lampwebverjanfeb2015

LAMP MagazineJanuary-March 2015 Free

Shining a light on literature, art, music and performance in Somerset

Welcome to a New Year of Cultural Endeavour!

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Named as one of the top 50 of all bookshops in the

UK by the Independent

Newspaper in February 2012

01823 337742 [email protected]

www.brendonbooksonline.co.uk


Events for the New Year7.00 pm Wednesday 4 February. Editor of the new book on Somerset birds, Ste-phen Moss will be giving a talk about Somerset birds in general, and the Somerset Wildlife Atlas in particular, at Brendon Books.

7.00pm Friday 7 March. Hugh Cornwell former front man of the Stranglers will be reading from his book and taking part in a question and answer session followed by a book signing at Brendon Books.

Tony Hawks will be at the Brewhouse Monday 16 March 7.30 pmTickets from The Brewhouse, Coal Orchard, Taunton TA1 1JL 01823 337742 www.tauntontheatre.org.uk or Brendon Books talking and signing copies of his new book, ‘Once Upon a Time in the West Country’.

BOOKS: New & Old Ordnance Survey Map Stockists

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Contents

4 Winter at The Brewhouse6 Tony Hawks: Once Upon a time in the West Country8 Talks About Art With Maggie Giraud10 Hugh Cornwell’s New Novel12 Springtime Concert of Glorious Baroque Music16 Interview with Stanley Reynolds19-20 Amici: Of Music and Freindship22-23 Doctor Livingstone, I Presume23 Trichotism24 Sinfonietta: Romance in the Air Hayfever at The Warehouse Theatre25-30 Calendar of Events31-32 Workshops, Courses and Classes33 Young Poetry Competition34 Writers Anon: Tips on How to Write Poetry35-36 Brunner Prize and Short Story37 Poetry Corner with Paul Tobin38 My Favourite with John Meikle39 Julia Copus: Hog and the Shrew Ted Hughes Poetry Award

Editor: Lionel WardCopy Editor: Jo Ward

All enquiries:[email protected] 337742www.lampmagazine.co.ukc/o Brendon Books,Bath Place, TauntonTA1 4ER

The views expressed in Lamp are not necessarily those of the editorial team. Copyright, unless otherwise stated, is that of the magazine or the individual authors. We do not accept liability for the content or accuracy of the magazine including that of the advertisers.

This issue was delayed slightly and will now cover Jan-March. We will resume 2 monthly publications from April. We look forward to a culturally exciting 2015 in this area.

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ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST… COUNTRY

The epiphany happened when Tony Hawks was on holiday with his part-ner, Fran, in the Far East… Waking with a jolt he knew beyond doubt that his time living in London had come to an end. The countryside called. So, with conviction and no arguing, they upped sticks and began searching for the perfect new place, a home with a view across Devon’s rolling hills. With some enthusiasm Tony and his better half submerged themselves in local life and it wasn’t long before they made the new county their home, tractor rallies and all! This wonderfully wry, gently humor-ous and self-effacing look at a seismic shift in everything including scenery, takes in their new life – village halls, committees, Tony’s total ineptitude

with anything mechanical and the bliss of a new neighbour who owns just the right tool for any job, try-ing for a greener life and growing their own vegetables… oh, and taking up the challenge of cycling from one Dev-on coast to another with a mini-pig called Titch. As if that wasn’t enough, in their first year of country dwelling, Tony be-came a father (overcoming the strongest of instincts to avoid Responsibility) and with it they discovered hypnobirthing, midwives, doulas, relaxation songs and how to give birth at home. As much a shock to his system as fatherhood. As you might expect from this most energetic of TV and radio comedians and the author of Round Ireland with a Fridge and Playing the Moldovans at Tennis (both of which have sold over a million copies) this is a joy to read. His comic observations and opinions con-tribute to what is a gem of a book.

Tony Hawks will be com-ing to the Brewhouse theatre in

Taunton to talk about his book at an event arranged in collaboration with Brendon Books at 7.30 pm on Monday 16 March. There will be a short interview followed by a question and answer session with the audi-ence and afterwards there will be an oppor-tunity to have a copy of his book signed.

Tickets are available either through Brendon Books or The Brewhouse Theatre at £10.00 and there is a special pre-publication offer on the book together with a ticket purchase of £17.99 saving £7.00 off the recommended retail price of the books. The newly pub-lished books will be available for collection and signing on the night of the event. This offer will close on the 28 February when the books will be available at £12.00.

Tony Hawks at the Brewhouse Monday 16 March 7.30 pmTickets from The Brewhouse, Coal Orchard, Taunton TA1 1JL 01823 337742

www.tauntontheatre.org.ukor

Brendon Books, Bath Place, Taunton TA1 4ER 01823 337742 [email protected]

Tickets £10 or £17.99 to include a copy of the book to be signed on the night (saving £7.00 on the retail price. Offer ends 28 February)

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The Bluebirds are classical singing duo Sasha Herri-man and Tami Tal. Based in Somerset and London they provide musical theatre entertainment for a wide variety of events.Sasha Herriman moved to Som-erset about a year ago. Her back-ground is in TV news presenting and journalism both for ITV and as anchor for 4 years on CNN news.

However, singing has always been close to her heart: she studied mu-sic, English and Chinese at Univer-sity (including a post-grad year living in Tuangzhou in mainland China), and she is never happier than when she is singing. ‘I always sang in the car when I was a child,’ she reveals.

Sasha is classically trained as is her sing-ing partner, Tami Tal. They formed a close alliance 15 years or so ago when they both began singing in the English Cham-ber Choir. Their recent work has been in classical jazz as with their forthcoming cabaret show. ‘Much of the good music around is the cross-over area of classical and jazz,’ Sasha explains and, of course,

her classical music training has stood her in good stead. Sasha has found her move to Somerset from London a rewarding (though dif-ferent) experience and is delighted by the

quality of the musi-cians and performers she has found here. She does, however, retain one foot in Lon-don where Tami still lives and they have performed their shows successfully both in London and Somerset. An interesting aspect of this is that some of their rehearsals are at a distance via skype. As well as a singer, Sasha is also very often writer and producer of the shows and she does enjoy the creative

experience, particularly so in their re-cent successful production of Mrs Noah and the Flood – a brand new interac-

tive family musical in collaboration with Castle Carey composer

Martin Emslie. The show was performed to sell-out houses at

Taunton’s Brewhouse and in London.

The Bluebirds have created a number of classical music based shows including The Chip Shop Opera. This is a comedy opera : Tami and Sasha roam the world in an intergalactic mobile chip van in search of

True-Love’s-kiss after being cursed by the evil sorcererTomatino.

Their most recent venture has been The Christmas

Mysteries, a modern adaption of the medieval mystery nativ-

ity stories, performed at various Somerset venues.

The forthcoming production at Ilmin-ster Warehouse Theatre is the Berlin Cabaret Show. This is classical music meets comedy cabaret – Tami and Sasha will be providing their own unique and irreverent twist to a night of Berlin Cabaret.

Forthcoming Performances ofBerlin Cabaret

The Warehouse Theatre, IlminsterThurs 22nd January at 7:30pm

07943 779880 or www.takeart.org

Also:

8pm 23/1 Roadwater Village Hall7.30pm 24/1 Caryford Hall, Ansford7.30pm 31/1 Victoria Hall Radstock

7.30pm Sat 31st January 730pm7.30pm 6/3 Kingsdon Village Hall

13/3 St John’s Ch., Peckham, London14/3 Telegraph Hill Festival, London

4/6 Somerton Festival

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Becky Wright has over 12 years of experience as a psychotherapist, counsellor and coach. Her field has been excep-tionally broad, including the arts, business, education and health, as well as the mil-itary, police and probation services. She holds an MSC in counselling and is a Senior Accredited mem-ber of BACP and the Association for Coaching.

The series of three talks will help you redesign your life and find a deeper sense of happiness and balance. The talks are interactive, encouraging co-creation and new connections with the audience. The process of getting to know yourself more fully is an exciting journey be-cause the resulting awareness helps to make sense of this crazy, beautiful and intriguing life.

This is the perfect way to plan your New Year New You!

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‘Looking hard at Edgar Degas’ 1834-1917 is a talk which scrutinises Degas’ approach to his painted subjects. A shy difficult man, and something of a misogynist, this artist describes intimacy as no one before him had succeeded in doing. He watched the private lives of others as if through a keyhole. He un-derstood women so well, and yet they were somehow just beyond his reach. He was the ultimate voyeur.

‘Ten Treasures of the Uffizi’ is an armchairs traveller’s visit to the fabulous collection in the famous gallery in Florence. A selection is drawn from the earlier works displayed from the C13-C15, to include Simone Martini’s Annunciation, Botticel-li’s Birth of Venus and lesser well-known images. Stories are unravelled and con-nections drawn to make these works even more enjoyable.

‘Painters of Perfection’ Fra Angelico (1387-1455) and Piero della Francesca (1410-92) are discussed, as two Early Renaissance artists who arguably achieved a kind of perfection in their work. Almost contempora-neous, they strove to combine artistic and spiritual purity, and between them produced some of the most moving images of a period, when secular power was rivalling the church for domi-nation of cities like Florence.

Maggie Giraud’s ‘Talks about Art’ continue for a 2015 season at the Castle Hotel Taunton. The talks, which are outlined be-low run for one each month from January to March.

Forthcoming Talks with Maggi Giraudat the Castle Hotel, Castle Green, Taunton


15 Jan 2.00pm Looking Hard at Degas

12 Feb 2.00pm Ten Treasures of the Uffizi

12 Mar 2.00pm Painters of Perfection

Maggie, who is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, was educated at Leeds School of Art, and London University. She was employed as Curator and Archi-vist to the Dartington Hall Trust, and was the founding curator of High Cross House.

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Hugh Cornwell is considered by many to be one of the UK’s finest songwrit-ing talents and accomplished live performers. As the original guitar-ist, singer and main songwriter in the British rock band The Stranglers, he’s enjoyed massive success with 10 hit albums and 21 Top Forty singles, etching himself into Europe and the USA’s musical psyche with classic songs, including Peaches, No More Heroes, Golden Brown, Always the Sun and Duchess.

His latest solo album Totem And Ta-boo was released to rave reviews.

Cornwell’s first novel Window on the World was published In 2011 and Arnold Drive is his second work of fiction.

Nothing much has ever happened to Rev Arnold Drive, the meekly quiet vicar of St Tobias. Feeling safe only within the walls of his church and the gentle rules of his faith, Arnold is ironically a man utterly without drive; a man content that nothing much ever happens. Nothing, that is, until the day his church is sold

Hugh Cornwell will be reading from his book and taking part in a question and answer session followed by a book signing at Brendon Books in Taunton on Friday 7 March.

Tickets from Brendon Books, Old Brewery Buildings, Bath Place,

Taunton TA1 4ER 01823 337742 [email protected]

Original Stranglers frontman, Hugh Cornwell, comes to Taunton in March to talk about his sec-ond novel concern- ing the trials and tribulations of vicar Arnold Lane.

off to property developers. Ejected from his church and his home, Ar-nold is thrust out into the modern

world - a world for which he is utterly ill-equipped. Suddenly,

life presents Arnold with a series of moral dilemmas that test his faith, his judgement and his understanding of hu-

man nature. His first experi-ence of love and sex, a surprise

confession of murder, a suicide, the prospect of unexpected

wealth, the discovery of a hidden family history, all cause Arnold to

reassess the certainties he has taken for granted. Then, a near-fatal car

accident forces him to face up to the fragility of sanity and of life itself...Ar-

nold Drive is the story of a man’s journey from innocence to experience where he discovers his moral compass isn’t always pointing the right way.

