19 & 20 SEPT 2015
O N E O F “ B R I TA I N ’ S B E S T V I N TA G E F E S T I VA LS ” For further details, ticket prices and terms & conditions visit
For further details, ticket prices and terms & conditions visit
DA I LY T E L E G R A P H 2014
Supported by
thedockyard.co.uk/salutetothe40s
C L C historic.chatham L @DockyardChatham historic.chatham
@DockyardChatham
This is a fundraising event in aid of Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust. Registered Charity No.292101. Fully Accredited Museum.
Kent’s fresh alternative to traditional independent schools Year 7 to 6th Form Enrolling for Sept 2015 & 2016
ROCHESTER INDEPENDENT COLLEGE
Call admissions on
01634 828115
• High performing at GCSE & A level • Non-selective academically • Good Schools Guide award winners in Maths, English, Chemistry & Film Studies • Transfer for Year 11, 12 or 13 • No school uniform • Average class size 8 • Opposite Rochester station • Minibuses on selected routes in Kent
Day & Boarding School | Year 7 to 6th Form Star Hill, Rochester | rochester-college.org
Year 7 Taster Days • 23 Sept & 21 Oct • Call us to book
CONTENTS 4 WELCOME 5 5 REALLY GOOD THINGS 6 News 9 OPEN LETTER FROM THE EDITOR 11 SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE 13 TYRWHITT-DRAKE MUSEUM OF CARRIAGES 14 ASSEMBLE YE HERETICS! 16 MAIDSTONE’S ART MARKET 18 FILM
19 NICK WALKER: INDEPENDENT FILM 20 A RESPONSE TO THE ARCHIVE 21 SHARING YOUR LOVE OF READING 22 MUSIC 1 24 MUSIC 2 26 THEATRE/COMEDY 27 MY MIND IS FREE 28 VISUAL ART 30 THE ARTIST’S SPACE
EDITORIAL: editor@wowkent.co.uk 0845 388 2243 (Calls cost 5p per minute plus your network’s access charge) ADVERTISING: advertising@wowkent.co.uk New advertiser & excellent series booking discounts available. All ads also appear in the online edition at wowkent.co.uk FREE LISTINGS: listings@wowkent.co.uk FREE/PREMIUM LISTINGS (website) Submit your content at wowkent.co.uk
WELCOME TO WOW!
DESIGN: A Stones Throw astonesthrowdesign.co.uk
Your guide to the best of What’s On Where Medway, Maidstone and the accessible beyond
PRINTING: Complete Print Group (CPG) 9-10 Orchard Business Centre Sanderson Way Tonbridge Kent TN9 1QG 01732 366666 cpg-net.co.uk
Goodness, what a month. Cultural happenings big and small in every corner of our part of the world. My heartfelt thanks to the many contributors who have given of their time and energy to this issue. As the summer ends, they introduce a host of new projects about to begin: get a pen and ring your favourites now!
PUBLISHER: Emma Dewhurst
In the world of WOW, changes are afoot. You will find another missive from me on page 9, introducing the ideas we are still forming to put the magazine on a more stable footing. I see a busy (you could say manic) time ahead, but it will be worth it if, as the campaign name says, we successfully ‘Keep WOW in Print’.
WEBSITE: wowkent.co.uk Current print circulation: 10,000 copies Distribution: Medway Towns, Maidstone & Gravesend Copy/listings deadline for October 2015 issue: Friday 18 September ©WOW Kent magazine All rights reserved. While every effort has been made to ensure that details in this publication are correct, we cannot accept responsibility for such. Readers are advised to check information listed, to avoid disappointment. Views expressed by contributors and advertisers do not necessarily reflect those of the editor and publisher.
Emma Dewhurst editor@wowkent.co.uk
CONTRIBUTORS Ben Cameron is an artist living and working on Rochester High St. His work ranges from doodles to large scale, highly detailed illustrations. Often cited as creating the 'world's saddest doodle', Google it to see! Website: strangepaul.com. Paul? Don't ask. Barry Fentiman-Hall is a poet and writer, walker and dreamer. You can read more of his writings at wanderingwords.org.uk. Sam Hall is a Medway-based playwright and literature developer. Together with husband Barry she runs Wordsmithery, an independent arts organisation and publisher. See wordsmithery.info
Cover: Linocut by Ieuan Edwards (see main feature). Visit blackgoldpress.co.uk PHOTOGRAPH OF THE EDITOR BY RIKARD ÖSTERLUND
BE A WOW AMBASSADOR! If you use any of our advertisers’ services, or attend an event because you saw it in WOW, please mention it – it really helps. Thank you.
Find us on Facebook facebook.com/WOWMedway @EmmaDewhurst7
Cathy Hull has worked in schools, adult and higher education as well as in publishing and the media. She has taught literature for over 30 years and currently holds an an Honorary Senior Lectureship at the University of Kent. She lives in Rochester and is married with one son. Anna Morell is a mother, writer and tentative filmmaker. Her WWI short, Every One of Them, won the For The Fallen Challenge's Best Screenplay Award. annamorell.wordpress.com. Nick Walker is the director of Rochester Kino, screening contemporary world cinema and classic films at various venues around Medway and in London. Nick previously wrote for The Guardian, was director of National Schools Film Week and is a freelance writer, teacher and film cinema/ festival programmer. He currently works for London’s famous Phoenix Cinema. For more of Rochester Kino visit: rochesterkino.co.uk
five really good things to do this month September and Alistair Anderson the following week. See Music listings for details. Read more about the place and its founders in Roy Smith’s article at wowkent.co.uk.
DORIAN GRAY Whoop! Creatively committed Rochester Independent College are offering readers the chance to see topnotch European Arts Company’s production of Oscar Wilde’s ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ – completely free! Hot on the heels of the company’s West End success earlier this year, this version of Wilde’s only novel is as piquant as ever. Performance date (at RIC): 22 September at 6pm. Though tickets are free it is essential to book by calling 01634 828115.
GATHERING IMPRESSIONS I love this: a creative foraging walk on 20 September at Rainham’s Riverside Country Park with art along the way. The walk will be guided by Mark Lewes (Medway Swale Estuary Partnership) while artist Imogen Taylor-Noble will encourage walkers to make prints in clay slabs as you go of interesting natural findings. Book at eventbrite. co.uk (search Gathering Impressions).
THE BOWERHOUSE If you have not yet made it over to Maidstone’s charming folk music venue, The Bowerhouse, September is your moment to do so. Quality acts perform up close and personal and this month they have two terrific gigs on offer: Lady Maisery on Sat 19
particularly interesting ones have come WOW’s way this month. If you’re interested in memoir, Melanie Benn’s Memorable Memoirists meet monthly. They delve into giving voice to the material of their own lives, and have the occasional guest speaker. Cathy Hull’s group reads and talks and meets in Rochester. See her article about what to look for in a group on page 21.
HANDBAGGED When I wrote my feature about The Marlowe Theatre’s drama programme earlier this year, Moira Buffini’s awardwinning comedy, ‘Handbagged’, was the show the staff were all looking forward to. Exploring the relationship between The Queen and Margaret Thatcher, the production opens in Canterbury on Wednesday 9 September – the day Queen Elizabeth II becomes our longest-serving monarch. See Theatre for details.
READ, WRITE, JOIN Wonderful autumn will soon be upon us, which seems a jolly good time to think about joining a group. Two 5
MDN8
Raving babies as ‘a music, storytelling and art party for children and their big people’, your ticket entitles you and your littlies (suggested ideal age is six and under but babies and older children also welcome) to a two hour time slot, to enjoy any or all of the following: Now this is pretty exciting news for music festival loving parents who don’t go to music festivals anymore because they have young children… Play on Words have come up with ‘Raving Babies’, a one day mini-festival which will take place throughout the Brook Theatre building in Chatham on Sunday 11 October. Billed FREE, LIVE, OUTDOOR BALLET SCREENING! THE ROYAL BALLET’S
Romeo and Juliet Choreographed by Kenneth Macmillan
• DJ’d music at a volume that all the family can enjoy • Bubbles, parachutes, balls and lighting effects • LEGO, craft and live storytelling rooms • Craft activities and craft fair • Dress up and face painting • Appearances from Spiderman and Queen Elsa • Photo booth room • Dedicated baby area Tues 22 Sept 7.30pm screening live on the big screen at chatham waterfront as part of bp big screens 2015 season. The first screening earlier this year was a bit of a well-kept secret, so let’s shout about this one… roh.org.uk/bpbigscreens
River voice� NEW MEMBERS WELCOME!
Second Tuesday morning of the month, 10am – 12pm, free coffee social morning for anyone wanting to meet for creative conversation and networking. Venue: Sun Pier House Tearoom & Gallery, Medway Street, Chatham ME4 4HF
RiverVoice Community Choir was launched in 2013 after some workshops initiated by Tania Holland Williams for participants with visual impairment. The choir seeks to ensure music-making is accessible to all and there is no requirement to read music. Winter Term begins Sat 26 September, 10am – 12 noon. St Georges Church, Pembroke Gate, Chatham Maritime ME4 4UH Contact: Claire on 07890 705698 or email cjfrewin@gmail.com. Find RiverVoice on Facebook.
MEDWAY DANCE NETWORK was started earlier this year by Rebecca Ashton of The Right Step Dance Company, Sun Pier House’s Heather Burgess and Luci Napleton of Medway Council’s Arts Team. Anyone with an interest or involvement in dance in Medway is welcome to come along. Next meeting: Monday 7 September (1-3pm) WOW’s editor Emma Dewhurst will give a short talk at the beginning of the meeting about the best way to present a press release!
Will Adams Festival
G I L L I N G H A M PA R K Free family festival SATURDAY 12 SEPT NEW FOR 2015:
Japanese dancing MidKent Astronomical Society Traditional Japanese children’s games Make your own sun dial
LOOKAHEAD TO…
VEGAN
Rochester Literature Festival 2015:
S U N D AY ! 10-13 September
Live’n’Local 10 – 11 October
Now in its third year, this year’s festival features a sense of people and places, mixing workshops and talks inspired by the urban and rural places of Kent, along with its cultural heritage. Here’s a summary of what to look forward to:
Sunday 13 September 10am-4pm
SAT-10th - SUN 11th OCT 2015
ROCHESTER LITERATURE FESTIVAL
Saturday 10th oct Guildhall Museum, Rochester
WRITING WORKSHOPS 10am: Rachel Hale, ‘The History Magpie’ 1pm: My Mind is Free with Sam Hall Speakers 12 noon: Medieval specialist Toni Mount 2pm: Writer, historian and former lawyer Truda Thurai 4pm: Sir Robert Worcester (Keynote speaker)
Sunday 11th oct Sun Pier House, Chatham
WRITING WORKSHOPS
10am: Carol Donaldson ‘Nature Girl’ 1pm: Melanie Benn: Unlock your Memories Speakers 11.30am: Jane Lythell 12.45pm: Medway Poet and painter Bill Lewis 2pm: Maggie Harris 3.15pm: Cultural Contributors Discussion Panel 4.30pm: Michael Nath Also on Sun 11 Oct at NUCLEUS ARTS CENTRE
SPH Tea Room is having a vegan extravaganza! A variety of vegan lunches and snacks will be on offer.
