Stamford Georgian Festival 2015

F E S T I VA L

25-27 SEPT

www.stamfordgeorgianfestival.co.uk

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GEORGIAN FESTIVAL PROGRAMME 2015

INTRO

2015 What better place could there be than Stamford to host a Georgian Festival?

This wonderful architectural gem today manages to successfully combine history and the modern day within the town’s ancient and picturesque stone streets and buildings.

Our first Georgian Festival in 2013 drew an estimated 22,000 people to Stamford on the Saturday, the most visitors ever to the town on one day.

For 2015 we have an exciting extended programme starting on Thursday, stretching longer into the evening on Saturday and with more for visitors to see and do on Sunday.

We are proud to have drawn top names to deliver talks, entertainment and sheer spectacle across the weekend.

Direct from the West End we have the ever-popular Horrible Histories show, on the streets of Stamford we will again see a re-enactment of the age-old Bull Run, markets will bring the streets to life and there will be music, costume, coach rides, military re-enactments, fireworks and a dash of magic.

It’s going to be colourful, fascinating and, above all, sheer fun for all ages.

As a council we are proud to be delivering the town’s second Georgian Festival, part of our commitment to draw visitors to Stamford and promote the district.

Cllr Bob Adams Leader, South Kesteven District Council

Book tickets in person at Stamford Arts Centre 2

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What’s on where: see centre pages for venue locations map

by phone 01780 763203 or online www.stamfordgeorgianfestival.co.uk

GEORGIAN FESTIVAL PROGRAMME 2015

THURSDAY 24 SEPTEMBER

charming, dissolute young men who have blown their fortunes in giddy London.

Shamed and debt-ridden, they flee to provincial Lichfield. Their ‘Stratagem’: to marry for money.

An encore screening.

FRIDAY 25 SEPTEMBER

VICTORY FOR NELSON!

St John’s Church, Red Lion Square, Stamford – 7.30pm Tickets £10 An opening concert given by the Burghley Voices with soloists and orchestra conducted by Fergus Black. Two pieces by Haydn in honour of Admiral Lord Nelson, are complemented by one of Handel’s Coronation Anthems and an unusual choral elegy by Beethoven. Haydn’s Nelson Mass is well known; the solo cantata Lines from the Battle of the Nile less so.

Enjoy a wonderful musical evening of entertainment.

THE BEAUX’ STRATAGEM – THE NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE Arts Centre Theatre – 7pm Tickets £14 (£12) £10 students /groups of 10 or more We are delighted to be screening George Farquhar’s wild comedy as part of the Stamford Georgian Festival 2015. The ‘Beaux’: Mr Aimwell and Mr Archer, two

PERIOD COSTUME BALL

Arts Centre Ballroom 7.30pm for 8pm start Tickets £35 Recreating a period ball in the Georgian ballroom, join us in costume to enjoy dancing, music and period card games.

Dances will be called by the dance mistress and a delicious buffet supper with welcome drink is included in the ticket price.

STAMFORD TOWN HALL TOURS Every hour between 10am and 4pm Tickets free but must be obtained from the box office Visit the Mayor’s parlour and all its treasures along with the other historical rooms in this Georgian building before visiting the original prison cells…

Book tickets: 01780 763203 www.stamfordgeorgianfestival.co.uk

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GEORGIAN FESTIVAL PROGRAMME 2015

SATURDAY 26 SEPTEMBER STREET MARKET ON BROAD STREET

10am till 4.30pm with free street entertainment ...ON

DR LUCY WORSLEY Arts Centre Theatre – 8pm Tickets £20

Lucy Worsley takes you on a journey through the weird world of the Georgian court by telling the story of her favourite queen, Caroline. Wife of the almost forgotten King George II, Caroline was the fattest, funniest and cleverest queen ever to sit on the throne. Using eighteenth century paintings, court memoirs, palace diaries and intimate letters, Lucy recounts the adventures and trials of Caroline’s life, explaining the unlikely turn of events that led an orphaned princess from a tiny German state to sit upon the British throne.

The talk ties in with Lucy’s BBC Four series, ‘The First Georgians’, and her book ‘Courtiers, The Secret History of the Georgian Court’.

GHOST WALKS

Leaving from the Arts Centre 7.30pm and 8.30pm Tickets £5 Soak up the haunting atmosphere of the streets of Stamford with plenty of scary fun along the way! Walks start from Stamford Arts Centre - recommended age 8 years plus.

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THE MEADOWS

Members of the Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards 1815 along with a selection of ‘Georgian’ traders. Visit the Georgian Magic Eye! And enjoy an interactive experience showing how the early camera obscurers worked. Entertaining and educational for all ages.

