Dedicated to the arts in the Eastern Region
YOURS FREE
Summer 2022
Celebrating 10 years of FolkEast Festival Fever hits the region
WIN FREE
TICKETS
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www.artseast.co.uk
You can watch Mansa at work and have a browse rn the Jewellery gallery which spec1al1ses m showcasing beautiful Jewellery by UK based designer-makers like Marisa Marisa 1t ts advisable to book an ap hear our news and take advantage of
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Summer 2022
Beyond the Image Photographers' Gallery, a unique exhibition space in the heart of Suffolk. Established in 2005, Beyond the Image is a not-for-profit organisation. We have three exhibition spaces for guest artists, available to hire at very reasonable costs.
Opening Times March to October, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 11am till 4pm November to February, Saturday and Sunday, 11am till 3pm And Bank Holidays 13 Red House Yard, Gislingham Road, Thornham Magna, Eye IP23 8HH
www,btigallery.co.uk
Two Ways of Seeing Rosemary Goodenough and Jules George 21 May to 2 July
Rosemary Goodenough (A Copse in Summer, Norfolk)
Jules George (The Colours)
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Editor’s Welcom e
ARTSeast Magazine Units 10a & 11, Red House Yard Gislingham Road, Thornham Magna Eye, Suffolk IP23 SHH www.artseast.co.uk Welcome to the Summer edition of www.falconpublications.co.uk ARTSeast Magazine. follow usFestival fever has hit the region with a wealth falconpublications@artseastmag Publishers Gary Enderby & Sarah Veness Editorial Sarah Veness sarah@artseast.co.u k 01379 773348 07803 328258 Advertising Gary Enderby gary@artseast.co.uk 01379 773347 07722 163703 Web Design David Last info@profileweb.co.uk Accounts Julia Aitken accounts@artseast.co.uk 01379 831158 Design Nick Oldham nickoldham@gmail.com 07941 189509 Distribution Melvyn Veness Andrea Snowden Published by Falcon Publications
For our Coffee and a Chat feature we caught up with Only Fools and Horses favourites Tessa Peake-Jones and Gwyneth Strong
of top-class offerings including the Holt
ahead of their performance in Ladies of
Festival, King’s Lynn Festival, Latitude and
Letters at Norwich Theatre Royal.
FolkEast - all of which we profile in this issue,
In our news pages, we round up some of the
We also explore the Lucy Kemp-Welch
best shows, exhibitions, events and concerts
exhibition at the National Horseracing
that the region has to offer.
Museum in Newmarket, take a look at the
Don’t forget to drop us a line if there’s
upcoming Cambridge Open Studios and
anything you would like us to cover in
explore the Avant Gardeners Exhibition at
the magazine. In the meantime, we hope
Houghton Hall.
you enjoy both this issue and the range of
Our artist profile features the talented
amazing creative offerings our little corner of
Stephen Watkins who creates beautiful and
the country has to offer.
personalised skyline paintings in a range of colours, sizes and styles.
Sarah Veness
Editor
Competition winner from the previous issue: Tickets to see Si Cranstoun’s Twisting the Night Away on June 19th at The Apex Dedicated to the arts in the Eastern Region
YOURS FREE
Simon Puttock from Bury St Edmunds
Summer 2022
Celebrating 10 years of FolkEast Festival Fever hits the region
WIN FREE
TICKETS
Rina Sawayama who will be performing at this year’s Latitude Festival.
Summer 2022
Contents
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27
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6 Visual Arts News 9 Artist Profile: Stephen Watkins 13 National Horseracing Museum: Lucy Kemp-Welch
17 Cambridge Open Studios 18 Stapleford Granary 19 Avant Gardeners at Houghton Hall
20 Coffee & a Chat:
Ladies of Letters
22 Arts & Crafts Directory 24 Theatre & Film News 27 King’s Lynn Festival 30 Arts Council England: Freshly Greated
33 Music News 35 What’s On News 36 FolkEast 37 Latitude Festival 38 Holt Festival
Subscribe to ARTSeast We can deliver ARTSeast direct to your door with a subscription of six issues at just £15. All subscribers receive a £15 voucher to spend at Photo Elite in Diss which can be redeemed on line at photoelitediss.Just order your subscription online and pay by PayPal at accounts@falconpublications.co.uk or by online bank payment to Falcon Publications account no: 69984882 sort code 08-92-99 stating your name as reference. Please also remember to email your full name and address to accounts@falconpublications.co.uk
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Visual Arts News ............................ Slaves of Fashion: The Singh Twins
The current exhibition at Art Fund Museum of the Year, Firstsite - Slaves of Fashion: The Singh Twins - explores narratives around Empire, enslavement, luxury consumerism, and the contemporary relevance of all these issues in our world today. The exhibition showcases artworks by internationally renowned artists The Singh Twins, which focus on the relationship between Britain and India, hidden details of Europe’s colonial past and its legacies, including current debates around ethical trade, responsible consumerism, decolonisation and racism. Primarily known for their hand-painted work in a modern development of the Indian miniature tradition, The Singh Twins’ latest work combines traditional hand-painting techniques with historical archival material and digitally created imagery. The exhibition features two significant bodies of work from their Slaves of Fashion series produced over the past five years. Supported by a wealth of material that documents the artists’ process from an archive of original historical objects and documents which have inspired the work on display, to original drawings, time lapse video of work in progress and three artist films. firstsite.uk
The World We Live In Norwich Castle is delighted to be
The IEA brings A Pint of Shrimps to Holt The exhibition ‘A Pint of Shrimps’ is a long-overdue first involvement in the Holt Festival for The Institute of East Anglian Artists (IEA). Based in The Venue Holt Community & Arts Centre July 23rd-August 7th, ‘A Pint of Shrimps’ is an upbeat and uplifting exhibition showcasing the work of five popular IEA members. As the exhibition title suggests, the theme is cheerful and colourful, just what the doctor ordered in troubled times. On show will be the carefully considered and beautifully rendered coastal scenes by Co-Founder of the IEA Bob Brandt, the painterly iconic oilskin clad fishermen by the Institute’s President Jane Hodgson, Rosemary Carruthers’s ‘Huumerous’ paintings inspired by observations of amusing situations in everyday life, Pauline Sexton’s serene coastal landscapes in pastels, and Nicholas Elliott’s dynamic contemporary still lifes.
