Isle of Wight News on Ventnor Blog

Great to receive this review from Lois, who was so moved by this events at the Minghella Film Festival, that she felt compelled to put pen to paper / finger to keyboard and submitted this so soon after the event. There’s a chance to witness another radio play today, ‘Eyes Down Looking‘ at 3pm today as well as other Minghella activities.

Watching the actors perform live Anthony Minghella’s radio play, ‘Cigarettes and Chocolate’ this afternoon at Quay Arts, I now fully realise why only very few among us can claim to be ‘professional actors’. With just two hours rehearsal, the cast of seven, many from the original performance back in 1988, gave the play the justification it deserved with their outstanding performances.

Being a lover of radio drama and the mental images it conjures, being able to watch the performance live added an extra colour to the experience, and I was soon lost in Anthony’s world of frustration, sadness and humour, a rich tapestry that was created from his own life experiences.

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If you’re wondering what to get up to over the next week, the Island isn’t short of things to do.

Our usual weekly round of events is coming to you a little later than usual, because this week we tried a different format.

Having missed our slot on IW Radio yesterday, we were short of a podcast to put out on VB today.

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Members of the Isle of Wight Cabinet tonight voted to dispose of Ryde and Shanklin Theatres from their property portfolio.

The Cabinet heard from members of the public concerned about the closures and discussed at length the viability of the Council continuing to run the theatres.

It was agreed to dispose of the buildings, with a newly formed community group intending to take over Shanklin Theatre as a multi-use arts centre and Platform One Music College to take over Ryde Theatre.

Read full details of the Cabinet discussion as reported live.

Following our recent report about the fate of Shanklin Theatre, we received an email from Isle of Wight Council Leader, David Pugh.

The Leader was keen for us to see a letter that he’d written in response to residents opposing the closure of the theatre. In his letter he states very clearly that “due to limited financial resources … it is unlikely that funding for theatres can ever again be a financial priority for the Council.”

However, he goes on to say that he has been working very closely with the local community to develop a proposal for the future management of the theatre.

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If you’re a fan of Anthony Minghella’s work, then there are a couple of dates that you should put in your diary.

The first is the return of the Minghella Film Festival taking place in March this year in Newport. More info to come on that in due course.

The other date that might interest you, if you fancy a trip to London as well is the performance of two of his stage plays.

The IOW Film Network brought our attention to Cigarettes and Chocolate and Hang Up both being performed at the Tower Theatre at the end of the month.

Check their Website for more details if this sparks your interest.

Following our article yesterday regarding the future of Ryde and Shanklin Theatres, we received this letter to the editor from Stephen Rolph – Ed

Dear VentnorBlog – I am sad to read about the wishes of IWCC to dispose of their two flagship theatres and the community involvement scheme sounds good with hopefully some commercial realism in there from somewhere.

My wife and go to two theatres, one in Brighton and the Yvonne Arnaud at Guildford.

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Those showing their support for Shanklin Theatre continues to grow with the Friends of Shanklin Theatre telling us that over 500 letters of support have been received so far.

As the gallery shows below, the Isle of Wight Society for the Blind, The IW Steam Railway, Cockernuts Family Fun and the Fire Service all took time out to be photographed with the Save Shanklin Theatre Banner as the theatre counts down to the council decision on whether the historic venue will be kept open.

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If you’re a fan of the social media network, Twitter, then you might be interested in watching, or for that matter, taking part in the hilarious TwitPanto being performed this afternoon.

If you’re scratching your head wondering what on earth a TwitPanto is, then read on.

A group of fun loving folk, who also happen to spend a great deal of their time on the social network, have got together to perform a panto through the power of Twitter.

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We love good news stories and this just in from the Isle of Wight Council should send a warm glow around your hearts.

Last Tuesday after more than a year of planning and preparations over 60 young people in care, their carers and foster carers took part in a one off special performance of Jack and the Beanstalk.

Shanklin Theatre was the venue where 150 lucky members of the audience watched on as the adaptation of the old classic saw ‘Jack trying to obtain new qualifications and find work with help from characters from other well known pantos including Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast’.

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The campaign to help save Shanklin Theatre from closure has seen support from many quarters.

We hear from the Friends of Shanklin Theatre today that adding to the long list of supporters are the Sandown and Shanklin Lifeboat team.

The Friends tell us that hundreds of people have already written to the Isle of Wight Council expressing their support for the theatre prior to the meeting in January where the theatre’s future will be decided.

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It’s not too late to make your way to Ventnor to catch the Island Savoyards at the Winter Gardens tonight.

Their latest production, Christmas with Novello, is set in 1946 where the audience are invited to join Novello and his friends in a Christmas Party.

Performances take place tonight and tomorrow, with a matinée included in the schedule.

Check out sister site to read more about this and other events on the Isle of Wight.

Anyone concerned with the future of Shanklin Theatre are being invited to take part in a photoshoot happening this lunchtime, as well as a public meeting taking place on Thursday this week.

At noon today, Friends of Shanklin Theatre along with the town mayor and others will be posing for photos outside the theatre in an attempt to raise the profile of the issues surrounding the possible closure of the theatre.

If you’d like to show your support, head to Shanklin to take part in the photo shoot at noon today.

More to follow on the Thursday meeting and future of Shanklin Theatre.

Thanks to Lois for keeping us informed about the next show from The Island Savoyards, we won’t have far to travel as it takes place at the Ventnor Winter Gardens. Ed

Ivor Novello was a great romantic song writer in the 30’s and 40’s, famous for his sensuous and fiendishly memorable songs such as ‘We’ll Gather Lilacs’, ‘ Merry Widow Waltz’, ‘Land of Might Have Been’ and the infamous WWI theme ‘Keep the Home fires Burning’.

