DIARY

The Cartoon Museum in London has a number of collections permanently on display including the history of the seaside postcard

Saucy seaside postcards, Tudors and summer walks around the city of Bath

It is the first season when the scourge of Covid has been vanquished - or has it? The wretched virus has returned with a vengeance and the jury is out as to whether it will once again affect events like theatre, comedy and music. Leaving that depressing thought aside this season sees some Rapscallion friendly events. In London the Cartoon Museum has an ongoing exhibition on the saucy seaside postcards - that very British institution from the Carry On Age inherited from the music hall and our Anglo Saxon sense of humour. Bamford and Company had been printing postcards since the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries with what would appear to us now as rather innocent portrayals of life at the seaside. It seems amazing that society in the 1950s was so conservative that these displays of humour were considered obscene. Incredibly the artist Donald McGill was prosecuted for his designs under the 1857 Obscene Publications Act. He was found guilty and fined £50 with costs of £25. It just goes to show that even then some people didn’t have a sense of humour. Meanwhile here is a listing of some events of note coming up this spring:

Regular events in Bath

Tuesdays

Mayor’s Pulteney Estate Walks. The walks are free and take in Great Pulteney Street and Sydney Gardens. Meet at 11am. Runs from May to September. No booking is required. Allow 2 hours. Meet at the Pump Room in Bath.

Wednesdays

Widcombe Wayfarers Walks. Meet on the 2nd Wednesday of every month, starting at 10am at the west end of Widcombe Parade. Walks last between 1-2 hours and are medium paced. Come dressed for the weather, with suitable footwear and be prepared for a few climbs. Walks are limited to 20 people and registration is now compulsory. The walks are free but if you would like to make a small donation to this event you can do so when you register. See the Widcombe Association website for details.

Thursdays

Mayor’s Pulteney Estate Walks. The walks are free and take in Great Pulteney Street and Sydney Gardens. Meet at 11am. Runs from May to September. No booking is required. Allow 2 hours. Meet at the Pump Room in Bath. Story Time at Bath Library. 12noon to 12.30pm. Let’s share stories and books at the library! Perfect for families with children aged 0-5. No booking required.

Saturdays

Bear Flat Community market and café. Third Saturday of every month, from 9:30am to 12:30 pm in the church hall on Bruton Avenue. To book a stall, email market@bearflat.org.uk

Theatre Picks in Bath

Fri 1 Jul-Sat 6 Aug. Ustinov Studio. The Tempest.

Deborah Warne directs Shakespeare’s drama set on an island inhabited by Prospero, his daughter and slave Caliban. Sat 2 Jul. Rondo Theatre. Tosca. 7:30pm. By Giacomo Puccini. Bath Opera stages the tragic story of diva Tosca and her painter lover Cavaradossi under a cruel and despotic regime. In the title role is international soprano Ghiulnara Raileanu who is supported by leading members of Bath Opera with Robert Felstead as Cavaradossi and Niall Hoskin as the cruel Scarpia. Musical Director is Peter Blackwood, and Stage Director Jane Clark.

Sat 2-Sat 23 Jul. Theatre Royal Bath. Bugsy

Malone. A Lyric Hammersmith Theatre production of Alan Parker’s prohibition era comedy musical drama Wed 6 – Sat 9 Jul . Rondo Theatre. Macbeth. The Rondo Theatre Company stage Shakespeare’s tragedy of regicide in Scotland. All profits are in aid of Marie Curie. Wed 13 Jul. Rondo Theatre. Estella. A musical take on Estella who enchants Pip in Charles Dickens’ novel Great Expectations. This new play shows how devastating the truth can be in a world built on secrets and lies. Diving straight to the heart of literature’s mysterious heroine – Estella – three captivating actor-musicians lead a radical reimagining set against a backdrop of live music and song. 7.30pm.

Thu 14 to Sat 16 Jul. Mission Theatre. tick, tick...

Boom! by Jonathan Larson. 7.30pm. Valkyrie Theatre Company presents the story of a young playwrightcomposer and the sacrifices he made to achieve his

big break in theatre.

Wed 20 Jul – Sat 23 Jul. Rondo Theatre. Hell.

Inspired by Germanic mythology and folklore, Hell is a new play from Dumb Blonde Theatre (recent productions include the horror-comedy The White Heart Inn, and the adaptation of feminist ghost story The Yellow Wallpaper). Hell celebrates the place stories hold in our lives during troubled times, the power they have to connect us to each other, and their ability to bring light to even the darkest of nights. 8pm.

Sat 24-Sun 25 Jul. Mission theatre. Cardiff Opera

stage Così fan tutte by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Lorenzo da Ponte. Two couples, young and in love, find themselves tangled up in the powerful emotions of their first significant relationships. What starts out perfect, quickly turns on its head as games and tests of loyalty overrun their idolised views of one another. Their friends definitely confuse the situation with questionable motives of their own. Mozart masterfully captures the roller-coaster of young love. Cardiff Opera presents a coming of age Così fan tutte that explores identity, sexual expression and family bonds.

Theatre Picks Outside Bath

Thu 23 Jun-Sat 9 Jul. Stroud. Cotswold Playhouse.

Vanity Fair. Bristol Old Vic Theatre School go on the road with William Makepeace Thackery’s story of on the make Becky Sharp who breaks all the rules in 19th century England. Also at other venues throughout the region see https://www.oldvic.ac.uk/events-shows/ vanity-fair/

Tue 28 Jun-Sat 2 Jul. Bristol Tobacco Factory.

