Tribute shows and half-term fun
Dorchester
DORCHESTER Arts has a packed programme for February ranging from tribute shows to half-term fun, from a one-man play about Quentin Crisp to a one-woman entertainment celebrating opera and triathlon!
A line-up that can truly be described as offering something for everyone, the month opens on Saturday 1st with Simon & Garfunkel Through the Years, a critically acclaimed production that brings the legendary duo to life, and has recorded sell-out performances across the UK, Europe, and beyond.
On Thursday 6th, Mark Farrelly presents a captivating play, Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope, exploring the life of Quentin Crisp, the original “Englishman in New York” (and the man who gave all of us who hate house-work the perfect excuse not to dust!)
Blues fans will enjoy a masterclass from Paul Jones and Dave Kelly on Friday 7th, while Moscow Drug Club set the mood on Valentine’s Day, Friday 14th, with their stylish fusion of cabaret, pre-war Berlin chic and musical romance.
On Saturday 8th, another musical icon is remembered in I’m Every Whitney—Kieshia, accompanied by her Million Dollar Band, delivers a breathtaking tribute to Whitney Houston, the Queen of Divas.
Half-term entertainment features The Bubble Show, Creation, on Sunday 16th, a family-friendly spectacle that tells the magical story of Bubbleland’s origins through dazzling soap and water artistry, and a delightful twist on classic stories in Fairytales, Fables & Other Assorted Nonsense on Thursday 20th February.
Take your musical pick with the Irish House Party, the joy of Irish music and dance, on Saturday 22nd, Ballgowns and Bib Shorts, with singer Grace Lovelass blending opera, humour and triathlon, on Sunday 23rd, and boisterously energetic folk music from The Churchfitters on Thursday 27th.
The last day of February (Friday 28th) brings comedian Alyssa Kyria in her one-woman show, The Funny Mummy, described as a relatable and laugh-out-loud exploration of parenting’s chaos and joys.
Anniversary year
Concerts in the West
CONCERTS in the West, the musical charity which promotes the work of young soloists and chamber musicians, celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2025. The first concert series of the year, on 14th and 15th February, brings the period instrument quartet Ensemble Hesperi to Bridport Arts Centre, Ilminster Arts Centre and the Dancehouse at Crewkerne.
Ensemble Hesperi, an innovative London-based period ensemble with a reputation for showcasing baroque music through intelligent, research-led programming, is Magdalena Loth-Hill, baroque violin, Mary-Jannet Leith, recorders, Florence Petit, baroque cello, and Thomas Allery, harpsichord. They will be performing at Bridport Arts Centre on Friday 14th at the usual coffee concert at 11.30am, at Ilminster Arts Centre that evening at 7.30 and at Crewkerne Dancehouse on Saturday, also at 7.30.
Concerts in the West is a small but energetic arts charity, which organises and promotes an annual series of classical and baroque concerts at venues in Somerset and Dorset. The charity is directed by its founder, Catherine Maddocks, and run by a small group of trustees.
Catherine recalls: ‘Concerts in the West was launched in 2006 when I was asked if I would like to organise a concert in Ilminster as there was no classical music being performed locally at the time. As I was very new to the town it seemed like a good way to meet people and so it proved!
‘One concert quickly became four in the first year with Lyme Regis joining in. We have continued inviting young professional musicians to perform for us as they are embarking on a difficult and demanding career. When we started Concerts in the West I was still festival director of the London Handel Festival, from which I retired in June 2016. Working with very fine musicians in London, I was determined to have a very high standard of performance in the West Country.
‘The musicians, all of whom are trained to at least postgraduate level, find the tours quite useful in embedding repertoire and working towards recordings or a big concert in London or elsewhere.
‘We are a small charity and, as with many arts organisations, have to work hard on the finances and fundraising. We are very grateful to those who support us and without whom we would not survive!
The schedule for this 20th anniversary year is:
14th-15th March – Alasdair Beatson, piano (Bridport, Ilminster, Crewkerne)
11th-12th April – Mikeleiz-Zucchi Duo (Bridport, Ilminster, Crewkerne)
9th-10th May – Trio Anima (Bridport, Ilminster, Crewkerne)
27th-28th June – Mathis Rochat, viola and Erdem Mısırlıoğlu, piano (Bridport, Ilminster, Crewkerne)
11th-12th July – Colin Scobie, violin and Jâms Coleman, piano (Bridport, Ilminster, Crewkerne)
26th-27th September – Mitsu Trio (Bridport, Ilminster, Crewkerne)
24th-25th October – Voice (Bridport, Ilminster, Crewkerne)
28th-29th November – Consone Ensemble (Bridport, Ilminster, Crewkerne)
For further information about the 2025 concert series, visit www.concertsinthewest.org
Devon actress’s award-winning film debut
Honiton
DEVON-born, RADA-trained actress Caroline Corrie has made an impressive debut as a film director with Shalborne—audiences at Honiton’s Beehive Centre can see her first film on Saturday 8th February, with two screenings at 3.30pm and 7.30pm.
