February is almost upon us and, with all the rain, wind and grey skies we’ve been enduring over the past few weeks, it’s good to know that spring is on its way, bringing longer days and colourful spring flowers to cheer us.  Looking ahead to March we have lots of exciting shows coming up.

On Sunday 2nd there’s a super afternoon of music especially for children and families in Blast Off With Kid Carpet.  Not only will Kid Carpet and the Noisy Animals blast off into space but they’ll keep everyone entertained as they make friends, play games, contemplate the world and finally rock out at a grand dance contest.  Along the way they’ll share lots of interesting facts and information.  Astronaut costumes are very welcome but not obligatory!

Stand-up comedian Lucy Porter comes to Cornerstone on Friday 7 March.  Familiar to many from her appearances on Have I Got News For You, Never Mind The Buzzcocks and Mock the Week, Lucy’s thoughtful and funny show will include anecdotes from her real life.

The Only Way Is Downton comes to us direct from the West End on Saturday 22nd.  Combining the super popular period drama with contemporary reality TV shows Luke Kempner is a superbly versatile actor and impressionist, and switches between thirty two different characters.  You really don’t need to know anything about Downton to enjoy an evening of great entertainment.

There’s a real treat in store for folk music lovers on Saturday 29 March with Emily Smith, one of the leading singers of the contemporary Scottish folk scene.  She’s been likened to ‘a Scottish Joni Mitchell’ and has worked with a wide range of artists from the folk scene and beyond.  She’s touring to launch her new album ‘Echoes’ and is accompanied by Jamie McClennan on guitar, fiddle and vocals and Matheu Watson on guitar and whistle.  

Finally we have a great range of activities lined up for the February half-term and Easter holidays.  More information is available on the Cornerstone web site or from the Box Office.

 

MARCH 2014

Sat 1-Sun 30 Oxford Print-Makers: Focus on Print, Exhibition, Tue-Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 11am-4pm. FREE entry.

Original prints demonstrating a variety of techniques including etching, screen print, linocut and woodcut.

Sat 1 Rob Beckett: Live, Comedy: Stand Up, 8pm. Rob’s so popular his tour’s been specially extended. With his cheeky, wry, wit and trademark grin his aim is to make everyone laugh. A lot.

Sun 2 Blast Off With Kid Carpet, Children’s: Music, 2pm. Ages 4+ and adults. A rock and roll band for children plus lots of interesting info about planets, shooting stars, cheesed-off nursery rhyme characters and more.

Fri 7 Lucy Porter: Northern Soul, Comedy: Stand Up, 8pm. Lots of anecdotes from Lucy’s real life as she talks about where she comes from and where she belongs

Sat 8 An Intimate Evening with Ruthie Henshall, Music: Musical Theatre Songbook, 8pm. Ruthie and her band take us on a musical journey through her extraordinary career. After-show signing in the café bar.

Sun 9 A Cappella Spring Fest, Hiring: Workshop, 10am. A wide range of choral singing workshops and classes throughout the whole building. See Cornerstone web site for more information and booking details.

Thu 13 Tunnels, Theatre, please call for more details, times and prices. A mixture of live music, sign and sensory experience for ages 13 to 25 with profound and multiple learning disabilities, plus their carers.

Fri 14 Land Of The Giants, Bar Gig, 8pm. FREE entry. This six-piece band are firm festival favourites. Their music fuses many styles: rock to reggae, ska to blues and has a heavy helping of dub in the mix.

Sat 15 Young and Strange – The Magic, Comedy and Illusion Show, Family: Magic Show, 7pm. Ages 8+ and adults.

Large-scale illusions, incredible sleight of hand and comedy suitable for all ages. Great family entertainment.

Fri 21 Richard Herring: We’re All Going To Die, Comedy, Stand up, 8pm. Herring returns to tackle the undiscovered country from whence no traveller returns (apart from Jesus and that canoe bloke).