Jane Eyre The Kelvin Players stage an adaption of Charlotte Brontë’s novel. In this play the focus is on the relationship between Jane and Bertha, Rochester’s first wife. Rather than making them opposites, it seeks to make connections between them both physically and emotionally.

Tue 12 Jul. Weston-super-Mare. Playhouse

Theatre. The Tiger Who Came To Tea. Join the teaguzzling tiger in this delightful family show; packed with oodles of magic, sing-a-long songs and clumsy chaos. Various performance times.

Tue 19 – Sat 30 Jul. Bristol Old Vic. Treasure Island.

Physical comedy company Le Navet Bete bring a humorous take on Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel concerning buried treasure, pirates and in this version a mermaid.

Diary Events for Bath

Sat 2 Jul. Walcot Antique and Flea Market. At Bath Cattle Market from 7.30am to 4pm where you’ll find traders selling Antiques, Bric-a-brac, curiosities,vintage clothes, second hand tools, records, jewellery and lots of other fascinating and exciting things.

Sat 2 Jul. Royal High School. Summer Festival.

12noon to 4pm. This is a very informal, relaxed event where all are invited to enjoy musical, dance and drama performances from students across the Prep and Senior Schools. Our creative departments will be providing interactive workshops, an Art Show and a Design and Technology display. There will be a variety of stalls and activities to enjoy with plenty of delicious food and refreshing drinks available. Sun 3 Jul. Komedia. Science Magic. Irish comedian and scientist, Donal Vaughan, brings his science, comedy, magic family show to Bath. Using only things you find around the house, Donal will perform amazing tricks to show how magical science can be. Want to see a potato rocket launcher? Or conjure dragons breath? How about a vomiting unicorn? Of course you do. Always exciting and sometimes very messy, learn about science and laugh your pants off while you do. And the best part is all the tricks can be performed by you when you go home. 12 noon.

Sun 10 Jul. Bath Contemporary Arts Fair. Green

Park Station. The fair includes fine art, photography, The Tudors at the Holburne Museum in Bath sculpture, textiles and much more

Thu 14 Jul. Widcombe Wobblers Cycle Ride.

Evening cycle to Cross Guns Pub, Avoncliffe - 17 miles. Booking essential - via the Widcombe Community Association website. 5pm. Meeting point: under the tree at the western end of Widcombe Parade. In the case of bad weather, please see our website for last minute changes: www.widcombeassociation.org.uk

Sat 16 July. Bath Farmers’ Market. Green Park

Station. Every Saturday at 9am-1.30pm. You will find quality, fresh, seasonal produce at a fair price. The goods are sold directly by the people who produce them and everything usually comes from within a 40 mile radius of Bath – if we cannot source locally we sometimes extend beyond the 40 mile radius.

Fri 29-Sun 31 Jul. Fantastic Food Festivals at Royal

Victoria Park. 10am-5pm. Summer Food Festival, with local and national stalls bursting with tempting treats, savoury delights and refreshing tipples. Plus Masterclasses, the Festival Kitchen line-up and a host of new features including some very special Jubilee celebrations!

Diary Events outside of Bath

Fri 1 Jul. Keynsham. Concert at St John’s Church.

Part of Keynsham Festival. The Good Afternoon Choir will be performing at 7.30pm. Admission is free with doors open from 7pm and there will be a retiring collection for the Festival who, of course celebrate their 25th anniversary this year. Special guests will be the Uke-aholics, a lively Ukulele band from Thornbury. Sat 2 Jul. Malmesbury. Concert at the Abbey. The guest soloist is Rebecca LaChance. An acclaimed American actress, Rebecca relocated to the UK after performing opposite Michael Ball in the title roles of Mack and Mabel at the Chichester Festival Theatre and on tour throughout the UK. The concert is hosted by the popular Malmesbury Community Choir who will be joined by the Bath Welcome Chorus, a combined choir of over 100 voices. Tickets are £18 and available from choir members, online from www. grenvillejones.biz or call 01761 472468. Fri 15-Sun 17 Jul. Bristol Harbour Festival. This annual free dance, music and arts extravaganza returns to the Harbourside for a weekend of family activities, music, circus, food markets and visiting vessels.

Fri 15-Sun 17. Fairford, Gloucestershire. Royal

International Air Tattoo. Featuring aircraft with royal connections in honour of the Platinum Jubilee. An anticipated 170,000 visitors are expected to attend. Children under 18 go free. Sat-Mon, 27-29 Aug. Axbridge Pageant. The community play that brings to life 2000 years of history in the Somerset town is staged every ten years in the town’s square. Grandstands are set up to create a large theatrical space where Saxons fight Danes, Monmouth Rebels take up arms and soldiers prepare for D-Day as the drama unfolds. For details and tickets visit https://axbridgepageant.com/

Exhibition Picks Sun 1 May - 3 July. American Museum, Bath.

Dress to Redress. An exhibition of the work of contemporary Anishinabe artist Celeste Pedri-Spade that will focus on the role of strong women in community. Continues to 3 July.

Sat 14 May-Sun 17 July. Judo history: The Museum

of East Asian Art is running an exhibition from 14 May to 17 July on the cultural history of judo.

Sat 14 May - Sat 2 Jul. Bath Society of Artists Annual Open Exhibition at Victoria Art Gallery.

Visitors to the exhibition will also be able to place their votes for the Public Choice Prize, selecting their favourite artwork to win a prize of £600 for the artist. All of the artworks are for sale.

Or for cultural events such as classical concerts, community events, comedy drama, talks, walks and exhibitions email harryfmottram@gmail.com