WOW What's On Where March 2010

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The essential guide to what’s on in the Midlands Dara O Briain - page 22

2

UP FRONT – latest news from our region.

4

THEATRE – We look at a few productions coming the stage this March.

Lady Gaga - page 16

9

MOVIES – Previews of releases for this month

12

THEATRE FOR KIDS – Family shows for march

14

MUSIC – Gigs in the region.

20 WIN WITH WOW – Competitions and reader offers 22 COMEDY – Fnagh Fnagh 25 ARTS – Creative stuff

Subaru Forester - page 53

26 DAYS OUT – Take a break 28 DANCE - Shake it baby! 30 INTERVIEW - WOW talks to Lesley Joseph. 32 FASHION – It’s in the bag this month. 34 Shopping - Mother’s Day gift ideas. 36 HAIR & BEAUTY – You got the looks.

Sport Relief - page 3

39 EATING OUT - WOW’s guide to where to eat. 41

PUB OF THE MONTH WOW’s pick of the pubs!

42 WOW KIDS –Easter Bling! 44 EDUCATION – Speaks for itself WOW What’s On Where is published by WOW Publishing Limited, 50 St Mary’s Road, Market Harborough, Leicestershire LE16 7DU. TEL: 01858 439999. FAx: 01858 469008. EMAIL: sales@wowwhatsonwhere.co.uk. WEBSITE: www.wowwhatsonwhere.co.uk

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Tracy Webber. FEATURE WRITERS: Leon Gray, Derek Hammond, Tim Barnes-Clay Elaine Lavender, Jaz Cox. CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Reg Cox. DESIGNERS: Tracey Flaxmer, Paul Condie. SALES DIRECTOR: Paul Calcott.

48 INTERVIEW - WOW talks to England Golfing star

SALES MANAGER: Roger Holcombe.

60 SPORT - WOW looks at

© WOW Publishing Ltd 2009/10.

PICTURE CREDITS: Cover; istockphoto. pp59; Andrew carpenter.

James Webber. 50 EVENTS – Things to do in March 53 MOTORING – WOW test the Subaru Forester. sporting events and tries out a Golf Course 62 CLASSIFIEDS – Big ones & small ones.

This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form in whole or in part without the permission of the publishers. Liability: while every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine, the publishers cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of information herein, or any consequence arising from it.

48 LADIES THAT DO... – Tracy and Elaine look at old stuff!

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D? 5A>=C WOW TAKES A LOOK AT WHAT’S GOING ON

robert smyth Jazz Band and soul patrol $IJOB 'VOESBJTJOH $PODFSU MBUFTUT OFXT Thursday nd april Having recently chosen to represent the UK at the International Society for Music Education 29th World Conference in Beijing in August, the Robert Smyth Jazz Band and Soul Patrol are holding a fundraising concert on Thursday 22nd April at the Robert Smyth School to raise part of the £55,000 needed for the trip. Tickets are on sale now and are selling fast at £10

adults and £5 Students. Entry price includes a raffle ticket and local businesses have been very generous with donations. There are some great prizes on offer. A Spring Coffee Morning on is being held on Saturday March 27th. It will be running from 10.00am - 12.00pm at St Nicholas Church Hall, Little Bowden and will include a tombola stall and a cake stall. Relaxing music performed by

Robert Smyth pupils during the morning will be a unique feature of the event. There is an Auction planned and many other events which mntioned in WOW There will also be a chance to see the bands perform at the school’s Spring Concert on Thursday 18th March. The bands are available for hire at events and functions and have a CD for sale for £10.99 through the school website.

Robert Smyth Jazz Band and Soul Patrol have an impressive list of awards to their name including: • Winners of the Rotary Young Musician 2006, 2007, 2009. • Silver Award at the National Concert Band Festival 2007 and 2009. • Music for Youth National Festival 2006, 2007, 2008. • Headliners at the Specialist Schools Trust National Conference 2009 • Rotary International Convention 2009

To watch the band in action, link to the school website at http://www.robertsmyth. leics.sch.uk/?p=5221

CD’s available at £10.99

Performing at the Specialist Schools’ and Academies’ Trust National Conference at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham in November 2009 for Headteachers from all over the UK Gala Dinner.

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Tickets available from Robert Smyth School ( 01858 440 770) ABC Music ( 01858 463 144) To find out more or to help with fund raising you can email office@robertsmyth.leics.sch.uk or check out the school weblink http://www.robertsmyth.leics. sch.uk/?p=1466

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Sport Relief is back... BOE JUoT HPJOH UP CF UIF CJHHFTU ZFU FRI 19 - SUN 21 MARCH As one of the UK’s biggest charity fundraising events, Sport Relief brings people together to get active, raise money and change lives. The Sport Relief Weekend is taking place from Friday 19 March to Sunday 21 March 2010 and it’ll be three whole days of energy, entertainment and events for everyone to enjoy, so come on and get involved. Taking place on 21st March 2010, the Sport Relief Mile will again be at the heart of the campaign, with hundreds of thousands of people from all over the UK participating to raise cash and help change lives The events themselves are all about giving people the chance to rise to the challenge for Sport Relief, to raise money and most importantly, to have fun. There’s something for everyone on the big day. You’ll even get to choose your distance - 1, 3 or 6 miles – whichever is a challenge for you. That means, from teeny-tots with their mums and dads, to super sprinters up against the clock. Best of all, the money you raise for Sport Relief by getting sponsored to go the distance will help to transform lives forever. Once again Northamptonshire is fully behind the campaign with seven Sport Relief Miles taking place in all seven districts. So, what are you waiting for? Enter your local Sport Relief Mile now!

Go to www.sportrelief.com or call 0300 123 5070

B?>AC A4;845 <8;4B Here’s a list of some of the Sport Relief Events taking place around the Midlands. NORTHAMPTONSHIRE • Corby – Rockingham Triangle • Daventry – Eastern Way • Kettering – The Market Place • East Northants – Stanwick Lakes • Northampton – The Market Square • South Northants – Brackley Leisure Centre • Wellingborough – Redwell Leisure Centre LEICESTERSHIRE • Leicester – Braunstone Grove, • Oadby – Leicester Racecourse • Loughborough – The Loughborough University • Loughborough – East Leake Leisure Centre • Ibstock –The Sence Valley Forest Park • Melton Mowbray – Burton Road • Hinckley – Leicester Road • Market Harborough Sainsburys, Springfield Street. • Nuneaton – Pingles Leisure Park OTHERS • Nottingham – Victoria Embankment. • Birmingham – Cannon Hill Park • Warwick – St Nicholas Park, • Coventry – The University of Warwick • Southam – Welsh Road West • Stratford Upon Avon – Swans Nest Lane • Solihull – Blossomfield Road, • Rugby – Barby Road • Nuneaton – Pingles Leisure Park

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C740CA4 WOW TAKES A LOOK AT SOME OF THE LATEST THEATRICAL HIGHLIGHTS

enjoy

ENJoY Is at the Theatre Royal Nottingham, Royal Centre Nottingham, NG1 5ND. From 15 – 20 March. Tel: 0115 989 5537 www.royalcentre-nottingham. co.uk

" $PNFEZ CZ "MBO #FOOFUU MON 15 – Sat 20 March In February 2009, Enjoy opened to the biggest advance of any of Alan Bennett’s plays in the West End. Now this extraordinary comedy embarks on a national tour with the original West End cast. Enjoy will come to the Theatre Royal, Nottingham from Monday 15 – Saturday 20 March Alan Bennett is without question one of Britain’s most loved and brilliant playwrights. Enjoy is a rarely-performed gem by one of theatre’s greatest observers of the English way of life. Written in 1980, Alan Bennett set this dark comedy in his home town of Leeds where an ageing couple are living in the city’s last back-to-back. With

the demolition of the area in progress, Wilf (David Troughton) and Connie (Alison Steadman) are soon to be re-housed in a brand new maisonette with a waste disposal unit and non-slip vinyl flooring! When a sociologist comes to observe them in their daily life, normality takes a decidedly atypical turn… Everyone in the play isn’t what they first appear to be and that makes the whole experience thrilling and completely unpredictable. The whole production is laced with memorable Bennett one liners and numerous ‘laugh out loud’ moments. But like all classic Bennett, one minute you’re laughing and the next you’re gasping in shock.

the World Goes round " XPSME PG NVTJD Wed 31 Mar – Sat 3 april The Castle are delighted that this Spring, Artistic Director Nik Ashton will be directing a full professional cast in a fantastic musical revue – The World Goes Round. Enjoy the hits of Kander and Ebb from Wed 31 Mar – Sat 3 Apr. The World Goes Round is the first in a series of events to celebrate The Castle’s 15th Birthday. A cast of

WOW March 2010

some of the country’s top musical theatre talent will come together to present the fantastic talents of the brilliant songwriting team of Kander and Ebb. They are most known for their musicals, Chicago & Cabaret and, of course, one of the world’s greatest songs, New York New York. Favourites made famous by Liza Minelli, Frank Sinatra,

and Barbara Streisand all feature in this often witty, yet often emotional, musical rollercoaster. Expect to hear all your favourites from this musical team, including All That Jazz, Cabaret, Mr Cellophane, Kiss of The Spiderwoman and, of course, New York New York. This promises to be a stunning evening of electric

entertainment. Come and celebrate The Castle’s birthday in style. ThE WoRLD GoES RouND! runs Wed 31 Mar – Sat 3 Apr. Tickets £15 (£13) Wed – Thu and Sat, and £17 (£15) for the Gla performance on Fri 2 Apr. Members of The Birthday Party can get 15% off. Call the Box office on 01933 270 007 or go online at www.thecastle.org.uk

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My Zinc Bed 3 %oT "EEJDUFE UP :PV TFBTPO DPOUJOVFT Until SatUrday 13 March In My Zinc Bed a love triangle is bonded and warped by alcohol and obsessive desire. Over one long summer, Paul, a recovering alcoholic and young poet, is drawn into the orbit of billionaire internet businessman, Victor and his beautiful wife Elsa, who has her own dark past. With wit, passion and intensity, they fight to hold their lives together in the face of growing temptation. This is an intimate portrait of three people addicted to alcohol, their work and each other, which examines the meaning of friendship, faith and obsession. Playing the part of businessman Victor Quinn is Robert Gwilym, perhaps best known as Dr Max in BBC

TV’s Casualty. Jamie Parker, an exciting young actor most recently seen in the film Valkyrie alongside Tom Cruise, takes the role of the poet Paul Peplow. Jamie was also in the film version of Alan Bennett’s The History Boys as well as featuring in the cast of the original stage play of that name, both at the National Theatre and on Broadway. From the West End production of Desperately Seeking Susan, Leanne Best completes the line up as Elsa Quinn My Zinc Bed is at the Royal & Derngate until Saturday 13 March. For tickets call the box office on on 01604 624811 or online at www. royalandderngate.co.uk.

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You’re invited to Broadway 8JUI ,FUUFSJOH 0QFSBUJD 4PDJFUZ Wed 31 Mar – Sat 3 april You may only have just put your dance shoes away after the last series of ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ but you’ll want to get them out again, once you’ve been dazzled by Kettering Operatic Society’s production of ‘42nd Street’ coming soon to Lighthouse Theatre Kettering. As well as a line of qualified tap dancers, the appointment of a professional choreographer, director and orchestra will ensure it’s a big hit. The story is set in 1933, when a young Peggy Sawyer embarks on a whirlwind romance with Broadway in New York. After missing her first audition, she somehow manages to gain a place in the chorus. But then

opportunity knocks when the leading lady breaks her leg. In just 36 hours, Peggy learns 25 pages, six songs and ten dance numbers and becomes an overnight star. Come along and join Peggy on her journey. You’ll be blown away by the sensational songs including ‘Lullaby of Broadway’, ‘We’re in the Money’ and, of course, the show’s namesake ‘42nd Street’. And guaranteed to come out of the theatre smiling. 42ND STrEET’. Tuesday 11 May - Saturday 15 May. Evening performances start at 7.30 pm with a matinee on Saturday at 2.30 pm. Call the booking office on 01536 414141

the Beautiful Game )PX 4UFFQMF 4JOEFSCZ 8BOEFSFST XPO UIF ' B $VQ Wed 31 Mar – Sat 3 april The inhabitants of Steeple Sinderby, a small and insignificant village somewhere in the East Midlands, have gathered together in the Methodist Memorial Hall to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of their momentous achievement. With the help of Old Gidner and a little hindrance from the formidable Miss Billison, they re-live ‘that golden glory year’. They bring to life a lost world, before money and television ruled the beautiful game, and a community of memorable characters, whose personal stories unfold as the village team grows in strength, skill and conviction: Chairman Arthur Fangfoss (‘born with

WOW March 2010

his mind made up’) and his two wives (‘one legal - for show, the other illegal - for pleasure) Ginchy Trigger, the local cub reporter with a taste for purple prose, Sid Swift, the shooting star, Maisie Twemlow and her gang of teenage tearaways, the rev, Giles Montagu M.A. and his unstoppable sister Biddy, and of course the remarkable Dr. Kossuth, exiled from Hungary in 1956, who with his unconventional theories transforms the village school and the Wanderers. This is the ultimate feelgood fairytale for our troubled times. BOX OFFICE: 01604 719365 tickets@masquetheatre.co.uk

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hot Flush! .FFU UIF NFNCFST PG UIF )PU 'MVTI $MVC Tuesday 16 March Hot Flush! is the outrageous new musical, and ultimate girls’ night out! Meet Myra, Sylvia, Helen and Jessica in this hilarious musical. Share in the friendships, the secrets, the tears, the laughs and ups and downs of four ordinary women - and one man - living extraordinary lives. Lesley Joseph (Dorien Green from Birds of a Feather, Night and Day and numerous West End and touring productions) plays the role of Myra. A successful barrister, specialising in divorce, Myra had always considered herself a together sort of person. That is, until she began to develop the symptoms of you know what…and her rat of a husband left her for a big

blonde bimbo from his office! Sylvia, played by Hilary O’Neil, has been married to Joe since she was twenty…and has been bored with him since she was 21! She’s now decided that life is for living and she’s making up for lost time. Anne Smith plays Helen, a widow, whose only daughter has left for university. Feeling a bit lonely, Helen tries to take one day at a time. Ruth Keeling plays Jessica whose husband has worked hard and made lots of money and they both enjoy the finer things in life. Her life seemed perfect until her mid-life crisis began but she’s coping with the help of her friends and the vicar. The hilarious Matt Slack plays an array of characters and all of the men in their lives!

