,50 (£10.50 concessions)

A new verbatim play made up entirely of the words of real people, Carry on Jaywick is a story of hope amongst the hopeless, of laughter in the darkest times and a celebration of what it means to fight for where you come from. ‘Jaywick is one of them places where you either make it, or break it. And a lot of people been breaking it round here.’ This heartwarming and hilarious play travels

through Jaywick’s village halls and dance classes, family rows and moments of inspiration, revealing a slice of English life which has largely been forgotten. Actors wearing headphones listen to recorded interviews with Jaywick residents and deliver what they hear to the audience: this is ‘reality theatre’ in action.

The Quarry Theatre at St Luke’s

Friday 2nd March 7.30pm

Rhum and Clay Theatre Company and Kit Redstone present: TESTOSTERONEAll tickets £15 • Age 16+Part of the Place Theatre’s LGBT History Month programme, this is honest, full-frontal and irreverent physical theatre at its finest. Dark comedy is used to its full effect in this exploration of how identities are formed, as Kit – after transitioning from female to male – finds himself confronted by masculinity in all its forms at a gym.

Thursday 6th March at 7.30pm

The Pretend Men present:Police Cops in Space

Following three sell out runs at Soho Theatre with their first production, Police Cops, multi award-winning comedy trio The Pretend Men are back with their critically acclaimed EdFringe

2017 sell-out comedy blockbuster POLICE COPS IN SPACE; an 80’s ‘low-fi sci-fi’ set in the most dangerous place on Earth…Space.

After his father is killed by an evil robot, Sammy Johnson, the last Police Cop in the universe, blasts off in an unmanned escape pod. Now on a distant planet, Sammy must team up with Alien fighter pilot Ranger and his trusty Cyborg C9 as they embark on an intergalactic adventure across the galaxy to find Earth, avenge his father and become the best damn Police Cop in space.

The Quarry Theatre at St Luke’s, 6 St Peter’s Street, Bedford MK40 2NN. Tickets and more information quarrytheatre.org.uk tel: 01234 362337

THE CLANGERTHEATRE

Saturday 3rd March 6pm

Familia De La Noche present: The Greatest Liar In All The WorldFull £10 | Concessions £8.50 | Family (4 mixed tickets) £30 • Age 8+Another #DramasInPyjamas event: attend the theatre in your pyjamas or onesies, with free toothbrushes and paste for the kids too! A very funny, dark and brilliant sequel to Pinocchio told using clowning, music, puppetry and shadow play from an exceptional company. Treat The Place as your place: relax, and experience live theatre with your family.

THE PLACE THEATRE


Wednesday 14th March 10.45am & 1.45pm

Collar & Cuffs Co present: Little Meerkat’s Big PanicFull £10 | Concessions £8.50 | Family (4 mixed tickets) £30£6 • ALL AGESSuitable for children from birth and fully inclusive for those with complex needs, award-winning local multi-sensory theatre company Collar & Cuffs offer a little musical tale designed to enthral and engage little ones, whilst at the same time supporting their grown-ups. All about understanding anxiety and calm, each performance is followed by a sensory play session packed full of low cost/no cost resources to help children to manage some very big feelings. Signed in Makaton. Part of the Place Theatre’s MINDSCAPES season on mental health.

Tuesday 6th – Saturday 10th March 7.30pm

Swan Theatre Company present: JerusalemFull £10 | Concessions £8.50 | Tuesday preview £6 • Age: 14+Local company Swan Theatre turn their hand to this renowned play by Jez Butterworth; first produced at the Royal Court in 2009 with Mark Rylance in the leading role. Funny, earthy, and fierce, this play walks the line between the England of elegant poetry with its idealised landscape, and the England of gritty, streetwise, and edgy decay.

Saturday 17th March 7.30pm

House & Tom Gill present: Growing PainsFull £12 | Concession £10 • Age: 14+Following a sell-out run at Edinburgh, Tom Gill’s fusion of Spoken Word, music, and visceral reflections on life heads into Bedford. This is the ideal show for anyone into urban or grime music, especially narrative artists such as The Streets.