Tons of Money by Will Evans & Arthur Valentine, revised by Alan AyckbournAlan Ayckbourn’s version of the first of the famous Aldwych farces was produced by the National Theatre. It is the story of an unsuccessful inventor who inherits the life interest in a fortune which is to revert on his death to his cousin George Maitland. As Cousin George is thought to have died abroad, the inventor has the brilliant idea of “dying” so that he can resurrect himself as his cousin and avoid paying his enormous debts. Complications arise in the form of George’s wife, another Maitland imposter (the butler’s brother) and finally the real George Maitland himself! Add a scheming butler, lugubrious gardener, smarmy solicitor, fainting female and ironic aunt, and you have a cocktail of comedy that would defeat Prohibition. This wickedly funny and physical play is full of Roaring Twenties spirit, pace and dash, with wisecracking dialogue, mistaken identities, polish and pizazz. Taunton Thespians will be performing Tons Of Money at the Brewhouse Theatre from Tuesday 3rd to Saturday 7th March 2015 at 7.30pm with a Saturday matinee at 2.30pm. Tickets are available from the Brewhouse Box Office on 01823 283244, via the Brewhouse website at www.thebrewhouse.net or Taunton Tourist Information Centre on 01823 336344.

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A Springtime Concert of Glorious Baroque MusicThe Phoenix Singers [Music Director: An-drew Maddocks] are delighted to announce the programme for their forthcoming concert at 7.30 pm on Saturday 14th March at St John the Baptist Church, Wel-lington. The programme is full of musical gems from the early 18th century, the ze-nith of the so-called Baroque era. The concert features the famous Gloria by Vivaldi, music by Handel [Utrecht Jubi-late and Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne] and J.S. Bach with the addition of a flute concerto movement by Pergolesi.

Vivaldi’s setting of the Gloria needs little introduction since for many years it has become equally popular with both per-formers and audiences. Vivaldi was writ-ing for the young ladies of the Ospedale della Pietà, Venice where he taught mu-sic and later was to become a priest. By contrast, Handel composed for wealthy patrons, most notably royalty. His Ode

for the Birthday of Queen Anne [a secular cantata of 1713] was to honour the Queen who, with her government, had secured the Trea-ty of Utrecht to end the War of the Spanish Succession The Treaty was to be celebrated in Handel’s set-tings of the Te Deum and Jubilate written for the celebratory service in St Paul’s Cathedral. Although Queen Anne is said to have been no musical enthusiast of Handel - or any other composer - she did give him a pension for life!

There will be a superb and experi-enced set of soloists for the occa-sion. In 1984 Josie Walledge [so-prano] was a BBC Girl Chorister of the Year finalist and later won a Choral Scholarship to Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge. Peter Oakley [counter-tenor] has just completed his time as a stu-dent at Cambridge University where was a Choral Scholar with the chapel choir at King’s College. David Bridges [tenor] is currently Chapel Organist and Choir-master at Taunton School. David trained the Royal College of Music, studying both organ and piano. Gareth Day-us-Jones [baritone] attended Durham School before taking a music degree at Cambridge University. He is now Di-

rector of Music at King’s Hall, Taunton and was previously a visiting teacher at Winchester College and a Lay-Clerk at St George’s Chapel, Windsor. Margaret Hammel [flute] obtained a music degree at Birmingham University while taking a diploma in flute performance at the Conservatoire.

Accompanying the choir and soloists is The Little Baroque Company [leader: Helen Kru-ger], a dynamic London-based ensemble specialising in 17th and 18th century music. They perform on period instruments. The LBC have toured a number of European countries and Aus-tralia. They are a regular fixture at the London Handel Festival, have performed live on BBC Radio 3 and are releasing a debut recording with soprano Julia Doyle this year.

Tickets are on sale at £15 [stu-dents and children free] from Taunton Tourist Information Centre or 01823 432704 or on-line at www.thephoenixsingers.co.uk

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For the 80 year-old has released his fifth book in his crackingly-written Parker Dan-iels Casebook “comedy with blood” series. Inspired by the classic dime novel form, his latest, Invitation To A Few Murders sees protagonist Police Chief Parker “Boomer” Daniels solving yet another “crime romp” in rural North Holford – a setting inspired by Reynolds’-own American birth town. It’s a colourful continuation for the diverse writer, who’s survived 127 cardiac arrests (just ask his doctors), and crafts obituaries for The Guardian (his most recent was fel-low crime writer PD James). Today, you’ll find him in his pink house nook, still push-ing the envelope on an enviable career of wordsmithery, in the line of comic crime. And what a career: writing for Reuters, The Daily Telegraph, The Times, The Sun-day Times, The New Statesman, The Inde-pendent, The European, The Oldie (and The Observer and The Guardian of course); columnist, critic, ‘colour’-writer and con-tributor, Reynolds’ feats’d hold anyone in dumb awe. Yet when I pry on his achievements, ‘Uncle Stan’ (a Punch-y sign-off if ever there was one) is achingly humble. He’s proudest of managing to look after his three boys and holding down a full-time job, he says… but OK, all right – he’ll allow me some gladness at having made a living from words, if he must. Born in 1934, raised in the New England countryside, it was as a school boy that Punch‘s future editor broke his satirist’s teeth, on his own, self-published school paper. “It was so bound to fail because of what I put in”, he tells me, for it ripped into his educationalists and, to the principal’s dismay, Senator McCarthy. “The princi-pal got rid of me, he was so furious at me making fun of Senator McCarthy – be-cause McCarthy was funny – and he said, ‘you shouldn’t be writing about politics! Of course, he meant in a funny way…” Witnessing a car crash off a cliff led Stan to his first real reporter role; a journalist at the scene, noting the intrigue in his face, arranged for Stan “to meet the boss” – the

city editor on the Holyoke Evening Tran-script– and then sure enough he was report-ing, though still at college. It was on from there to The Providence Journal, known as “the conscience of New England”, where he really learnt his trade. Stan would steer away from straight-toned news to carve his own-brand ‘colour’ pieces, feature stories and interviews, which ulti-mately made him. “A lot of people had dif-ficulty with the style then, because the style until then had been very strict – but with the new way of writing even the little stories had strange intros to them,” he notes. Two-years hitched, and with Stan’s first, Liverpudlian wife expecting son number 1, she and he upped sticks for the UK in 1960, where he landed a job “just for the summer right away” on the Manchester Evening News. He moved onto the Liverpool Daily Post and Echo, which got him flown out to follow JFK and Nixon in the 1960 US Presi-dential election. “It was move move move all the time,” says Stan, wryly. “They’d print off these speeches ahead of time and just hand it to you, but then in the meantime JFK’d made up his own. I didn’t know enough to be upset by this, but the real political reporters were very cross about that.” By 1964 The Guardian had poached him to craft twice-weekly humour column, ‘Miscel-lany’, and he worked out of the paper’s Man-chester HQ and smaller 43 Fleet Street office, using portable typewriters, and hanging out with “the Oxford and Cambridge punks, smoking and talking” rather than the “big brains” writing the news. In 1989 he became Literary Editor of the satirical, now defunct, Punch magazine (he was already a contributor), next Arts Editor, and finally Editor when crisis began to rear its ugly head at the publication. Together he and “awesome” cartoonist Michael Heath turned it around by lowering production and subscription costs, and increasing sales. He reflects: “Punch’s readership had dropped from 86,000 to 56,000, which was very good considering what the Spectator had, so comparatively we were all right. I

managed to get it to stop falling. It was just the way things were. But cartoons were the best thing in it; always had been.” Stan then swiftly left Punch behind to be-come “free as a bird” freelancer. Among the many he got to know through his trade was Beat Generation poet Alan Ginsberg, with whom he’d recite Jack Kerouac, “like it was poetry”, and writer Tom Wolfe, who stayed at Stan’s: “He was very conceited, very good on the intimate details of things, and wrote with this calligraphy – unbelievable.” When it comes to Stan’s writerly preferences, he rates DH Lawrence’s essays (“so positive”) and Aldous Huxley’s Chrome Yellow (“gee!”), but it’s the lesser-known Ronald Firbank, modernist and aesthete author of Five Nov-els, he reserves most reverence for, for Fir-bank retained his independence as a writer, paid publishers to release his work, and so kept himself free of The Agent’s commercial shackles. It’s an independence Stan’s caught in his own work, and a spirit similarly strong in his sons. Only the middle, Alexander, chose journalism; a fearless, hard-edged form, in-vestigating and experiencing prisons round the world, and now working for VICE News agency. So what keeps Stanley Reynolds writing, still? “It makes all the difference in the world. There’s this other place you can live in, that’s what’s good about it. And with journalism, it’s meeting people, isn’t it? But then my sons used to like to hear me typing ‘cos it meant ‘the old fool’s making money!’”

For a copy (or two) of Stanley Reynolds’ Invitation To A Few Murders: A Country House Mystery, drop into Brendon Books, Bath Place, Taunton TA1 4ER01823 337742

Daisy Blacklock

It’s 25 years since Stan was Editor of Punch; 54 since he tracked JFK on the campaign trail; a few more since he swapped his Guardian columnist’s hat for TV critic’s. But in 2015? American-born, decades-long journalist and nov-elist STANLEY REYNOLDS is ensconced in deepest dark-est Somerset, still playing the writing game. Only now, it’s bloody murder.

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Somerset is a greatly diverse landscape and supports more than 200 species of birds and there have been sevearl vol-umes on Somerset birds over the years. However, now, for the first time, they have been mapped in the Somer-set Atlas of Breeding and Wintering At-las. The statistical analysis is important in itself though it would be a mistake to think that this is simply a dry statistical analysis of tables.

Apart from an interesting forward and introduction from Simon King and Ste-phen Moss respectively, there is what is, in effect, a natural history survey (all-beit slanted from a bird habitat point of view) of the various geographical areas that make up the county. Each bird entry has something about the bird and its history in addition to a description of the pattern of distribution with the aid of tables. The book is Produced by the Somer-set Ornithological Society (SOS) and British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), with thousands of records collected by more than 600 volunteers. The joint SOS/BTO Atlas project ran concur-rently with the BTO’s national Atlas project, and uses the same data, but the Somerset Atlas displays bird distribu-tions in the county at a finer resolution than the national project could achieve.

