Gothic classic at Bath

THE world premiere of a new adaptation of Bram Stoker’s classic gothic novel, Dracula, comes to Bath Theatre Royal from Tuesday 8th to Saturday 12th October. Blackeyed Theatre’s production marks the centenary of the first staging of the late Victorian vampire story that has inspired so many different interpretations, from contemporary dance to Hammer horror…

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Brownsea in autumn

IF you are of a whimsical turn of mind (or a fan of Beatrix Potter), you will think “Squirrel Nutkin” when you see this beautiful red squirrel. But you don’t have to go to Potter’s Lake District to see these enchanting little animals. You can see them on Brownsea Island, the National Trust property in…

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Rebus on stage at Bath

FANS of Ian Rankin’s great creation, John Rebus, can meet the latest iteration of the complex, flawed by charismatic Edinburgh detective in Rebus: A Game Called Malice, a new story by Rankin and Simon Reade, which comes to Bath Theatre Royal from Monday 30th September to Saturday 5th October, starring Gray O’Brien in the title…

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George Orwell’s 1984, touring

FOR many in the varied press night audience at Bath Theatre Royal, Big Brother would have been a TV show they had seen since childhood, and Room 101 a favourite radio, and later television comedy show. Perhaps that’s why it was necessary for the Lindsay Posner production of Ryan Craig’s adaptation of the iconic 1949…

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Leading West Country artists at the Portland Gallery

TWO of this region’s finest artists, landscape painter James Lynch and collagist and sculptor Marzia Colonna, have exhibitions this autumn at The Portland Gallery in Mayfair. Both artists have national – indeed, international – reputations, and this is an opportunity to see their work in solo shows at one of London’s most prestigious galleries. James Lynch,…

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Helen and Karen at Wimborne

KAREN Wimhurst and Helen Porter first met in the late 1990s, working together on Common Ground’s Confluence project, mapping the river stour from its source to its meeting the sea. Clarinetist Karen, who lives in Shaftesbury, was Composer in Residence for the project, and singer and teacher Helen was the animateur. Their musical relationship grew…

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A new play and a new director

CIRENCESTER’s Barn Theatre is small – but it has big ambitions, and these have been fully justified by the quality and success of its productions, home-grown or shared. Autumn brings a premiere of a written-for-the-Barn thriller, Room 13, opening on 28th September, and the appointment of a new executive director, Liam McMullan. Running to 9th…

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Volunteers needed in West Dorset

THE National Trust is looking forvolunteers to help care for the traditional orchards in some of its West Dorset properties, including at Shedbush Farm, St Gabriel’s Farm and West Bexington. These orchards, designated as priority habitats, are rich in biodiversity, including rare and endangered species. However, they are at risk of decline and need dedicated…

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Anniversary staging of 1984 opens at Bath

THE 75th anniversary of George Orwell’s terrifying dystopia, 1984, is at Bath Theatre Royal until 28th September at the start of a national tour. This new production of an adaption by Ryan Craig, directed by Lindsay Posner, was listed by the Times and Telegraph as one of the top ten theatre events of this autumn….

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