What's On
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Monday 15 February – Saturday 17 AprilOpen Mon-Fri 10am-4.30pm (plus Saturdays – call to check opening times)Limited Edition
The expression those that can, do and those that cannot teach is commonly used – but we hope that this exhibition will help to dispel that myth. All teachers work to inspire and develop a wide appreciation of their subject; but it is less well known that many Art teachers are also practicing artists in their own right. Here we celebrate the work of teacher/makers from across the Thames Valley region in an open exhibition, incorporating a range of styles and media.
Free Entry
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Thursday 11 March 8pmMapdance 2010Now in its fourth year, mapdance has established itself as an exciting postgraduate company of young, dynamic dancers recruited nationally and internationally, performing a diverse repertoire by renowned and upcoming contemporary choreographers. Ranging in style and emotion, mapdance’s 2010 programme offers a diverse and refreshing evening of short works by Shobana Jeyasingh, Matthias Sperling, Gregory Maqoma, Colin Poole and Keira Martin. A programme that offers a mixture of dance theatre, punchy choreography, and intriguing humour.
“Inches from its audience, the troupe radiated energy. A sharp and pithy showcase…rare to find and thrilling to watch” Total Theatre
Tickets: £10 (£8 discounts, £6.50 schools) BUY ONLINE
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Friday 12 March 8pmThe HamstersThe guitar, bass and drums trio The Hamsters have long been established as one of our premier live attractions, having performed over 4,000 concerts in 23 years. Although primarily playing their own brand of rootsy Rock, Blues and Americana, they're also widely regarded as the UK's leading interpreters of the music of Jimi Hendrix & ZZ Top, and will no doubt be featuring plenty tonight. The band's guitarist/singer Slim recently had a new interview in Guitarist Magazine, and the lads have just released a new 3-hour double live DVD, titled 'Curse Of The Killer Hamsters!'
"The Hamsters are fabulous: one of Britain's very best live bands" Bob Harris (Radio 2)
"Nobody does the music of Jimi Hendrix and ZZ Top better (apart from the real ZZ Top)” The Times
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Tuesday 16 - Thursday 18 March 7.30pmThe FrogsPresented by St Gabriels SchoolMarc Ives' new musical adaption of Aristophanes' Classical commedy. The great theatrical impressario Andrea Lourdes-Webster has despaired the lack of talent on earth, and is to go down to Tartarus to find someone with a bit of substance. She is set to ecounter the Lord of the Underworld and his wife, the chorus of frogs and variety of other characters, before being presented with the choice of taking either Shakespeare of Elvis back to the Upper World.
Tickets: £8 (£6 discounts) BUY ONLINE: Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday
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Friday 19 March 8pmIn The Flesh: The Pink Floyd Show
With stunning renditions of Pink Floyd tracks from the albums The Piper at the Gates of Dawn through to A Saucerful of Secrets, Atom Heart Mother, Meddle, The Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, Animals and The Wall, In The Flesh are an accomplished seven-piece band who return to Arlington Arts following great critical acclaim. This is an authentic excursion into Pink Floyd's most creative period from the mid sixties to early eighties, complimented by saxophones, backing vocalists and full scale laser/light show. We at Arlington Arts are quite wary of most tribute bands but this is an amazing show for all Floyd fans.
“A remarkable Pink Floyd experience” Brain Damage
Tickets £16 (£14 discounts) BUY ONLINE
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Saturday 20 March 8pmThe Tiger LilliesThe Songs of Shockheaded Peter & Other Gory VersesThe Tiger Lillies are the Godfathers of alternative cabaret and the World’s foremost Death Oompah band. Direct from a sell-out London West-End run and the Edinburgh Festival, they take their show celebrating 20 years of dark and deviant theatrics on tour. For the first time in years, they will perform songs from the Olivier Award-Winning smash Shockheaded Peter, their Grammy nominated album The Gorey End and other deranged favourites.
‘Fleshily engorged with the pustule throb of the garishly gaudy and gloriously obscene’ Time Out
Tickets £15 BUY ONLINE
Suitable for ages 16+
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Friday 26 March 8pmSir Bald Diddley Presents:The Bands That Time Forgot!!A Night of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Rockabilly, Ska and Rhythm & Blues with Hipbone Slim & the Kneetremblers and The Nine Ton Peanut Smugglers. Sir Bald a.k.a. Hipbone Slim presents two of his many bands, both of whom sound like they’ve been transplanted by time machine directly from the late 50’s or early 60’s. Hipbone Slim & the Kneetremblers play their very own blend of rockabilly, blues and rock n roll, with slappin’ bass and wild guitar well to the fore! The Nine Ton Peanut Smugglers mix jumping rhythm & blues with swinging ska shuffles, with plenty of brass! Both bands are firm favourites of Mark Lamarr amongst many, many others! Put on your dancin’ shoes!
