September Highlights

…And this is my friend Mr Laurel
When: Wednesday 30 at 7.30pm
Tickets: £14 adults, £12 concessions

Jeffrey Holland (Hi de Hi!,You Rang M’Lord) tells an intriguing, funny and poignant tale of friendship, love and dedication about comedian Stan Laurel.

October Highlights

Shakespearian Serenade
When: Saturday 3 at 7.30pm
Tickets: £15, students & U16s £7.50, Family (2 adults, 2 U16s) £40

The Vivaldi Singers and Guildford School of Acting combine for an evening of music by Vaughn Williams, Bernstein and Mendelssohn intertwined with scenes from Shakespeare’s plays.

Scriptease: Noël & Gertie
When: Tuesday 6 at 8pm
Tickets: £10

An show telling the story of the professional and personal between Noël Coward and Gertrude Lawrence with the words and music of Noël Coward.

Stringfever in Concert
When: Friday 23 at 8pm
Tickets: £17, concessions £12

Four world-class and classically trained musicians-turned-rock stars make up Stringfever, a unique, pioneering and entertaining string quartet. Amongst their repertoire are The History of Music in Five Minutes, Ravel’s Bolero played by all four on one cello and a Name That Theme Tune competition.

Showstopper! The Improvised Musical
When: Saturday 31 7.30pm
Tickets: £15, £12.50 concessions

The Showstoppers return by popular demand performing a new musical at every performance transforming audience suggestions into all-dancing production numbers. Ages 14+

November Highlights

Jamaica Inn
When: Wednesday 18 to Saturday 21 7.45pm
Tickets: £12.50, Seniors/U16s £10.50

Mary Yellan seeks out her Aunt Patience at Jamaica Inn on Bodmin Moor but finds her aunt a changed woman married to unstable Joss Merlyn. Guildford Theatre Company perform Daphne Du Maurier’s classic tale.

Capulets & Montagues
When: Tuesday 24 – Friday 27 at 7.30pm, Saturday 28 at 6.30pm
Tickets: from £18, £9 concs

Guilford Opera Company perform Bellini’s operatic retelling of Romeo and Juliet.

December Highlights

Just for Graphs
When: Wednesday 2 at 8pm
Tickets: £15, Concessions £13

The science comedy phenomenon returns with stand-up mathematician Matt Parker, experiments maestro Steve ‘Danger’ Mould and geek songstress Helen Arney providing graph-a-minute fun.

Stephen K. Amos
When: Friday 4 at 8pm
Tickets: £17

Fresh from touring the UK, the star of Life: An Idiot’s Guide and What Does the K Stand For?, the maestro of feel-good comedy is back on tour with his new show.

Così Fan Tutte
When: Wednesday 9 – Friday 11 at 7.30pm
Tickets: £20, £18 concessions

The Black Cat Opera Company perform Mozart’s comic masterpiece  featuring some of the composer’s finest music, following two love-struck women, utterly convinced that nothing could part them from their sweethearts.

The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe
When: Friday 18 – Saturday 20 2.30pm and 7.30pm
Tickets: £10.50, concessions £8.50 Family ticket (4 people, max 2 adults) £32

The Electric Theatre’s Youth Company perform C.S.Lewis’s classic magical tale of the magical world of Narnia.

A full programme of events and online booking can be found at www.guildford.gov.uk/electrictheatre

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This year, Lido is presenting the movie classics of “Mamma Mia” on Saturday August 22 and “Jaws”, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, on Sunday August 23.

Perfect for a night out with your partner, or a group of friends; enjoy either one of these popular films while surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens and a chilled glass of wine in hand. The film screening and the bar opening will be at 8.30pm, however, there are other activities on offer prior to this.

Snuggle up on the grass with a picnic blanket to create a cosy atmosphere, or if you so choose, there will also be deckchairs available.

There will be a swimming session taking place between 7pm and 8pm, which will work up your appetite perfectly in preparation for dinner. This will be provided by Burrito Loco, thus giving you the chance to channel your inner Mexican.

There is also the opportunity to dress up as your favourite character, so get in touch with your creative side and have some fun.

The contradictory nature of the films means that you have the freedom to choose between horror, or Rom-com. However, if you can’t decide, there’s nothing stopping you from venturing along to both.

The standard ticket price is £10.00 however, if you wish to have a deck chair, the price increases to £12.00. Please note that there is limited availability on the latter tickets.

This is a great opportunity to stray from the straight and narrow, rather than simply going out for dinner every Saturday night, treat your partner to something a little more creative.