www.eastanglianartists.com
Image Credit: Michael Andrews, Lights II: The Ship Engulfed, 1972, acrylic on canvas, 183 x 152.5cm. Arts Council Collection, Southbank Centre, London © The Estate of Michael Andrews, Courtesy of James Hyman Fine Art
working with the Arts Council Collection to present The World We Live In: Art and the Urban
Environment, an exhibition of painting, sculpture, photography and film that explores urban life. Featuring over 35 works created between 1950 and 2020, as well as photographs from the Collection’s rich archive of documentary photography, the exhibition at Norwich Castle runs until September 4th. Cities around the world have developed and diversified more rapidly in the last ten years than ever before and today over half of the world’s population lives in an urban environment. The many facets of urban life – architecture, migration, commuting, crowds, noise, lights – have long been a rich source of inspiration to artists. The World We Live In, which takes its title from an artwork by Carel Weight, brings together twentieth century and contemporary works to explore these issues, while offering a space to contemplate the role of the city, especially in light of events of the last two years. www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk
Summer 2022
10 year anniversary for leading Cromer Gallery
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Two Ways of Seeing
The Gallery Norfolk is celebrating its 10th birthday with an exhibition of new works by Sarah McMenemy, Mark Richardson and Alice Thomson opening on July 30th. Situated in Cromer, just moments from the picturesque cobbled ‘Gangway’ that leads to the beach, the award winning Gallery Norfolk is a vibrant space offering a wide selection of paintings, prints, jewellery and craft. Often inspired by North Norfolk, the sea and nature, everything has been curated by Polly Miller, the gallery’s owner, with a strong emphasis on an eclectic mix of great art and individual craftsmanship. www.thegallerynorfolk.co.uk
Rosemary Goodenough Until July 2nd, Gallery East in Woodbridge plays host to the exhibition Two Ways of Seeing showcasing the work of Rosemary Goodenough from Norfolk and Jules George from Suffolk. The exhibition brings together two distinct approaches to the landscape. The title of the exhibition draws on the influential 1972 television series and subsequent book by John Berger, Ways of Seeing, which explored the ways in which ‘every image embodies a way of seeing’ and how we look and express what we see reveals something of significance about us. Gallery East was founded just three years ago by Susie Turner and Cathy Doll. It shows leading contemporary art from across the East Anglian region and beyond and regularly hosts Conversations with Artists.
www.galleryeast.co.uk Jules George
Chappel Galleries: Mark Goldsworthy Chappel Galleries in Chappel, Colchester is proud to present an exhibition of sculpture and Vienna Visited pastels by renowned artist Mark Goldsworthy. From June 11th to July 10th the exhibitions shows a range of works in stone, bronze and wood, a unique combination of serious nature and charm. East Anglian-born, Mark’s work can be found in private collections across the world from France, Germany, Austria, Holland, Italy and Switzerland to the USA, Canada, South Africa and Australia.
www.chappelgalleries.co.uk
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SO MUCH MORE THAN A MUSEUM! NHRM occupies a 5-acre site in the heart of Newmarket and provides a wonderful day out for all ages. Using the latest interactive and audio-visual displays you can find out about the history of horseracing, enjoy some of the country’s best examples of sporting art, meet former racehorses, have a go on the racehorse simulator and watch the sparks fly as a farrier works in the forge.
National Horseracing Museum
Palace Street, Newmarket, Suffolk, CB8 8EP
COME & EXPLORE OUR GREAT EXHIBITIONS, GIFT SHOP & BOOKSTORE DISCOVER THE RESTAURANT AND BAKERY AT NHRM
@NHRMuseum
Online Booking: www.nhrm.co.uk
Online Booking: www.nhrm.co.uk A SUMMER EXHIBITION IN CELEBRATION OF THE GALLERY NORFOLK’S 10TH BIRTHDAY!
SARAH McMENEMY
New works by:
MARK RICHARDSON 30th July – 16th August
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ALICE THOMSON
Summer 2022
Artist Profile:Stephen Watkins Specialising in the modern contemporary art of city skylines, talented artist and architect Stephen Watkins has combined both passions into something beautiful…
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‘I’d always been interested in architecture so I trained as an
commissions and exhibitions in London, Aldeburgh and
architect after school and worked in that field for 25 years,’
Wivenhoe. He has also opened a permanent studio in
says Stephen. ‘I’d always been good at art - in particular
Stonham Barns, Suffolk and has pieces of work in the
technical drawings - although I failed art A-Level.’
Earsham Hall Gallery, near Bungay.
At first, art was a hobby for Stephen. But after he sold some
Working in both acrylic on canvas and pen and ink, Stephen
paintings in an exhibition, he began to consider it as a
creates individualised skylines of various cities around the
possible career option.
world.
‘My ex-wife is an artist and she persuaded me to enter those
‘I meet with the person who has commissioned the piece
paintings in an exhibition,’ says Stephen. ‘I was thrilled when
to talk through exactly what they would like,’ say Stephen.
they sold.’
‘We discuss their memories of a city or buildings of interest
When Stephen moved to Qatar and continued working as an architect, he began to paint the changing Doha skyline. ‘I was able to sell these paintings to individuals and businesses,’ he says. ‘My paintings are on many office walls over there now. Back in the UK, Covid hit and Stephen eventually decided to make art his full-time occupation. ‘I started painting full time and was thrilled when things took off and I was able to sell lots of my work online during the pandemic,’ he says. Since then Stephen’s career has soared with numerous
to them and I piece together something totally personal to them. I can even assemble a list of different places they’ve been to - or locations that are special to them e.g a honeymoon location - and combine them into one skyline. This amalgamation of a city or different places creates a contemporary mash-up that’s completely unique.’ Stephen’s paintings range in size, come in a wide range of colours and as well as personalised skylines, he can also replicate city skylines as they are should the client desire. Stephen’s work can be viewed in his studio and gallery at Stonham Barns. Alternatively, go to www.sjwatkins.com or find him on facebook and instagram.