The BTO’s National Atlas was published late in 2013. The Atlas will be an invaluable resource both now and in the future, to help us plan how best to help Somerset’s birdlife. It is also a fascinating snapshot of the current status and distribution of birds in Somerset. Species featured include common res-idents such as the Robin and Blackbird, summer visitors including the Cuckoo, Swift and Swallow, passage migrants such as seabirds and waders, and winter visi-tors – amongst them thousands of ducks, geese and swans. The Atlas also confirms that Somerset is now home to some exciting new arrivals, taking advantage of the newly created wetland habitats on the Somerset Levels. Bitterns have returned to breed after an absence of almost half a century, while new arrivals from the south including Great White and Little Egrets, Little Bittern, and the reintroduced flock of Cranes now in residence on the southern part of the levels. Meanwhile Buzzards,

Red Kites and Peregrines – once driven to the edge of extinction by poisoning and pesticides – are now a regular sight in Somerset’s skies. But it’s not all good news. Many once common and familiar birds have either declined in numbers or in a few sad cases have disappeared completely. The tiny Lesser Spotted Woodpecker is not longer found in the county’s cider apple

orchards, while Yellowhammers no longer sing their characteristic ‘little-bit-of-bread-and-no-cheeese’ song from many of our hedgerows. Willow Tit, Grasshopper Warbler and Merlin have almost disap-peared as breeding birds, while Turtle Doves and Corn Buntings are no longer found in Somerset at all. To combat these declines, conserva-tionists, birders and volunteers are now joining forces to improve existing habitats and create new ones, to try to bring these lost birds back and to encourage new col-onists. Who knows what the next decade will bring: maybe White Storks, Glossy Ibis and even Bee-eater could breed here for the first time.?

Editor of the book, Stephen Moss will be giving a talk about Somerset birds in general, and the Somerset

Wildlife Atlas in particular, at Brendon Books on

Wednesday 4 February at 7.00pmTickets available from Brendon

Books, Bath Place, Taunton TA1 4ER


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Bishops Lydeard Papershop

The Paper Shop is a friendly vil-lage shop with local knowledge-able staff. We are a Newsagent and we stock a vast range of mag-azines. We can order any special interest titles and deliver them to you or save them in the shop for

collection.

Address: 11 Church St, Bishop’s Lydeard, Taunton TA4 3AT

Phone:01823 432456

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Twenty years ago, I was asked to write a review of a concert by a small vocal group in the then new performance space at Taunton School. Their name was Ami-ci, and they endeared themselves to me straight away by preceding the concert with free champagne, strawberries and cream. Their musicianship was a reve-lation – Bruckner, Walton (‘Facade’) and pieces by local composer Reginald Poco-ck were performed with skill and verve. Their performance prompted me to ap-proach their director, Dr. John Cole, and to ask quite outrageously if I could audi-tion to join Amici. I did, and was one of the very first ‘non-founder’ members of a choir which has been an outstanding feature of the Taunton musical scene ever since its foundation.

John Cole was already well known throughout Somerset and in his 50 active

years did more to bring live, high-quali-ty music to the county than any other single person. He combined a busy ca-reer as a GP with his other great love,

music, starting in the 1960s with the founding of the Somerset Summer Cho-rus. He was musical director of Taunton

Choral Society for 15 years, performing 50 concerts with them.

In 1994 he founded Amici. As the name suggests, this started out as a small group of like-minded friends who got together for the sheer pleasure of singing. Today Amici numbers around 36, many mem-bers are solo singers in their own right and the choir has several overseas tours to its credit, including to Italy, USA, France and Belgium. While they do a good deal of what you might call ‘the serious stuff ’ they also perform ‘let your hair down concerts’, Gershwin, Cole Porter and the like. (They also do weddings! Follow the website link below).

Sadly in 2013 John Cole passed away but the conductor’s baton was ably picked up by Andrew Trewhella. Amici’s goal now, as then, is to give the best possible performances of all types of music, and especially to bring new composers and their works to public notice. That is why mixed in with the well established choral repertoire, Amici have performed several premier performances and have had works composed for them. Although happy to perform larger-scale works with orchestral accompaniment, their focus is on the huge body of music available for smaller ensem-bles, with minimal accompaniment and often ‘a cappella’.

Harold Mead reflects on his time at Amici since he made their acquaintance 20 years ago - and looks for-ward to their next con-cert.

Of Music and Friendship

Doctor John Cole

Members of Amici. Harold Mead is the furthest to the right of the four men in white shirts in the centre of the picture.

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Andrew Trewhella has been immersed in choral music from an early age. He read music at Bristol University before study-ing for a PGCE at Bath College of Higher Education and the Associateship Diplo-ma of the Royal College of Organists. A Cornishman by descent, Andrew was delighted to return to the West Coun-try as Director of Music at Wellington School in 1995. He conducts and sings with choirs, as a tenor soloist, regularly accompanies on either piano or organ and musically directs Musical Theatre. Amici are delighted with his skill, sheer musicianship and warm commitment to us. He has already led us along some less familiar musical paths and it is a journey well worth the taking.

When they can, Amici like to give finan-cial help to young singers, and have re-cently been pleased to provide bursaries to support their musical education. All that is asked in return is that they sing with the choir for a year or so. Amici also hope to assist new composers, per-haps by performing a newly written work or even commissioning music for Amici to sing.

In November 2006 Amici performed Brahms’s ‘Ein Deutsches Requiem’. The soprano soloist that night was a young lady who the year before had graduated from the Royal College of Music and in 2006 had won the Kathleen Ferrier Prize. Her name is Elizabeth Watts and she

went on the win the Lieder Prize at the Cardiff Singer of the World Competi-tion. She is now a much sought-after world class performer in opera, orato-rio and lieder, and Amici are delight-ed that having maintained her contact with the choir and Taunton she is now their honoured Patron.

Amici’s next performance is Satur-day 28th March, St. James’s Church Taunton 7:30 p.m. to include the won-derful Mozart ‘Coronation’ Mass, Ave Verum Corpus and Exsultate Jubilate. Various works from Handel and Pur-cell will complement the Mozart and with the professional Bristol Ensem-

ble orchestra the evening should be a real treat of outstanding music. The choir then delights with summer music on Saturday July 11th 2015 in Wellington before con-tinuing a tradition of international travel by a short concert tour in the Basque re-gion of Spain. Wherever the future takes them the choir will always strive to meet the goal set from the beginning – to be the best they can be and always to do justice to the music.

Details of all our latest concerts are available at our NEW web-site www.am-icichoir.org.uk - tickets can be purchased on-line or through Taunton Tourist Infor-mation, Gillian Greig Music or from any choir member.

Current dijrectory, Andrew Trewhella Singing superstar, Elizabeth Watts

A Year in ‘Provenance’Park Art and Collectables closed recently after a successful year of selling local art. The Gallery at the top of the High street opposite Vivary Park gates gave local artists a chance to sell their work on the High Street, and also the public a chance to buy affordable, original local work, at realistic market prices. Rachel Hartland, whose thesis for her BA (Hons) degree course with Plymouth University in 2010, was entitled ‘Why we need an Art Gallery in Taunton,’ has, she believes, been able within the last eighteen months, to prove her findings not only on paper, or just by research and survey, but in reality by opening the little Gallery. ‘It was a great opportunity to test the market, in the year prior to my husband retiring’, said Rachel, ‘ I have made many friends among artists and customers, I never expected to get so much repeat business, my research definitely paid off.’ Rachel plans to catch up with her own art work, write more, and travel with her husband now she is retired, and would like to thank everybody who has supported the venture, and celebrate all the fun times, friendship and conversations which she has had the privilege to share with others.

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75th Anniversary Concert Saturday 28th March 2015

Laurence Blyth will be conducting a concert cele-brating the 75th Anniversary of Wellington Cho-ral Society’s foundation at St John’s Church, Wel-

lington.

The programme will include Felix Mendelssohn’s Hymn of Praise and excerpts from Messiah.

The performance is at 7.30pm, and tickets may be obtained from Nurture by Nature, South Street, Wellington, from the Taunton Information Centre at Taunton Library, from choir members, on the

door or online at: www.wellingtonchoralsociety.org.uk

Michael Cohen CPsychol, AFBPsS, PPDip, MSc, BSc (Hons), MBACP Chartered Psychologist & Psychotherapist

Stress through relationship or financial difficulties, bereave-ment, eating or drinking to excess are all common in today’s life. Make 2015 your year to address these and other damag-ing sources of unhappiness.

I have been a therapist for over 20 years. I use an integrative approach and draw on expertise in a variety of therapies which include CBT, mindfulness practices, EMDR and hyp-notherapy. please visit my website for a brief explanation at: www.michaelcohenpsychologiost.co.uk

I practice at The Crown Medical Centre, Taunton, also in Exeter and Dulverton.01398 33242807743 [email protected]

Homedale Health34 Denmark RoadExeter EX1 1SE

Crown Medical Centre, 1st floorVenture WayTaunton TA2 8QY

Exmoor Medical CentreFishers MeadDulverton TA22 9EN

22

Doctor Livingstone I Presume!

‘Dr Livingstone was a big celebrity in his time and Dr Livingstone, I Presume is the tale of the great explorer and his travels to the heart of Africa in search of the source of the river Nile told through the medium of Victorian music hall,’ explains Bill. Both a hurrah to courage and endurance and a swipe at the 19th Century ideals of imperialism, chauvinism and hypocrisy, this curious re-telling of a slice of histo-ry is served up with a side dish of lion wrestling (pretend of course!). The story is recounted by a Victorian travelling theatre company called The Ffitch Reper-tory Players who will be recognisable to those familiar with Miracle winter shows such as Aladdin (2005) and The Revenge of Rumpelstiltskin (2009). This time however, the company is on the verge of collapse and as the evening progresses things gradually dis-integrate so that their attempts are as fraught with danger and catastro-phe as any expedition into the heart of Africa! ‘It’s a story within a story told using com-edy and song, and Victorian special effects such as Magic Lantern and Seascapes for an authentic feel.’ says

Bill ‘For Miracle it is important to produce entertainment for adults and children alike, so there should be something for everyone.’ The show is a revival of Miracle’s 1997 hit, co-written by Bill Scott and Steve Clarke and features an exquisite set and some authentic music hall-style costumes by Alan and Jude Munden. ‘This refurbished version, with its fantastic cast of comic and musical talent - including Miracle stalwarts Ben Dyson, Ciaran Clark and Holly Cassidy, plus Giles King of Kneehigh and Blackfish Theatre

who will

be making his Miracle debut - promis-es to sparkle with even greater charm’ says Bill. Cornwall-based Miracle have been coming to Tacchi-Morris Arts Centre since the theatre opened in 2000 and their performances have always gone down very well with audiences, so it comes as no surprise to learn that Miracle have recently won two very important awards. Firstly there was the award for Best Theatre Production, 2013 from What’s On Cornwall, as voted for by readers of the West Briton Series, and more recently Miracle won Gold at the Cornwall Tourism Awards in the category Best Tourism Activity, Sport and Experience of the Year. ‘The What’s On Cornwall Award was for Waiting for Godot. We were in competition with the likes of Rick Stein and Extreme Sport Academy so we felt really pleased.’ says Bill. ‘It was a good way for people to hear about us in different ways and for other nominees in other fields to see what we do as a theatre.’ Founded by Bill in 1979, Miracle have built a reputation for producing inven-tive, intelligent, and enjoyable theatre productions that build instant rapport with audiences. When they started they

were just a team of 3 people who put on small scale shows at outdoor

venues throughout the sum-mer months, mainly tour-

ing to places in the South West that didn’t usually put on theatre. ‘It’s been a slow evolution.’ says Bill, of the compa-ny that although still small (between 4 - 7

performers and crew) now tours year-round to

venues all over the UK.