This is the perfect time to friends to forget the credit crunch blues and get together for a hilarious and outstanding evening of entertainment at the theatre. Packed with fabulous new songs, Hot Flush! is more fun than joining a gym, cheaper than botox and might even leave you feeling 34½ again!

hope, despair, vodka… B OFX MPPL BU $IFLIPWoT 5ISFF 4JTUFST Tues 16 - saT 20 March Exhilarating theatre company Filter, together with the Lyric Hammersmith’s Artistic Director Sean Holmes, take on Anton Chekhov’s Three Sisters in a fresh production for 2010, which comes to Northampton’s Royal & Derngate from Tuesday 16 to Saturday 20 March. Frustrated by their smalltown existence, the Prozorov family long to return to Moscow. But as relationships, duty and misguided optimism take hold, the family find their dreams drifting further away. Fusing imaginative staging, evocative physicality and Filter’s trademark use of sound, this brand new production distils Chekov’s classic, stripping the text bare and delving beneath the surface

HOT FLuSH! runs at The Castle on Tue 16 Mar, 7.30pm. Tickets, which start at only £20 can be booked on 01933 270 007 or online at www.thecastle.org. uk. Group discounts available! Plus members of The Castle’s Birthday Party can get 15% off their tickets

chekhOv’s Three sisTers takes to the Royal stage from Tuesday 16 to Saturday 20 March. Tickets – priced from £25.50 to £9.50 – can be booked by calling the Box Office on 01604 624811 or online at www.royalandderngate.co.uk.

to explore one family’s search for elusive happiness. The ensemble cast of 14 includes as Masha actress Romola Garai, who was most recently seen as Emma in the BBC’s adaptation of the Jane Austen classic of that name, as well as appearing in the films Glorious 39 and Atonement and the

RSC productions of King Lear and The Seagull. She is reunited here with Poppy Miller who played Emma’s sister in the BBC series and takes a sisterly role again as Olga. The combination of Filter’s exuberance and Holmes’ precision have proved a winning formula in the past with both

Twelfth Night (RSC/uK Tour/Tricycle) and their ground-breaking version of Brecht’s Caucasian Chalk Circle (National Theatre) receiving great critical acclaim. Sean Holmes says: “This is my third collaboration with Filter and I am really excited about the prospect of tackling another classic text with them.”

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adolf Hitler: My part Shakespeare for the in his Downfall digital age 4QJLF .JMMJHBOoT IJMBSJPVT NFNPSJFT CSPVHIU UP MJGF

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MOn 29 Mar – Sat 3 april A man called Chamberlain who did Prime Minister impressions spoke on the wireless; he said, “As from eleven o’clock we are at war with Germany�. (I loved the “we�). “War?� said Mother. “It must be something we said,� said Father... Spike Milligan’s celebrated war memoirs are brought to anarchic life in critically acclaimed production co-written and directed by Tim Carroll. Taking to the Royal stage from Monday 29 March to Saturday 3 April, Spike Milligan’s Adolf Hitler: My Part in his Downfall is a gloriously absurd and exuberant hit comedy which has had both audiences and critics in stitches. This epic Everyman’s odyssey through World War Two, with a cast of extraordinary characters, charts Gunner Milligan’s progress from joining the Royal Artillery through the North African and Italian campaigns. High comedy and tragedy collide, as we follow

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him and his ad hoc jazz quartet – complete with their famed comedy routines – adrift on the tide of great historic events. Using Milligan’s own words, the story is told through a joyous fusion of comedy, jazz, song and dance – showing how humour, music and comradeship enabled a hapless and disparate bunch of young men to prevail against the might of the Nazi War Machine. Featuring an extraordinary cast of actor/musicians, Tim Carroll fulfils a lifelong ambition to bring Milligan’s madcap and poignant experiences to life. The cast includes Matt Devereaux, William Findley, Dominic Gerrard, Sholto Morgan and David Morley Hale. Spike Milligan’S aDOlf Hitler: My part in HiS DOWnfall is at the Royal & Derngate Monday 29 March to Saturday 3 April. For tickets call the box office on on 01604 624811 or online at www. royalandderngate.co.uk.

MOn 29 Mar – Sat 3 april ODEON Kettering is pleased to continue a season of Opera, Ballet and Drama cinema screenings, presented in conjunction with Opus Arte, one of the world’s leading providers of high-quality cultural content. The season includes productions from some of the world’s finest companies – The Royal Opera, The Royal Ballet, the Glyndebourne Festival, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and the National Theatre. The current season of shows includes: LOvE’S LABOUR’S LOST 12/04/10 - From Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre THE HABIT OF ART by Alan Bennet 22/04/10 - From the National Theatre – LIvE L’ELISIR D’AMORE 26/04/10 - From the 2009 Glyndebourne Festival THE TSARINA’S SLIPPERS 24/05/10 - From The Royal Opera and The Royal Ballet AS YOU LIKE IT 14/06/10 - From Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and is now booking up to

June 2010. Simon Hopkins, Marketing, said “After a very successful trial run of shows in 2009, including Carmen and La Traviata, we are delighted to continue with a great programme of worldclass opera and ballet content for the area. It’s often difficult and expensive to attend these performances in person and a major benefit of digitally upgrading our screens is the new capacity to bring these shows to our screens. In particular, it’s fantastic to receive live broadcasts from the National Theatre so you’ll be seeing the drama as it happens on stage in London. We look forward to welcoming ‘culture’ fans from around the county and beyond to these special high-definition screenings.�.

For further information or ticket booking, visit ODEON’s website odeon.co.uk, ring the ODEON Plus Culture booking and information line on 0871 224 1891 or head to the Box Office to pick up a season brochure

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<>E84B WOW’S JAZ COX LOOKS AT SOME OF THE NEWEST CINEMA RELEASES

green Zone

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Release date: MaRCh 12 Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum, United 93) re-team for the electrifying thriller Green Zone. In the film, Damon stars as Chief Warrant Officer Roy Miller, a rogue U.S. Army officer

Released FRiday 5th

who must hunt through covert and faulty intelligence hidden on foreign soil before war escalates in an unstable region. Set in the chaotic early days of the Iraqi War when no one could be trusted and every decision could detonate unforeseen consequences. During the U.S.-led occupation of Baghdad in 2003, Chief Warrant Officer Roy Miller and his team of Army inspectors were dispatched to find weapons of mass destruction, believed to be stockpiled somewhere in the Iraqi desert. Shooting from one treacherous site to the next, the men search for deadly chemical agents but instead come accross an elaborate cover-up that inverts the purpose of their mission. Spun by operatives with intersecting agendas, Miller must hunt through covert and faulty intelligence hidden on foreign soil for answers that will either clear a rogue regime or escalate a war. And at this blistering time and in this combusti-

ble place, he will find the most elusive weapon of all is the truth.

ChlOe More suspicious than ever that her husband is having an affair, Catherine seeks out Chloe, an escort, hiring her to test david’s fidelity. Meeting regularly, Catherine absorbs the explicit details Chloe shares of her encounters with david, igniting Catherine’s jealousy and awakening longdormant sensations. soon caught in a web of sexual desire, Catherine finds herself on a journey that places her family in great danger—is it too late to stop Chloe? legiOn in the supernatural action thriller legion, an out-ofthe-way diner becomes the unlikely battleground for the survival of the human race. When god loses faith in Mankind, he sends his legion of angels to bring on the apocalypse. humanity’s only hope lies in a group of strangers trapped in a desert diner and the archangel Michael (Paul Bettany).

CeRtiFiCate: TBC genRe: Action Thriller diReCtOR: Paul Greengrass Cast: Matt Damon, Greg Kinnear, Amy Ryan, Brendan Gleeson, Jason Isaacs, Khalid Abdalla RUnning tiMe: TBC

MOtheRhOOd From writer/director Katherine dieckmann, the acclaimed filmmaker of diggeRs and a gOOd BaBy, comes MOtheRhOOd, starring Uma thurman, anthony edwards and Minnie driver. shot entirely on

WOW March 2010

.07*&4 location in new York’s West Village, this bittersweet comedy distills the dilemmas of the maternal state (marriage, work, self, and not necessarily in that order) into the trials and tribulations of one pivotal day. MOTHERHOOD forms a genre of one – no other movie has dedicated itself in quite this way to probing exactly what it takes to be a mother, with both wry humor and an acute sense of authenticity. --------------------------------RElEAsED FRIDAY 19TH MY FIVE lAsT GIRlFRIEnDs Devastated when his latest relationship hits the rocks, Duncan Anderson (Brendan Patricks) is on the brink of giving it all up. In a final attempt to find out where it all went wrong (and right) Duncan audits his last five girlfriends and the journey he takes is poignant, funny and at times, deeply bizarre. OlD DOGs Two best friends — one unlucky-in-love divorcee (ROBIn WIllIAMs) and the other a fun-loving bachelor (JOHn TRAVOlTA) — have their lives turned upside down when they’re unexpectedly charged with the care of six-year-old twins while on the verge of the biggest business deal of their lives. The not-so-kidsavvy bachelors stumble in their efforts to take care of the twins (newcomers EllA BlEu TRAVOlTA and COnnER RAYBuRn), leading to one debacle after another, and perhaps to a new-found understanding of what’s really important in life. sEAsOn OF THE WITCH His faith broken by years of battle as a crusader,

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WOW March 2010

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo 5SJMPHZ USBOTGFST UP UIF CJH TDSFFO RElEAsE DATE: MARCH 12TH Adapted from the first part of Stieg Larsson’s “Millenium Series” involving the publisher of a magazine hired by the CEO of a company to solve the mysterious disappearance of his 16-year-old niece forty years earlier with the help of a young computer hacker who had been suffering from sexual abuse by her guardian. Forty years ago, Harriet Vanger disappeared from a family gathering on the island owned and inhabited by the powerful Vanger clan. Her body was never found, yet her uncle is convinced it was murder and that the killer is a member of his

own tightly knit but dysfunctional family. He employs disgraced financial journalist Mikael Blomkvist and the tattooed, ruthless computer hacker Lisbeth Salander to investigate. When the pair link Harriet’s disappearance to a number of grotesque murders from almost forty years ago, they begin to unravel a dark and appalling family history. But the Vanger’s are a secretive clan, and Blomkvist and Salander are about to find out just how far they are prepared to go to protect themselves. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is based on the trilogy of books by Stieg Larsson and has sold over 7 million copies worldwide.

Tragically, Larsson did not live to see the phenomenon his work has become as he died suddenly in 2004 soon after delivering the manuscripts to his Swedish publisher CERTIFICATE: TBC GEnRE: Crime, Thriller DIRECTOR: Niels Arden Oplev CAsT: Michael Nyqvis, Noomi Rapace, RunnInG TIME: 2 h 32 m

Clash of the Titans -BWJTI SFNBLF PG )BSSZIBVTFO DMBTTJD RElEAsE DATE: MARCH 26TH A remake of the 1981 mythical adventure film about the myth of Perseus. To win the right to marry his love (Andromeda) and fulfill his destiny, Perseus must complete various quests. The special effects creatures in the 1981 film (created by stop-motion FX master Ray Harryhausen) are of a completely different standard to the stunning CGI of today. In “Clash of the Titans,” the ultimate struggle for power pits men against kings and kings against gods. But the war between the gods themselves could destroy the world. Born of a god but raised as a man, Perseus (Sam Worthington) is helpless to save his family from Hades (Ralph Fiennes), vengeful god of the underworld. With

nothing left to lose, Perseus volunteers to lead a dangerous mission to defeat Hades before he can seize power from Zeus (Liam Neeson) and unleash hell on earth. Leading a daring band of warriors, Perseus sets off on a perilous journey deep into forbidden worlds. Battling unholy demons and fearsome beasts, capturing a winged horse and taking on the merciless Medusa he will only sur-

Liam Neeson as Zeus

vive if he can accept his power as a god, defy his fate and create his own destinY.

CERTIFICATE: TBC GEnRE: Action, Adventure DIRECTOR: Louis Leterrier CAsT: Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Danny Huston, Gemma Arterton, Mads Mikkelsen, Jason Flemyng., RunnInG TIME: TBC

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Colin Firth gives the performance of a lifetime in this BAFTA award-winning film. Directed by Tom Ford and adapted from a Christopher Isherwood novella, the film is a finely nuanced tale set in California in the 1960s. Firth

Phoenix Square: Film and digital media midland Street leiceSter le1 1tg Box oFFice: 0116 242 2800 general enquirieS: 0116 242 2803 march Film liStingS here are our Full liStingS For FilmS Programmed thiS march, all Scheduled timeS are included. all inFormation correct at time oF Print. Fri 5 S1 alice in Wonderland (3d) 12Pm, 6.15Pm S1 the laSt Station 3Pm S1 F 10.30Pm

Sat 6 S1 alice in Wonderland (3d) 12Pm, 3Pm, 6Pm, 9Pm S2 the laSt Station 1Pm, 4Pm, 6.45Pm, 9.30Pm S3 love in the aFternoon 2Pm, 4.15Pm Sun 7 S1 alice in Wonderland (3d) 11am, 4Pm, 7.30Pm S2 the laSt Station 5Pm, 8Pm S2 Flying SikhS 3Pm S3 love in the aFternoon 2Pm, 4.30Pm

S2 oil city conFidential 6.15Pm S2 the laSt Station 3.30Pm, 8.45Pm S3 Pauline at the Beach 2Pm, 4.30Pm, 7.15Pm thu 11 S1 alice in Wonderland (3d) 4Pm, 7.30Pm S2 oil city conFidential 3Pm S2 the laSt Station 1Pm S3 Pauline at the Beach 1.30Pm, 4.30Pm, 7.45Pm Fri 12 S1 girl With the dragon tattoo 12.30Pm, 4Pm, 11Pm S2 alice in Wonderland (3d) 2Pm, 6.30Pm S1 SPartacuS 7Pm S3 claire’S knee 1.30Pm, 4.30Pm, 7.30Pm Sat 13 S1 girl With the dragon tattoo 12.30Pm, 4Pm, 7.30Pm S2 alice in Wonderland (3d) 2Pm, 6.30Pm S3 claire’S knee 1.30Pm, 4.30Pm, 7Pm Sun 14 S1 girl With the dragon tattoo 11am, 4Pm, 8Pm S2 railWayS rememBered 2.30Pm S2 alice in Wonderland (3d) 5Pm, 7.30Pm S3 claire’S knee 1.30Pm, 4Pm, 6.30Pm

mon 8 S1 alice in Wonderland (3d) 1Pm, 4Pm, 7.30Pm S2 the laSt Station 12Pm, 3Pm, 6Pm, 8.45Pm S3 love in the aFternoon 2Pm, 4.30Pm, 7Pm

mon 15 S1 girl With the dragon tattoo 1Pm, 8Pm S2 alice in Wonderland (3d) 2Pm, 6.30Pm S3 red daWn 4Pm, 7Pm

tue 9 S1 alice in Wonderland (3d) 4Pm, 7.30Pm S2 oil city conFidential 3.30Pm, 8.45Pm S2 the laSt Station 6Pm S3 Pauline at the Beach 2Pm, 4.30Pm, 7.15Pm

tue 16 S1 girl With the dragon tattoo 3.30Pm, 7Pm S2 alice in Wonderland (3d) 2Pm, 6.30Pm S3 red daWn 4Pm, 7.30Pm

Wed 10 S1 alice in Wonderland (3d) 4Pm, 7.30Pm

plays English professor George who, after the sudden death of his partner, tries to go about his typical day in Los Angeles whilst contemplating whether it should be his last. A film that is as powerful and as stylish in tone as it is in substance, this thu 18 S1 girl With the dragon tattoo 3.30Pm, 7.15Pm S2 alice in Wonderland (3d) 2Pm, 8Pm

Fri 19 S1 Father oF my children 12.30Pm, 6.30Pm S1 caPitaliSm: a love Story 3.30Pm, 9Pm S2 girl With the dragon tattoo 12Pm, 3.15Pm, 7Pm S2 reeFer madneSS 10.15Pm Sat 20 S1 Father oF my children 3Pm, 9Pm S1 caPitaliSm: a love Story 12Pm, 6Pm S2 girl With the dragon tattoo 1Pm, 4.30Pm, 8Pm Sun 21 S1 Father oF my children 2.30Pm, 8Pm S1 caPitaliSm: a love Story 11am, 5Pm S2 Bygone leiceSter 2.30Pm S2 girl With the dragon tattoo 7Pm mon 22 S1 Father oF my children 1Pm, 6.15Pm S1 caPitaliSm: a love Story 3.30Pm, 8.45Pm S2 girl With the dragon tattoo 12.30Pm, 4Pm, 7.30Pm tue 23 S1 Father oF my children 3.30Pm, 8.45Pm S1 caPitaliSm 6Pm S2 girl With the dragon tattoo 4Pm, 7.15Pm Wed 24 S1 Father oF my children 6.15Pm S1 caPitaliSm: a love Story 3.30Pm, 8.45Pm S2 girl With the dragon tattoo 4Pm, 7.30Pm

will surely be a contender for one of the most impressive films of 2010. Forum CInEmA, Weston Favell Centre, northampton 01604 837 007

Behmen returns to central Europe to find his homeland decimated by the Black Plague. While searching for food and supplies at the Palace at Marburg, Behmen and his trusted companion Felson (Ron Perlman) are apprehended and ordered by the dying Cardinal to deliver a young peasant girl ÂŹbelieved to be the witch responsible for the Plague to a remote abbey where her powers can be destroyed. Behmen agrees to the assignment but only if the peasant girl is granted a fair trial. As he and five others set off on this dangerous journey, they realize with mounting dread that the cunning girl is no ordinary human, and that their mission will pit them against an evil that even in these dark times they never could have imagined.