‘Christmas with Novello’ is set in 1946 where the audience are invited to join Novello and his friends in a Christmas Party, where not only are his own songs recited, but also those of other famous songwriters of the time, such as Noel Coward.

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The South Wight Youth Theatre Group return to Shanklin Theatre tomorrow night with their latest production, The Likes of Us.

They will be performing the first musical co-written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice when they were just 17 and 21 years old.

It depicts Dr Barnardo’s crusades to rescue children from the streets of London during the cholera epidemic in Victorian times.

As part of the production members will be collecting for the Barnardo’s charity to assist with their work across the UK as well as donating part of the takings from each performance.

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The V-Bay Festival this coming weekend will transform the town in more ways than one.

The entire weekend will see a pirate theme run through it and everyone is encouraged to dress up and join in!

Neil Gibbs from The Spyglass Inn has kindly donated use of his Carnival pirate ship which will be “moored” opposite the Met Bar on the Esplanade.

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VM Musicals is a new and dynamic musical theatre training company based Quay Arts, in Newport for 8 – 18 year olds.

VM Musicals stage West End and Broadway productions giving each cast member the opportunity of working as part of a team to create performances that ‘feel’ professional.

VM Musicals offers the young and aspiring performer the space to develop their talents and expand their skills supported by an expert and dedicated team of staff.

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The South Wight Youth Theatre Group return to Shanklin Theatre next week.

They will be performing the first musical co-written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice when they were just 17 and 21 years old.

It depicts Dr Barnardo’s crusades to rescue children from the streets of London during the cholera epidemic in Victorian times.

As part of the production members will be collecting for the Barnardo’s charity to assist with their work across the UK as well as donating part of the takings from each performance.

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Quay Arts are delighted to host Mabon in Anthony Minghella Theatre at the end of the month.

Mabon who for the past few years have been high octane festival favourites from Wales have been fizzing, frothing and fermenting into the intoxicatingly heady brew they are today.

Shades of Shooglenifty and Peatbog Faeries there may be but Mabon’s music is self styled, singular and toe-tappingly good – an insatiable blend of world music, Celtic roots and rabble rousing funk folk. One minute you’ll think you’re in a Breton bistro, next there are echoes of klezmer, and then they perfectly capture what it says on the can for fusion tracks like “A Hungarian in Brittany” and “Gower Flotsam in Bordeaux”!

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After great success at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, don’t forget that Joe Bone, aka Bruce Bane, is back on the Island tonight.

Bane is a hired hand that gets the job done. Join him as he works his way through the city in this dark comedic tale of revenge. One-man film noir parody with live music.

A Fringe Review award winner for ‘Outstanding Theatre’, nominated by The Stage for ‘Best Solo Performance’ and nominated as ‘Best Male Performer’ by the Brighton Fringe.

Tickets: £8 (£6.50 Concessions) Quay Arts Centre, Newport.

Quay Arts are thrilled to announce details about the forthcoming comedy performance by Jan Ravens – A Funny Look At Impressions.

As one of the UK’s foremost impressionists, Ravens takes the experience of her distinguished career and distils it into a revelatory evening of entertainment.

This is a unique glimpse into the fascinating and hilarious world of satirical impersonation.

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The forthcoming V-Bay has a great lineup of entertainment planned for Ventnorians and, the hopefully, lots of visitors to the town.

The three day festival which will take all across the town at the beginning of the October half term kicks off with an evening of cabaret.

Tables can be pre-booked for the event which will feature performances from magician, Aaron Isted, award winning comedienne, Hannah George, delightful dancers, The Trinity Belles, Wight Harmony Barbershop Singers, with music from the excellent Phoenix Jazz Ensemble with Nette Robinson.

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After a sell out run at the Edinburgh Fringe ‘Bane’ comes back to the Quay Arts centre for one night only.

Bruce Bane is a hired hand that gets the job done. Join Bane as he works his way through the city in this dark comedic tale of revenge. One-man film noir parody with live music.

A Fringe Review award winner for ‘Outstanding Theatre’, nominated by The Stage for ‘Best Solo Performance’ and nominated as ‘Best Male Performer’ by the Brighton Fringe.

Tickets: £8 (£6.50 Concessions)

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Quay Arts welcomes Platform 4 to the Anthony Minghella Theatre next week.

Shakespeare lovers will be swept away by this beguiling new adaptation of one of his most enduring plays.

True to the verse this highly visual feast production evokes a dream-like world that feels both real and magical, with rich multi-layered sound-scapes.

Tickets: £10/*£9 (Friends Concession). Call Box Office 01983 822490

Don’t forget that tomorrow night sees another RedTIE Theatre production at Quay Arts.

The Long Road by Shelagh Stephenson premieres will be performed tonight and tomorrow night in the Anthony Minghella Theatre.

Cast includes; Helen Reading, Katy Rawlinson, Steve Reading, Henry Vince, and Maria Wilkinson.

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“Mary wants to talk about the girl that killed our son. I want to wipe her off the face of the earth.”

Red Tie Theatre presents The Long Road, another edgy, gritty play by Shelagh Stephenson at Quay Arts on next month.

Shelagh Stephenson’s topical and thought-provoking play, The Long Road follows the highly acclaimed Five Kinds of Silence performed at Quay Arts earlier this year.

When Danny is fatally stabbed in a random attack his mother is determined to understand the atrocity and meet his killer, forcing the family to confront the bitter senselessness of their loss.

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