Written and directed by Caroline, who also plays the leading role of Helen Bartlett, the film tells the story of a courageous woman who rebels against the repressive Edwardian society of her time. In 1905, a letter from Tzar Nicholas to Lord Bartlett recounts the Bloody Sunday massacre in Saint Petersburg. This becomes the catalyst for Helen’s rebellion against her oppressive husband. Risking everything, she leaves her marital home, pushing her sick father in a wooden flower cart.
She meets Lord Shalborne who offers her shelter on his estate, but when Shalborne unwittingly invests in her husband’s corrupt schemes, Helen once again becomes a pawn in a gentlemen’s game and finds that courage may not be enough to overcome the patriarchy of her time.
Shalborne was filmed in Devon. It is Caroline’s first feature film—as well as writing, directing, producing and acting in it, she also made the costumes, props and sets. The film was awarded Best Foreign Feature at the Female Eye Film Festival in Toronto in July 2024. It has been enjoying a sell-out tour of Devon cinemas and was described as a “visual treat” by the American film-maker, writer and film critic Kevin Mayer. He called it “the most audacious and accomplished calling card I have seen in years”.
Caroline trained at RADA and graduated from the University of Birmingham with a first class honours degree in Drama and Theatre Arts. She was a founding member of Labyrinth Theatre, an award-winning, London-based, physical theatre company.
Two folk duos
Bridport
BRIDPORT Arts Centre’s February programme includes concerts by two duos, both featuring outstanding folk musicians and singers. Sound of the Sirens will be at the venue on Friday 7th February and Miranda Sykes and Jim Causley come to Bridport on Saturday 22nd,
Sound of the Sirens are acoustic singer-songwriting duo Abbe Martin and Hannah Wood, who are based in Exeter. Honing their craft over the past decade, Martin and Wood have become firm favourites not only on the West Country scene, but nationally, and internationally too. Their status and fast-growing fan-base are testament to their prowess as songwriters and musicians. They released their fifth studio album, Seasons, in 2024.
Sykes and Causley are very well-known in the West Country and beyond as outstanding folk musicians—now they have come together as a duo and will be touring a new album in 2025.
They have known each other for nearly 20 years and in 2024 they joined forces with narrator John Palmer to create and tour a show celebrating the centenary of the death of the Devon-based song collector and author, Sabine Baring-Gould. They enjoyed working together so much and audience feedback was so positive that they made plans to record and tour an album together.
The Last Of The Singers is a collection of traditional, self-penned and contemporary songs bringing their magical voices together.
Over the rainbow
Bridport
BRIDPORT’s Electric Palace, with its colourful period decor and special atmosphere, is a rather magical place—so where better for Bridport Pantomime Players to take audiences “over the rainbow” for a delightful pantomime version of The Wizard of Oz—at the venue from Wednesday 5th to Saturday 8th February at 7.30pm with a Saturday matinee at 1.30.
Get ready for a whirlwind adventure. As the players celebrate their 60th anniversary year they will take audiences on an unforgettable journey down the Yellow Brick Road, where colourful characters and hilarious hi-jinks await!
Follow the spirited Dorothy Gale (Justine Gawen) as she is whisked away from her mundane life in Kansas to the enchanting land of Oz with her adorable dog Toto by her side. She finds herself navigating an incredible world filled with fantastical creatures, whimsical landscapes and unforgettable friends.
Once on the path to the Emerald City, helped by the Mayor of Munchkinland (Alice Tuck) and Aunty Em (James Oldfield), she begins to wish nothing more than to return home. From the lovable Scarecrow (Johanna Leins) seeking a brain to the brave Tin Man (Ross Hughes) in search of a heart, and the timid Cowardly Lion (Greg Horton) hoping for courage, this exciting journey is sure to touch your heart and tickle your funny bone.
