APRIL 2017 THEBEDFORDCLANGER.COM THE BEDFORD YOUR CULTURAL GUIDE TO CLANGERTHE BEST OF BEDFORD “NANDO’S, SIR? STRAIGHT DOWN THE HIGH STREET AND IT’S ON YOUR LEFT.” PUTTING WORDS IN THE MOUTHS OF BEDFORD’S STATUES: PAGES 3&4 Inside: NT LIVE LAUNCHES AT THE QUARRY THEATRE NEW BARS IN BEDFORD EASTER ACTIVITIES FOR ALL THE FAMILY Letter from the editor There’s a lot going on this month, so make the most of the Spring weather by getting out and about in our beautiful town. Take a tour of the Talking Statues, head to Wrest Park’s St George’s Day festivities or chill out on the terrace of the Lane while browsing some vinyl at the BedPop Record Shop. This month, we pay homage to the many beautiful Bedfordians who are taking part in this year’s London and Brighton (and in one case, Paris) Find your unique marathons. Turn to page 14 to find out who’s running for which charity and pledge your support. Runners, we’re all behind you! Wedding Journey Erica, Julia & Team Clanger Bedford has a wealth of unique wedding suppliers - not least our superstar photographer, Cat Lane - and many of them will be taking part in the brilliantly eclectic Wedding Journey Festival, taking place at Moggerhanger Park on Sunday 23rd March. The brain child of make- up artist, Alison Reid-Kynoch, the festival will be a one-stop shop for any brides-and-grooms-to-be who don’t necessarily want to fit in with THE CLANGER others’ expectations. “I wanted to create a place for local cool and NEWS IN BRIEF creative wedding suppliers to showcase their fresh and alternatives and ideas,” said Alison. “We find inspiration from the lifestyle trends around us and enjoy expressing our choices through creative design. Why should your wedding be any different; an expression of who you both are as a couple on your fabulously stylish wedding day.” Collaborators include Vintage Suit Hire, the White Emporium, Kooky prints at epanoui George James Bridal, Greycourt Florists, magician Neil Henry plus If you loved our February cover by artist Sara Sayer (@kookymagpie), suppliers of accessories, cakes, jewellery and vintage camper then you’ll be excited to hear that it is now available as a framed vans. It sounds like it’ll be great day out for anyone planning to do print from epanoui on Mill Street. epanoui’s owner, Hannah has something different on their wedding day. been busy filling the shop with lots of gorgeous new Spring/Summer The Wedding Journey Festival, Sunday 23rd March from stock, including locally hand-crafted reclaimed lamps and Talia Giles’ 11.am – 3.30pm. Entry is free. Moggerhanger Park, Park Rd, beautiful and unique woodland animal prints. You know you want to! Moggerhanger, Bedford MK44 3RW moggerhangerpark.com. For Epanoui, 44 Mill St, Bedford MK40 3HD epanoui.co.uk more information, check out the Wedding Journey Facebook page. Bedford Artisan Fair Team Clanger Editor: Erica Roffe @bedfordclanger [email protected] The first Bedford Artisan Fair will take place at the Bedford Corn Commercial Manager: Julia Crofts @clangerads [email protected] Exchange on Saturday 15th April from 10am-4pm. Featuring the Design: Adam Boreham @reactionvm reactionvisual.media work of local artists, artisans, producers and makers, the fair will Photography: Cat Lane @catlanephoto bring together art and design, country crafts, cut flowers, ceramics, Music: Lloyd Lugsden @lloydlug sculpture, furniture, home accessories, gifts, cards and locally Theatre: Paula Walker @pauliwauli2 produced food and drink. Tea, coffee and homemade cakes will be Food & Drink: Stephen Bywater @authorbywater served by Dog House Kitchen and The Wooden Hill Coffee Company. Website: Alec East @ Narrative Industries For further information, check out their event page on Facebook. the puddin club ONLY £10 PER Puddings • Cakes • Breakfast • Cheeseboard WALK Great Coffee • Prosecco • Wine • Beer • Cider Ice Cream • Milkshakes You can either have private hire in the evening (not Fridays) or for smaller ADERLEY DOGS gatherings we can reserve you a table. GROUP DOG WALKING, HOME VISITS get your just desserts & BOARDING FOR THE BEDFORD AREA 07773 943586 www.thepuddinclub.co.uk [email protected] 01234 881 418 120a Castle Road, Bedford, MK40 3RG facebook.com/AderleyDogs • www.aderleydogs.co.uk 2 The Bedford Clanger • April 2017 THE CLANGER HOMETOWN HERO Talking statues with Al Murray Bedford has been home to many notable What are your memories of people – numerous of them immortalised being at school in Bedford? as statues in the town. One such luminary “I have mixed memories of Bedford. (not currently honoured in stone) is Al Culturally it was an amazing place to Murray, former head boy at Bedford be a teenager. Michael Rose ran the School, but perhaps better known as Bedford Youth Orchestra which was a the xenophobic