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PennyOvertonArt Contemporary Landscape Artist
Visit Cambridgeshire’s artists in their studios this July
FREE ENTRY
Weekend 1 JULY 02 – 03 Weekend 2 JULY 09 – 10 Weekend 3 JULY 16 – 17 Weekend 4 JULY 23 – 24 10am to 5pm
www.cambridgeopenstudios.co.uk
Scan for App
Little London Gallery 11, Market Place, Hingham, Norfolk NR9 4AF Tel: 07823 771448 pennyovertonart.com
Summer 2022
Lucy Kemp-Welch: Her Private World
Courtesy of Melanie Ponting-Blondes Fine Art and the Artist’s Estate.
The National Horseracing Museum in Newmarket offers a rare glimpse into the mind of this renowned equine artist this summer…
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Courtesy of Melanie Ponting-Blondes Fine Art and the Artist’s Estate.
Lucy Kemp-Welch: Her Private World is the first opportunity
and she achieved renown in a world that tended to value the
to see a private album of drawings by the renowned equine
contribution of men above women.
artist Lucy Kemp-Welch, best-known for her illustrations for the 1915 edition of Black Beauty.
The album was a gift to her cousin and has never been seen in public before. The exquisite drawings and studies show
This exhibition runs until October 31st at The National
the inner working of her mind and give us a rare insight into
Horseracing Museum in Newmarket and charts the career of
her world. The sketches and paintings have been expertly
the remarkable artist who achieved fame as an animal artist,
removed so we can enjoy them. Reflecting Lucy’s private
especially as a painter of horses.
passions and interests, the pictures date from 1893-94 when
Lucy Kemp-Welch (1869–1958) was one of the first women to be elected to the Royal Society of British Artists in1902
she was a student at Hubert von Herkomer’s art school. Many of the sketches ultimately influenced the three large
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Frankel in The King’s Yard. © Mark Atkins
paintings that established Lucy’s career as a professional artist,
This dramatic painting was shown at the Royal Academy Summer
‘The Gypsy Horse Drovers’ (1895), ‘Summer Drought in the New
Exhibition in 1897. It showed Kemp-Welch’s talent as an artist
Forest’ (1896), and ‘Colt Hunting in the New Forest’ (1897).
and was immediately purchased for the nation by the Chantrey
Lucy’s final paintings were between two and three metres across
Bequest; the first painting by a woman acquired by the fund.
and yet were conceived and planned on astonishingly small scraps of paper.
Entrance to the exhibition is from 10am-5pm and is included in general admission, giving you access to all areas including the
Thanks to the generosity of Tate in lending its collection, ‘Colt
National Horseracing Museum, Palace House, and the Rothschild
Hunting in the New Forest’ is on display in The Fred Packard
Yard where you can meet retired racehorses.
Galleries, in Palace House, NHRM, Newmarket and forms the centrepiece of this stunning exhibition.
www.nhrm.co.uk
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LIZ MCGOWAN art exhibition of cloaks, sculpture & earth works
12 June - 22 July 2022 free entry
WWW.STAPLEFORDGRANARY.ORG.UK
Bury Road, Stapleford, Cambridge, CB22 5BP
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Cambridge Open Studios - Bigger than Ever! One of the largest Open Studios events to date is coming to
and cafes and other crafty shops and venues around
Cambridgeshire and its borders this summer.
Cambridgeshire so visitors can plan their journeys and
Presenting work from 378 artists and makers in 231 studios
navigate the four weekends of Open Studios.
and spaces, Cambridge Open Studios 2022 will give visitors
The reworked Cambridge Open Studios App will also provide
an exclusive chance to go behind the scenes and browse,
complete venue information - including art medium, artist’s
discover, and buy art directly from talented artists and
name, accessibility information, and opening dates - and
makers.
links to Google Maps so users can navigate straight to the
From painting to ceramics, sculpture to furniture making,
studio door!
photography to jewellery, and much more, locals will be able
Strategically placed QR codes in the guide and on posters
to meet the artistic masterminds behind the creations in their
across the county will help visitors quickly locate information.
natural habitats for free over four weekends: July 2/3, 9/10,
Scanning the codes takes you directly to the App or to the
16/17, and 23/24.
Open Studios webpage.
The event is the perfect opportunity to discover hidden
Spread out across the region and borders - not just in the
locations and unique workspaces whilst meeting the artist,
City Centre - distinctive yellow flags will help visitors identify
experiencing the creative process, and finding out what
participating studios, which will be open between 10am and
inspires them.
5pm. Each artist will take part for either one, two, three, or
Discovering and exploring the artists’ workspaces couldn’t
four weekends.
be easier. A printed guide with a map and listings will be available in libraries, tourist information sites, galleries
www.cambridgeopenstudios.co.uk
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Stapleford Granary: Liz McGowan
Photo: Cory White
As environmental issues continue to expose the fragile
out blanket weed in her studio, transforming it into a fine
relationship between human, animal and planetary health,
textured dark green mat and ironed recycled plastic shreds
Stapleford Granary, near Cambridge, launches a new
together. She collected water snails and swan mussel shells.
exhibition by acclaimed artist Liz McGowan, featuring cloaks,
She teased her own hair from a brush and mixed it with
sculptures and earth works. Her art imagines walking in
chalk, water and pva glue to represent water currents on the
an ever changing kaleidoscope of texture, colour and light
cloak.
and asks: what would it be like to be literally cloaked in our surroundings?
