I’was born in the sitting room at Park Farm in Donyatt, where my parents had a tenant farm. It was part of the Somerset County Council smallholding scheme. Both my grandfathers were soldiers in the First World War and benefited from the ‘Land fit for Heroes’ initiative. The village of Donyatt was unique: the council had bought the entire village, including farms, the pub, the school, and even the living of the church. My father took over the farm after my grandfather.
It was a dairy farm with about 20 cows. My mother was very imaginative and well-read, and she would choose themes for naming the cows, ranging from exotic flowers like Bougainvillea and Hibiscus to Native American tribes and even characters from I, Claudius. I had a wonderful upbringing, and I remember riding one of the cows, which was quite boringly named Fillpail. My mother died last year at the age of 99 and left behind a treasure trove of family history, including a breed book detailing the cows we owned. She had been deeply involved in village life, organising events like village fêtes and participating in local groups. Her passion for local history and family stories inspired my own interest in storytelling.
I was the youngest of five, four girls and a boy. The story goes that my dad was milking when I was born, and when the nurse told him it was another girl, he just turned around and went right back to the cowstalls. I always felt like I needed to
prove myself, because I think he was probably hoping for a second boy. I went to the local primary school, where there was one teacher, Mrs Lock, and 19 pupils. Although I passed the 11 Plus, the Grammar school at Ilminster was closed, so I went to Holyrood Comprehensive in Chard.
So, going from this idyllic “Laurie Lee” country bumpkin existence to a school of well over 1,000 was a big shock. I was very conscious that all my siblings were quite clever and had done well. There were three teachers and a nurse-midwife.
I didn’t like school very much, and when I was 15 and due to sit my biology O-level, I had a baby, my daughter Amy. I kind of kept it secret until the last minute. Although I feared my parents’ reaction, they were incredibly supportive, especially my mother. After Amy was born, I re-sat my O-levels and later completed A-levels in the sixth-form, the only part of my schooling I actually enjoyed. Mum cared for Amy during the day and I took over in the evenings.
I’d always wanted to be a journalist. I loved writing and was fascinated by people’s stories and local knowledge. My mother used to be the village correspondent for the Chard & Ilminster News. I applied to numerous journalism training programmes and was eventually taken on by Mirror Group Newspapers in Plymouth. It was a mix of on-thejob training and classroom learning, and I worked alongside some remarkable people, including Alistair Campbell, Sarah Bosley, who became Health Editor at the Guardian, and David Wastell, the political editor of the Sunday Telegraph and foreign editor at The Independent and Telegraph.
After qualifying, I took a job at the Bridport News. Although I didn’t know Bridport well, I quickly fell in love with it and have lived around here ever since. My parents continued to support me, and Amy eventually joined me. I covered everything from court reporting to council meetings, and I cherished the opportunity to get to know the community. We printed everything on carbon copied paper in those days and would send the copy off to the printer by bus. It’s so sad that real local newspapers are failing.
After a few years at the Bridport News, I moved to the Dorset Evening Echo as a district reporter. In the meantime, I had had my son Aaron, and when the news teams merged and the industry became more corporate, I decided it was time for a change.
I joined Magna Housing Association in Dorchester as their public relations officer, and after that, ran the Half Moon pub in Melplash for three years with my new partner, Andrew. When my father found out we were going to run a pub, he said, “You’re mad, that’s worse than farming.” But it was great. We hosted music events, including a mini-folk festival and a jazz festival, which were great fun. There was a strong music scene in the area in those days, and my family has always had a love for music. My uncle George Withers, a Somerset farmer, was well-known for his folk singing.
After leaving the pub, I returned to the Bridport News as a reporter and later became the editor. This was one of the
best jobs I’ve ever had. We had a great team. I loved being able to record what was going on in the local community. We ran important campaigns, such as fighting to keep Mountjoy School open and supporting the Woodland Trust’s purchase of part of Allington Hill. We had to report on tragic stories, too, but we also had amusing times. I launched the ‘Find Fido’ section, where we hid a photograph of Fido May, a well-known local character, in the paper. We also launched the Bridport News around the World, where people sent in photographs of themselves reading the paper in different countries. However, as the newspaper industry continued to change, I decided to leave it completely in 2004.
I got a job with the North Dorset Primary Care Trust and did an Open University degree in Humanities with a focus on Creative Writing while balancing work and childcare for my granddaughter. I loved the course and discovered a passion for creative writing.
In 2008, I started a blog under the pseudonym Maddie Grigg, writing about life in an anonymous English village, which I called The Enchanted Village and then Lush Places after William Boot’s fictional newspaper column in the satirical novel, Scoop. I was eventually unmasked locally as the writer, but the blog caught the attention of the editor of the People’s Friend magazine, who invited me to become a weekly columnist in 2015.
After leaving the Primary Care Trust, Andrew and I decided to fulfil our dream of living in Greece, so we rented out our home in West Dorset and moved to Corfu. We lived in a small village, where we rented a house to do up from the Tennant family and immersed ourselves in the local culture. I wrote a book about our year in Corfu, which has been well-received. Although I loved the experience, I missed my family and the sense of community back home, so we eventually returned.
Back in Dorset, I took on various freelance projects, including PR work for the Electric Palace and Bridport Literary Festival. I also completed an MA in Creative Writing during the COVID-19 pandemic, and during lockdowns, I started a daily music event called The Sound of Music from the Square Window, where I played songs from my window overlooking the square in Broadwindsor. It was a shared experience during a difficult time, which people enjoyed.
I also worked with Farm Radio and have been involved with Windrose Rural Media Trust since 2005. I’ve just completed a project called Born & Bred: Stories of Then and Now in Broadwindsor, Dorset.
While I’ve got quite a few future projects to work on with Windrose, I’m also looking at something that came up when I got a message out of the blue from someone in Nova Scotia who told me I was related to Ernest Hemingway. I’ve always resisted Hemingway because I don’t like him as a person, but I’ve got to overcome that because it turns out to be an interesting story which I think might take me a while to research and write. ’
Looking over this issue, one of the many striking things for me is the process artist Frances Hatch uses to create her paintings. Up close, and even in some images, they convey a sense of the power of our environment. I recall once seeing Frances working at Cogdon Beach. It was a wet, blustery day, and she somehow seemed to blend into the surroundings. Dressed for the weather, her focus on capturing the feel of the environment was inspiring. That memory reminded me of other environmental concerns. After a particularly wet winter and ongoing evidence of the damage caused by climate change, it is good to see that public support for climate action remains strong. However, there is a worrying trend towards negative opinions from those with a different agenda. Environmental campaigner, Trewin Restorick, whom we interviewed in April 2024, writes in his latest blog about a “false backlash” that is emerging. ‘Public support for climate action remains relatively strong,’ he says. ‘Yet the story we hear about it is increasingly negative.’ Media coverage—particularly from rightleaning outlets—now tends to be negative twice as often as public opinion justifies. This distortion fuels a dangerous cycle, he explains. When net zero appears unpopular, investment slows, and political ambitions diminish. He suggests that the upcoming May elections may be a crucial turning point for this narrative. Citing the damage caused by populist rhetoric, he says technocratic arguments for net zero risk being drowned out by populist rhetoric. In politics, perception often swiftly influences policy; what is deemed “unpopular” is quietly abandoned. The May elections are a test of the climate narrative itself. Bridging the gap between this perceived backlash and actual public support is now the most urgent task for the sustainability movement.
Fergus Byrne
in your Marshwood Vale Magazine
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Contributors
EVENTS April
Tuesday, 31 March
Scottish Country Dancing every Tuesday evening from 7.30 to 9.30 pm at Horton Village Hall TA19 9QR. Only £3.00 pay on the door. Classes suitable for beginners and no partner required. For further information contact Anita on 01460 929383 , email anitaandjim22@gmail.com and check out our web site at www.ashillscd.wordpress.com See you soon.
Wednesday, 1 April
“The Conquest of the Blue Nile” with Col John Blashford - Snell CBE. A travel night presented by Bridport Camera Club. The raconteur extraordinaire tells the story of one of the most famous expeditions of the 20th Century. 7 pm at Bridport Arts Centre, DT6 7NR. Tickets £12 and are available from https://www.bridport-arts.com/event/travelnight-the-conquest-of-the-blue-nlle/
Thursday, 2 April
Scottish Country Dancing. St Michael’s Scottish Country Dancing Club, 7.30 – 9.30pm at the Davis Hall, Howell Hill, West Camel BA22 7QX. First two visits free, £2.00 per session, £1.50 for members. Always a fun eveningcome along and give it a try – a warm welcome assured. No partner needed. Please bring a mug - tea, coffee, biscuits provided. See website www.stmichaelsscdclub.org or contact secretary Elspeth 07972125617 elspeth_a_wright@hotmail. com.
A Real Pain (2024, USA, 15, 90 mins, Director: Jesse Eisenberg). Two cousins embark on a tour of Poland in honour of their beloved Jewish grandmother. This comedy drama combines humour and warmth with a nuanced and sometimes painful exploration of family history, love and loss. Doors 7:00 pm, 7:30 pm start. Clapton & Wayford Village Hall (TA18 8PS). Membership £30, guests £5 per film. For more information/book guest tickets, please email mickpwilson53@btinternet.com or k_everard@live.com. Alternatively, ring Mick Wilson on 01460 74849 or Julia Borland on 01460 72769.
K-POP Superstar - 3pm, Bridport Electric Palace, DT6 3NY. Tickets £22. To book electricpalace.org.uk.
Choral Eucharist with music by Gibbons, Durufle and Byrd at St Peter’s Church Dorchester, High West Street, DT1 1XA, 7pm. The service is free to attend. More information www.musicatstpetersdorchester.org.
Community Coffee Morning 9.30 - 11.15am. Free bacon butties, cake and coffee. All welcome. St. Swithun’s Church Hall, Allington, Bridport, DT6 5DU. 07741457505.
Colyton town history walk leaving from Colyton Dolphin Car Park at 2 pm – Guided walk approximately one hour. Cost £5, children under 16 free. No booking required, all weathers. Group bookings by arrangement – Contact 01297 552514 or 01297 33406.
A Bridport Town Walk, led by a museum volunteer, will explore hidden Bridport – its buildings, people and stories 11am at Bridport museum (DT6 3NR) every Thursday until the end of September, weather permitting, and lasting approximately 1.5 hours. Tickets (£8) include a single visit to the museum. Available from the museum.
Friday, 3 April
The Wurzels + Corky – 7:30pm, Bridport Electric Palace, DT6 3NY. Tickets £28 adv. To book electricpalace.org.uk.
Stainer’s Crucifixion with Paul Heaslip (tenor) and Jonathan Prentice (bass) at St Peter’s Church Dorchester, High West Street, DT1 1XA, 6pm. Admission free. More information www.musicatstpetersdorchester.org.
Beaminster Museum The museum reopens for the summer 2026 season with Fire Flood Frost, an exhibition exploring how Beaminster and the surrounding villages have battled the elements over the centuries – from floods and violent storms to bitter freezes – along with the three great fires that devastated the town. It tells the story of how local people pulled together in times of crisis and learned lessons for the future. Visitors will also find some exciting new displays, along with refreshed galleries. The Museum is open Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Bank Holidays, 10.30am – 4.00pm, Sundays 2.00pm – 4.30pm. Admission is free, but donations are very welcome. Whitcombe Rd, Beaminster DT8 3NB. www.beaminstermuseum.co.uk
Saturday, 4 April
Bluey at the Cinema (U) 60 mins, 11am, Bridport Electric Palace, DT6 3NY. Tickets from £6.50 adv. To book electricpalace.org.uk.
EPiC – Elvis Presley in Concert Film. 100mins, 7:30pm, Bridport Electric Palace, DT6 3NY. Tickets from £9 adv. To book electricpalace.org.uk.
The Friends of Weymouth Library (F.O.W.L.) meeting at 10-30a.m. in the Library, will feature Steve Wallis. Steve is Senior Archaeologist at DCC and will talk about preserving the site of the High Angle Battery, which was part of the late defences of Portland
Sunday, 5 April
Opera Screening: RB&O: Siegfried (12A) 330mins , 2pm,
Bridport Electric Palace, DT6 3NY. Tickets from £11.50 adv. To book electricpalace.org.uk.
Choral Eucharist for Easter Day with music by Mozart, Harris, Stanford and Handel at St Peter’s Church Dorchester, High West Street, DT1 1XA, 10.30am. The service is free to attend. More information www.musicatstpetersdorchester. org.
Easter Sunday Eucharist in the beautiful, 13th century parish church of St Michael and All Angels, Wayford at 9.30am, followed by refreshments. Do join us. All welcome. Contact 07957862772.
Tuesday, 7 April
Scottish Country Dancing every Tuesday evening from 7.30 to 9.30 pm at Horton Village Hall TA19 9QR. Only £3.00 pay on the door. Classes suitable for beginners and no partner required. For further information contact Anita on 01460 929383, email anitaandjim22@gmail.com and check
out our web site at www.ashillscd.wordpress.com Come join the fun.
Thursday, 9 April
Scottish Country Dancing St Michael’s Scottish Country Dancing Club, 7.30 – 9.30pm at the Davis Hall, Howell Hill, West Camel BA22 7QX. First two visits free, £2.00 per session, £1.50 for members. Always a fun evening - come along and give it a try – a warm welcome assured. No partner needed. Please bring a mug - tea, coffee, biscuits provided. See website www.stmichaelsscdclub.org or contact secretary Elspeth 07972125617 elspeth_a_wright@hotmail.com.
Chard History Group History of James Gillingham a talk by Howard Bailey, from Chard Museum, on this local Victorian Shoemaker who gained international fame for his revolutionary work in prosthetic limbs. 7.00pm for 7.30pm. Chard Guildhall 1st floor, lift available. Members £2.50 Visitors most welcome £3.50. For further information Tessa 07984481634.
Bridport History Society. The Society will be welcoming Col (Rtd) Mike Pope who will give a talk called ‘The Falklands War — a Personal Story.’ The meeting will be held at the United Church Hall on East Street, Bridport. Doors open at 2.15 for a prompt 2.30 start. All are welcome. Members £1pp and visitors £5pp. Bridport History Society meets on the second Thursday of each month (except July and August). Membership is open to all (£12 individual/£18 couple). For more information visit https://www. bridporthistorysociety.org.uk.
Colyton town history walk leaving from Colyton Dolphin Car Park at 2 pm – Guided walk approximately one hour. Cost £5, children under 16 free. No booking required, all weathers. Group bookings by arrangement – Contact 01297 552514 or 01297 33406.
Friday, 10 April
‘No Man is an Ireland’ is a surreal, genre-bending, standup poetry show, performed by award-winning Northern Irish comedian and former Bard of Exeter, Edward Tripp. Ed ponders his cultural identity through the mediums of storytelling and prop-heavy stand-up poetry. Featuring defrosted wives, visits from Uncle Connor (who isn’t in the IRA) and at least one unforgettable tribute to the late Lady Diana. If you enjoy spoken-word poetry, this is the show for you. If you dislike spoken-word poetry, this is probably the show for you too. Expect the unexpected...and hold on tight” “Seek Edward out like buried treasure” - Spencer Jones, Comedian and Actor “Absurd and Hysterical, he had the audience in stitches” - Razz Magazine 7.30pm. The Old Picture House,Harbour Rd,Seaton,EX12 2LZ.Tickets £15 from from https://villagesinaction.co.uk/ Mother’s Pride (12A) 93 mins, 7:30pm, Bridport Electric Palace, DT6 3NY. Tickets £9 adv. To book electricpalace. org.uk.
Friday, 10 - 12 April
Sherborne Travel Writing Festival A dozen remarkable writers, journalists and publishers will again transport the audience with stories of their travels to the four corners of the globe. To find out about the weekend programme of talks and to buy tickets visit www. sherbornetravelwritingfestival.com Tickets can also be bought from Winstone’s Bookshop, Sherborne.
Saturday, 11 April
Cattistock Point-to-Point at Chilfrome, Nr. Maiden Newton (signed off A356). An afternoon of Pony Races and Steeplechase Races in beautiful countryside. A big screen will show the races and The Grand National. Local food, bar, bookies, ice cream, stalls and children’s entertainment. Further information: pointingwessex.co.uk or njatkinson10@gmail.com.
Bridport & West Dorset Rambling Club 7 mile walk from Langdon Wood. For further information please ring 01308
898484 or 01308 863340. New members/visitors welcome. Choral Evensong for Easter with music by Vaughan Williams, Patrick Hadley, Stanford and David Beeby at St Peter’s Church Dorchester, High West Street, DT1 1XA, 4.30pm. The service is free to attend and is followed by a glass of wine. More information www. musicatstpetersdorchester.org,
Sunday, 12 April
Line Dance Social at Musbury Village Hall EX13 8AJ. From 2 pm to 6 pm. Dancing to Chris Harris. Partner and line dancing. Tickets on door £8 to include refreshments. Raffle. Enquiries - Honky Tonk Stompers 07787 289425.
Monday, 13 April
Scottish Dancing in Chardstock An evening of Scottish dancing in Chardstock Village Hall EX13 7BH 7.3010.00 p.m. Tea and coffee provided but please bring your own mug and wear soft soled shoes. No partner required. Cost £3.00 Contact David on 01460 65981. www. chardscottishcountrydance.co.uk.