The Guildford Lido is located in Stoke park, near to the Guildford spectrum.

Find more information at: www.guildfordlido.co.uk

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Burlesque and cabaret artists are known for their talent to tease and create illusions that speaks to your desires and G Live alongside Hundred Watt Club will be hosting a naughty evening to finish of the Guildford Fringe Festival.

Festival director, Nick Wyschna, said: “This show is full of laughs and cheeky burlesque, and certainly one not to missed!

”It’s full of some of the best on the variety scene, with burlesque, boylesque, some clowning around, showgirl antics and even aerial artistry. You’ll be amazed!”

The event will take place on July 25, the last day of the festival. This year’s events run across 11 venues in the Guildford town centre and it is welcoming a variety of arts including: theatre, comedy, kids shows, music, dance, exhibitions, talks and cabarets.

The Guildford Fringe Festival was set up in 2013 and has grown massively since, last year alone the festival brought in over 3000 people.

The festival wants to display that Guildford is really full of artists of all kinds and over 60% of participants in 2013 were from Guildford or the surrounding areas.

Here is a list of a few of the free events taking place:

The Morris dance takes place on Saturday July 11 and features traditional, and not so traditional, sides competing against one another in a riot of colour and noise throughout the day, before taking to the High Street for a mass dance at 3pm.

Local talent provide music for a more serene event at Clandon Wood Natural Burial Reserve on Sunday July 12 from 2-5pm. A paid bar is available and attendees are encouraged to bring a picnic and relax in the 31-acre wildflower meadow.

Another wonderful art exhibition will be at The Mill Studio at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre presented by Guildford Arts. The exhibition runs from July 8-23 from 10am-6pm. All work is for sale and there is a light-hearted quiz for younger visitors.

Firefly on Portsmouth Road hosts a wide variety of free events during the Festival, kicking off with ukelele band the Ukeaholics playing on July 3 from 9pm. There are also three Open Mic nights at Firefly on July  8, 15 and 22, plus two live music nights on Friday July 17 and 24.

Bar des Arts also features one of its popular and offbeat talks, with Dr Tony Bristow discussing analytical science and how it impacts on everyday lives on July 8 at 7.30pm. The Keep, meanwhile, offer a lazy Sunday afternoon of laid-back jazz with Debby Bracknell and A Train on July 19 from 4pm.

Credit: Mendoza(med)

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This year, the show guest stars Josie Lawrence who is best known for her regular performances on Whose Line is it Anyway? as well as appearing on TV favourites such as QI, EastEnders, Holby City, Skins, Casualty and Jonathan Creek. Lawrence gave a strong performance as Morgiana the Wicked Queen, showcasing her vocal prowess singing an adapted version of Katy Perry’s Roar, whilst her timing and interplay on stage sparkled like her dress throughout the night.

Kit Hesketh-Harvey as Herman the Henchman and Josie Lawrence as the Wicked Queen

Co-starring as Nursey Nora was Eagle Radio presenter Peter Gordon in his ninth consecutive year in the Yvonne Arnaud panto and the GSA graduate, Jamie Brook, who many would recognise as Buttons from last years’ Cinderella show. Brook did a marvellous job as Muddles, interacting with the younger members of the audience throughout, whilst also keeping them giggling with some of the more slap-stick moments in the play. Gordon did a great job keeping the elders enthralled with some classic innuendo alongside Herman the Henchmen, played by the charismatic Kit Hesketh-Harvey.

Adding more of a local presence was Peter Dukes as Prince Christopher (another product of the GSA) and Amy Matthews, who is currently studying at Guildford’s PPA as the eponymous Snow White. It was good to see a number of the ensemble cast including Molly McGuire, Rosie Napper, Carys Anne Swantin, George Hinson and Tayler Davis from PPA also performing next to a multitude of juvenile performers in a host of the bigger numbers.

Amy Matthews as Snow White, Peter Dukes as Prince Christopher and the Ensemble

Also taking to the stage were the seven dwarfs led by Ray Griffiths as Cheeky. Ray has featured in popular TV shows such as Game of Thrones, The Big Breakfast, TFI Friday and The Mighty Boosh as well as three Harry Potter films and Star Wars- The Phantom menace! Mike Edmonds (Prof), Maxwell Laird (Gumbly), Andy Herd (Sniffly), Leigh Gill (Blusher), Jamie Legg (Snoozy) and Karen Anderson-Laird (Dozy) all deserve a mention for their part in a wonderful all-round performance that was as enjoyable as it was entertaining.