McGowan describes the cloak as ‘mediating between the human body and the landscape it emerges from. It’s an
McGowan’s work grows from a lifelong fascination with
invitation to immerse oneself in the more than human world,
the materials, details and patterns of the natural world.
like plunging into cold water.’ McGowan’s work exemplifies
She describes her art as being ‘in conversation’ with the
what it is to be part of nature, rather than to observe it. It
landscape, a lengthy process which involves ‘huge play and
represents the natural not as a concept detached from human
experimentation’. For her River Cloak (2021), McGowan spent
endeavour, but something at the very heart of who we are.
time walking by rivers and overgrown canals, looking at
The exhibition runs from June 12th-July 22nd.
multiple layers: currents, patterns of reflection and refraction and the plant life growing beneath the water. She dried
www.staplefordgranary.org.uk
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Avant Gardeners at Houghton Hall Head to Houghton Hall Stables this summer to explore
harnessing natural processes that encourage growth or
Contemporary and Country’s Avant Gardeners exhibition -
that aid decomposition and exploring how nature can be
running until September 25th - presenting art and objects
‘improved upon’ in an aesthetic approach to landscape.
by artists and makers whose creative direction stems from the
Some have focused their attention on the animals, birds, and
idea of the garden and the designed landscape.
insects taking advantage of the protective conditions found
Britain has a reputation for the variety of its gardens and the informal balance of its designed landscapes. Gardening is seen as a national pastime. Nowhere is this cultivated
in a garden. Others have been attracted to an expanse of coastal marshland and marginal areas or the confines of a neatly arranged allotment or herbaceous border.
creativity made more evident than in the garden and
The response of Avant Gardeners’ artists and makers to what
parkland at Houghton Hall, celebrating its 300th anniversary
they see is often something that has been overlooked and
this year.
undervalued in the garden and in the wider landscape.
Art has been a vital component at the Houghton Hall Estate for most of those years, and the permanent collection continues this story today. It is the first time Contemporary and Country (C&C) have configured an exhibition that complements its magnificent walled garden and parkland.
This exhibition is an opportunity to survey the work of different creative people, based in East Anglia, who have employed a broad variety of methodologies to realise their interpretations of a subject that never grows old. The exhibition has been prompted by the book “Enticing Paths”, a collection of essays that focus on Norfolk’s extraordinary
While this exhibition cannot reflect the full diversity of
horticultural history, published by Norfolk Gardens Trust,
East Anglia’s horticultural heritage, the art and objects
edited by Roger Last.
encompassed by it show how artists and makers take their ideas from the garden, the seasonal cycle, plant studies,
www.contemporaryandcountry.com
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As Raquel and Cassandra in Only Fools and Horses, Tessa Peake-Jones and Gwyneth Strong were loved by millions. Now they’re back together again in the stage adaptation of Ladies of Letters at Norwich Theatre Royal…
Q: How exciting is it to be working together again, and on stage together for the first time? TPJ: It is a lovely opportunity to come back together with a stage adaption of such a timeless classic, Ladies of Letters, and it is truly such a great script. To think it is more than thirty years since Only Fools and Horses premiered and we can now bring these new characters to life is incredibly exciting. Me and Gwyneth are having a brilliant time performing for so many different audiences. GS: Exactly what Tessa said! We have kept in touch and stayed friends since Only Fools and Horses but getting to work together on stage is a real joy. The process of rehearsing was amazing and now getting to perform together is wonderful. Q: What do you think your friendship and history together as actors will bring to the show? TPJ: We obviously had this incredible experience on Only Fools and Horses, and we were there to support each other so much and now we are still here supporting each other. We have so much more to give! I think Ladies of Letters is a testament to how there are so many stories from mature women and bringing our experience to the show feels right. Especially on stage, there isn’t anywhere to hide, and we still get nervous as any actor does but having a friend by
your side just brings a certain type of magic each time you perform. GS: It is strange, it feels like no time has passed at all since we first met and now we are getting to embody these characters who have a friendship that has cemented itself so deeply. Being in the show is a real opportunity to work with such a close friend in Tessa. Q: How do you feel to be performing in the new UK tour of Ladies of Letters? TPJ: Gwyneth and I were both such big fans of the radio and television show, so we jumped at the chance to be involved. It is a joy to get back to the stage to perform Ladies of Letters. The live responses in theatre, the laughter and all the reactions challenge me as an actor, and to be able to bring this show to different venues across the country is a delight. GS: As any actor would be after the last few years, I am grateful to continue to work and it is great to be back touring in theatre again. I find you exercise a certain muscle on stage, and I am glad I have had the chance to explore these characters with such a lovely company on the Ladies of Letters tour. I have been very fortunate to visit venues across the country, and touring is an aspect of the job which means I can connect with different audiences each week. Audience have missed the experience of going to the theatre.
Photos: Craig Fuller Photography
Q: What is the most enjoyable aspect of your character in Ladies of Letters? TPJ: Throughout the rehearsal period it was interesting to explore the plot device that our characters Irene and Vera never meet on stage. It is a real frenemies situation between them! The fact this established relationship developed off the back of letter writing shows that even without in-person contact we are able to maintain these brilliantly complicated connections with others. Especially as we have had to live through the pandemic, we haven’t been able to see our loved ones as much as we would like and I think we have all had to keep communication up in different ways which make this adaption even more relatable to audiences. GS: Throughout rehearsals for Ladies of Letters, we were able to consider the roots of such a close female friendship between Irene and Vera and how we would convey this in a stage adaption. In real life, Tessa and I are great friends, and we’ve had great fun exploring and developing these characters who, while at odds with each other, do have an affectionate emotional connection. Q: Ladies of Letters was originally written for BBC Radio 4, running for 13 years, and was then adapted into an ITV series. How is the new stage adaption relatable to audiences today? TPJ: The adaption of the script by Jonathan Harvey really does capture such engaging conversations. You know the complex friendship between these characters in Ladies of Letters is truly timeless. We experience so many moments