Hawkchurch Film Nights in association with Moviola. org, proudly presents ‘The Choral’, 108 mins, Cert.12A (infrequent strong language, moderate sex). An uncompromising new choirmaster (Ralph Fiennes) sets an ambitious task for a Yorkshire town’s choral society after a number of its members leave for the battlefields of the First World War. Written by Alan Bennett. Doors open 6.30pm, film starts 7.00pm at Hawkchurch Village Hall, EX13 5XD. Ticket reservations £6.50 from csma95@gmail.com or leave a message on 07753 603219; tickets also available in advance for £6.50 from Hawkchurch Community Shop or on the door for £7.00 (cash only). Subtitles for hearing-impaired patrons provided if available. Home-made cake, teas, coffees, soft drinks, wine and other refreshments available. Dance Connection - open class, Movement 4 All, 11:30am1pm, Bridport St Mary’s Church House Hall, DT6 3NN, 07787752201, https://www.dance-connection-wessex.co.uk/
Tuesday, 14 April
Scottish Country Dancing every Tuesday evening from 7.30 to 9.30 pm at Horton Village Hall TA19 9QR. Only £3.00 pay on the door. Classes suitable for beginners and no partner required. For further information contact Anita on 01460 929383, email anitaandjim22@gmail.com and check out our web site at www.ashillscd.wordpress.com Come join the fun.
Wednesday, 15 April
Coffee Morning, including cakes, scones & savouries, and bacon/egg rolls (made to order), 10.30am – noon; all welcome. Clapton & Wayford Village Hall. More details from Julia (01460 72769).
Antiques Expert on the Road featuring Mark Smith, 7:30pm, Bridport Electric Palace, DT6 3NY. Tickets from
£29.50 adv. To book electricpalace.org.uk.
Kilmington Film Night “The Choral”(15) Starring Ralph Fiennes. Alan Bennett has been a welcome chipper-in to British cinema over the past 40 years. This quietly plangent, drily comic piece about a choirmaster (Ralph Fiennes) staging an Elgar oratorio in a Yorkshire mill town superficially resembles one of those underdog comedies that were all period-accurate pluck and regional accents: Doors and bar open 6.45 film start 7.15 at Kilmington Village Hall EX13 7RF. Tickets £6 (Cash Only) can be ordered by contacting: John at wattsjohn307@gmail.com or Tel: 01297 521681.
Colyton & District Garden Society ‘Gertrude Jekyll, her life, her plant designs and its contribution to how we garden today’ by Claire Reid, former Head Gardener of Hestercombe Gardens. Venue : Colyford Memorial Hall, EX24 6QJ , start 7.30 pm. Plenty of parking in the hall car park. Information : Peter Clark : 01297 553341
Thursday, 16 April
Scottish Country Dancing St Michael’s Scottish Country Dancing Club, 7.30 – 9.30pm at the Davis Hall, Howell Hill, West Camel BA22 7QX. First two visits free, £2.00 per session, £1.50 for members. Always a fun evening - come along and give it a try – a warm welcome assured. No partner needed. Please bring a mug - tea, coffee, biscuits provided. See website www.stmichaelsscdclub.org or contact secretary Elspeth 07972125617 elspeth_a_ wright@hotmail.com.
Driving Mum (2022, Iceland, 12A, 113 mins, Director Hilmar Oddsson) Hilmar Oddsson’s darkly comedic road movie is a bewitching 1980-set odyssey of self-discovery and acceptance across the beautifully photographed landscapes of Iceland. Beautifully filmed in crisp black and white, Driving Mum is a heartwarming, emotional film with a fantastic central performance from Gunnarsson. Doors 7:00 pm, 7:30 pm start. Clapton & Wayford Village Hall (TA18 8PS). Membership £30, guests £5 per film. For more information/book guest tickets, please email mickpwilson53@btinternet.com or k_everard@live. com. Alternatively, ring Mick Wilson on 01460 74849 or Julia Borland on 01460 72769.
Kilmington Film Matinee “The Choral (15)” (See 15th April). Doors open 1.45pm film starts 2pm. Tickets £6 (Cash Only), cream-teas @ £4. served during the interval but must be pre-booked with your seats see above and www.kilmingtonvillage.com/otherorganisations.html for more information.
Colyton town history walk leaving from Colyton Dolphin Car Park at 2 pm – Guided walk approximately one hour. Cost £5, children under
16 free. No booking required, all weathers. Group bookings by arrangement – Contact 01297 552514 or 01297 33406.
Friends of Lyme Regis Museum offer an illustrated talk, ‘Scelidosaurus: The Most Complete Dinosaur of the British Isles’ by Kieran Satchell. At 2.30 pm in the Woodmead Hall, Hill Road, Lyme Regis, DT7 3PG. Kieran is the Museum’s Education Officer. Found only in Charmouth, Kieran will describe the history of the animal and what it may have looked like in life, 200 million years ago. The talk will be preceded by our AGM at 2.00 pm, lasting about 20 minutes, which you are cordially invited to attend. Members and visitors £3. All welcome. Enquiries to David Cox, 07800 895351.
South Somerset RSPB Local Group Seeing Europe’s Mammals An illustrated talk present by Speyside Wildlife guide Roy Atkins. We will be transported to Europe’s wild and ancient places seeing bears, wolves, wolverines and much more, creatures that once roamed our own isles.at 7.30pm The Millennium Hall, Seavington St. Mary, Ilminster, TA19 0QH. Entry: Group members £4, non-group members £5, under 25’s Free. Tea/coffee & biscuits included – Wheelchair access. Further details from Denise Chamings on 01781473846 or www.rspb.org.uk/ groups/southsomerset. Everyone welcome.
Thursday, 16 - 29 April
Dorchester Camera Club 90th Anniversary Exhibition, 10am to 4 pm at The Shire Hall, High West Street, Dorchester, DT1 1UY. Free Entry to the exhibition.
Friday, 17 April
Liv Torc’s Cosy Gig Liv Torc is a poet, artist and ideas weaver who plunders the vast caverns and dormant volcanoes of the human and planetary condition. CoArtistic Director of Hot Poets and UN Consultant, Liv has performed at Glastonbury Festival, UNESCO in Paris, TEDxLondonWomen and R4’s Poetry Please she also runs the poetry stage at WOMAD.. In 2019 her climate change in the face of motherhood poem The Human Emergency went viral and she performed at Glastonbury Festival and represented Somerset for the BBC’s National Poetry Day celebrations. In 2020 she was chosen as one of four Siren Poets by Cape Farewell for a commission on climate change in the time of COVID. In 2022 she was chosen by the UN, to be one of 50 international thought leaders, taking part in Adaptation week in Botswana. She was invited back in 2023 to South Korea, as lead facilitator for the UNFCCC’s Resilience Frontiers. Her published books include Show Me Life and The Human Emergency. “You don’t get any better than Liv Torc” –Roger McGough. “Liv Torc makes the world a better
place.” – Elvis McGonagall. “In Liv Torc’s witty, inventive and generous hands, poetry opens up new ways of noticing and sharing all that matters most.” – Susannah Herbert, Head of Forward Arts Foundation and National Poetry Day (2012–2021). Laura’s lovely homemade savoury & sweet treats will be available to buy too! 7.30pm The Tiffin Box, Trinity Square,Axminster,EX13 5AN. Limited tickets £15 from https://villagesinaction. co.uk/
Fun Quiz 6.30 - 10.00pm £5 a head includes tea and cake. Bring your own bottle, glasses and nibbles. Tables of 4 or 6 book in advance 07859803734. St. Swithun’s Church Hall, Allington, Bridport, DT6 5DU. 07859803734. Big Screen Cinema at Milborne St Andrew. Looking for a great night out nearby? Join us at Milborne St Andrew Village Hall (DT11 0JX) for a special screening of “The Choral,” starring Ralph Fiennes. Presented by More Than a Movie*, we offer a cinema experience right in the heart of the community. Film Starts: 7:30 PM. Doors & Bar Open: 7:00 PM. All-in Ticket: Just £6.50 (includes an ice cream or a drink!). Payment: Cash and Card both accepted at the door. Come along, grab a drink at the bar, and enjoy a fantastic film. We look forward to seeing you there!
Saturday, 18 April
South Somerset Choral Society’s Spring Concert 2026;’The South Somerset Choral Society, under the skilful baton of M.D. John Jenkins, will perform Handel’s Acis and Galatea, variously described as a ‘masque’, a ‘pastoral’ or (by Handel) his ‘little opera’. His most performed work during his lifetime, many think it is his best. Also on the programme is Schubert’s ‘Mass in G’, popular with choirs everywhere for its lyrical musicality; 7.30 p.m., St Mary’s Church, Holyrood Street, Chard TA20 2DN. Tickets £18 (£10 for 16 & under) from Ticketsource on southsomersetchoralsociety. org.uk from 2nd March, Health & Remedy in Holyrood Street, Chard or cash/card at the door. Press contact: lizwebster08@gmail.com.
Table Top Sale (including crafts and bric a brac) - Musbury Village Hall, 10am to 12.30pm. Stalls include cakes, raffle, bric a brac and lots more. Refreshments including bacon buttys. All profits to St Michaels Church, Musbury, Enquiries call 01297 552440/552711.
Bridport & West Dorset Rambling Club 8.5 mile walk from Lambert’s Castle For further information please ring 01308 898484 or 01308 863340. New members/visitors welcome.
Comic Strip Presents… screenings + Q&A (18),
7:30pm, Bridport Electric Palace, DT6 3NY. Tickets from £22. To book electricpalace.org.uk.
Lunchtime concert performed by Christina Scott (violin) and Graham Scott (organ) at St Peter’s Church Dorchester, High West Street, DT1 1XA, 12.30-1.00pm. Admission free. More information www.musicatstpetersdorchester.org.
Wild Brew! The Making of the Beltane Brew. 10am Gathering the Herbs for the Beltane Brew Lower Barton Farm, Grid ref 663994 A352 bet Cerne Abbas & Nether Cerne what3words congratulations//shepherdess// locating. The Beltane Brew is a vibrantly energising blend of traditional spring tonic herbs gathered from around the long barrow of Smacam Down, which has in its sights Cerne Abbas, the Giant, the Trendle and the church. Come join medical herbalist Eleanor Gallia in this neolithic landscape, home and sacred site to Briton’s earliest farming people, as we forage for and learn about the herbs that will sustain and nourish the Mayday revellers. Having wild harvested the herbs, we will share a simple lunch of nettle soup in the barn at Lower Barton Farm before heading with our herbs to the brewery to make the Beltane Beer. 2.30 Starting Off the Beltane Brew Cerne Abbas Brewery, Chescombe Barn, Barton Meadows, DT2 7JS. The annual limited edition Beltane Brew is always eagerly anticipated, and provides liquid nourishment for the thirsty revellers at 5.30am when the Morris Men dance to greet the sunrise. Come along to
help them create this year’s elixir. The brewer will explain how the wort is prepared. Medical herbalist Eleanor Gallia will explain the cleansing and invigorating herb ingredients. Then take your turn to toss them into the wort at it seethes in the vast copper. Beer and cider will be on sale, both on tap and bottled. Food for lunch will also be available, so make an afternoon of it relaxing at the brewery. Afternoon £7.50 incl ½ pint Please dress for the weather, wear appropriate footwear and bring gloves and a basket for the foraging. There is livestock and wildlife on the hill so please do not bring dogs. Thank you. Morning incl homemade nettle soup and roll £15. All day (with brewing) £20.
Sunday, 19 April
Photographing Nature for Families Meet by St Mary’s Church, Abbey Street, Cerne Abbas DT2 7JQ Bring any camera, including phones, and learn about how to find and photograph nature in an interesting way. Learn about the plants and other living things you encounter along the way.
Photographer Jane Tearle and biologist Pauline Pires will guide you as well as identify some of the minibeasts and plants you discover. We hope to print some photos taken by families to display at the Village Fete. Wear warm/dry clothing if the weather is cold or wet. A close up / macro setting might be useful. Batteries should be fully charged. Children must be accompanied, and the accompanying adults are responsible for the safety of their children. £5 per
child. (rain date 26th Apr – ring 07823778758 to ask) 2-4pm).
Monday, 20 April
Scottish Dancing in Chardstock An evening of Scottish dancing in Chardstock Village Hall EX13 7BH 7.30-10.00 p.m. Tea and coffee provided but please bring your own mug and wear soft soled shoes. No partner required. Cost £3.00 Contact David on 01460 65981. www. chardscottishcountrydance.co.uk.
Art History course for April onwards, 6 wks, Mondays 2pm-3.30pm, about the ‘Group of 7’, Canadian artists, original Members: Franklin Carmichael, Lawren Harris, A.Y. Jackson, Frank Johnston (left 1924), Arthur Lismer, J.E.H. MacDonald, and Frederick Varley. Later Members: A.J. Casson (joined 1926), Edwin Holgate (1930), and LeMoine FitzGerald (1932); plus Emily Carr and other women artists, associated at the time of this group, 1920’s & 30’s. Starts Monday 20th April in Bridport, due to bank holidays, dates of lectures are 20th & 27th April, 11th &18th May, 1st & 8th June. Venue: United Reformed Hall, East Street Bridport. Fee: £70. *This course also runs on line on Fridays at 2pm, Fee: £65 from 24th April. Individual lectures are £15 per
person per lecture. Tutor Pam Simpson MA, Art Historian. Pam spent her career working in London art colleges, formerly University of the Arts. Course is booking now, if you have any questions please get in touch. Email: chris. pamsimpson@btinternet.com.
Dance Connection - open class, holistic, Movement 4 Wellbeing, 11:30am, Bridport St Mary’s Church House Hall, DT6 3NN, 07787752201, https://www.dance-connectionwessex.co.uk.
Tuesday, 21 April
Scottish Country Dancing every Tuesday evening from 7.30 to 9.30 pm at Horton Village Hall TA19 9QR. Only £3.00 pay on the door. Classes suitable for beginners and no partner required. For further information contact Anita on 01460 929383, email anitaandjim22@gmail.com and check out our web site at www.ashillscd.wordpress.com Come join the fun.
Invitation to Turn Lyme Green AGM and talk. All are welcome to attend our 2025/26 AGM to receive the annual report and accounts. Followed by a TALK. ‘Action on the River Lim - a look to the future and how to get involved’ Free. Refreshments available. 6.45pm AGM 7.30pm Talk Driftwood Cafe, Baptist Church, top of Broad Street, Lyme Regis Contact enquiries@turnlymegreen.co.uk for information.
Wednesday, 22 April
Uplyme and Lyme Regis Horticultural Society Talk ‘Pots, Containers and Raised Beds’ by Jacquie Felix-Mitchell, garden designer. Also competition for best spring flowers –any sort, pot or vase. Uplyme Village Hall 7.30pm. Doors open 7pm. Members free; guests £3. More information https://ulrhs.co.uk.
Wednesday, 22 - 26 April
From Page to Screen, the Bridport Film Festival Curated by Bridport’s Chris Chibnell, expect a fascinating, exciting and eclectic mix of films to enjoy on the big screen. For a full list of films and special events visit: https://www. bridport-arts.com/fpts/
Thursday, 23 April
Scottish Country Dancing St Michael’s Scottish Country Dancing Club, 7.30 – 9.30pm at the Davis Hall, Howell Hill, West Camel BA22 7QX. First two visits free, £2.00 per session, £1.50 for members. Always a fun eveningcome along and give it a try – a warm welcome assured. No
partner needed. Please bring a mug - tea, coffee, biscuits provided. See website www.stmichaelsscdclub.org or contact secretary Elspeth 07972125617 elspeth_a_wright@ hotmail.com.
Dean Carter Live: Bard For Life 7pm Durbervilles Cafe 90 Cheap St, Sherborne DT9 3BJ It being St. George’s Day and Shakespeare’s Birthday, I’ll be playing a special set of material themed around the works of THE BARD of Avon and his illustrious compeers, Blake, Wordsworth and T.S.Eliot. This will involve both songs and instrumentals from previous releases, and I will also debuting a good deal of entirely new and unreleased pieces! Now then, please try to form an orderly queue. Entry by donation suggested minimum £10.
Colyton town history walk leaving from Colyton Dolphin Car Park at 2 pm – Guided walk approximately one hour. Cost £5, children under 16 free. No booking required, all weathers. Group bookings by arrangement – Contact 01297 552514 or 01297 33406.
The Spring at the Giant’s Feet St Mary’s Church, Abbey Street, Cerne Abbas DT2 7JQ. James Rattue has been researching the holy wells of England for four decades and wrote the first attempt to place these folkloric sites in historical context, The Living Stream, back in 1995. More recently he has published The Holy Wells of Dorset. This talk will look at Cerne Abbas’s celebrated St Augustine’s Well, discuss how it fits in with similar sites, the way holy wells functioned as part of the medieval Church, and some other Dorset wells that are worth a diversion to see. 7 for 7.30pm. £8 including wine or soft drink.
Block of 6 Dance Connection Sessions begins, dive into the form & see results, booking essential, 6pm-7:30pm, Bridport St Mary’s Church House Hall, DT63NN, 07787752201, https://www.dance-connection-wessex. co.uk/
Friday, 24 - 25 April
From Page to Screen Festival – see website for details, 8pm, Bridport Electric Palace, DT6 3NY. Tickets from £ 12 adv. To book electricpalace.org.uk
Saturday, 25 April
Bridport & West Dorset Rambling Club 7.5 mile walk from Bridport. For further information please ring 01308 898484 or 01308 863340. New members/visitors welcome.
