EDITION 3 WINTER 2015 CHRISTMAS PRESENT Inspiration The Ealing Angle MARTIN OFFIAH GIVE SOMETHING BACK THIS Christmas FREE FEATURED INSIDE A note from the Editor 10 CHRISTMAS GIFT LIST Talking of performances, whilst the Rugby n each edition of The Line we focus on I World Cup might have left the Home Nations a main content theme. In edition one we a little deflated, we are delighted that rugby concentrated on health by highlighting the league legend Martin Offiah agreed to be Ealing Half Marathon. Edition two shared interviewed for our Ealing Angle piece. The beauty and makeup trends and in this third full article is on page 28. Ealing Broadway we highlight festive gifts and presents. All are available to buy in Ealing town centre; And full we certainly have been, following let’s ensure our local retailers thrive. We also the opening of Pho Restaurant in Ealing. The EALING TRAILFINDERS RUGBY CLUB dedicate our regular feature, the Ealing Style menu packs a fragrant, delicious punch with 17 Shopping Centre List to gift ideas on how we can all give back beautifully crafted Vietnamese dishes. Make to those in need this winter. it Ealing encourage you to take a break from your festive shopping and enjoy! Here in Ealing we are proud of our wealth of independents and these are further Keep sending in your photographs and celebrated through the Timeout Love London comments to @theline_ealing using Awards. Congratulations to winners, Electric #snappedinealing for any photographs. We Coffee Co, All Original, Santa Maria, The love hearing your thoughts and listen to your Grange and The Questors Theatre. feedback which helps to ensure we deliver a magazine you want to read! th Our ‘Spotlight on’ feature delves into the Until 26 December extraordinary history of The Questors The Make it Ealing team hope you have Theatre, a gem of a theatre tucked away on enjoyed these inaugural editions of The Line, EALING’S TOP COCKTAILS Located in Town Square Mattock Lane. The theatre puts on a huge and we wish you a very festive December, 22 range of performances throughout the year for all to enjoy. See you in 2016! Our traditional Christmas Market continues Make it Ealing into December, offering everything from handcrafted gifts and festive decorations to a selection of tasty winter warmers. 06 THE GIVING LIST 24 GIGS AND LIVE MUSIC Don’t miss finding that unique gift. 08 VIETNAMESE DELIGHT 28 THE EALING ANGLE Visit our website for details. WINTER SHORT CHRISTMAS CAROL 26 BREAKS 19 SERVICES 30 SECRET EALING CONTENT & ADVERTISING MANAGER Contributors Kate Cawood: [email protected] CONTRIBUTORS Allie Collins BACK COVER: Darren LeRoy Halford PRODUCED BY Franco Manca Ealing Broadway BID & Make it Ealing Mike Paterson 36 New Broadway, W5 2XA [email protected] Terri Sinden ealingbroadwayshopping.co.uk EDITOR IMAGES WITH THANKS TO Ann Hunter: [email protected] Mickey Lee The businesses of Ealing Broadway BID Free WiFi @ealingshopping /ealingbroadwayshopping EB_XmasMarket_The Line Full_275x200mm_v3.indd 1 27/10/2015 17:50 SPOTLIGHT ON THE DRAMATIC QUEST Darren LeRoy Halford takes an access all areas tour of The Questors Theatre WHAT'S ON THIS CHRISTMAS? The Questors Theatre in Mattock Lane amateurism firmly back in its dressing-up box. Ian guides me through to the smaller of the it. The collection is so large we often lend our ‘Although we don’t make a song and dance Dick Whittington & His Cat: A fun-filled occupies a plot once owned by a priest named two theatre spaces. Named the Constantin costume to other companies.’ about our alumni I do remember seeing the pantomime for all the family 12 Dec-2 Jan ‘Since its inception The Questors has been a O’Halloran. In contravention of holy orders he Stanislavsky room after the father of method Blue Peter presenter, Konnie Huq, and Anne- reaction against third-rate theatre.’ Ian explains. Downstairs I’m shown the bar which is located The Lying Kind: An adult knockabout, built his own church in the garden and was acting, the rows of seats can be deconstructed Marie Duff coming down after school for our ‘Our aim is always to be adventurous, to be in the original villa. On the wall are rows black comedy farce 18-31 Dec excommunicated for his zeal. The Vatican’s loss and repositioned to create theatre that is youth theatre’. Duff went on to win a BAFTA outward looking and to have an independent of certificates from CAMRA, awarded for was acting’s gain: a group of young enthusiasts, participatory and intimate. Pop-up shows and a British Independent Film Award for her Please see full details of shows approach to theatre.’ This is evident in the unswerving devotion to serving quality real ales keen to improve standards of non professional and plays by other theatre companies are role in the John Lennon story, Nowhere Boy. www.questors.org.uk calibre of shows staged down the years: at prices most of us haven’t seen since the ’90s. theatre, obtained permission to convert the site often performed here. Anything goes, from James Bond’s boss, Q (Dame Judi Dench) is Beckett; Miller; Shakespeare – names straight Pickled eggs and Monster Munch can also be FANCY GETTING INVOLVED? into a playhouse in 1933 and the company has Germany’s self-styled ‘ambassador of comedy’ current president of the company. from the playwright hall of fame. Miller’s The purchased. A proper bar. ‘You don’t have to be since continued uninterrupted for 86 years. Henning Wehn and his oompah band, to the The Questors has over 1,400 members Crucible is currently in production, its simple visiting a show’, says Ian. ‘It’s open to Questors Ian’s pride and enthusiasm for his theatre is and offers involvement for all ages. ‘Not only do we have 1,400 members, but 500 stage design highlighting the flexibility of the current touring show staged by Chiswick’s members who simply fancy a pint’. obvious. The Questors manages the trick of Whether you want to act, direct or be youngsters, which probably makes our youth 370 seat Judi Dench Playhouse. Theatre West 4. staging challenging, cutting-edge plays without Ian is one of the team managing a budget involved with lighting, costume design, theatre the biggest in the UK, Europe… and a whiff of pretension or snobbishness. It does Development of the site took place after the We duck under a rope, and I’m led up a tight of half a million pounds. ‘It’s not the cost of set design, sound, stage management quite possibly the cosmos.’ Ian Briggs is head of this 15 times a year through the dedicated Second World War and the company became staircase towards the scent of fresh laundry. performing shows that is expensive as we or stewarding, one of Europe’s largest marketing at The Questors Theatre. He has also efforts of its members. It is an asset to the in 1964 one of the first in Britain to build a In a narrow room, adjacent to three industrial already have the costumes, and the labour amateur theatre companies has been a director, lighting designer, and proud, Ealing community worth applauding. modern theatre with movable seating. Her washing machines is wardrobe. Neatly in the form of volunteer craftsmen, front of something for everyone. 35-year member of Ealing’s theatre company. Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother organised rows of replica dresses, from the house staff and actors. A big expense is simply Questors Youth Theatre is open to ages I’m being shown life behind the curtain on a opened the space and weeks later the first one- middle ages until the present press up against heating and maintenance: cleaning the building, 6-18. Alongside this is Young Studio which guided tour. Next door in the rehearsal room a act production of Guildenstern & Rosencrantz sheepskin coats, leather jerkins and pantaloons. stopping leaks; the dull stuff that has to get is a one-year basic acting course for 17-20 was directed here by a young Tom Stoppard. Hand-scrawled labels on plastic boxes line done.’ The budget is covered by membership group of actors can be heard practising their year olds, there is also a choreography. Out back in the workshop a The rewritten, full-length play was staged on the walls – Mumsy Nightdresses; Period subscriptions, ticket sales, room hire and bar income. It’s a big operation, but The Questors two-year part-time acting course for 18+. wood saw whirrs as scenery is constructed Broadway where it won five Tony awards. Its Nightdresses; Posh Shawls; Fairly Respectable prides itself on being entirely self-funded. for the Christmas panto production of Dick writer went on to become one of our nation’s Shawls; Peasant Shawls – ‘We have to cater for Go to www.questors.org.uk for more info Whittington. There is an impressively efficient most respected playwrights as well as a knight all shapes and sizes in our actors’ says Ian. ‘If it’s At the end of the tour I ask Ian if The Questors or call Box Office: 020 8567 5184 hum about the theatre that puts any idea of of the realm. not here our wardrobe department can make is responsible for any our current stars. 04 - THE LINE 05 - THE LINE THE GIVING LIST T H EGiving List 1 OXFAM UNWRAPPED GIFTS. £5-£27 4 EALING STREET PASTORS 1 2 Teach a teacher, empower women, build a shelter, support a farm, Ealing Street Pastors are volunteers from local churches who walk this gift will go where it’s needed most.