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with them through these letters which are both comedic and life-affirming. GS: There is a reason why the show was so popular on BBC Radio 4 and why it was turned into an ITV series – just following on from what Tessa has said the script does strike a chord with audiences. The creators of Ladies of Letters Lou Wakefield and Carol Hayman were great observers of life and language - Jonathan Harvey has adapted these conversations between these two women to really represent and illustrate that in a very funny honest and moving way for stage. It resonates with both of us and we hope audiences feel the same. Q: Why should people come and see Ladies of Letters? TPJ: Gwyneth and I are having a great time bringing these characters to life in Ladies of Letters and the new stage adaption of the show is still so relatable. It has been such a thrill to be in front of an audience again and share some laughter. GS: Well as Tessa has said, we are immensely enjoying performing the show and this is actually the first time we have been able to work together since Only Fools and Horses. It feels particularly special after such a tough few years for us all. Being able to perform on stage again alongside one of my closest friends is a real treat and we promise local audiences it will be a wonderfully refreshing night out. Ladies of Letters is on at Norwich Theatre Royal from June 28th-July 2nd. www.norwichtheatre.org
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Halesworth Gallery Leonard Clayden
Retrospective 2nd July 27th July More details and further shows www.halesworthgallery.co.uk
Weybread Art Exhibition Saturday 23 & Sunday 24 July 11am – 5pm Village Hall, IP21 5TR FREE ENTRY
Over thirty amateur and professional artists exhibiting works (all for sale) across a range of media Signposted Parking Refreshments available
Commission on sales in aid of village charities
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Theatre & Film News ............................... Summer Shakespeare at Norwich Cathedral Norwich Cathedral’s centuries-old Cloister will be transformed into the Forest of Arden for this summer’s Shakespeare Festival as the rustic comedy As You Like It takes to the stage. After wowing
Rhythm of the Dance This dance and music extravaganza is coming to the Alive Corn Exchange in King’s Lynn on June 29th and contains a wealth of Irish talent, an exciting 2-hour trip through hundreds of years of Irish dance and music, 22 award-winning World & Irish dance champions with 25 dazzling costume changes. Experience flailing
audiences last year with sold-out performances of Macbeth, The Lord Chamberlain’s Men are this year returning with one of the Bard’s best-loved comedies for the open-air festival. As You Like It will be performed in the Cloister on July 8th-9th. Packed full of music, comedy and celebration, As You Like It is a heart-warming tale of true love and identity that takes its audience back to nature. The Lord Chamberlain’s Men are a modern-day incarnation of the Bard’s own travelling troupe of players, and they will be performing As You Like It just as it would have been played out in Shakespeare’s day - with an all-male cast, full Elizabethan costumes and traditional music and dance. cathedral.org.uk/shakespeare Photo: Bill Smith, Norwich Cathedral
fiddles, flutes, and inspiring dances along with live vocalists, all complimented by a top live Irish trad band of multi-instrumentalist musicians and a sensational sound and light show as seen on TV from China to California, from Siberia to Sydney. Enjoy the 21st Anniversary tour of Rhythm of the Dance - over five million fans across fifty countries already have!
www.kingslynncornexchange.co.uk
Powerful play comes to Cambridge Critically-acclaimed play Jitney is coming to the Cambridge Arts Theatre from August 2nd-6th. Jim Becker and his unlicensed drivers take the people of Pittsburgh Hill District where regular taxi cabs won’t – healing old wounds and tearing new ones as they pass the time in a condemned taxi rank between pick-ups. Directed by Tinuke Craig (The Color Purple), August Wilson’s (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom) ground-breaking modern classic explores the fragile bond between eight men as they live, love and work in a racially segregated, post-Vietnam America.
www.cambridgeartstheatre.com
Photo: Sharron Wallace
Summer 2022
The Nimmo Twins: Holt? Who goes there?
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Theatre in the Forest World class puppets from the designers behind’The Life of Pi’ are coming to Suffolk’s biggest outdoor Shakespeare event, Theatre in the Forest! Ipswich-based Red Rose Chain are excited to be collaborating with the National Trust at their brand-new pop-up theatre at Sutton Hoo, setting Macbeth against the historic and magnificent backdrop of one of Suffolk’s most famous venues this July and August. Theatre in the Forest is returning to its roots in Woodbridge where it all began at Rendlesham Forest, before moving to Jimmy’s Farm. Included in the show will be
From August 3rd-21st, in the second of the twenty-fifth anniversary shows, The Nimmo Twins (Owen Evans and Karl Minns) return with their first brand new show in six years. Can the Nimmos ring laughs from global catastrophes like the retirement of Stewart
breath-taking giant witch puppets from Nick Barnes Puppets - the team behind the Olivier Award winning puppets in the West End production of ‘The Life of Pi’!
www.redrosechain.com
White? Will they make you feel better about local government, NCFC, small-minded locals and big-mouthed Londoners? Probably not, but face facts: you’ve been indoors for the best part of two years and a different chair for two hours will probably do you good. Featuring She Go, The Council, Billy Boy, Anne, Tom Bland as well as brand new characters that they’ll name after obscure, thinly populated North Norfolk armpits, the Nimmos promise sketches, songs, monologues and contemporary jazz ballet. (knees permitting). Book early to ensure a feeling of smug superiority over those who h’int.
www.norwichtheatre.org
Photo: Red Rose Chain, Theatre in the Forest at Jimmy’s Farm
Get in the holiday mood at Lowestoft’s Marina From the writers & producers of Hormonal Housewives & Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, it’s time to get away from it all and join the Housewives on Holiday as they arrive at Lowestoft’s Marina Theatre on July 14th. The brand-new comedy stars Legendary Nolan Sister Maureen Nolan and welcomes back the return of Hormonal Housewives Julie Coombe and Josephine Partridge. What’s better than letting your hair down with the girls? Letting your hair down with the girls on HOLIDAY! Holidays, like women, come in all shapes and sizes. From wild partying to wild swimming. From Club 18-30 to Club 80-130. Join the ladies as they romp through a tapas selection of Holiday Heaven, Holiday Hell but most of all Holiday Hilarity! From the Costa del Sol to the Costa del Clacton there’s no sucking in your belly on our beach. You’re among friends. Slap on the Fun Factor 50 & let it all hang out! www.marinatheatre.co.uk
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2022 Music, jazz, folk, walks, talks, films, exhibitions and more…
JULY
kingslynnfestival
KLFestival
n el Ma ho t Ra ch
BOX OFFICE: 01553 764864 WWW.KINGSLYNNFESTIVAL.ORG.UK
Orga nis
17 - 30
kingslynnfestival King’s Lynn Festival Registered in England No. 3468735 Charity No. 1066819
ArtsEast advert KLF22.indd 1
20/05/2022 13:14:49
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Stellar line-up for King’s Lynn Festival This popular arts festival is back this July with something for everyone as it celebrates the Queen’s Jubilee in style
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This July, King’s Lynn comes alive with a packed festival
King Arthur, which opened the pre-service music for the
programme across the town and nearby venues.
