magalogue

June 2015

Image: The HandleBards

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June brings international adventures through Japan, Brazil and the USA plus the chance to see Folk legend Peggy Seeger perform live.

Theatre comes in the shape of Edinburgh hit Every Brilliant Thing and cycling Shakespeare sensation The HandleBards.

You can even enjoy a pint in the grounds as the annual Beer Festival, Beerex, returns.

With so much to do right here in Salisbury, it seems a shame to go away this summer...

Holiday with us instead?

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Resident artists out and about

What is Hoodwink up to over the summer? Hoodwink is immersed in a project To No-One commissioned by Salisbury Cathedral as part of the 800 years of Magna Carta celebrations.

How did To No-One come about? To No-One came about in response to the Cathedral requesting a performance event primarily for secondary school age students but relevant to all over 11 years. A performance that would encourage audiences to consider their own notions of social justice and fairness.

What can people expect from the performance? This performance is interactive and informative, playful and thought-provoking, a theatrical TED talk in the

Images: Hoodwink To No-One

Salisbury Arts Centre wouldn’t be the same without its wonderful resident artists and companies creating exciting work in the venue. We caught up with Hoodwink and Two Destination Language (over the page) to find out more about what they’re up to this summer:

historic Oak Court with voices from Salisbury’s legal histories.

What has been your favourite thing about producing this piece? Creating an event for the atmospheric Oak Court and allowing audiences an opportunity to experience what it might have been like combined with discovering the history of Salisbury Swing Riots, interviewing solicitors and folk from all walks of life and finding out their views on fairness.

Catch To No-One in the Oak Courtroom at Salisbury GuildhallFriday 12 June 7.30pm &Saturday 13 June 2pm & 7.30pmTickets: £10

Book now>>>

Images: Hoodwink To No-One

Images: Landed featuring Wiltshire residents, Near Gone (photo: Alma Hasler)

What’s on the cards for Two Destination Language over the summer?We’ve just opened a new piece, LANDED, at the Ageas Salisbury International Arts Festival, and there’s lots of interest in that for next year, so producing time in the office will be important. We’re taking Near Gone to Poland, Ireland and back to Edinburgh where we won a Total Theatre Award for the show last year. Hopefully we’ll catch some great shows by other artists on our travels too! There are also rehearsals to polish up Manpower before it goes on the road in October.

What’s your summer highlight? We are working with young people at the Arts Centre on the Summer Stage project. It’s a great chance to make a show in a really limited time and be inspired by the energy and talent of those taking part! Returning to festivals in Ireland and Scotland where our work has been received well before is also really exciting.

How would you describe your work for those who’ve not yet experienced it?Touching, personal and innovative. We make work about identity and community. Often we use personal stories, and the form of a piece is chosen to fit, so we create theatre shows, intimate experiences, installations and exhibitions.

Summer StageMonday 27 July - Saturday 8 August (not 1 & 2 August) 10am - 4pmTickets: £180

This year Two Destination Language will be running Summer Stage at Salisbury Arts Centre.

Summer Stage is a two week residency for young people aged 11 - 18. It brings together young actors, musicians and technicians to create a performance from scratch.

The theme of this year’s performance will be ‘Worth Fighting For?’

If you’d like to take part and enjoy creating a show with a Total Theatre Award-winning performance company simply book your place online via the link below or call the Box Office on 01722 321744.

Book now>>>

Regular EventsEnjoy your monthly fix of music & sketching

The regular fun continues this month with Big Band Brunch, Altar Club, Dr Sketchy’s and Hijack Open Mic.

Big Band BrunchSunday 7 June 12noonEnjoy music from the Girls Only Jazz Orchestra. Performing Swing classics and fresh new hits, this group will blow you away with its Big Band sound.

Book your Big Band Brunch tickets now>>>

Dr Sketchy’sWednesday 17 June 7.30pmJune Dr Sketchy’s brings exciting drawing rounds, fabulous burlesque and cabaret models, risque performance, great music and prizes. Enjoy a night of quality artistic entertainment with an edge. Grab your pencils and sketchbooks and head down for a wild, arty night out.

Book your Dr Sketchy’s tickets now>>>

Hijack Open MicThursday 25 June 5 - 7pmHijack Open Mic returns with another line-up of talented young performers. There is no need to book a ticket for this free event; just turn up and enjoy live music and more from some of our community’s bright young artists.

Altar ClubSaturday 27 June 8pmJune Altar Club features The Members - the first band to combine Reggae rhythms with Punk attitude - and Pyeshoppe.

Book your Altar Club tickets now>>>

Image: Dr Sketchy’s May

Regular EventsEnjoy your monthly fix of music & sketching

Image: Dr Sketchy’s May

FilmJune films offer emotional stories, spectacular landscapes and international adventures. View the trailers below for a taste of what’s to come.