Farm Walk at Nether Cerne Follow signpost to Nether Cerne Farmyard Grid reference SY672 983 what3words
Shed // Blitz // Chaos Edward Gallia is a farmer, landowner & environmental adviser farming 870 acres of arable on the chalk downlands. His father bought it in 1967 and at one stage there were 1000 sheep, but now it’s entirely arable. Edward has always been interested in conservation and in 2024 his efforts to improve habitats and biodiversity were recognised with an award for Responsible Land Management. Meet in the farmyard for an introduction, and then there will be a walk, with lots of pauses, for an hour or so. Feel free to ask your burning questions about farming! The walk includes hill /slopes, uneven ground and potentially damp ground (about 50% on farm tracks, 50% on grass including by river), so reasonable level of mobility required. Please wear appropriate clothing and footwear. Dogs must be on leads, please. 4.30pm. Walk and afternoon tea £8.50 Adult / £6 U18s.
Saturday, 25 - 26 April
Angels of Sound: Toning Overtoning, and the Soul Note Module 1 10am-5pm Oborne Village Hall, Oborne, nr. Sherborne, Dorset DT9 4LA Our popular and empowering course Modules introducing the student to working with the pure sound healing instrument that’s sitting under your nose-your voice. Day 1 covers Toning the chakras discover, your Soul Note (Hara) and Root Tone. Day 2 covers Overtoning: how moving between the vowels while still toning on one pitch produces the Pure Sound overtones audibly. £128/64 deposit. Price includes attendance at our Singing Bowl Soundbath also open to the public on the Sunday afternoon. Booking: ahiahel@live. com, 01935 389655.
Sunday, 26 April
Singing Bowl Soundbath 2pm Oborne Village Hall, OBborne, nr. Sherborne, Dorset DT9 4LA £17 Lie down, relax, and allow the Pure Sounds of a crystal and Tibetan bowl soundbath plus sacred vocal overtoning give you a sonic deep-tissue massage, taking you into the deeper brainwave states of ‘the relaxation response’, while charging and balancing the aura and chakras of the subtle body, and detoxing the physical body. Booking 01935 389655 ahiahel@live.com. Dalwood Jazz Club presents The Louise Parker Quartet with Vocalist - Louise, accompanied by Will Butterworth - keyboard, John Donnelly - d/ bass and Pip Harbon - drums. at 3pm. Dalwood Village Hall, EX13 7EG (near Axminster)Bar for beer/wine/soft drinks and tea/coffee/cake etc. Parking at the Village Hall £12.50p. If possible, please book in advance and pay (cash or card) at
the door. Thank you! t.mackenney111@btinternet. com.
The songs of Sandy Denny and Nick Drake sung by Sally Barker and Martin Ansell. A special night for lovers of classic English folk.7.30pm. Shipton Gorge Village Hall, Bridport. DT6 4LZ. Tickets: £13 / £7 (u18’s) To book call: 01308 897649.
Monday, 27 April
Scottish Dancing in Chardstock An evening of Scottish dancing in Chardstock Village Hall EX13 7BH 7.30-10.00 p.m. Tea and coffee provided but please bring your own mug and wear soft soled shoes. No partner required. Cost £3.00 Contact David on 01460 65981. www.chardscottishcountrydance.co.uk.
Understanding Ancient Trees St Mary’s Church, Abbey Street, Cerne Abbas DT2 7TQ Bo Walsh is a Senior Tree Officer with Dorset County Council. In this illustrated talk, he will explain the work of a tree officer, and then broaden his scope into sharing his joy in ancient and veteran trees. More than ‘just a pretty face’ they are essential providers of ‘environmental services’. It turns out that human welfare is far more dependent on a well-functioning ecosystem than we’ve ever imagined. 7 for 7.30pm. £8 including wine or soft drink.
Dance Connection - open class, holistic, Movement 4 All, 11:30am, Bridport St Mary’s Church House Hall, DT6 3NN, 07787752201, https://www.danceconnection-wessex.co.uk
Tuesday, 28 April
Bridport U3A April talk is being held at Bridport United Church Hall. East Street, Bridport DT6 3LJ. Start time is 2.00pm, Q&A at 3.00 pm, followed by refreshments. Members are free, Guests £3.00. Peggy Griffin is going to tell us all about ‘The History Of Nursery Rhymes’. Find out about the real background to these rhymes.
Scottish Country Dancing every Tuesday evening from 7.30 to 9.30 pm at Horton Village Hall TA19 9QR. Only £3.00 pay on the door. Classes suitable for beginners and no partner required. For further information contact Anita on 01460 929383, email anitaandjim22@gmail.com and check out our web site at www.ashillscd.wordpress.com Come join the fun.
Wednesday, 29 April
Artists in the Dorset Landscape Godmanstone Village Hall, Church Lane, Godmanstone DT2 7AQ. 6.30 for 7pm. Three local art enthusiasts will each give a short illustrated talk. Their titles are: 1) Contemporary Sculptors working in Dorset today. 2) The Spencer-Watsons of Dunshay Manor. 3)
Interpreting Place: Artistic Representations of the Dorset Landscape - A short presentation for the art curious on selected paintings including old masters and modern British. £7 including wine or soft drink. The Bookery An evening of readings, insights and discussion on the theme of Laughter. Guests are authors Ruth Foster (whose novel A Perfect Year? won the Comedy Women in Print prize 2025), Judith Rutherford (reading from A Walnut Family), Ros Huxley (reading from Kendal Acts Up) and Lesley Gillilan (a work-in-progress memoir: You Sexy Thing). The Bookery is all about books; readers and writers, the craft of the novel, fiction and non-fiction, authors’ stories, publishing and poetry. With themed events, the organisers aim to provide a platform for new and established writers to share and discuss their work. 6.30pm-10.30pm at Dark Bear, The Viking Village, Bridport DT6 3EX. Tickets: £8.00.
Thursday, 30 April
Scottish Country Dancing St Michael’s Scottish Country Dancing Club, 7.30 – 9.30pm at the Davis Hall, Howell Hill, West Camel BA22 7QX. First two visits free, £2.00 per session, £1.50 for members. Always a fun evening - come along and give it a try – a warm welcome assured. No partner needed. Please bring a mug - tea, coffee, biscuits provided. See website www.stmichaelsscdclub.org or contact secretary Elspeth 07972125617 elspeth_a_ wright@hotmail.com
Neil Brand’s Centenary Laurel & Hardy Show, 7:30pm, Bridport Electric Palace, DT6 3NY. Tickets from £25.50 adv. To book electricpalace.org.uk.
Colyton town history walk leaving from Colyton Dolphin Car Park at 2 pm – Guided Walk approximately one hour. Cost £5, children under 16 free. No booking required, all weathers, Group bookings by arrangement – Contact 01297 552514 or 01297 33406.
Bride Valley Films will be showing The Choral ‘poignant and funny with excellent music’ As WW1 rages on, the Choral Society in a small English town has lost most of its men to the army. The Choral’s committee is determined to press ahead with new recruits. They engage a driven new chorus master, Dr. Henry Guthrie – recently returned from a career in Germany. As conscription papers start to arrive, the community discovers that the best response to the war is to make music together. Starring Ralph Fiennes and Roger Allam. Written by Alan Bennett. 1hr. 40” Cert.TBA Doors Open: 7.00 p.m. Films start 7.30 p.m. Tickets: £6.00 (to include a glass of wine) Tickets on the door: Litton Cheney Village Hall DT2 9AU.
Friday, 1 May
5am Sunrise on Giant Hill Trendle, on top of Giant Hill and inside the Giant’s enclosure. Please do not walk on the Giant. The Wessex Morris Men have been greeting the sunrise on 1st May for decades. The event takes place on the Trendle, a square earthbanked enclosure above the Giant’s head, where there used to be a maypole. They are joined by Cerne Abbas Brewery who give glasses of a special Beltane ale to thirsty revellers, brewed during the Festival. For both this and the Wessex Morris Men event below there is no charge but a hat is passed around for donations to Wessex Morris Men. approx 6.15am Wessex Morris Men Procession & Dancing by the Royal Oak Timings approximate! The Wessex Morris Men scramble down the hill from about 5.45am, then process south from the Village Hall along Duck Street to the square in front of the Royal Oak. Please make a donation to the Wessex Morris Men. about 7.30am May Day at the Silver Well. To get to the Well
go through the Cemetery at the end of Abbey St. After the Wessex Morris Men have finished outside the Royal Oak we will have a short celebration of the season at the Silver (St Augustine’s) Well in the Celtic Christian tradition. Open to all faiths, and usually well-attended by followers of pagan religions such as Druidry and Wicca, as well as those from no faith tradition.
Friday, 1 May - Saturday, 2 May
Bridport Allington Hill Country Fair Music and bar, country craft stalls, have-a-go activities, skittle alley and games, speakers tent, horse-logging demonstrations and guided walks, afternoon teas and hot food. 6-10pm on the Friday, main fair 10am6pm on the Saturday. Allington Hill, Hospital Lane entrance. FREE entrance for all. Allington Hillbillies and Bridport Town Council www.allingtonhillbillies. org.uk.
Inaugural ‘Bookery’ event in April
A NEW INITIATIVE founded by locally based writers Ros Huxley and Lesley Gillilan is set to be launched on the 29th of April at Dark Bear in the Viking Village in Bridport.
The Bookery is all about books; readers and writers, the craft of the novel, fiction and non-fiction, authors’ stories, publishing and poetry. With pop-up themed events, organisers aim to provide a platform for new and established writers to share and discuss their work.
The launch evening of readings, insights and discussion is on the theme of ‘Laughter’ and will explore the funny side of writing. It will feature Ruth Foster, author of A Perfect Year?—winner of the Comedy Women in Print Prize, 2025 (the judges described the novel as ‘a masterclass in comic precision’). Ruth’s support acts for the evening are writers Ros Huxley, Judith Rutherford and Lesley Gillilan.
The event offers cocktails, free on-site parking, books that make you smile and a chance to mingle and engage with members of Bridport’s lively writing community.
Tickets cost £8 and are available in advance by clicking here or can be purchased on the door at The Viking Village Seal’s Cove Adventure Centre, Shoe Lane, Bridport DT6 3EX. Doors open 6.30 pm and the event begins at 7.15 pm until 9.30 pm.
Co founders of the Bookery events Ros Huxley and Lesley Gillilan
ANature Studies
By Michael McCarthy
fter that long sodden winter, wildflower time is with us once more, and I am looking forward to seeing again the beauties of hedgerow and meadow and riverbank and woodland. Living on the chalk as my wife and I do, we have orchids among our late spring and early summer highlights, and a few weeks ago I was shown a field three miles from our house which I was told—by knowledgeable individuals—holds eleven different orchid species.
That got me excited, and I was thinking of it as my wildflower project for this year, until I was recently sent an advance copy of an unusual new book. Its name is The Devil’s Garden and its subtitle, The world’s most sinister plants and fungi. The author is Peter Marren, one of our very best botanical writers, and its theme is all the plants and fungi that can harm us. You might assume people wouldn’t be interested in that, or indeed might find it repugnant, but I think you’d be wrong, for we have within us a deep fascination for entities that can do us no good, do we not—why d’you think Jaws was such a success?
I myself find the subject riveting. The Devil’s Garden might not feature a great white shark, but it nonetheless contains accounts of many hair-raising specimens from the plant and fungal worlds—stingers, stinkers, blisterers, prickers, irritaters, creators of the weirdest hallucinations if we ingest them, and especially poisoners, often deadly, from all over the world (with the poisoning symptoms described in gruesome detail). There’s not only poison ivy from America, there’s the awful manchineel from Mexico, and the dreadful stinging tree or gympie-gympie from Australia, and the dire strychnine tree of India, and the even worse suicide tree (that’s its name) from Madagascar, and many more.
But Britain and its flora also feature strongly, and Marren mentions some toxic but very charismatic English wild plants, which I’ve never seen, and now I strongly wish to see. The flowers of henbane, for example, he describes as
An incomer’s discovery of the natural world in the West Country
“a liverish, parchment yellow, with purple veins and, in the middle, a dark, staring spot, like an evil eye.” You’ve got to want to have a dekko at that, haven’t you? Then there’s thornapple, with flowers like lovely white trumpets, and the ability to drive you crazy if you ingest it, and then there’s deadly nightshade with its berries which look like luscious black cherries, two of which will supposedly kill a child. Woody nightshade, or bittersweet, I know well; its deadly cousin I know not, yet. But I will get to know it if I can, because this year I will set out to find these flowers, and any others from The Devil’s Garden I can come across. The three just mentioned share two interesting characteristics: firstly, they are members of the Solanum family, so they are all relatives of the potato and the tomato; and secondly, I see from my doorstep-sized copy of the New Atlas of The British and Irish Flora that they can all be found in Dorset.
In his book Peter Marren writes: “At the risk of sounding like the devil’s advocate, I feel bound to stand up for all this botanical malignancy. I think the world’s worst plants are also among the most exciting, and the most fun too, in a way…” His sympathy for these floral outlaws is engaging, stemming from the fact that of course there is no actual malice aimed at us in henbane, thornapple, deadly nightshade and the rest; their harmful qualities are merely an accident of evolution, created as defences millions of years before we humans came along. They’re just doing what comes naturally, and have a right to exist every bit as much as orchids. The Devil’s Garden is a highly original, often very funny, deeply knowledgeable and terrific book; it’s published by Bloomsbury in May.
Michael McCarthy will be speaking about Shakespeare The Naturalist at St Mary’s Church, Cerne Abbas, at 7pm on Monday April 20, as the opening talk in the 2026 Cerne Giant Festival.
Henbane: pretty freaky, huh?
The Art of the Photograph
This month featuring Chris Hilton
FFOR MANY PHOTOGRAPHERS, the goal is simple: find the angle that looks most like a postcard. They wait for the crowds to clear, the sun to hit the monument just right, and the ‘mess’ of modern life to vanish from the frame. But for Chris Hilton, the mess isn’t the problem—it’s the point.
Chris’s evolution into what he calls a ‘photographic magpie’ began in Iceland. Like many photographers, he felt he knew the country ‘inside out and backwards’ before he even arrived, thanks to the endless parade of pristine waterfall photos on social media. On arrival, he made a pivotal choice: he ignored the grand vistas and took a photograph from the car park. What he discovered there became the foundation of his philosophy—a style he calls ‘Obstructed Views.’
It occurred to him that what was interesting was ‘all the stuff that, as photographers, we’re told to go around, to take the picture—all the stuff that’s in the way of the picture.’ He noticed the contemporary puffer jackets, the throwaway coffee cups, and the brushed concrete railings. He realised that in thirty years, the ‘beauty’ of the Icelandic fissure would remain unchanged, but this ‘mess’—the minutiae of modern life—would be gone.
This blend of technical nonchalance and natural curiosity defines his approach. He isn’t interested in the ‘boffin’ side of photography, he’s hunting for the ephemeral, the ‘weird shit,’ and the accidental magic that happens when you stop trying to take a ‘good’ picture and start trying to see a real one. ‘I try and take photographs of loads of stuff that’s ordinary,
because it’s that stuff that’s going to be interesting in 20 or 30 years’ time.’
The adventurous nature of Chris’s photography is mirrored by his life choices. In his late teens, sitting at the airport after a holiday in Morocco with his mates, he told them he really didn’t want to go home. ‘None of us do’ they said. However, they still got on the plane while Chris decided to stay. With only a few quid to his name and a penny whistle, he managed to stretch out the holiday for another three months, hitchhiking home via Portugal.
After dropping out of a foundation course at the London College of Furniture, he busked his way to America and ended up looking after swimming pools in California. A spell in civil engineering, running a landfill site, trading antiques and more time with swimming pools finished with him borrowing a ladder and becoming a window cleaner. The travel bug has never left him. The day we talk, he has just returned from five weeks in India, where he recons he has amassed about 8,000 images—a ‘conservative’ haul, by his estimation.
Although he was never obsessed with photography in his youth, he did possess what he called some ‘quite good photo albums.’ But his real journey into the heart of the photographic community started with a nudge from his wife. ‘She said, “You should really go to Bridport Camera Club.” I thought, I really don’t want to go... I just thought it would be full of tossers,’ he admits with characteristic candour.
Fifteen years later, he’s spent fourteen of them on the committee, helping to lead a quiet revolution. The club has shifted its focus from technical gear to ‘the bit that’s two inches behind the camera’—the human eye and the psychology of seeing. They withdrew from inter-club competitions to discourage copying and created a space where people are encouraged to be ‘comfortable with their own weird niche.’
‘It’s not technical at all now,’ Chris says. ‘It’s about seeing. It’s a really creative place.’
He cites the assistance of Bridport based photographer and writer Robert Golden as a big help on his photography learning curve. Compiling work to show to the Royal Photographic Society (RPS) for his associate membership, Robert pushed him to reshoot and refine images he had taken of lambing on a local farm. He presented the series to the RPS and also submitted the images to the Documentary Photographer of the Year competition at the same time. ‘I won the Documentary Photographer of the Year, amazing, and got completely rejected with the same photographs from my associateship,’ he laughs. ‘It made me realise really early on that it is really subjective, and you should take the wins and the losses with the same kind of pinch of salt.’
Chris describes himself as a ‘photographic magpie,’ collecting shiny bits of visual interest without always knowing why. Sometimes, these fragments coalesce into brilliant, unexpected narratives.
