22 | LEISURE
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What’s on & gigs CHRISTMAS EVE Thursday, Dec 24 ARBORFIELD – St Bartholomew’s Church, Church Lane RG2 9HZ. Family carols. 4pm. Midnight carols by candlelight. 11.30pm. Details: 0118 976 0285. BARKHAM – St James. Family Carols. 4pm. Midnight carols. 11.30pm. Details: 0118 976 0285. EMMBROOK – Emmbrook Village Hall. St Nicholas’ Emmbrook presents First Eucharist of Christmas. 9pm. LOWER EARLEY – Earley Radstock Social Club, Radstock Lane RG6 5UL. Open 12.30pm until Christmas Day. Details: 0118 931 3965. TWYFORD – St Mary’s Church, Station Road RG10 9NT. Twyford Living Advent Calendar 2015: Crib service. 3.30pm-4pm. Carols for all. 7pm-8pm. Details: www. twyfordvillagepartnership.co.uk WARGRAVE – St Mary’s Church, Mill Green off Station Road RG10 8EU. Nativity service for younger children. 4pm. Family carols. 6pm. Holy Communion. 11pm. Details: 0118 940 2300. WARGRAVE – Library, Woodclyffe Hostel, Church Street RG10 8EP. Festive fun, includes a visit from Father Christmas and festive tea. Fee TBC. 10.30am-1pm. Details: 0118 940 4656. WOKINGHAM – All Saints Church, Wiltshire Road RG40 1UE. Crib service. 2pm. 3.30pm. Service of Nine Lessons and Carols. 6.30pm. First communion of Christmas with ceremony of light. 11.15pm . Details: www. allsaintswokingham.org.uk. WOKINGHAM – Wokingham Baptist Church, Milton Road RG40 1DE. Craft, Christingle and Carols with the Nativity story for young children. 3pm-4.30pm. Living Advent Calendar. 6.15pm. Details:
www.wokingham-tc.gov.uk/ advent WOKINGHAM – Corpus Christi Catholic Church, Sturges Road. Christmas Eve masses: 4pm, 6pm and 9pm. WOKINGHAM – St Paul’s Church, Reading Road. Christingle. 4pm. Midnight Mass. 11pm. WOKINGHAM – Salvation Army, Sturges Road. Carols by Candlelight. 6pm. WOKINGHAM – Methodist Church, Rose Street. Christingle Service. Come from 3.15pm to make Christingles , service at 4pm. Christmas Eve Midnight Communion . 11.30pm. WOKINGHAM – Broad Street Tavern, Broad Street. Christmas party from 7pm. Details: 0118 977 3706. WOKINGHAM WITHOUT – St Sebastian’s Church, Nine Mile Ride RG40 3AT. Crib service. 6pm. Midnight communion. 11.30pm. Details: 01344 761050. WOOSEHILL – Church, Chestnut Ave RG41 3RS. Crib service. 4pm. Midnight communion. 11.30pm. Details: 0118 989 2714
Morris Men Mummers play from noon. YATELEY – Frog and Wicket. Yateley Mummers play. 1.15pm.
CHRISTMAS DAY Friday, Dec 25
BRACKNELL – The Keller, Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. Back2Soul Christmas Special. Details: 01344 303333. LOWER EARLEY – Earley Radstock Social Club, Radstock Lane RG6 5UL. Open 12.30pm-7pm. Details: 0118 931 3965.
Church services on our website, www.wokinghampaper.co.uk SPENCERS WOOD – St Michael’s and All Angels, Basingstoke Road RG7 1AP. Caf’Active Christmas Day lunch for those who would otherwise be on their own. Details: 0118 988 5923.
BOXING DAY Saturday, Dec 26 WOODLEY – Bull and Chequers Woodley Green, Woodley Green Church Road RG5 4PQ. Broken Stones: Slade, Bryan Adams, The Monkees, Ed Sheeran. YATELEY – Dog and Partridge, Reading Road GU46 7LR. Yateley
Sunday, Dec 27 BRACKNELL – The Crown Wood, Opladen Way RG12 0PE. Jam session: Martin Deadman acoustic. Details: 01344 867374. BRACKNELL – The Keller, Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. Back2Soul Christmas Special. Details: 01344 303333. BRACKNELL – South Hill Park, Ringmead. Wilde Sundays. Creative Control Band NIght. Details: 01344 484123. READING – RISC, London Street RG1 4PS. Readifolk: Singers night. Details: 0118 958 6692. WOKINGHAM – The Redan, Peach Street. Christmas Jumper Party. Details: 0118 989 1177. WOODLEY – Christ Church, Crockhamwell Road RG5 3LA. Games afternoon. 2pm. Details: www.christ-church-woodley.org. uk or 0118 926 8143.