FARMERS’ MARKET Every Third Sunday Next Market: 21 September 9am-1pm Corporation Street Car Park, Rochester
GET LECTURED LECTURE ONE:
Martin Stoneham The Story of the Albert Medal Now Superseded by The George Cross. Thur 10 Sept 1-2pm. Free with normal admission.
LECTURE TWO:
Prof Ulf Schmidt Justifying Chemical Warfare: The Origins and Ethics of Britain’s Chemicals. Thurs 24 Sept 7-8pm. £5 per ticket. Royal Engineers Museum. Prince Arthur Road, Gillingham ME7 1UR.
7pm My Mind is Free - a powerful new play by Sam Hall about human trafficking. See article page 27.
CAPSTONE FESTIVAL
To book workshops, play and to view the full programme visit rochesterlitfest.com
Capstone Farm Country Park, Gillingham
Sunday 20 Sept A celebration of outdoor pursuits, including:
ROCHESTER LITERATURE FESTIVAL
• Kite displays • Bush Crafts • Bike displays • Wood carving • Sheepdog and Duck herding!
England’s biggest heritage festival, staffed by more than 40,000 volunteers, HOD gives visitors a chance to experience local history, culture and architecture, all for free. Here’s a taste of some of the offerings: MAIDSTONE TYRWHITT-DRAKE MUSEUM OF CARRIAGES Thu 10 – Sun 13 Sept, 12-4pm Home to a unique collection of horse-drawn vehicles and transport curiosities. Mill Street, Maidstone ME15 6YE MAIDSTONE MUSEUM Sat 12 Sept 11am-12pm Behind the scenes tour of the museum stores. Ages 11+ Booking required on 01622 602069. St Faith’s Street, Maidstone ME14 1LH ARCHBISHOPS PALACE Sun 12 Sept: tours on the hour between 10am & 4pm. Pre-booking preferred: email fiona. ingarfield@kent.gov.uk Mill Street ME15 6YE AUDLEY MOTE HOUSE Thu 10 - Sat 12 Sept: 12-2pm and Sun 13 Sept 2-4pm. Pre-booking required: 01622 633215. Ages 14+. Mote Park, Maidstone ME15 8NQ MEDWAY (highlights) Booking not required for any of the below: PADDLE STEAMER MEDWAY QUEEN Gillingham Pier, Pier Approach Road, Gillingham ME7 1RX Sat 12 & Sun 13 Sept 11am-4pm. No booking required BRIDGE CHAPEL & CHAMBER 5 Esplanade, Rochester ME1 1QE One of only six or seven medieval bridge chapels still in existence. Sat 12 & Sun 13 Sept 10am-4pm. No booking required HUGUENOT MUSEUM Sat 12 Sept 10am-5pm Free entry on Sat and a chance to find out about the history of the building. 95 High Street, Rochester ME1 1LX ST MARGARET’S CHURCH Sat 12 Sept 10am-5pm; Sun 13 Sept 11am5pm. Complete with 15th Century tower and fantastic views over Medway. St Margaret’s Street, Rochester ME1 1UJ TEMPLE MANOR Thu 10 Sept 11am-3pm; Fri 11 Sept 11am3pm Rare surviving 13th Century house belonging to the Knights-Templar. Over 5s only. Knight Road, Strood ME2 2AH To find other free open day buildings and experiences across Kent and beyond, visit heritageopendays.org.uk
7
Botanical vs Anatomical A collection of drawings, mixed media illustrations and photography prints A solo exhibition by fine artist Rachel Perry Open: Tue 15 – Sat 26 September (Tue-Sun 10am-4pm) Sun Pier House, Sun Wharf, Medway Street, Chatham, Kent ME4 4HF
HUGUENOT MUSEUM CRAFT BENCH WORKSHOPS
re-opens 10 sept
EXTREME STITCHING with textile artist Cas Holmes 10 Oct 10am to 4pm Use hand stitch methods inspired by Huguenot silk fabrics £45 (lunch, tea & coffee included) MAKE A SILVER RING with ‘Made by Ore’ 21 November 1pm to 4pm Learn traditional silversmithing techniques £60 (inc all materials, tea & coffee) To book tel: 01634 789347 or email learning@huguenotmuseum.org
PRIZE-WINNING FICTION:
A Short Course For People Who Enjoy Reading Fiction And Talking About It
172b High Street Rochester ME1 1EX 01634 400240
Tutor: Cathy Hull Fortnightly on Thursday Mornings, 10.15am-12.15pm 24 September- 3 December 2015
The Gordon House Hotel, High Street, Rochester ME1 1LX £48 Termly New members attend first class free
A friendly group who enjoy reading and discussing fiction. No prior knowledge needed.
For an informal chat contact Cathy Hull 01634 408573 cathyhull.hull0@gmail.com
An open letter from the Editor It is no secret that WOW magazine’s path to print since its first issue almost five years ago has not been smooth.
advertising every month in order to keep WOW in print. Some months I succeed, and some months I do not. Some months Paul and I get paid, and some months we do not. And added to the many, many months (well, two and a half years) when I didn’t pay myself for making WOW at all, I find myself, dear reader, in quite a lot of personal debt.
Let’s face it, I was an actress with a vision who had never run a business. I had no idea what was involved. I was insanely naïve, and in the first couple of years I threw space at whoever would take it at the lowest possible price to secure the content I wanted.
So I have finally been persuaded by my close business mentor friends to take my head out of the sand and put my obsessive love for the magazine and my compunction to continue the service it provides to one side, in order to find a practical solution to this quandary.
Because I did know what I wanted: I could see and smell and feel the first issue in my hand even before it was printed, a sensory sureness about WOW that has never wavered.
We are, therefore, launching the Keep WOW in Print campaign! A crowdfunding campaign with a difference, which hopes to change WOW’s business model from one which depends solely on advertising sales to a more sustainable one which includes a commitment from enough readers to reader subscriptions, so that Paul and I know we are able to print the magazine next year.
Dear cherished reader,
And I knew the tone of the magazine I wanted to make: intelligent but not high-brow; positive and visually arresting so that it would make you pick it up and read. And in that I was eternally lucky to meet Paul Baker, the only designer I approached to design WOW. Now my business partner and friend, it is also on Paul’s behalf that I write today. So the magazine was made, and, somehow I kept it going. For the record, it has only ever received £1000 of funding (a startup grant from Medway Council). We were awarded a grant from Ideas Test in 2013, but that was to develop the lovely new website. Other than the startup grant, WOW’s income comes almost exclusively from advertising sales. Perhaps I should have taken notice when close friends raised an eyebrow when I told them that it would be me who would be responsible for ad sales, along with all the other tasks involved in making WOW. As the magazine has grown, so have its outgoings, and I now find myself having to raise several thousand pounds worth of
The campaign goes live on Sunday 8 November with a marathon get-together at Sun Pier House, Chatham. Please come and be one of the first to sign up to give our campaign that vital strong start. Lots more details to follow. Thank you so much for reading WOW. Emma Dewhurst, Editor
KEEP wow in print! 9
Work and s shops cour hort avail ses able
Clas ses AvaiNow labl e
Stephen Harries Stained Glass design and restoration E: stephenharries.glass@gmail.com T: 0770 608 0338 Facebook: Stephen Harries Stained Glass Rochester and at Whitstable Harbour Village
SkyeRose .co.uk
Ridley Road Rochester T: 07702 269972 E:Heatherhtt@mac.com hazelnut-press.com
T: 07599 214314
BABY & CHILDREN'S BOUTIQUE AT THE REAR OF 111 HIGH ST STROOD
Paint Your Own Pottery & Craft Studio Termtime opening: 10am-5pm Thu-Sat or by appt.
Free Same Day Delivery Order online or tel: 01634 843 024 www.rochesterflorists.co.uk
Nucleus Arts, Chatham ME4 4BP Tel: 07910 529271 E: info@potterycrafts4u.com W: potterycrafts4u.com
PET PORTRAITS www.emmabaker.me.uk
Bodhicharya Kent Programme 2015 20%OFF (Events, and training courses will support our community projects) For more information: www.bodhicharya-kent.org.uk 21st September: 6.45 pm-10 pm
Dalai Lama Awakening* (£13 with refreshments)
Celebrating the International World Peace Day, you are invited to an evening with award winning Hollywood Producer/Director Khashyar Darvich of Wakan Films, and his Dalai Lama documentary film, narrated by Harrison Ford and featuring H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama. 7th October - 25th November: 7 pm -9 pm 7th - 28th November: 10.30 am - 3.30 pm
Mindfulness-Based Training Course* (£250 with refreshments)
A combination of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction/Cognitive Therapy techniques that can be easily integrated into your daily lives. The course will help you learn how to let go of the busy mind and bring more presence, openness and acceptance to life. Both courses will include a silent retreat day on Sunday, 29th November.
m a r ked w i t h * Q u ot e W M D1 5
17th October: 6:45 pm-10 pm
Miracle of Water by Dr. Nemoto* (£15* with refreshments)
Dr. Nemoto will present the groundbreaking research and photographs of water crystal formations to show how we can generate compassion through our interaction and relationship with water. He will then lead us in a special water ceremony, where each participant will have their water bottle blessed. 13th December: 10:30 am-3:30 pm (Wayfield Children's Centre, Chatham)
Taking Care of Ourselves (£15 with lunch) A day of healing, relaxation and rejuvenation. You will experience a variety of introductory sessions in mindfulness meditation, yoga, reiki and massage as well as enjoy a healthful vegetarian lunch together with raw food delights.
