WHAT’S ON

#WhatsOnPulse

Naturally 7 Tuesday, March 1 Who needs instruments? Not Naturally 7 who use only the power of their vocal chords to replicate a band, an orchestra, a recording studio...the whole thing! Celebrity fans? They have more than a few – Diana Ross, Lionel Ritchie, Stevie Wonder are among them. An intimate show at The Stables that will truly wow you. Tuning up: stables.org

Women’s Walking Network Thursday, March 3, 10am-midday Get outside and get active, meet new people and discover more of the spaces on your doorstep. This month’s Parks Trust event is a brisk three and a half mile walk around historic Great Linford Manor Park and surrounding areas. Wear sturdy footwear and remember a drink – it’s a thirsty business! Step on: theparkstrust.com

The Song Loft Friday, March 4, 8pm-10pm Join The Tartan Painters live and unplugged in the Beechey Room at the latest Performers Night at the Stony Stratford venue. Payment is a fiver on the doors. Check in: thesongloft.com

Woburn Sands Band Saturday, March 5 An evening to celebrate HM The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee year – there will be flags for all, and a programme full of perfect pieces to entertain the whole family. A royal affair: stables.org

Spring Festival of Music – Orchestral Spectacular Sunday, March 6 The NMPAT county orchestras take the stage at the Royal and Derngate in Northampton. Tuned up: royalandderngate.co.uk

Slimming World – Taste The Freedom Monday, March 7 Feeling the need to shift a few pounds? Slimming World is offering sessions in Stony Stratford every Monday at 4.30pm, 5.30pm or 7pm. Shape up: Call 07886 808205 Andy Parsons – Healing The Nation Thursday, March 10 The comedian heads to Kettering Arts Centre as part of his rescheduled tour. Find the funnies: ketteringartscentre.com

NMPAT – Big Sing Wednesday, March 9 - Thursday, March 10 Northamptonshire Music and Performing Arts Trust presents Big Sing, two nights celebrating vocal music with massed choirs of 500 young singers from Northamptonshire’s Primary Schools and NMPAT County Choirs. Tune in: royalandderngate.co.uk

Linocut Workshop Saturday, March 12 & Sunday, March 13 Printmaker Charlotte Ashman shares the art of linocut at this two-day event, which is being held at RiverKnits, The Depot at Weedon Bec. Find out more: Call 01327 342273

Friends! The Musical Parody Sunday, March 13 A fun show celebrating and poking fun at the wacky misadventures of the group of 20-something pals from the hit show that won over a generation. They’ll be there for you: atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes

Denton & District Gardening Club Monday, March 14, 7.30pm Val Bourne, who writes articles on gardening for several well-known publications, will be talking about The Living Jigsaw at Denton Village Hall (NN7 1DT). Members go free, visitors pay £3. A raffle and refreshments will feature. Blooming great: Call 01604 890875 or email m.pateman@yahoo.co.uk

Dr Hook Thursday, March 17, 7.30pm Dr Hook, still fronted by Dennis Lororriere, visits The Derngate as part of their 50th Anniversary Tour. Get ready to hear big hits like Sylvia’s Mother, Sexy Eyes and When You’re In Love With A Beautiful Woman in this hit-filled show. Share the night: royalandderngate.co.uk Behind the London Livery Companies – Objects and Stories Wednesday 16th March Come and join us to hear the fascinating history of the London Livery Companies, the original trade associations, some dating back to the 12th Century. The Livery Halls today contain rare and intriguing artefacts - portraits, furniture, silver, stained glass etc – which reveal stories behind the history and commercial importance of some of the world’s oldest crafts and guilds. The Society’s purpose is to open the multifacited world of the arts to everyone. It meets in The Cripps Hall, Northampton School for Boys. The talk begin at 7:45pm and from7pm, there is an informal ‘meet and greet’.Guests and new members most welcome.

Andy Parsons brings some comedy healing to Kettering Arts Centre this month

For further information: theartssocietynorthamptonshire.org.uk

Carter can’t remember much about the night before, and the naked woman in his flat isn’t helping. On top of that his friend Roger (who is clueless even at the best of times) doesn’t seem to know much either. And things only seem to go from bad to worse, when Carter discovers a mysterious wad of cash in his fridge! With family arriving at any moment - Carter must try to find a way to keep his cool...without hiding in the fridge himself! This brilliant full on farce will have you splitting at the seams through witty, on the nose comedy and a mixed bag of wonderful characters.

