The Chronicle, Thursday, 26th September, 2013. www.chronicleseries.co.uk 23 LLIVEIVE SOL summer school a success An assortment of Synth king Thomas Michaelmas Mop Fair at Little Moreton Dolby on UK tour SOL, the intensive two-week Ayckbourn at Vic theatre school held at Daneside Theatre, Congleton, culminated Classic comedy Time of My recently with two performances Life arrives at the New Vic this of Samarkand, the Girl with the autumn when Alan Ayckbourn World in Her Eyes, which were makes his annual visit to the enjoyed by audiences, including theatre-in-the-round. a range of local dignitaries. First produced at The show focused on develop- Scarborough’s Stephen Joseph ing acting, singing and dancing Theatre in 1992 and then in the skills and also helped the partici- West End, Time of My Life is pants to develop confi dence. one of Ayckbourn’s most popular At the same time SOL ensured plays and is at the New Vic from that all the participants enjoyed Tuesday, 8th to Saturday, 26th themselves and gained life expe- October. rience. Talking about the per- It is Laura Stratton’s birthday formance, director Wain Simon and to celebrate the event her hus- and choreographer Louise Carter band Gerry, their two sons and said: “It’s great that SOL has their partners are gathered for an again been such a success, evening out in the family’s favour- Thomas Dolby, musician, thanks to the hard work and ite restaurant. The dinner turns record producer and award-win- determination of all our vol- From left, Mr Wain, Coun out to be a signifi cant moment in ning independent fi lmmaker is unteers and the young people Hayes and Ms Carter. all their lives with repercussions on a September and October UK themselves.” for years to come. tour. Town Mayor Coun George has been able to support this Ayckbourn said: “This is one The British synth player had Hayes added: “I am pleased to group and I very much look for- of my very JB Priestley-esque chart success in the 1980s with see SOL move from strength to ward to continuing to watch the plays. It deals with time and is hits like Windpower, Hyperactive! strength each year, offering the good work of the SOL Theatre very much about living for the and She Blinded Me With Science opportunity to develop key skills School movement.” moment: how we sometimes fail and the Invisible Lighthouse Tour which will undoubtedly help in Next year’s theatre school runs to realise where we are in our lives sees Dolby take his latest fi lm the future lives of so many young from 4th to 16th August. For fur- — if only we had stopped and just project on the road, and present it You can’t get the staff . master of the house John Deakin and people. ther details, contact Louise Carter looked around for a moment.” to audiences as a theatrical expe- maid Liz Greenwood get ready for the mop fair. on 01260 290050. rience. “I am pleased that the town The cast comprises John Visitors to Little Moreton Hall threat.” council, among other sponsors, (Submitted photograph). Branwell, Rachel Caffrey, Sarah There is a mysterious island across the water off the East will be offered apprenticeships Visitors will be shown what to Parks, Emily Pithon, Ben Porter, in trades such as scribe (writing do and once they have got the James Powell and Richard Anglian coast that, during its chequered history, has been an air- with a quill pen), apothecary hang of the skills, they are given Stacey. (mixing potions), chandler (mak- a mop badge to show what trade The same company will appear fi eld, a military testing ground for experimental weapons and home ing beeswax candles) and seam- they are apprenticed to. Then mas- Tudor day with Welsh National Opera in Ayckbourn’s latest play, stress (sewing and embroidering) ter of the house William Moreton Arrivals and Departures, which to the main transmission network for the BBC World Service. at the weekend. (John Deakin), will attach a rib- Little Moreton Hall hosts sing- Anna Bolena (Anne Boleyn) is at the New Vic from Thursday, The occasion is a traditional bon to the mop badge, to show ers from Welsh National Opera is an opera in two acts, one of 10th to Saturday, 26th October, On the tip of the island is a beautiful lighthouse. But, now, Michaelmas Mop Fair, staged at they have been hired. on Thursday, 24th October. a number of operas by Donizetti and Farcicals, two short, one-act the hall on Saturday and Sunday. Members of The Tudor and As part of its performances of dealing with the Tudor period in linked pieces, The Kidderminster it is about to be closed down. Like many lighthouses around the Daphne