Tickets £7 advance (£9 door) BUY ONLINE
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Saturday 27 March 8pmTom Wrigglesworth'sOpen Return Letter To Richard BransonDirect from a sell-out run at the Edinburgh Festival, where he was nominated for the biggest award in Comedy in the UK – the Edinburgh Comedy Award – Tom Wrigglesworth takes his show out on the road. Having witnessed a Virgin Train Manager abusing his position, (to the extent that Hitler would've watched admiringly and taken notes), Tom writes to Richard Branson about one random act of kindness which caused good to triumph over evil. A cross between Sideshow Bob and Mark Thomas, Join Tom as he recounts his hilarious and heartwarming true story involving the world’s biggest jobsworth, his fellow passengers, and a brown paper bag from the onboard canteen.
“Magical storytelling...engaging, inspiring and exquisitely performed. This is an hysterical and accomplished piece of work which will stay with you for days.”*****Time Out
Tickets £10 (£8 discounts) BUY ONLINE
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Friday 9 April 8pmKirsty McGee and the Hobopop CollectiveOver the best part of a decade, four acclaimed albums and countless tours Kirsty McGee has established herself as one the UK’s best songwriters, a wandering maverick, itinerant live performer and one of the most tricky to pin down. Her development as an artist has been swift and has left many struggling to keep up. Here she will be performing songs from throughout her career, especially those featuring on her live album No5, due for imminent release.
“Kirsty McGee has the kind of voice that stops you dead in your tracks. She blends styles like a master alchemist and has a way with melody that means the moment you hear her songs it's impossible to get them out of your head.' - Ralph Mclean, BBC
Tickets £10 advance (£12 door) BUY ONLINE
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Friday 16 April 11.30amTheatre of Widdershins: Arabian NightsSheherazade, the greatest of all storytellers presents three fabulous tales from her Arabian Nights: A tale from the desert; a tale from the bed of the ocean; and a tale straight from a donkey’s mouth.This show drips with lavish colours and textures. Using puppets, props and storytelling, and accompanied by an original soundtrack, Theatre of Widdershins will transport you to a mystical land. Suitable for children aged 4 years plus and their families. “Andy Lawrence, storyteller and puppet-maker extraordinaire, has created another perfect kids show” The List Tickets £7 (£25 family) BUY ONLINE ***FOR FAMILY TICKETS PLEASE CALL OUR BOX OFFICE 01635244246***
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Friday 16 April 7.30pmWatership Brass: A concert in aid of Hope & Homes for ChildrenA concert of traditional and contemporary brass band music will ensure a quintessentially English feel to the evening and ensure you help Watership to live up to its motto of 'Serving the Community Musically' and make a real difference for underprivileged children.
Watership Brass, the official Newbury Town Band, along with the West Berkshire Support Group, invites you to this charity event in aid of Hope and Homes for Children.
Made up of 28 volunteer musicians drawn from all walks of life and with an age difference between the youngest and oldest members of over 50 years, the band embraces the philosophy that 'music is for ALL'
Tickets £10 BUY ONLINE
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Saturday 17 April 8pmPatti Plinko and her BoyAfter the success of their self released album Bohemian Suicide and gaining critical acclaim with their sell out shows around Europe and the UK enthralling audiences, press and fast becoming the darlings to Hollywood- A listers, the manic chanteuse Patti Plinko and her Boy look set to continue their success.
Patti's mesmerizing, seductive throaty vocals flirt amongst a fusion of music and cinematic influences from twisted guitars, violins, beaten pots and whisky bottles to experiments in vinyl & sound.
"She sings like a hell cat- all purrs, growls and deranged. A dreamy, dark, bourbon-soaked show full of fire and attitude, Patti Plinko is an unmissable chanteuse" ***** TIME OUT
Tickets £9 advance (£11 door) BUY ONLINE
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Friday 23 April 8pmOoBopSh'BamAnother night of hoppin' boppin', a-jumpin' and a-jivin' with Jackson Sloane and the Band, as well as internationally renowned jive and shag duo Natasha and Paul. OoBopSh'Bam are one of, if not the best R&B-Jump-Boogie-Blues band in Europe, for lovers of Juicy Sax's and real blues voices.