‘Initially we received no funding and shared income when we had

it’ says Bill ‘Now we are Arts Council funded it has made a huge difference as

The award-winning Miracle Theatre return to Tacchi-Mor-ris Arts Centre in February with Dr Livingstone, I Pre-sume - an epic adventure packed full of comedy and melodrama. Artistic Director and co-writer Bill Scott of-fers an insight into the com-pany and the show.

23

it opens up creative opportunities and means we can pay industry standard wages which in turn attracts some of the most talented actors.’ Before becoming Artistic Director of Miracle, Bill studied Drama and English at Birmingham University and worked in rep theatre in the late 1960s as a Stage Manager and actor. He then found himself running a business in Cornwall, before finally returning to theatre aged 30. So what next for Miracle? ‘We have an ongoing project called Tin - a feature film based on a produc-tion we did a few years ago and it’s a melodrama about banking swindles and tin mining in the 19th century. It’s is a co-production with English National Opera which will hopefully be going out to arts centre’s next spring. Next summer we are looking to produce a Western with a working title of The Magnificent Three.’

By Sara Loveridge

See Miracle Theatre’s Dr Livingstone, I Presume? on Friday 13th February at 7.30pm. Tickets: £12 / £10 Concessions / £8 Students. At Tacchi-Morris Arts Centre, School Road, Taunton. TA2 8PD. Box Office: 01823 414141. [email protected]. www.tacchi-morris.com.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

COSSINGTON VILLAGE HALLTRIVETTS WAYCOSSINGTONBRIDGWATER TA7 8LH

SAT. FEBRUARY 28th 8.00pm ( doors 7.00pm )

TRICHOTISM

Award winning pianist Craig Milverton is joined by top mu-sicians Nigel Price ( guitar ) and Sandy Suchodolski ( bass ) to present a superb evening of jazz in celebration of the won-derful works of Oscar Peterson,and more. Playing classic numbers from Oscar’s repertoire, including Night Train, Hymn to Freedom, Wheatland and the title of their C.D. Trichotism, hard swinging me-lodic jazz will be the order of the day. An unmissable evening of jazz of the highest quality guaranteed, presented by a trio who have played many top venues and major festivals.

Reserved seats at tables £12.50 ( which as always includes tasty interval treats) from host Roger Collett01278 451187 or email [email protected]

A raffle will be held in the continuing support of Bridgwater Hospital League of Friends

24

Why NotAdvertise in

LAMP?Make yourself visible

while supporting the promotion of the artistic community in Somerset

LAMP Magazine c/o Brendon Books, Old Brewery Buildings

Bath Place Taunton TA1 4ER

The Sibelius ‘Romance for Orchestra’is aptly named, but he originally described it simply as an Andante, but was persuaded to change the name after several people had suggested it’s romantic idiom. Beethoven’s F major Romance for solo violin and strings will no doubt be given romantic pathos under director Mary Eade’s fingers. Sarah Wormell’s ‘Synes-thesia, a Tryptych of Colours’ explores the neurolog-ical phenomenon where our senses become confused – come and hear, see or even smell the colours on the canvases she depicts. Modern Welsh composer Karl Jenkins’ ‘Palladio’ de-picts the aesthetic beauty of sixteenth century Italian architecture. This delightful programme is completed by the well known ‘Holberg Suite’ by Grieg, with two unasham-edly romantic slow movements, the ‘Sarabande’ and the ‘Air’, and an oboe concerto by Christopher Ball, another modern composer, in which the central slow movement ‘Aubade’ is an evocation of a peaceful Sum-mer day in unspoilt English countryside.

3.00 Sunday 15 February at St James’ Church Taunton Ta1 1JS Tickets from the Tourist Informa-tion Centre 01823 336344 www.tauntonsinfonietta.org.uk

Hayfever is set in the hall of the Bliss Family Home. The eccentric blisses - Judith, a recently retired stage actress, David, a self-absorbed nov-elist , and their two equally unconventional children - live in a world where real-ity slides easily into fiction. Upon entering this world, the unfortunate weekend guests-a proper diplomat, a shy flapper, an athletic boxer, and a fashionable sophisti-cate- are repeatedly thrown into melodramatic scenes where-in their host profess emotions and react to situations that do not really exist. The resulting comedic chaos ends only when the tortured visitors tip-toe out of the door.Warehouse Theatre, Brewery Lane, IlminsterTickets from Lanes Garden Shop Ilminster or byphoning 07943 779880

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January Events

3-10 Pantomime Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves (some matinees-check with venue) Regal Theatre, Minehead 7.30

9 Music Simply Red Tribute Night Oake Manor, Taunton 7.30

Music Mike Denham with Julian Phillips Ilminster Arts Centre 8.00

9-10 Music Do You Hear Our People Sing - Caught in the Act Bridgwater Arts Centre 7.30

11 Music Tamsin Waley-Cohen (Violin) and Bartholomew La Folette (Cello)Minehead and West Somerset Arts Society

Methodist Church, Minehead 2.30

11-17 Pantomime Beauty & The Beast - The Wayfarers. Please contact for details of matinees Brewhouse, Taunton 7.30

12 Talk The WW1 Sea Plane Lighter - Som. Ind. Arch. Soc North Town School, Taunton 7.30

Talk Flooding on the Levels - Somerset Wildlife Trust St George’s Sch., Taunton 7.30

14-15 Drama SPACE Fest: ‘DNA’ - Dennis Kelly. Pocket Fluff Productions Tacchi-Morris, Taunton 7.30

15 Talk Looking Hard at Degas - art talk Castle Hotel, Taunton 2.00

16 Music Reeds A Plenty Cotleigh Brewery, Wivy 7.30

Music The Bully Wee Band David Hall, Sth Petherton 8.00

Music Glenn Miller and Frank Sinatra Come to Town - Deane Big Band Regal Theatre, Minehead 8.00

Music The Mark Lawrence Trio with Tony Roberts Ilminster Arts Centre 8.00

17 Dance Bring a Dish Barn Dance - Hobsons Choice Barn Dance Band Bridgwater Arts Centre 7.30

Music Simon Mayor and Hilary James Halsway Manor 8.00

Music Madness Tribute Night Oake Manor, Taunton 7.30

20-22 Drama The Insect Play - Kapek Brothers Tacchi-Morris, Taunton 7.30

21-25 Pantomime Scrooge - Wellington Arts Assoc. Some matinees-please check with venue Wellesley, Wellington 7.30

22 Music Bluebirds Berlin Cabaret Warehouse Theatre, Ilminster 7.30

23 Comedy Jason Manford’s Comedy Club Bridgwater Arts Centre 8.00

Music Gilad Atzmon and his Orient House Ensemble Ilminster Arts Centre 8.00

Talk Ditch-Water isn’t Dull! - Somerset Wildlife Trust Parish Hall,Ilminster 7.30

Music Berlin Cabaret - The Bluebirds Roadwater Village Hall 8.00

Music Daniel Pogorzelski Quartet CICICIC, Taunton 7.30

24 Music The Full Monty and Gary Barlow Tribute Night Oake Manor, Taunton 7.30

Talk The Parrett Navigation North Town School, Taunton 7.30

Music Berlin Cabaret - The Bluebirds Carayford Hall, Ansford 7.30

Music The Old Swan Band Ceilidh Halsway Manor, Taunton 8.00

27-29 Drama Terms of Engagement - Martin Dimery Tacchi-Morris, Taunton 7.30

30 Comedy Lee Hurst: Things that make you go aarrgh!! Brewhouse, Taunton 8.00Talk BACTalks: Somerset Mythology Bridgwater Arts Centre 7.30Drama Wassail Theatre David Hall, Sth Petherton 7.30Music Shakin Stevens Tribute Night Oake Manor, Taunton 7.30Music A Tribute to Gerry Mulligan and Chet Baker Ilminster Arts Centre 8.00Music Swing & Jive Dance Night CICICIC, Taunton 7.30

31 Music Phil Beer David Hall, Sth Petherton 8.00Music Come and Sing: Rutter’s Requiem - organised by West Somerset Singers Taunton Baptist Church 2.30Music Berlin Cabaret - The Bluebirds Victoria Hall Radstock 7.30

Music Acoustic Music Night CICCIC, Taunton 7.00

Date Event Details Venue Time

Events in date order. Contact details for most of the venues are given at the end of event listings. Please note, we do not take any responsibility for errors or omissions. Please confirm with venue timings and programme details.

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February Events

1 Music Brodowski Quartet & Lydia Lowndes-Northcott (viola) Dillington House, Ilminster 2.30

2-3 Drama SPACE Fest: ‘The Monster in the Hall’ Tacchi-Morris,Taunton 7.30

4 Talk Somerset Birds - natural history talk by Stephen Moss with reference to new Somerset Atlas of Breeding and Wintering Birds

Brendon Books, Taunton 7.00

4-7 Drama Hayfever - Noel Coward Warehouse Theatre, Ilminster 7.30

5 Poetry Poetry reading by Martyn Crucefix CICCIC, Taunton 8.00

Dance 3Fall 2015 Tour Tacchi-Morris,Taunton 7.30

5-6 Musical Grease - Richard Huish Musical Theatre Brewhouse, Taunton 7.30

6 Music Cloudbusting: Kate Bush Tribute Tacchi-Morris, Taunton 7.30

Music Concerts in the West present Martin Cousin Ilminster Arts Centre 8.00

7 Comedy Laughing Cat Comedy: Tim Clark et al Bridgwater Arts Centre 8.00

Music Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman David Hall, Sth Petherton 8.00

Music Pink Floyd Tribute Night Oake Manor, Taunton 7.30

Music Gould Piano Trio - Mineahead & West Somerset Arts Society West Somerset College 7.30

Pantomime West Group YFC Pantomime Finals 2015 Regal Theatre Minehead 2.00

Drama Giants - Wassail Theatre Company Brewhouse, Taunton 7.30

8 Music 8 February -Music Festival - Final of Taunton Young Musician & Taunton Young Singer. Please apply venue for confirmation of times.