Children’s traditional fairground rides, a Punch and Judy show (at 11am, 1pm and 2.45pm) plus donkey rides will also be available.

GEORGIAN FESTIVAL PROGRAMME 2015

OMNIBUS CARRIAGE RIDES 10am till 4.30pm Leaving from St George’s Square Tickets £3.50

Ride in our delightful horse-drawn omnibus. Some seats are on top but are subject to being able to climb up and down. No unaccompanied children under 16 riding on top.

MAIL COACH RIDES

10am till 4.30pm Leaving from Cattle Market Car Park Tickets £8.50 The mail coach returns to Stamford! Enjoy a ride on an authentic coach taking in the sights of Burghley Park on this once in a lifetime experience. Be warned, if you are on the top seats, you will need to be able to climb up and down and you will get wet if it rains but it’s all part of this fantastic experience! No unaccompanied children under 16 riding on top.

HORRIBLE HISTORIES’ BARMY BRITAIN RETURNS TO STAMFORD

The Corn Exchange Theatre, Broad Street Tickets adults £15, children £12 and family of 4 £46 2pm Tickets on sale from Stamford Corn Exchange on 01780 766455 or the festival box office 01780 763203 Direct from London’s West End, Horrible Histories makes a welcome return to Stamford with the all new Barmy Britain Part 3. We all want to meet people from history, the trouble is they’re all dead! So Barmy Britain’s brand new show is full of crazy characters and rude new rulers from Britain’s barmy past!

ANTIQUE BOOK FAIR

Arts Centre Ballroom – Free all day

CARD MAKING & PAPER CUTTING WORKSHOP

Stamford Library, 11am – 1pm Free Have a go at making your own Georgian cards and learn some paper craft techniques. Suitable for all the family.

GEORGIAN POETRY AND PROSE

Stamford Library 2pm - 3pm Free Poet Teresa McLean and friend Jan Limback read period poetry both silly and sensible with maybe some singing thrown in.

Book tickets: 01780 763203 www.stamfordgeorgianfestival.co.uk

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GEORGIAN FESTIVAL PROGRAMME 2015

TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS WITH THE GALLERIES OF JUSTICE

11am and 3pm The Old Courtroom, Stamford Town Hall Tickets £6 Enjoy this interactive reconstruction of a real life trial from Stamford in 1749. Elizabeth Taylor stands accused of stealing but what will be her punishment? A family experience where the audience become involved with proceedings…

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GEORGIAN FESTIVAL PROGRAMME 2015

WALKING TOURS WITH BLUE BADGE GUIDE JILL COLLINGE

Leaving from the Arts Centre at 11am and 2.30pm Tickets £4.50 Join Jill as she points out historical facts and figures whilst enjoying a gentle walk around Stamford’s stunning streets.

FRUMENTY’S GEORGIAN SONGBOOK

Browne’s Hospital grounds 12.30pm Tickets £2.50 Frumenty is an experienced four piece local folk group who will be performing folk songs from the Napoleonic era, evocatively blending the sounds of voice, string, wind and percussion instruments.

THE BIRTH OF FRANKENSTEIN

Browne’s Hospital grounds 4pm Tickets £2.50 An exciting short performance written by local playwright Becky Cooper revolving around Mary Shelley’s 1816 tour of Geneva which gave birth to her famous novel, Frankenstein. Experience a small cast bringing the story to life.

STAMFORD TOWN HALL TOURS

SHOESTRING THEATRE PERFORMS… A COMEDY OF FOLLY

Browne’s Hospital grounds 11.30am and 1.30pm Tickets £2.50 Join Shoestring Theatre for 30 minutes of the best of Regency prose and poetry about love, life, marriage, smoking and even toothache from a variety of authors, including the incomparable mistress of the comedy of folly, Miss Jane Austen.

WATERLOO – A PEDLAR’S TALE

Browne’s Hospital grounds 2.30pm Tickets £2.50 Mathew Chapman, a pedlar, was present at the great Battle of Waterloo where, having followed Wellington’s army, he saw all the major events of that long and bloody day.

Now, returned to England, he is eager to share his eye-witness account of the great victory and, if possible, sell you some of his wares!

Every hour between 10am and 4pm Tickets free but must be obtained from the box office Visit the Mayor’s parlour and all its treasures along with the other historical rooms in this Georgian building before visiting the original prison cells…

SIR JOSEPH SCOTT, A GEORGIAN DANDY, VISITS BURGHLEY HOUSE 12noon – 1pm As part of the visitor experience at Burghley House (included in the normal admission price) Listen to ‘Sir Joseph’s’ amusing anecdotes regarding his stay at Burghley and other noteworthy houses as he passes his time being a ‘gentleman about town’.