*Venue: Sun Pier House, Medway Street, Chatham Kent, ME4 4HF
Images: John Archer, Keith Sadler and Paul Kerensa
A new initiative brings a monthly Arts Café and Public Lecture Series to Walderslade. It’s the brainchild of NATHAN WARD, who introduces an impressive range of speakers and acts 'Whether you are single, married, divorced, widowed, gay, confused, filthy rich, comfortable or dirt poor, commencing in October there is something for you in Walderslade Village on a Sunday evening'.
ARTS CAFÉ We have a brand new Arts Café opening on the first Sunday of each month which will host a wide range of professional artists including stand-up comic Paul Kerensa (Comedy Store, Edinburgh Fringe), singer songwriter Keith Sadler and the UK’s funniest magician John Archer – described by Derren Brown as “hysterically funny”. The café will be at St William’s Church, Walderslade with the doors opening at 6pm for a 6.30pm start, finishing by 8pm. To ensure that the arts are accessible to all a ‘pay what you want’ scheme is in place, which is a posh way of saying we don’t charge entry but if you want to make a donation on the way out then that would be great.
PUBLIC LECTURE SERIES If you’re not the artistic sort then why not try our public lecture series on the second Sunday evening of the month. The lectures are given by researchers eminent in their field of theology and or sociology but in a manner that is easily understood by all. They offer a unique opportunity to learn something of their research and study with the opportunity to ask questions. Lecturers include a world leading expert on the book of Genesis, Dr Clare Amos, and leading Professor on healthcare ethics Professor Robin Gill. Lectures start at 6.30pm (doors open at 6pm) and last for approximately 45 minutes followed by refreshments and a time for questions from the audience. Lectures are free to attend and members of the public are very welcome. So whether you are a keep fit mum, football dad, starving artist, tree hugger or latte sipper you are more than welcome – why not check out our website and find out more about the arts café and public lectures.
ARTS CAFÉ – 1st Sunday of the month: 4 Oct:
Comedian Paul Kerensa (co-writer of ‘Miranda’)
1 Nov:
Singer songwriter Keith Sadler
6 Dec:
Comedy Magician John Archer
3 Jan:
Comedian Andy Kind
PUBLIC LECTURE SERIES – 2nd Sunday of the month: 11 Oct:
Dr Brian Capper ‘What do we know about Jesus?’
8 Nov:
Revd Dr Alan Le Grys ‘The Story of God’
13 Dec:
Dr Chris Deacy ‘The Theology of Christmas Films’
10 Jan:
Dr Clare Amos ‘Made in the image of God’
St William’s Church, Walderslade Village Centre, ME5 9LR. For more information email arts@southchatham.org or lecture@southchatham.org. southchatham.org
11
The Guildhall Museum
11 July 2015 - 10 January 2016 An exciting, new, interactive exhibition about the events leading up to and during the Siege of Rochester Castle in 1215.
So much to see and do ●A
huge scale model of Rochester Castle Blacksmith’s shed with all the tools ● Medieval market stalls ● Try on armour ●A
This exhibition has been made possible with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and is part of the commemorative project - Siege 2015. With special thanks to the University of the Creative Arts who have made this exhibition possible.
/siegerochester
High Street, Rochester, Kent ME1 1PY Phone: 01634 332680
www.guildhallmuseumrochester.co.uk
WOW Sept Watercolours 2 - 138mm w x 98mm h:Layout 1
19/8/15
10:39
Page 1
Maidstone Museum & Bentlif Art Gallery CONTEMPORARY BRITISH WATERCOLOURS 19 September - 8 November
MUSEUM LATE
Curated by Simon Carter Three original works from each of twenty one contemporary artists who use watercolour as part of their practice, including work by artists as diverse as Susie Hamilton, Hannah Maybank and James Faure Walker. See website for more details & opening times facebook.com/MaidstoneMuseum @MaidstoneMuseum
p 01622 602838
www.museum.maidstone.gov.uk
WATERCOLOURS 24 September 2015 18:00 - 21:00
Brick City is kindly sponsored by the Gallagher Group
‘Log’ by M. Russell
Admission to Museum FREE Maidstone Museum & Bentlif Art Gallery St Faith’s St, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1LH
Try your hand at watercolour and find out about our Goodwin collection from the curators. Some activities during Lates may incur a charge
Museum of carriages TYRWHITT-DRAKE
‘Fascinating, tiny, but magnificent’
ANNA MORELL pays a visit to this little-known museum ahead of Heritage Open Days 2015, when you can visit free of charge 'I must go in there one day,' I have thought, every time I have swooped round the ring road hugging the back of the Archbishop's Palace. There, being the Tyrwhitt-Drake* Museum of Carriages, which always looks shut, and most of the time, is. While London has its Transport Museum, and Brussels has its stupendous Tram Museum (yes, really! It has real heritage trams you can ride, and sheds full of the things!), and I've coo-ed and cor-ed within both, this little dingy Maidstone museum has always been on the periphery. Out of sight and mind of most people on the usual tourist trails. And it shouldn't be. Because within the former (rather lovely, slightly musky) stable buildings, which themselves date from the mid-14th century, there are 60-odd carriages, sedan chairs, trades vehicles and sleighs, all crammed in tight, but laid out well, with good interpretation boards. It's magnificent. Fascinating, tiny, but magnificent.
There are gigs and jaunting cars, sjees and curricles, phaetons, Landualets and droitzcha – carriages all, with a language and poetry entirely their own, as lovely and gleaming as the cabinets of harnesses which once ringed the necks of long dead horses.
Beauty, form and function married together perfectly, with a Lloyd Loom finish and a velvet seat. If only the Fords and Kias of the world were that imaginative today. I'd be up for beeping a unicorn horn on the A229 any day.
The collection is international, and each carriage cocoons countless stories of noblemen, ambassadors and royalty. A few may be told by the highly knowledgeable guides if you ask nicely.
*The Maidstone Zoo fellow.
I find myself wondering at the combination of beautiful, padded silk interiors and the pain of bonejangling wooden wheels on cobbles, and how that could ever have been something to aspire to. The carriages are snug, horribly dark unless open topped, and could not have been comfortable. But aspirational they were, costing up to the equivalent of about half a million pounds in today's money, the sweep of the chassis and the brushwork on the coats of arms testament to the master craftsmanship for which people paid handsomely – craftsmanship which has enabled these vehicles to last two or three hundred years: some are still in use even today for official ceremonies.
Tyrwhitt-Drake Museum of Carriages, Mill Street, Maidstone ME15 6YE. Opening times: Wed to Sun 12 noon to 4pm with last admission at 3.30pm. Entry costs £2 for adults, £1 for OAPs and children (under fives go free) or £5 for a family. For Heritage Open Days, between 10-13 September, entry is free (see News pages). museum.maidstone.gov.uk/ tyrwhittdrake
But it is the sleighs which really caught my eye. No bone jangling on those expertly carved runners. Here, even for the seriousness of the nobility, whimsy was allowed free reign, as figureheads of sea monsters and unicorns led forth into the flurrying weather, and odd faces were carved beneath seats. 13
Assemble All Y
e
! s c i t e r He
BARRY FENTIMAN-HALL INVITES YOU TO THE EXHIBITION OF WORDSMITHERY’S LITART PROJECT, ‘AN ASSEMBLANCE OF JUDICIOUS HERETICS’, AT ROCHESTER LIBRARY THROUGHOUT SEPTEMBER
‘An Assemblance of Judicious Heretics’ is the Litart project started last year by literary arts organisation, Wordsmithery, as part of the 2014 Rochester Literature Festival. The project involves us calling out to local writers, plus a few guests from out of town, to write some poetry or a short prose piece on a particular theme. This year they were writing around and in response to Robert Frost’s classic 1916 poem, ‘The Road Not Taken’. It is a piece that deals with the eternal issue of the choices we make, and the regrets that may ensue. Frost himself was a little disdainful of the importance later weighted on his work, having intended it more as a mild mocking of indecision over trivial matters. Nonetheless it has endured as one of the most popular poems in English of the 20th Century. As with all the best of its kind, people see their own lives in the words regardless of authorial intention, and it has certainly captured the imagination of our writers and visual artists. What we do next is render the written pieces anonymous and send them out to local visual artists (and guests) to interpret in any way that they see fit. Apart from paintings and drawings we have had demonic dolls, collages, pottery, and this year we will be moving into textiles too.
BUT WHY THAT TITLE YOU MAY ASK? We are many and disparate and we have banded together to make this thing – we have assembled. We know what to discard and what to keep – we are judicious. We challenge any literary or artistic doctrines we encounter – we are heretics. And the original title was unknowingly used by another exhibition in 2014, once we’d already started, so we had to think of something quickly… The process involved a shamanic shuffling of magnetic scrabble letters on the fridge door. The letters spoke, and a title was born. The range of artists both literary and visual is deliberately broad. We have 32 pieces of writing, some pieces which have been interpreted by more than one artist, so the finished exhibition will contain over 40 pieces of art. This year we are honoured to have the likes of Medway Poet Bill Lewis and the editor of Poetry Scotland Sally Evans writing for us. We also have contributions from ‘The Medway Mephistopheles’, Philip Kane and award-winning playwrights Sarah Hehir and Sam Hall. From the world of the canvas and camera wielders we can boast the amazing Wynford Vaughan Thomas and star of the mandala Laura Chuter. The standard of artworks submitted by people such as Nigel Adams, Didi Bergman, and Clair Meyrick and so many others have really been an eye-opener of the sort of work that is being done in the worlds of image, fabric and print across The Delta. I have not room to keep naming names but all have showed what they can do and then some. That is the point. We are essentially a community. An assemblance if you will. It is one of the few rules that we have.
There must always be people involved who are previously unpublished or unexhibited alongside those who have been there and done that. This year the exhibition will be held throughout September at Rochester Library. There will be a launch event on the 3rd of September when all the written art will be performed in front of the visual art they inspired. This is another piece of knowledge gained in learning the way of the heretic. Words are art too. It is very important to us that the writers are valued every bit as much as the visual artists. What we are putting together is an exhibition of images, evoked in paint, ink, clay, cotton, ink, and Microsoft word. There will hopefully be a publication of all the contributions later this year. We will of course let you know all about that when it happens. And hey, if you are in the area, advance heretic and be recognised. We will be back in 2016... ‘An Assemblance of Judicious Heretics: The Road Not Taken’ exhibits between 1 – 30 September at Rochester Library, Rochester Community Hub, Eastgate ME1 1EW. Launch Event: Live readings from the exhibition: Thursday 3 September 7.30pm, at the same venue. wordsmithery.info
Playwright SARAH HEHIR takes part in the exhibition. Here is her poem: WHEAT BEER AND BURNT BARLEY Through the fog, she reached forward, unembroidered his brocade gold against black and picked him apart. With fingers deft, she drew dark charms through black ash to cover her tracks. Then doubled back. And took a different path.