Castle Hotel, Taunton

9 Talk 350 Years of Devon Ball Clay North Town School, Taunton 7.30

10 Talk Badgers in My Kitchen - Pauline Kidner. Somerset Wildlife Trust. St George’s School, Taunton 7.30

10-11 Dance SPACE Fest: ‘Interchange’ Tacchi-Morris, Taunton 7.30

11 Drama The Three Musketeers - Patchwork Theatre Company Regal Theatre, Minehead 7.30

Talk Ten Treasures of the Uffizi: from Giotto to Leonardo da Vinci - art talk Castle Hotel, Taunton 2.00

Music The Swinging Blue Jeans Regal Theatre, Minehead 7.30

Drama Great Expectations with Gerald Dickens Brewhouse, Taunton 7.30

13 Drama Dr Livingstone, I Presume? - Miracle Theatre Tacchi-Morris, Taunton 7.30

Music Latin Jazz Special with Conjunto Gringo Ilminster Arts Centre 8.00

Music Pavel Kolesnikov - Piano - Milverton Concert Society Milverton Church 8.00

14 Music Martyn Joseph Bridgwater Arts Centre 8.00

Music Martion Simpson David Hall, Sth Petherton 8.00

Music Jon Swayne, Paul James, Gregory Jolivet and Patrick Bouffard Halsway Manor 8.00

Comedy Shappi Khorsandi: Because I’m Shappi… Tacchi-Morris, Taunton 8.00

Music Jim Boyes & Belinda O’Hooley present “Sensations of a Wound” Silver Street Sessions 8.00

Music Sofya Gulyak | Rachmaninov and Russian piano music Broomfield Village Hall 8.00

15 Music ‘Romance in the Air’ - Taunton Sinfonietta St James’s Church 3.00Music Trio Martinu | Piano trios by Schubert, Joseph Suk and Dvorak Broomfield Village Hall 3.30

16-17 Magic show High Jinx Magic, Illusion & Circus Thrills Brewhouse, Taunton 7.0019 Drama Wuthering Heights - Butterfly Psyche Production Brewhouse, Taunton 7.3020 Music Simon Banks & Kevin Grenfell Cotleigh Brewery, Wivy 7.30



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March Events

3-5 Variety So You Wanna Be a Star? - Year 11 Heathfield School Tacchi-Morris, Taunton 7.30

3-7 Drama Tons of Money - Taunton Thespians (2.30 matinee on 7th) Brewhouse 7.30

Comedy Pop - Christian Lee. Comedy mime and magic show. Tacchi-Morris, Taunton 2.00

5 Comedy Brazz Comedy Night Castle Hotel, Taunton 8.30

Music Jamie Smith’s Mabon Bridgwater Arts Centre 8.00

5-7 Drama A Fete Worse than Death -Minehead Youth Theatre Regal, Minehead 7.30

6 Music Guitar Maestro Duo: Peter Oxley and Nicolas Meier Ilminster Arts Centre 8.00

Talk Hugh Cornwalll of the Stranglers talks about his novel Arnold Drive Brendon Books, Taunton 7.00

Music Rob Lamberti as George Michael and The Boy George Experience Oake Manor , Taunton 7.30

Music The Tenant of Wildfell Hall - Livewire Theatre Neroche Hall, Bickenhall 7.30

7 Music Mahler Symphony No 4 - Somerset County Orchestra Queen’’s College 7.30

Dance The Buffalo Gal Stampede David Hall, South Petherton 8.00

Music Two Harpsichords in Concert -The Grand Tour Dillington House, Ilminster 2.30

9 Talk Cezanne. Art talk with Jeremy Harvey. Conference Ctre, Som College 7.00

11 Drama Teechers - John Godber. Blackeyed Theatre. Tacchi-Morris, Taunton 7.30

Talk TV Pyschic Tony Stockwell Brewhouse, Taunton 7.30

12 Drama King John - Hammer Puzzle Theatre Company Brewhouse, Taunton 2/8.00


Music Beatles Tribute Night Oake Manor, Taunton 7.30Music Flying Folk Evening Ilminster Arts Centre 8.00Comedy Jethro Live 2015 Brewhouse, Taunton 7.30

20-21 Drama The Snow Queen - Oasis Theatre and Dreams Performing Arts Regal Theatre, Minehead 7.3020-22 Music The Leonore Piano Trio - Various times.Please check with venue. Castle Hotel, Taunton21 Music Limehouse Lizzy Bridgwater Arts Centre 8.00

Music Harpsichord Recital - The Attraction of the Ground with Colin Booth Dillington House, Ilminster 2.00

22 Music Devon Baroque Dillington House, Ilminster 2.30

23 Talk Watermills in the West Country North Town School, Taunton 7.3024-25 Music An Awfully Big Adventure - Primary School musical entertainment Tacchi-Morris, Taunton 7.0026 Drama Dracula - Rabbit Theatre David Hall, Sth Petherton 7.30

27 Music The Levels Collective folk music Bridgwater Arts Centre 8.00Talk Bamfylde Lecture: Marion Mako on Somerset Gardens Hestercombe Gardnes 7.00Music Country and Western Tribute Night Oake Manor, Taunton 7.30Music The New Jersey Boys Regal Theatre, Minehead 7.30Music Simon Spillett and Henry Lowther with The Dave Newton Trio Ilminster Arts Centre 8.00

Talk Introduced Species: Increased Biodiversity or Conservation Nightmare? Parish Hall, Ilminster 7.3028 Music The Churchfitters David Hall Sth Petherton 8.00

Music Trichotism - Craig Milverton, Nigel Price & Sandy Suchodolski Cossington Village Hall 8.00

February Events (ContDate Event Details Venue Time


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Talk Painters of Perfection: Fra Angelico & Piero della Francesca - M Giraud Castle Hotel, Taunton 2.00

13 Music The Busch Ensemble - Milverton Concert Society Milverton Church 8.00

Music Bookends: Simon and Garfunkel tribute Tacchi-Morris, Taunton 7.30

Muisc Kimber’s Men. David Hall, Sth Petherton 8.00

Music Marlene Verplanck with The John Pearce Trio Ilminster Arts Centre 8.00

The Carducci Quartet - Minehead and West Somerset Arts Society Regal, Minehead 7.30

13-15 Muisc A Weekend of Mozart - London Bridge Ensemble. Apply to venue for times. Castle Hotel, Taunton

14 Opera Patience by Gilbert and Sullivan - Somerset Opera tour Trull Memorial Hall 7.30

Operas Pop-up Opera - Mozart: Die Entführung aus dem Serail Tacchi-Morris, Taunton 7.30

Music Spring Concert - The Phoenix Singers St John Bapist Ch., Wellington 7.30

16 Talk Comedian Tony Hawks talks about his new book Once Upon a Time in the West Country

Brewhouse, Taunton 7.30

18 Opera Patience by Gilbert and Sullivan - Somerset Opera tour Regal Theatre, Minehead 7.30

19 Opera Patience by Gilbert and Sullivan - Somerset Opera tour Warehouse Theatre, Ilminster 7.30

Drama Cell - Smoking Apples Theatre Company and Little Cauliflower Theatre Company

Tacchi-Morris, Taunton 7.30

Dance Spiltmilk say Dance David Hall, Sth Petherton 7.30

20 Opera Patience by Gilbert and Sullivan - Somerset Opera tour North Curry Village Hall 7.30

Drama Feather Catcher - Filskit Theatre Com. Non verbal 3+ chuildren’s theatre Tacchi-Morris, Taunton 11.00

Music The John Maddocks Jazzmen Cotleigh Brewery, Wivy 7.30

Music Phillip Henry and Hannah Martin David Hall, Sth Petherton 8.00

Music Concerts in the West present the Skazki Trio Ilminster Arts Centre 8.00

Music Roy Orbison and the Traveling Wilburys Tribute Oake Manor, Taunton 7.30

21 Music Pete Allen Jazz Band Brewhouse, Taunton 7.30

Opera Patience by Gilbert and Sullivan - Somerset Opera tour Nether Stowey Vill Hall 7.30

Comedy Instant Wit Quick Fire Improvisation Show CICCIC, Taunton 7.30

22 Music Oasi-is Tribute act Brewhouse, Taunton 7.30

Opera Patience by Gilbert and Sullivan - Somerset Opera tour King’s College, Taunton 7.30

Storytelling Somerset Storyfest Halasway Manor, Taunton 2.00

23 Dance Shift 2015 - Space Company dancers Tacchi-Morris, Taunton 7.30

24 Music Heathfield Easter Concert- Heathfield Senior Choir and Symphonic Winds. Tacchi-Morris, Taunton 7.00

25-27 Dance Spring Forward 2015 - young dancers from across Somerset. Tacchi-Morris, Taunton 7.30

26-28 Musical Travels With My Aunt Regal, Minehead 7.30

27 Music The Jazz Worriers Ilminster Arts Centre 8.00

Music BEE GEES Tribute Night Oake Manor, Taunton 7.30

Music Olly Murs, Bruno Mars, Justin Timberlake, Rihanna & Beyonce Tribute Oake Manor, Taunton 7.30

28 Music Spring Concert: Mozart Coronation Mass, Handel Coronation Anthems, Purcell I Was Glad, etc- Amici

St James Church, Taunton 7.30

Music Spring Concert - Taunton Concert Band Tacchi-Morris, Taunton 7.30

Music OAS_IS - Oasis tribute band Brewhouse, Taunton 7.30

March Events (Cont’d)TimeVenueEvent DetailsDate

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Art Exhibitions January/February/MarchMonday 5 - Saturday 24 January 2014. Open Prize Winners Exhibition. A group exhibition showcasing the work of the winning group of artists from the 2014 Annual Open Exhibition. The Meeting House, East Street, Ilminster. TA19 0AN. 01460 54973. www.themeetinghouse.org.uk.

Wednesday 7 January - Wednesday 25 February.Dimitris Koutroumpas: ‘Sub-Urban’ Monday- Friday 10am - 4pm. Free. Tac-chi-Morris Arts Centre, School Road, Taunton. TA2 8PD. Box Office: 01823 414141.www.tacchi-morris.com.

15 January – 11 February 2015. An exhibition of drawings and paintings by Taunton artist Norman Steel. The exhibition is open from 9.30am – 12.30pm Monday to Saturday. The exhibition will also feature his colourful paintings both of people and landscapes. Creative Innovation Centre CIC, Memorial Hall. Paul Street, Taunton, SomersetTA1 3PF Tel. 01823 337477 Email: [email protected]

Monday 26 January - Saturday 7 February. The Chosen Few. A newly-formed group of artists present an exhibition featuring oils and mixed media painting, sculpture in wood and metal, art textiles, fused glass, art jewellery and popular ceramics. The Meeting House, East Street, Ilminster. TA19 0AN. 01460 54973. www.themeetinghouse.org.uk

31 January - 29 March 2015. Second Site Gallery Exhibtion. Jo Lathwood, Laura Ellen Bacon, Megan Calver, Simon Hitchens, Patrick Lowry. The Third exhibition in the Hestercombe Gallery will feature unique work from a collection of artisits.‘Second Site’ presents new work by five artists who have responded to Hestercombe Gallery’s reclaimed spaces through exploration of Hestercombe’s history and recent re-unification between the house and gardens. Their work encapsulates a diverse range of media from drawing and sculpture, interventions to sound and film.This new exhibition of contemporary work not only engages with the historic buildings and landscape but it also explores the relationship between exterior and interior spaces, as well as builds collaborations with others that work at Hestercombe and the surrounding areas. Hestercombe Gardens, Cheddon Fitzpaine, Taunton TA2 8LG. Telephone: 01823 413923 www.hester-combe.com

3 February - 28 March 2015. MA and other Post Graduates Rule. Atkinson Gallery, Millfield, Street, BA16 OYD ) tel. 01458 444322

Monday 9 - Saturday 21 February. Schools Go Visual IV. Local schools showcase their work in their fourth exhibition at IAC. The Meeting House, East Street, Ilminster. TA19 0AN. 01460 54973. www.themeetinghouse.org.uk

16th February - 28th March. “SCAN FOUR” John Abraham, Wendy Head, Susan Wallis, Victoria Ward, members of “Somerset Contemporary Artists’ Network” are exhibiting at The Red Brick Building, Morland Enterprise Park, Glastonbury, BA6 9FT. www.redbrickglastonbury.co.uk 01458 899564 Open all week10am-10pm (early closing 4pm Sundays and Mondays)

Monday 23 February - Saturday 7 March. Four from the Forest. Inspired by their love of nature, ‘Four’ is an exhibition that showcases the work of a small group of artists from the Forest of Dean. Ilminster Arts Centre at The Meeting House, East Street, Ilminster. TA19 0AN. 01460 54973. www.themeetinghouse.org.uk

Monday 9 - Saturday 21 March. Three of a Kind. Three distinguished contemporary artists - Brian Cox, Billie Wilcocks and Mi-chael Jackson present an exhibition to fire your imagination with their exciting bold colours and strong and confident impres-sionist styles. Monday - Friday 9.30am - 4.30pm. Saturday 9.30am - 2.30pm. Free. Ilminster Arts Centre at The Meeting House, East Street, Ilminster. TA19 0AN. 01460 54973. www.themeetinghouse.org.uk.