BURGHLEY HOUSE ORGAN RECITAL

Burghley House Chapel 4.30 for 4.45pm Tickets £3.50 Join musician Fergus Black as he plays a selection of period pieces in the stunning surroundings of Burghley House Chapel.

Book tickets: 01780 763203 www.stamfordgeorgianfestival.co.uk

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GEORGIAN FESTIVAL PROGRAMME 2015

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and Donkey Rides 13 Period Traders 14 The Higgler 15 Re-enactment Camp 16 Bath Row Parking 17 Finale t ee Toilets T Str

Book tickets: 01780 763203 www.stamfordgeorgianfestival.co.uk

GEORGIAN FESTIVAL PROGRAMME 2015

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Additional FREE parking at Cummins Generator Technologies on Barnack Road

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GEORGIAN FESTIVAL PROGRAMME 2015

GIN AND GEMS

Arts Centre Ballroom 7.30pm Tickets £15 Enjoy an evening of speciality gin tasting, courtesy of the Northamptonshire based award winning distillery Warner Edwards, and learn about the history of this favourite Georgian tipple before moving onto an introduction to jewellery design, historic gem cutting and jewellery making from local goldsmith Matt Powell - a perfect combination!

EMMA

Arts Centre Theatre 7.30pm Tickets £12, £10 and £8.50 for schools/groups of 10+ Emma Woodhouse is handsome, clever and rich. She’s also a bit of a meddler. After her governess marries (with Emma’s help of course) it’s clear that Miss Woodhouse must become a matchmaker so who better to begin with than the unpolished Harriet Smith?

But as her interfering gets out of hand and events spiral beyond her control, it may be time for Emma to question her judgement.

Gently advised by childhood friend Mr Knightley, can Emma untangle the web she’s spun? And what does she truly know of her own heart?

HOTBUCKLE PRODUCTIONS “Pure theatre magic” - The Stage

A JOURNEY INTO GEORGIAN ARCHITECTURE

Browne’s Hospital Hall, Broad Street 7.30pm Tickets £4.50 Join conservational architect and architectural historian, Dr Valeria Passetti as she takes you on a whistle stop tour of Georgian architecture and how the Georgian’s developed a new concept in urban design.

DANCING WITH MR DARCY

St Mary & St Augustine’s Church Hall, Broad Street 7.30pm Tickets £6 through the box office or call 01476 594803 Enjoy a pleasant evening of period dancing with the Charles Ant Ceilidh Band. Dances will be demonstrated prior to guests being able to try them for themselves, so all levels of dancers are welcome, singles or with partners. The evening will also include some period prose and literature reading from the era re-creating an authentic Georgian evening of entertainment.

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GEORGIAN FESTIVAL PROGRAMME 2015

SUNDAY 27 SEPTEMBER COFFEE & CHOCOLATE – THE PERFECT GEORGIAN COMBINATION!

THE GEORGIAN MAGIC EYE! – THE CAMERA OBSCURER EXPLAINED

Castle House (Wildcats Theatre Academy) St Peter’s Hill, Stamford 7.30pm Tickets £4.50 Until the early part of the twentieth century, Stamford had its own Camera Obscurer sited on this very building. Enjoy this illustrated talk covering an outline history of the camera obscurer’s use by artists, solar astronomers and, intriguingly, even in warfare as well as how they have featured in film and literature.

THE STAMFORD BULL RUN

From 6pm - 6.30pm The Bull Run once again returns to the streets of Stamford! Watch a thrilling carnival display as it weaves its way around the town centre. The bull will finally meet its fate on the Meadows in a spectacular finale event from 8pm. See page 15

Café au Chocolat, Ironmonger Street 10am Tickets £10 from the café or box office The Georgian era saw the beginning of coffee shops which now grace virtually every high street. Treat your taste buds to coffee and chocolate tasting whilst gaining an insight into how this popular Georgian pastime has transformed the modern day high street.

STREET MARKET ON BROAD STREET

10am till 4.30pm with free street entertainment ...ON THE MEADOWS Members of the Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards 1815 camping on the Meadows along with a selection of ‘Georgian’ traders. Visit the Georgian Magic Eye! Children’s traditional fairground rides, a Punch and Judy show (at 11am,1pm and 2.45pm) plus donkey rides.