Join us at the Abbey Centre this March, tickets are £8 - Adults, Under 18’s £3. Get you tickets online: abbeycommunitytheatre.co.uk Or call our box office number: 01604 767568

Moonrakers Friday, March 18, 8pm-11pm A Celtic folk quarter from Oxford who are clever with instruments including cello, harp, mandola, guitar and whistles. Let your ears loose at York House in Stony Stratford. Celebrate the sounds: thesongloft.com

MK Western Front Association – Lecture ‘On to Aleppo’ Friday, March 18 Join author and lecturer Stuart Hadaway at Wolverton Working Men’s Social Club for a talk that takes you away from the mud of the Western Front and into the scorching sands of the desert. The focus is the 1918 campaigns in Palestine, the Transjordan and Syria, culminating in the Battles of Megiddo between the Egyptian Expeditionary Force and the Ottoman Force. Western front to Wolverton: westernfrontassociation.com Guns N’ Roses Experience Friday, March 18 Relive the rock ‘n’ roll excess of the mighty music makers responsible for smash hits like Sweet Child O’ Mine, Paradise City and Welcome to the Jungle, with the only tribute band whose guitarist is endorsed by Marshall Amps. That’s how hard these guys rock! It’s So Easy: thepicturedrome.com

Open Spring Flower Show Saturday, March 19, 2.30pm-4.30pm Join Denton & District Gardening Club at the event, featuring a plant stall, raffle and home-made refreshments, as well as 34 competitive classes, including some for children. Competition is open to all. Sowing the seed: Call 01604 890875 or email m.patemen@yahoo.co.uk for more details.

NOASIS & Supakarma Saturday, March 19 Celebrate the music of the Gallagher brothers after being warmed up by the sounds of reformed indie-rockers Supakarma playing on home turf at The Craufurd Arms in Wolverton. Roll with it: thecraufurdarms.com

At the Grendon Daffodil Festival 2022 you will be able to view more than 25,000 spectacular daffodils, enter your dog in the fun dog show and agility course, stroll round the open gardens, visit the food & craft fair, view the classic cars, entertain your children in the kid’s fun area and meet the alpacas! Delicious refreshments available from the specialist food area as well as home-made cakes & afternoon tea in the Village Hall. Join us for a great family day out! Enjoy live international and national theatre and dance performances from the best seat in the house at MK Gallery’s Sky Room independent cinema.

Event Cinema Bolshoi Ballet: Swan Lake Sunday 6 March | 2pm Composed by Russian Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 1875, Swan Lake has become one of the most popular ballets in the world. The White Swan is truly a symbol of Russian Ballet, of its beauty and magnificence.

Exhibition On Screen:

Frida Kahlo (12A)

Tuesday 8 March | 7pm

A journey through the life of a great artist and true icon, discovering her art and uncovering the truth behind her often-turbulent life.

ROH Live: Rigoletto Sunday 13 March | 2pm In his first work as Director of the Royal Opera House, Oliver Mears brings Verdi’s masterpiece into the modern world. This special anniversary screening of Verdi’s Rigoletto celebrates 171 years since its premiere in 1851.

Leith Theatre: The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde (15+) Saturday 19 March | 7pm Within the century-old walls of the historic Leith Theatre, this gothic tale of double lives and inner demons takes on its own hybrid identity in this unique retelling. Audiences will witness the simultaneous creation and screening of this one-off experience.

Exhibitions Ingrid Pollard: Carbon Slowly Turning 12 March – 29 May The first exhibition to fully explore Guyaneseborn British artist and photographer Ingrid Pollard and her pioneering and experimental practise from the 1980s to the present day. Free entry for Milton Keynes residents every Tuesday.

Ingrid Pollard, Self Evident (detail), 1992, 9 colour light boxes, each 50.8 x 50.8 cm and 8 silver gelatin prints, each 84.1 x 118.8 cm. © and courtesy of the artist

To book tickets, please visit www.mkgallery.org or call on 01908 676 900

Get set for a Alison Wheeler Colossus night out!

