Love Dawlish

“Love Dawlish” is an event to celebrate Valentine’s Day on Saturday 16^th February 2013.

After their success with The Apple Fair in the Autumn, Dawlish-based social enterprise, Promenade Promotions, will be presenting another day of interactive & intriguing events supported by the Town Council & local traders. Once again, we are trying to create exciting new initiatives for the town which will appeal to all the family…but this time, it’s all based around the theme of LOVE.

 

Throughout the day on the Lawn by the bandstand, between 11AM & 4PM, there will be stories, workshops and activities for anyone aged 4-104! Test the strength of your love on the “Passionometer”, listen to stories and songs of love and passion in The Imaginarium, make a personal love token for your loved one(s!), and share in Theatre Rush’s wonderful Story Exchange.

We are working with local traders boost sales at a chilly time of year, so there will be stalls selling locally made goods to sweeten the sourest swain and trinkets to melt the meanest maiden’s heart.

In local cafes there will be poetry and music to accompany romantic sips of coffee, French fancies, luscious buns or a full-fat fry-up! Check the Dawlish Lawn info point on the day, or drop into any of the lovely participating cafes for more info.

Then, in the evening from 8-10PM, we shall present a variety night of music and comedy at The Brunswick Arms, featuring songs and sketches from local performers. Entry is just £6 each or £10 for 2 (payable on the door) for an evening of fun, romance and nonsense! Don’t miss out on this chance to treat your special someone to an evening of laughter and l’amour: there are only 60 seats available, so don’t be late – get there by eight!

Come to Love Dawlish !

 

Venues and times:

Dawlish Lawn (In front of the bandstand), Dawlish

Saturday 16 February from 11am to 4pm

 

Talyor’s Cafe, Jack Sprats, The Ugly Duckling, and The Strand Cafe

All located along The Strand, Dawlish, EX7 9PS

Saturday 16 February from 11am to 4pm

 

The Brunswick Arms, 9-10 Brunswick Place, Dawlish, EX7 9PB

Saturday 16 February from 8pm to 10pm

 

Connect with our event -  www.facebook.com/LoveDawlish    www.twitter.com/LoveDawlish

 

Babes in the Wood

The Georgian Theatre Royal’s 47 show run of “Babes in the Wood”, written and directed by Tony Lidington, has now come to an end. Here’s what some people said about it:

“That master showman and esteemed performance historian Tony Lidington creates pantomimes that are so wonderfully appropriate for the Georgian Theatre Royal. They explore elements and aspects of our showbusiness heritage but are not steeped in aspic. They are alive, vital, bursting with wit and spontaneous energy.”

Kevin Berry, The Stage

“Nursey Goodnight is the priceless Dominic Goodwin, a one-of-a-kind Dame who can produce a ripple of laughter with the flick of an eyebrow and a tsunami of the stuff even with a bad joke”

Helen Brown, British Theatre Guide.

Of the ensemble cast: “The potential Kate Middletons are played by Sarah Kearsley and Katie Tranter, with Andy Kelly and Tom Burton as the princes and these four were excellent. Penelope McDonald is a poetically eloquent woodsprite and Gary Bridgens is in authentic Leeds-market-barkermode as the villain. The cast also plays instruments alongside the versatile duo Daniel Bowater and Jack Burton”

Pru Farrier, Darlington and Stockton Times.

 

“One of the joys in this treasure-chest of a show comes from the delightful puppetry, the miniaturising of the characters, and – rare in these days – a rattling good story to follow. You could take your granny, you could take your mid-thirties bachelor vicar, you could take your five year old and all would relish the show.”

Stephanie Preacher, York Press.

Pierrot Hero: The Story of Clifford Essex

We are pleased to announce that Pierrot Hero: The Story of Clifford Essex, written and performed by Tony Lidington and produced by Pier Productions will be aired on BBC Radio 4 on Friday 25th January, Friday 1st February and Friday 8th February at 3.45pm. 

The Apple Fair at Dawlish

The Apple Fair at Dawlish 12th October 2012

In other news…!

Summer Season:

Yes, we know it’s not even Christmas yet, but we are already planning our Summer season for Uncle Tacko’s Flea Circus, Captain Ginger, The Imaginarium & The Dom-Tink! The advance publicity will be coming-out in the next month…keep ‘em peeled!

 

Organisational development:

Prom-Prom have managed to secure an Awards For All organisational development grant from Arts Council England to look at the medium-term strategic management and business planning of the company. Rose Cuthbertson & Roger Lancaster of ‘Roger Lancaster Associates’ are working on our behalf to see how best the company can develop during a world-wide recession and in an age of austerity which we expect to last for the next 5 years at least. They will be examining the internal structures of the company, our long-term objectives and our stakeholder relationships and subsequently reporting back in the new year with their recommendations…it is a really exciting opportunity for us to consider how best to address the challenges and opportunities which lie ahead, as well as how best o capitalise on the immense successes of recent years.

Clifford Essex

Tony is writing another series for BBC Radio 4, commissioned by Pier Productions about the first ever pierrot troupe created by Clifford Essex in 1891 at Henley Regatta. They were originally called ‘The Pierrot Banjo team’, but changed their name to “Clifford Essex’s Royal Pierrots’ after performing for His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII) on board the Royal Yacht at Cowes Regatta in August 1891.

This is a three-part series, inspired by the biography of Clifford Essex, which Tony found in the British Library after 20 years of searching! This is Tony’s 8^th series that he has written for Radio 4 and is currently negotiating further commissions – both features and comedy. The programmes will be aired on Friday 25th January, Friday 1st February and Friday 8th February at 3.45pm. The series was produced by Pier Productions.

Thank you Uncle Tacko

After spending 2 years in sunny Devon since graduating, working on various brilliant projects with Uncle Tacko and Promenade Promotions, I have decided to move to the North East where I am working with Backscratch Theatre, Theatre Sans Frontieres, Jack Drum Arts and The Georgian Theatre Royal. But first, a little thank you….

I first met the Reverend Uncle Tacko when I was student. I saw a call out for performers interested in street performance, variety and who played a musical instrument. I didn’t think i had a chance in hell as my saxophone skills were very rusty indeed and I really had no idea what the gig was all about! However, I got the gig and became a member of the Pier-Echoes and spent summer 2010 touring south west seasides – singing, dancing, telling gags, eating fish and chips and swimming in the English Riviera. This experience changed everything – everything I believed about live performance, about British tradition and about the role of theatre in society.

For the last two years, I have been on a sort of internship with Uncle Tacko and Promenade Promotions turning my hand to everything including stage management, arts administration, project management, tour booking, street performance, theatre in education, oral history, publicity and improvisation (in all situations). I was lucky enough to be assistant stage manager for Dan Leno at the Georgian Theatre Royal, to tour East Devon with the Common Players in Smuggler’s Gold, to attend artist’s residencies at Greentop Circus and Beaford Arts, play Sinbad at the Georgian Theatre Royal, to tour UK primary schools and festivals with Munch & Crunch, to administrate oral history project Silver Screens, to stage manage Captain Ginger and the Flea Circus, to look after the Prom-Prom website and to
lead the Sidmouth Torchlight Procession dressed a wacky professor. These, and countless other opportunities have provided time and space for me to learn everything about my trade and have lead to many other jobs and opportunities.

I’m going to be a little further away from now on, but I very much hope to be involved with many more Prom-Prom projects in the future and can’t wait to work with Tony again on this year’s pantomime, Babes in the Wood, at the Georgian Theatre Royal.

Bunny x