Take his Plastic Chairs of South East Asia project which became a book. It began when he noticed a recurring element in his favourite shots of Vietnam: the humble plastic chair. Inspired by Hokusai’s 36 Views of Mount Fuji , where the mountain serves as a
distant anchor for disparate scenes, he used the chair to link the chaos of street life into a cohesive story. ‘The thing that linked them all was a plastic chair,’ he says.
Then there is the ‘accidental’ nature of his work. Because he often shoots from the hip or through the windows of moving vehicles, he frequently discovers the best part of the image only during the editing process.
‘I guess when you do that enough, weird stuff happens, because the world’s full of weird stuff,’ he notes. He recalls a photo of a bus where he didn’t even notice a chicken waiting at a zebra crossing until much later. On his recent India trip, he captured a scene of monkeys on a wall, only to realise later that the background featured a spraypainted sign for ‘Home Tutors’ and a phone number. ‘Often we don’t see because we don’t have time to process it,’ he muses.
Today, Chris Hilton is at a ‘tipping point.’ His reputation for valuing the ‘psychology of seeing’ over the mechanics of gear has allowed him to attract some of the biggest names in photography—like Paul Hill and Dayfdd Jones—to the Bridport Camera Club. For him, photography remains a visceral, rapid-fire pursuit. Whether he is underexposing night shots by four stops to catch the ‘soul’ of a city or hunting for monkeys and home tutors in the streets of India, he is consistently
chasing the ephemeral. ‘Clothes, haircuts, habits, colours, fonts, street furniture— everything that constitutes the ‘mess’ is in constant flux,’ he explains. He views these ephemeral details as a form of ‘nostalgia before it’s become nostalgic.’ A discarded beer bottle top next to street food in Ho Chi Minh City or a modern extension lead snaking out of a window in a Moroccan barber shop are the true markers of time. They are the details we ignore today but will ache for in thirty years when they have inevitably vanished.
‘If I look at something twice, then it’s worth taking a photograph, even if I don’t know why,’ he concludes. ‘I only know why years later.’ In the world of Chris Hilton, the ‘mess’ isn’t something to be cropped out—it’s the very thing that makes the moment worth keeping.
To see more of Chris Hilton’s work and writing visit: https://www.visuallycuriousphotography. com/
It doesn’t take a lot of research to learn that very few family run businesses make it beyond three generations. So to see a business still thriving in it’s sixth generation is an achievement worthy of the greatest pride.
CW Groves & Son in Bridport is that company. Founded in the late spring of 1866 by Charles William Groves, the business is still family owned and is now in its 6th generation. What began as a modest garden nursery in Piddletrenthide in 1866 has grown into one of the county’s largest and most respected horticultural businesses.
From seeds once delivered by pony and cart to today’s thriving garden centre in Bridport, Groves has spent more than a century and a half helping generations of Dorset gardeners grow.
That same family spirit continues today, with Becky Groves working alongside her brother Charlie Groves, the current Managing Director. In addition to managing the nursery at Groves in Bridport, Becky also oversees the company’s sister nursery, Little Groves in Beaminster. Both Charlie and Becky are supported by their parents, Clive and Diana, whose long-standing dedication has helped shape the business for decades.
‘Reaching 160 years is something we’re incredibly
proud of,’ said Charlie Groves. ‘We’re here because of the generations before us, our wonderful team, and the loyal customers who’ve supported us for so long. This anniversary is really about celebrating our community as much as our history.’
Throughout its history, Groves has combined tradition with innovation. The company introduced onion sets to the UK following government trials and is now nationally recognised for its celebrated collection of Victorian Dorset violets, with over 130 varieties attracting visitors from around the world. The collection has earned national status, prestigious flower show medals, and international recognition.
The business has weathered world wars, economic challenges and changing times, evolving from a traditional nursery into today’s modern garden centre complete with a 200-seat restaurant and an everexpanding range of plants, gardening supplies and family experiences.
Yet despite the growth, one thing hasn’t changed: Groves remains independent, family-run and firmly rooted in Dorset.
As the next generation begins to take an active role in the nursery, the Groves family hopes the business will continue to serve local gardeners for many decades to come.
Opposite page, The Ivy House Kitchen at Groves in Bridport. Above and clockwise: The Bridport site in the 80s, Charles William Groves grandfather of Charlie, the current Managing Director. The Piddletrenthide delivery van and below, the Groves family today, Diana, Charlie, Clive and Becky Groves.
Hive Beach on the Jurassic Coast and the South West Coast Path. is a popular family destination, made up of shingle, surrounded by spectacular sandstone cliffs. It forms part of the larger Chesil Beach; a striking section of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site and the largest shingle ridge in the world.
It’s the ideal spot to enjoy The Creative Coast Club— Easter Special on 1st and 8th of April from 10am-1pm.
Creative Coast Club offers Art, Play, Yoga and Seaside Exploration. Both Wednesdays of the Easter Holidays covered and it’s free to attend though normal admissions apply. Booking is not required.
Nearby, Burton Cliff offers one of the finest examples of the distinctive, alternate hard and soft layered geology of this Bridport Sands area, which make it appear to glow bright gold in the sunlight. Reusable BBQ’s being used responsibly are welcome on Hive Beach. Please be considerate to other visitors and always put your BBQ out, make sure the ashes are cold and dispose of them responsibly.
For more information visit: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ visit/dorset/hive-beach
The month which gave its name to a certain meteorological occurrence; ‘April Showers’.
The kind of rainfall whereby we get an otherwise nice day, probably fairly sunny, and then a good dollop of rain that seems to come from nowhere. Traditionally, the risk posed by a heavy downpour is the reason why creating a new lawn by sowing grass seed, rather than laying turf, is best avoided at this time of year. I guess this is true if the deluge is so severe that excessive run-off destroys the entire seedbed but, otherwise, having a mixture of sunshine and showers is pretty conducive to plant growth. Needless to say, spring is well under way this month, with leaves and blooms bursting out all over.
It’s not just heavy showers that may disrupt your gardening activities in April; cold weather, snow and frosts can still throw spanners in the works so it’s worth having some protective measures to hand. If sub-zero temperatures are forecast, then anything newly planted can quickly be protected with a blanket of horticultural fleece or cloches placed over them. It’s good to get a bit of a head start by direct sowing hardy annuals where you want them to flower and, even though they are described as ‘hardy’, these are best protected from frost at least until they are better established. It’s always a bit of a balancing act when it comes to sowing things outside nice and early, risking a check to growth, and leaving it until later which may mean missing some potential flowering period.
Don’t be tempted to plant out properly tender specimens, however tempting they may be, fresh from the garden centre or having nurtured them all winter in your own greenhouse, until we’ve had the ‘last frost’. This is one of those perennial (excuse the pun!)
horticultural peculiarities as, by definition, we never actually know when we’ve had the ‘last frost’—except in hindsight. Having said that, there is a ‘last frost date finder’, on the internet, which provides you with the necessary data, for any given location, so that you can, at least, make an educated guess.
On the subject of seed sowing, a lot of plants which are described as needing to be sown, with heat, in ‘Feb-Mar’ can still be started off now and there is the advantage that they’ll need less supplementary heating and lighting at this time of year. They should, practically, catch up with earlier sowings by the time summer is upon us. A lot of these, generally bedding and hanging basket type plants, are widely available as little plug plants, in garden centres or sent via the mail, and this option is a good way of avoiding some of the pitfalls of raising them from seed, especially if you have limited greenhouse or windowsill space.
If you did get sowing as early as February or March, there will be plenty of ‘pricking out’ and ‘potting on’ to be getting on with in the greenhouse / windowsill area. If you have opted for the plug plant option, then you will also save yourself the time and trouble of all the fiddly pricking out and initial potting up stages. There is so much starting to happen in the garden, at this time of year, that anything that saves a bit of time and hassle is a bonus.
Amongst the numerous tasks that begin to become necessary, at this point of the growing season, is dealing with the very earliest of the spring flowering bulbs. Spent flowers on early narcissi (daffodils) and tulips should be removed and, in order to promote flowers for next spring, a handful of ‘fish, blood and bone’, or other general fertiliser, gently forked into
the soil around the bulbs. This process can continue with the later blooming spring bulbs, as their petals fall but while they are still in leaf.
Bulbs naturalised in turf cannot really be fed in this way as it would just encourage excess grass growth and not really feed the bulbs. The kind of bulbs which survive in lawns are those which do not need feeding in order to produce blooms every year; Narcissus bulbocodium, N. obvallaris, N. pseudonarcissus, Crocus tommasinianus, Fritillaria meleagris (Snake’s Head Fritillary) et al. Remember that any lawn which has spring bulbs planted in it will need to be left uncut for at least six weeks after the bulbs have bloomed so it’s most suited to wilder areas of the garden, or to dedicated wildflower areas—something that neatly dovetails with the ongoing trend for ‘No Mow May’.
Now, after the ‘bare-root planting period’ has passed but while there is still a good amount of moisture in the soil, is generally considered the ideal time to plant conifers or to transplant evergreen shrubs. They establish best when they are just starting into growth, after the winter cold, but when they will not get droughted. This is because, unlike deciduous specimens, they are always losing moisture from their leaves so they don’t want to be disturbed when the ground is too cold, especially if it gets frozen, as they won’t be able to take up water and yet they’ll still be losing it via their foliage. Leaving it until later in the year runs the risk of them losing more moisture, in hot weather, than their, not yet established, roots can supply. Whenever they are planted, or moved, they will need a good ‘watering in’ and then supplementary irrigation for at least the first growing season.
Herbaceous planting, of potted material, can continue this month but it’s getting a bit late to dig up and divide established border plants as they should be well into growth by now. Before they get any taller, it’s a timely task to insert any plant support system that they’ll need to prevent future flopping. Pea sticks (hopefully the ever handy ‘Groves’ still stock these) are the preferred option because, once woven around and over the extending growth, they become almost invisible and, of course, they are a green and sustainable product. If you have room in your own garden, it might be worth planting a small coppice of hazel trees for you to cut your own pea sticks every winter. Another choice is to keep plant supports in mind every time you prune any large shrub. Put the prunings aside, somewhere out of sight, if you think they have any potential use as alternative pea sticks. I think that’s enough to be getting on with. Remember to keep on feeding and mulching beds and borders, if you can still get onto any area of bare soil. The earliest flowering shrubs should have their flowered stems pruned out, in order to reinvigorate them, and this process continues as shrubs finish flowering in succession. This only needs doing once the shrub has filled its allotted space; newly planted specimens will need a few years, depending on their rate of growth, before rejuvenation pruning is required.
I probably should be warning you about the longer days, warming temperatures and general ‘bursting into life’, means that you also need to keep on top of weeding, pest and disease control—but I’m hoping that kind of stuff is becoming second nature to you!
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This Month in the not so distant past
Looking back at historical moments that happened in April, John Davis highlights Laurence Stephen Lowry
Laurence Stephen Lowry, to give him his full name instead of the customary initials, was a unique artist often disparagingly described as a member of the naïve or simplistic school of painting.
A quiet, self-effacing and unassuming man, Lowry, who lived his whole life in the north of England, died in 1976, fifty years ago, and deserves to be celebrated not only as one of Britain’s greatest artists but also as a shrewd and accurate observer of this country’s social history.
Lowry was born in Stretford, then part of Lancashire. His father worked as a clerk for a property company. He was a distant and introverted man who Lowry later described as ‘a cold fish, nothing moved him’. Lowry always maintained that he had an unhappy childhood growing up in a repressive family atmosphere. At school he made few friends and showed no real academic aptitude.
Much of Lowry’s early years was spent in the leafy suburbs of Victoria Park, Rusholme near Manchester but in 1909, when he was twenty-two, the family seem to have hit on hard times which forced a move to the nearby industrial town of Pendlebury. Tree lined streets and colourful flower bedecked gardens were replaced by a landscape made up of textile mills, terraced housing and smoky factory chimneys. It would change his life. He later remarked, “At first, I detested it, and then, after years, I got pretty interested in it, then obsessed by it.”
After leaving school Lowry began a career working for the Pall Mall Company as a rent collector, a position he held until his retirement at 65. He developed a habit of sketching during breaks in the working day and took private art lessons. He was later to study at Manchester Art School and then on to the Royal Technical College, Salford (now the University of Salford). It was here that he developed his life-long fascination with industrial landscapes and began to fashion his own inimitable style-an impressionist in his own right.
Lowry’s father died in 1932 leaving debts and his mother became bedridden and dependent on her son for care. The daily pattern of life became predictably uniform. He would work long hours, much of his
collecting done on foot or by bicycle, look after his mother when he got home until she went to sleep at about 10 p.m. and then paint into the small hours of the morning usually still wearing one of his dark three-piece suits. Industrial landscapes and public events like football matches and fairs continued to feature but there were also small groups of workers out enjoying themselves and a number of portraits of a young lady, the enigmatic Ann whose identity has never been fully established. Lowry’s landscapes that included stylised figures casting no shadows and devoid of weather conditions led to critics describing his paintings as naïve and the work of a Sunday painter.
...paint into the small hours of the morning usually still wearing one of his dark three-piece suits.
His observation of the industrial scenes of the north became an irreplaceable historical record as down-turns in the textile trade, general land clearance and new housing schemes did away with factories, chimneys and back-to-back streets. Lowry had always been fascinated by people and the indomitable spirit of northerners who accepted their lot, worked hard and knew how to enjoy themselves when given the opportunity. As the landscape changed, he would often wander down to Manchester’s Piccadilly Gardens where he would sketch individuals often through the windows of a popular cafe. If he lacked a sketchpad, charcoal images were mapped out on the back of envelopes, napkins and old menu cards. In later life he spent holidays on the coast and turned his hand to seascapes although paradoxically many of them lack characters and other features, focussing purely on the light and shade of ocean and sky. Lowry never married but valued his many friends
and acted as an avid mentor to a number of promising artists in the Manchester area. He had a wry sense of humour telling those who asked why all the clocks in his home were set at a slightly different time, that it was because he could not stand them striking simultaneously. One of the artists he mentored, Sheila Fell, described Lowry as a great humanist. “To be a humanist, one has first to love human beings. To be a great humanist, one has to be slightly detached from them.”
Lowry died in Derbyshire during 1976, aged 88. He is buried next to his parents in the Southern Cemetery in Manchester. His life and work are commemorated in the Lowry Art Gallery at Salford Quays where over 50 of his paintings and almost 300 drawings are housed. Many of his other works are in private collections. It is reputed he sold his first paintings for between £5 and £10 in the 1920s. In 2022 his masterpiece Going to the Match went for £7.8 million.
l For much more information watch Lowry: The Unheard Tapes a documentary currently on BBC IPlayer. Towards the end of his life Lowry was interviewed by a young art historian Angela Barrett. She visited him over a period of four years, recording their conversations on tape. She had intended to write a book on Lowry but marriage and family life
intervened. The tapes were discovered by Angela’s son after her death in 2022. In the documentary Lowry is played by Sir Ian McKellen and Angela by Annabel Smith but although they appear to say the words, the actual voices you hear are those of Lowry and Angela from the tapes. This has been done through a process known as lip-synching.
Music footnote: Some music fans have suggested that viewing Lowry’s landscape paintings of the Manchester area should be done while listening to songs by The Smiths and Morrisey. Both groups come from Manchester and it has been claimed the artist’s paintings and the musician’s tunes and lyrics share a melancholic and gritty representation of the industrial north.
Semi-retired and living in Lyme Regis, John Davis started working life as a newspaper journalist before moving on to teach in schools, colleges and as a private tutor. He is a history graduate with Bachelors and Masters degrees from Bristol University with a particular interest in the History of Education and Twentieth Century European History.
The Lowry Arts & Entertainment Centre’s main entrance in Salford Quays, Greater Manchester Photograph by Skip88
CHICKEN & PRAWN DUMPLINGS WITH SOY DIPPING SAUCE
By Marcus Bean
I’ve always been a ‘grazer’ (it stems from tasting lots of dishes during service and generally not having time for proper sit-down meals), so this is just the dish for me – these little dumplings make healthy snack food that’s perfect for sharing with friends. If you use a bamboo steamer, you can serve the dumplings straight from the steamer.
• 250g/9oz raw peeled tiger prawns (shrimp), finely chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tbsp chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves
• 100g/3½oz water chestnuts, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp finely chopped spring onions (scallions)
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 1 tsp caster (granulated) sugar
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 200g/7oz wonton wrappers For the Soy Dipping Sauce
• 4 tbsp light soy sauce
• 4 tbsp Chinese rice vinegar
• 4 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander
• (cilantro) leaves
Serves 4
DIRECTIONS
• Mix together the chicken, prawns, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add all the remaining dumpling filling ingredients except the wrappers and mix together. Cover the bowl with cling film (plastic wrap) and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up.
• Put a teaspoonful of filling on the first wonton wrapper, bring up the sides and press them around the filling mixture. Tap the dumpling on a flat surface to make the bottom flat, then repeat the process until you have used all the mixture.
• Put a large saucepan of water on to simmer, with a steamer insert on top. Put the dumplings into the steamer and cook for 5–10 minutes until tender and cooked through.
• Meanwhile, mix together all the dipping sauce ingredients in a non-metallic bowl.
• Serve the dumplings straight from the steamer with the dipping sauce served separately.
Published by Nourish, an imprint of Watkins Media Limited
Ilaria’s Italian KITCHEN
THERE is little doubt that the atmosphere created by a flickering candle can set a mood. So imagine the delight of a curated sensory experience designed by individuals with a passion for fragrance and the imagination to look beyond the most obvious florals.