Sat 22 The Only Way Is Downton, Comedy: One Man Show, 8pm. Direct from the West End Luke Kempner performs impressions, spoofs Downton Abbey characters and mixes in contemporary and TV references.

Fri 28 Andrew O’Neill: Heavy Metal – A History, Comedy: One Man Show, 8pm. Stand-up comedy for everyone, whether you like heavy metal or not. Lots of silly stuff to surprise and entertain.

Sat 29 Emily Smith, Music: Folk, 8pm. One of the foremost interpreters of traditional song in the UK, Emily’s touring with musicians playing guitar, fiddle and whistle to launch her new album ‘Echoes’.

Sun 30 Wash, Children’s: Theatre, 11.30am, 2pm & 3.30pm. Ages 6-36 months and adults. A gentle adventure and a game of hide and seek, rhythm and song. Limited places for each show as it is on the flat floor.

One Off Workshops for Adults

Sat 8 Mosaics Taster, 10.30am-1.30pm. Learn mosaic skills and try out different techniques.

Sat 22 Craft at Cornerstone: Investigating Fabrics, 10.30am-1.30pm. Experiment with textiles. All abilities.

While your youngsters are busy with their activities why not relax in our café bar with a cup of coffee or tea and a delicious cake or pastry, or enjoy a leisurely lunch? We have bottle warmers, high chairs and a children’s menu to cater for our younger visitors along with baby changing facilities and an area for parking prams and pushchairs.

APRIL 2014 – EASTER HOLIDAY TREATS

8-17 Drop-In and Doodle: Star Viewers, 10am-4pm. FREE. All ages (children must be accompanied by an adult).

Explore the Awesome Universe exhibit in the gallery, then make a star viewer and take outer space home.

Sun 6 Comedy Club Workshop, 11.15am-1pm. Ages 7-13 years. Have a go at comedy before our Comedy Club 4 Kids show at 2pm. Learn how to write and perform stand-up and comedy sketches.

Tue 8 Light Fantastic: Family Day, 10am-4pm. FREE. All ages (children must be accompanied by an adult).

Hands-on activities, demonstrations and special workshops exploring the science of light.

Tue 8 Clay Sculpture, 1.30-3.3.0pm. 5-12 years. Create work inspired by our Light Fantastic Science Day.

Wed 9 Magnificent Mosaics, 10.30-1.30pm. Ages 7-12 years. Explore the colourful and creative art of mosaics.

Thu 10 Cheerleading, 1.30-3.3.0pm. 5-10 years. Learn the athletic skills and dance routines of this sport.

Fri 11 Funny Faces Animation, 10.30am-12.30pm. Ages 6-9 years. Plasticine animation offers a great combination of story-telling and hands-on activity for the younger age range.

Fri 11 Amazing Animation, 1.30pm-4.30pm. What wacky stories will come out of this ever popular workshop?

Tue 15 Clay Sculpture, 10.30am-12.30pm. 5-12 years. Create work inspired by our Light Fantastic Science Day.

16-17 Youth Dance, 10.30am-12noon. Ages 5-7 years. Get moving and get creative in this two morning course.

Thu 17 Film In A Day, 10.30am-4.30pm. Ages 9-13 years. Plan, devise, write and shoot a film all in one day

CORNERSTONE ARTS CENTRE, 25 Station Road, Didcot, OX11 7NE

Box Office: 01235 515144 Web site: http://www.cornerstone-arts.org

Cornerstone’s spring season opens on Saturday 18 January with the Chairman of South Oxfordshire District Council’s Charity Gig which has become a popular annual event.  This year’s chosen performer is new global jazz talent Rebecca Poole (who just happens to hail from our very own Nettlebed!) and her band.  Profits will go to The Chiltern’s MS Centre and The Oxford Heart Centre Heartfelt Appeal.  It’s sure to be a fantastic evening; Rebecca has performed at the Royal Albert Hall and is a regular at Ronnie Scott’s.