S1 caPitaliSm: a love Story 6Pm S2 girl With the dragon tattoo 2.15Pm, 5.30Pm S1 he’S not the meSSiah 8.45Pm Fri 26 S1 green Zone 12Pm, 6Pm S1 craZy heart 3Pm, 9Pm S2 Black narciSSuS 1Pm, 6.15Pm S2 micmacS 3.30Pm, 8.45Pm S2 tony 11.15Pm Sat 27 S1 green Zone 3Pm, 8.30Pm S1 craZy heart 12Pm, 6Pm S2 Black narciSSuS 3.30Pm, 9Pm S2 micmacS 12.30Pm, 6.30Pm

Sun 28 S1 green Zone 11am, 5.45Pm S1 craZy heart 3Pm, 8.30Pm S2 Black narciSSuS 12.30Pm, 6.30Pm S2 micmacS 3.30Pm, 9Pm mon 29 S1 green Zone 3Pm, 8.45Pm S1 craZy heart 12Pm, 6Pm S2 micmacS 4.30Pm S2 ai: artiFicial intelligence 7Pm S3 angel Face 1Pm, 5Pm, 7Pm tue 30 S1 green Zone 6Pm S1 craZy heart 3Pm, 8.30Pm S2 micmacS 4.30Pm, 8.45Pm S2 Breaking the code 7Pm S3 angel Face 1Pm, 5Pm, 7.30Pm Wed 31 S1 green Zone 3Pm, 8.45Pm S1 craZy heart 6Pm S2 micmacS 4.30Pm, 9.15Pm S2 moon 7Pm thu 1 aPril S1 green Zone 6.15Pm S1 craZy heart 3Pm, 8.45Pm S2 micmacS 4.30Pm, 7Pm, 9.15Pm

thu 25 S1 Father oF my children 3.30Pm

Wed 17 S1 girl With the dragon tattoo 3.30Pm, 7.15Pm S2 alice in Wonderland (3d) 4Pm, 7Pm

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WOW TAKES A CLOSER LOOK AT FAMILY SHOWS

Postman Pat

4FF 1BU BOE IJT MPZBM QFU +FTT BT UIFZ FNCBSL PO n" WFSZ SPZBM NJTTJPOo WED 31 MAR - THUR 1 APRIL A pre-school favourite amongst children and parents alike, Postman Pat® and his trusty sidekick Jess the Cat® have captivated audiences around the globe for almost 30 years. Pat is now the newly promoted Head of the Special Delivery Service. In Pencaster, everyone has received a letter from the Palace, delivered by Pat and his faithful cat Jess, of course. A very important person is coming to open the brand new SDS Sorting Office and they only have a short time to get themselves, and

Pencaster, prepared for a very royal visit. Mrs Goggins, Ted Glen and Ben Taylor are helping with the preparations, while PC Selby finally has something important to do! What could possibly go wrong?... But look out! Just as everything is prepared a storm hits Pencaster throwing the royal visit into doubt. Only one man can be counted on – the Head of the SDS, Postman Pat!...with a little help from his trusty sidekick Jess the Cat and his brand new SDS Helicopter! Join Pat and his friends in 90

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minutes of fun, participation and special surprises - a brilliant introduction to live theatre for children and suitable for all the family.

The Dragon’s Daughter 5IF QFSGFDU JOUSPEVDUJPO UP UIFBUSF sATURDAY 6 MARCH The Dragon’s Daughter. It’s the perfect introduction to theatre and there are two chances to enjoy when it comes to Wellingborough on Sat 6 Mar at 11am and 2pm. This is a brand new musical play for children, adapted for the stage by Bill Davies, with music and lyrics by Frank Goodhind, following their success with the beautiful Giraffes Can’t Dance. Once upon a time, in a

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faraway land, stood a tiny village nestled in the shadow of a great mountain. Perched at the top of the mountain, lived a firebreathing dragon. In the village below, a little boy called Hans spent his days imagining the most fantastic adventures. Hans would pretend to fight scary monsters and slay fairytale dragons. But one starry night, a ball of light fell from the sky, crashing to the ground with a silent thud. And there, shivering

in the darkness, was a real-life baby dragon. Now began the adventure of a lifetime; no more pretending! Could Hans return his new friend to her mother before it was too late, or would Dotty, the tiny dragon perish in the darkness? THE DRAgOn’s DAUgHTER Tickets can be purchased by calling the Box Office on 01933 270 007 or online at www. thecastle.org.uk.

POsTMAn PAT De Montfort Hall, Leicester LE1 7RU. Box office: 0116 233 3111 www.demontforthall.co.uk Visit www.postmanpatlive.com for more details!

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WOW March 2010

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WOW MUSIC - SPONSORED BY OYSTERHOUSE MEDIA

F70C{B >= If you only go to 30 gigs this month… with DJ Fontana

Hold your horses &MMB &ENPOETPOoT BU 5IF $BTUMF

##$ #JH #BOEoT %VLF &MMJOHUPO

Tue 2 AFRICAN SOUL REBELS De Montfort Hall Leicester LOS CAMPESINOS! Roadmender Northampton HEAVEN 17 The Assembly Leamington Spa Thu 4 LAU Octagonal Theatre Market Harborough JERRY DAMMERS SPATIAL AKA ORCHESTRA Warwick Arts Centre Coventry THE BEAT + PAULINE BLACK (OF THE SELECTER) Assembly Leamington KATE WALSH The Stables MK LYNYRD SKYNYRD + GUN LG Arena Birmingham Fri 5 PIRANHA BROTHERS The Castle Wellingborough JETHRO TULL Royal & Derngate Northampton STEREOPHONICS Trent FM

PROMOTE

Your Venue, Band, Bar, Club etc.

With a THUMBNAIL AD (like this!) in our listings column. Call the wow team on 01858 439 999.

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Sounds of Harlem

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SATURDAY 27 MARCH Ella Edmondson is a contemporary singer songwriter based on Dartmoor in Devon. Her debut album Hold Your Horses produced by Andy Seward (Kate Rusby, Roddy Woomble, Eddi Reader), includes stunning performances from a host of award winning UK folk musicians such as John McCusker, Kate Rusby, Andy Cutting and Jim Causley. Hold your horses includes the track Breathe, which was fea-

tured on the programme Jam and Jerusalem, written by her mother Jennifer Saunders. Ella has crossed the country many times, appearing at festivals and halls and small - consistently achieving rave reviews and most importantly building up an ever-growing army of loyal fans. ELLA EDMONDSON is at The Castle Theatre, Wellingborough, Saturday 27th March. For tickets call 01933 270 007

FRIDAY 12 MARCH Celebrating the music of one of the world’s most influential musicians, Duke Ellington, at Town Hall on 12 March, the BBC Big Band, led by the irrepressible Jiggs Whigham are joined by Birmingham star vocalist Jaki Graham for Cotton Club ‘Duke’ classics as well as reprisals of The Nutcracker and Peer Gynt suites. BBC BIG BAND at the Town Hall, Victoria Square Birmingham, B3 3DQ. Fri 12 March, 7.30pm. Call the Box Office on 0121 780 3333 or visit www.thsh.co.uk

.64*$

Grr-oooveh 1BSUZ MJLF JUoT e In Leicester, a stunning notefor-note Scouse-powered production of the Beatles’ groundbreaking ‘Sergeant Pepper’ album is followed by an hour of Beatles classics live. In Coventry, the Overtures get all Austin Powered up to prove exactly why Elton John invited them to play at his civil ceremony wedding and support him live last year. And in Northampton, the Bootleg Beatles have perfected not only the Fabs’ look and sound in every chronological period, but somehow manage to recreate the later studio effects of George Martin live – something the Beatles never even attempted!

Wed 3 THE BOOTLEG B Q SIXTIES Belgrade F TF Theatre Coventry Thu 4 SGT. PEPPER’S LONELY HEARTS CLUB SHOW De Montfort Hall Leicester Thu 11 Symphony Hall Birmingham Thu 18 BOOTLEG BEATLES Royal & Derngate Northampton

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Kid rock 6Q BOE DPNFST BU UIF 3PBENFOEFS

Stockport’s Delphic recently came third in the final voting for the BBC Sound of 2010 – a fair old hint that you need to hear the alt.dance band and what Auntie Beeb herself reckoned “might just be the first great album of 2010�. As if that weren’t enough, ‘Acolyte’ was also described as “on kissing terms with magnificence� by the Independent. Epic, melodic North Walians (OK, so they’e moved to London) Ritzy Bryan and Rhydian Dafydd

are a boyfriend-girlfriend duo as well as a singer-songwriterguitarist duo, cool enough to release their debut album as a free NME download. So no excuses: this is crashing, chiming pop. Tue 9 DELPHIC Mon 29 THE JOY FORMIDABLE Northampton Roadmender

To promote your event: email sales@wowwhatsonwhere.co.uk

WOW March 2010

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.64*$

Strung Out Sisters Female string and vocal trio

Providing musical entertainment for weddings and corporate functions for over 15 years. For more info/bookings call 01858 431 304 or log onto www.sos.inuk.com

Noo Yawk, Warks. 8IFO )VFZ NFU 1BUUJe

Arena Nottingham LADY GAGA LG Arena Birmingham RONAN KEATING + LIZ MCCLARNON NIA Birmingham Sat 6 KAV (EX-HAPPY MONDAYS) Sumo Leicester KIKI DEE Assembly Leamington Tue 9 HAYSEED DIXIE Y Theatre Leicester DELPHIC Roadmender Northampton STIFF LITTLE FINGERS Assembly Leamington

Sun 14 FUN LOVIN’ CRIMINALS Fri 26 AN EVENING OF WORDS & MUSIC: PATTI SMITH + TONY SHANAHAN Assembly Leamington

Tue 9-Wed 10 CHRIS REA Symphony Hall Birmngham Wed 10 IT BITES Assembly Leamington Thu 11 THE AUTOMATIC Roadmender Northampton ELIZA CARTHY The Stables MK Sat 13 NEVER THE BRIDE The Stables MK PETER GREEN Assembly Leamington Thu 18 NEW MODEL ARMY Assembly Leamington Fri 19 SYMARIP + EL PUSSYCATS Music Cafe Leicester SINATRA AT THE SANDS: STEPHEN TRIFFITT The Stables MK 50 CENT LG Arena Birmingham Sat 20 THE COMING HOME TOUR: THE SOLDIERS De Montfort Hall Leicester Sun 21 MAGNETIC FIELDS Assembly Leamington

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Look out, good citizens of Leamington! We’ve looked up hip-hoppin’ blues rockers FLC on Wikipedia and have discovered that Shug and his cohorts write songs about “organized crime, recreational drug use, violence, poverty and politics.” But hold on to your scooby snacks, dad: “Their songs are often gritty or existentialist in nature but are just as often humorous or satirical.” Phew. Unmissable now, after five frustrating years spent in court… Meanwhile, punk rock legend, artist, poet and author Patti Smith does exactly what it says on the tin. Lucky there’s room.

Going Ga Ga! /FX -( "SFOB EBUF BOOPVODFE GPS UIF .POTUFS #BMM UPVS FRIDAY 28 MAY International pop superstar and 3-time Brit Award winner Lady Gaga announced today that her hugely successful Monster Ball Tour has been extended. Lady Gaga who performs a sold out concert at LG Arena this Friday (5 March) returns to Birmingham for a second date on Friday 28 May 2010! Following her upcoming and sold out concert dates in the UK; Australia and Japan, Lady Gaga will perform in Europe beginning May 7th in Sweden, followed by dates in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and France before returning the UK. In a show that the Sun described as “awe-inspiring” and “the best live show you

will see this year,” The Monster Ball tour is a visual spectacular bringing the vision of pop music’s biggest star to vivid reality. Self-described as “more of a musical than a concert” the journey to the ball takes Gaga and fans on a wild and warped ride from start to finish. From the Gaga’ized Rolls Royce

through 15 costume changes, as the Times say, this is truly “one helluva ride.” Tickets for the new date go on sale at 9am on Friday 12 March and will be available online at theticketfactory.com or by calling The Ticket Factory on 0844 338 8000.

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Big Session Festival 'JSTU MJOF VQ BOOPVODFE The Big Session is delighted to announce the first names for 2010’s line-up. As ever the festival will play host to an eclectic mix of emerging and established folk artists, not to mention a vast range of real ale! This award-winning festival tries just that bit harder: right from its deeply green credentials with the most impressive recycling initiatives, through to the KidsZone keeping younger festivalgoers entertained, to making sure everyone enjoys the music whatever the weather, with all sets being undercover on indoor and outdoor marquee stages. Oysterband will of course be returning as festival hosts with various performances across the weekend. They’ll be joined by Scottish twins The Proclaimers who will be bringing their own blend of wit and sing-along raucousness to the festival, performing the hits that have made them a household name. With a new album, Notes & Rhymes, released in June 2009 the duo have been busy with a coastto-coast USA tour, but we’re delighted they’ll be joining us in Leicester in June. Headlining alongside The Proclaimers will be one of the British folk scene’s best loved artists – Kate Rusby. With numerous awards under her belt, Kate brought folk music to a new audience and a whole new generation. Having been nominated for the Mercury Music Prize, Kate has also been the recipient of 4 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. Recently she has also become widely known for her version of Village Green Preservation Society which was used as the theme to the BBC sitcom Jam and Jerusalem, and in 2006 enjoyed a spell in

Kate Rusby the UK Top Ten singles chart with All Over Again, a duet with Ronan Keating. Also on the festival bill are Oxford five-piece Stornoway, recently seen on ‘Later’ with Jools Holland. Having played 6 performances across 4 stages at Glastonbury 2009 and being chosen to headline the ‘Introducing Stage’ at Radio 1’s Big Weekend last Spring, 2010 looks set to be their year as their charming brand of quintessential pop, steeped in pastoral hues continues to win over more admirers. They’ll be joined on the bill by Irish favourites Dervish, who after 20 years together continue to be one of the most respected world/roots music acts around today.