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SAT 19 SEPT
Ali Farmer, artist and director of Making Art Work, is passionate about Art and passionate about Maidstone. He is about to combine both in an extraordinary event called the ART MARKET that just keeps gathering momentum
JOHN WOODBERRY went to interview him The Art Market is an arts event showcasing some of the best contemporary artists in the South East, along with live entertainment and bands, a live charity auction and performance art throughout the day.
JW: How has all this come about and why the event is going to be so different to anything seen in Kent before? AF: The concept for the Art Market evolved after a series of group discussions amongst the members of the art co-operative Making Art Work. We were looking at ways to sustain ourselves, and not just financially. We were exploring innovative methods of delivering the arts and engaging with like-minded artists and of course the public. ‘My vision has always been to put on a big arts event in Maidstone and really champion the arts – making them more accessible locally. On discovering that the Agricultural Hall in Maidstone was available, momentum gathered from there. ‘We wanted to deliver an event that was unique to Maidstone and something nobody had put on before, and what better place to do it than in the county town of Kent?’ JW: Why do you think so many artists signed up so quickly? AF: All artists were invited or selected to join Maidstone’s Art Market as we really wanted to attract some of the best contemporary artists from the South East. I believe the event is about networking, with artists supporting other artists in a relaxed, informal and totally different environment. It is also a great opportunity for artists to engage with the public, making the whole art experience more personable. JW: Can you give me an idea of the range of stall holders? AF: Visitors to the event are going to experience a broad spectrum of artists and art disciplines from some
80 stall holders. These include Emily Tull, one of the national finalists in the Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year competition; Hannah Adamaszek who is pushing the boundaries and giving a fresh lease of life in street art, recognised both nationally and internationally; Rennie Pigrim, best known for his award-winning music who has performed around the world, often using photographs taken on his travels as a starting point for his new work; and Ieuan Edwards a print maker based in Broadstairs, who has produced stunning artworks for album covers and books [his work graces this month’s cover]. JW: I gather there will be lots on offer in addition to the art? AF: Yes! We wanted an event where we could engage with the public throughout the day. We have teamed up with Lili Westlake, who is the creative mind behind the ‘Arty Farty’ open mic and art event. Lili will be bringing an eclectic programme of singers, dancers and performers throughout the day, including artist and poet Bill Lewis who will be reading some poetry live. ‘There is even an opportunity for the visitors to print their own piece of artwork from a design created by local artist Susie Dafforn. Susie has been commissioned to create a design for a limited edition print, inspired by the Fremlin Elephant. The work cleverly combines references to Maidstone’s brewing history and traditional Nepalese elephant decoration.’ JW: What are your hopes for Art Market in the future? AF: We have had such a massive response from everyone that I hope
it will become an annual or even a two day event – now there’s a vision. The Art Market takes place on Saturday 19 September 9.00am – 4.00pm in the historic Agricultural Hall, Lockmeadow, Maidstone ME16 8LW. artmarketme14.wordpress.com ART MARKET – THE AUCTION Following Maidstone’s historic auction heritage, the Art Market is also running a charity art auction, with the proceeds going to two selected charities, Maidstone and Mid-Kent Mind and The Foundling Museum. There have been generous donations from artists including Ralph Steadman, Gavin Turk, Stuart Semple (ambassador of Mind) Tessa Farmer, Nick Veasey, Sadie Hennessey, Billy Childish, celebrity double Olympic gold winner Dame Kelly Holmes, and many more. You can go to the Art Market site to view donations and place secret bids. The live auction takes place on the day between 3 – 4pm and will be hosted by Raj Bisram from Channel 4’s ‘Four Rooms’. ART MARKET – ACCOMPANYING EXHIBITION In an exhibition complementary to the Art Market, 21 members of Making Art Work will be showcasing work in response to the theme of ‘EDGE’ between 2 to 30 September at Below 65 Gallery, Gilbert & Clark Frame and Print, 65 High Street, Maidstone ME14 1SR. Open 9.30am - 4.30pm Monday to Saturday. makingart-work.co.uk
FILM BP BIG SCREENS 2015 The Waterfront, Chatham ME4 Royal Ballet’s ROMEO & JULIET Sat 22 Sept 7.30pm Choreography by Kenneth Macmillan. Screened live. roh.org.uk/bpbigscreens AFTERNOON FILM TREAT Central Theatre, 170 High Street, Chatham ME4 4AS 01634 338338 Tickets £4.50 in adv, £5 on door inc hot drink and teacake PATHS OF GLORY (PG) 1957 Tue 22 Sep 2.30pm Dir: Stanley Kubrick Cast: Kirk Douglas, Ralph Meeker When soldiers in World War I refuse to continue with an impossible attack, their superior officers decide to make an example of them. A powerful performance from Kirk Douglas as the officer assigned the task of defending the three men. 88 mins medwayticketslive.co.uk ROCHESTER KINO @ CHATHAM ODEON Chatham Maritime ME4 4LL 0871 2244 007 Every Thursday at 7.45pm £9.80, £7.20 conc, Student £3.60 (2 for 1 offer) Every Thursday at 7.45pm GIRLHOOD (15) 2014 Thu 3 Sept 7.45pm Dir: Céline Sciamma Cast: Karidja Touré, Assa Sylla, Lindsay Karamoh French coming-of-age drama about a girl with few prospects who joins a gang to start a new life. 113 mins JAWS (A) 1975 Thu 10 Sept 7.45pm Dir: Steven Spielberg Cast: Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss Great white shark preys on small town. Unmissable classic from Peter Benchley’s bestseller. 124 mins
THE WATER DIVINER (15) 2014 Thu 17 Sept 7.45pm Dir: Russell Crowe Cast: Russell Crowe, Olga Kurylenko, Jai Courtney See opposite. 111 mins THE GODFATHER (18) 1972 Thu 24 Sept 7.45pm Dir: Francois Ford Coppola Cast: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Diane Keaton Stunning. See opposite. 175 mins THE MARTIAN (Cert tbc) 2015 Thu 1 Oct 7.45pm Dir: Ridley Scott Cast: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain. During a visit to Mars, an astronaut is presumed dead and stranded there alone. rochesterkino.co.uk. PAUL GREENGRASS CINEMA @THE WOODVILLE Woodville Place, Gravesend DA12 1DD Excellent cinema programme and cheap tickets. Visit website for details. woodville.seatlive.com ROCHESTER FILM SOCIETY @ ROCHESTER PICTURE PALACE Every other Tuesday at 7.30pm, Princes Hall, Corn Exchange, High Street, Rochester ME1 1LX. £6, £3.50 students. Bar/ refreshments available & post-film chat. X+Y (12A) 2014 (UK) Tue 8 Sep 7.30pm Dir: Morgan Matthews Cast: Asa Butterfield, Rafe Spall, Sally Hawkins, Eddie Marsan Heartwarming drama following the fortunes of a troubled teenage prodigy on the autistic spectrum as he battles to secure a place on the British team competing at the International Mathematical Olympiad in Taiwan. 111 mins
MOMMY (15) 2014 (Can) Tue 22 Sep 7.30pm Dir: Xavier Dolan Cast: Anne Dorval, AntoineOlivier Pilon, Suzanne Clément Black humour and melodrama aplenty in this story of a widowed mother struggling to raise her violent son alone who finds new hope when a neighbour offers her services to the family. 139 mins RFS @ THE CINE LOUNGE Sun Pier House, Medway Street, Chatham, ME4 4HF (No disabled access) 01634 812805 Cult film night, first Sunday of the month. Doors and themed music 6.30pm, film 7.30pm. £3, Bar/refreshments available. SEPTEMBER CULT FILM: MYSTERY TRAIN (15) 1989 (US) Sunday 6 Sep doors/music 6.30pm, film 7.30pm. With ELVIS KARAOKE! Dir: Jim Jarmusch Cast: Masatoshi Nagase, Yuki Kodo, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, Joe Strummer. Three stories are connected by chance encounters, a seedy Memphis hotel and the spirit of Elvis Presley in this American indie gem with a magical 1950s/60s soundtrack. 110 mins OCTOBER CULT FILM: BOTTLE ROCKET (15) 1996 (US) Sun 4 Oct doors/music 6.30pm, film 7.30pm Dir: Wes Anderson Cast: Luke Wilson, Owen Wilson, James Caan The directorial debut of Wes Anderson (‘Grand Budapest Hotel’, ‘Rushmore’, ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’) follows the misfortunes of a trio of rudderless friends as they embark upon a hapless crime spree. 91 mins
NEW! FRENCH-THEMED CHILDREN’S FILM CLUB RFS @ THE HUGUENOT MUSEUM 95 High Street, Rochester ME1 1LX New monthly Saturday morning film club for kids. Bring your own food and drink. Relaxed viewing setup. £3 per person. HUGO (PG) 2011 Sat 19 Sept 10am Dir: Martin Scorsese Cast: Asa Butterfield, Ben Kingsley, Helen McCrory Charming and stylish tale set in 1930s Paris where an orphaned boy searches for the key to an automaton which may also unlock the secrets of his father’s past. 126 mins. To book visit rochesterfilmsociety.co.uk UNDERGROUND CINEMA A new cinema initiative bringing inspiring documentary films to Medway. £2-£5. Screening at Nucleus Arts, 272 High Street, Chatham ME4 4BP Full disabled access. THE DREAM IS NOW (2013) Fri 4 Sept 7pm Dir: Davis Guggenheim Short documentary followed by discussion. See opposite. nucleusarts.com NEW! THE WORLD CINEMA CLUB In association with Rochester Kino and The Stinking Pause Podcast. A new monthly world cinema event to include European, South American and Asian cinema. Brook Theatre, Old Town Hall, Chatham ME4 4LX Last Wednesday of the Month at 7.30pm JULES ET JIM (PG) 1962 Wed 30 September 7.30pm Dir: Francois Truffaut Cast: Jeanne Moreau, Henri Serre, Oskar Werner See Nick Walker opposite. 105 mins
INDEPENDENT FILM x 6 NICK WALKER previews
THE UNDERGROUND CINEMA @ NUCLEUS ARTS CENTRE 272 High Street, Chatham ME4 4BP
THE DREAM IS NOW Fri 7 September 7pm A compelling documentary by Academy Award-winning director Davis Guggenheim (‘An Inconvenient Truth’) this film gives voice and face to the undocumented children of immigrants who are desperate to earn their citizenship and give back to the only country they've ever called ‘home’. Moving and thought-provoking. ROCHESTER KINO @ CHATHAM ODEON Chatham Odeon, Chatham Maritime ME4 4LL
THE WATER DIVINER Thu 17 September 7.45pm Directed by and starring Russell Crowe, the film is a tense drama telling the story of a father searching for his sons in Turkey after the battle of Gallipoli. An interesting and rewarding choice made by Crowe and the screenwriters was to focus heavily on the Turkish experience and the effects of winning the big battle yet losing the war. This shows Crowe has great potential as a filmmaker and a positive storytelling voice. ROCHESTER FILM SOCIETY @ ROCHESTER PICTURE PALACE Corn Exchange, High Street, Rochester ME1 1LX
MOMMY Tue 22 September 7.30pm Canadian writer/director Xavier Dolan’s best feature to date, with a vitality and movement above his 25 years as he continues his themes of maternal angst and teenage alienation. The film has three characters on verges of entirely different nervous breakdowns and there are definitely shades of Pedro Almodóvar in Dolan's melodramatic, reckless and brilliantly entertaining comedy – a very satisfying and original experience.
