Tuesday 26 February 2013

End of February Nigh! - Rush of Entries

The last day of February is this Thursday - so the best deals for entering the Fringe are nearly over. Right now entrants pay £45 to join the fun - from March the price rises to £65, with a further increase to £80 for April entrants.
Recognsing that, we've had a small rush of new entries from those keen to get maximum exposure at least cost - and right now there are 34 events confirmed for Fringe 2013 (and a couple more are in the pipeline).

A couple of events at the Old Clubhouse catch the eye.

On Thursday July 11th Fuzzy Felt Worlds are playing. Now if you're from Buxton you might have heard The Chimney Potts - well FFW is the same band by another name. We have suggested that keep changing your name isn't a great idea - unless you are Radiohead or similar - but these are headstrong and youthful musicians we are dealing with here. Anyway a mixed bag of pop songs and tunes can be expected. Certainly some Beatles; maybe some Hendrix. Plenty to dance to for sure. Matt and Nick will be joined by some guests. Starting at 9pm it will be fun.

On Saturday the 20th of July there will be a full evening of engaging performances when two nationally acclaimed & charismatic singer/songwriters bring 30 years of music industry experience to a "song swap". Reg Meuross and Henry Priestman (former writer with The Christians) will take turns to play their songs, possibly join together on some and generate impromptu musical magic!!!

We'll try and keep you posted with what's new and happening - but first let's process the entries!

Wednesday 13 February 2013

February Roundup

Here's your monthly roundup of some Fringe news and gossip following the monthly committee meeting.

First thing to make sure everyone is aware of is the Buxton Spring Fair happening on Monday May 6th from 10.00am-5.00pm. This has nothing to do with the Fringe as such - but we'll be there with a stall, bags, badges, flyers and whatever else. The Buxton Town Team is working really hard to generate energy and excitement around the town and this will be an ideal start. There will be live music, street performers - everyone will be out celebrating life in this fabulous town. 

Last year some really nice people - led by Mo El-Fatih - filmed some of the Fringe. The result is a lovely film with a gorgeous jazz soundtrack by the Stop Motion Trio - the film will be on the Fringe website soon. watch out for it and spread the word - it will make you proud. If you happen to be at Buxton Film screenings in the near future chances are you'll see the film there too.

Plans are going ahead for a launch event for the Fringe 2013 programme. It will be back from the printers at the beginning of June. Tentatively the public launch will be at The Green Man Gallery on Friday June 7th - with wine and cheese. Confirmation as soon as we have it - but you're all invited!

A couple of years ago we were involved in a project with some local schools to make the big orange fringe that adorns the bandstand on Fringe Sunday (which, incidentally, will be on July 7th - 2.00-4.30pm this year). Next month local artist Gaye Chorlton will be leading some sewing workshops with four schools. Look out for news and reports in the Buxton Advertiser in March.

We now have 15 entries for this year's Fringe - which must mean that there are about 150 more still to come. So check the Programme page on the website regularly to see what is happening. If you're planning to enter do remember that it is cheaper to enter in February - and you get more exposure. So just two weeks left to take advantage of that!

Tuesday 12 February 2013

FRingey things

Just a quick plug for things Fringey coming up.

Tomorrow - Wednesday 13 February there is an  interesting show at Taddington Village Institute. Starting at 7.30pm A Love Like Salt is performed by a touring company The Devil's Violin Company. It features three tales based on Chaucer and Shakespeare - tales of drama and danger, love and lust, humour and pathos. The show was originally commissioned by the Bodleian Library and the English Faculty, University of Oxford. For more information see: www.thedevilsviolin.co.uk The show and the performers have got excellent reviews wherever they have performed and it would be a shame to miss the chance to see them. Tickets are £8.50 on the door - a bit cheaper if you get them in advance at the Overdale Veterinary Centre, New Market Street, Buxton.

In 2011 one the best shows ever to hit the Fringe was at the Packhorse in Crowdecote. Part of that event featured Barnsley's finest poet Ian McMillan accompanied by cartoonist Tony Husband. They are at Buxton Library on Thursday 28 March starting at 7.30pm. Tickets are £6.00. You'd be mad to miss it.

The Fringe Committee meets tonight - so tomorrow's blog will bring you up-to-date with all our news. Can't wait.

Saturday 9 February 2013

Hotting Up (but take care on the ice)

Things are hotting up on the Buxton Fringe Front - even if more heavy snow is coming our way tomorrow.
We're now up to 13 entries for Fringe 2013 - which compares very well with this date in previous years.
Among the latest batch to arrive are three shows mounted at the Buxton Museum - one of the jewels in Derbyshire County Council's crown. As is usual the Derbyshire Open will occupy the main gallery at the museum - with around 100 pieces submitted by artists from all around the county and selected by an expert panel. This is always a varied and interesting exhibition with some outstanding work featured.