Chris Wood The winner of BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards’ Singer of the Year and Best Album 2009, Chris Wood, will also be performing over the weekend. Heralded as “The renaissance man of English Folk� by The Irish Times and “The finest and most original singer-songwriter to have emerged from the British folk scene since Richard Thompson� by The Guardian, it’s easy to see why Chris, who is also an integral part of

The Imagined Village, has had such a successful career. Also thrown into the mix is former member of Rachel Unthank & The Winterset, Jackie Oates. Having been named Best Newcomer at the BBC Folk Awards, Jackie’s solo career has gone from strength to strength, with her recent album Hyperbeans released to critical acclaim.

Seth Lakeman As if that isn’t enough, festivalgoers can also look forward to Miles Hunt & Erica Nockalls from The Wonder Stuff doing an acoustic (guitar and violin) performance, traditional Irish folk from banjo maestro Damien O’Kane, and husband and wife duo Megson, who after supporting the likes of Seth Lakeman (who deemed them “amongst the most exciting trailblazers of British Contemporary Folk�) and Show of Hands, have gone on to sell-out their own extensive tours. Add to that a performance from Oysterband’s very own Ray ‘Chopper’ Cooper debuting his new album, unique and visually compelling Ceilidh band Whapweasel with the one and only Gordon Potts as caller, and something altogether different from Holy Bandits, 2010 looks to have the foundations to be the most exciting Big Session yet. Further line-up announcements will be coming soon, so be sure to keep an eye on the website for updates at www. bigsessionfestival.com

Thu 25 THE FOUR TOPS + THE TEMPTATIONS + THE DRIFTERS + THE THREE DEGREES Trent FM Arena Nottingham Sat 27 THE COMPUTERS New Roadmender Northampton THE SEARCHERS Bedworth Civic Hall Bedworth THE REVELATION TOUR: PETER ANDRE The Assembly Leamington Wed 31 JACKIE LEVEN Taylor John’s House Coventry KRISTA DETOR The Stables Milton Keynes ______________________ CLASSICAL & JAzz Tue 2 ANDREW MCCORMACK + JASON YARDE The Stables Milton Keynes Sun 7 ACKER BILK & HIS PARAMOUNT JAzz BAND The Stables Milton Keynes Tue 9 TOMMY EMMANUEL + FRANK VIGNOLA TRIO De Montfort Hall Leicester Sun 14 TRIBUTE TO BUDDY RICH: THE PETE CATER BIG BAND Royal Spa Centre Leamington Fri 19 STAN TRACEY TRIO Richard Attenborough Centre at Leicester University Leicester Sun 21 PORTICO QUARTET Royal & Derngate Theatre Northampton Fri 26 CLARE TEAL The Stables Milton Keynes

PROMOTE

Your Gig, Band, CD, Website, etc.

With a THUMBNAIL AD (like this!) in our listings column. Call the wow team on 01858 439 999.

WOW March 2010

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Guitar legends live &OUFS (PE BU UIF 4UBCMFT Recognised as the ‘Cream’ of the tributes, Slowhand lookalike/playalike Mike Hall has been a massive fan of Clapton since first seeing him live at Newcastle’s Club A-Gogo in 1966. Going strong with his God-Lite act since 1985, it won’t be long before Mike spawns tribute acts of his own! Meanwhile, Are You Experienced? don’t just sound

like Jimi Hendrix and Co., they put on an authentic stage show that invokes the spirit of the tassled troubadores right down to the squirty lighter fuel!

Fri 5 CLASSIC CLAPTON – AFTER MIDNIGHT Sat 27 ARE YOU EXPERIENCED? The Stables Milton Keynes

Stop Press! $PSJOOF #BJMFZ 3BF EBUF KVTU DPOäSNFEe Tue 30 CORINNE BAILEY RAE + FYFE ‘GUILLEMOT’ DANGERFIELD Assembly Leamington

TUESDAY 30 MARCH Anyone who caught Corinne Bailey Rae’s stripped-down performance of ‘I’d Do It All Again’ on ‘Later’ will have shot right out and bought her album ‘The Sea’, from which it’s just been lifted as the first single. It’s moving, warm and slightly giddy-making, ‘The Sea’. Meanwhile, anyone who missed CBR on the Jools Holland show can catch it on YouTube. And everyone who saw the show, who’s heard the freshly pumped-up single on the radio or bought the critically adored album will be in Leamington…

To promote your event in the Midlands’ fastest-growing guide to what’s going on and where to be seen, email sales@wowwhatsonwhere.co.uk or call 01858 439 999

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WOW March 2010

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Irish eyes /JDF BOE FBTZ EPFT JU Fast approaching their 50th anniversary, Irish folk giants the Dubliners have shed and lost more members than make up most bands, but even the ‘new boys’ seem to have been around forever, augmenting originals Barney McKenna and John Sheahan. We’re thinking a pint of green sherbet, ‘The Fields of Athenry’, ‘Dirty Old Town’, followed up with a winter warmer, ‘The Town I Loved So Well’ and ‘Whiskey in the Jar’. Don’t take the car. Offering even easier harmony stylings and instrumental strumming, noone’s too bothered which of

the modern-day Fortunes was around in year dot. As they cooed along to the Coke ad in the good old days: ‘It’s The Real Thing’. Sat 13 THE DUBLINERS Fri 26 THE FORTUNES Royal & Derngate Northampton

Subscribe to WOW What’s On Where for only £20 a year. For details see the ad on our classifieds pages.

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2><?4C8C8 =B ...AND READER OFFERS FROM WOW WHAT’S ON WHERE.

'BNJMZ 5JDLFUT UP #MFOIFJN 1BMBDF Garden of the Year Award Photographic Exhibition is on until 28th March and Blenheim Palace is offering Buy One Day Get 12 Months Free! Every visitor who buys a full price day ticket to the Palace, Park and Gardens can convert the ticket into an Annual Pass – for free!

"GUFSOPPO 5FB BU 4DBMGPSE )BMM Buy a 1 Night Dinner Bed and Breakfast Stay for £69 per room and get a complimentary Afternoon Tea & Cake each*. Treat yourself to a leisure escape and enjoy the inspiring landscape and the friendly relaxed atmosphere of Scalford Hall Hotel, where for just £69 per room* you get all of the following: • Overnight Accommodation • Full English Breakfast • Three-course Dinner

PLUS exclusively for readers, a FREE Afternoon Tea & Cake each. Call Scalford Hall today quoting ‘WOW110’ on 0845 400 1403. To find out more visit www.scalfordhall.co.uk

*Terms and Conditions apply. Subject to availability. This offer is non-transferable and non-refundable, and has no cash equivalent and full prepayment is required at time of booking. The offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer or promotion. Offers apply to new purchases only. This offer is not open to the employees of Macepark Group, Scalford Hall and Whittlebury Hall, and their family members. Accommodation is based on 2 people sharing a standard room. Offer includes one free Afternoon Tea & Cake per person when purchasing a 1 Night Dinner, Bed and Breakfast Stay for ÂŁ69 per room. Included in 1 Night DBB Stay: overnight accommodation, full English breakfast and three-course dinner. ÂŁ20 single supplement applies. Offer valid for bookings made and taken by 31 March 2010.

WOW What’s On Where has 4 Family Tickets to give away, which can be upgraded to Annual Passes. Apply to ‘Blenheim Palace Tickets Competition’ to the address at the foot of the page. Closing date for entries is Monday 22 March.

5JDLFUT UP UIF HSFBU PVUEPPST

Running from the 26-28th of March 2010 at Birmingham’s NEC The Outdoors Show is the UK’s ultimate event for those who have a spirit for adventure. Whether you are seeking new challenges, want to get into shape, feel new heights of adrenaline or simply fancy a great day out – the 2010 Outdoors Show

is just the event for you. With climbing walls galore, hundreds of outdoors exhibitors, fashion shows, the new TriLive Duathlon to watch or take part-in and a wilderness camp, this year’s Outdoors Show is the must-attend event and we have 10 pairs of tickets to give away! Apply to Great Ooutdoors Competition to the address at the foot of the page. Closing date for entries is Monday 22 March.

$PODFSU UJDLFUT VQ GPS HSBCT Win a pair of tickets to see Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Show at the Symphony Hall, Birmingham on Saturday 11 March AND the BBC Big Band: Duke Ellingtons Sounds of Harlem on Friday 12 March

at the Town Hall, Birmingham For the chance to win, just tell us which perforance you want to go to! Send your answer to the address at the foot of the page. Closing date for entries is Thursday 10 March.

Please state clearly which competition you are entering and send your entries along with your name, address, phone number and email address to WOW What’s On Where, 50 St Mary’s Road, Market Harborough LE16 7DU.

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4FF 4IBLFTQFBSFoT -PWFoT -BCPVSoT -PTU BU 0%&0/ JO "QSJM WOW What’s On Where has 3 pairs of tickets to give away for the Monday April 12, 7pm production of William Shakespear’s LOVE’S LABOURS LOST being performed at the Globe Theatre and being screened LIVE at the ODEON in Kettering, Northamptonshire. For further

information or ticket booking, visit ODEON’s website odeon. co.uk, ring the ODEON Plus Culture booking and information line on 0871 224 1891 or head to the Box Office to pick up a season brochure. To win the tickets, Send a postcard to Odeon+Culture competition at the address at the foot of the page. Closing date for entries is Wednesday 7 April.

8JO 5JDLFUT 5P 4FF 1PTUNBO 1BU BU %F .POUGPSU )BMM WOW What’s On Where has teemed up with De Montfort Hall to give away a family ticket to see Postman Pat. For the chance to win, just colour in this picture on page 12, cut it out and send it along with your name, age, address, phone number and email address (if you have one) in the box provided, to Postman Pat COMP, WOW What’s On Where, 50 St Mary’s Road, Market Harborough LE16 7DS. Closing date for entries is Friday 22 March. GOOD LUCK

8JO B NPOUI TVCTDSJQUJPO UP 808 8IBUoT 0O 8IFSF WOW What’s On Where has a 12 month subscription worth £20 to give away. Apart from receiving each issue hot of the press, the winner will also have their name entered into all of our competitions over the lenghth of the subscription. Do you feel lucky?

To win, all you need to do is tell us in less than 50 words what you like and/or dislike about WOW. Please be sure to send us your name, age, address, telephone number, mobile and email address and mark your entries “WOW March Subscription Offer”.

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2><43H WOW FINDS OUT WHERE THE LAUGHS ARE THIS MONTH

F70C{B >= If you only go to 20 comedy gigs this month… with DJ Fontana

Wed 3 WORDWATCHING: ALEX HORNE The Stables MK Fri 5 THE ADVENTURES OF MONSIEUR ROBINET: JOHN HEGLEY Warwick Arts Centre Coventry Sat 6 LOCKIPEDIA: SEAN LOCK Warwick Arts Centre Coventry Sat 6-Sun 7 RAPIER WIT: JIMMY CARR Royal & Derngate Northampton Mon 8 CUTTING A LIME: JEAN ‘BINTA’ BREEZE Y Theatre Leicester Thu 11 THE COMEDY CLUB: GUEST COMEDIANS Wicksteed Park Kettering Sat 13 ALISTAIR McGOWAN Symphony Hall Birmingham Sat 13-Sun 14 24 HOUR IMPROV - KILLING OURSELVES FOR COMEDY The Art Organisation Nottingham

PROMOTE

Your Venue, Band, Bar, Club etc.

With a THUMBNAIL AD (like this!) in our listings column. Call the wow team on 01858 439 999.

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The mocker %BSB HPFT EBEB THURS 4 MARCH At the (apparently) ripe old age of 38, TV funnyman Dara has just gone and snagged himself a whole new setful of potential material, having recently given birth to a bouncing baby comedy prop – as if he needed any help! If you’ve only ever seen O’Briain on his Mock The Week telly gameshow, you may well be amazed at the boundless fount of improv material he can squeeze a laugh out of, up to and including an extremely brave front row. The big man comes recommended in the flesh. Thu 4 DARA O’BRIAIN Royal & Derngate Northampton

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Dad Rules

Sun 14 ELVIS HAS LEFT THE BUILDING: JOHN BISHOP Warwick Arts Centre Coventry

"OESFX $MPWFS CSJOHT IJT IJMBSJPVT TUBOE VQ TIPX UP 5IF $BTUMF SATURDAY 13 MARCH Based on the wildly popular Sunday Times column, Dad Rules, his stand-up performance is a hilarious, fell-good mix of stand-up and stories from Andrew Clover. Writer, comedian, actor and trophy husband, Andrew Clover’s Sunday Times column chronicles how he changed from a bloke who’s terrified of kids to a father of three young daughters who’s contented and fulfilled - though still somewhat on the edge. He followed this up last this year with “Dad Rules� the Penguin bestseller now in soft back. Andrew Clover is a veteran of

five acclaimed Edinburgh shows. His first saw him nominated for the Perrier Best Newcomer Award. “Set for certain stardom� said The Daily Telegraph. He is also a regular on TV screens around the country, as a regular is Ashes To Ashes (BBC). Andrew was recently seen in as lead “Dad� in the all singing, all dancing, CBBC show My Almost Famous Family (BBC 1). ANDREW CLOVER: DAD RULES at The Castle Theatre, Sat 13 Mar, 8pm. For tickets call the box office on 01933 270 007 or online at www.thecastle.org.uk

The ringer

Jongleurs

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Epic fantasy recreated without props, lighting, computer effects, make-up, or millions of dollars – a huge hit with Tolkien buffs as well as relatively sane people everywhere! Follows on from the wonderful Star Wars Trilogy set which made his name. As Sir Ian McKellen said: “If

you liked The Lord of the Rings trilogy, you’ll love Charlie Ross’s version – and if you didn’t, well, at least his is shorter.� Fri 12 ONE MAN LORD OF THE RINGS: CHARLES ROSS Uppingham Theatre Oakham Thu 1 April Belgrade Theatre Coventry

FRIDAY 19 MARCH Jongleurs – the name which launched the careers of Graham Norton, Rhona Cameron, Jo Brand, Phil Jupitus, Jack Dee, Paul Merton, Dylan Moran and Jenny Eclair now brings the biggest and best stars in the Jongleurs clubs to The Castle. Featuring over two hours of laughs from the country’s best stand-up comedians. Certain to be the best night of comedy you will have in a theatre this year! For details of the line-up, check out The Castle website at www.thecastle.org.uk Tickets are priced £12 (£10) and members of The Castle’s Birthday Party get 15% off. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Box Office on 01933 270 007 or online at www. thecastle.org.uk

Wed 17 SCREAMING BLUE MURDER: MICHAEL LEGGE, JEFF INNOCENT, ANDREW BIRD The Stables MK Sat 20 FOOL’S GOLD: LUCY PORTER The Stables MK Sun 21 GOING OUT: LEE MACK Milton Keynes Theatre MK Thu 25 THE COMEDY CLUB: GUEST COMEDIANS Wicksteed Park Kettering JO CAULFIELD WON’T SHUT UP! Y Theatre Leicester Fri 26-Sat 27 Mar GERRY K FAMOUS FOR COMEDY Highlight Leicester Tue 30 SIT DOWN, PEDAL, PEDAL, STOP AND STAND UP: DAVE GORMAN De Montfort Hall Leicester

Subscribe to WOW What’s On Where for only £20 a year and get all the latest news hot off the press. For details see the ad on our classifieds pages.