Monday 23 March - Saturday 18 April. The Ilminster Contemporary 3D2D. An unusual and genuinely exciting opportunity to learn more about Contemporary Art through the stunning, sometimes challenging work of some of the best West Country artists. Visitors will be able to see how these artists have managed to make ‘the ordinary special’ in a variety of ways. Monday - Friday 9.30am - 4.30pm. Saturday 9.30am - 2.30pm. Free. Ilminster Arts Centre at The Meeting House, East Street, Ilminster. TA19 0AN. 01460 54973. www.themeetinghouse.org.uk.

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Atkinson Gallery, Millfield School, Street, Somerset BA16 0YD 01458 444322Barn, Obridge House Priorswood, Taunton. Contact: Jeremy Harvey. 01823 276421Bath Central Library 01225 394041The Blakehay Theatre, Wadham Street, Weston-super-Mare, BS23 1JZ 01934 64B5493Brendon Books, Bath Place, Taunton TA1 4ER 01823 337742 [email protected] Theatre & Arts Centre, Coal Orchard, Taunton TA1 1JL 01823 283244 [email protected] Arts Centre, 11-13 Castle Street, Bridgwater, Somerset TA6 3DD 01278 422 700 The Castle Hotel, Castle Green, Taunton TA1 1NF 01823 272671Caryford Community Hall, Ansford, Castle Cary, South Somerset BA7 7JJCossington Village Hall Rrivetts Way , TA7 8LH. Cotleigh Brewery Ltd, Ford Road, Wiveliscombe, Somerset TA4 2RE 01984 624086 [email protected] Innovation Centre CIC, Memorial Hall, Paul Street,Taunton TA1 3PF. 01823 337477 [email protected] David Hall, Roundwell St South Petherton. TA13 5AA 01460 240340 [email protected] Dillington House, Ilminster, Somerset TA19 9DT 01460 258648 [email protected] Dunster Tithe Barn 01643 821658 [email protected] Frome Memorial Theatre - Christchurch Street West, Frome, Somerset BA11 1EBTel: 01373 462795 Fyne Court, Broomfield, Somerset TA5 2EQ 01823 451587Ginger Fig, Bath Place, Taunton TA1 4ER 01823 326798Halseway Manor, Crowcombe, Taunton, Somerset TA4 4BD 01984 618274 Hestercombe Gardens, Hestercombe, Taunton TA2 8LG 01823 413 923Holburne Museum, Bath 01225 388569Ilminster Arts Centre, East Street, Ilminster TA19 0AN 01460 55783 Iminster Parish Hall, North Street, Ilminster, TA19 0DGMerlin Theatre, Bath Road, Frome, Somerset BA11 2HG 01373 465949Museum of Somerset, Taunton Castle, Castle Green, Taunton Somerset TA1 4AA 01823 255088 www.somerset.gov.uk/museumsMusic in the Quantocks 01823 451162Oake Manor Golf Club,Oake Taunton TA4 1BA 01823 461992 Octagon Theatre, Hendford, Yeovil BA20 1UX 01935 422884Parish Church St John, Wellington, 72 High Street Wellington(01823) 662248 The Playhouse Theatre,High Street,Weston super Mare,BS23 1HP 01934 645544Porlock Village Hall, Toll Road (New Rd), Porlock TA24 8QD 01643 862717Queen’s Conference Centre, Trull Road, Taunton Ta1 4QS 01823 272559 [email protected] Regal Theatre, 10-16 The Avenue, Minehead TA24 5AY 01643 706430 [email protected] Huish College, 2 Kings Close, Taunton, Somerset TA1 3XP 01823 320800Silver Street Centre, Silver Street, Wiveliscombe, Taunton, Somerset TA4 2PA 01984 623107 Somerset Industrial Archaeological Society, Field Officer, Peter Daniel, 29 Barbers Mead, Taunton, TA2 8PY.Telephone : 01823 339368. E-mail : [email protected] Somerset Rural Life Museum. Abbey Farm, Chilkwell Street, GlastonburySomerset BA6 8DB 01458 831197St Catherine’s Church Hall, Park Road, Frome, BA11 1EUSt John’s Church, Park Street, Taunton TA1 4DG [email protected] St. John’s Church Rooms, Yeovil, BA20 1HESt Mary Magdalene Church, Church Square, Taunton TA1 1SA 01823 272441St Mary’s Church, St Mary Street, Bridgwater TA6 3EQ 01278 422437 [email protected] St Mary’s Church, Stogumber [email protected] St Peter & St Paul Church, Moor Lane, North Curry Ta3 6JZ 01823 490255Shapwick Village Hall ShapwickThe Swan Theatre, 138 Park Street,Yeovil BA20 1QT [email protected] Arts Centre, School Road, Taunton TA2 8PD 01823 41 41 41 [email protected] Taunton Flower Show http://www.tauntonfs.co.uk/Taunton Library, Paul St, Taunton, Somerset TA1 3XZ 0845 345 9177 Temple Methodist Church, Upper High Street, Taunton TA1 3PY (01823) 275765Tyntesfield Wraxall, North Somerset, BS48 1NTUnited Reform Church, SomertonWarehouse Theatre, Brewery Lane, Ilminster, TA19 9AD Tel 01460 57049 Wellesley Theatre, 50-52 Mantle Street, Wellington TA21 8AU 01823 666668 Wellington Arts Centre, Eight Acre Lane, Wellington, TA21 8PS 01458 250655Wells Museum (admission by side entrance) off Cathedral Green, Wells BA5 2UEWellsprings Leisure Centre, Cheddon Road, Taunton TA2 7QP 01823 271271Yeovil Library, The Library, King George Street, Yeovil Somerset BA20 1PY Tel 01823 336370

Contacts List

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Workshops, Courses & Classes (Jan-March)

Listings are for January- March by venue charged at £3.00 per line or part line (up to 110 characters including spaces) or as part of an advertising package. Single individual entries also accepted.

Community Class Listings January - April 2015. for Tacchi Morris Arts Centre. All enquiries: Tacchi-Morris Arts Centre, School Road, Taunton. TA2 8PD. 01823 414141. www.tacchi-morris.com.

Mondays:Bolder Dance Company. A dynamic dance company for anyone over the age of 50 who wants to meet people, dance and express themselves. The class draws on a wide range of dance styles, movement techniques and musical influences. No previous experience necessary. For ages 50+. 4 - 6pm. £2 per session / £15 per term / £30 per year. TStamp. A fun and very popular youth theatre to build confidence and improve drama skills. For 8-10 year olds. 6.15 - 7.30pm. £50 (£40 for those receiving state benefits or JSA). Tacchi-Morris Arts Centre, School Road, Taunton. TA2 8PD. 01823 414141. www.tacchi-morris.com.Tai Chi. A chance to ease away the stresses of the day and remove those aches and pains. Tai Chi has proven health benefits including: improving your balance, co-ordination and posture through gentle stretching and boosting emotional and physical wellbeing. For adults. 7 - 8pm. £50 (£40 for those receiving state benefits or JSA) / £6 drop-in. TClassical Ballet. A technical ballet class for dancers with some prior experience. For adults and those aged 14+. 8.15 - 9.45pm. £50 (£40 for those receiving state benefits or JSA). Tuesdays: Zoom Theatre Company. A chance for budding young performers to really boost their drama skills. This innovative theatre company in-volves fun drama games, performance opportunities and a chance to make new friends. For 11 - 12 year olds. 6 - 7.30pm. £50 (£40 for those receiving state benefits or JSA) / £5 drop-in. TTaunton Musical Youth Theatre. A dynamic company offering training in acting skills, vocals, choreography and performance skills. This term the company is working towards a production of Bugsy Malone. For ages 12-16 years. 7 - 8.30pm. £50 (£40 for those receiving state benefits or JSA) / £6 drop-in. Flamenco. Discover the art of Andalusian flamenco. Passionate and rhythmic dance classes for beginners and more experienced flamenco enthusiasts. For adults. 7 - 8.30pm. £60 (£50 for those receiving state benefits or JSA) / £8 drop-in. Wednesdays:Blitz Dance Company. Learn new routines, and try out street, folk, musical theatre and contemporary dance in Tacchi-Morris’ amazing dance studio. Blitz offers young dancers the chance to create exciting new choreography as well as performance opportunities on the Tac-chi-Morris stage. For 8 - 11 year olds. 5 - 6pm. £40 (£30 for those receiving state benefits or JSA) / £5 drop-in. Whatever Theatre Company. A new inclusive singing, drama and musical theatre company – open to all ages, abilities and levels of experi-ence. The group welcomes disabled and non-disabled performers, adults and young people with learning disabilities, carers, family members and anyone looking to try out something fun and new in an encouraging environment. 5:30pm - 6.30pm. Free. Connect Youth Theatre. Create cutting edge work, develop and hone your acting skills and join this friendly and talented youth theatre company. For 13 - 15 year olds. 6 - 7.30pm. £50 (£40 for those receiving state benefits or JSA). Digit Dance Company. This dynamic dance company helps young dancers to develop their technical ability and maximise their creative potential. For 12 - 14 year olds. 6.15 - 7.15pm. £40 (£30 for those receiving state benefits or JSA) / £5 drop-in. Pilates. Exercises to strengthen and tone core muscles, re-align and balance the body, encourage fluid movement and focus the mind. For adults. 6.15 - 7.15pm. £50 (£40 for those receiving state benefits or JSA) / £6 drop-in. Taunton Rock Show Chorus. This chorus has a firm emphasis on fun whilst aiming for the highest possible standards. Singing classics from the charts, film and stage this class is ideal for anyone who has spent their life singing in the shower or more experienced singers who want a fresh challenge. For adults. 7.30 - 9.00pm. £50 (£40 for those receiving state benefits or JSA). Taunton Youth Dance Company. Taunton’s premier youth dance company offers extensive professional workshops and performance op-portunities. This season the company begins work on a site specific dance film and prepares new work for Spring Forward dance platform. TYDC membership runs annually, however, the company has a couple of spaces opening in January. For ages 15 - 25. 7.30 - 9.30pm. Thursdays:Fun Feet. A fun-filled dance movement class for little people who love to move! Learn routines, make new friends and share your work with family and friends in end of term sharing performances. For ages 4 - 7. 4 - 4.45pm. £35 (£25 for those receiving state benefits or JSA) / £4 drop-in. Yoga. Relax, unwind and improve your muscle tone. This course teaches breath awareness and an understanding of basic yoga principles. For adults. 6.15 - 7.15pm. £50 (£40 for those receiving state benefits or JSA) / £6 drop-in. Beginners Tap. Full of variety with Tap-American and English influences, keep fit and have fun learning a range of routines. For adults. 7.15 - 8.15pm. £50 (£40 for those receiving state benefits or JSA). Strictly Ballroom. Join the craze and learn dances from around the world including Rumba, Foxtrot, Tango and Waltz. Come along on your own or in a pair and have fun whilst keeping fit! For adults. 7.30 - 9pm. £90 per couple / £60 Individual / £8 drop-in. Fridays:Singing for Fun. Join Mark Whitford-Williams for a fun, informal sing-a-long of music throughout the ages, have a cup of tea in the foyer and meet some lovely people. Aimed at those aged 50+. 12 - 1pm, £4 drop-in (includes refreshments).