CLASSICS BY ROCHESTER KINO @ CHATHAM ODEON Chatham Odeon, Chatham Maritime ME4 4LL
THE GODFATHER (1972) Thursday 24 September 7.45pm PART OF SCALARAMA* The film won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1972 for Francis Ford Coppola. Its strength perhaps lies in the father/son relationships, including Al Pacino as Michael, who despite his youth and education is chosen to take over from the ailing Don. Marlon Brando's quiet, understated performance as the Don is one of the elements that make the movie terrific fun to watch. NEW! THE WORLD CINEMA CLUB In association with Rochester Kino & The Stinking Pause Podcast. Brook Theatre, Chatham ME4 4SE (Last Wednesday of the Month)
JULES ET JIM (1962) Wed 30 September 7.30pm PART OF SCALARAMA* Francois Truffaut’s ‘Jules et Jim’ is based on the semi-biographical novel by HenriPierre Roche and adapted by Truffaut and Jean Gruault. The film is an exploration into a love triangle that lasts for many years as two men compete for the same woman. Starring Oskar Werner, Henri Serre, and Jeanne Moreau, the film has become one of the classics of global cinema, not just of the French New Wave. ROCHESTER FILM SOCIETY @ CINE LOUNGE Sun Pier House, Medway Street, Chatham ME4 4HF
BOTTLE ROCKET Sun 6 October 7.30pm Wes Anderson’s debut film, the 1996 cult classic is a terrifically funny and thoughtful comedy about a slightly addled gang of young misfits – criminal wannabes who prove themselves stunningly ill-equipped for criminal life. Coming out of the road movie/troubled youth tradition, the film boasts the genre's requisite pit stops in diners and dive bars, alongside a soundtrack pumped with heady rock numbers… This is a movie about friendship and foolhardy endeavours and is a lot of fun. * Visit scalarama-2015.screeningfilm.com 19
8 September 2015 to 1 January 2016 ‘Responses to the Archive’ is a collaboration between students from the University for the Creative Arts at Rochester and the Royal Engineers Museum, Library & Archive. Acting as client, the Museum selected the strongest project proposals from final year students studying on the BA (Hons) Photography course. The majority of the photographic projects were in direct response to material held by the archive itself. Claire Smith was inspired by the map of Waterloo and the model of the Great Siege, making a topographic representation using mapping software. Conor Galloway was fascinated by the transience of human existence, producing a film which used a 16mm Bolex film camera. Dexter Bailey-Mason’s response was influenced by the tapestries of the Norman Conquest and used composite digital technologies to produce a landscape frieze. Hazel Thompson’s interest lay in the ephemeral; traces within the photographs held by the archive. As part of this, Hazel created a film installation. Rykiel Bhusal rediscovered and recontextualised Royal Engineers’ documentation of a forgotten tribe in South
Africa. Daniel Warnecke and Nick Constant formed a partnership to round off the exhibition with their book which investigates censorship and issues of representation. Jonathan Simms, Senior Lecturer in Photography at UCA, told WOW: “This is very much a collaboration between UCA and Royal Engineers Museum. Curator Daniel Sallis has worked closely with the students and they have come up with some really interesting ideas. There was a close affinity between client and artists and many good things came out of this.” Royal Engineers Museum, Prince Arthur Road, Gillingham ME4 4UG. Open Tue-Fri 9am-5pm; Weekends & Bank Holidays 11.30am-5pm. Normal admission charges apply. Tel: 01634 822839. re-museum.co.uk For more about UCA’s BA Photography course visit: ucreative.ac.uk/ba-photography-rochester
Image by Hazel Thompson This page is sponsored by Royal Engineers Museum
RESPONSES TO THE ARCHIVE (UCA) Photography Exhibition
R U O Y RING
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Reading groups have enjoyed a great rise in popularity in recent times CATHY HULL extols the benefits Curling up with a good book, escaping into your Kindle on the train to work or losing yourself in a gripping novel before hitting the pillow are just some of the ways we enjoy reading books Reading fiction has never been more popular and what’s more it’s good for you. A recent study has shown that reading ‘literary’ fiction can develop your ability to empathise with others and improve emotional intelligence. This is because, at its best, reading literature helps you to get into the minds of other people and understand them a little bit better. In one sense reading is a solitary activity. It’s just you and the book. We become both reader and part-author as we paint our own stage sets and imagine how the characters look, feel and dress. How many times have we watched a film and said confidently that the hero is absolutely nothing like the character in the book? Yet increasingly readers of fiction are looking to share their experience with others. Witness the explosion of book groups, clubs, courses, literary festivals and the like. Far from being a solitary pursuit reading has become a significant focus for social engagement as book lovers come together to share their passion for literature. So how do you decide which group, club or course is the one for you? The essential questions are what do you really want to get out of it and how
much time have you got? Most groups allow you to attend one session without obligation to see if it suits you. What I would expect you to look for in making your choice is that firstly the group is warm, inviting and friendly. Secondly, everyone should be able to make a contribution. And thirdly, the group moves along at an appropriate pace. Most of this will become apparent at your first meeting, so don’t hesitate to ‘try before you buy’ In my Rochester class we discuss our choice of books and how long we should spend on each one. The books we look at might include contemporary fiction, classic texts, or novels that are being serialised on television or made into films. It all comes down to the interests of the group. The great thing about joining a group is that you don’t need any prior knowledge or qualifications, just a love of literature. Everyone gets something different from reading fiction so everyone has something unique to contribute. With the nights drawing in, now is the perfect time to find a class or group that will further stimulate and enhance your love of reading and enable you to meet others who share your interest. Cathy Hull’s ‘Prize-winning Fiction’ class runs fortnightly, Thursday 24 September to 3 December, 10.15am-12.15pm, The Gordon House Hotel, 91 High Street, Rochester ME1 1LX. For more information email cathyhull.hull0@gmail.com. If you have a particular interest in memoir, Melanie Benn runs a reading and creative writing group, Memorable Memoirists, which meets monthly. See page 25 for details.
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MUSIC 1 ANCHORIANS RUGBY CLUB Darland Avenue, Gillingham ME7 3AN Fri 18 Sept: SUE RIVERS QUINTET featuring Sue Rivers vocals, Jo Fooks sax, Pete Ringrose bass, Buster Birch drums, pianist tbc. 8.30pm. Admission £10. Enquiries: 01634 365352 or 07544 312743 THE BARGE 63 Layfield Road, Gillingham ME7 2QY 01634 850485 Music starts 9pm, free entry Wed 2 Sept: BARDS @ THE BARGE OPEN MIC Fri 4 Sept: HOWLIN’ MAT Sat 5 Sept: DAN PHELPS (USA) + MATTHEW FOX (USA) Thu 10 Sept: NASHVILLE EXILE + THE REMEDIES Fri 11 Sept: PORCH SWING BLUES Sat 12 Sept: KING SIZE SLIM Thu 17 Sept: INSPIRATIONAL POETRY EVENING Fri 18 Sept: FUNKE & THE TWO TONE BABY Sat 19 Sept: GRACIE Wed 23 Sept: LOST HOLLOW (USA) Fri 25 Sept: THE GAFFERS Sat 26 Sept: CALLUM RAFFERTY + DANIEL GREENWOOD thebargepub.co.uk THE BILLABONG CLUB Victoria Street, Rochester ME1 1XJ OPEN MIC NIGHT every Tuesday from 8pm. All performers and listeners welcome. THE BOWERHOUSE 20 Warwick Place Maidstone ME16 8SG Sat 19 Sept: LADY MAISERY Feted folk trio exploring fresh interpretations of songs and ballads. Doors 7.30pm, music from 8pm. £10 Fri 25 Sept: ALISTAIR ANDERSON Internationally recognised as the master of the English Concertina and a fine performer on the Northumbrian Pipes, Anderson was apparently on the top
of The Bowerhouse’s wishlist when the venue first started and they have at last booked him to perform. As well as being a multi-instrumentalist, he is a terrific storyteller. Doors 7.30pm. Tickets £7 in advance (online), £10 on the door Tue 22 Sept:
THREE RAVENS FOLK CLUB Wed 9 and Wed 23: COMMUNITY CHOIR recommences. All welcome. Wed 7 Oct: LEVERET – Andy Cutting, Sam Sweeney, Rob Harbron. Doors 7.30pm. £12 thebowerhouse.info CAFÉ AT 172 (THE DOT CAFÉ) 172 High Street, Rochester ME1 1EX Wed 30 Sept: SEASONALLY EFFECTED. Music, poetry, theatre and more from 7pm. Anyone interested in booking 10 minute spots whether for poetry, music, storytelling, film, theatre or any other type of creative performance or input should email Roy Smith at seasonallyeffected@gmail. com. More information at seasonallyeffected.com CENTRAL THEATRE High Street, Chatham Box office: Fri 2 Oct 7.30pm: THE STARS OF THE COMMITMENTS The 9 piece soul band from Dublin which starred in the original film on tour.£18, £20 EAGLE TAVERN 124 High Street Rochester ME1 1JT 01634 409040 Doors 7pm. Free entry. Thu 3 Sept: SIXFOLD
Sun 6 Sept: DAVE WARREN ORGAN TRIO Thu 10 Sept: MAKER Sun 13 Sept: VASILIS XENOPOULOS QUARTET Thu 17 Sept: PROTOSTEREO Sun 20 Sept: TONY KOFI ORGANISATION Thu 24 Sept: TOP GUNS Sun 27 Sept: GEOFF MASON/ SIMON SPILLETT theeagletavern.org.uk EARLS 30 Earl Street Maidstone ME14 1PS 01622 751286 Doors 9pm unless stated. Free entry. Thu 17 Sept: MAKE SOME NOISE PRESENTS….TBC earlsmaidstone.co.uk THE FLOWERPOT 96 Sandling Road, Maidstone ME14 2RJ 01622 757705 Free entry. OPEN MIC every Tuesday from 8:30pm. flowerpotpub.moonfruit.com GILLINGHAM PARK Canterbury Street, Gillingham ME7 5LA. FREE ENTRY NEW! Sun 13 Sept 12 noon-9pm: ‘LAZY SUNDAY AFTERNOON’ Medway Music Festival featuring ROSCO LEVEE & THE SOUTHERN SLIDE + BITTEN BY MONKEYS + KATIE BRADLEY & THE CHRIS CORCORAN TRIO + KELLY’S HEROS + KRIS DOLLIMORE + more. Licensed bar on site. Free entry 44TWO SPORTS & SOCIAL CLUB Featherby Road, Gillingham ME8 6AN The Jazz Line: 01634 405037 Thu 10 Sept 8.30-11pm: DONN BARCOTT BAND with ELAINE DYAN singing songs from the Great American Songbook. Plus Andrew Hawkes, a magician at your table, quality raffle and licensed bar. Admission £6. Every second Thursday of the month throughout 2015. For more information phone the Jazz Line, as above.