Recreating the Rent Party sounds from the Bar Room to the Ballroom, where great live music rules the day, they know just the right tempos for Modern Jive, Rock'n'Roll, and Lindy Hop to have you all dancing the night away.
"Jumpin' jivin'- rockin' rollin'- boogie brilliant" - Time Out
Tickets £12 (£10 discounts) BUY ONLINE
*** STANDING TICKETS ONLY- FOR SEATED TICKETS PLEASE CALL OUR BOX OFFICE 01635244246 ***
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Tuesday 4 May- Saturday 26 JuneFound SpaceOur collaboration with the West Berkshire and North Hampshire Open Studios scheme has, over the last few years, become a significant date in the local visual arts calendar.
Featuring a broad range of works by artists participating in the scheme, as well as students and teachers from Mary Hare and one or two specially selected artists; Found Space will, as with previous years, include a considerable number of outdoor sculptural works.
FREE ENTRY
Open Monday-Friday 10am-4.30pm
(Also open most Saturdays- please call box office for confirmation 01635 244246)
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Wednesday 5 May 7.30pmLoving AprilA powerful love story about two young people by Carnegie Medal and Guardian Children's Fiction award winning writer Melvin Burgess. April lives in a small, rural community in the 1920s with her mother. Finding it difficult to fit in with the people in her village, she prefers to spend her time among the wild swans on the nearby riverbank.
April is profoundly deaf and struggles to speak, but when Barbara Piggot arrives from London with her son Tony, away from their world of privilege and power, it is April who teaches them how to survive.
"Oxforshire Theatre Company plays a unique role in the lives of rural Oxfordshire. No other company is committed to transforming the county's village halls and community centres into an exciting world of imagination"- Newbury Weekly News
Tickets £10 (£8 discounts, £6.50 schools) BUY ONLINE
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Saturday 8 May 8pmDelaney DavidsonFormer Dead Brother Delaney Davidson is a World Travelling Hobo, at home in most cities in Europe he also toured the USA with Holly Golighylt and the Brooke Offs where he attracted rave reviews, resulting in his invitation to headline the SteelBridge Song Fest in Wisconsin last year.
To paint a picture of what he sounds like, try imaginging Bob Dylan covering songs from Tom Waits' Bone Machine with Son House accompanying on bottleneck guitar. Fans of Bob Log III, T Model Ford and performances by some of our slightly more original programming should make a b-line for this one.
"Within 15 minutes [he] had the whole room of punks and hipsterss doing a waltz. He moved from gypsy jazz to a new orleans style funeral dirge, to a rockabilly interpretation of a Jelly Roll Morton tune without missing a beat. His show is a journey"- Pygmy Mountain Music
Tickets £8 advance (£10 door) BUY ONLINE
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Thursday 13 May 8pmAndrew MaxwellEdinburgh Comedy Award and Time Out Award nominee Andrew Andrew Maxwell is one of the most tallented atand-up comedians in the UK. A sell-out hit in both the UK and Ireland, come and see the Star of Have I got News For You, Argumental, Celebrity Juice and Amnesty International's Secret Policeman's Ball perform his first national tour.
"One of the best comics around... A consummate raconteur"- Time Out
"Fiercely funny and utterly invigorating"- The Times
"Radiates charisma"- The Independent
"A brilliant show... commands the audience's attentionfrom start to finish"- The Observer
Tckets £14 (£12 discounts) BUY ONLINE
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Saturday 15 May 8pmMichael Messer and Louisana RedHaing been friends for many years these two exceptional performers have come together for an evening of outstanding music- blending the old with the new.
Louisana Red's career spans over half a century, in which he has played with almost every major bluesman including B.B King and Muddy Waters. He draws influence on the original Delta Blues and West-African griot bards.
Michael Messer is a well established British bluesman of rare quality. American magazine 'Spirit' listed him as "one of the greatest slide guitarists ever alongside Duane Allman and Ry Cooder"!
"What I hear here is the real thing. Bare bones blues. Gut bucket rural rock."- Johnny Cash on Michael Messer
Tickets £13 advance (£15 door) BUY ONLINE
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Thursday 20 - Saturday 22 May 7.30pmA Class Act presents: ScurrilousDavid Slade's brand new play charts the lives and loves of five friends from the care free days of their youth, through to the more troubling times of injury and recovery, broken dreams and new found joys.