comedy creation, the great experience and open to anyone. I Pub Landlord. Al is one of the actors played percussion: cymbals and triangle who voices Bedford’s public art as part and I had a brilliant time. Of course, I of Sing London’s Talking Statues project should point out that none of the boys (for more information, turn to page 4). ever went to any pubs where there might We spoke to Al about his memories of have been a lenient landlord until they Bedford, what it’s like to be a giant silver were over 18…” face and what he’d do if he was an MP… What was it like to be the voice What interested you about the project? of a giant silver face? “When I was first approached to be the “I can’t give too much away, but the voice of a statue I thought the idea was concept is a flight of fancy; imagining the completely nuts; I mean, it’s a pretty changes those faces may have witnessed esoteric concept! I get approached for over the year. It’s asking the public to lots of different things, so I always try imagine the things that have happened Photo by: and choose the things that interest me here. Unlike some of the other statues, Robert and often the crazy ideas are the most there isn’t a life story to tell. You’ll have Macdonald interesting.” to wait and listen!” Written by Duncan Macmillan with Jonny Donahoe Directed by George Perrin EVERY BRILLIANT THING Tuesday 2nd May, 4.30pm & 7.30pm You’re seven years old. Mum’s in Ticket price hospital. Dad says she’s ‘done £12.50 something stupid’. She finds it hard (£10.50 concessions) to be happy. You make a list of Age suitability everything that’s brilliant about the 13 + world: Ice cream, Water fights, Rollercoasters, People falling over... Running time A play about depression and the 60 mins lengths we go to for those we love. Box office 01234 362337 quarrytheatre.org.uk The Quarry Theatre at St Luke’s is part of Bedford School, which is part of The Harpur Trust The Bedford Clanger • April 2017 3 THE TALKING STATUES CLANGER UNIQUE BEDFORD OF BEDFORD This Spring, arts producers Sing London have given voices to seven statues across Bedford. From 11th April, when you pass a Talking Statue, swipe your smartphone on a nearby plaque and presto, get a call back from John Bunyan (as voiced by Matt Berry), Big Band leader Glenn Miller (written by Toby Litt) or a 5-metre tall silver face (as voiced by Al Murray)! Each has a story to tell. Together, they tell Bedford’s story. While most monologues have been created by leading writers and actors with a Bedford connection, The Place Theatre also worked with inmates at HM Prison Bedford to write a monologue for prison reformer John Howard. This will be voiced by Bond actor Colin Salmon. Matt Berry: “Being born in Bedford, the John Bunyan statue was an integral part of growing up. Even if you didn’t know who he was, you couldn’t fail to notice him. I like the fact that he went to prison and wrote a bestseller while he was there! So if you should go to prison, why not write a book - because you might get your own statue!” Using drama, humour and location technology, Talking Statues COMPETITION: breathes new life into the statues that surround us. Some approaches Give a Statue a Voice! are dramatic, others comic and others flights of pure fantasy. All aim to persuade the public look at the statues with new eyes. At the time of the launch, two statues still await the gift of Meet the Statues: speech...what do they have to say for themselves? Perhaps • Matt Berry (The IT Crowd, The Mighty Boosh) voices John you’ll be the one to tell us! The winning pieces will be Bunyan, whose 1678 masterpiece The Pilgrim’s Progress has decided by public writing competition and recorded by actors outsold every book in publishing history bar the Bible and performers associated with Bedford in summer 2017. • Al Murray (The Pub Landlord) voices Reflections of Bedford - The competition statues are: what’s going on inside these two giant silver heads? Trevor Huddleston - Anglican priest and tireless anti-apartheid • Colin Salmon (Resident Evil, 24: Live Another Day) voices John activist in 1940s and 50s South Africa. “No white person Howard - why was he taken prisoner in Brittany? has done more for South Africa than Trevor Huddleston.” - • Toby Litt (deadkidsongs, Journey into Space) imagines Glenn Nelson Mandela Miller zooming back through space and time to tell us what he’s Sir William Harpur - eminent Bedfordian, Lord Mayor of seen since his plane disappeared in 1944 London, and Elizabethan philanthropist • Bedford storytellers Mark Steinhardt and Richard Mann give a To enter, send a short monologue from the statue’s voice to the War Memorial - what is this old warrior thinking as perspective (up to 350 words) to: he stands by the river? [email protected] before 21 May 2017.