The Hook Norton Village Newsletter
December 2005 Series 30 No 6

Arts & Entertainment


Hook Norton Newsletter Home


  
You are invited to the
CHRISTMAS CRAFT FAYRE
at the OLD POST OFFICE, HOOK NORTON
SATURDAY, 3RD DECEMBER
10am – 3pm
Cakes – Cards – Candles – Gifts – Jams & Chutneys – Chocolates
Coffee – Teas – Raffle
In aid of the Katherine House Hospice
Click here for full details

  

CHOIR FOR CANDLELIT CAROLS
Sunday 18th Dec. 6.30 pm, St. Peter's.
As in previous years, we will be putting together a choir to lead the worship at the Candlelit carols. Any and all who would like to participate please let Simon Mead (simon@mead-family.org.uk) know, indicating whether you have copies of the Green and/or Orange Carols for Choirs books so we can gauge numbers. The choir will be leading the congregational carols, including harmony, and providing two or three additional items. Rehearsals will take place at 4.30 pm on Sunday 4th December, Sunday 11th December and a final rehearsal (tbd) either on the 17th or 18th depending on availability.
  

WINTER WEEKENDS AT COMPTON VERNEY
Saturday 3 & Sunday 4 & Saturday 10 & Sunday 11 December,
12noon - 5pm


Christmas at Compton Verney Get into the festive spirit as Compton Verney celebrates Christmas in style with a sparkling array of events and activities for families and children of all ages. Come and join the Wizard of Winter in his silver grotto and pick a magical prize from the festive cauldron, enjoy Christmas carol concerts by the St Mary's Warwick Boys and Girls choir, make a special present or card in our 'Top Secret' workshop or be a Wizard's apprentice and learn magic tricks to impress your friends and family. Also, enjoy winter storytelling with Clive Cole, mince pies and mulled wine, plus the chance to shop for unique gifts and enjoy a special Christmas menu in our café.
Saturday 4 & Sunday 5 & Saturday 11 & Sunday 12 February, 12noon-5pm
Folk Art Weekends Come and experience folk traditions both old and new and explore our Folk art collection through workshops, tours, demonstrations and live performances. Children can create their own whirligig with toymaker Cyril Hobbins, make their own shop sign with artist Anthony James, and help make a giant wool picture or their own mini-quilting collage. Storyteller Clive Cole will also be bringing British Folk stories to life. Other events include a Morris Dance Off, live Folk music from The English Acoustic Collective and folk and ballads from John Kirkpatrick, hassock and decoy making demonstrations and much more.
Admission: Adults £6, concs. £4. Special offer for winter weekends only – children up to 16 go FREE. For further information contact 01926 645500.

  
2006 Pantomime
The Sleeping Beauty
Written by Norman Robbins
and directed by Brian Rider
in the Memorial Hall, Hook Norton
At 7.30 p.m. on 1, 2, 3 and 4 February
With a matinee at 2.30 p.m. on 4 February
Box Office opens Monday 2 January 2006

  

LIBRARY NEWS
The Library Open Day on 1st October was a huge success. I think one of the best things about Hook Norton is that everyone rallies round for events like this and the day would not have been nearly so much fun without masses of support.
Firstly, I must thank Jo Davis and Dave Mortlock for starting the day playing such a beautiful selection of music. Readers were, quite literally, dancing in the aisles! Thank goodness the WI was here with suitable refreshments. Thank you Alrys Morris and friends.
Displays, set up in the Norman Matthews Hall, were interesting and varied, including The Village Museum, The Garden Club, The Tennis Club and Friends of the Library. Kate Underwood spoke of her support for a school in India, before reciting some powerful poetry from her recently published book. A copy of which has been donated to the Library.
The afternoon session started with a medal ceremony for the children who had completed the Summer Reading Challenge and then continued with face painting, thanks again to Kate! A visit from the Hook Norton Brewery horses, thanks to Roger and the local Fire Engine, accompanied by Nigel, Barry, Joe and Dave was also much appreciated and enjoyed by all.
This was a really good day out enjoyed by a large number of people. Thank you to all who supported the event.
Since then, I have been on a shopping trip to Borders in Oxford, to spend a generous donation from the Friends of the Library, on new books. I concentrated on adult Non-fiction this time and with a bit of luck the new stock should be in the Library before Christmas.
On Saturday 10th December, Peter Hearn, Storyteller extraordinaire, will be talking about and demonstrating different styles and methods of storytelling. This event will be suitable for all the family. Please contact the Library nearer the time, for more information.
There will be a collection of Christmas books and other items in the Library from the beginning of December and please note that the Library will close for Christmas on Saturday 24th December at 12 noon and re open on Wednesday 4th January 2006. Happy Christmas to all.
Sue Sinclair

  

HOOKY PLAYERS PANTOMIME
By the time you read this the current production of 'The Sleeping Beauty' is well under way. It has a large cast of actors and actresses, dancers, choristers and musicians and gives opportunities to several newcomers in key roles. The dialogue is well written by Norman Robbins, (the same writer of our September show 'A Tomb With a View'), so should prove very hilarious.
Performances will be in the Memorial Hall, Hook Norton and will begin at 7.30 p.m. on the following dates:- Wednesday 1 February, Thursday 2 February, Friday 3 February with two performances on Saturday 4 February at 2.30 p.m. and 7.30 p.m.
Tickets will go on sale from 2 January at the usual price of £6 for adults, children and concessions at £4 and can be obtained from the Box Office. Refreshments will be available in the interval. From experience, it is as well to book early as the pantomime is always oversubscribed.
Further information from Brian Rider, Producer and Director.

  

CHIPPING NORTON FOLK FESTIVAL – 3RD-5TH FEBRUARY 2006
After this year's successful first Festival local band 'Thinking Jack' have been invited to play again at the Chipping Norton Folk Festival in 2006. Having been a great success at Music at the Crossroads the local trio are finding their reputation is extending having just played with Jo Broughton and Kev Dempsey and being booked for Broadstairs' Folk Festival next August.
Extended from 2005 year, 2006 will feature a ceilidh on Friday night, concerts all day Saturday and then culminating with a pub session and Morris dancing during Sunday.
Friday night's ceilidh will be in the Theatre, with all but two rows of seating being removed from downstairs. The music for this is being provided by Mr.Gubbin's Bicycle. Which features John Kirkpatrick, formerly of The Albion Band. Joining him in the band will be his son Benji, who has been playing with Dr.Faustus and Bellowhead.
Headlining Saturday evening's music will be the internationally renowned traditional Irish band, LAST NIGHT'S FUN. First described as a 'super-group' consisting of three prominent Irish musicians, Chris Sherburn (Anglo concertina), Denny Bartley (guitar) and Nick Scott (uilian pipes), they have now carved out a reputation as one of the finest and most humorous live acts around at the moment.
With Saturday being split into two distinctive sessions, the afternoon will be headlined by Spiers & Boden. Over the past six years John and Jon have formed bellowhead, their nine - piece group. For this evening they are going back to basics as a duo with songs and tunes from their two new albums entitled Songs and Tunes!
The Saturday concerts will also feature respected and revered acapella trio Coope, Boyes & Simpson. The bill also features local act, AGB (formerly the Andy Guttridge Band) who have supported Fairport Convention on their winter tour and played at their 2004 Cropredy Festival, Emma and the Professor with their simple, yet beautiful, arrangements for guitar and bodhran, and the powerful folk-rock of local band The Stout Shifters.
Tickets are £26 for Saturday only, £10 for Friday only and £34 for both and available from the Theatre box office*. The Sunday session is open to anyone and is free, the Morris dancing will take place outside the Theatre.