arts richmond Newsletter of Richmond upon Thames Arts Council June 2009 Something worth celebrating This year the Richmond Shakespeare Society is celebrating its 75 th anniversary, and many of us will be planning to attend its open air Two great arts richmond production of Much Ado About Nothing on the lawns at York House summer events in Twickenham between 5 and 11 July (see below ). But even with 75 years behind it, the RSS is only one of several of our long-living Our Joint President for 2009, Lady local dramatic and other societies: BROS celebrated its centenary in Panufnik, is hosting our summer garden party with her fellow President, Lee 2008, TOpS and Teddington Theatre Club were both 80 in 2007, and Langley, on Saturday 11 July in the Wild this year’s ShowCase by the Richmond upon Thames Performing th Garden on the banks of the river at Arts Festival was its 75 . Other societies have prominent Riverside House, on Twickenham Riverside. anniversaries in the offing – let us know and we’ll help celebrate! The gate to the garden on Riverside will It’s fascinating to think of the generations who have walked the open at 4.00pm, and there’ll be wine, teatime treats, and, yes, song, with Pat Starr boards with these societies. Often the links are familial: today’s and Martin Davison’s Jazz Group, always a actors talk of their fathers and mothers and uncles and aunts in favourite at this event. Bring your friends earlier productions, and this year’s production is compared with (and chairs to keep you comfortable). earlier productions of the same play or musical by the same society. Please let the office know you are coming; Some of today’s performers are tomorrow’s celebrities. But there’s donations of £10 towards our funds will be never a hint of any parochialism or elitism: the ethnic diversity of welcome. today’s performers reflects our society and the way minority groups Before that, on Thursday 11 June, we have a are welcomed into the best of our established organisations. Go to special event for arts richmond to celebrate ShowCase and be amazed at the talent of young – sometimes very the superb photograph exhibition by Camilla young – competitors, and, again, the diversity of the entrants. When Jessel FRPS (Lady Panufnik’s professional you hear that our society is broken, well, it’s not there. title) in the Stables Gallery at Orleans House. The title of the exhibition is Water, The quality of our local drama is celebrated each year in Feathers and Fragmentation , and it arts richmond’s Swan Drama Awards. This year the volunteer (but showcases recent work by Camilla, well qualified) judges have been to over 40 productions. In figurative and abstract, inspired by the September there’ll be the nominations ceremony for short-listed Thames and the area around Orleans House, entrants at York House, and later that month the glamorous – and also drawing from her current professional always sold-out - Awards Gala in the Hampton Hill Playhouse. work reflecting some of today’s human concerns. Jay Charnock FRPS, President of So if you ever hear of cuts to arts budgets, just think of how local the Richmond and Twickenham arts organisations can involve and develop our young people, how Photographic Society, will give an older people can put their skills and experience to continuing use appreciation of the exhibition. and find social enjoyment, and how those in the middle can round The private view at the Stables Gallery is out their lives with stimulating activity. from 5.30 to 7.00 pm. Again, please let the arts richmond gets its funding from four main sources. We get about office know you are coming, and a donation 20% of our rather meagre resources from a grant-in-aid from the of £5 will be welcome. Council; about the same amount from local charitable trusts. The Also at Orleans House rest is generated by the events and competitions we organise and subscriptions of our affiliated societies and the Friends of the Arts Jeffrey Spedding’s paintings and drawings and Libraries. involving photographic imagery. After Observation: Representation through With the state of the nation’s economy, all these sources are no Composition, will be continuing at The doubt under threat. But before cuts are made, do please think of Stables Gallery until 21 June. what the arts contribute to making our society work. After Shakespeare, in the main Sunday events at concert at the Parish Church of St gallery there’s The Art of Sport, an Richard, Ham, at 7.30 pm in aid of exhibition to celebrate the Cultural Garrick’s Temple Save the Children – Beethoven, Olympiad, opening on 13 June, and Chopin, Faure, Alwyn, in The Stables, Sidelines , the first Sunday afternoon events by the river Rachmaninov, Scriabin and exhibition of a collective of local so- at Garrick’s Temple at Hampton in Ginastera (020 8940 9807). Also on called ‘non-artists’ opening on 25 June – all free: 27 June, Teddington Choral Society June, while Stitchers continues at the 6 June: Vocality –The Esher has a summer soiree in the Church Riverside Gallery throughout the Acapella Choir . 