Paint The Town: Season Four

Crafts

Theatre

Dance

14-18

March 2018

Season 4

Children’s Activities Workshops

// Intro Paint The Town Festival is an exciting arts and theatre festival in venues and hidden spaces across Medway, produced by Lyrici Arts in partnership with Battersea Arts Centre.

We are back for Season Four with a selection of astounding theatre shows, exciting performances by local arts organisations, a fun-filled spectacular for little ones, hands-on activity for National Shakespeare Week, and even some hidden treats around Medway to brighten your day.

Paint The Town Festival is committed to celebrating the arts and making sure everyone can enjoy it. This season, alongside some great free activities, tickets for our theatre shows are set at only £5.00 each – making the festival more affordable than ever!

So, what are you waiting for? Jump in! Come along to something or everything, and help us to once again #paintmedway.

Visit www.lyriciarts.com for full listings and booking links to all events taking place.

// Touring theatre

3

LIVE BEFORE YOU DIE

By Byron Vincent and Dave McGinn

Saturday 17 March, 5.30pm Huguenot Museum, 95 High Street, Rochester, ME1 1LX What do you do when you have a best mate who is so sad he might die?

Especially considering up until now your friendship has mostly consisted of a mutual appreciation of 90s hip hop, borderline alcoholism and finding creative ways to call each other d*ckhead.

Byron is a bipolar performance artist, Dave only communicates in insults. Together they must find a way to fix Byron's broken soul before it's too late. Funny, tragic and shockingly honest, this is a true story of hopelessness and friendship told by two men on a desperate quest for happiness.

Join us directly after the show to chat briefly with the cast.

All tickets this season are ÂŁ5.00, Ages 15+ Visit www.lyriciarts.com for trailers and ticket links.

Visit www.lyriciarts.com for full listings and booking links to all events taking place.

// Touring Theatre

4

Ugly Chief

By Victoria Melody

Friday 16th March 2018, 7.30pm The Brook Theatre, Chatham, Kent ME4 4SE This spring, artist and performer Victoria Melody teams up with her dad, celebrity TV antique dealer Mike Melody for her most ambitious show yet!

In 2013, Mike was diagnosed with a terminal illness. Victoria was put in charge of planning the funeral her Dad would want - complete with eulogies, a congregation dressed in Blackpool FC’s tangerine colour and a New Orleans jazz procession. A year later the doctors realised they had misdiagnosed Mike. But they are going ahead with the funeral anyway...

Ugly Chief is a comedy based on true events exploring the taboos around death and its practicalities, and the relationship with a parent whose opinions you don't always agree with.

Mike will also be running his own version of the Antiques Roadshow during the show. Audiences are invited to bring along their curiosities and collectables for him to value.

All tickets this season are only ÂŁ5.00, Ages 12+ Book tickets directly from The Brook Theatre Box Office - 01634 338 338 or visit www.medwayticketslive.co.uk

Visit www.lyriciarts.com for full listings and booking links to all events taking place.

// Touring Theatre

6

Sponge

By Big Imaginations and Turned On Its Head

Thursday 15 March, 10.30am & 1pm Friday 16 March, 10.30am & 1pm Saturday 17 March, 10.30am*, 1pm & 3pm (special performance for babies up to 14 months only) Medway Adult Education, Rochester Community Hub, Eastgate, Rochester, Kent, ME1 1EW Roll, squeeze and pop yourself through the squishiest, squashiest show for babies, young children and their grown- ups!

Sponge is a soft, bouncy adventure through playtime and dreamtime set to a funky 1970’s soundtrack, including discos favourites The Hustle and Car Wash. Follow a dad and daughter as they take you on a journey through springy environments, fascinating in shape, texture and touch.

You also get to meet the leggy character Splegs, who needs a bit of help walking. Have a boogie at the baby disco and enjoy playtime at the end!

All tickets this season are only £5.00, Ages 4 months – 4 years Visit www.lyriciarts.com for trailers and ticket links.

Visit www.lyriciarts.com for full listings and booking links to all events taking place.

// Local Performance

8

FESTIVAL OF FESTIVALS – A DANCE CELEBRATION Presented by Dance Alley for Paint The Town Festival

Wednesday 14 March, 7pm The Brook Theatre, Chatham, Kent, ME4 4SE Medway is known for its many community celebrations and festivals - Paint The Town included.

What better way to shout about our brilliant history with festivals than with a unique dance showcase by the incredible performers from Dance Alley!