Mayer, National Trust Stuarts Living History Society Anna Bolena, Maria Stuarda and English history. Affair on Friday, 11th and visitor experience offi cer at the will be on hand to provide more Roberto Devereux by Donzetti at Maria Stuarda (named for Saturday, 19th October, and Chloë world, it’s becoming obsolete as ships adopt satellite navigation. hall, said: “In Medieval and Tudor information. Musicians from the Liverpool’s Empire Theatre this With Love on Saturday, 12th and times the mop fairs were events society will also add a bit of mer- Mary, Queen of Scots) appeared Saturday, 19th October. With global warming and beach autumn, the opera is bringing in different forms in 1834 and erosion threatening its very foun- where labourers, servants and riment. Tickets for Time of My Life, tradesmen were hired. They were Ms Mayer added: “At Little the world of courtly intrigue and 1835. Finally, in 1837, came (£12 to £21) from the New Vic dations, it’s soon going to be a rival Tudor queens to audiences Roberto Devereux (an alleged pile of rubble left to fall into the held at Michaelmas because that Moreton Hall we try to give visi- box offi ce on 01782 717962 or was the start and end of the farm- tors a real idea of what everyday at Little Moreton, as well as to lover of Queen Elizabeth I). online at newvictheatre.org.uk North Sea. Speke Hall. The leading female characters of Over the past year, Dolby has ing year. life was like in the 16th century, A coach will take visitors to the operas Anna Bolena, Maria taught himself to become a writer, “For the workers, the fairs were when the hall was being built. The both venues with an expert speak- Stuarda, and Roberto Devereux fi lmmaker and editor in order to serious business. If you failed Mop Fair is an element of that. er giving a talk that will put both are often referred to as the “three Acoustic Alchemy produce an impressionistic docu- to fi nd employment for the next Last year it was very popular with mentary that follows in the vein 12 months, starvation was a real visitors, especially the younger properties and Donizetti’s operas Donizetti queens”. ones. Some of them managed to into context. The duet Sul Suo Capo Aggravi of his music and lyrics, describ- ing it as “a kind of tone poem be hired for about half a dozen Opera singers will perform Un Dio between Anna and Jane different trades.” extracts from the operas. Seymour is considered one of the with music and moving images”. Local dates include tomorrow Little Moreton Hall’s mop fair fi nest in the operatic repertoire. runs on Saturday and Sunday Tickets (£25) include talks, (Friday) at the Waterside Arts Centre, Manchester. Singers’ 28th (Michaelmas Day) between 11am coach travel entry to the prop- (Submitted photograph). and 5pm. Fish: 13-date tour erties and lunch. Tickets for (Photo: National Trust). National Trust members are lim- season starts ited — call the opera’s marketing team on 029 2063 5030. Rehearsals for the fi rst concert The opera performs The 50 Days of Grey of Holmes Chapel Singers’ 28th season are now underway. Colliery the star of Tudors at Liverpool’s Empire An array of talent from 50 Days of Grey is a “heart- Theatre from 23rd to 25th The concert takes place on Cheshire and Stoke-on-Trent con- warming, outrageous” comedy Saturday, 30th November and will new music video October. that tells the story of San (Sue verged on The Vine pub in feature St Nicholas by Benjamin A music album with a video For details and tickets, call Shavington for Acoustic Alchemy Hodge — Allo Allo) and Fran 0844 871 3017 or visit Britten (in celebration of the cen- shot at the old Chatterley Whitfi eld II on Saturday. (Julie Fox — The Rocky Horror tenary of his birth); When Icicles atgtickets.com/Liverpool Show) who are best friends and Colliery was released this week. The free acoustic gig com- Hang by John Rutter, and On The album Be Yourself At prised soloists and groups with live a fairly ordinary life in Christmas Night by Bob Chilcott. the sleepy backwater of Batley, Whitfi eld is available to download performances from local per- St Nicholas uses three boy trebles from Saturday from iTunes or former Dayve Dean as well as Yorkshire, where life is full of and a tenor as soloists. societies, WIs and committees. Spotify, or as a CD from eclipse- Sam Lyon, The John Macleod The special aspect of this sea- sound-studios.com It also includes Goo Goo Dolls in UK band, Jon Tarplee and United It’s 2012 and there are Olympic son is the choir’s 100th concert events and celebrations to organ- a video (available on YouTube) of Breaks.