Coronation at Westminster Abbey in 1953. This will be
This year’s programme includes performances from
performed by Spiritato at St Nicholas’ Chapel in the heart of
the Grimethorpe Colliery Band, the Royal Philharmonic
Kings Lynn.
Orchestra, award-winning folk sisters The Unthanks, and cabaret duo Kit and McConnel.
The two-week festival takes place from July 17-30th in some of Kings Lynn most historic buildings, as well as venues
And to mark the Queen’s 70 years on the throne, the
outside the town, including Westacre Theatre and Houghton
Festival hosts a performance of the chaconne from Purcell’s
Hall.
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Ema Holman, Festival Manager said: ‘Every Festival is special
There is also an organ recital by Rachel Mahon, director of
to the people and communities of Kings Lynn and the
music at Coventry Cathedral, a concert featuring Benjamin
audiences who travel to see and hear its wonderful offerings.
Baker (violin) and Daniel Lebhart (piano) at Houghton Hall
This year’s celebration of The Queen’s Jubilee makes it
plus Kit and McConnel, one Britain’s best-loved cabaret duos,
super special and we are honoured to bring alive a musical
bring wit and ‘musical silliness’ to the Guildhall on July 19th.
moment from the Coronation 70 years ago just miles from
Jazz vocalist Clare Teal and her band will celebrate the art
the Royal Sandringham Estate.
of swing at the Corn Exchange on July 27th while Nick
‘Whatever your tastes and interests, this year’s festival has something for everyone and we hope that visitors might even try something new and find they love it!’ Alongside a feast of classical, jazz and folk music, the Festival showcases film and visual arts with screenings including classic horror Nosferatu with live musical accompaniment, and an exhibition of Nereids - ancient sea goddesses tasked with protecting sailors and the oceans’ bounty. The Festival programme also includes leading string quartet Skampa Quartet who present the Ruth Fermoy Memorial Concer on July 21st to commemorate the festival’s founder.
Crane will give the Royal Geographical Society lecture. Film screenings include Scott of the Antarctic, Renoir and A Royal Night Out. The Nereids Exhibition, presented in association with The Lettering Arts Trust will run alongside the festival for the full two weeks at the Fermoy Gallery. Westacre Theatre will host the Hill Quartet for a Sunday afternoon concert on July 24 while a special event on July 17th will mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of Ralph Vaughan Williams and his associations with King’s Lynn. www.kingslynnfestival.org.uk
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Creative People and Places: Freshly Greated Photo: Freshly Greated This year the Arts Council’s National Lottery funded
individual stories to creating animations, sea shanties and
tenth anniversary. Karen Jeremiah, Programme Director
hats! Initially, our producers helped us to choose activity and
Creative People and Places programme celebrates its
large-scale installations to arts workshops from clay to bucket
for Freshly Greated, tells us why the programme is so
artists for events, but as the project develops, local groups are
important for Great Yarmouth and its communities.
getting more involved.
Freshly Greated is a relatively new Creative People and Places
Our project also works closely with young people, which
project, based in Great Yarmouth, managed by Voluntary
includes a Young Producer group (aged 14-18) who also
Norfolk. Our role is all about helping more people, in more
help feed into ideas and develop activity. A very successful
places to enjoy high-quality cultural experiences. But more
outcome has been our Play Produce Promote sessions held
importantly, we have a vital role in putting our communities at
at The Empire. Young people with any interest in music can
the heart of our work – empowering them to decide what that
come along once a month to develop skills in music, event
cultural experience looks like.
management, technical skills and promotion.
Things didn’t quite go to plan at the beginning with the
Many of the participants involved in early activities we ran,
pandemic putting a stop to our plans. But we used this time
demonstrated real talent and interest in a variety of artforms,
to work more closely with the communities we want to work
several of them have already developed their skills to be
with, developing strong relationships that have given us a solid
paid artist facilitators at events we organise. And in addition
foundation to build on.
to developing activity locally, we have worked with local arts
We meet regularly with our Community Producers - volunteers who have stepped forward to get involved - to help create ideas and build an arts programme that is engaging and relevant to the neighbourhoods we serve. This ranges from capturing
partners Out There Arts to take advantage of the incredible international artists they bring to the area - ensuring our communities get to experience the amazing work that they produce.
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Photo: Freshly Greated
None of this would be possible without the National Lottery
The Freshly Greated team can’t wait to see how the project
players - who make our funding from the Arts Council possible
develops over the next few years as the amount of ambition,
- and we are very grateful to them for enabling these types
enthusiasm and openness in these communities to trying new
of grassroots-inspired projects to happen. We have seen
things and experiences is astounding. We have great people,
confidence and aspirations for members of this community
making great art happen in a great place thanks to the Creative
really grow in quite a short space of time and seen new
People and Places programme.
connections made and relationships formed in a way that only these kinds of shared experiences can achieve.
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Ray Gelato - The Godfather of Swing Ray Gelato has been taking his special brand of swing, jazz and
(bass) and George Double (drums) for a rare out-of-town
R&B music all over the world since 1988. This multi-talented
guest spot. A finger-popping night of jazz entertainment with
singer, saxman, songwriter and bandleader has appeared at
blues-soaked tenor saxophone playing and dynamic vocals is
festivals, clubs and concert stages from Brazil to New York City.
guaranteed!
The legendary ‘Godfather of Swing’ has had an illustrious career, including a long-established sold-out residency at London’s world-famous Ronnie Scott’s, where Ray and his band The Giants appear every Christmas. He has performed for HM The Queen (twice), opened for Robbie Williams at the Albert Hall, played at Sir Paul McCartney’s wedding and fronted an 18-piece big band at New York’s Lincoln Centre for an audience of 3,000. On Thursday September 15th at The Corn Hall, Diss, Ray joins his old pal Chris Ingham (piano) along with Owen Morgan
www.thecornhall.co.uk
Competition
WIN TICKETS
ARTSeast has teamed up with The Corn Hall, Diss to offer one lucky reader the chance to win a pair of tickets to see Ray Gelato - The Godfather of Swing on September 15th. To be in with a chance of winning, please email your name, address and telephone number to sarah@artseast.co.uk. Closing date: August 19th.