There will also be two solo exhibitions: Sue Prince draws on a Swedish folk art tradition and her exhibition, "Painted Tales", is made up of works of narrative with words as important as images. They are tales told through traditional techniques, recording events and beliefs. Bonad painting echoes folk art through time from Egyptian tomb paintings to the Bayeux Tapestry. 

Tony Hall's exhibition, "From Life" consists of drawings of familiar things: a person, some flowers, a jacket. Drawings are made in a single sitting, sometimes with pencil and paper, sometimes on printing plates, sometimes digitally. He aims to make as direct a connection as possible between what is seen and what is drawn. 

Finally, for now, we can confirm some exciting news about a brand new Fringe venue for 2013 - and what a special opportunity it is! Trevor Osborne of Crescent development fame has long been an enthusiastic Fringe supporter. Now he is offering musicians a chance to perform on the roof of The Pump Room opposite the Crescent and he’s even offering a performance fee (to be negotiated). For full details and contact info see our venues page http://www.buxtonfringe.org.uk/venues.html. The Pump Room is venue Number 84. Get in quickly as we think performers will bite Trevor’s hand off! Musicians may also pass round a hat to their audience on The Slopes.

Thank you, China

Apparently this Blog gets more 'hits' from Chinese readers than from any other country. Bless you all - though I don't claim to be writing for a world-wide audience here. Can't imagine who I thought I was writing for frankly. Anyway in the spirit of international cooperation send me your questions - wherever you are - and I'll answer (without recourse to Wikipedia). Answers guaranteed to be honest - but not necessarily accurate.

More important than that (though what can matter more than world harmony) have you noticed how the Buxton Festival Fringe 2013 is starting to grow? This happens in February. Green shoots of spring recovery, probably. If I can unlock a password or two another six shows will pop-up shortly. Anyway what have we got that is new for your delectation?

Our old friends from the Tideswell Male Voice Choir are back. Now some people say "They're just a bunch of blokes in matching jackets". But that's before they've hear the Choir - which is fab. Hear them for yourselves at St John's Church on Wednesday July 10th when they'll be joined by the youthful choir and brass band of Harpur Hill School.

Also on the music front we welcome the North Cheshire Wind Orchestra which plays at Buxton's Methodist Church on Sunday July 7th from 2.00-3.30pm. They promise a programme of tuneful music from England and the United States. I for one don't doubt them.


Sunday 3 February 2013

Poole's Cavern Candlelit Tours



As you can see from this draft poster some details are to be added - but the key information is there. One for your diaries we would suggest!

Pantastic Dinosaurs Land In The Pavilion


After spending December flying Peter Pan in the Pantomime at Buxton Opera house, local artist Andy Hill will be stripping his talents back to the bone, when his Dinosaur skeleton sculptures land next door in the tropical house of the Pavilion Gardens for two months.
The magnificent Conservatory in the Pavilion Gardens was the work of Edward Milner, apprentice to the famous Joseph Paxton, designer of the Crystal Palace.  It is apt then that this building is the venue for a dinosaur exhibit which parallels the very first public display of dinosaurs at the Crystal Palace in 1854.
The original Crystal Palace event was commissioned by Richard Owen, who coined the very word dinosaur meaning terrible lizard.  The sculptures themselves were built by Benjamin Waterhouse-Hawkins and are now considered as comically inaccurate as Andy’s first attempt at building a dinosaur sculpture, Frank, who was conceived on a visit to Manchester Museum when Andy looked at a dinosaur skeleton and  had a Eureka moment when he decided that making steel dinosaurs was “what he should be doing”.  Dinosaurs have come a long way since then though as Andy soon realised that in order to create accurate sculptures he would need to know more about the anatomy of a dinosaur and his pieces are now uncannily lifelike and animated despite being skeletons of the beasts they represent.  Andy has a knack of breathing life into these steel structures in a way that has to be seen to be fully appreciated.  When his creations featured in the local Buxton Museum two years ago visitor numbers increased dramatically making it one of the most successful exhibitions ever held there.
The dinosaur invasion is not just limited to the conservatory, although in this splendid Victorian wrought iron structure the large dinosaurs will be at home amongst the ferns and exotic hothouse blooms. The cafe will play host to the smaller, but no less impressive dinosaur sculptures.
As well as making anatomically correct dinosaur skeletons Andy uses artistic licence to create more whimsical characters such as the full size gladiator standing guard at the entrance to the Craft Rooms and Octagon.
There’s always something going on at the Pavilion Gardens – there’s more than just ducks in the park but this is one not to miss.
For more information about Andy Hill’s work visit http://www.ferrassic-park.co.uk  and for more information about the Pavilion Gardens visit http://www.paviliongardens.co.uk.