2.00 pm Hall of St Mary with St Alban, month (020 8831 6000). Teddington, at 2.00 and 7.00 pm 13 June: Rogues and Vagabonds - (020 8898 3245). Vote, Vote, Vote for the Verse, prose and song from the Teddington Drama Group. 2.00 pm Advance notice: on Saturday 4 July Coach House Twickenham Choral Society is 20 June; Hampton Junior School performing Bernstein’s Chichester Great news from Orleans House: the Swing Band (3.45 pm) Psalms and Hall Johnson’s Spirituals superb redevelopment of the old with two newly commissioned Coach House into a well-equipped Young Writers works, Burning Heavens based on education centre, the Stables Gallery The arrangements for the 2009 the War Poems of Siegfried Sassoon with its innovative exhibitions, and by Iain Farringdon and a piece based the North Stables Cafe, has now gone arts richmond competition for young writers, which attracted a record on words by Philip Ridley by Anne through to the shortlist in the Meredith; that’s at Kingston Parish prestigious National Arts Fund prize. number of entries in 2008, have been announced. The competition runs Church at 7.30 pm (020 8894 3231). Now The Guardian is running an On the same day, 4 July, Kew online public vote to help the judges over the summer, with workshops for hopeful participants, and culminates Sinfonia has its summer concert at St decide which of the four shortlisted Anne’s church, Kew Green, at 8.00 museums should win. The winner in a highly enjoyable awards event in the Orange Tree Theatre. The top pm; Schoenberg, Copland, Faure will be announced on 18 June, so and Dvorak (020 8940 1892). please vote soon: you can register winners become the Young Laureate your vote at www.guardian. and Junior Laureate for the borough The Pretty Things are at the Eel Pie co.uk/artandesign/poll/2009/may/05/ for 2010. Club at The Patch, 67 London Road, art-fund-britains-best-museums . There are four age groups for Twickenham on Wednesday 10 June (doors open 8.00 for 8.30 pm), and We wish the arts team at Orleans entrants, who can write a short story, poem, lyrics for a rap or whatever The Barcodes are there on House much deserved success in this Wednesday 24 June (doors open 8.30 important competition. takes their fancy, but not more than 500 words or 25 lines for a poem. for 9.15 pm (08700 600 100). Shakespeare: last chance Closing date is 30 September, and entries must include title for the ShowCoach While we’re at Orleans House, work, full name, address, email remember the last chance to see address and phone number, date of diary Shakespeare 1709-1790 is Sunday 7 birth, school or club, and school year. June. It can be combined with a visit Email or post to arts richmond. 10 June: War Horse at the to Garrick’s Temple at Hampton, New London Theatre built by the actor David Garrick on Music 24 June: Excursion to the banks of a fine stretch of the Chiddingstone Castle (fully Thames, with pictures The Dysart Arms in Petersham’s booked) commemorating Shakespeare and June classical concert is on Sunday 7 Garrick and the fine life-sized copy June at 7.30 pm: Sasha Grynyuk 18 July: The Odd Couple at of the famous Roubiliac statue. (piano) playing Janacek, Brahms, The Mill at Sonning Ligeti and Chopin (07967 481 625). On Sunday 7 June the free shuttle The All Saints concert series at All 15 August: Excursion to bus will take visitors between the Saints Church, East Sheen Avenue, Waddesdon Gallery and the Temple: they’ll leave continues on Saturday 13 June with the Gallery at 2.30, 3.30 and 4.30 and Emma Curtis (contralto) with The 14 September: Hairspray at come back at 3.00, 4.00 and 5.00 pm. Frolick in a concert of baroque music the Shaftesbury Theatre Light snacks are available both at the at 7.30 pm (07835 131925). North Stables Café at Orleans House 21 September: Suffolk and and at the Temple, providing a fine Richmond Orchestra has its Constable Country. 6 days and fascinating afternoon out. summer concert on Saturday 20 June (fully booked) at St John the Divine Church, www.artsrichmond.org.uk Richmond, at 7.30 pm, with Barber, 17 October: Excursion to Rachmaninov and Arvo Part (020 Apsley House The arts richmond website lists all 8547 2695).