Music News ...............................
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Photo: Nathan Clarke
A World of Music at The Apex
Head to The Apex, Bury St Edmunds to experience world music this summer. There’s New Orleans jazz from the ‘Jimi Hendrix Of The Banjo’ on July 18th! Considered to be one of the best banjoists in the history of New Orleans, Don Vappie embodies the city’s unique melting pot of cultures. His band Jazz Créole combines traditional jazz and modern funk with the early tradition of a string band. Recently celebrating their 50th anniversary, Orchestra Baobab are one of Africa’s greatest dance bands. On July 27th, you can enjoy their classic, Afro-Latin swaying tunes, which fuse Cuban rhythms with African tradition music. Black Umfolosi take to the stage on August 26th. Inspired by the traditional song and dance of their native southern Africa, their trademark harmonies and intricate rhythms are complemented by brilliantly choreographed shows, mixing beautiful songs with gloriously exuberant dance.
www.theapex.co.uk
Arc of the Sky: Voice Project Choir The first live performances from the award-winning Voice Project Choir since 2019 will be held in and around Holy Trinity Church, Blythburgh, Suffolk on July 2nd at 6pm and 8pm. Arc of the Sky is a site responsive piece inspired by the idea of a bird’s-eye view of the spectacular church (widely known as the Cathedral of the Marshes), the surrounding landscape, the Blyth estuary and the coastline. The project first began in early 2020, but lockdown meant cancellation of all live rehearsals and performances. Voice Project co-directors Jonathan Baker and Sian Croose moved everything online and created an acclaimed film instead. The 100-voice choir are now revisiting the project to create new live choral-performances, which will include songs, sounds and images from the film. Arc of the Sky features music written by Jon Baker, Orlando Gough and Sian Croose, with texts by British and American poets including Emily Dickinson, Henry David Thoreau, Wendell Berry, Jane Draycott and George Szirtes, it explores themes of flight, perspective, scale, solitude and connection.
www.voiceproject.co.uk
Celebrating Vienna in Diss For a taste of all things Viennese, head to The Corn Hall Diss on August 6th. This unforgettable evening of Viennese classics features the music of the Strauss family and much more. A superb orchestra of 20 players, plus dancers and singers, will take you on a whirlwind tour of the musical treasures of Vienna including The Blue Danube, Emperor Waltz and The Radetzky March.
www.thecornhall.co.uk
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What’s On News ............................... Ten years of a book-buzz in Felixstowe
In late June (25th-26th) Felixstowe and Trimley will be buzzing with book lovers as authors appear at the 10th Felixstowe Book Festival. Tickets are on sale and there is a full programme of authors
Summer 2022
Putting on a Progress 1578 The age of Elizabeth I, renowned as a period of glorious national achievement, was one of intense insecurity. Tormented by enemies at home and abroad, the Queen knew that her hold on the crown was always perilous. Yet still she travelled, went on Royal Progresses throughout her reign. In July 1578 Elizabeth with an entourage of over
at Harvest House,
200 set out on one of her
Felixstowe and also
most ambitious journeys,
at The Two Sisters Arts
from Greenwich Palace,
Centre, Trimley St Mary.
across East Anglia to reach
The non-fiction covers
Norwich in August. Putting
such diverse subjects
on a Progress 1578:
as the theatre, local
Pageantry, People and
history, publishing, war,
Places is an Immersive
consumerism, animals, coastal erosion, art, sailing, television, radio, wild swimming, Suffolk and, in this Platinum Jubilee year, royalty. Authors making an appearance include actor Stephen MGann (Dr. Turner) with his book ‘Call the Midwife’, co-founder of the English
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Photo: Dominic Thorby
Experience from Curious Spark, a heritage education
company, who are inviting audiences to be immersed into the heart of this perilous journey to help protect Queen and country. Events are taking place across Norfolk and Suffolk throughout
Shakespeare Company Michael Pennington and journalist and
August and September. People will be invited to join the POP
broadcaster Justin Webb. Of course, for those who like to escape
1578 posse of ‘Watchers’, the Elizabethan MI5, giving them
into a good novel there are some real treats with the chance to
a shadowy ‘fly on the wall’ experience of history. ‘Watchers’
meet husband and wife thriller team Nicci Gerrard and Sean French,
will find themselves in authentic Elizabethan rooms, listen in
(who write as Nicci French), Stella Remington, author/ actress Carol Drinkwater, Patrick Gale, Esther Freud, Tessa Hadley, Nicola Upson and others, at this popular annual Book Festival.
www.felixstowebookfestival.co.uk
on conversations and be challenged to complete tasks. Some lucky Watchers will also receive a small gift from Her Majesty in recognition of their service.
www.curiousspark.com
Rocking Reepham Reepham Festival is proud to announce it is returning again this year with a weekend of eclectic music on August 6th-7th. Playing the Hansells Stages are Neville Staple From the Specials, The Kubricks, Jeremiah Ferrari & Walkway to name a few. On Sunday the Festival moves to Whitwell Station and The Crown for a selection of folk, rock, acoustic and original acts ranging from the energetic Sons of Mark to the stunning tones of Lisa Redford. Reepham Festival is a charity event, so book your tickets and have a fantastic weekend of entertainment. www.reephamfestival.com
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Photo: David Angel
Fantastic FolkEast
This summer FolkEast is back from August 19th-21st and raring to
a much loved contributor to FolkEast – Mat Bayfield, of The
celebrate the festival’s milestone 10-year anniversary in true style.