This month, when you drop in to Mercato Italiano, seize the chance to bring home some ‘sensory landscaping’ from the Primavera Estate range by Earl of East candles. These candles are inspired by Italian domestic life, the kitchen, the table, and the everyday moments that shape how a home feels. Whether you’re seeking a moment of quiet mindfulness or a bold atmosphere for entertaining, artisan scents to choose from include a grape-scented candle with fig patchouli, an artichoke-scented candle, a candle scented with freshly ground coffee, and even a savoury pasta-scented candle with semolina and basil. Think ‘Carpe Diem’ and seize the moment with a candle to enjoy as well as talk about.
Mercato Italiano is a popular destination for authentic pizza, coffee, cocktails, and a great stop for lunch from 12-3pm, Monday to Saturday. Newly launched, Mercato Pronto! now brings Ilaria’s curated selection of rare, regional formaggi, salumi, and pantry essentials to kitchens across the UK.
Visit: www. https://mercatopronto.uk today.
Primavera Estate by Earl of East
More than a War Zone
Shortlisted for a travel writing prize, Jen Stout’s book unlocks the soul of a nation under fire. She talked to Fergus Byrne about the war in Ukraine and writing Night Train to Odessa.
For Jen Stout, reporting on the war in Ukraine was never just about the front lines; it was about the air, the soil, the landscape, the cities, the architecture, and the people living there. Her book Night Train to Odessa has been shortlisted for the Sherborne Travel Writing Prize, something she is very excited about because, although her book is a fascinating and sometimes harrowing account of a devastating war, its beating heart is a love for the people and the country being fought over.
Recognition in the realm of travel writing is a label she embraces with a sense of ‘secret’ validation. To Jen, understanding this war involves understanding the land being fought for, stripping away the ‘postSoviet, grey, industrial’ stereotypes to reveal a country of immense natural beauty and complex history.
A former BBC Scotland journalist from Shetland, Jen Stout is softly spoken and considered in her answers. Now working in the delicately balanced world of freelance journalism, she chooses her battles carefully, despite the modest income it provides.
One of the most notable aspects of her reporting in Night Train to Odessa is its lack of traditional political discussion. When asked if avoiding the ‘famous people’ and high-level political manoeuvring was a conscious decision, she admits it was more a reflection of her natural interests. ‘I’m always interested in politics and aware of politics,’ she says, ‘but I’ve never enjoyed reporting on it like a sport. I’d much rather just hang out with people and write about their lives and learn from them and chat to them.’
This preference isn’t just a matter of access; it’s a philosophical stance on what constitutes the ‘truest possible version of events.’ For Jen, an interview with a high-ranking official like Volodymyr Zelenskyy is often ‘boring’ because their speech is naturally constricted by the gravity of their office. In contrast, the people she meets—poets, miners, and refugees— offer an unvarnished look at the existential reality of the Russian invasion.
Talking about Ukraine through the lens of ‘resilience,’ a word that has become a staple of international headlines, she notes that for many Ukrainians, this praise has begun to sound empty.
‘I think they’re very sick of hearing that word,’ she says. ‘We focus on the resilience because it makes us feel better about what they’re going through. In my opinion, and in the opinion of most Ukrainians, they’re going through this for our sake... They’re the bulwark against that for all of Europe.’
Jen paints a picture of a population that is ‘beyond exhausted.’ After years of conflict and the brutal winters marked by a lack of heating and electricity, the endurance of the Ukrainian people isn’t a choice— it’s an existential necessity. ‘Russia wants them not to exist. They want to exist,’ she explains. This stark reality has led to a realisation among the populace that, despite Western promises, they are ultimately ‘on their own.’
Perhaps the most profound change she has witnessed is the rapid acceleration of Ukrainian nation-building. She describes it as something ‘forming under intense pressure.’ Central to this transformation is a massive societal shift in language.
Quoting from research she has found, the statistics are telling. In 2022 alone, the percentage of people primarily speaking Ukrainian rose from 44% to over 57%, while those speaking Russian dropped from 34% to 14%. This isn’t just about policy; it’s a ‘personal excavation’ occurring within families. ‘People are undertaking the work themselves of picking apart the sort of Soviet lies, the official narrative and their own personal histories... uncovering, for instance, the essential Ukrainianness of a city like Kharkiv, which was often referred to as a Russian-speaking city.’
Jen is careful to contextualise this. She notes that the ‘Russianness’ of certain regions was the result of ‘centuries of deliberate policies of stamping out Ukrainian language and identity’ by the empire in Moscow. This war has acted as a catalyst, forcing people to reclaim a heritage that was systematically suppressed.
The nomination of her work for a travel writing prize might seem counterintuitive to a genre plagued by ‘influencers.’ Yet, Jen argues that the techniques of the travel writer—the focus on sensory detail, landscape, and the ‘feel’ of a place—are essential for high-quality war reporting. ‘I wanted to kick against
Jen Stout
Photograph by Yevheniy Titarenko
the stereotype of Ukraine as being like a sort of postSoviet, grey, industrial, war-torn… it’s so much more than that. It’s so rich and varied.’
A seasoned TV and Radio reporter, she recalls describing the mining landscapes of the Donbas to Scottish audiences by comparing the Donbas Terrykorny (Coal Heaps) to the ‘Shale Bings’ of West Lothian. By finding these frames of reference, she bridges the gap between the reader and the conflict, making the ‘other’ feel familiar.
For Jen, travel writing is about how the world ‘impresses itself upon the brain.’ Whether it’s the ‘natural beauty’ of crossing the Danube at dawn or the specific way the air feels in Kharkiv in May, these details provide the context that dry military facts cannot. They remind the reader what is actually at stake: not just a territory, but a home.
The life of a freelance reporter in a war zone is one of constant ethical navigation. Jen speaks candidly about the ‘sick’ feeling of ‘descending like vultures’ on people during the worst moments of their lives. She recounts a haunting memory of a young mother crossing into Romania: ‘I was kind of hanging over just like pointing a camera at people and taking a picture on the scariest day of their lives... she looked just desolate. There wasn’t time for me to try and find her and get her story... she’s just this unnamed person, and that feels wrong somehow.’
‘normality’ becomes a desperate psychological need.
This feeling of intrusion is balanced by a commitment to ‘documentary evidence.’ She describes discovering the body of an elderly man left on the side of a road in an ‘idyllic’ village. Although she took photos she knew would never be published, the act served as a recognition of someone who had been ‘left out like that.’ Stopping to document him was a refusal to let a human being—‘someone’s granddad’—simply vanish into the landscape.
In the midst of ‘kinetic war,’ Jen finds that ‘normality’ is vital. In Kyiv, this might manifest as a stubborn refusal to leave despite drone swarms, or the vital importance of a ‘very nice cup of coffee’ paid for with contactless payment. ‘That tiny slice of normality is like a desperate psychological need, and you will create it against perhaps the best idea... these little bits of civilised life are hugely important to people.’
She notes the surreal contrast of frontline cities like Kramatorsk, where, until recently, trains still ran and supermarkets were better stocked than those in the UK. However, the nature of the danger is changing. The rise of First Person View (FPV) drones—where a human being ‘hunts you through the streets’—has
introduced a level of terror that artillery cannot rival. She highlights the killing of two journalists at a petrol station in Kramatorsk when a Russian Lancet kamikaze drone, designed for precision strikes, is reported to have directly targeted them.
Jen Stout’s relationship with Russia is one of profound ‘disillusionment,’ echoing the title of a book My Disillusionment in Russia by Russian-born anarchist and revolutionary Emma Goldman. Having studied the language and lived there before the full-scale invasion, Jen now refuses to set foot in the country. ‘I’d rather be under fire in Donbas than spend a second in Russia... The sense that you couldn’t really trust people, the sense that you might be listened in on... I find that more difficult to deal with than kinetic war.’
Her critique of Russia is not just political but moral and historical. She views the current conflict as part of a ‘long context’ of colonialism. This perspective allows her to see the war not as a sudden flare-up, but as the latest chapter in a centuries-old struggle for Ukrainian agency.
Despite the gravity of her work, Jen Stout remains grounded, even self-deprecating. Once referred to as ‘brave’ by one of those living under fire, she scoffs at the label, suggesting that real bravery is the ‘long slog’ of a mother working a job she hates to support her children. For her, reporting was a choice—a ‘wildly selfish’ desire to be in the thick of history.
As she prepares to speak at Sherborne Travel Writing Festival she tries to figure out her next move, her focus remains on the ‘human’ element of the story. Whether she is discussing the black humour that arises in air-raid shelters or the specific history of a single building in Kharkiv, her goal is to make the situation ‘be alive.’
It is a rare feat for a book about a contemporary war to be nominated for a travel writing prize, yet for Night Train to Odessa, it feels entirely appropriate. She uses the street names of Lviv and the Constructivist architecture of Kharkiv to tell a story of a country that is ‘rich and varied,’ rather than just ‘war-torn.’
While war will always require support to respond in kind, Jen Stout’s reporting also emphasises the importance of studying the maps of the people—their languages, their coffee shops, their memories, and their stubborn, beautiful refusal to vanish in order to help us better understand why that support must be maintained.
Jen Stout is scheduled to speak at the Sherborne Travel Writing Festival on Sunday 12th of April at 1 pm. For tickets visit www.sherbornetravelwritingfestival.com. Tickets can also be bought from Winstone’s Bookshop, Sherborne.
Night Train to Odessa by Jen Stout is published by Birlinn. ISBN: 9781846976476.
Sherborne Travel Writing Festival back For 4th Year
RORY MacLean, the Sherborne Travel Writing Festival curator, has pulled together a list of celebrated speakers for this year’s Travel Writing Festival, running from 10th-12th April 2026 at the Powell Theatre, Sherborne. MacLean, travel writer of more than a dozen books, sees “travel writers as bridge builders; women and men who reach for the far horizon, who venture out from one corner of the earth into the wide world to connect and engage with different peoples, cultures and times”.
A dozen remarkable writers, journalists and publishers will again transport the audience with stories of their travels to the four corners of the globe. The renowned travel writer and biographer Sara Wheeler, in conversation with Colin Thubron, will celebrate the publication of her extraordinary Jan Morris: A life. Adam Weymouth, winner of the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award, will follow the paw prints of a young wolf named Slavc (Lone Wolf) who travelled thousands of miles to the Italian Alps, where no wolves have lived for a century. Jen Stout picks up the theme of a world in turmoil with her book, Night Train to Odesa, the story of a freelance reporter making her own way across the war-torn country. Peter Frankopan closes the Festival asking what lessons the past can teach us about the challenges of today and tomorrow in his talk entitled The Earth Transformed. Weekend Festival Tickets, with entry to all 12 talks, including free parking all weekend, cost £120 for Sherborne Literary Society members and £150 for nonmembers. Individual session tickets cost from £12 per member and from £15 for non-members. Membership of the Sherborne Literary Society is only £10 a year, which includes a discount on books bought from Winstone’s Bookshop, Sherborne, making joining excellent value. Visit www.sherborneliterarysociety.com
Accommodation recommendations can be found at www.sherbornetown.com There are many excellent local cafes, pubs and restaurants which will be open all weekend. Sherborne has an hourly train from London Waterloo, via Salisbury, and Exeter, and the Powell Theatre is an easy 10-minute walk from the train station. Sherborne is a 2 ½ hour drive from London, 1 hour from Bath and Bristol and the Jurassic Coast.
To find out about the weekend programme of talks and to buy tickets visit www.sherbornetravelwritingfestival.com Tickets can also be bought from Winstone’s Bookshop, Sherborne.
For further information about the Sherborne Travel Writing Festival, contact Helen Brown at sherbornelitfest@gmail.com or call 07515 554549.
From Page to Screen 2026
Joe Michell highlights some of the films showing at this year’s Bridport Film Festival
Akira Kurosawa’s international breakthrough Rashomon is at Bridport Arts Centre on April 23rd at 10.45 am.
From Page to Screen 2026
The approach of 2026’s Page To Screen Festival (Wednesday 22nd April - Sunday 26th April) presents Bridport an opportunity not just to watch a host of fantastic films, but also to relish in the rather singular experience of being immersed in a film in a room full of other people. This is what cinema is. It sounds obvious but its easy to forget in this era of ‘content’, where political speeches, cooking tutorials and movie clips rapidly succeed one another on tiny screens, that the theatrical experience (the huge screen, the dark room, other quiet spectators sat with you) is intrinsically tied to what cinema is.
2026 programmer Chris Chibnall and the rest of the curating team are clearly keenly aware of this. All the films selected, Chris points out, are ‘entirely different experiences on the big screen’.
Robin Baker, long-time head curator at the BFI National Archive and part of the Page to Screen Team, argues for the absorbing qualities of the cinema experience: ‘You are far more likely to become immersed in the world of the film. The scale of the image and the quality of the sound suck you into the director’s vision. When the lights go down you feed off the reactions of the people surrounding you’.
In his Oscar acceptance speech last year, Anora
director Sean Baker pleaded with his filmmaking compatriots to “keep making films for the big screen”. Festivals like Bridport’s ‘Page to Screen’ play a part in keeping this art form alive.
This is just a small selection of this year’s films not to be missed…
The first evening gala screening of the festival will be John Schlesinger’s 1967 adaptation of Hardy’s Far From Madding Crowd (22nd, 6:30pm, BAC) which was filmed 60 years ago in locations surrounding Bridport. The film has a particular local appeal for this reason, but is astonishing in its own right. Julie Christie plays Bathsheba Everdene who inherits her uncle’s Dorset farm, and is forced to negotiate male suitors played by Peter Finch, Alan Bates and Terence Stamp. The story unfolds in familiar locations such as Maiden Castle, Shaftesbury’s Golden Hill, Abbotsbury, and Weymouth’s seafront—all sumptuously shot by Nicholas Roeg who would go on to become one of the great British auteurs.
Organisers of the festival are asking anybody involved with the filming in 1966 to come forward and attend the screening on Wednesday night.
Thursday morning’s matinee (23rd, 10:45, BAC) will be Akira Kurosawa’s international breakthrough Rashomon (1950). It’s a film which expanded our
2001: A Space Odyssey is at the Electric Palace on April 25th at 7.30pm
6:30pm
Organisers of the festival are asking anybody involved with the filming of Far from the Madding Crowd in 1966 to get in touch come forward and attend the screening on Wednesday night.
understanding of truth and subjectivity in cinema and in its obfuscation of its central crime story, it plays as a philosophical treatise on these themes.
The film deals with a murder, the circumstances surrounding which are exhibited in four, often contradictory accounts; each one obscuring the last while filling in another piece of the puzzle.
Rashomon’s approach was so groundbreaking that its title entered legal parlance—the ‘Rashomon effect’ is referred to by lawyers in cases of antithetical testimonies.
If you are already familiar with the film’s ingenious narrative approach, it’s worth seeing again for the dazzling cinematography by Kazuo Miyagawa; the repeated motif of dappled sunlight filtered through the leaves, the roving camera nimbly tracing characters through the forest, and the arresting close ups of Toshiro Mifune, one of the greatest faces in all of cinema. Indeed, early English language reviews of the film (such as Catherine De La Roche’s for Sight and Sound) after the international premiere at Venice, focused only on its startling visual achievements as the Japanese film was screened with only Italian subtitles.
On Saturday evening, the gala showing (25th, 7:30pm, The Electric Palace) will be Stanley Kubrik’s 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)—the ultimate science fiction film and arguably the purest realisation of Stanley Kubrick’s singular cinematic vision.
It’s a slow-moving “nonverbal experience” (Kubrick, 1968); gargantuan in ambition and scope and purely cinematic. If there was ever a film which demands to be seen (and heard) writ large, it’s ‘2001’. French/Argentine filmmaker and ‘2001’ devotee Gaspar Noé, believes “Kubrik’s films, and particularly 2001, don’t do well on small screens. You have to see 2001 on the big screen”.
Robin Baker argues: ‘The idea of watching 2001: A Space Odyssey—one of the festival’s highlights— on anything less than a cinema screen would rob you of the film’s greatest rewards. Like the astronauts in the film, you need to be immersed in the vastness and darkness of space’.
Kubrick’s film isn’t strictly an adaptation, but was instead written in tandem with Arthur C. Clarke after Kubrick wrote to him asking for a collaborator in creating ‘the proverbial “really good” science-
Hardy’s Far From Madding Crowd is at Bridport Arts Centre on April 22nd at
fiction movie’. Despite its ties to the C. Clarke novel, ‘2001’ is an experiential film, the impact of which, written word couldn’t hope to impress. In it, Kubrick attempts to ‘directly [penetrate] the subconscious’, expressing his philosophical ‘message’ through the particular possibilities of the ‘medium’ (Kubrick, 1968). Attend the screening on Friday night and you’ll experience the grandeur of the docking ships, the quiet vacuum of sound in space, and the totally iconic and transcendent ‘stargate’ sequence developed by special affects pioneer Douglas Trumbull.
‘live scores offer a resonance and presence which is hard to match and only serves to make the images on screen all the stronger.’
No doubt many people will have already seen Friday’s morning matinee: His Girl Friday (1940) directed by Howard Hawks (24th, 10:45am, BAC). It’s one of the most enduring of Hollywood’s golden age, yet it’s all too rare to be afforded the opportunity to see it in the company of others. It’s the kind of film you may have watched on TV on a Sunday afternoon but these classics really come to life with an audience. Famous for its rapid, witty dialogue and era defining central performances by Cary Grant and Rosalind Russel, His Girl Friday is a screwball romantic comedy set in the world of journalism in which a charismatic reporter tries to win back his wife’s affections through a farcical scheme.