OMNIBUS CARRIAGE RIDES

Leaving from St George’s Square Tickets £3.50 10am till 4.30pm See page 5 for details

MAIL COACH RIDES

Leaving from Cattle Market Car Park Tickets £8.50 10am till 4.30pm See page 5 for details

Book tickets: 01780 763203 www.stamfordgeorgianfestival.co.uk

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GEORGIAN FESTIVAL PROGRAMME 2015

HORRIBLE HISTORIES’ BARMY BRITAIN RETURNS TO STAMFORD

The Corn Exchange Theatre, Broad Street Tickets £15 children £12 family of 4 £46 1pm and 3.30pm performances See page 5 for details

PATCHWORK & QUILTING WORKSHOP

Create the Georgian Festival Patchwork Stamford Arts Centre, Art Room Tickets £3.50 (drop in session) 10am – 1pm Come along and create your own little piece of the patchwork which will make up the ‘Georgian Festival’ legacy patchwork piece. All materials supplied along with help from patchwork artist Jane Schofield so you can also spend time learning how to create your own piece of work to take home. Suitable for ages 5+ upwards.

TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS WITH THE GALLERIES OF JUSTICE

The Old Courtroom, Stamford Town Hall Tickets £6 11am and 3pm See page 6 for details

STAMFORD TOWN HALL TOURS

Every hour between 10am and 4pm Tickets free but must be obtained from the box office.

Visit the Mayor’s parlour and all its treasures along with the other historical rooms in this Georgian building before visiting the original prison cells…

WALKING TOURS WITH BLUE BADGE GUIDE JILL COLLINGE

Leaving from the Arts Centre at 11.30am Tickets £4.50 Join Jill as she points out historical facts and figures whilst enjoying a gentle walk around Stamford’s stunning streets.

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THE GRUESOME SIDE OF CRIME AND PUNISHMENT Stamford Arts Centre Theatre Tickets £4.50 11.30am Gruesome tales of hanging and floggings (and everything in between!) as Thomas Turlis, the Hangman at Tyburn being equipped with gallows, ropes, and all the ‘tools’ of his gruesome trade, recounts the nature of crime and punishment in the Georgian and Regency period; the time of the ‘Bloody Code’, a body of law that set death as the sentence for well in excess of 200 offences!

Book tickets: 01780 763203 www.stamfordgeorgianfestival.co.uk

GEORGIAN FESTIVAL PROGRAMME 2015

copyright: Glyn Reed, Lovelylight images

SHOESTRING THEATRE PERFORMS…A COMEDY OF FOLLY Browne’s Hospital grounds 11.30am and 1.30pm Tickets £2.50 See page 7 for details

WATERLOO – A PEDLAR’S TALE

Browne’s Hospital grounds 4pm Tickets £2.50 (55 tickets available approx. 40 min duration) Mathew Chapman, a pedlar, was present at the great Battle of Waterloo where, having followed Wellington’s army, he saw all the major events of that long and bloody day.

Now, returned to England, he is eager to share his eye-witness account of the great victory and, if possible, sell you some of his wares!

THE HISTORIC GARDENER

Browne’s Hospital grounds 2.30pm Tickets £4.50 (55 tickets available 1 hour duration) For centuries England has had its gardens, and gardening is still one of our greatest pastimes. However, the lives and working methods of the gardeners who toiled to maintain the pleasure gardens of the wealthy in times past or the peasants who had to grow their own food have been largely forgotten. Join Michael Brown, the historic gardener as he takes you on a horticultural journey through the years.

GEORGIAN FASHIONS – THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME

Stamford Arts Centre Ballroom Tickets £4.50 1pm Discover the secrets of creating the fashionable Georgian shape. Costumier Lindsey Holmes demonstrates step by step, the layers that go into making an 18th century lady fit to be presented at court.

GEORGIAN FASHION SHOW

Stamford Arts Centre Ballroom Tickets £8 to include tea and cake afterwards 2pm Discover the fashions that encompassed this long period in British history. From the periwigs and white painted faces of the early Georgian period through to the simplicity of Jane Austen’s era, the outfits modelled are from the rich to the poor, civilian and military.

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE WITH DR JANE

Stamford Arts Centre Theatre Tickets £8 to include tea and cake beforehand at 3pm. Talk at 3.30pm Enjoy tea and a talk with Dr Jane Mackay and explore Jane Austin’s hugely popular novel Pride and Prejudice. You’ll discover what it really is that makes this novel. Surely the romance and Mr Darcy on TV would not account for its importance alone?

Come walking!

We have two free walks on Sunday as part of the new South Lincolnshire Walking Festival.

11am: The Bull Run. Walk the streets with us and re-live the infamous Stamford Bull Run 2.30pm: Just how ‘Horrible’ was Stamford’s history?