Jamie Attle and John Harris did a very credible job in both the costume and lighting design, producing a feast of colour that jumped out from the stage and captivated the audience. Gerry Tebbutt directed, doing a fine job of proficiently managing a mix of dialog, musical numbers, comedy, interaction and narrative. The show was slick and vibrant, felt very professional and was choreographed well by Jill Francis.

Peter Gordon as Nurse Nora, Ray Griffiths as Cheeky and Jamie Brook as Muddles

The highlight of the night was the rendition of Twelve Days of Christmas performed by Muddles, Princey and Nursey Nora that started with an honest Christmas song and ended in utter pandemonium! There were custard pies galore, super soakers coating the audience, underwear thrown into the crowd and plenty of accidental fallings over on stage that at one point saw Peter Gordon’s tutu come off and trousers fall down. This was slap-stick comedy at its best. You could not help but get caught up in the excitement, not knowing whether to laugh or cry- just what you want from a pantomime.

This year, the Yvonne Arnaud has got the basics right with their theatrical performance of Snow White and have struck comedy gold with a mixture of youth, experience and good old fashioned fun. An absolute must see this Christmas!

James Martin

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The production company are bringing their second hilarious ‘Goes Wrong’ offering after winning the Whatsonstage Award for Best New Comedy 2014 with The Play That Goes Wrong. That show enjoyed two successive runs at the Trafalgar Studios in the West End before touring and returning to the West End at the Duchess Theatre. Critically acclaimed and much enjoyed, this second installment promises hysterical fun for all the ages.

Meet ‘the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society’. They are attempting to stage J.M. Barrie’s classic tale of Peter Pan, but as the title suggests, everything that can go wrong… does, as the accident prone thespians embark on a thrilling adventure to Neverland with hilariously disastrous results. A highly physical comedy packed with finely-tuned mayhem and Buster Keaton-inspired slapstick, audiences can expect a fast-paced show with split-second timing and ambitious daring.

However, before the show even started, there was a rather embarrassing, umm, problem; The Lost Boys appeared to have been, well, for want of a better word… Lost!? The good news is that replacing them alongside the 10 strong ensemble cast is a troupe of local young actors aged between nine and thirteen.

They are as follows: Olive Wickham, Abigail Callanan, Oscar Kilby-Gentric (Holy Trinity, Guildford), Darcey Young (Moon Hall School, Holmbury St Mary), Arun Sutton (Bohunt, Liphook), Harvey Balsdon (Pyrford Primary School), Archie Lewis (Amesbury School, Hindhead) and Olivia Isaacs (St Edmunds School, Hindhead).

Adam Ford, Head of Youth Theatre at the Yvonne Arnaud explains, “I’m so pleased for those who were chosen to appear in the show. It was a fun audition session and all the 25 Youth Theatre members who were there gave the company a tough choice. I was very proud of them.”

“This is a great opportunity to be involved in such a high profile show. It will be a really exciting challenge for them to work with a talented company and to be a part of such a madcap play. What could possibly go wrong?”

James Martin

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Steven Arnold was born in Warrington in December 1974 and came to fame in 1996 when he appeared in one of Britain’s favourite prime time shows, Coronation Street. Arnold featured in the world’s longest running soap-opera for 14 years and became one of the fans favourite characters, before being axed from the show by new producer Phil Collinson in 2010.

The British actor has said, “I’m looking forward to working with an up and coming theatre company like Guildford Fringe and on the play Concrete Boots. It’s well-written and really funny, it’s going to be crackin’!”

The play is a new piece written by London-based playwright Stuart Price and was recently performed at Camden Fringe to rave reviews. A tragic comedy, it follows the lives of brothers Cubby and Toby as they struggle to escape from certain death after a revenge attack by local gangsters sees them kidnapped and up to their necks in trouble. As the pair reflect on the events that led to their life-threatening situation, the question is: have their childish and selfish ways finally placed them in a position from which they cannot escape?

The intimate setting of The Back Room of The Star Inn means the audience cannot help but be caught up in this funny, enlightening and honest tale. There will be just 10 performances of this fantastic show, so book early to avoid disappointment for this two-hander, starring Steven Arnold and Guildford Fringe regular Spencer Cummins.

Doors open at 7.30pm for curtain up at 8pm and tickets can be purchased online HERE, by phone on 0844 8700 887 or in person at the Tourist Information Centre, found in Guildford House.