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Iran, I saw, I conquered 4IBQQJ TIPDL BOE BXF PO UPVS WEDNESDAY 31 MARCH It was with some trepidation that we picked up tickets to see the only Iranian comedienne on the circuit at the recent Leicester Comedy Festival – precisely because 99% of her material centres around being female and Iranian. But, do you know what? She proved to be light years ahead of the old-school ‘cutting edge’ inspired by anti-racism and

anti-sexism, tempering her selfdeprecating true-life stories and wealth of one-liners with some heartbreaking asides. It was enough to make us want to know more about Shappi’s culture. “Time to start memorising the Central Line.”

Charley & Chubby #PPSNBO BOE #SPXO UIBU JT Is there any branch of artistic or inspirational activity that Charley Boorman hasn’t mastered? Now the actor, adventurer and author – you’ll know him from ‘Long Way Round’, ‘Long Way Down’ and ‘By Any Means’ – takes a break from travelling the world to tour a brand-new show packed with stories and anecdotes from his global escapades When we went to see

Paul Singha at the Leicester ComFest, he joked that punters had occasionally complained that they’d have “preferred to see Chubby Brown than chubby and brown.” Rude, fat, love him or hate him, he’s a comedy legend.

Fri 5 ROY ‘CHUBBY’ BROWN Tue 9 CHARLEY BOORMAN SHOW Athena Leicester

Wed 31 AN EVENING WITH: SHAPPI KHORSANDI The Stables MK

To advertise your event in the Midlands’ fastest-growing guide to what’s going on and where to be seen, email sales@wowwhatsonwhere.co.uk or call 01858 439 999

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ART AND CULTURE FOR THE SPRING...

Bling! &YIJCJUJPO IFMQT DIBTF UIF XJOUFS CMVFT BXBZ RUNS UNtil 6 MaRch If bling’s your thing then a trip to Northampton Museum and Art Gallery later this month is an absolute must. Bling is a dazzling exhibition that traces the story of jewellery and how fashions have changed over the past 150 years. Mourning jewellery made from hair, Victorian jewellery made from butterfly wings, items from the roaring 20s and the swinging sixties are just some of the treasures on display.

As well as pieces from the museum’s own collection there will also be many rarely seen gems from private collections. Victoria Davies, Northampton Borough Council museum officer, said: “This exhibition is a shiny extravaganza that is sure to delight. With everything from rings to necklaces, this exhibition looks at the jewellery we have worn over the last century and a half. If you like the sparkle of diamonds or the twinkle of pearls then pop down to the museum and see some bling!’”

an adult jewellery box making workshop is on 4 March. For more details call the museum on Northampton 838111.

Brooch dating to the 1960s

Subscribe to WOW What’s On Where for only £20 a year. For details see the ad on our classifieds pages.

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30HB >DC SWITCH OFF THE TV AND GO OUT INSTEAD!

Garden of the Year Award 1IPUPHSBQIJD &YIJCJUJPO BU #MFOIFJN 1BMBDF Until 28th MArch Blenheim Palace is the proud winner of the 25th Anniversary Historic Houses Association/Christie’s Garden of the Year Award in 2008. The exquisite Formal Gardens at Blenheim Palace include the majestic Water Terraces, the ornate Italian Garden, the secluded Secret Garden with winding streams and water features, the fragrant Rose Garden, Arboretum and the Pleasure Gardens which includes Europe’s largest symbolic hedge maze. The gardens at Blenheim Palace are all-encompassing, and there is beauty to be found in all seasons. Beautifully restored, renovated and maintained by twelve permanent garden staff, led by Head Gardeners Trevor Wood and his wife Hilary who have worked at Blenheim Palace for over 25 years, it is a great credit to the Gardens Team to have received this prestigious award. A plaque, unveiled by His Grace the 11th Duke of Marlborough to mark the occasion, is on display for visitors to view near the Water Terraces at Blenheim Palace. Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the award, HHA and Christie’s of London commissioned a professional photography competition and exhibition to feature the winning gardens of the last 25 years,

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first displayed at Christie’s in November. Blenheim Palace is delighted to host this fabulous photographic exhibition until 28th March The exhibition will feature images of each of the 26 winning gardens of the past 25 years (there were two winners in 1998) including those by Chrystel Lebas, Winner of the Best Photographic Group featuring Cottesbrooke Hall, Northamptonshire, and Mike Perry for the Best Individual Photograph, featuring Hodnet Hall, Shropshire. The incredible

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images created by landscape photographer Simon Norfolk will be of particular interest to visitors to Blenheim Palace. Norfolk captured Blenheim Palace’s ancient trees back-lit at night to represent soldiers on the battlefield at the Battle of Blenheim 1704. His Grace, The Duke of Marlborough said of the Garden of the Year Award: “We are extremely honoured to receive this prestigious award in recognition of the Formal Gardens here at Blenheim Palace. This award recognises the vi-

sion and enthusiasm of my illustrious ancestors as well as celebrating the excellent work undertaken here today by the gardens team. We look forward to welcoming visitors to see the gardens this year and we hope that everyone enjoys their visit to this important World Heritage site”

Blenheim Palace Woodstock Oxfordshire OX20 1PP www.blenheimpalace.com

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Scalford Hall (FUBXBZ UP UIF DPVOUSZ BOE TUBZ PWFSOJHIU BU 4DBMGPSE )BMM )PUFM A harmony of traditional values and modern comforts, Scalford Hall Hotel is presenting you with a great offer. Treat yourself and a loved one to the perfect escape – Buy a 1 Night Dinner, Bed & Breakfast Stay for £69 per room and receive a complimentary Afternoon Tea & Cake on arrival. This 1 Night Stay allows you to enjoy use of the Leisure facilities, an overnight stay, a hearty full English breakfast and a three-course dinner. If that isn’t tempting enough, a free Afternoon Tea & Cake provides the perfect addition to a relaxing stay. At the heart of Leicestershire’s picturesque countryside, Scalford Hall Hotel offers 88 en-suite bedrooms, res-

taurant, lounge and leisure facilities, including a gymnasium and games room. This coupled with the fact that Scalford Hall is an ideal base to explore a host of attractions from ex-

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ploring the magnificent Belvoir Castle with its glorious gardens and fascinating magical castle, riding the rollercoaster at Twinlakes Park, or entering a world of discovery at Conkers, to tak-

ing off at the National Space Centre, makes Scalford Hall Hotel a great choice for a leisure escape. During your stay, you will experience the tranquillity of Scalford Hall Hotel. Former home to Colonel Colman – the founder of Colman’s Mustard, Scalford Hall is set amongst twelve acres of carefully landscaped gardens and captures the true essence of an Edwardian Country House.

Scalford Hall Scalford Road Melton Mowbray Leicestershire LE14 4UB Tel: 01664 444 654 www.scalfordhall.co.uk

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30=24 WOW TAKES A LOOK AT THE DANCE, CLASSIC AND CONTEMPORARY

Snow White returns, on ice! 4UVOOJOHMZ DIPSFPHSBQIFE JDF TQFDUBDVMBS TUeS 30 MAR - SAT 3 ApR The original story of an enchanted mirror, a beautiful girl, the ultimate Prince Charming and a shiny red apple will come to life in a frozen wonderland, with ballet, gymnastics and aerial aerobatics to create a breathtaking and mesmerising experience. The Russian Ice Stars are skaters of the highest calibre,

and the company includes more former World, European and Olympic competitors than any other theatrical ice show. They combine the danger and speed of ice skating with the beauty of dance to give a magnificent, modern interpretation of the classic tale. This show promises to be lavish and spectacular, dazzling the

whole family with its sheer splendour and elegance.

Don’t miss Snow White, on an ice rink especially created for this show on the Derngate stage. Tues 30 March to Sat 3 April. Call the Box Office on 01604 624811 or online at www.royalandderngate.co.uk.

Come dancing! )BSCPSPVHIoT (PU 5BMFOU TIPXDBTF SAT 13 - SUN 14 MARCH No other local business has benefited more from the spectacular success of TV shows such as ‘Strictly Come Dancing’, ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ and ‘The X Factor’ than the Harborough Academy of Performing Arts. Having started out in 1995 with 75 dance pupils, ex-pro dancer and choreographer Linda Greene’s brainchild has swiftly become established as the area’s number one for dance and drama classes for all ages. At this month’s 15th Anniversary Annual Variety Show at Kettering’s Lighthouse Theatre, no less than 400 all-singing, all-dancing members will be taking part in at least one of four shows

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over a weekend. Come along and see what the HAPA crew can do – ballet, tap, gymnastic dance, singing, drama – and find out more about the classes, exams, competitions and summer schools which make the Academy the highlight of so many school-age children’s lives (not forgetting the kiddies and adults!).

A STep IN TIMe is at the The Lighthouse Theatre Kettering Conference Centre Thurston Drive, Kettering NN15 6PB. Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 March. For tickets, call the Box Office: 01536 414141 or Email: enquiries@ lighthousetheatre.co.uk

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Richard alston’s Overdrive &YDJUJOH USJQMF CJMM GSPN UPQ #SJUJTI DIPSFPHSBQIFS tue 23 - Wed 24 MaRch Richard Alston is internationally recognised as one of the most inspiring and influential choreographers in British dance. His company will perform an exciting triple bill featuring a revival of popular 2003 piece Overdrive, alongside Light Flooding Into Darkened Rooms and the latest work by Martin Lawrance, To Dance And Skylark. Overdrive - in the tradition of Alston classics such as Rainbow Bandit, Strong Language and Roughcut - is a response to the relentless energy and rhythm of its score. The dance catches the urgency of Terry Riley’s Keyboard Study No 1 and runs with it to the wire. The movement shifts, changes direction, curves up, over and under – but never once pauses for breath. The intimately and exquisitely beautiful Light Flooding Into Darkened Rooms is accom-

panied by sublime lute pieces from the 17th century master Denis Gaultier and contemporary work for mandolin, which creates a fascinating portrait of lovers’ intimacy. To Dance And Skylark is Martin Lawrance’s sixth work for the Richard Alston Dance Company. It is a joyous celebration of Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos and Lawrance’s high-spirited, athletic choreography reflects all the elation of this vigorous, colourful music. Corby-born Martin Lawrance was formerly a dancer with the company and now acts as rehearsal director for them. RichaRd alstOn’s OveRdRive at the Derngate auditorium on Tuesday 23 and Wednesday 24 March, starting at 7.30pm. Tickets – £12 to £22 To book, call the Box Office on 01604 624811 or visit www. royalandderngate.co.uk.

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7^c BcdUU WOW talks to Lesley Joseph – Northampton’s own stage and comedy legend – about her old ‘stomping ground’, Birds of a Feather, and her role in the uproarious HRT musical, Hot Flush! Words: Derek Hammond

F>F You’re just starting out on a huge tour until the end of May – how did opening night go, last night? ;4B;4H Well, it was just fantastic – we added over 15 minutes with laughs. It’s one of those shows that gets so many belly laughs it’s impossible to predict the running time. It’s all based on recognition, of course – and we go quite near the knuckle some times! F>F You’ve starred in the play before… ;4B;4H I have, we did it last year and it was so successful that they decided to take it out again. In fact, we’re going to lots of the places we played last year: I bumped into someone yesterday and she said ‘there’s seven of us coming – we all came last year and we’re coming again!’

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F>F It’s a recommendation in itself, that you came back for more.

F>F So you Northampton?

;4B;4H

;4B;4H My mother still lives there. We spend days out, travelling to stately homes round and about. I do spend quite some time in Northampton, but I left years and years ago, when I was 18, to go to drama school. I first trod the boards at the New Theatre in town, which has long since been knocked down. And then I finally did a show at the Royal, the year before last – I did Humble Boy.

It’s a bit like The Vagina Monologues [which Lesley also starred in] – it’ll go on for years, even introducing people to the theatre who have never been before. People recognise bits of themselves in it, and it gives them such a good night out. It’s very seductive, to be in the show and see that kind of reaction. F>F And now you’re heading back to Northamptonshire. ;4B;4H Yes, Northampton was my old stomping ground! I’ve got 16 people coming from the Masque Theatre to the show in Wellingborough. That’s where I went as a teenager, and now I’m their president.

still have links with

F>F You enjoyed a long, successful stage career before you became a familiar face on TV. ;4B;4H Stage is my first love. I love working with an audience. On TV, we

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LESLEy JOSEPH STARS IN HOT FLuSH! Tue 16 The Castle Wellingborough “The audience shrieked their heads off and whooped in delight” - The Scotsman “A real, laugh out loud comedy musical” – BBC “Has the audience howling with laughter” – Theatreworld “It’s Sex and the City with HRT and funny songs” – Glasgow Herald

did Birds in front of a live audience – but then if the laughs were too huge they would edit out a piece of dialogue, so you never really got a true representation of how the show had gone that night. F>F Looking at your CV, it reads ‘nymphomaniac neighbour from hell’; ‘bitch’; ‘Grumpy Old Woman’... At least you’re never never typecast! ;4B;4H Oh, I always prefer to play the baddie, I’m not really Middle England who plays the goodie! Dorien was just a glorious comic creation. In this, I play Myra Wilson, a divorce lawyer; but in Hot Flush! we’re all Everywoman, in a way. Every woman who’s going through a certain time in their life. There’s only one man in it, who plays my husband,

my son, the barman… F>F We hope you’re not saying men are all the same! ;4B;4H

Of course not! He has a big number saying ‘It’s a man’s world’, and it’s wonderful because all the women will shout out and barrack him, almost like pantomime. People really get involved, with the women onstage so outrageous. F>F So this is a ladies’ night out that men will enjoy too? ;4B;4H

Oh, absolutely – but don’t bring the kids! F>F Are you out on the road for three solid months now, or will you get home occasionally?

;4B;4H It’s only one show a day, and I’ll get back most weekends out of the 14. That was one of stipulations, because I love my Sunday radio show [on BBC Radio London – tune in via the BBC iPlayer] F>F We’ve seen you on Ready Steady Cook and Celebrity Come Dine With Me. Do you have a favourite restaurant in Northampton? ;4B;4H We like The Swan at Lamport, because we often go to the antique fairs at Lamport Hall in summer, when I take my mum for days out. She’s 97. There’s also the wonderful Vineyard opposite the stage door at the Royal. And there’s a lovely place that used to be a church, down at the bottom of the Bridge Street. Ah yes, The Church, that’s it!

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<PS PQ^dc 5[^fTab Anything floral will see you from now all the way through summer!

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OW wonders what better time is there, to introduce colour into your wardrobe? The months that sit between the winter and summer is the answer. If you are slightly anxious about adding colour to your wardrobe, Spring is definately the season that offers the most inspiration. Team your florals up with thick tights and chunky Knits before making the final step into Summer (and all the shades of nude that await us...), as it doesn’t look like we have lost the cold weather quite yet!

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The Daffodil is the national flower of Wales and is worn on St David’s day which is celebrated on 1st March.