Holiday Monday, December 28
Wednesday, Dec 30 READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. BBC Introducing Live: Twostep Takeover! Flash Fires and Poor Michael. Details: 0118 959 7196.
New Year’s Eve Thursday, Dec 31 BRACKNELL – The Keller, Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. Evil Puppies. Details: 01344 303333.
Holding a community event? Send your listings to events@wokinghampaper.co.uk BRACKNELL – Bowling and Social Club, New Club House RG12 1EH. Frankie The Fish. Details: 01344 423494. CAMBERLEY – Mr Bumble, GU17 9AP. DJ night. Details: 01276 32691. CAMBERLEY – The Royal Standard, Frimley Road GU15 2PP. The Blue Beatles. Details: 01276 27641. CAMBERLEY – The Four Horseshoes, Frimley Road GU15 3EQ. Lainey King. Details: 01276 63842. CROOKHAM – The Black Horse, The Street GU51 5SJ. Gigabit. Details: 01252 616434. FARNBOROUGH – The Alexandra, Victoria Road GU14 7PH. Disco Night. Details: 01252 519964. FLEET – The Falkners Arms, Falkners Close GU51 2XF. Moonfly. Details: 01252 811311. FLEET – The Fox and Hounds, Crookham Road GU51 5NP. Malarkey. Details: 01252 663686. LOWER EARLEY – Earley Radstock Social Club, Radstock Lane RG6 5UL. Open 1.30pm until early hours of New Year’s Day. Details: 0118 931 3965 READING – The Turks, London Road RG1 5BJ. Highwasters. Details: 0118 957 6930. READING – Sub89, Friar Street RG1 1EP. NYE Big Bash 2015. Details: 0118 959 5395. READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. N.Y.E. Details: 0118 959 7196. READING – Oakford Social Club, Blagrave Street RG1 1PZ. Dance to the Movies. Details: 0118 959 4267. READING – The Jazz Cafe, Shooters Ways, Madejski Stadium RG2 0FL. New Year’s Eve party with Party Express. Details: 0118 968 1442. SHINFIELD – The Bell and Bottle, School Green RG2 9EE. Zipper Tongue. Details: 0118 988 3563. STOKE ROW – Crooked Billet RG9 5PU. John Coghlan’s Quo. Details:
01491 681048. WEST END – West End Social Club, High Street GU26 9PL. The Undecided. Details: 01276 858501. WINNERSH – Royal British Legion, Woodward Close RG41 5LP. Ash Lee. Details: 0118 978 0307. WOKINGHAM – Hope and Anchor, Station Road RG40 2AD. New Year’s Charity night with Bricks Build Houses. From 7.30pm. Tickets only. In aid of Sue Ryder. Details: 0118 978 0918. WOKINGHAM – The Two Poplars, Finchampstead Road RG41 2NU. DJ and disco, donations to charity. Details: 0118 978 0590. WOODLEY – Christ Church, Crockhamwell Road RG5 3LA. Games evening. 7pm. Details: www.christ-church-woodley.org. uk or 0118 926 8143. YATELEY – The Dog and Partridge, The Green GU46 7LR. The Turn. Details: 01252 870648.
New Year’s Day, Friday, January 1 LOWER EARLEY – Earley Radstock Social Club, Radstock Lane RG6 5UL. Open 12.30pm-11.30pm. Details: 0118 931 3965. SUNNINGHILL – Village SL5 0QS. Sunninghill fancy dress Wheelbarrow Race from 11am. Teams of four, entry £20. Details: 07949 813893
Sunday, January 3 WOODLEY – The Oakwood Centre. Pantomime: The Snow Queen. 2pm, 6pm. £12, concessions £8. Details: 0118 921 6919.
