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reviews
"DARK CHOCOLATE FROM THE CARPE DIEM FACTORY" Stratford Herald 30th August Sandy Holt, Arts Editor, writes - "It is considered to be one of the most loved of children’s stories of the 20th century, and since Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was first published in 1964 in the United States (1967 in UK) there have been two major motion pictures based on the tale – and now a stage adaptation. The movies, Mel Stuart’s 1971 version starring Gene Wilder and Tim Burton’s 2005 screening with Johnny Depp as Wonk, were both hailed a huge success, due not only because of their colourful, magical nature but the charming script which accompanied both. The stage adaptation by Richard George, however, is a different matter. Directors are offered a dull and inflexible script which they are not permitted to change, which loses most of the ‘spectacular’ from this story. Despite this, the young cast from Carpe Diem Theatre’s Summer Theatre Academy worked hard to recreate the mystical, magical essence of the original book. The production was the result of three weeks’ intensive skill training and rehearsals – which evidently had paid off, culminating in what can only be described as a polished and lively affair. Directed by the theatre company’s joint artistic director, Clayton Doherty, the ensemble of 20 performed with ease no less than 36 different colourful characters. And despite not being able to alter the script, the director still managed to create a uniqueness to his production by transforming those who ‘disappeared’ while visiting the factory into menacing Oompa-Loompas. Uniqueness Set against a simple but versatile backdrop it tells the well-known story of Charlie Bucket who wins the last golden ticket to be one of five youngsters invited to tour Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. But one by one his four companions get ‘removed’ from the tour in a most macabre way. The production was well cast. William Benson offered his audience the perfect hero as the bright, kind-hearted Charlie. His companions – Alexander Morris as the gluttonous Augustus Gloop, Lucy Morris as a precocious gum chewing Violet Beauregarde, Veruca Salt as the spoiled brat Veruca Salt and Malek Rahimi a television crazy Mike Teavee – equally charming in their roles. And Miriam Butt captured the spirit of the Willy Wonka admirably, balancing the slightly sinister and mad-professor image perfectly. The remainder of the cast all played their part, too – many doubling up as the fun but menacing punk-pygmy Oompa-Loompas and a special mention should also go to narrator Erin Bolens who injected fun into her role. With an excellent musical score thrown in, the summer theatre academy gave a refreshingly humourous interpretation to this uninspired script."
"YOUNG PEOPLE FILL CIVIC HALL WITH ROCK, JAZZ AND FASHION" - Stratford Herald 23 August "A capacity audience at Stratford Civic Hall rocked and swung to the music of 13 young bands in Showcase 2007 on Friday night – a musical spectacular celebrating the tenth Stratford Music Centre summer Rock School, writes Chris Towner. Amidst stage smoke and laser lights more than 100 youngster marked the end of the Centre’s weeklong rock, jazz, fashion and dance schools with a fine demonstration of what they had learned in just five days of tuition. Bands came and went at a breathtaking pace over two hours. Among many memorable performances were Noise Etc and their sulky vocalist Camilla Vaughan, the hugely energestic Hazards in Community, the harder-edged group, I Don’t Know, and Shining Witts’ galloping interpretation of Layla, a sort of Eric Clapton on speed. In addition there was a cracking dance routine from Big Fee, Little Feet on the Street and classy black and white fashions modelled by their creators, the Monochrome Miss Fits. The Rock School, now supported by Stratford Town Trust, was started in the summer of 1998 for students to come together to play in bands, something which was not then catered for by the centre. The school has expanded rapidly over the years to encompass, variously drama, music, junk and funk, fashion, dance, jazz, music technology, singing and most recently, cooking."
The Observer Thursday - 23rd August 2007 Mehndi workshop
"The art of henna hand painting was taught at a workshop at the Civic Hall in Stratford on Friday (August 17). Three 90-minute Mehndi masterclasses for both adults and children were led by Nasreen Rajabali, an expert in the subject having run courses for the past 30 years. Considered auspicious or lucky. Mehndi is an essential part of rituals and celebrations. Although it is more often seen as a female art, men also decorate their hands. For example, accounts of the marriages of Mughal princes describe the painting of the groom’s as well as the bridge’s hands with henna as part of the ceremony. Indian Folk stories link the customs of decorating hands with Asha, the Hindu goddess of the dawn"
Stratford Herald - 8 February 2007 Rudolf Kempe Society - Words and Music programme Seven Last Words Bergonzi Quartet - Haydn's String Quartet Cycle opus 51 Words - Judi Dench, Jeffery Dench and Jamie Glover 'From the sublime to the anguished' - Preston Witts 'TO hear sublime music written in the 18th century performed as a The impact is even greater when those angry words come from the lips Apart from the shocking news headlines, the readings were taken from
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