The Place Theatre, Bradgate Road, Bedford, MK40 3DE.

Tickets and information available at theplacetheatre.org.ukor 01234 354321

Monday 12th to Saturday 17th Marchat 7.30pm

Sharnbrook Mill TheatreThe Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen’s Guild Dramatic Society’s Production of Macbeth (a comedy). Tickets: £7Join the ladies from The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen’s Guild Dramatic Society as they attempt to perform one of the most famous plays of all time, with a startlingly original production of Macbeth staged to get them to the Welwyn Garden City Festival Finals. It just turns out to be the play that keeps going wrong and wrong and wrong. This farcical, hilarious play really is Macbeth, but just not as we know it!

Sharnbrook Mill Theatre, 103 Mill Rd, Sharnbrook, Bedford MK44 1NP Tickets available from sharnbrookmilltheatre.co.uk or in person from Pick-a-Lily florist in Sharnbrook, telephone 01234 781441.

MUSIC

12 The Bedford Clanger • March 2018

Saturday 3rd March 2018

Mill Race Folk Presents Ewan McLennanBromham Mill, Bridge End, Bromham, Bedford MK43 8LP - Tickets £10 Whether singing haunting traditional Scottish ballads or weaving the powerful stories that make up his own songs, Ewan’s unique, moving and earthy voice is always compelling. His guitar playing is outstanding and forms an essential part of his music. Tickets: eventbrite.com

Saturday 31st March 2018

Mill Race Folk Presents Stick In The WheelEsquires, 60A Bromham Rd, Bedford MK40 2QG - Tickets £12 Known for Kearey’s fierce, authentic delivery, this is culturally & politically switched on folk with roots embedded in working-class heritage. In their second album ‘Follow Them True’ they examine rituals & cycles, our inherent power to change ourselves & the world around us, the past repeating itself, ghosts & death, land & place, thieves & beggars. (Don’t just take our word for it, check out these amazing reviews from all the dad rock music mags! 5 stars fRoots; 4 stars Record Collector; 4 stars Mojo; “Precision folk with anger, lust & blood” The Guardian) Tickets: eventbrite.com and Slide Records, Bedford

This month’s live music round-up by Llloyd Lugsden. Hold onto your hats, folk fans! There’s not one, but two Mill Race Folk events this month:

Saturday 17th March 7.30 pm

Concert by ‘Heart and Music’Biddenham Village Hall, Nodders Way, Biddenham, MK40 4BJ - Admission £10 including drinks and light refreshments ’Heart and Music’ is a joyous evening of light-hearted music and songs from swing, film, folk and show-tunes, to original compositions and with amusing poetry. In aid of BOLD - Beds Opportunities for Learning Disabilities

Tickets: 01234 353662/07767 824787 or 07989 837819 heartandmusic.org.uk bo4ld.org.uk

Friday 2nd March 2018, 7.30pm

The Floyd Effect - ‘The Pink Floyd Tribute Show’ - The Bell and Moon Tour 2018Bedford Corn Exchange - The Pad Presents - Tickets £18.00 advance

Pink Floyd’s recording career spanned almost three decades and, for its 10th Anniversary, The Floyd Effect has chosen two of the band’s most remarkable albums to create The Bell And The Moon tour 2018. Spotlighting the music of The Division Bell (1994) and a complete, unbroken performance of the iconic Dark Side Of The Moon (1973),

concerts will also include tracks from Wish You Were Here, Animals and The Wall. No strangers to Bedford, The Floyd Effect is back by popular demand after a sell-out show in December 2016.

