"Merry Christmas!....And A Happy New Year"

                                Outside The Cathedral: Feeling CHRISTMASSY! Lovely!
                                              And we're all sharing a HALO too?!

LOUD HAILERS...Better Late Than Never...!

Here are pictures from the performances of my play " Loud Hailers!"...directed at CTC by Jenny and Paul....and performed by a great mix of Adult/Youth Theatre ..all this was last month....BUT better posted now than never! 

Above is the lovely painting..... which was a key part of my story...flowers in Suffragette colours...purple, green, white...painted by friend Sue. 

Loved it.

Delighted to welcome Chester MP Chris Matheson and his family to a performance. 

Here he is....at back but smiling!....with cast and myself...plus our painting AND angry Suffragette slogans. 

SO ENJOYED DOING THIS!!! 

A TENSE MOMENT! 

Scottish Suffragette Mary Philips ( played superbly by Alison ) is arguing with 2 arrogant policeman about her arrest....after attempting to flour bomb PM Asquith at Chester Town Hall...

Mary is supported by an elegant Emmeline Pankhurst...performed in dignified but determined fashion by Anne! 

I think they particularly enjoyed wearing their hats! 

THIS is the real Mary Phillips...being arrested. 

Strong Women! 

BTW I have just bought an amazing book for Grandaughter A:

 "GOODNIGHT STORIES FOR REBEL GIRLS! by Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo. 

I wish someone had bought ME this when I was 9!!

In Rehearsal: Wide Age Range ...but great for ALL concerned!

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Watching: Some of my family...plus Friend From The North (L)...and m'self. 

" JigSaw And ReWind : Christmas Spirit in St Mary's!"

JIGSAW Musical Theatre and REWIND held their Christmas performance at St Mary's this week with their usual aplomb! Great evening!  

AND lovely to see Grand daughter, A, giving a highly energetic and dramatic performance! 

"TALES OF MOONLIGHT AND RAIN...Chester Theatre Club Youth Theatre"

A packed Salisbury Studio at CTC enjoyed the Youth Theatre's production of " Tales Of Moonlight And Rain".This performance celebrated the Japanese art of " Kamishibai"...a kind of street theatre..... plus storytelling..... popular during the Depression...and the 40's/50's.

Here 3 members of the cast show their amazing replica of a toy theatre box....complete with 8 stunning images to be used inside the Kamishibai.

Once again, the teenagers produced a magical show...thanks very much due to the devoted work of Directors Jenny and Paul.

"Theatre In The Quarter's QUARTZ...perform " "A TALE OF OUR TIME" At St Mary's....

THIS IS St Mary's  Creative Space, Chester. A gorgeous colourful version!  

Here's some of the amazing cast in QUARTZ's fantastic production at St Mary's....Grandson G at the front. 

G in full flow! 

The operetta was based on Chaucer's " Prioress's Tale" ....brought into 2017 through the moving story of a schoolboy ( G) who , on walking through the streets of the Infidel on his way to school, decides tto learn the beautiful Song To Mary, Mother Of God ..."Alma Redemptoris Mater"...ready to performfor his mother on Christmas Day. 

However the boy is murdered by the Infidel....but we still hear his singing....

GREAT watching these children...now mainly teenagers...develop in confidence.....performing skills musical skills...each year...and tackling highly creative adventurous work they help devise as they rehearse...

THIS production was one of the best I've seen here. The cast worked so well together...producing a breath-taking and very beautiful operetta. 

Cast and parents are incredibly indebted to the work of the team behind this...headed by Matt Baker and Helen Newell, 

WE OWE THEM LOTS!

" It's All Happening In Coventry!"

A brilliant painting...CityScape...by my talented brother....Coventry...City Of Culture in 2021!!

PYTHON'S SCRIPT REVIVED......!?

AS PART of Chester Theatre Club Christmas Party...John, Malcolm, Ray and Peter appeared as MONTY PYTHON'S  "4 Yorkshiremen"....this was enjoyed by all...particularly, I noted, by the younger ones...(!) 

HERE the old geezers discuss their childhood homes....where one had to drink out of a rolled up newspaper...another lived in one room with his family ...all  126 of 'em...and another worked at the mill for tuppence a month...etc etc....

The way they told it ( as "they" say) was great...but having said that, I felt shivers down my spine...

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                       PARTY ANIMAL MASKS....not too sure WHAT I was supposed to be!

ICY OLD CHESTER!.......DECEMBER 1963.

                                                                 I REMEMBER!
                                                                 December 1963.
WHEN the Dee at Chester was completely frozen...in the coldest winter since 1947....And HA! same winter my very first  boyfriend "treated" me ( after school...in school uniform too...WOT a crime!) to fish and chips in Hignett's, Frodsham St.......superlative Chippy indeed!!
                                                 Never mind the Chester Grosvenor..!

" LITTLE WOMEN" TAKE THE STAGE AT HOPE MILL THEATRE

WHAT ON EARTH would THIS be like?? 

Having read Louisa May Alcott's " Little Women" when I was about 10, I never EVER expected to watch this girly favourite made into such a fantastic Musical donkey's years later.... 

ALL I'll say is.... that we had over 2 hours of sheer joy ......

watching this at the wonderful Hope Mill Theatre in Ancoats, Manchester

It's there until  December 9th..I'll say no more..except 

GO! 

" MY wig's nicer than YOUR wig!" said the Old Lady to the Town Criier....

Chester's amazing Town Crier , David Mitchell, kindly ( loudly?!) graced Lit Fest Friend's Coffee Morning and AGM in the Garrett Bar atop Story House on Thursday. 

We enjoyed his visit hugely...and look forward to reading his book about the history of " Crying" before long. 

Here's me with Paul Lavin..Story House Programme Manager and .....isn't it obvious...David, the Town Crier!  

......

" Tis Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas....!"

     Grand daughter A ( 4th from R, front row) with cast of Jigsaw Musical Theatre's next production..
                                                   Looking forward to this in a week or so!

" BELL.... BRANAGH.... THIS WEEK...."

LOVED THIS!

 " FILM STARS DON'T DIE IN LIVERPOOL"....

THIS "embroidered" story of 1950's American Film Star Gloria Graham's love affair with a much younger guy...made, quite simply, a poignant, brilliant film. 

It starred Jamie Bell with Annette Benning as the dying and beautiful Gloria. 

Set in both Liverpool and L.A....with wonderful supporting roles from Julie Walters....as ageing Liverpudlian mum...plus Kenneth Cranham as her husband...great cameos. 

Very moving indeed throughout...and particularly liked seeing Jamie Bell again. 

Hope we see him more .

ALTOGETHER a stunning film. LOVED IT ( as I've already said...)  

Also saw "MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS"...

having read the book decades ago....seen other versions ..films/plays etc...

THIS version of Agatha Christie's story was certainly visually fascinating...glorious snowy countryside...colourful characters...with brief glimpses ( too brief in some cases) of well known actors....

eg. Dame Judi ( plus dog).....Olivia Coleman ( plus dog).....Johnny Depp ( plus darkly haunted eyes)....Penelope Cruz ( plus darkly beautiful eyes) ... and the likes of David Jacobi.. ( who I can't help but always picture eating teacakes in a cosy Yorkshire caff. with his " Last Tango In Halifax" wife, lovely Anne Reid! .. 

Disappointed by this film to be honest. Shame! 

Branagh With Express Train....Unfortunately Stationary..... BUT Extremely Mobile Moustache.