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The birth flower of March is the Daffodil, it is associated with rebirth, respect and regard. So WOW’s idea is - you guys out there could show some respect and treat someone special to a bunch of Daffs this month!

1. Rare. www.rarefashion. co.uk 2. Harem Delight Bag £40. Accessorize 3. Be Beau Sunburst Print Halter Top £16. Matalan. 4. Multi Blue Belle Granny Embellished Necklace £18. Accessorize. 5. Angst - £130.00. Feud London. 6. Cream rose corsage £8. Bhs. 7. Navy stripe flatcap, £18, New & Lingwood. House of Fraser. 8. Pearson Stripe Knit. Cotton cashmere mix v-neck knit - £45.00. White Stuff 9. St George by Duffer. Mini Gingham Long Sleeved Shirt £35, Jeans £30, Brown Leather Belt With Lime Stitching £22. Debenhams 10. John Rocha Reverse Print Shirt £50. Debenhams. 11. Double breasted beige coat - £200. French Connection. 12. Blue Chiffon Rose Top, £14.99. Internacionale. 13. Matthew Williamson £945. www.cruisefashion. co.uk 14. Crochet and gem ring £8, Floral gem ring £8, Etched flower ring £8. Dorothy Perkins 15. Diesel Mens Upward Metallic Lace Up High. £75.00. Shudoo 16. J Shoes Dita pump in plum, £45. Gorgeous 16

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From top right - clockwise: Heritage Necklace, Swarovski – £128. ‘Rambling Robe’, La Senza - £22. One Button Jewellery, John Lewis – from £12 – £40. Flamingo Pyjamas, La Senza - £22. Yummy Mummy Plaque, Thorntons – £5.99. pureDKNY, Debenhams – from £32. Continental Heart, Thorntons – £11.99

If you want to tell your mum just how much you love her this Mother’s Day then give her a gift you know she’ll adore.

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hether it’s chocolate, jewellery, a gift card or even PJs, you can be sure to find something that shows just how much you care and meets all budgets at Highcross. Every lady loves a new pair of pyjamas and these pink flamingo-print ones from La Senza are perfect for any young-atheart mum. Treat her to many days of lazing around the house in a stylish and snug dressing gown with this gorgeous flowerprint robe, at La Senza, which is perfect for girlie mums who adore all things pink. Whether you’ve got five pounds or fifty pounds to spend, jewellery is always a great option for mums. You can find everything from colourful beads to beautiful diamonds at Highcross’ gorgeous jewellers. Head to John Lewis for its exclusive ‘One Button’ range, or have her sparkling with an item from crystal specialists Swarovski. If its perfume that your mum loves then head to Debenhams where you will find this brand new fragrance from DKNY.

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Starting at £32, pureDKNY is ideal for those looking for an every-day light, fresh scent. Head to Thorntons for the favourite of sweet toothed mothers with a fantastic range of chocolate gifts. Try personalising a chocolate plaque for your mum, or choose a delicious selection box to really make her day. Gurvinder Rupra, marketing manager at Highcross Leicester, said: “Mother’s Day is the perfect time to treat your mum and reward her for all she’s done over the years. “If your mum deserves a bit of beauty therapy this Mother’s Day then look for the ultimate treatment packages at Highcross’ range of pampering havens, with Clarins, Femi and One Dental Spa all offering special treats. “Why not round the day off by treating her to a meal out at one of Highcross’ 15 restaurants. All mums at Carluccios will receive a special Drago sugar roasted chocolate flower when you pre-book a table.”

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708A 140DCH MAKE SURE YOU’RE BEAUTY, NOT THE BEAST...

Get beautiful nails for Spring ,BSB 1PUUFS GSPN 5IF #FBVUZ .BOPS HJWFT TPNF UPQ UJQT GPS MPPLJOH BGUFS ZPVS OBJMT UIJT TFBTPO With Spring on its way (hopefully), daffodils looming and new colours for this spring/summer fashion, its got to make everyone feel more happier! Every year I look at the companies that make The Beauty Manor such as Decleor, Guinot, Md Formulations and Jessica, and wonder what can they do better this year than last year?

Already I have been impressed by what I have seen New Colours for Jessica, New Slimming Range by Decleor and the list goes on and it’s only February.

+&44*$" /"*- 3"/(& One of my greatest passions for beauty is JESSICA Nail range. Developed by a manicurist, for manicurists, JESSCIA’S

Award Winning Polishes deliver a lasting finish like no other. Having worked with JESSICA for several years now, they continue to provide new products and add to their colour collection of over 200 colours and with these treatment based formulas glide onto the nail for a flawless result.

#3*()5 46..&3 With the winter colours being so dark and the summer collection expected to be BRIGHT! Its a wonder that our nails don’t get discoloured, especially if you don’t use a basecoat (which i have to say is absolutely essential in my view). JESSICA colours are Formaldehyde FREE, Toluene FREE and DBP FREE and all colours are vitamin enriched. Going back to this basecoat situation, FOR EVERY NAIL PROBLEM THERE’S A SOLUTION. Just as there are different types of hair and skin, there are also different nail types that require individualised treatments. Each basecoat provides your nails with the help they need and also has an extra benefit of ensuring your polish lasts for longer.

"5 5)& 501 For one thing that is essential to every lady is a Top Coat.

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If you have any beauty questions you would like to ask our expert, please write to: Kara @ Beauty Manor, C/O WOW, 50 St Mary’s Road, Market Harborough, LE16 7DU.

JESSCIA’S Award Winning Brilliance Top Coat is a ‘must have’. It is a fast drying polish that gives a high gloss finish and prevents chipping, smudging or yellowing. Each time you apply, it’s like a brand new manicure, fresh with shine. TIP: Need some serious moisturising? Use both Nourish (Cuticle gel) and Phenomen Oil (Nail oil) for round the clock cuticle protection. Apply Nourish throughout the day, and the Phenomen Oil in the evenings, for gorgeous, natural nails 24/7.

(3&"5 0''&3 If your ever running late and going out last minute then don’t forget our LAST MINUTE NAILS for just £8.00. This has to be booked on the day and can be done on hands and feet but just takes that bit extra pressure off YOU. See you soon Kara

Beauty ManOr is above Browns Hairdressing, Manor House, High Street, Market Harborough, Leicestershire LE16 7NL. To book an appointment telephone 0844 999 4365 www.thebeautymanor.co.uk

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40C8=6 >DC DON’T JUST STICK TO YOUR USUAL HAUNTS, TRY SOMEWHERE NEW TO EAT!

The perfect country pub? 5IF 0ME #BSO BU (MPPTUPO HFUT PVS WPUFe Five-hundred years ago, the Old Barn at Glooston was a busy coaching inn on the crosscountry route heading into the Leicestershire uplands and Rutland. Real ales and good wines were on offer to any thirsty traveller, along with a cosy dining room serving up fresh food made from local, seasonal ingredients. Plus the vital ingredient of a bed for the night: three comfortable bedrooms where guests would wake up in the morning to the smell of frying breakfast and the sound of birdsong and horses clip-clopping by in the lane outside. Some things never change. The passion poured into the Old Barn by Vivienne French and her team is catching. Menus follow the seasons and the weather – right now it’s slow-cooked casseroles and traditional panfried dishes like sausages, liver & bacon, and scallops with black pudding, all reasonably priced. For spring, we’re promised an entirely fresh blackboard full of flavours. Mother’s Day lunch bookings are now being taken at the perfect country pub only 8 miles from Market Harborough. The Old Barn Inn Andrews Lane, Glooston, Leicestershire LE16 7ST Tel: 01858 545215 www.oldbarninn.co.uk

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FANCY TRYING SOMEWHERE NEW TO DRINK? LET WOW HELP YOU DECIDE!

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f you’re planning a Mother’s Day treat, you won’t find better food served up in an atmosphere more truly special than at the George in Oxendon, a 16th-century wayside inn south of Harborough which has more recently garnered a deserved reputation for its cuisine. “A pub by

name, a restaurant by nature” – that’s how it’s described by proprietor David Dudley. Which isn’t to say he doesn’t serve up a cracking pint in the bar – or offer luxurious en suite accommodation! The last time we ate at The George, last summer, it was possible to sit out in the beautiful garden; but right now cosy log fires and candlelight are a more attractive proposition! The mouthwatering steak still brings to mind memories of fat pink sirloin, served up with chef’s hand-cut chunky chips,

roasted vine tomatoes, flat field mushrooms and leaf salad (£14.95), while the Gressingham duck with extraordinary Dutch cabbage and Cointreau sauce (£16.95) was clearly a chef’s speciality. At lunchtime, just as much extravagant care goes into the serving of so-called ‘grazing board’ and ‘little dishes’ (grilled goats cheese, ciabatta, fresh figs and balsamic syrup, £5.95) – and it would be a crime not to mention Monday night curry nights! On 14 March, a special Mothering Sunday lunch menu includes two courses at £19.95, or three for £24.95.

HOW TO FIND IT: The George Harborough Road, Great Oxendon, Leicestershire, LE16 8NA Telephone: 01858 465 205 Email: info@ thegeorgegreatoxendon.co.uk Website: www.thegeorgegreatoxendon. co.uk WOW FACTOR: Location 4 Beverage range 5 Food 5 Service 5 SCORE: 19/20

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4PbcTa Q[X]V WOW kids Jewelled Easter eggs may not be quite Faberge, but with very little effort they can have fun decorating eggs and admiring their new treasure once they are finished.

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aking inspiration from the gift of a Faberge Easter Egg in 1885 that Czar Alexander III gave his wife the Empress Maria Fedorovna. The team at WOW decide to be crafty and introduce some history to WOW kids art!

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.BLF ZPVS PXO 'BCFSHF TUZMF FHHT :PV XJMM OFFE Boiled eggs Glitter glue (good quality) Metalic gold paint Flat sided jewels, an assortment of sequins, and glitter Egg cartons (or jelly moulds for sitting eggs in)

8IBU UP EP You will need to decorate one side of the egg at a time. Leave to dry in an egg carton, before decorating the other side. 1. At the top of the egg, make a scalloped circular design with the glitter glue, if desired. Make sure there is a “puddle� of paint on the top of the egg to position a jewel. 2. Make a puddle of paint on the side of the egg and place a jewel in the puddle. Add gems as many times as desired around the egg. (Remember to leave one side empty) then rest in the egg carton or jelly mould until the paint is dry at which time you can turn your egg repeat and finish. Be patient when leaving to dry. Now is a good time to move on to instruction number 4. 3. Add gems as many times as desired around the egg. (Remember to leave one side empty) then rest in the egg carton until the paint is dry at which time you can turn your egg repeat and finish. 4. Decorate a paper plate or bowl in the same way to present your eggs on, so they can be admired!plate to be admired!

5PQTaVT 5PRcb The House of Faberge in Russia made lavishly decorated eggs from 1885 until 1917. These Faberge eggs were embellished with combinations of precious metals, jewels and gem stones, as well as an ornate enamel coating. Today the few remaining Faberge eggs are considered masterpieces and highly prized by collectors.

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43D20C8>= WOW TAKES A LOOK AT LEARNING.

Why choose an Independent Prep School for your child? 3PC :BUFT )FBEUFBDIFS BU &WFSTäFME 1SFQ 4DIPPM JO 4PMJIVMM BOE QBSFOU UP *TBCFMMB BOE 3PCFSU FYQMBJOT IJT QSFGFSFODF GPS UIF QSJWBUF FEVDBUJPO TFDUPS BOE IPX JU DBO CF MFTT FYQFOTJWF BOE NPSF BDDFTTJCMF UIBO ZPV NJHIU UIJOL I have two young children. My daughter is now 13 years old and my son just ten. Four years ago they both attended an ‘outstanding’ state maintained primary school. At that time, I took up the post of Headmaster at a local independent preparatory school having been a head at a state primary for six years. It didn’t take me long to make a

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decision that has undoubtedly changed the course of my children’s lives: I moved them out of state education and into an independent school. This is a decision that many parents are also making, despite our country’s economic problems and regardless of the sacrifices that parents may have to make to meet their school fees. So why? Are

there any additional benefits to children at private schools and are they within the reach of ‘ordinary’ folk? Why might you choose an independent preparatory school when there are good ‘free’ primary schools available?

"DBEFNJD FYDFMMFODF There are factors that

several main allow children

in independent preparatory schools to achieve and learn at an accelerated rate. • Small classes give pupils more individual attention. Good teachers will assess any misunderstandings and difficulties and see where further support is needed. They can also tailor work to allow for greater challenge, so every child is stimulated. • All families value education so the ethos is positive without the influence of disruptive children. • Teachers are allowed to teach without having to spend time dealing with disruptive behaviour and ensuring the latest government initiative is imposed. Independent schools can improve their teaching processes through discerned choice of the best methods taking or leaving latest trends. Although a prep school’s curriculum is often based around the National Curriculum, they have control over what and how subjects are taught. This provides a more balanced timetable, allowing increased time on non-core subjects, sports and activities. • Specialist teachers are often used. This allows more

&%6$"5*0/ knowledgeable and experienced teachers to extend pupils in their subject area.

4QPSUT .VTJD BOE PUIFS BDUJWJUJFT The quality of sports and music is exceptional in preparatory schools and they can offer many opportunities that state maintained school children rarely receive. Facilities and specialist teaching is the key, along with autonomy in curriculum planning. Children as young as seven can be involved in team sports matches, and instrumental tuition allows 11 year olds to be regularly reaching Grades 4 to 6, as well as singing in choirs and shows. Most prep schools have numerous activity programmes that run during lunchtimes and after school.

'BDJMJUJFT Many independent prep schools have extensive facilities. Some

share with a partner senior school, others have their own, which may include sports fields, all-weather pitches, tennis courts, swimming pools, gymnasium, sports hall, music rooms, practice rooms, drama studios and ICT suites.

tory school will do its job and get them there. There is no substitute for the work and preparation that they do in order to give their pupils a chance to succeed in the entrance exams which is far and above the local state schools capability.

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The academic success rate of independent senior schools can easily be seen when looking at GCSE and ‘A’ level results across the country. Many people will say it is due to their initial selection process. With my daughter at such a school I would partly agree. All of the students are dedicated, committed and supported without mindless distractions from those who would rather not be at school. If your child is capable of coping with the demands of such a school then a prepara-

You don’t just get an academic education in a preparatory school. You get a child who has a respect for learning and a desire to improve themselves. A happy, cared for child who shows confidence and the right amount of humility, who can conduct a conversation, somebody who will stand out in a group.

$PTU Don’t let perceived costs stop you from calling a preparatory school to have a look. You will be stunned by what you see and may be surprised at the fees. Costs vary and so do

what is included. There are also different ways to manage the costs, which can be spread into monthly payments. There may also be help from the school or other bodies. Most preparatory schools offer bursaries to low income families. My children have already exceeded the expectations I had of their achievement and they have never been happier. Every penny I have spent has given me twice its value and I would not swap a holiday, a new car or a bigger house for it. I would recommend an independent preparatory school to everyone who cares about their children’s future.

