Our summer season is now well under-way, and June offers a great choice of shows and performances. There are a variety of afternoon shows ideal for parents and/or grandparents to enjoy some family fun together with children or grandchildren, including A Real Fairy Story on Sunday 1 June when you’re invited to join Mrs Buttersnap and her cat in her quest to photograph a fairy. Featuring shadow puppetry and a sprinkling of comedy this delightful show will captivate the imagination on a journey to fairyland.
The following Sunday, 8 June, we have something entirely different with Yummm! There will be two performances of this children’s dance theatre show: the first at 11am for ages 4 and under and the second at 2pm for ages 4 and over. This production seats the audience around the ‘dinner table’ and is a celebration of food seen through children’s eyes, with dancing tables, spinning plates and kitchen utensils woven into quirky meal time rituals. At the end of each performance there will be a short play activity for audiences on stage, and children will be given their own utensils to play with. Lots of interactive fun for everyone! Have a look at our web site to see some colourful photos from previous performances.
Something different again is Screaming With Laughter, on Sunday 15 June. Comedian Lucy Porter leads an afternoon cabaret show of comedy where mums, dads and grandparents can relax and laugh about parenthood with some fine comedians. And baby’s welcome too! These stand-up comedians are used to rowdy audiences – and Lucy herself has two toddlers – so won’t bat an eyelid if you need to move around, feed the baby, or baby emits a squeak or two!
On a more adult note, music and theatre lovers are not forgotten. Alvin Roy’s previous visits to Cornerstone, with The Mainstream All Stars and The Alex Welsh Tribute Band, proved very popular and he returns on Saturday 21 June with a new jazz instrumental six-piece, Jazz Reeds Incorporated. With a front line of Julian Marc Stringle, Alvin himself and Mike Wills on various saxophones and clarinets, supported by Rod Kelly on piano, Charlie Stratford on drums and John Rees Jones on bass the performance will include numbers from ‘The Great American Songbook’ and original mainstream/swing jazz renditions.
There’s a real treat in store with prestigious Bristol Old Vic Theatre School’s production of Sauce for the Goose. Feydau, master of the French farce, created the perfect high-spirited romp of passions, pace and pleasure. Married Pontagnac pursues Lucienne, only to discover that she’s married to his best friend Valentin. Lucienne has sworn to remain faithful to Valentin as long as he remains so to her, so when an old ‘indiscretion’ of Valentin’s arrives, with her other half in tow, Lucienne’s may have an ‘out’. Everyone ends up at the Hotel Ultimus where beds are swapped, infidelities discovered and everyone’s goose is well and truly cooked. Fun, farcical and fast. Fantastic!
Whats on in June 2014
Sun 1 – A Real Fairy Story, Children’s Theatre, 2pm. Ages 3-7 and adults. Mrs Buttersnap sets out , with an assortment of gadgets, a sprinkling of comedy and her cat, to photograph a fairy. Limited places, book early.
Fri 6 – Hardeep Singh Kohli: Hardeep Is Your Love, Comedy: Stand-Up, 8pm. New stand-up, fresh from a run at the 2013 Edinburgh Fringe, this is Hardeep’s take on life, love and finding romance in middle age.
Sat 7 Charleston – The Dance of the 20s, One-Off Adult Workshop, 10.30am-12.30pm. Energetic and exuberant workshop learning the basics of the famous dance. No partner necessary, all experience levels welcome.
Sat 7 – Mike McGear McCartney, Sex, Drugs & Rock’N’Roll, 8pm. Photographer, and Paul McCartney’s brother, Mike was an integral part of the Merseybeat era and shares many behind the scenes tales and photographs.
Sun 8 – Yummm! Children’s: Dance Theatre, 11am for under 4s and 2pm for 4s and over. A celebration of food seen through children’s eyes, with dancing tables and spinning plates. Audience participation. Limited places.
Fri 13 The Paperboys, Music: Folk, 8pm. The folk of fiddle and flute mixed with the hook of horns and Latin and African rhythms. The Paperboys have been touring for 15 years and have released seven albums.
Sat 14 – Julie Madly Deeply, Musical Theatre, 8pm. Love Julie Andrews? Direct from the West End, Fascinating Aida star Sarah-Louise Young and pianist Michael Roulston perform Julie’s famous songs and stories from her life.
Sun 15 – Screaming With Laughter, Comedy for Parents and Children, 2pm. Laugh and relax in this afternoon of cabaret comedy about parenthood, led by Lucy Porter. For mums, dads, grandparents… and baby too!
Fri 20 – Paul Liddell, Bar Gig, 8pm. FREE admission. Paul’s released three albums and his songs are heartfelt and catchy. He creates beautiful layered vocal and guitar harmonies through the use of live sampling.
Sat 21 – Clay Sculpture, One-Off Adult Workshop, 10.30am-12.30pm. Make a functional object then take inspiration from our Oxford Scribes exhibition and use beautiful calligraphy to decorate it. All materials included.
Sat 21 – Jazz Reeds Incorporated, Music: Jazz, 8pm. Alvin Roy returns! This time with a new jazz instrumental six-piece, selecting songs from ’The Great American Songbook’ plus original mainstream/swing jazz numbers.
Sun 22 – Charlie Baker: Baker’s Dozen, Comedy Stand-Up, 8pm. Comedian Charlie has a great jazz belter of a voice and takes the 13 best-selling UK singles from the last 13 years then puts his own twist on each.
Fri 27 – Bristol Old Vic Theatre School: Sauce for the Goose, Theatre: Classic, 8pm. Ages 12+. Master of the French farce, Feydeau, created the perfect high-spirited romp of passions, pace and pleasure. Fun, farcical and fast!
Sat 28 – Camino Del Flamenco: Flamenco Night, Hiring: Dance, 6.30pm. The largest Flamenco school in the UK returns to Cornerstone for its 6th annual show. More than 70 dancers from Cornerstone classes perform.
Sun 29 – Virginia Ironside: Growing Old Disgracefully, Comedy Talk, 6pm. Agony columnist and writer, Virginia’s written two books celebrating being a sexagenarian, and this show does just that.
Full details of our summer programme can be found on our website http://www.cornerstone-arts.org (online booking available). Or call our Box Office on 01235 515144, open Tuesday to Saturday 10am-6pm and Sunday
11am-4pm. Closed Monday.