HASTINGS ARMS FUNCTION ROOM Lower Rainham Road (leading to Danes Hill) Gillingham ME7 2YD Free parking Thu 24 Sept: ROCHESTER SWING PRESERVATION SOCIETY with JENNY HOWE. 8.30pm doors. £7 entry. Raffle and nibbles. For more details or to reserve a table tel: 01634 712217 or check website. sukotto5.wix.com/rsps THE HISTORIC DOCKYARD Chatham ME4 4TE (Sat Nav use ME4 4TY) Ticket hotline: 01634 823807 Sat 19 & Sun 20 Sept A feast of vintage music over the weekend across three stages. Vocalists Madeline Brown, The Polka Dot Dolls and Natasha Harper sing a selection of wartime classics and new for 2015 are The London Swing Orchestra, The Femmes, DJ Danger UXB and Justin and the Argonauts. For more information and tickets, call the hotline number above or visit thedockyard.co.uk/ salutetothe40s THE LADY LUCK 18 St Peters Street, Canterbury CT1 2BQ Mon 21 Sept: ASTPAI + RIVER JUMPERS + PETROL GIRLS + DROP THIS. 8pm doors, free entry. MAN OF KENT ALEHOUSE 6-8 John Street, Rochester ME1 1YN 07772 214315 Tue 1 Sept: UKULELE JAM NIGHT Wed 2 Sept: THE STRANGERS Thur 3 Sept: HOBO JONES & THE JUNKYARD DOGS Wed 9 Sept: TOMBSTONE LIQUOR Thur 10 Sept: DAVE FERRA BLUES Tue 15 Sept: MIKEY D FUNTIME QUIZ Wed 16 Sept: FRAN MCGILLIVRAY & MIKE BURKE Thu 17 Sept: HOWLIN’ MAT
SEPTEMBER 2015
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Tues 1st UKULELE JAM NIGHT Wed 2nd THE STRANGERS Thur 3rd HOBO JONES & THE JUNKYARD DOGS Wed 9th TOMBSTONE LIQUOR Thur 10th DAVE FERRA BLUES Tues 15th MIKEY D FUNTIME QUIZ Wedy 16th FRAN MCGILLIVRAY & MIKE BURKE Thur 17th HOWLIN MAT Wed 23rd HUDSON & CUTLER Thurs 24th TOBY BARELLI - KINGSIZE SLIM Wed 30th SON OF KIRK Oct 1st PASS THE CAT DUO
MUSIC 2 Wed 23 Sept: HUDSON & CUTLER Thu 24 Sept: TOBY BARELLI KINGSIZE SLIM Wed 30 Sept: SON OF KIRK Oct 1 Sept: PASS THE CAT DUO MARLOWE THEATRE The Friars Canterbury CT1 2AS Box Office: 01227 787787 Sun 6 Sept 5pm: GALA NIGHT AT THE PROMS with conductor John Perkins, soprano KATHRYN JENKIN and The Kent Concert Orchestra in the great British tradition of 'last night' favourites, including Land Of Hope And Glory, Jerusalem and Sea Songs. £16, £14, concs available Mon 14 – Sat 26 Sept 7.30pm, Thu & Sat mat 2.30pm: BLOOD BROTHERS Bill Kenwright’s production returns to the theatre where it all began. Written by Willy Russell and starring Marti Pellow and Maureen Nolan. £16-£37.50 MARLOWE STUDIO: Thu 17 Sept 8pm: NAOMI BEDFORD: A HISTORY OF INSOLENCE combining folk and country styles, culture and stories. £9 Tue 29 Sept 8pm: THE FURROW COLLECTIVE Folk and balladry. £13 marlowetheatre.com (booking fee applies)
THE MIDDLE EI8HT 1-2 Town Pier, Gravesend DA11 0BJ 01474 328947 Fri 4 Sept: GROOVE ZOO Sat 5 Sept: CODA Fri 11 Sept: CHARLES & DAVID Sat 12 Sept: MISSISSIPPI MCDONALD Fri 18 Sept: PRIFF STICKS Sat 19 Sept: THE SETUP Fri 25 Sept: THE ASSORTED
OPEN MIC NIGHT every Wednesday from 8pm. Full backline supplied.
Sat 26 Sept: CHINA CRISIS. Tickets £19 pizzaexpresslive.co.uk
ORCHARD THEATRE Home Gardens Dartford DA1 1ED 01322 220000 Sat 5 Sept 7.30pm: CHAS & DAVE On the Road Tour £24.50, £28.50 Sun 20 Sept 7.30pm: NATHAN CARTER Irish country singer. £25 Sun 27 Sept 7.30pm: CARMEN Ellen Kent Productions bring Bizet’s classic to the stage with full orchestra. Sung in French with English subtitles. £20 £33.50, concs available. Book for Strauss’s Die Fledermaus on Tue 1 Dec at the same time and save £4 per ticket. Mon 28 Sept 7.30pm: BAY CITY ROLLERS starring Les McKeown. The stories and all the hits. £20.50, concs available. orchardtheatre.co.uk
POCO LOCO 58-60 High Street, Chatham ME4 4DS 01634 844 198 Fri 4 Sept: MARTIN MORRIS + EMMA FROST pocolive.com
PIZZA EXPRESS MUSIC ROOM 32-34 Earl Street, Maidstone ME14 1PF 01622 683548 Doors 7pm, show 8pm unless stated. Fri 4 Sept: JAMES TORME celebrates the greats with LAURIE HOLLOWAY. Tickets £24. Mon 7 Sept: THE ELLIOT GALVIN TRIO. Tickets £12.50 Fri 11 Sept: DEBBIE SCAMP AND THE LITTLE SCAMP BAND. Tickets £12 Sat 12 Sept: JAMIE JOHNSON. Tickets £15 Fri 18 Sept: THE CHILLBILLIES. Tickets £14 Sat 19 Sept: ANNASTASIA BAKER. Tickets £15 Fri 25 Sept: KIRK FLETCHER + KATIE BRADLEY BAND. Tickets £18
JAZZ AT THE 144 CLUB The Roffen, 41 New Road Rochester ME1 1DX Wed 9 Sept: DUNCAN LAMONT SENIOR In conversation and performance. This jazzman has worked with all the greats, including Sinatra. Doors at 7.15pm, performance 8.15pm. Tickets for non-members £13 (without meal) in advance online or on the door (cash only). See website for tickets and information 144club.co.uk ST MARY MAGDALENE CHURCH Cobham DA12 3DB Mon 5 Oct Doors 7pm, show 7.30pm: SNAKE DAVIS CLASSIC SAX SOLO with 5 piece band. A rare opportunity to see this legendary UK saxophonist. Joined by Gareth Moulton (Cutting Crew) on vocals, Snake Davis and his band are performing over 20 classics, including ‘Baker Street’, ‘Careless Whisper’, ‘Still Crazy after all these Years’ and his own solos, placing them in context with anecdotes and history. Admission £12 (in advance). Call Anna: 01474 814819/07831 756306
SUN PIER HOUSE Medway Street, Chatham ME4 4HF 01634 812805 Thu 3 Sept: OPEN MIC NIGHT featuring ARCELIA. sunpierhouse.co.uk
THE WHITE HORSE 46 London Road, Maidstone ME16 8QL Sat 5 Sept: BITTEN BY MONKEYS Sat 12 Sept: SOUND RUSH Sat 19 Sept: FAMILY AFFAIR Sat 26 Sept: MASTERCLASS JAM NIGHT every Sunday from 8.30pm.
THE WOODVILLE Woodville Place, Gravesend DA12 1DD Box Office: 08442 439480 Sun 20 Sept 7pm: WEST END AT THE WOODVILLE. £15 Thu 17 Sept 1pm: LUNCHTIME CLASSICAL CONCERT: Pianist Cyrill Ibrahim plays Debussy, Brahms and Schumann. £5 woodville.co.uk RECOLLECT MUSIC FAIRS ROCHESTER (Mini Fair) Princes Hall, Corn Exchange High Street, Rochester ME1 10am-4pm. Free admission NEXT FAIRS: Sun 27 Sep, Sun 29 Nov RAINHAM MARK SOCIAL CLUB (Opp Tesco superstore) ME8 6YX Free parking. Admission: £1 9.30am-3.30pm. Refreshments. NEXT FAIRS: Sun 20 Sept, Sun 18 Oct, Sun 15 Nov, Sun 13 Dec Information: 07715 635152 or 01227 506368 IF YOU HAVE MUSIC LISTINGS Our Music listings are compiled by Luke Crook of banjaxxedmusic.wordpress. com. Please send your listings to Luke with venue, date, time, ticket price if any and contact information at musiclistings@wowkent. co.uk
A unique chance to see…
Snake Davis Classic Sax Solo with 5 piece band SOUL l FUNK l WORLD l JAZZ
Memoirists
see k meNEWing mb ers !