Images: X + Y, Kumiko the Treasure Hunter, Trash, Bag of Rice

X + Y (12A):Tuesday 9 June 7.30pm

X + Y tells an inspiring story about a socially awkward teenage maths prodigy who hides in the comfort of numbers.

When his unconventional teacher encourages him to join the British team at the International Mathematics Olympiad, Nathan discovers unexpected challenges and feelings for a beautiful competitor.

Book your tickets now>>>

Images: X + Y, Kumiko the Treasure Hunter, Trash, Bag of Rice

Click the images above to watch trailers of upcoming films.

View all Summer 2015 films and book your tickets now >>>

Kumiko The Treasure Hunter (12A):Thursday 18 June 7.30pm

Kumiko The Treasure Hunter is a darkly comic odyssey, which follows a lonely Japanese woman on her quest to find the money buried in the fictional film Fargo.

Book your tickets now>>>

Trash (15)Sunday 28 June 7.30pm

Scripted by Richard Curtis and directed by Stephen Daldry (Billy Elliot), Trash tells the story of three children caught in a web of corruption after finding a wallet in the rubbish tips of Rio de Janeiro.

Book your tickets now>>>

Bag of Rice (U)Saturday 20 June 11am

Bag of Rice tells the story of four-year-old Jairan who is ignored at home and itching for something to do. Convincing her partially-sighted neighbour that the two of them should travel across Tehran to buy rice, what could possibly go wrong?

Book your tickets now>>>

BeerexFriday 12 & Saturday 13 June ● Book now>>>

Summer is virtually here and for many of us that means one thing: lovely warm weather to enjoy in a beer garden! This month you can go a step further with our annual resident Beer Festival, Beerex, adding live music and beautiful Arts Centre grounds to your summer al-fresco drinking experience.

At this year’s Beerex you can look forward to over 50 real ales and ciders, plus retro rock from Off The Cuff, local guitar duo Duck ‘n’ Cuvver and Salisbury Music Award nominees Break Cover gracing our Altar Stage. Nothing goes better with a pint than a healthy blast of rock and roll!

And if all that beer and dancing leaves you peckish, you can tuck into tasty barbecued sausages and burgers alongside our usual cafe offerings. You could even use your barbecue break to vote for your favourite beer of the festival – a great excuse for trying a few contenders, but please do sample responsibly!

A regular fixture at the Arts Centre, this will be the 35th time Salisbury & South Wilts CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) has held the Beerex event. Now surely that’s worth a celebratory pint!

Image: Beerex 2014

BeerexFriday 12 & Saturday 13 June ● Book now>>>

Image: Beerex 2014

Peggy SeegerTuesday 16 June 8pm ● Book Now>>>

Peggy Seeger is a legend of the Folk world, a feminist icon and an eco warrior. In her 80th birthday year, there’s something truly mesmerising about her heartfelt music. Enjoy a taste of Peggy live in the above video from Later with Jools Holland filmed in May 2015. Simply click the image to experience the enchanting storytelling of this extraordinary songwriter.

Image: Peggy Seeger

For this special live gig, Peggy Seeger will be joined by her sons Neill and Calum MacColl.

As well as celebrating her 80th birthday this year, Peggy celebrates the release of probably her finest solo album. Everything Changes was produced by Calum MacColl and features passionate and humorous songs with truths to tell.

Join us to celebrate the 80th year of this much-loved songwriter.

Image: Peggy Seeger

“One of the seminal figures of the British Folk revival and widely regarded as something of a firebrand” Daily Telegraph

Blackheart - Saturday 20 June

In recent years Blackheart has recorded three albums, enjoyed airplay in nearly every country in the world and played successful tours across Europe and Australia.

Their music and sound combine acoustic instruments and the voice of Chrissy Mostyn with ancient synthesisers, effects, atmospherics and electronica to create a new brand of avant-garde ethereal folk.

Expect highly personal and haunting music flavoured with piercing observations and penetrating lyrics.

Live LunchesSaturdays 20 & 27 June 12noon - 2pmThese events are free but donations are much appreciated

Trio of Men - Saturday 27 June

Trio of Men consists of Ben Ballard performing ukulele, cajon and oddments, Hugh Nankivell on keyboards and glockenspiel, and Steve Sowden on guitar, loops and toys! They all sing too - what a talented bunch!

They are now re-arranging traditional English folk songs, creating new asymmetric songs about the eccentric mathematician Oliver Heaviside and reinterpreting Beck’s ‘The Song Reader’.

Enjoy everything from Alt-boogie a-la Tom Waits to middle-aged-pop and much more.

Music programmer Thomas Brooman has dished up another exciting menu of Live Lunches this June. Enjoy a tasty lunch from the cafe accompanied by free music from:

View the full summer Live Lunch programme>>>

Image: Blackheart and Trio of Men

Every Brilliant ThingTuesday 23 June 8pm ● Book Now>>>

It took Edinburgh and New York by storm, it sold out at Brighton Fringe and, with every new review we read, we’re becoming increasingly excited about Every Brilliant Thing!