For full details and to book, visit www.southlincswalking.com 13

GEORGIAN FESTIVAL PROGRAMME 2015

SEDAN CHAIR RACING

The Meadows from 1pm Supported by Stamford Rotary Club Local teams battle it out around a timed course to see who can become Stamford’s fastest Georgian taxi! Sedan chairs will be provided. Entries accepted on the day or complete an entry form online at www. stamfordgeorgianfestival.co.uk. £10 entry for teams of 4 or £5 for teams of 2. Prizes to the fastest teams in both classes. All proceeds to Rotary charities.

CHAMELEON PRESENTS ‘HAYDN IN LONDON’ WITH

JANET FORBES, SOPRANO, AND DOUGLAS HOLLICK PLAYING HIS 1809 BROADWOOD GRAND PIANOFORTE Stamford Arts Centre Ballroom Tickets £10 6pm Haydn visited London twice in the 1790s and his English Canzonets were written specially for these visits. Several of these Haydn settings will be performed alongside songs by contemporary English composers such as Storace, Pinto and Linley. The 1809 piano is very similar to those used by Haydn in London and the programme will include solos as performed by Haydn and Dussek, whose 1793 piano was lent by him to Haydn in London.

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EVENSONG SERVICE – ALL SAINTS CHURCH, RED LION SQUARE 6.30PM

All welcome - a reinforced Parish Choir sings a Choral Evensong of Georgian music, including Handel, Greene, Ebdon and Nares.

THE ENRAGED MUSICIAN CULTURAL CONTRASTS IN HOGARTH’S LONDON

BY JEREMY BARLOW AND MEMBERS OF THE BROADSIDE BAND Stamford Arts Centre Theatre Tickets £14 (£12) 7.30pm William Hogarth loved theatre, dance and music ‘My picture was my stage, and men and women my actors’ he wrote, yet the tastes of high society often exasperated him. Hogarth’s satirical prints and paintings contrast elite Italian opera, popular pantomime and the street entertainment of ballad singers, solo fiddlers and bagpipers; these contrasts embellish and reinforce his humour. An entertaining musical evening presented by Jeremy Barlow (harpsichord) with members of the Broadside Band: Sara Stowe (soprano, percussion) and Sharon Lindo (violin, bagpipes).

Book tickets: 01780 763203 www.stamfordgeorgianfestival.co.uk

GEORGIAN FESTIVAL PROGRAMME 2015

BULL RUN Stamford’s legendary bull takes to the streets again on Saturday evening – with 200-plus schoolchildren and community volunteers forming part of the parade.

They will be carrying flags, costumes and banners with bull images from around the world in a programme guaranteed to provide colour and entertainment into the night. First up is a colourful procession through the streets, mirroring how the bull was chased in a bygone age.

SUPERB EVENING FINALE

SATURDAY Timetable as follows: 6pm - 6.30pm Procession starts in Star Lane, via Broad Street, Ironmonger Street, High Street, Maiden Lane and into St Mary’s Street.

Local clock and watchmaker Robert Loomes will be acting as official timekeeper. (Three performances along the way on Broad Street, High Street and St George’s Square) 7.30pm Bull ‘corralled’ in St Mary’s Place 8pm Action moves to The Meadows Bull finale spectacle, samba bands, militiamen, pyrotechnics and fire towers.

Supported by Stamford Town Council

Bull Run hits the TV headlines – and the streets of Stamford Celebrated broadcaster Michael Portillo highlighted the story of the Stamford Bull Run in his State Secrets BBC2 series in March. He re-told the bull’s ordeal in the infamous Stamford bull running - against which the RSPCA conducted its first and most highly publicised campaign under the 1835 Animal Protection Act prohibiting cruelty to cattle and horses.

In 1837 the RSPCA targeted the 700-year-old Lincolnshire tradition and met with a hostile reception. It lost that battle in Stamford but won the war. Two years later the last ever bull run took place ... until now! Happily our festival version is a carnival celebration to be enjoyed by all; with one bull parading in the streets at tea-time and another centre stage on The Meadows for an evening of music and spectacle.

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STAMFORD England’s finest stone town Stunning architecture Niche independent shopping Beautiful riverside meadows Colourful markets Fascinating churches Vibrant arts centre ... with historic Burghley House on the doorstep

A delightful must-visit town all year round!

‘Great festival programme in England’s finest stone town.’

James Berresford - Chief Executive Visit England September 2013

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Stamford Tourist Information Centre – for future events, information and accommodation 27 St Mary’s Street, Stamford, Lincolnshire PE9 2DL 01780 755611