Duke Ellington famously said that ‘It don’t mean a thing, if it ain’t got that swing.’ Thankfully, a show coming to The Deco in Northampton at the end of March has plenty of swing, and if you enter Pulse’s competition, you could enjoy it for free!

Aptly titled, The Story of Swing will take the listener on a journey from Bobby Darin to Michael Bublé, and will also include classic material by Rat Pack legends Sinatra, Davis-Jr and Martin, and modern day crooners like Harry Connick Jr.

Established singer Gareth John is your host for the evening, and he won’t be going it alone – he will be accompanied by the 20-piece band Jazz Colossus and a full string section.

Gareth has previously shared the stage with artists as varied as The Specials and the Beautiful South, and he’ll be joined by Alison Wheeler and Gaz Birtles, both formerly with the Beautiful South, at the show too. Alison grew up in Daventry, so The Deco gig is almost a home town show for her.

“Bringing the Story of Swing to a venue as beautiful as The Deco Theatre is quite literally a dream come true for me,” Gareth said, “As a passionate exponent of the genre of swing and big band music, this type of show is something that I’ve wanted to do for many years.

“It has been such a long time in the making and with such a fantastic team involved, I can’t wait to share this experience with you all,” he added.

Florence Pearce, Morgan Perkins Snr and Daryl Kirkland will also perform at the date on Thursday, March 31.

Pulse Magazine has teamed up with organisers to offer one reader a pair of tickets to the event.

Gareth John

WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS

To be in with a chance of winning, simply tell us the collective name that Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis-Jr and Dean Martin went by.

Email your answer to: nnpulse@pulsegroupmedia.co.uk Closing date for entries is Monday, March 21 at 6pm.

The prize does not include travel and there is no cash alternative. The winner will be notified by Thursday, March 24. Good luck!

> Tickets are on sale now, priced at £20. To book your seat click to thedeco.co.uk or call 01604 491005.

Youth Brass 2000 Sunday, March 20, 3pm National Youth Brass Band Champions, Youth Brass 2000 visit The Core in Corby for an afternoon of brand band classics and contemporary music. Brassed off: thecorecorby.com

Waddesdon Manor Wednesday, March 23 Having been ‘put to bed’ during the winter months for important cleaning and conservation work, the rooms are ready for the new season which launches today. The house will then be open WednesdaySunday, 11am-4pm. Advance booking essential. Go inside: Waddesdon.org.uk

Waddesdon Manor opens its doors to visitors once again Forever Flowers: Snowdrops at Waddesdon Wednesday, March 23 - Sunday, March 27, 10am-5pm In partnership with the Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity, the Aviary Gardens at Waddesdon will house a temporary display of 500 handcrafted iron snowdrops, dedicated to the life and memory of loved ones who are no longer with us. Beautiful tribute: Waddesdon.org.uk

Curtis Stigers: Live in Concert Thursday, March 24 – Friday, March 25 The award-winning singer, songwriter and saxophonist makes a welcome return to the Wavendon venue. I Wonder Why: stables.org Screaming Blue Murder Comedy Club Friday, March 25, 8pm The monthly comedy night is back at The Lab in Corby, with smile bringers Andrea Hubert, Jonny Awsum and Matt Green. Sally-Anne Hayward is your compere. Having a laugh: thecorecorby.com

Napalm Death Saturday, March 26, 7pm Legendary extreme metal band Napalm Death make their long-awaited return to Milton Keynes, with support from Corbybased heavies Raging Speedhorn Bring the noise: thecraufurdarms.com

Tograiser! Saturday, March 26, 8pm – 10.45pm A fundraiser to swell the coffers in support of this summer’s Togfest, featuring Togmor themselves, and with support from Fozz. Music and merriment in no small portion. Folk it up: togfest.org

Stamp Fair with MK Philatelic Society Saturday, April 2, 10am-4pm A variety of stamp dealers and a good range of stock will be available at the event, being held at The Methodist Hall in Bletchley’s Queensway. Pop along and meet members of the club, receive advice and guidance on unusual stamps, or sell your unwanted items. First class event: Call 01908 521220 or visit miltonkeynesphilatelicsociety.co.uk

Film Reviews by Jordan Adcock

THE SOUVENIR

FILM OF THE MONTH - Star Rating: 4/5

The Souvenir was a terrific indie drama back in 2019 and Joanna Hogg returns to direct its follow-up. The film picks up with film school student Julie (again played by Honor Swinton Byrne, daughter of Tilda who also appears here) where the first film ended. She struggles to process the sudden death of Anthony, with whom she had a brief but tumultuous relationship, wondering who he really was and what it all meant. It spills into her trying to graduate from film school where she bases her final project film on her relationship but struggles to direct it. Julie’s gentle, very rich parents and their country house provide a refuge for Julie even if their stiff upper lips prevent them providing the emotional support she needs.