After partnering with Dance Alley in Spring 2017, Paint The Town Festival is excited to be working once again with this brilliant local dance school. Expect a showcase paying homage to local festivals such as Sweeps and Dickens Festival and cultural celebrations like Chinese New Year.

All tickets this season are ÂŁ5.00, all ages welcome!

Book tickets directly from The Brook Theatre Box Office - 01634 338 338 or visit www.medwayticketslive.co.uk

Visit www.lyriciarts.com for full listings and booking links to all events taking place.

// Local Performance

9

Beached

By StrangeFace Theatre Company

Sunday 18 March, 10.30 -11.30am (Block 1), 12.15 – 1.15pm (Block 2), 2.00 3.00pm (Block 3) Heart of the Community, 1st Floor, Pentagon Shopping Centre, Chatham, Kent, ME4 4HY Beached is a tiny tale for all the family, about Arnold whose walk becomes an adventure.... The miniature “set” is a box with beautiful puppets. A soundtrack is played on headphones for each audience member, creating a world to share around the table.

The beauty of this little piece is you can watch it again! From the outside too, there’s fun to be had -working out what the people next to you are hearing…. One table, one puppet, one big adventure!

A 15-minute performance for only 8 people at a time. Drop-in at any time but be aware you may have to wait for the next show due to capacity- don't worry it is worth the wait!

Pay-whatever-you-can!

We work hard to provide opportunities for the arts to be accessed by everyone.

Pay-whatever-you-can means just that, enjoy the show and if you can, please show your appreciation in our buckets.

Visit www.lyriciarts.com for full listings and booking links to all events taking place.

// Workshops

10

SHAKESPEARE’S ROYAL COMPANY – THE ORIGINAL GAME OF THRONES Children's drama workshop by Bindlestick Theatre Company

Saturday 17 March, 11.00-11.45am This event is FREE but booking is essential through Chatham Library.

Phone 01634 337 799 or pop into the library.

Ages 5-11 Years

Chatham Library, Community Hub, Chatham, ME4 4TX Ever wondered what it might be like to be a King or Queen? Dreamt about sitting on the Royal Throne?

Well dream no more! Come and explore Shakespeare's royal characters and delve into the world of what it takes to keep your crown in this highly energetic and interactive 45-minute workshop.

Who will be Crowned at the end? Who will conquer? What kind of ruler will you be? Will your subjects bend the knee? Are there even any dragons?

This event is also featured as part of National Shakespeare Week and Get Creative Festival 2018.

MAGICAL CREATURES CRAFT WORKSHOP With Creatabot

Saturday 17 March, 12.00 – 2.00pm This event is FREE but booking is recommended via www.lyriciarts.com Ages 5+

Heart of the Community, 1st Floor, Pentagon Shopping Centre, Chatham, Kent, ME4 4HY Join Natasha from Creatabot in making fairies and mystical forest creatures inspired by A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

This event is also featured as part of National Shakespeare Week and Get Creative Festival 2018.

Visit www.lyriciarts.com for full listings and booking links to all events taking place.

// Community Fun

11

A BUNCH OF KINDNESS

By Clara A

Taking place during the festival week in hidden spaces across Medway For Paint The Town Festival: Season Four, eight specially made little bouquets of flowers will be dotted around Medway.

These bouquets will be hidden in the towns as a free gift for you to take home and enjoy - if you are lucky enough to find them!

Flowers are a wonderful way to cheer people up, so this is our little act of kindness for the people of Medway, and to say thank you for all your support so far.

Happy Hunting!

Community Band As part of Ugly Chief (see page 4), the cast and touring musicians work with local musicians and perform with them in the finale.

More information about our community band members will be on the Lyrici Arts website and festival social media.

Snap up tickets now and support local musicians performing as part of a 5* sell-out touring show!

The art of conversation This March sees the start of 'The Art of Conversation'; a year long project in partnership with Medway Adult Education and Medway Age UK to help tackle isolation. Funded by the Brook Trust Fund, the Lawson Endowment Fund and Paint The Town Festival.

The launch event will be held on Thursday 15 March.

For more details visit the Lyrici Arts website.

Visit www.lyriciarts.com for full listings and booking links to all events taking place.

For more information on all events, trailers and booking links visit www.lyriciarts.com

Follow us on social media: @PaintTheTownFestival @PTT_Fest #paintmedway

Paint The Town Festival is produced by Lyrici Arts in partnership with Battersea Arts Centre, as part of the Collaborative Touring Network.