February brings our one-off workshop for adults with Charleston: The Dance of the 20’s.  Offering the opportunity to boogie and shimmy to your heart’s content (think Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Patrick Robinson and Abbey Clancy in Strictly), come along and dance the winter blues away on Saturday 8 February.  All levels are welcome and no partner’s required.  If you fancy something a little less energetic we’re very excited to have Sunny Ormonde and her One Woman show on the afternoon of Saturday 22 February.  Listeners to Radio 4’s The Archers will know her as the feisty Lilian, aka ‘Pusscat’, and she’ll share behind-the-scenes secrets and anecdotes plus a Q&A session.  But it’s not only Archers aficionados who’ll be entertained by this fabulous February afternoon of stories, banter, favourite pieces and a great repertoire of theatre.  It’s back to the 1920s at the end of the month with local non-professional theatre company Jigsaw’s production of Thoroughly Modern Millie, at Cornerstone on Thursday 27 and Friday 28 February.

Highlights for March include – straight from London’s West End – An Intimate Evening with Ruthie Henshall and The Only Way Is Downton.  Ruthie’s one of the world’s best loved and most captivating musical performers and will take us on a journey through her extraordinary career.  Luke Kempner’s one man show was a smash hit at Edinburgh and he’ll perform a roller-coaster set of impressions, spoofing Downton Abbey characters and plot lines and mixing in lots of popular TV and contemporary references.

The Tuxedo Jazz Orchestra specialise in the music of the 1920s and 30s, celebrating the best of British and American Dance bands of the era.  The 10 piece orchestra and two singers are sure to get your toes tapping with a selection of great songs on Saturday 5 April. 

February half-term is so often cold and wet.  We have a wide range of half-term activities to keep youngsters occupied and entertained, running from Tuesday 18 to Friday 18 February.  

Bridget Haffenden

 

FEBRUARY 2014

1-16 Janine Philips Exhibition, Tue-Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 11am-4pm. Free entry.

Sat 1 The Comedy of Errors Theatre: Family (Bristol Old Vic Theatre School), 6pm. Ages 7+ and adults.

Sun 2 Suitcase Stories Children’s: Theatre, 11am & 2pm. Ages 4-8 and adults.

Fri 7 Dracula by Bram Stoker: Theatre (Blackeyed Theatre), 8pm. Ages 13+ and adults.

Sat 8 The Bible: The Complete Word of God (Abridged) Theatre: Comedy , 7pm. Ages 12+ and adults.

Fri 14 Valentine’s Stories and Supper: Supper Theatre (Scary Little Girls), 8pm.

Sat 15 Cara Dillon Music: Contemporary Folk (plus support from Ellie Williams), 8pm.

Sun 16 Little Howard and the Magic Pencil of Life and Death: Children’s Comedy Theatre, 2pm. Ages 4+ & adults .

20-30 Oxford Print-Makers: Focus on Print Exhibition Tue-Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 11am-4pm. Free entry.

Fri 21 Eamonn Coyle and Kris Drever Music: Folk, 8pm.

Sat 22 An Afternoon with Sunny Ormonde: It’s Lilian from The Archers! Matinee: One Woman Show, 2pm.

Sun 23 Who’s Been Sitting In My Chair? Children’s: Theatre (Freehand Theatre), 2pm. Ages 3-7.

22 &23 Thoroughly Modern Millie Hiring: Theatre (Jigsaw Stage Productions), 7.30pm.

One-off Workshop for adults

Sat 8 Charleston: The Dance of the 20s, 10.30am-12.30pm.

Half Term Holiday Activities

18-21 Drop-in and Doodle: Lines and Patterns, 10am-4pm. Free entry. All ages (adult to accompany children).

Tue 18 Clay Sculpture: Polar Animals, 1.30-3.30pm. Ages 5-12 (adult goes free when accompanied by child).

