Past Events: April - July 2009 Programme

Life Exhibition: Philip Ledbury

Terminally ill Philip Ledbury’s farewell exhibition entitled ‘Life’, and Philip’s life in particular. With contributions from his friends, Philip’s work is a vivid and brilliant testimony to a life being well lived.

Sirocco

Sirocco Dance Festival’s party night with poetry, live music, henna painting and surprise performances.

Arts and Kids

An exhibition of works created by pupils from Christchurch and Vallis First Schools, and Bishop Henderson Primary School in response to visits earlier in the year to Rook Lane Arts and the Merlin Theatre.

Teatime Concert 1: Kandinsky Winds

A programme with a French accent to include works by Arrieu, Francaix and Milhaud. Claire, Joanna and Romola are postgraduate students at the Royal Academy of Music where they formed their trio in June 2008. Since then they have enjoyed a number of recitals in London and further afield.

Western Counties Photographic Federation

Teatime Concert 2: Rafal Luc & Jessica Hayes

Transcriptions for classical accordion and cello of works by Bach, Rachmaninov and Piazolla. Rafal’s concert life began in Poland under the tutelage of his father. Aged just 21 he has one prizes all over Europe. Jessica Hayes won the RAM’s Delius prize in 2008 and has performed under the baton of Vladmir Ashkenazay.

Bring on the Dancing Poodles

A new comedy by Douglas McFerran. A country road and a bus that will not come, leads to a surreal vigil for disgraced superstar Godfrey Blackstone, and totally unknown mediocrity, Harold Taylor.

Teatime Concert 3: Kaxan String Quartet

Performing Joseph Haydn’s “Dream” quartet no. 40 in F Major, and Mozart’s “Dissonance” Quartet in C Major. The Kaxan String Quartet has set itself the challenge of performing both the traditional and contemporary repertoire, a number of which they have premiered.

Building the Forth Bridge

There was an engineer, who almost a hundred and fifty years ago, built the Aswan Dam, the Forth Bridge, designed a system to build the London Underground and designed and built twelve miles of viaduct for New York’s elevated railroad, which still stand today. His name was Benjamin Baker and he came from Frome, Somerset. Welcome to a six week celebration of his life and achievements.

The Reading Room (Frome Museum)

As part of ‘Bridging the World’, we re-create a Victorian Reading Room, with a plethora of material relating to Baker, alongside books and periodicals on the art of engineering today.

Pluck Cabaret

With an extraordinary blend of theatre, cabaret and festival arts, pluck has won four international awards, stunned an audience of 8000 in a football stadium, been locked up in ‘The Slammer’ on CBBC, played Glastonbury in white tie and Wellington boots...

The Berkeley Ensemble

With midsummer magic in the air, join us to celebrate the longest day with a musical feast. This outstanding eight piece ensemble will treat us to a rare Nielsen strings & winds Serenata and Dvorak's sumptuous second String Quintet. After a generous interval the major work will be Schubert's unparalleled Octet (2 violins, viola, cello, double bass, clarinet, horn & bassoon).

Engineering Debate

A panel of Britain’s leading engineers and architects: Anthony Hunt, Mark Whitby and George Ferguson, debate the changing role and identity of the engineer, against the backdrop of Evelyn Carey’s photographs of the building of the Forth Bridge.

O Duo

With mellow marimbas, velvety vibes and delicious drumming, thrilling tuned percussion brimming with style and panache to launch Frome Festival 2009.

Poznansky-Tanner Duo: Flute and Piano

The Poznansky-Tanner Duo have been delighting audiences around the world for a number of years with attractive, accessible classical music programmes. Their inimitable blend of musicianship and good humoured presentation always ensures a special occasion.

FLAM Postponed

A unique piece of voice theatre composed by Orlando Gough and directed by Emma Bernard, exploring the vocal, physical and comic skills of two extraordinary performers. Please note that this performance has been postponed until further notice.

Writer’s Workshop

Writing workshop inspired by Rook Lane Chapel's exhibition of Benjamin Baker’s extraordinary feats of engineering, this workshop will create poems and fictions focused around metaphors of bridges, crossing water and going underground.

Baker Lecture and The 39 Steps

Marvel at the scale of Benjamin Baker’s most iconic achievement, the Forth Rail Bridge, in his own words and on the big screen.

Frome Drama Club: Charley’s Aunt

Three titled but cashless students pursue girls rather than study under Oxford’s dreamy spire. One has to dress as an old aunt to act as chaperone for the girls. The fun starts when the real aunt turns up...

Music and the Engineers

An exciting music project linked to Bridging the World, performed by Frome College and Critchill School students.

Bridges and Domes: family workshop

Surrounded by the wonderful Victorian images of the construction of the mile-long Forth Bridge, we give families a hands-on opportunity to explore simple architecture and engineering, and make a den in the process.

Jackdaws Songbirds

Bring a picnic rug and laze away the afternoon listening to the massed voices of Jackdaws Songbirds. We’ll be singing out the festival on the lawn in relaxed style with summer-sweet harmonies from around the world.