Closing the festival on Sunday night (26th, 8pm, BAC) is another comedy: Buster Keaton’s 1926 silent classic The General, universally acknowledged as one of the greats, but perhaps (and this is true of all silent films) under-seen by general audiences due to misconceptions of silent cinema being an inaccessible, antiquated form. Rest assured, The General is every bit as thrilling and hilarious as any contemporary action comedy. This closing night gala will feature BFI Southbank house musician Steven Horne playing an accompanying score meaning you’ll get to enjoy the film in the most authentic way possible. In my experience, screenings like this one can be even more involving and memorable than typical modern screenings. The
General is sure to be an unforgettable experience and I’d urge anyone who can attend the screening to do so.
Not only is 2026 the centenary of Keaton’s film, it will also mark one hundred years since the beautiful art deco theatre and Page to Screen venue The Electric Palace was built. It’s fascinating to consider that upon its opening, films would have been screened there in much the same way as The General will be screened for this festival. This remained the case until “talkies” took over in the 1930s and technology has of course become ever more sophisticated thereafter. In spite of this, live scores offer a resonance and presence which is hard to match and only serves to make the images on screen all the stronger.
While this summation has focused on the festival’s “classic” offerings, as a postscript: another obvious draw to the cinema is to see brand new releases. What better way to encounter the latest films on the programme than in the buzzy, exciting atmosphere of the festival ? Look for Lynne Ramsay’s highly anticipated return Die My Love (24th, 2:15pm, BAC): a physical and visceral exploration of parenthood featuring a fierce, animalistic performance by Jennifer Lawrence, and another excellent turn from Robert Pattinson. Elsewhere Hafsia Herzi’s tender transnational coming of age feature The Little Sister screens on Saturday morning (25th, 10:45am, BAC), Park Chan Wook’s latest (Oldboy, The Handmaiden) No Other Choice, a serial killer comedy/thriller, is showing on Saturday afternoon (25th, 2:15pm, BAC), and fresh out of Cannes’ ‘Un Certain Regard’ is Thursday evening’s Pillion: a BDSM themed romantic comedy starring Alexander Skarsgaard! (23rd, 5pm, BAC). Another new film which must be mentioned is Gus Van Sant’s (Good Will Hunting, Elephant) latest, Dead Man’s Wire: a 70s set black-comedy thriller starring Bill Skasgard and Al Pacino (23rd, 8pm, BAC). This year’s contemporary offerings are vital and often challenging films. It’s a testament to Chris and the rest of the programming team to have chosen such a bold selection of new releases; they represent some of the best and most exciting films to release in recent years.
For a full list of films and special events at this year’s From Page to Screen Festival visit: https://www.bridport-arts.com/fpts/
The Little Sister is at Bridport Arts Centre on April 25th at 10.45am
2 April - 20 May
David Brooke - Painter: An exhibition of mythical wonderment. David Brooke is a well know local painter with a very individual style. His imagination allows him to stylise his characters and landscapes to achieve a mythical or fantastical feel. His works have a hidden cleverness that immerses you into the story being told and often have you smiling at the results. If you are looking for something different with lots of character David has it. Open 10 am - 4 pm daily at Jenny Penney Local Makers Shop & Gallery, Mangerton Mill, Mangerton Lane, Mangerton, Bridport DT6 3SG. Free entry and car parking. Access for all. Contact : www.jennypenneyart.net.
4 April - 16 May
Georgina Allen Landscapes 2010-25 The Art Stable, Child Okeford, Blandford, Dorset DT11 8HB. kellyross@ theartstable.co.uk. 07816 837905.
Until 12 April
Airborne over Sherborne Quentin Blake’s drawings have always carried lift — lines that leap, figures mid-flight, stories that rise off the page. Airborne over Sherborne invites you into that feeling of flight and freedom with a vibrant new series of works made in 2025: birds, contraptions, and impossible inventions that somehow feel completely believable in Blake’s world. The Sherborne, Newland, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3JG. www.thesherborne.uk.
100 Portraits Created exclusively for The Sherborne, 100 Portraits offers a rare chance to meet Quentin Blake’s imagination now: vivid, warm, and unmistakably his. These are not “likenesses” of specific people, but encounters — characters discovered through drawing, where a tilt
of the head, a glance, or a single line can spark an entire personality. The Sherborne, Newland, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3JG. www.thesherborne.uk.
The Folke Altarpiece: The Resurrection Painted in Baroque drama and light, The Resurrection shows Christ rising above the tomb as angels flank the scene and Roman guards recoil below. Known as the Folke Altarpiece, this newly conserved work attributed to Sir James Thornhill returns to view on loan from St Lawrence Church, Folke — a striking counterpoint to Blake’s airborne imagination within the exhibition. The Sherborne, Newland, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3JG. www.thesherborne.uk.
18
April - 6 June
Frances Hatch: Sensing Place An exhibition of ‘place palettes’, sketchbooks and paintings made along the Jurassic coastline over the last 20 years. The Alsop Gallery, Bridport Arts Centre, 9 South Street, Bridport, Dorset DT6 3NR.
25 April - 6 May
Colours of Light An exhibition by local artists in card, paint, clay and glass. A stunning display of art in 4 disciplines. Jenny Penney works in card. Using an inspired technique, she creates recognisable pictures in relief, mainly of the Dorset Landscape and its wildlife. Lindsey J Cole paints in oils, acrylics and watercolours and also creates works in mixed media on a variety of subjects. She draws her inspiration from the natural world, the New Forest and surrounding coastline, responding to atmosphere and light. Katy Tunstall is a ceramicist who creates inspirationally shaped and decorated vases often with images of flower and seed-heads. Gillian McCormick is a stained glass artist, specialising in painted fired and fused glass. Her beautiful
colourful images are mainly of birds and British mammals. Open 10 am - 4.30 pm daily at Eype Centre for the Arts, Mount Lane, EYPE, Bridport DT6 6AR. Free entry and car parking. Access for all. Contact : www.jennypenneyart.net.
28 April - 22 May
Peter Ursem - Eye Heart Hand This exhibition brings together recent works by artist and writer Peter Ursem. Meet the Artist - Saturday 2nd May 11:30-1:30. Story Reading from his book ‘The Bigger Picture, Forty Friendly Fables’ - Friday 8th May starting at 12:15. TuesdaySaturday 9.30am - 3.00pm. Free Entry. Ilminster Arts Centre, The Meeting House, East Street, Ilminster, Somerset, TA19 0AN.
Until 2 May
Sally McLaren RE Retrospective: A Passion for Printmaking. Original aquatint, carborundum, drypoint, line and deep etchings 1959 – present. Distinguished printmaker, painter and etcher, Sally McLaren was born in London, studied at the Ruskin School of Art in Oxford and at the Central School of Art in London. She won a scholarship to study in Paris at the famous Atelier 17 of Stanley William Hayter, returning to teach at Goldsmith’s College of Art. She is a Fellow and Founder Member of the Printmaker’s Council of Great Britain, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Painter Printmakers now known as the Royal Society of Painter-Etchers (RE). Sladers Yard, West Bay, Bridport, Dorset DT6 4EL Open: Mon to Sat 10 –4pm. All work can be viewed at www.sladersyard.co.uk t: 01308 459511. e: gallery@sladersyard.co.uk.
Looking for Appearance Featuring 34 contemporary artists alongside historic works by Euan Uglow, also Claude Rogers, Graham Bell, Victor Pasmore and William Coldstream, Euston Road School co-founders and contemporaries of Thelma Hulbert. Tuesday to Saturday, 10 to 5. Thelma Hulbert Gallery, Dowell St, Honiton EX14 1LX. thelmahulbert.com / 01404 45006. Free admission.
Until 3 May
Grayson Perry: Aspects of Myself A new exhibition of one of Britain’s most influential contemporary artists. Standard ticket – £7, Book online – £6, NUS cardholders and MA Members – £4, ArtFund – £3, Under 19s and carers free. Some works in the exhibition will depict adult themes. The Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery is Queen Street, Exeter, EX4 3RX. 01392 265858.
9 - 21 May
The Lyme Regis Art Society Annual Exhibition will be held at the Malthouse Gallery, The Town Mill, Lyme Regis. DT7 3PU. The opening times are 10.30 - 4.30 daily and entrance is free. Art work from a variety of mediums and cards will be on sale. website: www.lymeregisartssociety.org. uk
Until 10 May
People Watching Over a hundred years of British portraiture with The Ingram Collection and Dorset Museum & Art Gallery. Exploring the concept of image and portraiture in British art, ‘People Watching’ will feature approximately 50 works of sculpture, paintings, drawings, and photography from 1915 to the present day. Dorset Museum & Art Gallery, High West Street, Dorchester DT1 1XA. Open Daily: 10:00am – 5:00pm. Last entry to the Museum is at 4:00pm
Legacy in the Making This new exhibition celebrates the remarkable breadth of contemporary and historic craft in Somerset. Bringing together former members and masters of the Somerset Craft Guild, along with the 2025 Somerset Art Works × Somerset Craft Guild Emerging Maker Bursary artists, the exhibition reveals a vibrant creative community shaped by heritage, experimentation and deep connection to place. Somerset Rural Life Museum, Abbey Farm, Chilkwell St, Glastonbury BA6 8DB..
16 May - 27 June
All This Useless Beauty: Mellony Taper Exhibition of work by artist Mellony Taper, winner of the THG Open 2025. The works span themes of inheritance, vintage and found objects reveal the hidden domestic lives of women. Tuesday to Saturday, 10 to 5. Thelma Hulbert Gallery, Dowell St, Honiton EX14 1LX. thelmahulbert.com / 01404 45006. Free admission.
11 July - 29 August
Printmaking Tradition and Transformation Exhibition celebrating 30 years of the Double Elephant Print Workshop featuring stunning contemporary works by Double Elephant members showcasing printmaking processes. Tuesday to Saturday, 10 to 5. Thelma Hulbert Gallery, Dowell St, Honiton EX14 1LX. thelmahulbert.com / 01404 45006. Free admission.
Sally McLaren RE Retrospective at Sladers Yard
Sladers Yard Gallery in West Bay is hosting a solo retrospective celebrating the remarkable career of distinguished painter, etcher, and printmaker Sally McLaren. Now in her 90th year, McLaren continues to produce joyous, large-scale carborundum prints that radiate a youthful vitality, marking a journey that began at the Central School of Art in the late 1950s.
Born in 1936, Sally’s deep connection to the English landscape was forged during a childhood spent in Somerset and Wiltshire. Her formal training began at the Ruskin School of Art in Oxford, where she received a disciplined, traditional grounding. It was at the Central School of Art in London, however, that she fell in love with etching. Under the mentorship of Tony Harrison and Merlyn Evans, she mastered complex intaglio techniques, eventually developing a more abstract style that allowed her images to “breathe.”
In 1962, Sally won a scholarship to the prestigious Atelier 17 in Paris, studying under Stanley William Hayter. Upon her return to England, she taught at Goldsmiths College and became a Fellow and Founder Member of the Printmakers Council of Great Britain, as well as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Painter-Etchers.
Throughout her career, Sally’s work has been a response to the natural world. Rather than literal depictions of geography, her prints capture the “feeling” of a place—the wind, the spray of the sea, and the historical weight of the land.
“I don’t paint place. I paint an atmosphere, which comes from absorption, of being in that place.” — Sally McLaren
This pursuit of stillness and space has remained constant, even as her techniques evolved. In 1996, she began a fruitful collaboration with master printmakers Jack Shirreff and Andrew Smith at 107 Workshop. This partnership encouraged a more radical, ambitious approach, leading to the “fabulously colourful freewheeling work” she produces today at Andrew’s Printworks in Poole.
Sally’s work is held in prestigious public and private collections worldwide, including: The V&A Museum, The Government Art Collection, The New York Public Library and The National Print Collection.
Two recent monographs, The Response of Landscape and In Search of Stillness, document her evolution. The latter is held in the National Art Library at the V&A and is available at the exhibition.
Living and working in Wiltshire—where she converted an old bus garage into a studio at age 70—Sally remains dedicated to her craft. Her current exhibition at Sladers Yard offers a rare opportunity to witness the full trajectory of an artist who has spent seven decades simplifying the complex beauty of the world into radical, spacious forms.
Sally McLaren Retrospective: A Passion for Printing is at Sladers Yard Contemporary Art & Craft Gallery, West Bay, Bridport Dorset DT6 4EL until 2 May 2026. For more information visit: https://sladersyard.co.uk/
Sally McLaren photograph by Sophie Bolesworth
Rock Refuge by Sally McLaren. Photograph by David Harrison
Earth, Air and Water by Sally McLaren. Photograph by David Harrison
Shimmer by Sally McLaren. Photograph by David Harrison
Frances Hatch SENSING PLACE at Bridport Arts Centre
The opening of a new exhibition by locally based artist Frances Hatch is a highlight of the April calendar at Bridport Arts Centre. Entitled Sensing Place, the exhibition features ‘place palettes’, sketchbooks, and paintings created along the Jurassic coastline over the past 20 years.
Sensing Place explores Hatch’s process as a plein air painter and the ‘place palettes’ she creates at Dorset’s coastal locations using found earths, clays, organic matter, and man-made materials like litter. Accompanied by written and painted notes, the palettes become portraits of place that inform her paintings, a small number of which will be exhibited.
Working outside and combining these found materials with water-based media such as watercolour, acrylic, and gouache, Hatch allows the weather—rain, snow, humidity, wind, sun—to participate in the shaping of the work.
‘I look forward to showing a body of work that has been in the making for the last 20 years’ says Frances. ‘The core of the show is a sequence of about 100 ‘Place Palettes’ each made at locations all along the length of the Jurassic Coast.’
The practice of making these palettes originated in sketchbooks. Frances explains: ‘Curious to grow into a relationship with the locations I chose to work in, I would pick up, finger and investigate marks made with the rocks and clays around me. Dipping my fingers in puddles, in mud, massaging clays into the paper surface, mixing molehill samples into a paste, literally drawing on and with what surrounds me.’
Frances moved out of the sketchbook onto individual sheets of paper and continues to this day to investigate sites she works in, marvelling at how much
is available in a landscape without introducing loads of “art kit”.
‘In fact, the less I bring, the more the landscape offers.’
Infused with the geology of each place, traces of weather, circumstance, and happenstance, the palettes and paintings serve as a witness to and a record of time spent along the ever-changing Jurassic coast.
‘Sometimes I include resident litter, jot down thoughts, mention the phase of the moon, weather notes and describe sounds,’ she says. ‘The site prompts my lines of enquiry, and I learn about the personality of the place and about myself in relationship with it.’
She says that one day gatherings will develop completely differently from the next day
‘the
less I bring, the more the landscape offers’
gatherings—even in the same place. ‘It is absolutely fascinating. I consider it a kind of divinatory process. The palettes are complete in themselves—but in the making of them I gather information and experience of the material nature of a location. I will then understand how I might use the materials in my paintings, integrating the geology with the paint.’
The Exhibition will include large paintings so that visitors can see the connection with the materials contained within the paintings. There will also be sketchbooks and samples.
The show opens on World Heritage Day and is part of the 25th Anniversary celebrations of The Jurassic Coast World Heritage Status.
Frances Hatch: Sensing Place
Allsop Gallery, Bridport Arts Centre
Sat 18 April – Sat 6 June 2026 Wed-Sat, 10am-4pm Free Admission
Margery Hookings highlights a Global Celebration of Women’s Creativity and Craft set for Bridport in 2027
The internationally acclaimed Red Dress Project is set to arrive in Bridport, bringing together artistry, heritage, and a powerful celebration of women’s contributions from around the world. The remarkable dress will be on display at Bridport Town Hall from 31 July to 15 August 2027 in an exhibition run by Bridport Heritage Forum.
Theresa Weller, textile enthusiast and coordinator for the event, said: ‘Bridport is set to welcome this extraordinary piece of living history, and we anticipate it will be a highlight of the summer calendar.’
The Red Dress Project was conceived by British artist Kirstie Macleod as a collaborative artwork showcasing the creativity of women globally.
Since its inception, women from all walks of life—craftswomen, textile artists, volunteers, and community members—have contributed their skills, creating a dress that tells countless personal and cultural stories through embroidery, patchwork, and textile art.
The dress has toured extensively, visiting venues across the UK and internationally. Each exhibition has drawn large crowds and generated interest in the craft and stories behind it. When it was displayed at Killerton House in Devon, it attracted record numbers of visitors, demonstrating the universal appeal of this unique artwork.
The project is not only an artistic endeavour but also a social initiative. The women who contribute to the Red Dress Project are compensated when it is exhibited, providing financial support to them and their communities. This model ensures the project has a tangible, positive impact, celebrating women’s creativity while helping sustain livelihoods.
Bridport residents and visitors are encouraged to mark their calendars. Local businesses, particularly those in hospitality, should prepare for an influx of visitors.
Said Theresa Weller: ‘This major exhibition is a cultural highlight and a significant event for the town, offering a unique opportunity to experience the skill, collaboration, and creativity of women from around the world.
‘The Red Dress Project is more than just a dress— it’s a global story of collaboration, heritage, and artistic expression.’
The Red Dress Project will be at Bridport Town Hall, Bridport, Dorset from 31 July – 15 August 2027
Admission is Free.