Wed 19 Handmade Felt, 1.30-3.30pm. Ages 6-11 years.

Thu 20 Print Making, 10.30am-4.30pm. Ages 7-12 years.

Fri 21 Hip Hop Dance, 10.30am-4pm. Ages 7-11 years.

Regular classes (5 week blocks starting after half term break)

Tue 25 Life Drawing (adult) 7-9pm

West End Dance (adult) 7.30-8.30m

Creative Writing (adult) 7.30-9pm

Wed 26 Still Dancing (adult 50+) 11.30am-12.30pm

Baby Boogie (parent & tot 9 months-3 years) 1-1.30pm

Parent & Toddler Ballet (18 months-3 years) 2.30-3pm

Ballet (3-4 years) 3.15-3.45pm

Ballet (4-6 years) 4-4.45pm

Youth Hip Hop and Jazz (7-11 years) 5-5.45pm

Young Directions: Dance (13-16 years) 6-7.15pm

Ballet – Beginners (adult ) 7.30-8.30pm

Thu 27 Parent & Toddler Ballet (18 months-3 years) 11.45am-12.15pm

Ballet – New Starters (3-4 years) 1.15-1.45pm

Ballet (3-4 years) 3.15-3.45pm

Ballet (4-6 years) 4-4.45pm

Ballet (6-9 years) 6-6.45pm

Youth Dance (4-6 years) 5-5.45pm

Yoga (adult) 7-8.15pm

Fri 28 Argentine Tango (adult beginners) 7.30-9.15pm

Sat 1 Arty Party: Children’s Art Classes (4-6 years) 10.30-11.15am

March Arty Party: Children’s Art Classes (7-9 years) 11.30am-12.15pm

 

For more details please visit web site http://www.cornerstone-arts.org or call the Box Office on 01235 515144.

Post Office News;

We are coming into our busiest time of the year, so please help us and the people behind you by putting on the “Airmail” stickers on any overseas post, and the “Customs” label on anything that is not a card, letter or printed paper not going to an EU country, this includes packages to Switzerland, Channel Islands & Norway, BEFORE you get to the counter! We do not have the time to stick your stamps on for you either! ! Please remember to tell us if you have perfume, phones, batteries, aerosols, nail polish etc in your parcel; we have to put special labels on them!

Please note that the last collection is 4.45pm, and all Special Delivery must be in by 4.30pm, to give us time to process them, (on a Wednesday & Saturday its 10am!) The last Parcelforce collection is 2.30pm (or 10.30 on Wednesdays only).

Airmail Last Posting:

Last date for posting to Operational BFPO’s is 29^th November

Wednesday 4^th Dec; Asia, Far East, (Inc Japan), New Zealand

Thursday 5^th Dec: Australia,

Friday 6^th Dec; Africa, Caribbean, Central & S America, Middle East

Monday 9^th Dec; Cyprus, Eastern Europe

Tuesday 10^th Dec; Canada, France, Greece, Poland

Friday 13^th Dec; USA & Static BFPO’s

Saturday 14^th Dec; Western Europe.

UK last posting dates;

2^nd class; Wednesday 18^th December

1^st class & Parcelforce Express 48; Friday 20^th December

Special Delivery & Parcelforce Express 24; Monday 23rd December

Letters to Father Christmas; Please write to Father Christmas, Santa’s Grotto, Reindeerland, XM4 5HQ, he will try very hard to answer all your letters, but please put the correct postage on it, and remember to include your name & address.(last date is 9^th December for these!)

Please also remember we stock the “One 4 All” gift cards, these can be spent in many stores, there is no fee, and make an ideal Gift, you can load your card with any amount between £5 & £250. (Free gift card & envelope too!)

We also will be having the Scout Xmas Post box, for local mail (25p each) Delivered in the village by the Girl Guides!