Like its predecessor, a film risks being self-obsessed when it’s about the trials of becoming a filmmaker, perhaps even more so in a post-Covid world. Ironically, Part II is so anxious to show self-awareness that it’s a film about filmmaking that it almost becomes its own self-obsession, cutting to shots of flowers and nature to try and ground the drama, i.e., life goes on even if her film doesn’t get made, and it constantly shows the artifice of film productions. But at least these techniques are pleasingly easy to understand rather than oblique or trying to be too clever for their own good. Still, Part II might be harder to love than the first film. It arguably misses Anthony’s aloof presence brooding through each scene and his and Julie’s relationship, though Julie’s ambivalent loneliness is part of the point and excellently acted by Swinton Byrne. ✪

NIGHTMARE ALLEY THE KING’S MAN MALIGNANT

Star Rating: 3.5/5 Star Rating: 2/5 Star Rating: 1.5/5

Director Guillermo del Toro’s love of monsters, so famous in Pan’s Labyrinth and more recently The Shape of Water, is less overt in Nightmare Alley than in his previous films but the story is just as dark. Still the adapting the William Lindsay Gresham novel originally made as a film noir in the 1940s. The admittedly long running time (150 minutes) allows us to discover and explore Bradley Cooper’s mysterious, quietly ambitious protagonist and where his greedy choices take him. Cooper compellingly plays Stan, who latches onto a travelling carnival before coveting and gaining cold reading skills to become a swindler psychic with ever higher rewards and stakes, supported by the all-star cast including Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara and Willem Dafoe and the stylised 1940s aesthetics, both glamorous and gritty. ✪ In yet another case of Hollywood’s determination to franchise everything to death, this prequel to the two Kingsman spy action-comedies is wholly unnecessary and, aside from a couple of standout moments, not exactly robust as its own film. At least you can enjoy Ralph Fiennes’ thespian charm as Orlando, the aristocrat who leads his own clandestine efforts to thwart a shady organisation trying to spark war in Europe, leading to the establishment of the Kingsman secret service. The story’s a weaker variation of the first film’s story with flat character motivations, especially in what’s meant to be the central bond between Orlando and his spirited son. It makes the film veering between tones especially noticeable, following up comedic hijinks duelling Rasputin with brutal fights to the death in No Man’s Land. ✪ If this would-be horror film directed by James Wan is truly malignant, it’s in how frequently hilarious it is… was that even the intention? Unlike last issue’s film of the month House of Gucci, where the mix of the sillier and the more serious might be unavoidable given its subject matter, it’s hard to tell with this one precisely because so much is plain silly here. The story focuses on Madison (Annabelle Wallis), a pregnant woman who experiences visions of other people’s nasty murders before realising the visions are actually occurring, before descending into plotting that’s ridiculous even by this genre’s standards (the big reveal is laughably implausible), allied with downright slapstick gory violence that’s nearly impossible to ever take seriously. ✪

MOONFALL

Star Rating: 1.5/5

Filmmaker Roland Emmerich, 25 years after directing the enormous disaster-action hit Independence Day (and 5 years after making its pitiful sequel), is apparently only capable of making a much lesser version of the same formula with some Gravityesque space peril thrown in. It turns out that the Moon’s a hollow megastructure hurtling towards Earth and it somehow gets more mind-numbing from there. Only John Bradley’s excitable performance livens up a very dull quest to save Earth with vague, generic sci-fi designs and set-pieces (not to mention the needless Earth-set subplot) but no characters to speak of. The film features so much obligatory CGI carnage and yet Donald Sutherland, spouting exposition in a wheelchair for roughly a minute, is the most compelling thing in the film. ✪