Glinda (Ziggy Gray) is there to support Dorothy when times get tough so she is sure to succeed, but no thanks to the Wicked Witch of the West (Hatti Amos) and her henchman monkeys (Olivia Grinter and Mandy Knott Radford). Sandra the Super Witch of the South (Rupert Oldfield), the Wizard of Oz (Teresa Grinter) and the Green Guardians of the Green Gates (Jess Goldstone and Amy Day) will keep things colourful as Dorothy and her friends traverse the twists and turns of their adventure.
Expect catchy songs, wonderful choreography and plenty of audience participation that will have you singing and cheering along. The show features dancers from Bridport Youth Dance and the BYD street dance crew together with guest artists—BYD alumni Louis Donovan, Charlie Green, Robyn Moss, Amber Palfreyman and Lucie Sivier.
The power of love
Bridport
BRIDPORT Youth Dance takes centre stage at the Electric Palace on Friday 28th February and Saturday 1st March for a new show, The Power of Love, celebrating the company’s 21st anniversary. There are performances at 7.30pm, with a Saturday matinee at 2.30.
The Power of Love is partly fictional, taking inspiration from the true story of a young 12th century couple who were shipwrecked at St Gabriel’s. It incorporates soulful contemporary dance, high energy street dance and dynamic tap choreography, interwoven with a transfer to stage of a recent BYD project.
It is choreographed by Nikki Northover, Aimee Symes, Claire Benson and the dancers, and produced by Nikki Northover.
I’m a Celebrity comedian
Lyme Regis
LYME Regis Comedy Club’s February gig at the Marine Theatre on Saturday 15th features Andrew Maxwell, an in-demand comedian who recently appeared in television’s I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here.
Maxwell, who heads the line-up which includes Billy James and compere Tom Glover, is one of the most sought-after acts on the comedy circuit. As well as appearances on Live at the Apollo, he headlines major comedy venues and has performed extensively throughout the UK and internationally.
Known for his razor-sharp wit and unparalleled storytelling, Andrew has won over audiences around the world with his intelligent and laugh-out-loud shows.
A play about neurodiversity
Lyme Regis
A PLAY that tells the true story of a young performer’s struggles with health problems, The Magical Screentest, comes to the Marine Theatre at Lyme Regis on Wednesday 19th February.
This is the disarmingly honest self-portrait of aspiring actor Isobel Jeffery: the inspiring tale of how she has worked to overcome learning disabilities and health problems, and fought to transcend other people’s ideas of what she might be capable of.
The show describes the true story of how she struggled in her teenage years with misdiagnosed epilepsy, the consequences of this on her health and lifestyle, and how she is fighting now to realise her dream of being an actor.
Puppets and sea shanties
Villages
THE Artsreach programme for half-term has two shows that between them offer wonderful puppetry, storytelling and sea-shanties, globe-trotting adventures with live music, comedy and more—plenty to keep children of all ages and their families entertained.
Sam O’ Shanty has lived his whole life at sea, ever since he first stowed aboard ship when he was just a wee lad. Since then, he has sailed the Seven Seas, from Devonport to Durban Bay, Nantucket to New Guinea, Cape Wrath to the Cape of Good Hope. Now Sam has come ashore with his two shipmates, Davy Lad and Sonny Jim and together they have all manner of marvellous tales to share … stories of beguiling mermaids and batty sea witches, a boisterous retelling of the dastardly Blackbeard’s comeuppance, and tangled yarns of hidden booty and beasties of the deep.
This nautically comic show for all the family, Sam O’ Shanty, from Angel Heart and Rattlebox, is crammed with facts, fantasy and farce—and the singing of a sea shanty or two. Perfect for children aged four-plus and their families, the show is at Sixpenny Handley village hall at 11am on Monday 17th February, Litton Cheney community hall at 11am on Tuesday 18th and Sturminster Newton Exchange at 11am on Wednesday 19th.
Can you fit the entire world into just one show? If anybody can, it’s the inimitable Craig Johnson of Squashbox Theatre. Join this intrepid explorer on a breathless race across the planet as he attempts to decipher the clues left by his globe-trotting Great Aunt Gladys—clues that could finally explain her mysterious disappearance! Wonderful World crosses continents, encountering strange and wonderful creatures, meeting crazy characters and learning incredible facts about geography, ecosystems, climate, language and navigation along the way.
Blending ingenious puppetry, fantastic facts, slapstick and live music, Wonderful World will be at 11am at Swanage’s Mowlem theatre on Tuesday 18th February, Broadwindsor’s Comrades Hall on Wednesday 19th and Alderholt hall, Fordingbridge, on Thursday 20th. After the show, children can take part in a puppet-making workshop and create articulated card puppets of amazing animals from around the world; workshop places are limited.