The BGM, (Blewbury Garden Market) continues here on Saturday mornings, fresh bread & cakes, whilst we have fresh village eggs, jam, preserves, and other seasonal goodies during the week too.

Love from Karen & Angela

As the leaves are beginning to fall and the nights are drawing in thoughts inevitably turn to Christmas and the New Year ahead.  December at Cornerstone brings lots of seasonal treats. Our family Christmas show this year is The Night Before Christmas.  Running between Tuesday 10 and Tuesday 24 December it has a beautiful set, amazing puppetry, super costumes, exciting effects and joyful music.  Jam-packed full of festive delight it will enthral those aged from 3 to 103!  Nativity In Creakbottom and Christmas Time provide wonderful evenings of comedy theatre, ideal as a Christmas outing for grandparents and grandchildren aged 10 and over.  And on a different note, our Crafty Christmas Shopping and Music Evening on 5 December offers the opportunity to browse and buy unique items from ten of our favourite local craft artists, whilst enjoying live music from pianist extraordinaire Louisa Revolta.  

Cornerstone and the cafe bar will be closed over the Christmas period from 25 December to 6 January inclusive. 

Our performance year will kick off on Saturday 18 January with The Chairman’s Charity Gig which has become an annual event at Cornerstone and, this year, features Rebecca Poole and her band.  Rebecca hails from Nettlebed, has performed at the Albert Hall and is a regular at Ronnie Scott’s.  Her music is a contemporary re-telling of the vintage songs of the jazz age.  All profits will go to the Chairman of South Oxfordshire District Council’s chosen charities – The Children’s Multiple Sclerosis Centre and The Oxford Heart Centre Heartfelt Appeal.

Other January treats in store are the ever popular Pam Ayres, who comes to Cornerstone with all new material, following the publication of her latest book of poetry.  And an affectionate and fantastically funny homage to the greatest comedy act Britain has ever seen, in our comedy theatre performance Eric and Little Ern. 

We look forward to seeing you soon!

With every good wish from the Cornerstone team for a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.

What’s on in December 2013

Sun 1 Christmas Cushion Concert Children’s: Music 2pm

A festive way to introduce your children to a classical instrument and a good excuse – as if you needed one – to have a dance yourself! Expect a few Christmas surprises too. Ages 2+.

Thu 5 Crafty Christmas Shopping & Music Evening from 6pm

Ten of our favourite local craft artists provide a unique opportunity to buy a wide range of original pieces. Festive live music from Louisa Revolta. FREE entry.

Sat 7 Nativity in Creakbottom Theatre: Comedy 7pm

When theatrical scouts come from ‘that London’ to Creakbottom, in deepest Suffolk, the local All-Male Amateur Dramatics Society has an unprecedented opportunity to display its undiscovered genius and new production, ‘The Birth of Jesus’! Physical comedy, music and banter. Ages 10+, family tickets available.

Tue 10 to Tue 24The Night Before Christmas Theatre: Cornerstone Family Christmas Show

It’s the night before Christmas. As Emily stands at the window wishing excitedly for Christmas to come, a little mouse called Eddie sets off in search of Father Christmas to ask why only humans get presents. Beautiful set, amazing puppetry, super costumes, exciting effects, joyful music and full of festive delight for all the family. Please call Box Office or see web site for dates and times of performances and schools performances. Ages 3+, family tickets available.

Fri 13 Christmas Time Theatre: Comedy 8pm

Charlie and Toby are feeling low on Christmas Day. Incarcerated at Her Majesty’s Pleasure they cheer themselves up enacting all the Christmas favourites including Dickens, pantomime, musicals, Christmas dinner and films. Ages 10+, family tickets available.

Sat 14 Gospel Singing: One-Off Workshop 5-7pm

A special opportunity to learn from CK Gospel Choir prior to their 8pm show, covering gospel style, harmony and teaching two new songs for performance. For both new and experienced singers.