For press inquiries please contact Margery Hookings on 07807 705457 or margery.hookings@gmail.com
PREVIEW April
Multi-cultural music
LYME REGIS
THE Marine Theatre at Lyme Regis hosts one of the most exciting and eclectic music programmes in the region. April is typical, with gigs that vary from folk star Martha Tilston on Thursday 2nd to world jazz exponents Talking Spirits on Sunday 26th.
With a pure silken voice and lyrics that inspire and captivate, Martha Tilston has a large and loyal following. She has performed on some of the world’s most prestigious stages and festivals, recorded and released several critically acclaimed albums and gained a nomination for BBC best newcomer. She has appeared as a guest vocalist for Zero 7, toured internationally and worked with a wide range of performers including Damien Rice, Nick Harper, Kae Tempest and Roddy Frame (Aztec Camera).
Founded in 2009 by Deekline and Ed Solo, Jungle Cakes, at the Marine on Saturday 4th, has become a cornerstone of the drum-and-bass and jungle music scenes. Known for its high-energy releases and distinctive sound, the label has consistently delivered chart-topping tracks that ignite dance floors and captivate listeners worldwide. For this visit to the Marine, the label’s founders take to the stage alongside V Recordings and Full Cycle Records legend Suv.
One of the most revered performers in any musical
genre, Joni Mitchell is the inspiration for the sevenpiece band Hejira. They have a gig to celebrate the Canadian singer-songwriter at the Marine on Thursday 9th. Focusing mainly on Joni’s music from the late 70s, the world-class musicians are fronted by the brilliant Hattie Whitehead, who not only has—in her own way—assimilated the poise, power and beauty of Joni’s vocals, but also plays guitar with Joni’s stylistic mannerisms. Expect an evening of the great songs including Amelia, Help Me, A Case Of You, Song For Sharon and Free Man in Paris
Trad meets experimentation when the Gigspanner Big Band takes the stage. Coming to the Marine on Thursday 16th, the six musicians, headed by founder Peter Knight on violin, features Roger Flack on guitar, Sacha Trochet on drums, Hannah Martin on violin, banjo and tenor guitar, Philip Henry on Dobro and harmonica and John Spiers on melodeon. A unique force in British folk music, Gigspanner’s high-energy, virtuosic performances appeal equally to traditionalists and to those looking for something more experimental, characterised by inventiveness, brilliant individual playing and subtle collaborative interaction..
The year-round Jazz by the Sea programme brings Talking Spirits to the Marine on Sunday 26th. Formerly known as the James Lascelles Quartet, the band plays a unique blend of world jazz. These
The Gigspanner Big Band take the stage at the Marine Theatre in Lyme Regis in April
highly respected London-based session musicians have an eclectic repertoire, inspired by influences from around the world, including jazz, folk and Anglo/Caribbean grooves.
Baroque ensemble on tour CONCERTS IN THE WEST
THE April tour of Concerts in the West features Ensemble Augelletti, specialists in the music of the 17th and 18th centuries. The three concerts begin with the usual coffeetime recital at Bridport Arts Centre at 11.30am on Friday 10th April, with 7.30pm concerts at Ilminster Arts Centre that evening, and at Crewkerne Dance House on Saturday 11th.
Founded in 2019, the ensemble—Olwen Foulkes, recorders, Ellen Bundy, violin, Carina Drury, cello, Toby Carr, lute, and Benedict Williams, harpsichord—specialises in baroque chamber music, creating engaging programmes that tell the everyday stories of people living in the 17th and 18th centuries.
The musicians are known for compelling performances that demonstrate an “equal capacity for elegant pathos and rip-roaring technical dexterity” (The Arts Desk, 2024) and are often praised for their profound understanding of their innovative repertoire.
Ensemble Augelletti come to Bridport, Ilminster and Crewkerne in April
Ensemble Augelletti are a BBC New Generation Baroque Ensemble (2023-25) and City Music Foundation Artists (2024-26). They perform regularly on BBC Radio 3’s In Tune and Early Music and in arts festivals across the UK including York, London, Brighton, Beverley Early Music festivals.
They were finalists at the York International Young Artist Competition and released their debut CD recording, entitled The Library of a Prussian Princess, on Barn Cottage Records in 2022. Their year-long digital project, Pick a Card, explored historical playing cards from the British Museum’s collection.
The programme for their Concerts in the West series is Jewels that Brightly Burn, taken from Telemann’s description of Bach’s students—Telemann championed Bach’s skill in arranging music to inspire a new generation of musicians as they performed “under the orange tree,” in Leipzig. This programme tells the story of Bach’s students as they became “jewels” and includes arrangements of his joyous instrumental music alongside Telemann’s stunning Paris quartets and suites by Pisendel.
Lewis Capaldi at Powderham EXETER
LEWIS Capaldi heads the list of performers in the open air at Powderham Castle near Exeter in late June. International star Capaldi has two gigs in the spectacular Devon setting, on 27th and 28th June.
The other headliners are Grammy-nominated singer Teddy Swims with his band Freak Freely and special guests, on 25th June, and the seven-times Grammywinner Alanis Morisette. This is one of just five UK dates for the brilliant American singer.
The Mexico Mission
DORCHESTER AND TOURING
DORSET-based community interest company Brave Bold Drama is back at Dorchester with a colourful and quirky detective comedy, The Mexico Mission, on tour and coming to Dorchester Arts at the Corn Exchange on Friday 10th April at 2pm.
Could you crack a million-dollar case? When a new Frida Kahlo painting is discovered in Mexico City, art
Alanis Morisette headlines at Powderham Castle along with Lewis Capaldi for an open air spectaclular in June
detectives Agents Kahlo and Dali of the Company of International Artists, a top secret art detective agency, are summoned by the buyer to prove exactly who painted the portrait. And there’s room in their crew for you!
However, once back in her home town of Mexico City, glimpses of Agent Kahlo’s past, and her previous work partner, the mysterious Agent Modotti, start to bubble to the surface, leaving Agent Dali wondering who he can trust.
Featuring a broad streak of quirky comedy, packed with playful film-noir references and inspired by the art of Frida Kahlo, The Mexico Mission is an adventure for the whole family.
Other local dates on the spring tour by the company, which is based at Preston, Weymouth, are: Poole Lighthouse, 9th April 2pm, and Exeter Phoenix arts centre, 14th April, 1.30pm.
life, filled with hilarious memories and hopes for the future, coupled with the mourning of lost love and unfulfilled ambition.
Haunting, darkly funny, rambling, sometimes perplexing, the play is an exploration of memory, regret and lost ambition. In some ways, nothing happens. (You can, of course, say the same of Beckett’s other great masterpiece, Waiting For Godot). But if you simply sit back and let Krapp’s words and the old tapes draw you in, it becomes oddly celebratory as well as deeply sad.
This touring production stars David Westhead, a familiar face from countless television dramas and series, and a regular member of both the Royal Shakespeare Company and National Theatre. It is directed by Academy Award nominee Stockard Channing.
Poetry gigs in East Devon
SEATON AND AXMINSTER
POETRY gigs attract big audiences these days, and Devon’s Villages in Action has two exciting events coming up, at Seaton on Friday 10th April and Axminster on Friday 17th.
Northern Irish comedian and former Bard of Exeter, Edward Tripp comes to The Old Picture House at Seaton with No Man is an Ireland, a surreal, genre-bending, stand-up poetry show. Ed ponders his cultural identity through the mediums of story-telling and prop-heavy stand-up poetry.
The show, which begins at 8pm, features defrosted wives, visits from Uncle Connor (who isn’t in the IRA) and at least one unforgettable tribute to the late Lady Diana. If you enjoy spoken-word poetry, this is the show for you. If you dislike spoken-word poetry, this is probably the show for you too. Expect the unexpected … and hold on tight.
On Friday 17th at 7.30pm at The Tiffin Box in Axminster’s Trinity Square, Liv Torc will explore life, love and relationships, in Wild Words for Wet Days. The performance will make you laugh, move you and hopefully inspire you to reconsider our relationship to the environment and the crazy world we live in.
Fred is back
An old man looks back DORCHESTER
LAST year, the multi-award-winning film actor Gary Oldman returned to the stage, to the theatre where he first performed in York, to perform Samuel Beckett’s solo masterpiece Krapp’s Last Tape. This year he is back reprising the role in London, while another veteran actor, David Westhead, takes on the challenge, in a new production coming to Dorchester Corn Exchange on Thursday 16th April at 7.30pm.
Krapp’s Last Tape is a journey through an old man’s
DORCHESTER
HIJINX Theatre, one of Europe’s leading inclusive theatre companies, is coming to the Corn Exchange with Dorchester Arts on Thursday 9th April, with Meet Fred, marking the tenth anniversary of this darkly funny satire, following the experiences of Fred, a puppet fighting for his independence as his Puppetry Living Allowance comes under threat.
After ten years, 20-plus countries and countless laughs, Meet Fred is back. Created and performed by
Samuel Beckett’s Krapp’s Last Tape comes to Dorchester in April
an inclusive ensemble of disabled and non-disabled artists, this is the story of a two-foot-tall puppet, interrogating how society restricts independence for those who don’t fit its norms.
Fred is a cloth puppet who wants to live an ordinary life—find love, get a job and be part of society. But when his Puppetry Living Allowance is threatened, his world begins to unravel. Blending dark humour, mesmerising puppetry and sharp political commentary, Meet Fred offers a subversive examination of bureaucracy, disability rights and what it means to be human. More than a decade after its premiere, the show remains urgently relevant, reflecting ongoing debates and budget cuts surrounding inclusion, independence and disability rights.
Since 2016, Meet Fred has toured extensively across the UK and internationally, to more than 20 countries across Europe, Asia and North America. The play features three exceptional learning disabled and/ or autistic performers from Welsh company Hijinx, who devised the production, along with puppetry experts Blind Summit, to demonstrate the power of inclusive collaboration and the creative impact of lived experience.
Meet Fred is also at Taunton Brewhouse on 7th April.
Antique expert’s VC talk BRIDPORT
ANYONE who watches the BBC’s long-running Antiques Roadshow is sure to have been impressed with the deep knowledge, expertise and enthusiasm of military historian Mark Smith, who is coming to the Electric Palace at Bridport on Wednesday 15th April.
Mark, a man who can read a line of medals like most of us can read a newspaper headline, will be talking on the theme, For Valour: The Story of the Victoria Cross.
For the audience, this is a chance to appreciate Mark’s expertise and passion live on stage, joining him on an unforgettable journey through courage, sacrifice, and history. His talk will include the origins of the Victoria Cross, debunk some long-standing myths, and feature jaw-dropping stories of the extraordinary heroes who have earned this prestigious honour.
Mark has written five authoritative books on the Great War, cementing his place as a respected voice in military history. Best known as Antiques Roadshow’s Medals and Militaria expert, captivating audiences since 2014, he is also a globally recognised authority on the Victoria Cross, Britain’s highest award for bravery.
There are two further south west dates later in the year—14th October at Teignmouth Pavilions and 27th November at the Exchange at Sturminster Newton.
The Budapest Cafe Orchestra - a blistering barrage of czardas, East European and Russian folk tunes
A breath-taking musical journey TOURING
THE Budapest Cafe Orchestra, with the charismatic violinist Christian Garrick, is on tour this spring, with local gigs at the David Hall, South Petherton on Saturday 14th March, Sturminster Newton Exchange on Thursday 16th, Dorchester Corn Exchange on Friday 17th and the Mowlem theatre at Swanage on Saturday 18th.
Founded in 2009 by Garrick, a composer and teacher as well as virtuoso fiddler, Budapest Cafe Orchestra plays a whirling, exciting blend of gypsy and folk-flavoured music from all around the world, from heart-rending Jewish melodies to fiery Eastern European dances. They are best known for their energetic arrangements of traditional Balkan, Russian, Hungarian and Romanian traditional music with jazz nuances and their own unique arrangements.
A reviewer for the Brighton Argus said: “The Budapest Cafe Orchestra play a blistering barrage of czardas, East European and Russian folk tunes that might have come from the Hot Club of Paris via the Orient Express!”
The tour continues in May including dates at Ilminster Arts Centre on Thursday 7th and Honiton Beehive on Friday 8th.
The power of play DORCHESTER
JUGGLING clown Darryl Carrington brings his one-man show Out of the Box to Dorchester Corn Exchange on Sunday 26th April, at the family-friendly time of 3pm.
Trained at Bristol’s Circomedia School of Contemporary Circus and Physical Theatre, Darryl has more than two decades of experience making people, laugh, wonder and play, creating, producing, and performing unique comedy juggling shows around the world.
He says: “Whether I’m centre-stage in a full-length show like Out of the Box, hosting a cabaret act or
leading a workshop, my aim is always the same: to surprise, delight and remind us all of the power of PLAY.”
Out of the Box is described as a joyful circus-comedy bursting with surprises. Using non-verbal clowning, trick shots and audience participation, Darryl transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary.
Sarah McQuaid is back BRIDPORT AND TOURING
SINGER-songwriter Sarah McQuaid is back in Dorset, performing at Bridport Town Hall on Friday 10th April, following dates with Artsreach in January. The new gig, part of a lengthy tour, which includes Teignmouth Pavilions on 8th April, will feature songs from the new album that she will be recording at her home studio in the far west of Cornwall.
“Settle down, and I’ll try to make a soothing sound,” Sarah McQuaid sings in the opening number of her current concert set. And so she does, starting off a cappella, then layering acoustic and electric guitars, floor tom drum, keyboards and lush vocal
harmonies, using looping technology to create a gentle, organic progression.
The set mainly features Sarah’s original compositions, spanning a wide range of styles from contemplative ballads to playful blues to atmospheric instrumentals, but she also includes folk songs, evergreen classics and even a few contemporary covers. As well as the beautiful songs, the show is enhanced by spectacular lighting effects created by Martin Stansbury, her manager and sound engineer.
Born in Spain, raised in Chicago and now living in Cornwall, after many years in Ireland, Sarah is as multinational as she is multitalented. The local dates are part of a marathon 67-venue tour throughout the UK, including Wales and the Scottish Highlands, and Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands.
She will also be working hard on her new album. She says: “I’m so incredibly grateful to all the crowdfunding contributors who helped to make the studio possible. There’s no way I could be performing some of the new material live in concert without having had the space to rehearse it in.”
Sarah McQuaid plays at Bridport Town Hall in April
Screen Time
with Nic Jeune
Top Six at the Flix
It is April and that means only one thing in the filmgoer’s diary… From Page to Screen 2026. Curated by Bridport’s very own screen wizard Chris Chibnall! He has chosen some truly great films such as the amazing 2001 Space Odessey that has to be seen on a big screen. Here is a selection from the festival.
Bridport Arts Centre
Touch of Evil (1958) - 22nd April @ 10.45 am. ‘Touch of Evil proceeds with one of the most celebrated long-takes in screen history. The sequence is a marvel of technical virtuosity and staged action. From the very start, Orson Welles’s grubby and sweaty noir classic has us in its grip with a gloriously devised piece of showmanship emblematic of the director’s audaciously talented spirit.’ Cine Vue.
Tell No One - 22nd April @ 2.15 pm. ‘Thrillers aren’t ways so thrilling, but Tell No One is.’ Wall Street Journal. Joe Morgenstern
Rashomon (1950) - 23rdf April @ 10.45am. ‘Kurosawa is always worth a look, but this is a particular classic that has influenced so much to come, it’s almost essential.’ Empire Kim Newman
His Girl Friday (1940) - 24th April @ 10.45 am. ‘Quite simply a masterpiece.’ Time Out. Geoff Andrew
Black Orpheus (1959) - 26th April @ 5pm. ‘A film that art-house audiences in 1959 loved madly. And who can blame them? A buoyant, searingly colorful retelling of the Orpheus and Eurydice myth set in Rio de Janiero, writerdirector’s Marcel Camus’ movie is a romance heightened by its backdrop.’ Chicago Tribune. Michael Wilmington
The General (1926) - 26th April @ 8pm. ‘Made barely three decades after the invention of film itself, Buster Keaton’s timeless 1926 silent The General is the perfect chase movie: it has never been bettered, and maybe never will.’ Time Out.
Sarah has further dates in early summer, on 5th June at Crediton Arts Centre, 12th June at Holy Trinity Church at Westward Ho!, 19th June at Parracombe Village Hall, and 2nd July at Torquay’s Fougou Music venue.
Brazil comes to Dorset
BRIDPORT
THE exciting, energetic spirit of Brazil comes to Bridport Arts Centre on Friday 1st May with Zubieta and the Suaves, a six-piece band fronted by the captivating singer, Marta Zubieta.
The band weaves a rich tapestry of bossa nova, Afro-Brazilian samba and Latin jazz—blending golden-age classics with fresh contemporary flair. Their sound echoes the elegance of the 1950s-70s Brazilian music scene while embracing the freedom of improvisation and the warmth of deep musical chemistry.
With multicultural roots and a shared passion for rhythm and soul, the band creates a unique atmosphere that draws listeners in wherever they perform. The line-up is Marta Zubieta, vocals, Sol Ahmed, bass, Susana Gutarr, percussion, Anto Muñoz, piano, Ben Glass, sax, and Paolo Adamo, drums.
Looking for trouble DORCHESTER
THE wry Irish comedian Dylan Moran is currently touring a stand-up show called Looking For Trouble. He is stopping off at Dorchester Comedy Club at Thomas Hardy School Theatre on Saturday 25th April.