A writing group with occasional speakers
Next meet: Sat 26 Sept 2pm in West Malling
Monday 5 October Doors 7pm St Mary Magdalene Church, Cobham, Tickets £12 (in advance) Call Anna: 01474 814819 07831 756306
We meet, mainly in silence, every Sunday 10.30-11.30am Rochester Quakers
memorable
EVERYONE IS WELCOME TO COME AND SIT WITH US. www.westkentquakers.org.uk E: rochesterquakers@gmail.com T: 07774 557011 (text preferred) Quaker Meeting House, Northgate, Rochester ME1 1LS
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grahamcolley
With guest speaker: Linda Muddiman Rose Author of ‘Spiralling Home Turtle Dancing’
For more information email: melaniebenn@hotmail.co.uk meetup.com/Turning-Memories-into-Memoir
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IAN HARRISON GUITAR LESSONS • 15 years teaching / playing experience throughout the UK, Europe and US • Emphasis on enjoyment, lessons individually tailored to help you become the guitarist you want to be! • All ages and abilities welcome • First lesson at introductory rate, discounts available for block bookings • Fully CRB/DBS checked • Member of Registry of Guitar Tutors
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SEWING TOGETHER
Patchwork & Quilting exhibition Sat 26th Sept 2015 / 10-4pm
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SEWING TOGETHER
Patchwork & Quilting exhibition Displays (crafted exhibits), Demonstrations, Crafts sale (chance to buy patchwork items), Raffle (on the day), Light refreshments
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Patchwork & Quilting exhibition Saturday 26th September 2015
THEATRE RECOMMENDED! BROOK THEATRE Old Town Hall, Chatham ME4 4SE Box Office: 01634 338338 Tue 25 Sept 8pm: Dizzy O’Dare presents… CABARET OF CURIOSITIES: BIRTHDAY BASH! For 5 years Dizzy O'Dare have brought the very best in contemporary cabaret to Medway for their sell out cabaret night, Cabaret of Curiosities. The publicity blurb is actually true: ‘If you've never seen one, you have no idea what you are missing’. They are aiming to make the Birthday Bash cabaret the most splendid yet, with a little bit of everything: circus, music, dance and burlesque. Tickets: £12.50. Theatres Loyalty Scheme members receive a discount of £2.50 per ticket. Adult content, not suitable for under 16s. medwayticketslive.co.uk MARLOWE THEATRE The Friars, Canterbury CT1 2AS 01227 787787 Tue 1 – Sat 5 Sep 7.30pm, Thu & Sat mat 2.30pm: Agatha Christie’s THE MOUSETRAP Smash-hit thriller – the longest-running show of its kind. £20-£36.50. Concs and group tickets available. Mon 14 – Sat 26 Sept 7.30pm, Thu & Sat mat 2.30pm: BLOOD BROTHERS Bill Kenwright’s production returns to the theatre where it all began. Written by Willy Russell and starring Marti Pellow and Maureen Nolan. £16-£37.50 Wed 9 – Sat 12 Sept 7.30pm, Thu & Sat Mat 2.30pm: HANDBAGGED by Moira Buffini. Comedy drama featuring the Queen and Maggie Thatcher and what they really said to each other behind closed doors. £14.50 £35, concs available Tue 29 Sept – Sat 3 Oct, various times (see website): HORRIBLE HISTORIES: GROOVY GREEKS
Wed 30 Sept – Sat 3 Oct, various times (see website): HORRIBLE HISTORIES: INCREDIBLE INVADERS £14, Family ticket of 4: £55. Book both shows and get 20% off.
MARLOWE STUDIO: Sat 12 Sept 8pm: STORM IN A TEACUP from Hot Coals Theatre Ensemble. Wordless physical comedy piece loosely inspired by Chekhov’s ‘Three Sisters’. Sounds a hoot. £12, concs £11 Thu 24 Sept 8pm: CRAZY GLUE by Single Shoe Productions. Following the comedic rollercoaster a one couple’s romance, to a 1930s soundtrack. £12, concs £11 marlowetheatre.com (booking fees apply)
ORCHARD THEATRE Home Gardens, Dartford DA1 1ED 01322 220000 Thu 10 – Sat 19 Sept 7.30pm, Wed & Sat mat 2pm: AN INSPECTOR CALLS This is the National Theatre multi award-winning production of J.B. Priestley’s classic thriller, directed by Stephen Daldry, with a set that has to be seen and acting to match. £15 - £29, concs available. There is a post-show Q & A on Thursday 17 Sept. Tue 22 – Sat 26 Sept 7.30pm, Thu & Sat mat 2.30pm: THE
IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST by Oscar Wilde, starring Nigel Havers, Sian Phillips and Christine Kavanagh. Can’t-go-wrong classic comedy direct from the West End. £18 - £32, concs available. Wed 30 Sept 1pm & 5pm: I BELIEVE IN UNICORNS by Michael Morpurgo. Olivier award-nominated Wizard brings Morpurgo’s children’s story to life. Intimate onewoman show for kids. £12 orchardtheatre.co.uk (booking fee applies) ROCHESTER INDEPENDENT COLLEGE 254 St Margaret’s Banks, Rochester ME1 1HY (next to Medway Little Theatre) Tue 22 Sept 6pm: THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY
by European Arts Company. See page 5. Tickets are free and it is essential to book ahead by calling the College on 01634 828115. europeanarts.co.uk THE WOODVILLE Woodville Place, Gravesend DA12 1DD 08442 439480 boxoffice@gravesham.gov.uk Mon 21 – Sat 26 Sept 7.30pm, Thu & Sat mat 2pm: AGATHA CHRISTIE’S THE MOUSETRAP The longest running show in the history of British theatre. £17 - £26. Thu 1 Oct 7.30pm: VIENNA FESTIVAL BALLET: COPPELIA An excellent choice for a first family ballet. An eccentric toymaker and his beloved doll, colourful costumes, lively characters and beautiful music from Delibes combine to create a magical and comical classic. £16-£28.50. woodville.seatlive.com
COMEDY NEW! ARTS CAFÉ at ST WILLIAMS CHURCH Walderslade Village Centre, ME5 9LR Sun 4 Oct, doors open 6pm: PAUL KERENSA Stand-up comedian, writer and actor based in London, also a British Comedy Award winner and co-writer of BBC’s ‘Miranda’. The Spectator have called him ‘dazzlingly funny’. The café operates a ‘Pay What You Want’ scheme, to make it accessible to all. See feature page 11. For more information email arts@ southchatham.org. BROOK THEATRE Old Town Hall, Chatham ME4 4SE Box Office: 01634 338338 Sat 12 Sept 7.30pm: JASPER CARROTT: STAND UP AND ROCK Comedy and music from the veteran comedian and band. £25 medwayticketslive.co.uk OAKWOOD HOUSE HOTEL Oakwood Road, Maidstone ME16 8AE 01622 620720 info@oakwoodhousehotel. co.uk Thu 3 Sep 7pm: THE LAUGHING POD: MC Graeme Matthews (‘the only half naked fire eating comic in the UK’). CHRIS MCGLADE and JO CAULFIELD headline, with support from SUSAN MURRAY and DAVID ALFIE WARD. Line ups subject to change. £10 oakwoodhousehotel.co.uk THE WOODVILLE STUDIO Woodville Place, Gravesend DA12 1DD 08442 439480 boxoffice@gravesham.gov.uk Thu 17 Sept 8pm: LAUGHING BOY COMEDY CLUB Acts tbc. £10, or £14.50 with curry. woodville.seatlive.com
MY MIND is FREE Over 13,000 people are trafficked in the UK each year, and those are just the ones we know about. How many more people might be enslaved washing cars, working in nail bars, cafes, brothels, and fields, picking fruit or tarmacing drives? Medway-based playwright SAM HALL has written a new play about human trafficking which tours London and the Southeast in October The idea for ‘My Mind is Free’ came about last year when I was asked to write a couple of short plays for an awareness-raising event for the charity Merton Against Trafficking. In the audience was the director of London-based Rah Rah Theatre Company, Jude Spooner. We both wanted to make a show to raise awareness about trafficking, and as I had already had an idea for a longer play, it made sense to team up. I have been writing since school when my first play, ‘Dreamtime’, won a national competition. Other plays have been produced in London, and Kent, and in 2013, my play ‘Seven Tunes on the Flute’ was selected from hundreds to be translated into Italian and have
its world premiere at the Trend Festival of the Best of New British Writing in Rome. I produced and co-wrote two shows for the Rochester Literature Festival in 2013/14 and am delighted that the RLF this year is included in the tour for this new play. Focussing on the most topical and current stories of trafficked people, ‘My Mind is Free’ is written for four actors, each of whom play a multitude of characters: a soldier returns home with an undiagnosed mental health condition; a young Romanian girl is tricked into prostitution; a teenage Vietnamese boy becomes an unwitting cannabis gardener; and a woman from Brazil finds herself a domestic slave. The people have been fictionalised, but are all based on true stories discovered in my research. There are moments both powerful and shocking, but there are rays of light and humour too. My aim is to provoke a discussion about trafficking – where possible, each performance will be followed by a short discussion with a representative from one of the anti-human trafficking charities we’ve been working with. Any
extra profits from the tour will be donated to the charities to help them with their work. To accompany the tour, I am also running a series of creative writing workshops for adults exploring issues around trafficking, supported by Medway Soroptimist International, in September and October. See wordsmithery.info for details. MY MIND IS FREE tours London and the Southeast in October 2015. Kent tour dates are: 1 October: Margate House, Margate CT9 1DX 2 October: The Horsebridge Centre, Whitstable CT5 1AF 5 October: Strood Gospel Mission Church, Strood ME2 3BQ 11 October: Rochester Literature Festival 2015 (Supported by The Kent Commissioner’s Fund) We were lucky enough to get Arts Council England funding for the majority of the tour, though we are still crowdfunding via the play’s website to make up the difference. For more information, to book tickets or to help our campaign, please visit mymindisfree.com