Every Brilliant Thing is a joyful and heart-wrenching new play by Duncan Macmillan about depression and the lengths we’ll go to for those we love.

Imagine you’re six years old. Mum’s in hospital. Dad says she’s ‘done something stupid’. She finds it hard to be happy. So you start to make a list of everything that’s worth living for: Ice Cream, Kung Fu Movies, Burning Things, Laughing so hard you shoot milk out of your nose... me.

Performed by comedian Jonny Donahoe, this is tipped to be one of the funniest plays you’ll ever see.

Image: Richard Durrant

“Every Brilliant Thing is a touching, surprisingly uplifting show about living with depression” The Telegraph

“The funniest play you’ll see about depression - and possibly one of the funniest plays you’ll ever see” The Guardian

“If I see a performance piece any time soon that gives me as much pleasure and raises my spirits as high as Jonny Donahoe’s has, I’ll be grateful. And if I ever start my own list [of brilliant things] he’ll be on it prominently” Huffington Post

Image: Richard Durrant

A phenomenally engaging performance from Jonny Donahoe” The Guardian

A Brilliant Writing WorkshopThursday 25 June 7 - 9pm ● Book now>>>

If you’re an Arts Centre regular, you’ve probably seen the wonderful Angela Street sweeping through the building on her way to tutor our flourishing playwrights at Scriptwriter’s Doo Dah. This month she’ll be running a one-off workshop to accompany Every Brilliant Thing, a brand new play about love, depression, and the value of family connection. We caught up with the splendid scribe to talk theatre, inspiration and finding some levity in the deep subject of depression:

We love seeing you every week for Scriptwriter’s Doo Dah. How does a one-off workshop differ from the long courses you lead?A one-off workshop like this, where everyone has seen the play, is great for focussing on the minutiae, and examining the whole production as well as the writing.

How has Every Brilliant Thing inspired you? Are there new approaches you’re looking forward to exploring with your students?I love the way the writer, Duncan Macmillan, collected lists from people on social media. He asked them to contribute something they thought of as ‘A Brilliant Thing’. We’ll have a look at ways writers can use social media to create new work. As a list freak myself, I shall be in list heaven; be prepared to write lists!

What do you need to consider when dealing with such potentially emotive subject matter? Does humour play an important role? Yes. Important question. I suppose I should stress that this is a writing workshop so the focus will be on writing. Having said that, I realise that the subject of depression touches a lot of people’s lives, including my own, and it can have devastating results. So the humour is a way of coping with the depression whether it’s your own or another person’s close to you. It’s

certainly not making light of a serious mental health issue. This is something we’ll talk about in the workshop, but my aim will be to create a supportive atmosphere where people can feel free to speak and write but, at the same time, are not under any pressure to speak or read out their work if they don’t want to.

What do you hope students will take away from the workshop?At best, they may take away some exciting new pieces of writing, and enthusiasm, and inspiration, and new ideas. And, at worst, they may take away my favourite carrot pen. I’ve lost a lot of pens. Please don’t take my pen.

If you’re inspired (and have plenty of your own pens) book a Joint Performance and Workshop ticket now >>>

HamletTuesday 30 June 7pm ● This event is free

It’s not everyday that a touring theatre company arrives by bicycle and performs Hamlet as a comedy! We caught up with them, while they took a break from the cycling, to find out more:

We love the idea of a company that travels around on bicycles. How did the HandleBards come about?It came about three years ago, after we’d each finished university and wanted some adventure. Where other graduates would go off on gap years and others would get graduate jobs, we thought we’d start up our own enterprise - mixing a touring theatre model with something a bit more exciting and ultimately sustainable! The bike was very much in vogue - Britain had won big in cycling at the 2012 Olympics, and it had just been announced that the Tour de France would be starting in England in 2014, so it was the perfect mode of transport!

Sir Ian McKellen sings your praises. What’s that special something that makes your version of Hamlet one not to be missed?It’s a comedy! With four actors playing

every character in the play, and with the set, props and costumes being limited to what we can carry on our bikes, the play is going to be unlike any version you’ve seen before.

You’ve performed all over the world. What has been your favourite place to perform and why?Last year we performed Macbeth on the top of Dunsinnan Hill, on the actual ruins of Macbeth’s Castle, overlooking Birnam Wood. We’re the only company to ever have done so, because the hill is so steep! We had to carry our bikes up on our backs and the audience each carried a bag of costume or props - it was an amazing experience!

What would you like our audience to take away from the performance?Two things: that Shakespeare is engaging, funny and not just something that is studied at school, and that it’s possible to present theatre in many different ways - it doesn’t always have to be in an auditorium with lights and a sound system. As we cycle around the country this year we’ll be using our bikes to charge everything we use onstage and offstage, so we’re able to take these shows to places where theatre may never have been performed before.

Image: The HandleBards

Image: The HandleBards

Image: Will Dickie, Team of the Decades

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