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Wood Street Community Choir, Taunton, meets Wedsnesdays 7.30-9.30pm in Northtown School. Fabulous mix of World songs - pop, gospel, African, folk, spiritual etc.- taught by ear. We’re a friendly bunch, all welcome! Google ‘Wood Street Choir’, contact 01458 250655.

Becky Wright - Redesign Your Life Venue and Bookings: the Castle Hotel T: 01823 328303 [email protected], 6th February at 10.30am - Knowing Yourself and Detoxing Your MindThis interactive talk will offer practical exercises for both detoxing the mind and starting to develop the mindful awareness central to getting to know yourself better, and making a start on the life redesign process.Friday, 6th March at 10.30am - Love and Developing Self-confidenceIn this interactive talk we will explore these aspects more closely and look at ways to improve self confidence and create more balanced relationships.Friday, 17th April at 10.30am - Developing Real HappinessThis interactive talk offers skills and strategies that help our resilience grow. It will draw together earlier themes of mindful awareness, love and confidence as part of building and sustaining your personal resilience and help you grow and create a more sustainable life design for the future.

Coates English Willows - Willows WorkshopsP H Coate & Son Meare Green Court Stoke St Gregory Taunton Somerset TA3 6HY Contact Details Email: [email protected] Telephone: 01823 490249 (Mon-Fri 9-5).

January 2015 Lunch Saturday 10th 2015 Willow Animal Sculpture Day 9.30am-4.30pm No £75.00 Saturday 17th 2015 Sowy Stitch Full Day No £25.00Saturday 24th 2015 Living Willow Sculpture day 9.30am-4.30pm No £65.00February 2015 Saturday 07th 2015 Spring Hare Sculpture Workshop 9.30am - 4.30pm Yes £65.00Saturday 14th 2015 Sowy Stitch Full Day No £25.00Saturday 14th 2015 Basket Making Workshops 9.30am - 4pm Yes £85.00 Saturday 21st 2015 Duck & Goose 9.30 - 4.30pm No £65.00 Friday 27th 2015 Willow Coffin Wkshop 2 days 9.30am-4.30pm Yes £300.00 March 2015 Saturday 07th 2015 Willow Animal Sculpture Day 9.30am-4.30pm No £75.00 Saturday 14th 2015 Sowy Stitch Full Day No £25.00 Saturday 21st 2015 Basket Making Workshops 9.30am - 4pm Yes £85.00

Regular classes at the Bridgwater Arts Centre: 11-13 Castle Street Bridgwater TA6 3DD

Watercolour class: Every Wednesday 10 - noonBridgwater Voices Community Choir: Every Wednesday 7.30 - 9pmBridgwater Silver Community Choir: Every Tuesday 10.30 - noonJazz Workshop: Every Tuesday 7.30 - 9pmSalsa: Every Wednesday 8-10pm

Please check website for more details: www.bridgwaterartscentre.co.uk

Workshops, Courses & Classes (Jan-March)

Listings are for January- March by venue charged at £3.00 per line or part line (up to 110 characters including spaces) or as part of an advertising package. Single individual entries also accepted.

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By Paul Tobin

SO YOU WANT TO BE A POET. Some tips on how to develop your skills

I have been trying to a poet since I was twelve and I dreamt my first poem. It has taken me a long time. I have to confess that there where periods of my life when I was not as devoted to my writing as I am now. There has to be a degree of commitment. Poems do not, in my experience, arrive fully formed and perfect.

I derailed myself for a number of years because I did not take the time to anal-yse why a good poem is a good poem or take the time to discover how it works. This is important. You need to reflect on your own and others work if you wish to improve.

Here are some tips I have picked up along the way.

* Keep a paper and pencil handy. I always I have them with me. If you are not ready when the idea arrive then, as Brian Patten said: “The muse will say Bugger you I’m off to whisper in the ear of someone who pays attention.”

* Poetry is not simply about inspiration. Let’s get that clear at the start. Once you have that image, those two lines or that idea then the real work begins. You write out draft after draft and when you think it is complete you revise it. And having revised it, you revise it again.

*A word of caution, if you write on a computer, keep the different drafts. I write mine in a note book and when I feel I am loosing the original idea I go back and look at the first version. When I think the poem can stand on it’s own I type it up. Then I play with it some more.

* Put it away in a drawer for a couple of weeks. Distance will grant you perspec-tive. One thing I have learned the hard way is never to take a poem I have writ-ten that day to a reading. You need time to appreciate what you have created.

* When you do look at the poem again it will need revising.

* Ask yourself is this an idea you have already used? Each good poem is unique. Have you said this before and better?

* Poet Jinny Fisher asks of each poem what is at stake here? You need to be able to answer that for yourself, perhaps not in the early drafts but by the time you

think it is finished. Robert Lowell kept revising his work throughout his life, so it’s a moot question if a poem is ever complete.

* Read the poem aloud, lis-ten to how it sounds. Better still get someone to read it out for you.

* Join a group. Learn to give and receive constructive feedback. Analysing anoth-er poet’s work in a group

will give you insight to your own work.

* Attend readings. Fire River Poets organ-ise readings on the first Thursday of every month at CIC in Taunton. Go along and see how other people do it.

* Look at different poetic forms. Try and get an idea of the mechanics of each. Then write your own. You don’t have to show these to anyone but they will give you an appreciation of form.

* Read poetry, lots of poetry. Get an anthology and read a poem a day. Take note of how the poet constructs the poem. It’s useful to have a knowledge of different poets and different styles.

* Keep writing.

Writers Anon: Some tips on how to write Poetry

The fourth of the series of articles by Writers Anon on ‘how to write’.

@WritersAnonSomwritersanontaunton.wordpress.com

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Winning entryLet It Be by Eve Brandon

They say we know more about the moon than the deepest reaches of the sea. May-be that’s for the best.

Sea glass is pressed into the sand. Spots of colour reflect through it, pale on the mottled flesh of those working above her, their long fingers ghosting over her new skin. They dart quickly about her, the vibrancy of their tails stark against the bedrock.

Greens and whites and clay-browns criss-crossing over her new flesh. A pat-tern formed by their careful hands.

With a ceremonial reverence, grim in its silence and precision, dark sand is smoothed over the bone of her cheeks and left to settle. Unnoticed, a red hair ribbon is folded in with the clay, spread

through the arches of her driftwood rib-cage, bright against the dull colours.

The spaces marked out for her nose, lips and eyes are simple; childlike and shadowed by the slowly darkening water. The watchful figures moving around her begin to dig out a throat, lining it with the same tough kelp they used to bind her legs together. New teeth are pushed into her jaw, stolen from the carcass of a shark, jutting out at violent angles beneath her decaying lips.

When the morning comes only a few small shells are visible on her sand-flesh, pressed deep along her collarbones in a grotesque parody of a necklace. A single pearl digs hard against her sternum. The mismatched tendons of sea creatures and knotted plant-life move under her skin as muscles. Her sculptors prop her gently against the coral, their own tails flicking behind them. Not one notices the tangle of red ribbon.Her head is held still; plaited net, strips of fabric and seaweed woven togeth-er over her salvaged skull, streaming behind her in the currents. The one who so carefully holds her head places two amber beads into the sockets of her eyes.

External judge, Professor Jo Gill from Exeter University wrote of Eve’s winning story:‘Absolutely astonishing! An origi-nal, evocative, unforgettable story of transformation and disinte-gration (with a subtle but telling subtext – the Irish diaspora?) Beau-tifully written, subtle, compelling. A wonderful story that has stuck in my mind for days, and rewards careful reading and re-reading.’

The Richard Huish Brunner creative writing competition was held in November 2014. The theme was the Beatles. The story from the winner of the Brunner Cup is printed in full here following this report. Over 150 students aged 13 to 18 from six partner schools across Somerset and Devon, entered alongside Huish students. They were from Bishop Fox’s Community School, The Castle School, Haygrove School, Heathfield Communi-ty School and for the first time Cullomp-ton Community College and The Kings of Wessex Academy. The Brunner Cup and the Huish section were won by Eve Brandon with ‘Let it Be’, a story described by the external judge Professor Jo Gill from the Univer-sity of Exeter, as ‘an original, evocative, unforgettable story of transformation and disintegration.’ Joint second was Phoebe Tootill’s ‘I’ve got a Feeling,’ which was carefully plotted to create a strong sense of suspense and Catt Law’s subtle narra-tive ‘The Nowhere Man.’ Amber Mockridge, from Heathfield School, won the partner schools section with a dramatic monologue, ‘Lady Ma-

Something to ‘Twist and Shout’ about…

Front row: Catt Law, Fahamina Hossain (Bishop Fox’s),Amelia Davies (Heathfield), Amber Mockridge (Heathfield), Amber Munroe-Fellowes(Kings of Wessex), Lauren Sweeting (Hay-grove), Caroline Turner (Haygrove), Natalie Hall (Haygrove), Eve Brandon.

donna,’ that was lively and had a highly credible voice. Kings of Wessex pupil Amber Munroe-Fellowes was second in this section. Her ‘Yesterday’ was a well sustained and convincing story with a distinct ‘groundhog day’ effect. Haygrove School produced a number of the top en-tries, with Lauren Sweeting and Rachael Brown joint third. A Presentation Evening took place on Wednesday 26th November in the main hall at Huish. An appreciative audience listened to members of the English de-partment reading extracts of the winning entries.

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They are clouded and worn, but glitter in the weak light.

A mouth is pressed against her own. Energy twitches along her fingers. Con-fused, she lashes out. The shells of her nails strike the face of the nearest figure, sending sand clouds into the turbulent water.

Now she recalls grey waves and rocks beneath a blue sky. Blurred memories of concave cheeks and phantom hunger pains, triggered by thoughts of frozen lamp oil and a blackened harvest. Stories of a Promised Land, of fifteen stars and fifteen stripes. She remembers slipping from a boat, sliding beneath a wooden rail, the dry air rushing through her hair and the voices of humans just audible above her. Then the shock of the cold water. A flash of dark sky. Chipped blue paint. A red ribbon twisted in her hair. White bubbles stirring around her flailing limbs. Salt water weighing on her clothes and forcing its way into her lungs.

Struggling for a surface that never comes.

She thinks she might remember them watching. Watching as she hung some-where between life and death, their pupils shining orange in the dark blue. Firefly eyes filled with empty pity. She thinks now about how they did nothing to help, so far from any fairy-tale she had ever heard.

A primal whisper in the back of her empty skull tells her that this is what they do when a human drowns.

They watch.They wait.They build.

Now she is like them. One of her kin takes her wrist and directs the movement of her hand as another body is thrown to the arching rocks. She presses a bottle cap into the hollow of an eye socket and wreaths its head with a crown of urchin spines. Another joins the shoal with one breath to its lips, and for a moment she feels something other than the drive to create. It is something small and weak, tugging at the heart she no longer has.

She has gone from creation to creator.