EvErsfiEld schOOl Warwick Road Solihull, B91 1AT 0121 705 0354 www.eversfield.co.uk Email: enquiries@eversfield. co.uk

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A winning fashion 4DIPPMT BOE DPMMFHFT GBTIJPO EFTJHO DPNQFUJUJPO MBVODIFE CLOSING DATE: APRIL 23 Budding student fashion designers have until Friday 23 April 2010 to enter an annual competition run by The University of Northampton. The University’s Fashion Show Schools and Colleges Competition is now in its fifth annual year. The brief for 2010 is to create a special occasion garment which is inspired by the concept of ‘eco-luxury’; a sustainable item which needs to live and work harmoniously and in synergy with our environment – ‘Emerge:Blossom’. Key words for the 2010 competition are: growth; expansion; confidence; roots; proliferate; layer; holistic; sustain and trace. Participants need to submit four A3 illustration pages that demonstrate their design journey and which illustrates their final concept. They will also need to manufacture one

completed size 12 garment (or equivalent men’s outfit) and submit to the University by Friday 23 April 2009. There will be three categories of entry – Years 10 - 11, Years 12 - 13, and FE Colleges (National Diploma and Foundation Course Students), with an outright winner in each category and a runner-up. Judging will take place on Wednesday 5 May 2010 by a panel of University Fashion staff and sponsors of the University’s Graduate Fashion Show 2010. First prize for both categories will be an exciting afternoon VIP package to The University of Northampton’s annual Fashion Show which takes place on 16 June 2010 at the prestigious Royal & Derngate in Northampton. The winners will have their outfits displayed at the event, take in lunch with VIPs, receive a bag of fashion goodies and have a

trophy presented to them on the catwalk. Runners-up will also receive the VIP package to the afternoon Fashion Show and a Certificate of Achievement to add to their personal portfolio. The winners of the 2009 University Fashion Show Schools Competition were Jade Willis of Cedars Upper School, Leighton Buzzard and Shelley Dwight of Aylesbury High School who took inspiration from the brief which was to create a special occasion garment using ‘up-cycled’ materials; sustainable and ethical fabric and manufacturing which results in a high-end product. The University’s annual Fashion Show is one of the highlights of the academic year, attracting an audience of around 2,000 at an afternoon and evening show. Headline sponsorship comes from internationally renowned haircare product services

Kettering Music and Performing Arts Centre 5FBDIJOH QFSGPSNBODF BOE .VTJD TLJMMT GPS BHFT UP If you enjoy singing or you can play an instrument or maybe you love dance or drama then this is the place to be. They have a whole range of classes to choose from, recorders to rock bands, jazz bands, brass bands, strings and woodwind choir, guitars the list is endless. If you like to dance or act they have many different dance groups and drama classes. They cater for all ages from 3-18 and all standards from beginner to advanced. The centre runs each

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Saturday morning from 9-12 in term time at Southfields School for girls, Lewis Rd, Kettering. Later this year they will be staging their production of Bugsy Malone. The performances will take place on the 18th and 19th of June at the Masque Theatre in Barton Seagrave, Kettering. If you have children in reception, year 1 or 2 our Early years groups offer Drama, Dance, Music Making and Ocarinas They also have a pre- school music group for 3-4 year olds.

Everyone is welcome to come and look round at any time and try out the centre with a free ‘taster session’. To find out more about KETTERING MuSIC AND PERfORMING ARTS CENTRE then visit their web site at www.ketteringmusiccentre. co.uk. You will be able to find the timetable and term dates along with information about fees and registration. Or you can contact the Head of Centre Karen Gawkowska on 01604 637117.

company, Schwarzkopf, in partnership with Hensmans, one of Northamptonshire’s premier hair salons. The theme for the 2010 show will be ‘Emerge:Blossom’, once more featuring top London models and a glamorous atmosphere. Fashion at The University of Northampton continues to grow its reputation, with graduates taking part in London Graduate Fashion Week and going on to work for top industry names. All schools and colleges entering the competition will receive 10 free tickets for the afternoon Fashion Show (normal price: £2 each for students and their teachers). For further information on entering the competition, or to register for tickets, please contact Meredith White on 01604 893099, email: fashion@northampton. ac.uk

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School of Education help to develop new teaching skills in Estonia 4UBGG GSPN ,BBHWFSF 4DIPPM JO &TUPOJB IBWF MFBSOU OFX BQQSPBDIFT UP UFBDIJOH EVSJOH B WJTJU UP 5IF 6OJWFSTJUZ PG /PSUIBNQUPO Four teachers from the school spent ten days in Northamptonshire as part of a new project to improve the social and emotional development of students in Estonia. The project is being run in collaboration with the Centre for Special Needs Education and Research (CeSNER) in the School of Education at the University of Northampton. The visitors attended workshops at the University, and worked with local teachers and students. Workshops looked at the use of creative group work approaches and developing social and emotional aspects of learning, and included ways to integrate these approaches into the social curriculum of

the school. These are new techniques for schools in Estonia. Kaagvere is a residential school for girls aged from 11-17 years old with emotional, social, behavioural or delinquency problems. The school received a grant of 750,000 Euros from the European Union Social Fund in October 2009 to help them deliver more effective methods of working with these young people and to address their difficulties. Barry Groom, Senior Lecturer with The University of Northampton’s Centre for Special Needs Education and Research (CeSNER), has been working with the school for several years. Barry said: “The University

From left to right: Lii Kaudne; Reet Kurvits; Barry Groom, Senior Lecturer with CeSNER at The University of Northampton; Ivi Mark; and Merli Tähnas during the visit to The University of Northampton. has developed very successful relationships with several schools in Estonia. “We offer a range of advice and consultancy based on our own experience of working

with young people that have challenging backgrounds.� Barry will be visiting Estonia in March with a number of students that have volunteered to work in the school.

Connected to music 4FWFO %BWFOUSZ TDIPPMT QFSGPSN BU UIF 3PZBM %FSOHBUF

Kettering Music and Performing Arts Centre in practice for their Spring Concert on March 20th. 7pm at Southfields School. Tickets on sale from March 6 priced ÂŁ3.50 Adult/ÂŁ2.50 Cons. ÂŁ10.00 Family. Call 01604 637 117.

TuESday 25 May Celebrate and share the music created and performed by children and young people from seven Daventry schools with Sinfonia ViVA as part of the Connected to Music project. One of just the five Music Partnership Projects in England, and led by Orchestras Live (the national development agency for orchestral music), Connected to Music has been running for eight months and involves 250 children and their teachers, two professional orchestras - the Royal Philhar-

monic Orchestra and sinfonia ViVA - plus Royal & Derngate and the County Council. This concert will be the culmination of the work the young people and their teachers have been doing with the two orchestras, led by Creative Director, Tim Steiner

Tickets: ÂŁ5 adult, ÂŁ1 child, ÂŁ10 family ticket (2 adults plus up to 4 children), Groups: buy 10 get 11th ticket free. Box Office: 01604 624811 www. royalandderngate.co.uk

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9P\Tb FTQQTa If golf is your game, James Webber is certainly a name to watch out for. Leon Gray from WOW caught up with James before he heads off to Portugal for two weeks preseason practice. F>F How did you start off playing golf?. F>F When did you hear you had been selected to play for England at U18 level? 90<4B The final round of the Carris Trophy [The English Boys’ Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship] in July last year was the day the selections were made for the Boys’ Home Internationals. I was paired with an England regular, and several selectors were following us. I was able to shoot 5 under par for that round to finish sixth overall. At the end of the tournament I was told I was in. It was a dream come true. F>F How are you finding it playing as an international?… 90<4B I have, we did it last year and it was so successful that they decided to take it out again. In fact, we’re going to lots of the places we played last year: I bumped into someone yesterday and she said ‘there’s seven of us coming – we all came last year and we’re coming again!’ F>F It’s a recommendation in itself, that you came back for more. 90<4B At first it was daunting, but I won my first match. So getting off to such a good start steadied the nerves. Knowing a lot of the players from other tournaments helped out, too. Winning five out of six matches and winning the England player of the tournament was a bonus. Since then, I’ve was selected to play at U21 level in the Dutch Junior Masters (U21), which was an individual event as well as a team event (teams of 3). I won the individual event and was captain of the winning team.

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90<4B I had some lessons with my sister when I was about 6 but didn’t like it and chose football. When I was eleven I decided to give golf another go and it gradually took over from football. F>F When did you realize you might be a bit special? 90<4B I don’t think I am special – there are plenty of other good golfers out there. Being selected for England has given me the confidence to go further. F>F I presume you’ve rose up through the ranks as club and county player. Who has been your mentor? 90<4B

I’ve been with my coach, Steve Cardy, since I was 13 when I was first selected to play for Essex. Since then, I’ve been county captain at U16 and U18 levels. Last year, I played for the men’s team when we won the National County Final – the first time Essex had won. F>F Is it difficult playing as an amateur? How do you support yourself? 90<4B

As an amateur you have to fund yourself but I do get help from my golf club, Ping, and my parents. Over the winter I’ve been working at a driving range, in a pro shop, half way hut, and bar work some evenings. I’ve spent a lot of time in the gym and at driving ranges. Because of the weather it has been difficult to get on a course and so am off to Portugal for two weeks before the season starts. F>F Any thoughts on turning professional?

90<4B I am always thinking about being a pro. If the opportunity were to come along with sponsorship I would have to seriously consider it, but I’m happy playing amateur golf gaining as much experience as possible. F>F Which pros do you most admire? 90<4B

Tiger Woods because of his talent, dedication, and confidence, and Rory McIlroy because of his no-fear approach to the game. Rory has played in many of the tournaments I am playing in. F>F It’s been a difficult time for pro golf recently. What do you think about the media circus surrounding Tiger Woods? 90<4B

As a golfer, he is by far the best, and so what has happened will always create media circus. If you are that famous there will always be a story about you. It’s no different to John Terry or Ashley Cole. F>F It has been mentioned that golf has suffered since the Tiger Woods affair. Do you really think one player holds such sway over pro golf? 90<4B

If the sport has suffered it would be in America where Tiger plays most of his golf. I don’t think the game has suffered – it is more to do with sponsorship and audiences. Everyone wants to watch Tiger because he is the best. F>F But you’ll be a contender for some of the silverware too! 90<4B Hopefully, as a professional on the European tour.

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4E4=CB WOW LOOKS AT WHAT’S GOING ON THIS MONTH

The Outdoors Show at the NEC 5IF FWFOU PG UIF ZFBS GPS UIPTF XJUI B TQJSJU PG BEWFOUVSF The Outdoors Show returns to The NEC from Friday 26 – Sunday 28 March 2010 bringing the best of the outdoors indoors. The annual event will once again turn The NEC into the ultimate adventure seeker’s playground, delivering a unique experience not available on the high street or the hills, for people with a passion for hiking and biking, walking and climbing and much, much more… For the first time since the release of the film “Touching the Void”, Joe Simpson will speak publicly at The Outdoors Show about his epic struggle for survival in the Peruvian Andes which has since entered mountaineering legend. Other

celebrity guests attending the show will be top British climber Leo Holding, two-time Olympic Rowing Gold Medallist James Cracknell, TV Presenters Simon King and Kate Humble and adventurer Ben Fogle. New for 2010 is the exciting introduction of TriLive, the only UK triathlon show north of London. The area will play host to exhibitors and experts from the sport and provides the perfect opportunity for visitors to learn how to get involved in the demanding and rewarding world of triathlon. Back by popular demand is the spectacular SkyMasters competition showcasing elite climbers as they race head-to-

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head on a floating overhanging course set in the rafters of The NEC. The Ice Climbing wall returns providing a tough and challenging opportunity for visitors to prove they have the strength to tackle one of nature’s most difficult ascents. For those wanting to embrace the elements, the Outdoors Show has also re-introduced the Wilderness Camp attraction, offering show-goers the chance to learn survival skills for dealing with the extreme terrains of the planet including Arctic igloo living, desert animal tracking, rabbit skinning and lots more. With climbing walls galore, hundreds of outdoors exhibitors, fashion shows, the new TriLive Duathlon to watch or take partin and The Wilderness Camp, this year’s Outdoors Show is the must-attend event of the year for those with a spirit for adventure. For more information visit OutdoorsShowExtra.co.uk. For tickets book online at theticketfactory.com or call 0844 338 8000.

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Get the Antique Bug &BTUFS "OUJRVFT $PMMFDUBCMFT BU -BNQPSU )BMM Mix a random bunch of antique dealers with the stable block of a historic building and what you get is Lamport Hall Antiques and Collectors’ Fair. What can be more pleasant for the antique lover than walking through a period building filled with antiques and collectables and chatting to enthusiasts about their collections? This popular, bi-annual event has been running for 30 years and combines quality furniture, silver and jewellery with collectable china, militaria and glass. With over 70 dealers on site the event is large enough to offer a wide range of antiques, yet intimate enough to allow you to spend time in your favourite areas without missing out on the

rest of the event. Browsers are always welcome but if you are looking to top up your collection, buy a quirky item, or find that unusual gift – you will no doubt find it amongst the competitively priced items at the Fair. Organised by Antiques2Go, who also run 2 auctions and 3 other antiques fairs, this is the premier Antiques Fair in Northampton. If you have an interest in historic properties you can combine your visit with a look around Lamport Hall and Gardens in the afternoon. The Fair is open Easter Sunday and Monday 4th & 5th April from 10 am – 4 pm. For details ring 01327 871797 or see www.antiques2go.co.uk

Northants Museums celebrate Easter JO /PSUIBNQUPO 5PXO $FOUSF A series of eggciting workshops will take place during Easter half term at the Northampton Museum and Art Gallery. On Wednesday 14 April, there are bag making workshops using funky fabric and cost £1 per person. On Thursday 15 April, children of all ages can design a spring collage for free. There is more to come on Friday 16 April with a variety of free Easter crafts for everyone to take part in. All workshops run from 10am to 12pm and 1pm to 3pm and children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult. All workshops are drop in and no booking is required. Abington Park Museum reo-

pens after the winter and from 1 to 5 April is holding an Easter Egg Hunt, with a crème egg as the prize. It costs 50p per person to take part in the egg hunt, which runs from 1pm to 5pm and includes Easter Friday and Bank Holiday Monday.

www.northampton.gov.uk/ museums Tel: 01604 838111

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<>C>A8=6 WOW TAKES A LOOK AT THE LATEST DEALS ON WHEELS

Fiesty Forester 5JN #BSOFT $MBZ UFTU ESJWFT UIF OFX 4VCBSV 'PSFTUFS #PYFS %JFTFM When you think of Subaru you tend to think of rallying. Or at least I do. That image might not appeal to everyone’s motoring taste, but what might do is the new Boxer Diesel engine that the Japanese company has fitted to its latest incarnation of the Forester. No other competitor can

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match the Boxer Diesel Forester 2.0D X’s combined 44.8 mpg, nor its ultra-low 167 g/ km, meaning an annual Road Fund Licence of £170. In addition, only the VW Tiguan can match the Group 9E insurance rating for the Forester 2.0D X and XC models. The Honda CRV, for example is Group 12, Nis-

san X-Trail from Group 13 and Toyota RAV4 is classed from Group11 upwards. The car’s 115.5 mph top speed and 10 second 0-60 mph time makes it one of the swiftest of SUVs while the extra engine torque over the petrol model allows a full 2,000 kg braked towing limit.