Scurrilous is a love story set in Birmingham and Afghanistan. While unafraid to tackle difficult subjects, the play also contains music, humour and exciting dance. A Class Act are the only community group in Newbury that consistently puts on original performances of all ages, for the whole family.
"Topical, modern, crammed full of good ideas... both thought-provoking and entertaining"- Newbury Weekly News
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Thursday 3 June 11.30amElmer The ElephantElmer was not an ordinary elephant. Elmer was red and yellow and green and blue. In fact Elmer was every colour of the rainbow! But Elmer didn't want to be different, he wanted to be just like all the other elephants. Join Blunderbus as they whisk you away to a land of fantasy and make believe with this bewitching, new musical adaptation of David McKee's Elmer The Elephant written especially for 4-7 year olds and their adults. Told with breathtaking puppets, original music and stunning scenery, this heartwarming and funny story will thrill all who experience it.
"One of the forerunners of Children's theatre"- The Stage
Tickets £7 (£25 family) BUY ONLINE
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Saturday 5 June 8pmACE DanceNewbury based Dance Company ACE are at Arlington once again to share this season's repertoire, which includes work created by dancers from Mary Hare school; working in collaboration with the company to produce a curtain raiser for the show.
This evening will illustrate how contemporary dance is innovative, stirring images from the streets through to the tales of life. Exploring emotions through movement, and movement through emotions- something beautiful for each person to enjoy.
Tickets £7 BUY ONLINE
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Friday 11 June 8pmThe BongolianCan it be a full year since Nasser Bouzida finally unveiled his alter-ego- The Bongolian- to a live Newbury audience? Well he's back for another night of latin soul and heavy bongo vibes, featuring a line up of his favourite collaborators. Since he last appeared here at Arlington Arts, he has become one of the biggest selling artists on Blow Up records, so expect a night of celebration, revelling in all thing funk, soul and jazz. Dancing is not compulsory but almost impossible to resist. "Hipper, groovier and funkier than ever before! Imagine Booker T & The MGs, The Duke Of Burlington, and Alan Hawkshaw taking a trip to the stars together."- Dusty Groove Tickets £8 advance (£10 door) BUY ONLINE
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Friday 16 July 8pmPhantom Limb (plus special guests)Fast building a reputationon both sides of the Atlantic, featuring in many new year playlists, from Marie Claire USA to BBC Radio London; Phantom Limbare astounding audiences live, on record and online. So we're bringing them back to Arlington Arts sooner rather than later. A seamless amalgam of classic, southern soul, country blues and gospel, this band are marked out to become one of the UK's biggest bands in 2010. "Phenomenal"- The Independant
"Beauty that belies the bleak subject matter"- Q
Tickets £8 advance (£10 door) BUY ONLINE
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Monday 2 - Friday 6 August 10am-3pmSteps Ahead Summer Dance SchoolSteps Ahead and Arlington Arts once again team up to bring you a week of fun and dancing. Kylie Appleby and her team will lead each day on a different theme, from urban dance to choreography and contemporary to musical theatre.
The week will be perfect for boys and girls aged five to fifteen of all abilities- whether absolute beginners or avid dancers. On the afternoon of Friday 6 August there will be an informal showing for family and friends to see what you've been working on.
Whether you want to dance like Diversity or Darcey Bussel, this week is perfect!
Tickets £100 (£90 brothers and sisters) BUY ONLINE
*** £90 TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM OUR BOX OFFICE 01635244246 ***
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NOW BOOKINGCinderellaBallet Theatre UK's new production of the classical ballet, Cinderella, tells everybody's favourite rags-to-riches story. Prokofiev's uplifting score together with sumptuous costumes and sets conjure up the magical fantasy world of Cinderella perfectly.
Following the success of last year's beautiful production of The Nutcracker, Ballet Theatre UK return with a promise to enchant you with this fairytale production of breath taking beauty and delight. This ALL NEW production promises to be a highlight on the calendar of any dance fan.
"Excellent"- Oxford Times
"Magical... the dancers took us to fairy land and back. What an antidote to the everyday grey world"- Newbury Weekly News
Thursday 16 & Friday 17 December 7.30pm
Saturday18 December 2.30pm & 7.30pm
Sunday 19 December 1.30pm & 5pm
Tickets £16 (£13 discounts, £46 family)
BUY ONLINE: Thursday 7.30pm
Friday 7.30pm
Saturday 2.30pm | Saturday 7.30pm
Sunday 1.30pm | Sunday 5pm
EARLY BOOKING IS ADVISED
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