Time plays tricks. Coral grows like smoke around them and iron corrodes like melting wax.

The strange, peaceful expressions of her kind never change, even when they see the sluggish, flailing limbs of the drown-ing. The streaming bubbles from fish-like mouths do not move them. She likes to think she does not feel, but there is a flaw in her design, a red ribbon ties her to the world of the breathing.

Around the time the boats of men changed from wood to iron, she began to stray from the shoal, leaving them wait-ing to go to lighter waters. Now she stares into the sunlight and lets the warmth soak into her old bones, feeling the red ribbon like a white hot wire along the rise of her chest.

The call of air is too strong to resist.

Her face breaks the tension of the water. She swims to where the rocks rise black and jagged, draped in grey sea birds and white snow. The skeletal remains of ships stretch up out of the waves, splitting the horizon into fractured shapes.

She meets land, floating beneath an out-crop of rock, sheltered from the howling wind in the little bay. Staring up, she cannot help but clasp a hand to her chest at the sight of the early morning light on the worn rock. A starfish clings to it, finger-like and pale; it paints a picture of billowing skirts and ice lacing the sand.

A boat.A brother.A red hair ribbon snatched up by the wind.

As she reaches out for the starfish her fingers meet a blade of sunlight. Drying suddenly, sand falls away from the spin-dles of her driftwood bones. She flinches, retreating to the darker water. She no longer belongs. The curling slice of red along her chest is her only reminder of life before.

She bares her teeth at her disinterested audience, her mind howling as not one of them reacts, hollow eyes fixed sightlessly

on the expanse of water around her. The ribbon feels like a noose around her neck, suffocating her.

She can bear it no longer.

A flick of her tail and she is inches from another set of eyes, close enough to reach out and touch the patch of bone pushing through sand. She clasps at the creature’s shoulders. She looks for any trace of emo-tions. For smile lines cracking the stone temples, for the line of a frown to split through the wooden bridge of its nose. Nothing happens.

The starfish is still there when she returns, clutching to the rock as high tide sweeps through the bay. She lets the current carry her to where the water kisses land, white foam curling thorough pebbles, staining everything it touches in darker hues. A storm of feathers pick up around her as she approaches the shallows, birds run-ning from her as she swims closer to the shore. An approximation of a smile twists her lips at the heavy sound of beating wings, so different from the oppressive silence of the deep.

The space around the red ribbon seems to ache, like cold fingers held too close to a stove. Blinking down at it, she runs a finger over the visible material, wonder-ing what would happen if she was to rip it out. The sight of the cold winter sun pulling itself over the horizon tears her attention away, the light filtering through the water.

She watches.She waits.

She pushes clawed fingers into damp sand.

The building panic in her chest is glorious and damning. She feels awake for the first time in so long. Scales fall from her tail, sand swept away by a gentle breeze coils in the air as her body breaks apart. The knotted nets of her joints fray and disap-pear in the foam; the metal band from a long-rotten barrel fails at long last, her ribcage falling open.

Only the red ribbon remains.

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Poetry CornerPaul Tobin is well known in the Somerset poetry community. He has just published his third collection, Flash Words. Three of the poems from this book are shown below. Paul has given readings around the country. He has been poet in residence at a number of festivals Pur-beck Folk Festival 2011, the Acoustic Festival of Britain (2012, 2014), Fishguard (2012) and Lechlade (2013, 2014). He has read at many others.

Paul facilitates the Taunton poetry group Juncture 25 who appeared at the 2,000 Trees Festi-val (2014). They are next reading at The Purbeck Literary Festival on the 26 February.

Paul’s other collections are Burning Music (2004) and Blessed By Magpies (2012) . He was asked to contribute to the six poet international anthology Freeze Frame in 2012. He is also in the Juncture 25 collection Going Places.

J.I.VINGYou meet her under an umbrella.It’s innocuous enough, a jazz concert,you exploit my passion for cover.

She brings her husband, who she saysOnce roomed with a bloke who made a CD.No one looks at anyone else’s eyes,you face him across a round table,conversation is still born.

I can remember not one note,but you two lean as close as you dare.Confirmation plays and the husband knows it.

Outside in rain, after stilted farewells and long last looks;I ask you what the hell you are about.You quote someone else’s poetry,I shake my head and unlock the car.

John Wyndham’s BluesAllegiances have altered.The weather has stopped being our friend.We can no longer count on it being on our side.We feel its anger already,A wettest year in memory,the hottest summer ever recorded.Soon it will rage,Shake our fragile hold.This is our future.

DeceptionThe names of dead babieswere allocated to policemen,so they could live undercover,sleep with suspects,investigate certain people. We are told this was in the national interest.

To lie in bed in the nightand wonder if your son’s namehas been resurrected,to camouflage a liar, who spies on your neighbour.But they will not tell you.

Shape shifting, identity eating,they attend every meeting,always saying the right thing.Offering and helping,inside they are mocking,your dossier compiling.

Who were the suspectedand exactly what did they doto be worth the attention and budget allocation?Did they really imperil the state?So many questionsyou will never answer...

We leave the pub for the frost and darknessNow they wear the colours of separationI notice as they jostleAvoid walking next to each otherNow paired with oneI look at the ice pattern on a car roofAnd how the space widens Between the people in our group

Paul’s latest collection, Flash Words, is available from Brendon Books,

Bath Place, Taunton TA1 4ER01823 337742

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Aged 91 I suppose I am a traditionalist, but the St Crispian Day speech of Henry V moves me:

For he today that sheds his blood with meShall be my brother, be he ne’er so vile,This day shall gentle his condition:And Gentlemen in England now a-bedShall think themselves accursed they were not hereAnd hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaksThat fought with us upon St Crispian’s Day !

(above is an extract for reasons of space)

My eyes blur whilst I type, tears well up.

I do not understand Latin, but I will very happily listen to it being spoken, like the trickling noise of a stream it is very calm-ing and generates a sense of well being. Finally the King James bible is a sheer delight to read, the translated language is unequalled anywhere else. To me, Lawrence Olivier as Henry V in the 1945 film, remains in my mind the definitive edition of this play. Before leav-ing school all pupils should have seen it.I wrote to every head teacher of every Taunton secondary school suggesting this, and offering to provide the film DVD to each school. Not a reply, or even an acknowledgement Post card from any school that my letter had arrived. Is a ninety one year old allowed to comment that manners are slipping , in my youth this would not have happened. I like pictures, but I am not great-ly moved by them. If I am pressed to

nominate a famous picture, it would be Turner’s‘Fighting Temeraire’ on the Thames with a sunset and mist as background. If I am allowed to mention another – it would be a seascape with a ship like the Cutty Sark under full sail. I have two melodies and lyrics which I would ask to accompany me on a Desert

Island. The first would be Salad Days, which I saw at the Bristol Old Vic de-cades ago with Julian Slade at the Piano. Part of the enjoyment was his skills and variants within his playing. I understand that H M The Queen’s favourite songis “ We must never look back”, as it is mine. Salad Days both melody, rhythm, and lyrics are all upbeat, the sky is blue, sunshine creates warmth, life is so worth living, and the special rhythms’ prove it I can’t stop dancing ! On a Desert Island it would keep any depression away. My second CD is inspirational, it can be in any language, Puccini’s ‘La Boehme’. From the first arias, “Your tiny hand is frozen’ and ‘’They call me Mimi’ it rolls on with two tenors voices soaring and hitting the highest notes, with the ultimatetragic death of Mimi, Puccini’s music reflecting the approaching finale. No wonder ‘La Boehme’ is universally the most popular opera both stage and recording . I am always in wonderment at the sheer power of the voices of Opera singers;In Budapest I was midway back in a large concert hall, A Russian singer’s voice hit me like a spitfire engine blast. Interested, I attended on two nights, in which time

they presented about twelve ‘Pavarotti’ class singers. Leaving I commented how amazing to be able to afford so many singers:“ Sir, they said, go around to the other end of the building, and you will find it is a Casino, and it funds the cost”. An idea for the UK ? If you put Music, Song and Dance together, then I am completely absorbed and potentially moved by the perfor-mance I am experiencing. On this basis in company with millions of others ‘Les Miserable’s‘ overwhelms any other performance. It is the revolutionary tale it tells, the melodies and the talented singers and actors, and the choreography of their movements allmerge into unforgettable experience. ‘ Empty chairs and empty

tables’ is a moving moment following the slaughter of the barricade. Why , if you nominate any title of any show by Andrew Lloyd Webber, I can immedi-ately recite his name. Yet if you chal-lenge me with ‘’Les Miserable’s’, I am lost, I know that it is French, and based on Victor Hugo, but no name springs into my mind. Why is that !

My Favourite...John Meikle has served as a councillor and is a director of local company Hickley Valtone Ltd for which he be-gan working in 1939 before war service. We asked him to choose his favourite pieces of litertature, art, music and performance.

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Wellington Prep School pupil Elliot Owen has won First Prize the Ted Hughes Young Poets Award. The Year 2 pupil wrote the poem ‘My Animal A-Z’ and submitted it to the competition set up in memory of the late poet laureate. The competition was judged by acclaimed poet Katrina Naomi. Elliot is the first prize winner in the 6-10 age category, and in addition to the prestigious award, has also won a prize of £100.

My Animal A-ZApes are like monkeys but don’t live in trees.Butterflies are colourful but don’t like the breeze.Camels always have humps on their backs.Ducks always make very loud quacks.Eagles fly up high in the sky.Frogs jump and croak but cannot fly.Giraffes have very, very tall necks.Hamsters might bite but cannot peck.Iguanas like it really hot.Jaguars have rings instead of spots.Kangaroos jump from the outback to Perth.Leopards are the fastest animals on Earth.Mules are a cross between a donkey and a horse.Newts can regenerate, but you know that, of course.Octopi would need four pairs of wellies.Penguins sometimes slide about on their bellies.Quails eggs are so small, that you can eat them whole.Rabbits can eat carrots and dig very big holes.Squirrels like climbing up very tall trees.Tigers are fierce and eat anything they see.Urchins live in the sea but not where there’s ice.Voles are small, they’re just like mice.Wolves keep on howling far and near.X has no animals to write down here.Yaks have horns and very long hair.Zebras have black and white striped everywhere.

It was night in the village - a still, dark night - and Harry the Hog was sleeping tight. In her house at the foot of Piggyback Hill, also asleep, was Candy Stripe Lil. The second Harry and Lil story from acclaimed Faber poet Julia Copus, who has recently turned her hand to picture books for the first time! The tale of a hog - and his friend Candy Stripe Lil - kept awake by mysterious noises in the night is sure to delight adults and children alike.

Following the success of her first children’s picture book, Hog in the Fog, Somerset author Julia Copus is bring-ing out her second Harry and Lil book, The Hog, the shrew and the Hullaballo. It will be published on 5 March in March in both paperback and hardback and will be avail-able from Brendon Books, Bath Place, Taunton TA1 4ER (01823 337742). Julia is also a renowned prize-wining poet.Her two previous collections, The Shuttered Eye and In De-fence of Adultery, were both Poetry Book Society Rec-ommendations. She has won First Prize in the National Poetry Competition and the Forward Prize for Best Single Poem (2010). She also writes for radio; her first play, Eenie Meenie Macka Racka, was awarded the BBC’s Alfred Bradley prize.

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