Rare gig by a jazz legend
Lyme Regis
MIKE Westbrook, winner of Jazzwise Record of the Year and a Ronnie Scott’s favourite, is a British jazz legend. He brings his Band of Bands to the Marine Theatre at Lyme Regis on Sunday 9th February.
He is famed as a great musician, not only playing with all the biggest names but also as a composer and arranger. Now in his 80s, this is a rare chance to see him in concert and is a South West exclusive.
Band of Bands has been described as “a new band, comprised of master musicians … a band for all seasons from composers with a gift for conjuring up the gladness of hearts” by Andy Robson (Jazzwise). The gig will feature re-creations of Westbrook classics alongside new songs and arrangements of some lesser-known standards, all interpreted by some of UK’s most creative and distinctive soloists.
Postcards From Lost Places
Stockland
SINGER-songwriter Cole Stacey comes to St Michael & All Angels Church, Stockland in East Devon, on Friday 21st February, at 7pm, to launch his debut album, Postcards From Lost Places.
The Dartmoor-based musician has a repertoire that ranges from British folk and 80s pop to spoken word and ambient electronics. With explorations into traditional song writing and verse in his blood, the new album explores the idea of regeneration. At its heart is a symbiosis of ‘lost’ places and forgotten words, stretching as far back as the 13th century, paired with Cole’s distinctive, lyrical song writing and soft pop vocals mixed with singular field recordings.
Collaborations include traditional Lithuanian Kanklės virtuoso Emilija Karaliute, BBC Radio 2 Folk Award nominee Jack Cookson and electronic producer and composer Guy Andrews. Each track, or postcard, is imaginatively recorded on location in spaces that to the outside world are easily overlooked, yet continue to endure.
As one half of alt-folk duo India Electric Company, alongside Joseph O’Keefe, Cole has done prime time live sessions for BBC Radio 2 and BBC 6 Music. Since 2015 he has been accompanying pop icon Midge Ure on everything from mandolin to bass guitar, analogue synthesizers to vocals, across sold-out tours of Australia, New Zealand, UK, Scandinavia and Germany.
(To eead a recent interview with Cole visit th following link: https://www.marshwoodvale.com/features/2024/11/where-the-quiet-is-louder/)
Linden Lea and cream tea
Sturminster Newton
DORSET doesn’t need Burns Night, haggis and bagpipes—it has its own dialect poet to celebrate, and this year the annual William Barnes Tea will be at Sturminster Newton Exchange on Sunday 23rd February from 3pm, with the familiar lineup of Tim Laycock, Phil Humphries, the Ridgeway Singers and Band .. and a proper Dorset cream tea!
This musical and culinary event, celebrating Dorset’s own Victorian polymath, teacher, multi-linguist, priest and poet, has taken place since 2017, and this year will also feature a pop-up producers and makers market in partnership with Dorset Food & Drink, open to the general public from 11am to 3pm, after which the performance and tea will take place.
The event is run in conjunction with Artsreach, which is also partnering with Pageant Productions to live-stream the event, so that those who are unable to attend in person can enjoy the music and readings from the comfort of their own home (hopefully with their own cream tea!)
Born in Bagber in 1801, William Barnes attended school in Sturminster Newton. A scholar, linguist, artist, priest and inventor, Barnes wrote more than 800 poems in the Dorset dialect, relishing the country dances, folksongs and carols of the county, and often writing about community celebrations where music is an element. Barnes’ best-known poem is Linden Lea, famously set to music by Ralph Vaughan Williams.
Led by Tim Laycock and Phil Humphries, the Ridgeway Singers and Band will be joined by guests from the William Barnes Society to celebrate the life of William Barnes, performing traditional songs and dance tunes collected across the county, and reciting some of the poems that keep alive the rich dialect of Dorset.
The mini pop-up producers and makers market will be a chance to try some famous local produce or discover something brand new made in Dorset! The market is open to the general public from 11am-3pm.
It takes three to tango
Drimpton
TRAVEL from the back-streets of Buenos Aires to the salons of Paris—via Drimpton village hall—on Friday 7th February, when the acclaimed Tango Calor trio bring their latest show to Dorset for three concerts with Artsreach.
Described as “one of the best tango trios you will hear in the UK,” Tango Calor is a collective of musicians with a love for Argentina’s tango music. Formed by bandoneonist Mirek Salmon in 2016, the group features guitar virtuoso Daryl Kellie and vocalist Jimi Can.