The county town’s comedy club has established a reputation for top-quality stand-up, featuring a hand-picked line-up of TV names, award-winners and rising stars.
Born in County Meath in 1971, Dylan Moran is also a writer, actor and artist. He is best-known for his observational comedy, the comedy series Black Books (which he co-wrote and starred in), and his work with Simon Pegg in films such as Shaun of the Dead and Run Fatboy Run. He was also one of two lead characters in the Irish black comedy film A Film with Me in It
He is a regular performer at national and international comedy festivals including the Edinburgh Fringe, Just for Laughs Montreal Comedy Festival, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, and the Kilkenny Comedy Festival.
Puppets in Wonderland
HONITON
LEWIS Carroll’s magical classic has been adapted in so many ways for audiences of all ages—on screen, television, stage, pantomime—and puppets. Theatrix Arts comes to the Beehive Centre at Honiton, on Tuesday 7th April at 2pm, with a colourful new show, Wonderland.
Welcome to the Wonderland Hat Shop! Join the Hatter as he brings Alice’s adventure to life with charming puppets, vibrant painted scenery, lively music and, of course, hats!
Along the way, you’ll meet delightful and quirky creatures, sing along to catchy tunes and have a blast doing the lobster dance. It’s a whimsical adventure you won’t want to miss! At the end of the journey meet the puppets and make a White Rabbit or Alice puppet.
The show runs for 55 minutes and is followed by a one-hour workshop.
Rare chance to hear folk band HONITON
THE Beehive Centre at Honiton has one of the very few gigs this year by Praying for the Rain, an international folk collective, on Friday 17th April at 7.30pm.
Expect an unforgettable night of uplifting folk and world music with the four original members, Domenic DeCicco, Vince DeCicco, Delagh King and Mal Darwen playing songs from a selection of all their albums and recent solo projects, as well as music from their latest release entitled, Celebrate
Known for their dynamic and compelling live performances, their music blends contemporary folk and roots, with beautifully crafted harmonies, melodies and rhythms that create an intriguing tapestry of acoustic ambience and inspired musicianship. The four musicians will be using a wide range of instruments, including acoustic guitars, accordion, mandolin, bodhran, Native American flutes, voice and percussion,
During their musical history together, they have travelled throughout Europe, Canada, Africa and the Middle East and have performed at festivals such as Glastonbury, Womad, Cambridge, Stainsby, Frome, at the famous Spiegeltent during the Islington International festival and at London’s Union Chapel and South Bank as part of a world music series presented by the National Theatre.
Sci-fi laughs and chills
LYME REGIS AND TOURING
THE Invisible Man, one of HG Wells’ best-known stories, and the novel that earned him the reputation as the father of science fiction, comes to the Marine Theatre at Lyme Regis on Wednesday 8th April, in a new comedy thriller adaptation by the Herefordshire-based Our Star Theatre Company.
The idea of invisibility and the advantages it could bring to someone has captured the imagination of millions since HG Wells’ classic story was first published in 1897. The Invisible Man has been adapted many times for film, but rarely for the stage.
This original, fast-paced and riotous adaptation boasts 15 characters, played by just three energetic actors, aided by quick and silly costume changes, prop manipulation, whacky imagination and tons of tongue-in-cheek fun!
The production is on a long spring tour, with further dates in our region at: Swanage Mowlem Theatre on 24th April, Tiverton Community Arts on 25th, the Palace Theatre, Paignton on 29th, The Flavel at Dartmouth on 1st May, Sidmouth Manor Pavilion on 2nd May, Wimborne’s Tivoli Theatre on 7th May, the Shaftesbury Theatre at Dawlish on 16th May, and the Barbican Theatre at Plymouth on 21st May.,
The Young Lit Fix
The House With Chicken Legs Runs Away
By Sophie Anderson
Illustrated by Elisa Paganelli
Cover illustration by Melissa Castrillon
Published by Usborne. Paperback £8.99
Reviewed by Nicky Mathewson
A HOUSE with chicken legs is a very special thing. With the help of a Baba Yaga it guides the dead safely from the land of the living through a gate to the stars. During the guiding the dead are treated with a feast of home cooked food and encouraged to share their stories and sing songs, celebrating their lives, before passing through the gate to become part of the wider universe.
Marinka grew up in the house with chicken legs and helps Yaga Tatyana to guide the dead, also with the help of her best friends Benjamin and Jack, the crow.
Marinka loves the house dearly and the house loves her back but it starts to act very strangely and the once soft vines that grow from the rafters have become thorny and painful.
Marinka is very worried about the house and tries to coax the problem out of it but the house clams up.
She decides the best thing to do, to give the house a boost, would be to hold a guiding for the dead which would give the house energy and restore everyone’s spirits.
This time, however, the gate to the stars behaves inexplicably, exploding outward and sucking all the dead through and then threatening to suck Marinka, Benjamin,Tatyana and Jack through as well! This catastrophe sets the house sprinting off into the woods throwing everyone out as it does. Marinka runs to keep up, desperate not to lose her house, Benjamin and Jack in hot pursuit.
Can Marinka catch the troubled house and can she find what it needs to restore itself and to fix the growing void that the gate has created inside the house?
Action packed magical adventure with moral questions set in a landscape that is influenced by Prussian folk lore. Sophie Anderson is a master story teller and I loved this story! I highly recommend it to emerging and confident readers aged 8+
10% off for Marshwood Vale readers at The Bookshop on South Street, Bridport. 01308 422964 www.dorsetbooks.com
LONG ISLAND by COLM TÓIBÍN
Review by Bruce Harris
Long Island
by Colm Tóibín
TÓIBÍN has been short-listed for the Booker Prize three times, which perhaps suggests that it is only a matter of time before he finally wins. He could also fairly be described as a writer who is gay rather than a gay writer, and this book has no gay characters in it at all.
This novel is a sequel to Tóibín’s highly successful Brooklyn, in which Irish girl Eilis Lacey emigrates to New York and meets an American/Italian man called Tony Fiorello. While the spoiler alert approach again stops me from telling the whole story line to whoever hasn’t read the book, Eilis’s life in America, perhaps unsurprisingly, does not turn out to be happy ever after. Her husband has managed to get another girl pregnant, and Eilis, a remarkably vivid and well-defined character, is not prepared to accept the compromise arrangements. Her mother’s 80th birthday is impending, and she decides to buy herself time by returning to Ireland, with her children, daughter Rosella and son Larry, joining her later.
An old flame of hers in Ireland, Jim Farrell, is
thrown into mental chaos by her return, as he has established a relationship with a local shop-owner, Nancy Sheridan, and they have plans to marry.
How this situation develops is the meat of the story, and it has with it many of the characteristics of Greek tragedy, with the various strands of impending disaster increasingly deteriorating in an atmosphere of ultimate inevitability. In a sense, it is about the clash between the two heavily familyoriented cultures of the Italian-Americans and the Irish. For the former, it is about metaphorically circling the wagons round to keep the situation hidden within the family, regardless of whether the methods used are actually within the law; for the latter, it is more a matter of avoiding scandals which will condemn them in the public eye.
The contrast between the garrulous, extroverted Italian Americans and the guarded, protective Irish could not be more marked, though in both cases, they also be deceptive and contradictory. It is, after all, the more introvert Irish male hero of the book whose passion for a woman’s love threatens to cause more calamity than Eilis’ Italian American in-laws.
Eilis herself, and her redoubtable mother, emerge as very much the most powerful and defined characters. Tóibín’s prose style is all the more impactful because of its simplicity. We can look forward to more of his realistic, detached yet incisive prose in future novels.
OUR EVENINGS by ALAN HOLLINGHURST
Review by Bruce Harris
Our Evenings
by Alan Holingshurst
OUR Evenings is the story of a life, and while Hollinghurst’s main character in this book is clearly gay, as they have been in his earlier books, it would remain more true and accurate to call him a writer who is gay rather than a gay writer. Perhaps this has a lot to do with why Hollinghurst has too formidable an ‘honours’ list for him to be ghettoised with a gay label on him, having won the 2004 Man Booker prize with his novel The Line of Beauty, set in the hedonistic, profit-obsessed 1980s.
After a present-day introduction, we first meet David Win in 1962 at the age of thirteen at a private boys’ school in southern England. With his English mother and now-dead Burmese father, Dave is vulnerable in his school setting, but he has some obvious abilities, particularly relating to mimicry and acting, which allow him some defence and a number of friends. Nevertheless, he is still sometimes bullied by an older and larger boy called Giles, from an affluent background, the implication being that the bullying is sometimes of a sexual nature.
We follow Dave all the way from school to old age, though a spoiler alert forbids me from trying to enumerate his huge variety of experiences, professionally, sexually and artistically, along the way. The story is told by Dave himself, and Hollinghurst handles superbly the difficult task of making the first person voice move from boyhood to young adulthood and eventually old age. The subtle and not-so-subtle nuances of English prejudice relating to both race and sexuality are described through the eyes and feelings of the boy and then man directly experiencing them.
But it is not a ‘hatchet job’, holding the feet of English society to the fire. The people Dave meets are vastly diverse, beginning with his mother, who drifts a little awkwardly into a sexual relationship with a formidable local woman, being estranged by her own family as she does so and implying the genetic connection with her gay son.
I declare an interest as a gay man myself, and a believer that true gay liberation does not mean exchanging one ghetto of isolation and suppression for another much louder ghetto of extravagant narcissistic life styles and attitudes. Gay people are people like everyone else, and that isn’t a mundane or prosaic fact, it is a bedrock of the ultimate state of release, an acceptance that gay people want what everyone else wants, a life of fulfilment, personal success and belonging.
WILLIE, WILLIE, HENRY, STEE by CHARLIE HIGSON
Review by John Davis
Willie, Willie, Henry, Stee: An Especially Short History of Our Kings and Queens by
Charlie Higson
ACCORDING to author, actor and comedian Higson the title is the opening line of a rhyme he learned as a schoolboy in the 1960s as a way of remembering all of Britain’s monarchs from Wiliam the Conqueror through to Charles III.
Publicity blurbs have described this book as ‘1066 and All That—without the mistakes’ and, certainly judging by the amount of detailed information found in the sections on each monarch, Higson has been doing his homework.
The book is packed with a plethora of colourful details about the ups and downs of being a royal, their duplicitous personal lives, in and out of wedlock,
and the never-ending strain of trying to raise enough capital to keep themselves in luxury, settle scores with neighbouring European countries and try to expand British influence further afield. It is a thorough, ‘warts and all’ compendium. (Yes, I know the phrase usually refers to Oliver Cromwell, who strictly speaking was not a monarch, but he did rule Britain as Lord Protector following the execution of Charles I in the period known as The Interregnum between 1653 and 1658.)
Perhaps not a book to be read from cover to cover but a very useful turn-to guide when seeking further information about a former ruler.
The family tree diagrams are an added bonus especially as many sovereigns and their families end up having the same Christian names, like four or five Henrys, for example. Line drawings and coloured plates are also included courtesy of Jim Moir, an accomplished artist, but perhaps better known by his comedic alter ego, Vic Reeves.
Published by Mudlark.
Old Guy Music by
Bruce Harris
COMPARED with literary giants like Alan Hollinghurst and Colm
Tóibín, I have a more modest trumpet to blow, but I will be true to my cause and blow it anyway.
I haven’t labelled this short piece a book review, because it’s not for me to review my own books. The publisher informs me that the book is doing reasonably well. As with my previous books, the proceeds from this one will go to Huntington’s Disease charities, because of the death of my partner in 2023.
The story itself has no direct connections to HD, and people who are writing to try and make a living out of it will probably disapprove of using whatever you earn to support charities, but my partner and I were together for 37 years and, as I’m in the fortunate
position in retirement of not having to earn a living from writing, I can think of no better way of using what I do earn.
Old Guy Music is my seventeenth published book. The total includes six novels, seven short story collections and four poetry collections. There have also been a considerable number of short stories and poems published in online and printed magazines. Most regions of the country have creative people based locally, including artists, musicians, performers of one kind or another etc. Local support for them varies, though whether it can be fairly said that local writers receive much support is debatable. Old Guy Music has many implications for thoughts and opinions on ‘little boats’ and who runs this country and why. Please consider supporting this local writer, both for a fictional angle on the south west and further support for a dangerous and corrosive illness which remains beyond treatment.
Edition first published by the Book Guild 2026
Available from www.bruceharrisbooks.com
LORD OF THE FLIES Directed by MARC MUNDEN
Review by John Davis
Lord of the Flies
BBC IPlayer (four episodes)
ALTHOUGH he wrote a number of novel length stories, this is by far the best known of Golding’s output and rightly deserves a place in the top fifty books in English literature.
The author is said to have gained inspiration reading The Coral Island by R.M. Ballantyne to his own children but, going completely ‘left-field’, he decided to alter the idyllic lifestyle, mutual cooperation and derring-do depicted in that book by adopting a much more sinister and foreboding tone.
In his version, Golding poses age-old dilemmas. What happens to a society when there are no boundaries to people’s actions, the rule of law has broken down and situations begin to degenerate into absolute mayhem?
At the time the novel was written, Golding was teaching in a private boys’ school in Salisbury so he would certainly have known how the minds of young men tick. Adding further creditability to this production is the fact the novel has been adapted by Jack Thorne, writer of the recent hit series Adolescence, another drama with young people at its core.
Too much plot detail would only act as ‘spoilers’ but basically it is the 1950s and a large group of schoolboys from different establishments are marooned on an uninhabited tropical island when the aeroplane they are travelling on crashes. It seems likely they are being evacuated from some major catastrophe though no explanation is given. How the boys survive the crash but the adults and crew on board are all killed is also an enigma. What ensues is the how the boys interact and survive in an alien environment untrammelled by the constraints normally imposed by adults.
Thorne has written each of the four episodes around a central character, Piggy, intellectual but vulnerable, (David McKenna), Jack, the chief
antagonist with a lust for power, (Lox Pratt), Ralph, well-intentioned and confident, (Winstone Sawyer) and Simon, full of innate human goodness, (Ike Talbut). All were relative strangers to acting but excel as do other cast members.
The way in which the story evolves raises many issues concerning the human condition. The rise of populism, the fragility of democracy, peer group pressure and the herd mentality, for example. The story was banned from school curriculums at one time because of its graphic violence and the way it illustrates the darker side of human nature. History is full of the kind of scenarios portrayed here, however, and we need to be cognizant of this.
The series was filmed in Malaysia and the scenery is stunning. The drone sequence of the pig hunt, the ribbon-like arrival of the choir along the beach and the tracking shots during the sea cave chase are particularly memorable. There are occasions though when the impetus and tension of key events involving the main characters is lost as the director hives off into aerial views of raptors, close ups of insects crawling up stems or maggots gorging on rotting fruit. If these were intended to be symbolic, I missed the point and wanted a quicker return to the nitty-gritty.
A huge final tick to the cast, their families and all other members of the crew for successfully mastering the massive logistical exercise involved in filming the production over a period of three months. The boys were limited to working set hours because of their ages, they needed to be chaperoned throughout while tutors took care of the schooling and that’s not to mention the constant and intense heat.
Footnote: The title Lord of the Flies comes from a literal translation of ‘Beelzebub’ a Biblical name for a devil or a demon with malevolent intent. In the story it refers to a fly covered severed pig’s head on a stick which becomes a focal point for the boys’ attention.
WANTED:
Vintage collections, job-lots & estate items. (Antique, wartime, toys, Motoring, advertising, Curio & interesting items) Seeking larger collections (typically £300+ in value). Fair offers & instant cash payments. Friendly approach, no obligation & Free Home Visits. Discrete Local Buyer. Darren 07875 677 89 May 26
Budding Authors. Writing an interesting story, the past achievements of an organisation or a family history for self-publishing and need some advice with style, layout and editing? Contact freelance author and editor John Davis on johndavis77@ btinternet.com.
WANTED
Vintage & antique textiles, linens, costume buttons etc. always sought by Caroline Bushell. Tel. 01404 45901. Dec 26 Coin & Stamp Collections Wanted
RESTORATION
FURNITURE.
Antique restoration and bespoke furniture. Furniture carefully restored and new commissions undertaken. French polishing and modern hand finishes. Phil Meadley. 01297 560335. phil. meadley@btinternet. com May 26
Dave buys all types of tools 01935 428975 Sept 26
CHIMNEY SWEEP
Discerning collector / investor seeks pre-war collections of stamps and coins. Individual items considered. Tel Rod on 01308 863790 or 07802261339. Mar 26
Ex Display sheds. Stables, Fieldshelters, Garages, Summerhouses, Offices, Workshops, Agricultural. 01935 891195 Mar 26
SPECIALIST BUILDING
DISTRIBUTION
OVER the coming months, Dorset Wildlife Trust will be engaging with farmers, landowners, communities, partner organisations and the wider public through meetings, workshops, drop‑ins and an online survey to explore the potential for reintroducing wild beavers to parts of Dorset. There will be three drop in meetings for members of the public to come along and learn about the potential benefits of wild beaver release. These will take place on:
• Saturday 11 April from 9am – 3pm at Maiden Newton Village Hall
• Saturday 18 April from 9am – 4pm at Dorchester Town Hall at the Corn Exchange
• Saturday 2 May from 9am – 4pm at Wareham Corn Exchange.
Members of the public are invited to take part and share their views at: dorsetwildlifetrust.org. uk/BeaverSurvey.