Tickets: bedfordcornexchange.co.uk box office: 01234 718044

Tuesday 20th March

Bedford Philharmonia performs:The Young MozartBedford Corn Exchange - Tickets: from £14

HAYDN Symphony No.47 “The Palindrome”MOZART Serenade No. 7 in D, K.250, HaffnerThis evening promises to be a glimpse into an 18th-century world of jubilant trumpets, spirited dance tunes and elegant romance, all drenched in summer sunshine. The Philharmonia’s

Concert Master Zsolt-Tihamér Visontay leads from his violin – just as Mozart himself would have done – and launches the celebrations with a great burst of imagination and humour from Mozart’s friend Joseph Haydn.

MUSIC


Thursday 15th March

The Wave Pictures + Grubby MittsEsquires The Wave Pictures are coming to Bedford, a treat not to be missed. They’ve been regularly touring and recording for almost twenty years though this is this their first time to Bedford. BBC6Music DJ Marc Riley claims, ‘David Tattershall is the greatest guitarist of our generation’, high praise indeed, with comparisons to Television and Johnny Marr. Friend to the stars, Lloyd Lugsden caught up with the band’s bassist, Franic Rozycki:

Bedford Clanger: How’s the tour going? Any incidents?

FR: We’ve played two shows, and the only incidents have been excesses of rocking good times!

BC: Been to Bedford town before?

FR: My last visit was when my family celebrated my Aunt’s birthday by going to the Proms in The Park (in Bedford!). The bands played some great classics as well as the usual silly Rule Briatannia bit. I think we had a good amount to drink.

BC: Tell us about your hometown...village

FR: Wymeswold. Home of international rock djs DJ Tatty T and DJ FJ. Those are the DJ names of Dave and myself.

BC: How did you get to work with Billy Childish?

FR: That came through [BBC Radio6’s] Marc Riley, who knew Billy before we did. When we did a radio session for Marc he asked if we would be interested in working with Billy, and of course we said yes, and then I guess he mentioned it to Billy as well, and then we got together and it happened. And the rest is rock and roll history.

BC: We think you’re a ‘proper’ indie band. Who you you class as a proper indie band?

FR: Uhmm, I guess I would say Billy Childish or Wreckless Eric seem to have gone their own way to the max, doing their own thing most of all out of of anyone I can think of right at this very moment. I am finding it difficult to think of anyone else very quickly, so I’ll say them!

Come and join The Friends of

The Higgins Bedford

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Reduced entry prices for charging exhibitions Private view invitations Exceptional annual programme of lectures Newsletter Discounts in The Higgins Bedford shop and in select local restaurants*

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Decent support comes from locals The Grubby Mitts plying their alt-art-dream-wonk sounds.

THE WAVE PICTURES PLAY ESQUIRES ON THURSDAY 15TH MARCH. TICKETS ARE JUST £10 FROM SEETICKETS.COM. WHAT ELSE ARE YOU GOING TO DO ON A THURSDAY EVENING? WATCH DEATH IN PARADISE?? DON’T SLEEP ON THIS ONE....


Riobello prides itself on being Italian and Giovanni, the owner, welcomes you with the warmth of a Roman holiday. Italian parents, supports Juventus and cultivates conversations with the ease of a man who’s travelled the world and is now determined to have the very best Italian restaurant north of the Alps. His wife (and co-owner) Amanda runs her own business but helps and assists at weekends and whenever she can during the week.

The ambiance is there: red and white chequered tablecloths, black and white family photographs, a bright modern decor and an Italian crooner singing gently in the background. There’s Peroni on draft, bottles of Moretti and a wine list which champions the best Italian wines.

We start our lunch with fried cod pieces on caramelised onions and aromatic herb bread crumbs, as well as a garlic mushroom and mozzarella cheese flan in a filo basket and a warm parmesan cheese base. The cod pieces are delicate and light and perfectly Italian, brimming with authenticity. The garlic mushroom and mozzarella cheese flan packs a delightful punch and it’s impossible to rate one above the other.

