Month: Dec 2018

Some Somerset Theatre This Christmas

It is almost pantomime season (some have already started), but before we get into shouting “its behind you” we thought we would take a look around at what other Christmas shows are on in theatres across Somerset. Here are five that we found for you:

13-15 December – Clevedon, Theatre Shop: Murder She Didn’t Write.

An improvised murder mystery, created each night based on audience suggestions, with a festive flavour. 7:30 pm, £12.00 per ticket. Recommended for ages 12+

13-15 December – Illminster, The Warehouse Theatre: David Copperfield.

The famous Charles Dickens novel has been adapted for stage and is performed by the Illminster Entertainment Society. 7:30 pm, £10.00 per ticket.

14-16 December – Bridgwater, The McMillan Theatre: Matricks, Tanyalee Davis, The Met Opera.

Bridgwater has crammed three shows in before the Panto starts (Dick Whittington this year). Friday 14th Dec Matricks: Believe the Impossible, Christmas Show is a festive themed magic show spectacular. Saturday 15 Dec Tanyalee Davis: Actual Size brings some stand up comedy to the town. Sunday 16th Dec The Met Opera’s La Traviata. Check out their website through the link above for more details on each show.

7-30 December – Taunton, The Brewhouse Theatre: The Wizard of Oz and the Snow Baby

Two shows are on this year at Taunton’s The Brewhouse Theatre, although it looks like seats are limited so book quickly. Firstly, a Somerset twist on the classic Wizard of Oz has been delighting audiences. For ages 2+ The Snow Baby is a truly magical children’s show.

6-15 December – Frome, The Merlin Theatre: The Nutcracker

Merlin Theatre Productions presents the Christmas classic, The Nutcracker. 7.pm, £12.50 per ticket (£8.50 concessions).

We are taking a Christmas Break from the blog and will check in back with you in the new year, and on that note HAPPY NEW YEAR!

You won’t believe where we hide our art in Somerset.

Somerset has long inspired artists and is the birthplace of some great examples of human creativity, skill and imagination. This is what I was thinking as I read the announcement of this year’s winner of the much coveted Turnip Prize*, the Wedmore parody of the National Turner Prize for Art. So we’ve decided to write about just some of the amazing works of art or celebrations of art around the County.

Everywhere in Somerset. Somerset Arts Weeks by Somerset Art Works (SAW).

Since 1994 SAW have been running the annual Countywide celebration of contemporary visual arts. It offers a brilliant way to see the County and explore the artists who call it home. So a date for your 2019 diaries is 21 September to 6 October and for any artists out there registration opens this month. Check out more about the event and what SAW do here

Portishead. Full Fathom Five Sculpture by Michael Dan Archer.

This is a piece of public art produced in 2007/8 as a Seafarers Memorial Sculpture. It consists of a sweeping series of granite pillars in a wave like formation. The pillars are inscribed with words from a poem and you can walk through the structure. The title of the piece comes from Shakespeare’s The Tempest. More of Michael Dan Archer’s work can be found here: Link

Bridgwater. Willow Man Sculpture by Serena de la Hey.

The 40 foot sculpture made out of willow will be familiar to anyone who travels by the M5. It has towered over us since the beginning of the millennium. Although it has been restored since it’s first installation it is again deteriorating and it is not clear how the upgrades will be funded. We here are all hoping that it will be with us for years to come as it breaks up a tedious car journey with a bit of art joy.

Taunton. Somerset Space Walk Sculptures by Pip Youngman.

The Somerset Space Walk is a true scale model of our Solar System with the planets placed along 22 km of the Bridgwater to Taunton Canal. We love the mix of science and the great outdoors in this jewel of Somerset public art. The size and distances are proportional to our solar system, which makes it all the more impressive. To find a map for the walk and more details follow this link

Bruton. Hauser and Wirth, Art Centre.

Hong Kong, London, LA, New York and…Bruton. Hauser and Worth have well and truly ensconced themselves in Somerset with this popular exhibition space and art centre. Exhibitions, immersive artists-in-residence programmes and a unique location on a working farm make this an interesting place to visit and take in some art. Between 1 December and 2 February there is an exhibition called ‘Levelling Traditions’ bringing together nine artists to interpret themes of rural life and traditions. Link here.

Which of these have you visited? If you know of any others, let us know. Some important ones we haven’t even mentioned include Victoria Art Gallery & the Artists Studios (both Bath), Hestercombe House and OSR Projects who curated the amazing Od Festival between East & West Coker this year.

* Won this year by Collie Wobbles (a plastic collie dog on a block of jelly). Find the news story here.