What’s on in arts&ents in West Berkshire
Big Band at Stockcross
Anthony Ferraro returns to sing with the Apollo Big Band at Stockcross village hall at 8pm tomorrow (Friday). Anthony was a regular singer with the band until his job took him away, but now he's back for Apollo's final concert of 2024. There will of course be a few tunes that nod towards festive period including some of Anthony's favourite by Michael Bublé. Tea and coffee will be provided but you are more than welcome to bring your own festive nibbles and drinks.
ACE Xmas Bash and folk
ACE Space will be marking the festive season this weekend with the the ever-popular annual fund raiser Xmas Bash tomorrow night (Friday), hosted and devised by Adam Kotz a joyous evening of entertainment, quiz, craft challenge, whisky rolling plus a surprise. Saturday is an evening of seasonal music from award-winning Anglo-Scottish duo Janice Burns & Jon Doran whose ‘clever and uncluttered musical storytelling’ (Songlines) comes alive through tight vocal harmonies and sensitive interplay between mandolin, bouzouki and guitar. The duo’s winter gigs have become something of a tradition over the last few years, and they will be playing songs from their brand-new festive album Great Joy to the New, traditional folk songs about Christmas, winter, and optimism for the new year. Opening the evening will be Joe Dooley. The gig will be live streamed over the internet by LiveToYouurLivingRoom. Tickets for both nights are available from events@acespace.org.uk or 078911 76940 and tickets for the Saturday gig can also be obtained from WeGotTickets.com
Newbury Choral Society Christmas Concert
Set Sunday aside for Newbury Choral Society’s Christmas Concert, at St Nicolas Church at 7.30pm. You can expect a good mix of familiar favourites and some less familiar carols, with opportunities to join in from time to time. The choir will sing some carols unaccompanied, with the rest accompanied by Steve Bowey on the organ. This will include a chance to make a donation to West Berks Foodbank, with representatives available to answer questions and receive donations. “Newbury Choral Society is proud to support this organisation, particularly at a time of year when nobody in our community should be forced to go hungry.” Tickets are £15 (£5 for under 16s), available from the choir website newburychoral.org.uk or from choir members
Mummers
An age old tradition will be observed on Saturday night as the Aldworth Mummers return to the village's CAMRA award-winning pub for the 48th year. The roving players, who by custom remain anonymous, will perform outside The Bell at 6pm. Mummers plays, traditionally performed in villages around the midwinter solstice, are loosely based on the legend of St George and the dragon, and symbolise the struggle between good and evil, death and rebirth. Cheered on and heckled by the pub customers, a number of characters take centre stage at Aldworth. Two of them engage in bloody swordplay – one a Turkish knight, the other King George. The loser is revived in a comedic ‘miracle’ by a Quack doctor, representing the reawakening the earth from the death of winter.
Mandolinquents
Remember when the Mandolinquents were regulars in Newbury, up at the former New Greenham Arts venue and Arlington Arts? They one had a big following here for their fun gigs. Well, fans will be pleased to hear those top-quality virtuoso musicians Simon Mayor and Friends are back in the area with a Christmas Special . The Mandolinquents play Goring Village Hall on Saturday at 7.30pm. Simon Mayor and Friends’ Mandolinquents play all manner of mandolins, they are ‘an illustrious, witty and virtuosic collective playing everything from beautiful folk ballads to Carolan, Vivaldi, hot-swing fiddle, tangos and rags… and a comic ditty or two!’ featuring mandolins, mandola, mandocello, mandobass, violin, violoncello, classical guitar and voices. Tickets are £20, booking at www.mayorandjames.com/gigs
Lantern parade
The town will turn into a twinkling wonderland on Sunday as the much-loved annual Corn Exchange Festival of Light returns at 4pm. The streets will light up once more as an incredible illuminated procession involving members of the community works its way from the Broadway to Market Place. From terrific lantern-making workshops, to opportunities to lead this phenomenal parade as part of their community Samba Band, everyone is welcome to come together and celebrate the festive season. The Festival of Light has seen more than 30,000 people involved over the past 12 years, with 9,600 people having participated in the parade during that time. The parade will travel along Northbrook Street from 4.30pm before arriving in the Market Place where there’s some live music going on.
Corn Exchange panto
Michael Morpurgo’s Pinocchio
‘Afantastic show – one of the best christmas productions i’ve seen for many years. (n2)’. simon reade’s brand-new musical adaptation of michael morpurgo’s pinocchio runs at the Watermill, Bagnor, until January 5 with music and lyrics by Chris Larner, this vivacious new version of the well-known story – based on carlo collodi’s 19th-century original – is told from Pinocchio’s point of view. Lovingly carved in geppetto’s workshop, Pinocchio’s parents dream of a bright future for their wooden son. Pinocchio, however, dreams of adventure and sets off on a path of fun and freedom ready to discover the world. Along the way, he is confronted with big decisions and a menagerie of colourful characters, leading to calamitous consequences as he starts a fire, turns into a donkey, and even ends up inside a whale! https://www.watermill.org.uk/pinocchio