The car offers outstanding equipment and is priced from ÂŁ20, 295 to ÂŁ25,495. Even the entry-level Forester 2.0D X features: symmetrical all-wheel drive; self-levelling rear suspension; fuel-saving electric power steering; front, side and curtain airbags and 16 inch alloy wheels. Other features include four elec-

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tric windows; 60/40-split rear seats; climate-control air-conditioning; radio/CD player; front fog lamps; vehicle information display; height and reach-adjustment steering wheel; leather-covered steering wheel, handbrake and gear-lever; heated front seats, mirrors and windscreen wipers plus cruise-control. Expected to be the bestseller, the Forester 2.0D XC adds: roof-rails; larger 17 inch alloy wheels; premium audio system featuring a six-stacker CD-player and seven speakers; roof spoiler and a large, electrically-powered sun-roof. Finally,

the top-of-the range Forester 2.0D XSn, which we had on test, adds: satellite navigation with single disc CD/radio; leather seats; electrically-powered driver’s seat and Smart-entry with push-button start. There is really not much to complain about. This latest Forester gives a highly-absorbent ride with precise handling and decent power. Only the heavy clutch, notchy gear shifts and cheap interior plastics (oh, and a lack of any peg to hang your jacket on) let it down. Land Rovers may have the ultimate off-road perception,

_a^ R^] POSITIVE • Fast • Equipment • Ride • Off-road ability but the Subaru symmetrical, permanent all-wheel-drive layout, with its low centre-of-gravity boxer engine, has been proven on rallies worldwide – as well as on farms from Africa to New Zealand. So don’t underestimate the capability of this new Forester when you take it into the rough.

To advertise in the Midlands’ fastest-growing guide to what’s going on and where to be seen, email sales@wowwhatsonwhere.co.uk or call 01858 439 999

NEGATIVE • Heavy clutch • Notch gears • Where’s the coat hook?

SUBARU FORESTER BOXER DIESEL MAX SPEED: 115 mph, 0-60 mph 10.0 secs COMBINED MPG: 44.1 ENGINE LAyOUT: 1998cc 16v turbodiesel flat four POWER: 147 bhp TORqUE: 258 lb ft @ 1800rpm CO2: 167 g/km PRICE: £20,295 to £25,4 95 (On the road)

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Clio gets a face-lift 5JN #BSOFT $MBZ UFTU ESJWFT UIF OFX 3FOBVMU $MJP (5

Renault’s revised Clio range now includes a significant newcomer - the three-door GT. An important addition, it provides a bridge between the mainstream range and the high performance Clio Renaultsport 200. As well as looking the part with its dedicated GT styling features, such as a gloss black grille, extended front spoiler

_a^ R^] POSITIVE • Economical • Fun to drive • More room than you think • Affordable NEGATIVE • Cheap interior plastics • Portable Sat-Navs miles cheaper • Image

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and side skirts, twin tailpipe exhaust, bespoke 16� GT alloy wheels, drilled aluminium pedals and sporty front seats, it is also engineered for rewarding handling and performance. When Renault first offered me this test demo, I wasn’t so sure it’d match my ‘image’, shall we say, but there’s no denying it’s a nippy little number. I don’t know why I was surprised though, Renaultsport engineers were in charge of tuning the chassis for sharper handling and response - and my test car came with a large 106 dCi engine. Large for the size of car, I mean. The French ‘warm-hatch’ also came with the optional new Carminat TomTom navigation system. Renault claims it is the first affordable integrated system in the supermini segment at a price

that competes with the sat nav systems you can stick on the windscreen. I’m not so sure, as this was an optional extra on my test car, costing ÂŁ450! I changed my mind after I drove the GT. I thought I’d feel like a 38 year old bloke trying to be a 17 year old boy racer – but you know what? I didn’t. I felt safe, secure and the car seemed large and almost grown-up inside. It was even brilliantly economical. Now that’s a 38 year old Dad of two talking. On taking the Clio GT for a decent spin to a friends wedding in far away Norfolk, I even got three grown men and the Groom to sit in the front. I call that the ‘TARDIS’ effect. Ok, yes, it had GT embroidered into the seats and all the sporty trimmings – but it was genuinely fun to drive – even in economical diesel form. The

other’s thought so too. And the best thing about the trip to Norfolk – apart from the wedding – was that I didn’t need to stop once for fuel. The car did at least 60 mpg – amazing! If I was a betting man I’d say this face-lifted Clio will build upon the success that enabled its predecessor to secure benchmark status in its class. Its comfort, handling, engines, safety credentials and equipment are worthy of larger cars, and its build quality makes it one of the most reliable cars in its class. RENAulT ClIO GT MAx SPEEd: 118mph, 0-62mph 11.1 COMbINEd MPG: 61.4 POWER: 106 bhp TORquE: 240 Nm CO2: 123 g/km PRICE: £14,935 (On the road)

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WOW LOOKS AT SPORTING EVENTS IN THE MIDLANDS REGION AND BEYOND...

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FRI 14 - SUN 16 MAY Brand Events, organisers of O2 Golf LIVE, the new interactive golf event that will be staged at Stoke Park on May 14-16, announced today that ticket sales have superseded initial expectations. Since tickets went on sale on the 1st February, golfing enthusiasts from around the country have been rushing to snap up tickets for the hottest new event on the 2010 golfing calendar. In just 2 weeks over 2,000 tickets have already been sold

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and this number continues to rise on a daily basis. Commenting on behalf of Brand Events, Justin Clarke, the Company’s Commercial Director said: “ We have been very pleased with initial tickets sales and are excited by what seems to be a glowing response from the golfing public to the O2 Golf LIVE concept.” Featuring the combined talents of Colin Montgomerie, Paul Casey, Ian Poulter, Retief Goosen plus some of the leading coaches in the game, O2

Golf LIVE in association with The Daily Telegraph looks set to be the most innovative new public golf event to be launched in the last decade. It is a premium 3-day event which is aimed at golfers of all ages and abilities and which provides a unique backstage pass into the glamorous world of Tour golf. When you purchase a daily ticket for O2 Golf LIVE it will give you access to Monty’s Masterclass, as well as watching the stars in action in a 3-hole Pro-

Celebrity Challenge, book a lesson with a top PGA professional or mind coach, learn at first hand Tour players’ tricks of the trade, try out the latest kit and equipment from leading club manufacturers or even get yourself custom-fitted for a new set of clubs. There will also be ample time to visit the Short Game and Bunker Theatre, Mid Iron and Recovery Theatre, Tee Shot Theatre, Retail Village and the Competition Zone before each day concludes with an unforgettable Grand Finale featuring Montgomerie and many of the other leading golfers and celebrities. In addition to O2, which signed up as Title Sponsor, O2 Golf LIVE is also endorsed by the European Tour, Travel Partner, Golfbreaks.com and Media Partners, The Daily Telegraph and Bauer Consumer Media. Oki Systems (UK) Ltd is a Supplier Sponsor for the event. Tickets for O2 GOLF LIVE start from £45 and are available now from www.golfliveevent.com or by calling 0871 230 7130. A maximum of 4,000 tickets will be sold per day and are available on a first come, first served basis. More information about O2 Golf LIVE can be found on www.golfliveevent.com

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Local Youngsters triumph in Squash Event )BSCPSPVHI DMVC IPTUT PQFO EBZ

Harborough Squash Club hosted an England Squash Bronze Sanctioned Open Event for Under 15 and Under 17 boys over the weekend. Local players entered alongside those from all over the Midlands region. National ranking points were up for grabs from the event. Club members witnessed, a long with the competitors families, witnessed some high quality squash with many close matches. The under 15 age group final was competed for by two of the home clubs juniors, Patrick Sadd and Tim Arthur. Sadd was the number one

seed, with a National ranking of 59. Arthur was ranked 169 nationally at the start of the event but came through by playing some excellent squash beating the event 2nd seed, Patrick Stewart (Herts) who was some 86 ranking points above him. In a closely fought final which swung to and fro between the Harborough team mates, Sadd managed to take the title 3-2. The U15 plate was contested by two Northants players, with Angus Elsby beating Ryan Swadling 3-0. In the U17 age group, number 1 seed George Parker

(Leics) was too strong for Jordan Coppock (Warks) winning 3-1, despite Parker having come through a tough semi-final match against fellow Leicestershire team mate Mayank Bhandari. Coppock came through the round beating higher ranked players each round, despaching the 2nd seed, James Blyth (Derbys) 3-2 in the other semi-final. Harborough’s Jack Turney lost in the first round of the U17 to Chris Abel (Notts), a higher ranked player in the match of the tournament. Despite having several match points Turney lost 13-11 in the 5th game after

60 minutes of closely fought squash. He did get some consulation by winning the plate competition, beating Northants’ Jack Follett 3-1 in the final. This was the first time the Harborough Club has run one of these Natinoal events and it looks forward to running more next winter.

MarkEt HarbOrOugH SquaSH and rackEtbaLL cLub Anyone interested in trying squash or joining the club, contact Joe Green on 07957856866

To advertise your event in the Midlands’ fastest-growing guide to what’s going on and where to be seen, email sales@wowwhatsonwhere.co.uk or call 01858 439 999

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C^_ 7^[T Come and enjoy a round at Kibworth Golf Club, and you’ll soon be back for more…

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tanding in the middle of the fairway on the 16th hole at Kibworth, you face one of the great shots in Leicestershire golf. It’s the key shot in a hugely enjoyable, testing back six cut through picturesque, wooded parkland. Only a perfect drive up the left will do; then it’s a gut-tightening iron with the perfect line over a great ash tree, over a brook and a lake and down steeply on to a tiered green. As a low double-figure handicapper, it took me six rounds at Kibworth last year to finally make that shot and break 85 on a course that rates as one of my favourites in Leicester-

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shire and Northamptonshire. I like the fact that the yardage isn’t stretched to the max, and that so many holes offer a more thoughtful test of accuracy and wile. With water, a meandering brook crossing eight fairways and woods lining many of the beautifully tended fairways, the course offers an enjoyable challenge for scratch players and beginners alike. Just as importantly, Kibworth is a friendly, welcoming club to visit, with an excellent pro’s shop and clubhouse facilities to match the quality of the greens. Practice facilities include a 300

yard grass driving range, short game practice green and bunkers and putting green. Some of my best memories of last summer involve sitting outside the 19th hole with my playing partner, a pint of shandy in one hand and my scorecard – what could have been! – in the other. There can be few places to sit and relax, with views to match from this vantage point. Looking down the first fairway, you realise just how beguiling

the Leicestershire countryside is. A well deserved bite to eat from the Club’s extensive bar menu, or if you prefer a delicious meal in the dining room, which overlooks the par 3 9th green completes a perfect day. Whilst Kibworth is a private members’ club, I’ve always received a warm and friendly welcome on each of my visits. Last year I took advantage of their “Swing into Spring” special offer. Bacon sandwich and coffee on arrival, 18 holes and a hot meal afterwards for just £29 - superb value. These and other offers can be found with a quick visit to their website at www.kibworthgolfclub.co.uk.

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C44 D? 0C :81F>AC7 this summer why not visit Kibworth for a round of golf, or better still take up one of these fabulous offers. Just contact the club for details on 0116 279 2301

SuMMer SpeCial MeMberShip - JuSt £399 Valid 1 april - 1 October No joining fee No green fees full playing rights use of all practice facilities use of clubhouse and restaurant Contact the office on 0116 279 2301 for details Kibworth is truly a family club w h e r e new memb e r s quickly find friends and playing partners. Whatever your age or standard of play you’ll feel comfortable at the Club, both competitive and social golf are equally catered for. This summer the Club offers full membership from 1 April to 1 October for just £399. Unlike many clubs Kibworth does not charge an upfront joining fee nor do they charge additional green fees for members - £399 for practically unlimited golf. But it’s not just existing golfers that Kibworth caters for, the Club also runs a “Learn To Golf” package for those that

have often thought about taking up the game, but aren’t certain. For just £99, you receive three lessons with a PGA professional and enjoy six weeks temporary membership of the club to use the practice facilities and course. The club will even find you a buddy to play 27 holes with. If you join afterwards the £99 is credited against the membership subscription. This summer Kibworth will be hosting a series of complimentary open evenings. A free group lesson on the driving range, followed by a tour of the clubhouse and course and a taste of Kibworth hospitality. So, there’s no excuse this summer not to have a go.

KibWOrth GOlf Club Weir Road Kibworth Beauchamp Leicestershire LE8 0LP Tel: 0116 279 2301 www.kibworthgolfclub.co.uk

SWiNG iNtO SpriNG £29. Valid 1 March - 31 May bacon sandwich & coffee on arrival 18 holes of golf hot meal afterwards book with the professional on 0116 279 2301 learN tO GOlf £99. 3 personal lessons with pGa professional 6 weeks temporary membership use of all practice facilities use of Clubhouse & restaurant play 27 holes with a member £99 credit if you subsequently join club Contact the office on 0116 279 2301 for details OpeN eVeNiNGS Complimentary group lesson tour of Course, practice facilities & Clubhouse Meet the members Contact the office on 0116 279 2301 for details

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2;0BB85843B To advertise in the Midland’s fastest-growing guide to what’s going on and where to be seen in our region, email sales@wowwhatsonwhere.co.uk or call 01858 439 999

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With the ever increasing popularity of ebay and T.V antiques shows, Tracy and Elaine felt the urge to visit a local market to see what the attraction is to people selling and buying ‘antiquities’ also let us hold a very heavy, hand blown glass bowl from White Friars, 1975 displaying suspended bubbles. As we wandered around, fascinated to see such a variety of items - a set of silver sugar lump tongs took Elaines’ eye

8

t was a chilly snowy morning but still plenty of potential customers and sellers had turned out for Market Harborough’s weekly Sunday Antique Market. We were immediately attracted to the Vinyl Tree with it’s huge vinyl record collection - a very popular stall indeed! We thought nowadays that everyone was only listening to CDs and iPods! To see loads of records from the past was odd, but immediately we wanted to buy a turntable and reminisce. With both toy and book stalls, Tracy and Elaine were impressed by some very old children’s annuals, the colours and artwork still very vibrant. Some of the items we even recognised from our own childhood! We hope that is a good sign of taste and not just our increasing age! People have been trading on the spot of Market Harborough’s Market Hall for over 500 years! That must make the place an antique in it’s own right!

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and at only £2.50 would make an inexpensive gift. Tracy was attracted to a John Ditchfield glass frog, very heavy and in a glorious shade of pink. A little more pricey at £180.00 but still a bargain! What an ideal place to find a personal treasure to take home to suit anyone’s budget. An added bonus was an ‘inhouse’ cafe, run by Brookside Catering and a happy team of girls; Amber, Jessica, and Ruth. Full English Breakfast served all day - snacks and drinks until the market closes at 4pm. The perfect time to contemplate possible purchases. The Market Hall is on Northampton Road, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16. The Antique Market runs every Sunday with the more usual stalls on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday. If you’ve got the bug you could also try out Northampton’s Market Square where there will be an Antique Market on Saturdays 13th March and 10th April.

Moving on to another stall displaying a vast array of expensive breakables! We met the owner, Andy Moorcroft who explained to us the origins of a true Victorian cranberry coloured glass dish which he had just sold, and how the unique cranberry colour was achieved by dropping a gold sovereign into the hand blown dish. Andy

Halo - The Only Official and Exclusive Stockist for Thomas Sabo in Market Harborough A little touch of Heaven...

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Halo Jewellery 68 High Street, Market harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 7AF.

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