Monday, January 4 FINCHAMPSTEAD – California Ratepayers’ Hall, Finchampstead Road, RG40 3RL. California Gardeners’ Club meeting Paolo Arrigo: Franchi Seeds. Contest: an arrangement of winter flowering heather or an indoor plant. 7.30pm. £2. Details: 0118 979 3730 or 0118 978 1432.
Animal Corner with Gemma Davidson CAN you offer these adorable animals a loving forever home? Each week, we team up with the folk at Diana Brimblecombe Animal Rescue Centre in Nelsons Lane, Hurst, to try to find new homes for the animals currently in their care
DEEFOR Poor Deefor was given up to a dog pound after his family decided they didn’t want him anymore. This one-year-old neutered collie is a beautiful, bright and happy boy, full of energy and eager to learn.
ROY Two-year-old Roy was found wandering in a remote area with the remains of a rope around his neck, and was never claimed. His fosterers say that he is a lovely
chap who gets on with other dogs. He will need an active lifestyle and someone around most of the time.
POPPY Poppy’s owner could sadly no longer look after her, so made the tough decision to give her up for re-homing. She is a sweet eightyear-old cat and would make an ideal addition to any family. n Could you offer a forever home to any of these animals? If the answer is ‘yes’ then please get in touch with the centre on 0118 934 1122 to make sure the animals have not already been reserved. The centre is open everyday between 11am and 1pm, and 2pm and 4pm. For more information, and to view other animals in need of a home visit www. dbarc.org.uk
THEWOKINGHAMPAPER Thursday, December 24, 2015
AT THE CINEMA
Kim Taylor-Foster
Star Wars is a force to be reckoned with
Star Wars: The Force Awaken (12A)
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Stars: Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew and Max von Sydow
I
T’S NOT so easy to write a review of a film that’s critic proof. Star Wars is the biggest film franchise in the world: every single one of those fans will see it and form their own opinion regardless of what the critics say. And if responses so far are anything to go by, the vast majority of those opinions will be positive. But, let’s face it – this sequel, which comes a full 32 years after the close of the original saga, didn’t have a particularly rigid barometer against which to be measured. With the three prequels universally detested, there was really only one way reviews were going to go. A franchise close to the hearts of so many, it seems fitting that any follow-up should pay homage to the original beloved trilogy, and The Force Awakens is packed with references to the past, as well as being dotted with a smattering of familiar faces. We pick up the story 30 or so years on from the conclusion of the events of Return of the Jedi. The Jedi are now all but a myth – as they were at the start of A New Hope – and a new generation is intrigued by tales of the Rebellion and the past. When a scavenger girl by the name of Rey (Daisy Ridley) gets mixed up with a little orange and white droid and a fugitive named Finn (John Boyega), they become the galaxy’s most wanted. To survive, they must team up with faces old and new and help the Resistance track down legendary Jedi master, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), to help battle a dangerous new threat. Star Trek helmer J.J. Abrams takes on directing duties for this first in the new Disney-owned franchise and does a sterling job with a screenplay written by Michael Arndt and adapted by himself and legendary Star Wars writer/producer Lawrence Kasdan. A self-confessed Star Wars fan, Abrams’s love for the saga manifests itself in his sensitive treatment. This sequel, with its careful attention to tone and scale to match the original trilogy and plentiful references to the original story, gives the fans what they want. Abrams has made loyalty to the saga paramount, ahead of pleasing the marketing team’s intangible audience, ticking boxes on a spreadsheet or appeasing investors. The plot and structure follow a similar path as A New Hope – but a sense of familiarity is key for audiences worldwide who hated prequels that bore little resemblance to George Lucas’s original films. The humour that was unwisely sucked out of the prequels is re-injected here and we’re treated to more of Han Solo’s quips, courtesy of the deliciously dry Harrison Ford, and a sparky relationship between the film’s two leads – both Ridley and Boyega do great jobs in bringing to life three-dimensional characters who have both depth and personality. With a careful balance of costumed characters and CGI, there’s a far more seamless integration of actors, scenes, props and special effects than any of Lucas’s tinkering with the saga through the nineties and noughties achieved. And while there could have been more tension, and a few pressing questions answered, this new addition to the Star Wars story leaves aficionados more than satisfied, and looking forward to the films to come.
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