A prominent member of Moscow Drug Club, Mirek has also performed with BBC orchestras, Welsh National Opera and the Royal Shakespeare Company. Daryl Kellie has been described by Guitar World Magazine as “epic”, and Jimi Can is a consummate showman and key figure from Bristol’s burgeoning Afro-Cuban and Flamenco music scenes.
Together the trio perform in arts centres, tango clubs and at festivals including WOMAD, as well as collaborating regularly with various orchestras to perform the works of Astor Piazzolla. This will be an evening of songs and wonderful stories, ranging from classic tango music to Piazzolla tunes, lively Latin rhythms and more.
The short tour also includes Langton Matravers village hall on Thursday 6th February and Shillingstone’s Portman Hall on Saturday 8th. All shows start at 7.30pm.
A tango romance
Villages
STAYING with tango and Buenos Aires, Artsreach also has a three-date tour with the Devon-based Multi Story Theatre, bringing Last Dance Saloon, a poignant romance set in a tango retreat, to Sydling St Nicholas, Portesham and Broadwindsor, from 13th to 15th February.
When two people, no longer in the first flush of youth, find each other at a tango retreat in Buenos Aires, a spark is lit and their passion smoulders—this was meant to be. But one has work and family ties in South America, the other in North Devon. They soon settle into the frustrations of a long-distance relationship, fuelled by regular tango sessions in Argentina, until one of them weighs up the ecological consequences…
Blending music, song, tango and tales both ancient and modern, this captivating and deeply moving new show is an immersive experience performed in the round, which explores love, legacy and the future we envision for coming generations. After the show, audiences are invited to stay for a social dance led by the company. Refreshments will be available.
Inspired by the enduring power of stories, Multi Story, formed in 2000 by Bill Buffery and Gill Nathanson, has spent 24 years crafting powerful narratives for intimate spaces, thriving on the close connections fostered in community venues. Their latest production features relatable characters who strive to do their best for themselves, their families and the future.
See Last Dance Saloon at Sydling St Nicholas village hall on Thursday 13th February, Portesham on Friday 14th and Broadwindsor’s Comrades Hall on Saturday 15th.
Up the beanstalk
Honiton
HONITON’s Beehive Centre hosts the town’s community theatre company in this year’s pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk, from 18th to 22nd February at 7pm, with a Saturday matinee at 2pm. The performances include a BSL interpreted show on Thursday evening.
Join the players on a journey to the Land of Make Believe where Jack, Jimmy and Dame Trot take to the skies and back in their quest to rescue Jill when she is taken prisoner by Giant Grimm and his henchmen Bloodshot and Squint! Meanwhile, following hot on their trail is Squire Grabbem, after his overdue rent money.
Watch in amazement as the beans, swapped for a bag of gold after selling Cow Pat at auction, are transformed into a beanstalk reaching into the clouds. Filled with fast-paced action, lively songs and a smattering of pies, Jack and the Beanstalk is a show for the whole family.
All shook up
Wootton Fitzpaine
THE inventive and popular comedy theatre company Spitz & Co returns to Dorset in February with a show that looks back to the early years of the greatest rock star—mayhem and audience interaction, plus all your favourite Elvis songs, are promised in Elvis in Blue Hawaii, which is on a short Artsreach tour, coming to Wootton Fitzpaine village hall on Sunday 9th February at 7.30pm.
Following their previous sell-out tours of Gloriator, Gloria in The Mist and Les Gloriablès, Spitz & Co returns with award-winning Elvis impersonator Joe Reeve (Best Sideburns, GlosVegas 2014) starring in his version of the classic Elvis film Blue Hawaii, while his long-time tour manager, the inimitable Josephine Cunningham, tries to keep the show on the road—next stop, Vegas!
Artsreach director Kerry Bartlett says: “Spitz & Co have built a reputation for creating funny, original shows, and our audiences have loved each of their previous tours. I still remember the laughter in Winfrith following some of the most unbelievable and unexpected comedy moments in Les Gloriablès!”
Dig out your favourite Hawaiian shirt and escape to paradise in this raucous musical comedy, guaranteed to leave you all shook up! Elvis in Blue Hawaii is also at Studland village hall on Wednesday 5th February and East Stour on Friday 7th; both shows start at 7.30pm.
At Wootton Fitzpaine, experienced comedy performer and writer Susie Donkin will lead a clowning workshop ahead of the show, from 4pm. Through simple games and basic theatre exercises which focus on status and relationship with an audience, participants will discover what it is that can make people laugh.
GPW
