BRILLIANCE

(Whitchurch Leisure Centre, November 22)

Touring theatre company Farnham Maltings is making a welcome return to the Talbot Theatre, Whitchurch Leisure Centre today with their new show ‘Brilliance’.

It’s 1963, winter. Everyone is gathering in the village hall.

Daisy places her hand on the switch, presses it down, and life is never the same again.

Long after its arrival in the city, the slow process of rural electrification is starting to illuminate every corner and crevice of village life.

As the dark evenings hold us in, 240 volts of alternating current and the humble electric light bulb allows us to gather and sing long into the night.

Brilliance is a 90-minute theatrical event that celebrates progress and change in a bright new world.

Farnham Maltings is the company that brought us ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ and is now bringing us a great show with music. They tour high quality, interesting and rurally relevant drama.

An Arts Alive event suitable for all aged ten upwards, seating is cabaret style and the show starts at 7.30pm.

Tickets at £11 adults, £10 adult concessions, £5 young people and £30 for a family of four are available from the Leisure Centre on 01948 660660, 076506724572 or on-line at www.artsalive.co.uk

BRITAIN ON FILM: RURAL LIFE

(Wem Town Hall, Nov 23)

Go on a nostalgic journey down the country lanes of the past.

Relive the work of the local blacksmith preparing shoes for the plough horses, and the shepherd’s trials as he protects his flock from an encroaching storm.

Be swept up in the homemade entertainment and giggles of children at the country fair and the joyful freedoms of the dance in the village hall.

Enjoy this look back at rural life in Britain – the showing is at 7.30pm and tickets cost £7 for adults and £5 for 19 and under.

Call 01939 238 279 for more details.

A WOMAN OF NO IMPORTANCE

(Wem Town Hall, Nov 28)

The first of four plays by the Irish comic master, A Woman of No Importance, will be broadcast live on Tuesday November 28, followed by the celebrated Lady Windermere’s Fan in March next year.

Classic Spring is the new theatre company from Dominic Dromgoole, former Artistic Director of Shakespeare’s Globe.

The company’s first season is a year-long celebration of the late genius Wilde, one aiming to provide a much fuller picture of the man and the artist, revealing this much-loved but complex playwright as the brilliant renegade he was in his own time.

Dominic Dromgoole will personally direct the first play A Woman of No Importance, starring Olivier Award-winning actor Eve Best as Mrs Arbuthnot and BAFTA-nominated Anne Reid as Lady Hunstanton, alongside Eleanor Bron and William Gaunt.

Multi-award-winning actor, director, comedian and playwright Kathy Burke will then direct Lady Windermere’s Fan.

The Season will continue with the titles An Ideal Husband and The Importance of Being Earnest, with cinema broadcast dates to be announced in due course.

Christine Costello, CEO, More2Screen, said: “We’re completely delighted to be appointed as the theatrical distributor for this exciting theatre project.

“There’s a huge appetite for live theatre broadcasts from London’s West End and the Oscar Wilde Season will be a very strong offering to our cinema partners for their 2017-18 programme.”

BLAKE – CHRISTMAS CLASSICS

(Crewe Lyceum, Nov 25)

Join the Brit-Award winning vocalists for their celebrated Christmas show, featuring festive songs in beautiful trio harmony, video projections and the group’s famous fast-paced comedy banter.

During this two-hour stage spectacular Blake perform an eclectic range of Yuletide songs, taken from their debut Christmas album available now.

Includes songs like White Christmas, Silent Night, I’ll Be Home for Christmas, O Holy Night, Last Christmas, The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, Winter Wonderland, When A Child is Born, It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas, Silver Bells and many more.

Combining their spectacular Christmas album with this festive tour show, Blake hopes to fill theatres to the brim with Yuletide cheer.

Tickets cost £23.50 or £18.50 for a group of eight or more – call 01270 368 242 for more details.