January 12th – Opera is a magical entertainment and always creates a sense of occasion. It is passionate and often dramatic, never more so than in this Highlight Performance of Puccini’s ‘MADAM BUTTERFLY’ presented, in full costume, by “OPERA INTERLUDES”. The programme will also include a selection of well known ‘encores’ from other popular operas and musicals.
The members of the Arts and Literary Society were treated to an incredible evening on Monday when Gerald Dickens, the great great grandson of Charles Dickens, performed his one-man show ‘A Christmas Carol’. This was a masterful re-creation of such a very famous work as Gerald played every part, changing his voice and person to depict each character as he or she appeared. The effect was heightened by the beautiful playing of Elizabeth Hayes of music from the era. The arrival of the Spirit of the Future was accompanied by smoke and mist, making it even more believable.
This was indeed a wonderful evening and very much enjoyed by the large audience and the sponsors The Tendring Re-Use and Employment Enterprise of Little Clacton.
Audrey Owens
Press Officer
Rebecca Caine, the Toronto born, lyric soprano, enchanted and entertained the members of the Arts and Literary Society on Monday evening when she performed her ‘Practically Perfect’ show, which was a journey through the modern musicals. We were told the stories of some of these modern musicals, most of which have not been seen in England and Rebecca sang the most important songs from these shows.
Rebecca had been the original Cosette in Les Miserables but chose to sing Bring Him Home from that show, she also starred in Phantom of the Opera opposite Michael Crawford and concluded her show with several memorable numbers from this best loved musical to rapturous applause from the audience.
Throughout her performance she was very ably accompanied by James Church, an up and coming musician, with several musical scores to his credit.
The evening was sponsored by Leslie Barlow, Clacton on Sea..
Audrey Owens
Press Officer
Alastair Sawday was certainly a very different speaker when he entertained the Arts and Lits Society. He started by playing a calypso on his guitar, which he had composed in the dressing room, about his visit to Clacton. For the next fifty minutes we were given a lecture on his various books about the best places to stay throughout the world and the reasons for them. After the interval, he gave us a very fascinating look at his life as he travelled the world as a member of the VSO and as a teacher etc. He is a passionate environmentalist and works very hard to improve the lot of people, especially in the Pacific region. He has received the Queen’s Award for Sustainable Development.
Throughout his talk he showed some interesting slides about places in his Bed and Breakfast books where chickens were predominant. During the talk about his adventures in remote places he played the guitar and sang and also showed slides of some of these areas. Altogether, he was a very interesting and unusual speaker
The evening was sponsored by Norman and Neil, Optometrists of Clacton on Sea..
Audrey Owens
Press Officer
www.Stringfever.co.uk a quartet with a difference. Skeletal electric strings played by world class musicians. The industrys favorite melodies and guitar riff’s played by the best
Clacton & North East Essex Arts and Literary Society
A damp miserable November night was totally forgotten on Monday when the audience in the Princes Theatre was treated to a tour de force of musical expertise produced by four members of the same family. ‘Stringfever’, comprising three brothers and their cousin, produced a programme of world class eclectic entertainment that left the audience clamouring for more. This talented quartet is an exponent of the violin and cello but not in its traditional form – their instruments are electric. The innovative five and six stringed ‘Violectra’ produces a wider range of sound than a conventional violin, which Giles, Ralph & Graham used to superb effect accompanied by Neal on electric cello.
Several compilation pieces were played including a medley of twenty film scores. The audience was encouraged to identify each score and the group provided clues as to their names. Their underlying humour came to the fore almost masking their adeptness at linking so many different styles of music. The highlight of the first half was their performance of Ravel’s Bolero: a very unusual spectacle of all four family members playing the electric cello. The group was not averse to performing vocals (mainly by Neal), and older brother Giles’ rendition of the Charlie Daniel’s Band 70’s classic The Devil went Down to Georgia was a brilliant amalgam of voice and instrument.
The second half included a mesmerizing arrangement of Albinoni’s Adagio, which ably demonstrated their classical training. The programme seamlessly moved from classical to popular music genres and their production of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody evoked the plaintive vocalisation of Freddie Mercury mixed with the raucous chords of a rock guitar.
‘Stringfever’ was brilliant, breathless entertainment, with classically honed musicianship wrapped in style and humour that left the audience ready to face the November weather.
The programme was sponsored by GCS Alarms of Clacton-On-Sea.
Robert Pearce
Locum Press Officer
Maggie Cotton, who retired from The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra after 40 years, gave us a lengthy exposition of what life is like in such an orchestra. She was a percussionist which was very unusual for a woman and this led to many difficulties in her early days. However, it would appear that she had a very good relationship with Sir Simon Rattle, the orchestra’s conductor for many years. During her talk she illustrated some of the strange things the percussion section had to perform on to provide the appropriate noises for some of the modern composers – scratching balloons was one very noisy example.
We learned that orchestral players have a shop steward to look after their interests which include limiting time travel without a break, rest periods and hours of work. There were several other secrets exposed, such as the shuffle to indicate approval or disapproval during a performance and the peculiar happenings when a violin string breaks – she thought the audience would not notice any of these as they always concentrate on the conductor. She travelled the world with the Birmingham orchestra and gave us many anecdotes of adventures in places like Japan and Eastern European countries.
The evening was attended by the Chairman of the Council and sponsored by the Princes Theatre.
Audrey Owens
Press Officer
CLACTON & N.E.ESSEX ARTS & LITERARY SOCIETY
21 October 2008
A full house of very enthusiastic people greeted Pam Ayres on her fourth visit to the Arts and Literary Society on Monday evening.
She was her usual bouncing, lovable self and gave us all a fantastic evening’s entertainment. We were regaled by her views on reaching 60 and the fact that she was not a pensioner. We learned of her 25th wedding anniversary and the adventures of her two sons, William and James.
It seemed to us that she did not stop to draw breath for the first hour and fifteen minutes of her performance with so many poems and anecdotes about her adventures in New Zealand and Australia, cycling in the Loire Valley and her attempts to learn French. After the interval the next hour disappeared as we roared with laughter and clapped in delight – who could forget about training Ella the dog.
Pam thanked the sponsors Thompson, Smith and Puxon and the audience concurred and sent Pam Ayres off with the loudest clapping and cheers we have heard for a very long time.
Audrey Owens
Press Officer
CLACTON & N.E.ESSEX ARTS & LITERARY SOCIETY
4 March 2008
Big band sound broke out at the Arts and Lits opening night of the season when Eleanor Keenan and her all girl Swing Orchestra presented the Broad Band with Sing, Sing, Sing. This was a most unusual evening with 16 girls swinging trumpets, trombones, saxophones in a fascinating cacophony of jazz, swing and the ever wonderful Glen Miller sound.
Eleanor was the vocalist and sang beautifully with both the orchestra and the delightful pianist. She introduced her guest artiste Lorraine Craig, a vibrant jazz singer, who rendered several well known jazz hits and also sang duets with Eleanor. Altogether this was an experience much appreciated by the very large audience.
There were no sponsors for the evening as the first night is dedicated to Sqn. Leader Reg Hartley, a past president of the Society.
Audrey Owens
Press Officer
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