VISUAL ART THE ART MARKET Saturday 19 September Market Hall, Lockmeadow Maidstone A one-day, not-tobe missed new art event. See main feature. artmarketME14. wordpress.com THE BEANEY HOUSE OF ART AND KNOWLEDGE 18 High Street, Canterbury CT1 2RA 01227 862162 Mon to Wed 9am to 5pm, Thu 9am to 7pm, Fri and Sat 9am to 5pm, Sun 10am to 5pm To Sun 6 Sept: CANTERBURY IN THE AGE OF THE MAGNA CARTA. Free entry. Sat 26 Sept to Sun 15 Nov: THE BRITISH WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS A ‘Pay what you can’. Showcasing the work of amateur and professional photographers who have captured the beauty and diversity of British wildlife. More exhibitions in the other spaces. Visit thebeaney.co.uk BELOW 65 GALLERY Gilbert & Clark Frame and Print 65 High Street, Maidstone ME14 1SR 01622 685146 Free entry Open 9.30am-4.30pm Mon-Sat 1 – 30 Sept: Making Art Work members display their responses to the theme of EDGE. Many of the artists have gained recognition for their art practices in the South East and abroad, making this exhibition a unique opportunity to see high quality, significant contemporary artwork locally. Complementing The Art Market. See main feature. gilbertandclark.com CAFÉ MOROC 365 Rochester High Street ME1 1DA From Tue 1 Sep 10am: LINKS ACROSS THE WORLD: A month-long exhibition by MYUNG-JA JOE, TRISH AND JOHN FAIRCHILD. Three contrasting British and Korean painters, linked through friendship and art, take inspiration from home and abroad. Preview Thu 3 Sep 6pm, all welcome. Free entry
FRANCIS ILES GALLERIES 103 High Street, Rochester ME1 1LX 01634 843081 Opens Mon-Sat 9.30am5.30pm. Free entry To 12 Sept: ARTISTS OF RUSSIA and ROWLAND HILDER RETROSPECTIVE. From 18 Sept: AUTUMN EXHIBITION: TRAVELS AND TURINO featuring Michael Chaplin RWS, Piera Luisolo and Luisa Albert plus new works from our Gallery Artists. See website for full details. francisiles.com GRIND COFFEE HOUSE 1 Appledore Court Hildenborough Crescent, Allington ME16 OPA Mon-Sat 8am-4pm Exhibition by members of MVAN. grindcoffeehouse.co.uk GUILDHALL MUSEUM High Street, Rochester ME1 1PY 01634 332680 Open Tue-Sun 10am-5pm. Free entry. To 10 Jan 2016: SIEGE 2015 New, interactive exhibition about the events surrounding the siege of Rochester Castle in 2015. To 11 Sept: GREAT EXPECTATIONS: Seaton Tool Chest + film by Adam Chodzko. guildhallmuseumrochester. co.uk HISTORIC DOCKYARD CHATHAM ME4 4TY (sat nav) 01634 823800. Open 10am-6pm Entry included in normal admission price. To 20 Sept: WAR GAMES Acclaimed exhibition from the V&A Museum of Childhood. thedockyard.co.uk HUGUENOT MUSEUM 95 High Street, Rochester ME1 1LX 01634 789347 Opens Wed-Sat 10am-5pm + Bank Hol Mon. Artworks and treasures. £4, concs £3, family £10, under 5s free. huguenotmuseum.org MAIDSTONE MUSEUM & BENTLIF ART GALLERY St Faith’s St, Maidstone
ME14 1LH 01622 602838 Opens Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, closed Sun & Bank Holidays To Sun 6 Sep: BRICK CITY. Adult: £4, Under 16s: £2, Family ticket: £10 Wed 9 Sept – Sun 8 Nov: CONTEMPORARY BRITISH WATERCOLOURS curated by Simon Carter museum.maidstone.gov.uk NUCLEUS ARTS 272 High Street, Chatham ME4 4BP 01634 812108 Gallery: Mon- 10am-4pm (café to 5.30pm) Closed Sun. Free entry. All welcome to show previews. Sat 19 Sept: ARTSFEST Free one-day celebration of creativity. Poetry, music, art and more. To 1pm on 3 Sept: PILGRIM ART: John Burgess. Sat 5 Sept to 1pm on Thu 17 sept: ANNE TAYLOR. New paintings and drawings. Preview: Fri 4 Sept, 6-8pm, all welcome. Sat 19 Sept to 1pm on Thu 1 Oct: HOME: Catriona Farrell. Debut exhibition inspired by the Kent countryside and the artist’s travels. Preview: Fri 18 Sept, 6-8pm, all welcome. Sat 3 Oct: MEDWAY FUN PALACE at Nucleus Arts bringing the arts and sciences together. nucleusarts.com NUCLEUS ARTS ROCHESTER 75 High Street, Rochester ME1 1LX Open 9am-5pm Mon-Fri; Sat 10am-5pm; Sun 11-4pm 01634 812108 Shop gallery, café and garden. NUCLEUS ARTS MAIDSTONE Gabriel’s Hill, Maidstone ME15 6JR Open 9am-5pm Mon-Fri; Sat 10am-5pm. Closed Sunday. 01622 690337 Popular café, arts hub and gallery. ROCHESTER ART GALLERY & CRAFT CASE Medway Visitor Information Centre, 95 High Street, Rochester ME1 1LX 01634 338319 Open Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 10.30am – 5pm (closed on Sundays Oct - Mar). Free entry 28 Aug – 14 Nov: ANIMA: Paintings by
Dan Perfect. See The Artist’s Space. The ceramic works of TOMMASO CORVI-MORA feature in the Craft Case. ROYAL ENGINEERS MUSEUM Prince Arthur Road, Gillingham ME7 1UR Tel: 01634 822839 Open Tue-Fri 9am-5pm; Sat, Sun & Bank Hol: 11.30am-5pm Normal admission charges apply. To 15 Nov: FRONT 1914-18: The Great War in 3D (glasses available). Tue Sept 8 – 20 Dec: RESPONSES TO THE ARCHIVE (UCA) See page 20. re-museum.co.uk ST ANDREW’S ARTS CENTRE Royal Pier Road Gravesend DA12 2BD Tue 29 Aug – Sun 6 Sept GRAVESEND ART GROUP Annual Exhibition. Open 10am-6pm. Free. SUN PIER GALLERY Sun Pier House Medway Street, Chatham ME4 4HF01634 401549 Open Tue-Sun 10am - 4pm Closed Mon. Currently no disabled access. Tue 25 Aug – 20 Sept: COAST: ALISON LEWIS PHOTOGRAPHY. Photographs of the English Coastline. Private View: Tue 25 Aug 6-9pm. Wed 2 – Sun 13 Sept: WALK SWALE MEDWAY A record of the epic Ideas Test funded walk by HOPE FITZGERALD Tue 15 – Sat 26 Sept: BOTANICAL VS. ANATOMICAL: A solo exhibition of drawings, mixed media illustrations, and photography prints by fine artist RACHEL GRACE PERRY. Private view on Thursday 17 Sept 6pm – 9pm. sunpierhouse.co.uk STEPHEN OLIVER STUDIO & GALLERY Orchards Shopping Centre, High Street Dartford DA1 1DN 01322 278674 Open Thu-Sun 10am-4pm; Sat to 5pm Exhibition celebrating 150 years of Alice in Wonderland. stephen-oliver-art.co.uk
art a r market ma m arkke ket et et ME ME14 E14 E14
The Market Hall, Baker Road, Maidstone ME16 8LW A CONTEMPORARY ARTS EVENT Web: artmarketme14.wordpress.com | Email: artmarketme14@gmail.com
Our partners
Palm Canyon. Dan Perfect
Anima
Paintings by Dan Perfect Craft Case - Ceramics by Tommaso Corvi-Mora
Anima
Rochester Art Gallery and Craft Case, Medway Visitor Information Centre, Paintings Dan Perfect Ground Floor, 95 Highby Street, Rochester, Kent ME1 1LX CraftMon Case - Ceramics by Tommaso Corvi-Mora Open to Sat 10am – 5pm, Sun 10.30am – 5pm 28 August > 14 November 2015 Visitor Information Centre, Ground in Floor, Opening times may vary during bankMedway holidays, please check advance. 95 High Street, Rochester, Kent ME1 1LX Rochester Art Gallery and Craft Case
Free admission www.enjoymedway.co.ukOpen Phone or – 5pm Mon to01634 Sat 10am –338319 5pm, Sun 10.30am (closed on Sundays from October – March) email arts@medway.gov.uk Opening times may vary during bank holidays, please check in advance.
Free admission
www.enjoymedway.co.uk Phone 01634 338319 or email arts@medway.gov.uk
THE ARTIST’S SPACE
GLIMMER by Dan Perfect
28 August to 14 November Rochester Gallery and Craft Case, Medway Visitor Information Centre, 95 High Street, Rochester ME1 1LX. Open Mon-Sat 10am – 5pm, Sun 10.30am – 5pm (closed on Sundays Oct - Mar). Free admission. The ceramic works of Tommaso Corvi-Mora feature in the Craft Case.
British artist Dan Perfect has exhibited widely throughout the UK and internationally. His paintings begin with improvisational markmaking on paper, which is then expanded through digital compositing to inspire large scale painted canvases full of detail, colour and dramatic gesture. The artist’s recent paintings have evolved from previously explicit forms to create a more abstract field, with a profusion of drifting elements. Several possible simultaneous readings are suggested: the paintings as portraits; the frenzied actions of biology on a micro-scale; the hybrid forms of human information language. ‘ANIMA - Paintings by Dan Perfect’
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EXPLORING WARFARE THROUGH PLAY FROM 1800 - THE PRESENT DAY
WAR GAMES THE HIGHLY ACCLAIMED EXHIBITION FROM THE V&A MUSEUM OF CHILDHOOD
27 JUNE - 20 SEPTEMBER thedockyard.co.uk
Chistoric.chatham L@DockyardChatham Exhibition entry included in the price of an annual ticket.
Exhibition organised by the Victoria and Albert Museum, London
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Ian Bostridge with Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
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Murder in the Cathedral – film screening in the Cathedral
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HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:
Perfo rm
17 - 31 OCTOBER
Music
KENT’S INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL
ance
CANTERBURY FESTIVAL 2015
Rich Hall
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Mozart Group
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Austentatious Baby Loves Disco
TWO HUNDRED EVENTS IN TWO WEEKS
Full details online
canterburyfestival.co.uk or call 01227 452 853 for a free brochure Festival box office at the Marlowe Theatre: 01227 787 787