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BENT was written by Martin Sherman and was first performed in London in 1979, starring legendary British actor Ian McKellan. It has since then been produced all over the world including a Broadway show starring Richard Gere and has even been adapted onto the big screen in 1997 featuring Clive Owen, Mick Jagger, Jude Law and again, Ian Mckellan. This production however, will be directed by Mike Willoughby and performed in the spacious function room of The Stoke at 7.30pm on each of the three evenings.

BENT follows the life of a young gay man named Max, living in Berlin just before the beginning of World War II. The play follows his care-free and hedonistic life with his boyfriend Rudy, from the excesses of life in the gay clubs and bars to suddenly being on the run from the Gestapo. Despite all odds he meets a man in a concentration camp who teaches him how to love and ultimately be proud of what he is and in a short space of time, Max grows from a selfish, fun-loving hustler into someone who is capable of love and heroism in the face of true horror.

Totally Stoked was thought up by four people – Mike Willoughby, Tony Carpenter, Sarah Blacker and Kirsty Lane, who met and became friends through working with local amateur group The Pranksters. The Pranksters have been established since 1977 and they perform regularly throughout the year at venues such as The Electric Theatre and at the Castle Grounds. Totally Stoked came about as the four friends decided that they would like to try out doing shows that were slightly more ‘fringe’ and they wanted to use much smaller casts in order to bet more flexible and not have to commit to huge rehearsal periods.

The Stoke is well renowned for its live music, quizzes, art projects and now they have their very own theatre group! The pub has strong ties already with The Pranksters and is always looking at ways to expand its artistic credentials, so it seemed the perfect place for Totally Stoked to use as a base for this new project. The company have plans to put on a new play every couple of months at The Stoke and already have the next one in the works- so watch this space!

Tickets for BENT cost £10 per person in advance and can be purchased HERE.

Warning: This production contains Nudity, Swearing and Gunfire and is strictly for ages 18+

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Obviously, you will have noted that The Canterbury Tales are not a work of Shakespeare, but this is part of GSC’s expansion and development. However, the first of the seven tales recounted as part of this stage production, ‘The Knight’s Tale’ was borrowed by the Bard himself for his 1613 play ‘The Two Noble Kinsmen’- a tenuous link, but one all the same!

The five multi-talented cast members will take you on a whirlwind tour of medieval Britain, bringing to life a combination of flatulent monks, bawdy wives, beautiful maidens and swindling merchants. The seven tales take on a variety of formats; there is original verse, slapstick comedy, a musical account, a contemporary twist and a portion of tragedy. In an unorthodox production featuring puppetry, enchanting story-telling and a feast of live music and song, the GSC will have you wincing, smirking, blushing and clapping.

“Beautiful story-telling, inventive use of a distinctive venue, an audience-centred experience and a fresh and dutiful approach to a well-loved classic” – Sarah & Matt, Joint Artistic & Executive Producers describe in the program notes what they are trying to achieve with this production of The Canterbury Tales.

The show opens with the ensemble introducing themselves and with a cleverly choreographed scene, they give a five minute account of all the characters that are going to appear throughout the rest of the play. The pace is set and does not relent throughout, with swift costume changes a constant, just like the boundless energy of the cast who jump onto the central stage at every opportunity and then slink back in amongst the audience. Each is then seen popping up in different parts of the church (with the aid of lighting designer Will Evans) at various points. Abigail Anderson should certainly be proud of her efforts directing such a complex production, as should the afore mentioned Dora Schweitzer for her Theatre-in-the-Round design that also incorporated an overlooking balcony and the pulpit.

Schweitzer must also take credit for the simple but effective costume design that provides the cast with apparatus that is both easy to use and catching on the eye. However, it is the efforts of cast members Philip Benjamin, Bea Holland, Matt Pinches, Lauren Silver and Ben Tolley that really bring the show to life. They act, they sing and they play an enormous array of instruments from piano to violin to ukulele to flute, all under the musical direction of Mary McAdam. Their enthusiasm is contagious, their enjoyment in performing obvious and their interaction with the crowd persistent- determined to get audience members involved at every opportunity.

There is nothing in the rulebook that states that theatre has to be elitist and performed by actors to a crowd, so sometimes it is refreshing to be part of a performance instead of just being a spectator. There is belching and trumping, cussing, innuendo and even some skin as the GSC bring you a taste of the medieval in their own interpretation. Its brilliantly enjoyable for anyone with an open mind, magnificently set in St Mary’s and performed, as you would expect from the Guildford Shakespeare Company, with consummate professionalism and expertise- a must watch!

James Martin

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