For her main Eva, the vegetarian, has an Ortolana Pizza topped with tomato, mozzarella, Mediterranean vegetables, mushrooms and onions. I have the Pollo con funghi (chicken breast in a cream mushroom sauce with diced roasted potatoes and seasonal vegetables). Both are superb. The pizza has the soft, dry base you’d expect from an Italian pizza and is decorated with fresh fior di latte mozzarella, strips of fresh courgettes and aubergine. The chicken is perfectly cooked, the sauce is rich and the diced roasted potatoes and seasonal vegetables are full of flavour.

Having thoroughly enjoyed our hour of the dolce vita we emerge, south of the bridge, into glorious sunshine. Only one regret, that we didn’t try the pane all’aglio, the smell of which had drifted tantalisingly across to our table.

Having recently appeared on a recent Channel 5 documentary with the fabulous Alex Polizzi and Oliver Peyton, I would thoroughly recommend this place to visit as it offers a little something for everyone to savour and enjoy.

Clanger restaurant review: Riobello, 6 St Mary’s St,Bedford MK42 0AS riobello.co.uk 01234 364430

Deli-ghtful plates at the EmbankmentThis season, The Embankment - our favourite riverside gastropub - has launched a menu of deli plates; irresistible little dishes of mouth-watering morsels that are the perfect partners to its new drinks list.

Try the prawn and paper-thin salad with oriental dressing; crispy lamb with pomegranate and mint salad or the warm crispy Camembert and fig relish.

This winter, the pub has decided to get drastic with the plastic and only use 100% biodegradable straws that are study enough to stir any drink, and only hand one out if asked. The Embankment has also stopped using stirrers, so saving two pieces of plastic for every drink served.

The Embankment, Bedford,MK40 3PD. Tel: 01234 261332 embankmentbedford.co.uk.

By Stephen Bywater @authorbywater

This month we asked The Higgins’ Victoria Partridge to give us the lowdown on the best bits of Bedford. Victoria is the Keeper of Fine and Decorative Art at the Higgins and – along with Lydia Saul, Keeper of Social History – has curated the museum’s new exhibition, Celebrating Women of Bedfordshire. The exhibition is part of a year of commemorative events to mark 100 years since some women were granted the right to vote. You can find out more about the exhibition which launches on Saturday 10th March, on page 3.

Clanger cover star: Sara SayerThis month’s cover star is local artist, Sara Sayer. Regular readers may remember the ‘local shops’ cover that Sara designed for us last year. This year’s design is inspired by the amazing women of Bedford to commemorate the #vote100 centenary. Sara is currently studying graphic design at Bedford College and her cover illustration took its inspiration from the medals presented to the Suffragettes. She has decorated the medals with the names of some of the incredible women born and raised in Bedford. Sara, we salute you! www.sarasayer.com


Name: Victoria Partridge

Occupation: Keeper of Fine and Decorative Art at The Higgins

Bedford

Born here or blow in? Born

Best thing about Bedford? Independent restaurants and

cafes

Best place to get a coffee or cuppa? Obviously The Higgin’s Pantry

but also Vanilla Tree and Coffee with Art… (there are so many).

Best breakfast? Although it’s not in Bedford I really like Milton Ernest Garden Centre (they have a resident cat Tallulah and do the best cheese scones too).

The one place you’d recommend to visitors? The cultural quarter, good food, independent shops and great museums.

Ever read John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress? No and I have to apologise every time I talk about Edward Bawden’s tapestry that celebrates its publication for not knowing anything about the story!

Bedford’s best boozer? I have a six year old so can’t leave the house for at least a decade but I hear the Welly and the Burnaby are brilliant.

Best Bedfordian? The volunteers at the Higgins they are some of the most committed, talented and generous people I have ever met.

Ever eaten a Bedfordshire Clanger? No but I have eaten Chocolate Toothpaste and Meltis Newbery Fruits, does that count?

Three words that sum up Bedford:Friendly, creative, positive

Best of Bedford: Victoria Partridge, Keeper of Fine & Decorative Art at the Higgins Bedford

march 2018 thebedfordclanger.com the bedford … · 2018. 3. 1. · 2 the bedford clanger • march...

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