Broadside Boys and the duo Bayfield Booth. Curated by Mat’s
Headlining on the opening night - August 19th - are the fantastic The Imagined Village described as ‘the most ambitious folk fusion band of the 21st century.’ Combining folk, electronica,
wife Kelly and his musical partner David Booth, the show will highlight the Suffolk he loved through his songs and those he met along the path of his career.
world music and influences from Asia to the Caribbean, the
The ‘First Lady of Folk’ Kate Rusby, tops the Sunday bill. 2022
10-strong band will feature the UK’s foremost political singer-
is a special year for ‘The Barnsley Nightingale’ too as she marks
songwriter – the ‘Bard of Barking’ himself, Billy Bragg, alongside
30 years touring as a professional folk singer, the release of
the great Eliza and Martin Carthy, Simon Emmerson (guitar/
new album ‘30’ and a back catalogue of over 20 albums and
cittern), tabla and dohl drum king Johnny Kalsi, shimmering
collaborations.
sitar player Sheema Mukherjee, fine fiddle singer Jackie Oates, drummer Andy Gangadeen, Simon Richmond (synth) and cellist Barney Morse Brown.
Saturday night brings a headline set to savour from “one of the premier English folk groups of the 21st century “– the Mercury Prize nominated The Unthanks, as they return to touring with
Saturday will see an exclusive festival performance of a new, all-
their bumper eleven-piece band and music from their first new
star show, Saltlines, in which FolkEast has been a collaborator.
album in six years, Sorrows.
It sees Peter Knight’s ever inventive Gigspanner Big Band joining forces with best-selling author Raynor Winn in a show which mines traditional songs and tunes from the West Country and new words from Winn, inspired by the region. Ever present throughout the weekend will be the festival’s hugely popular ‘life enhancers’, multi award-winning patrons, The Young ‘uns (Sean Cooney, Michael Hughes and David Eagle) who will once again present their hugely popular Saturday afternoon podcast. A special Saturday tribute show will remember and celebrate
FolkEast is also keen to nurture young talent and this year sees a Sunday performance by the National Youth Folk Ensemble and the introduction of a Youth Moot programme, open to 11-17 year olds, to include workshops and more in a new space. There will be also be a vintage cinema, a brand new stage in the woodland and the dance tent will be in full swing all weekend with yoga sessions, dance workshops, Morris dancing, ceilidhs and music.
www.folkeast.co.uk
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Award-Winning Latitude is back
The multi-award-winning cinch presents Latitude returns to
broadcaster Rosie Jones will also return to Henham Park,
the stunning grounds of Henham Park, Suffolk, from July
as will irreverent Dublin comedian David O Doherty, while
21st - 24th July. Lewis Capaldi, Foals, Snow Patrol, Maggie
Taskmaster’s Alex Horne is getting the band together and
Rogers, Little Simz, Manic Street Preachers, Phoebe Bridgers,
bringing musical comedy act The Horne Section to the
Groove Armada, Fontaines D.C. and Russell Howard top the
Comedy stage.
eclectic bill where music and arts meet foodie feasts and family fun in a joyous weekend of cultural discovery.
cinch presents Latitude attendees can expect cultural visionaries, poets, podcasters, and performance artists in an
An eclectic host of acts across the music stages await revellers,
arts bill without boundaries. Women’s Prize for Fiction returns
something for everyone would be an understatement – this
to Latitude for a sixth year, with an amazing set of literary
year’s line up is just mind-blowing. The music stages will
events featuring inspiring broadcaster Vick Hope and author
be buzzing to the eclectic sounds of Manic Street Preachers,
of the best-seller The Authority Gap, Mary Ann Sieghart. One
Modest Mouse, Rina Sawayama, Shed Seven, James Arthur,
of Britain’s best loved actors Dame Sheila Hancock also
Caroline Polachek, Mahalia, Maximo Park, Self Esteem,
opens up about her ninth decade in conversation about her
The Afghan Whigs, Beth Orton, A Certain Ratio, Akala, Billie
funny, feisty and outrageous new book Old Rage.
Marten, Cavetown, Example, Freya Ridings, Hurray For The Riff Raff, Joe Armon-Jones, Kae Tempest and Katy J Pearson among many others.
Families looking for quality time together need go no further than cinch presents Latitude’s family programming allowing them to make some magic of their own. This year Aardman
Latitude’s arts line up is second to none and this year’s
presents fun and hands-on, model making sessions, run by
comedy bill will be bigger than ever. Taking the first headline
expert model makers, who have worked on Aardman’s best-
slot on the Comedy Arena stage is Russell Howard, who
loved films, including Wallace & Gromit, Chicken Run and
stops off at Henham Park fresh from his record breaking
Shaun the Sheep. Across the weekend there will be family-
world tour. Multi-award-winning comedian and poet Tim
friendly comedy, live music, dance and theatre, puppetry,
Key performs his acclaimed lyrical sell-out show Mulberry.
award-winning children’s authors and more.
The unapologetically funny comedian, writer, actor and
www.latitudefestival.com
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Line-up announced for Holt Festival The Holt Festival is returning this summer from July
bestselling memoir, My Name Is Why. While world music
23rd-30th with another packed programme of outstanding
lovers will be blown away by the infectious enthusiasm and
entertainment. As ever, there is an eclectic mix of the
joy of Guinean master musician N’famady Kouyaté and his
performing arts, from classical to world music, poetry, talks
full band line up on the last night.
and comedy.
Anwen Hurt, Artistic Director of the Holt Festival, says; ‘We are
A very special art exhibition featuring John Craxton and Pablo
very excited by the way the programme has come together
Picasso, and including works by Lucian Freud and Alberto
and very much looking forward to welcoming everyone to a
Giacometti, is one of this year’s highlights. There will also be
scintillating Holt Festival ’22’.
the annual Sir John Hurt and Sworders art prizes, with the addition of the new Charlotte Fraser ceramics prize. Further highlights this year include the effervescent best selling author Marian Keyes, talking about her latest book, Again, Rachel. Antiques expert and teatime TV favourite
All events take place in the heart of this lovely Georgian town with its many speciality shops, boutiques and cafes. For more information and to book tickets online, go to
www.holtfestival.org
from Antiques Road Trip and FLOG IT!, Paul Martin, tells us about his passion for beautiful furniture. Writer, poet and national treasure Lemn Sissay reads from his Sunday Times
Sat 23rd - Sat 30th July
Summer 2022
Season Highlights
The Sixteen London Philharmonic Orchestra Jess Gillam Glenn Miller Orchestra Courtney Pine www.saffronhall.com or 0845 548 7650 (7p per minute + access charge)
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