CK Gospel Choir: Christmas 8pm

Twelve piece, gospel singing, group including band with festive tunes and classic favourites. Finalist on The Voice UK, Ruth Brown, is one of their sopranos.

Thu 19 4 Girls 4 Harps By Candlelight Music : Festive Classical 7.30pm

Traditional carols, specially arranged for harp, some traditional harp tunes and audience sing-a-long encouraged, all in the soft glow of candlelight. Family tickets available.

Fri 20 Norma Waterson and Eliza Carthy with The Gift Band Music: Festive Folk 8pm

Mother and daughter Norma and Eliza celebrate the release of their first ever duo CD in this festive concert. Six-piece band including Martin Carthy play traditional classics.

Sun 22 Chris Newman and Máire Ní Chathasaigh Music: Festive Folk 7pm

This new Christmas show features a breath-taking blend of traditional Irish music, swing jazz and bluegrass plus festive favourites given a fresh voice.

Sun 1 to Sun 22 Clair Chinnery: Unruly Objects Exhibition (runs 14 November-22 December)

Oxford-based artist and academic Clair Chinnery has a background in sculpture but works regularly across and between traditional media boundaries. This exhibition presents a range of two and three-dimensional artworks evoking historic, institutional and domestic environments. FREE entry to the gallery. Open Tuesday to Saturday 10am-6pm, Sunday 11am-4pm. Closed Monday.

 

CORNERSTONE ARTS CENTRE, 25 Station Road, Didcot, OX11 7NE

Box Office: 01235 515144 Web site: http://www.cornerstone-arts.org

We have several items of lost property, a blue cardigan, a red ladies jumper, 2 pairs of specs, a small key, and a few items of non valuable jewellery, (a ring, a bead necklace, a penguin charm, and a fairy earring!), if no-one claims them, we will give them to a charity shop!

Last date for posting to Operational BFPO’s is 29^th November.

Airmail Last Posting dates are all in December, so no need to panic just yet! But please be aware that Airmail to Far East, Australia, USA & Canada etc (ie; non Europe) are 4^th/5^th/6^th December!

We will be having the Scout Xmas Post box, for local mail (25p each)

The Christmas Stamps are on sale in early November, and I am ordering the Royal Mail children’s competition winners too!

Please remember to tell us if you have perfume, phones, aerosols, nail polish etc in your parcel; we have to put special labels on them! Some items are not allowed to be sent at all!

We are getting a lot of people asking us about our privatization! Its Royal Mail that this affects, NOT the Post Office, we have been told that the Post Office aims to become a “Mutual” organization; however, the Royal Mail employees are not happy at all, there may be strikes before Xmas, we have cards to post to our MP if you are interested. The worry is that if Royal Mail loses the contract with the PO, (in about 7 years) then the next company may not have a 6 day a week delivery or collection!

Love from Karen & Angela

We can now accept entries to the “Health Lottery”,  just £1 to play, either choose your 5 lucky numbers or have a “lucky dip” ticket, proceeds go to “health” charities around the country! We are also able to sell National Express bus tickets now too! We have a few Andy Murray mini stamp sheets left, and have the latest stamps from Royal Mail, depicting the Merchant Navy. We also have the new “Dinosaur” stamps, available from 10^th October.

We also have the last Christmas Posting dates for Surface Mail;

• Monday 30^th Sept for Africa, Asia, Australia, Caribbean, Central Africa, New Zealand
• Tuesday 1^st Oct for Far & Middle East,
• Tuesday 15^th Oct for Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Africa, USA
• Tuesday 5^th Nov for Eastern Europe, Greece, Cyprus, Iceland, Malta, Turkey
• Tuesday 19^th Nov for Western Europe

Last date for posting to Operational BFPO’s is 29^th November.

Airmail Last Posting dates are all in December, so no need to panic just yet!

We are closed on Monday 8^th October, as both Angela and I have events booked for that day! Sorry!

Love from Karen & Angela