Issued January 09
CREATIVE CREATURES –
ANDOVER’S HALF TERM CHILDREN’S
FESTIVAL
The February half-term holiday is one of the hardest for
parent to keep the children occupied, but this half-term promises
to be different because of a week long Children’s Festival called
Creative Creatures.
Children from tiny tots to age 12 years can become
Creative Creatures themselves by taking part in
one of the workshops, activities and performances offered
throughout the week at The Lights in Andover.
Some of the sessions are free and children and
parents can just drop in, others have limited places and need to be
booked in advance.
Faye Bradley, Senior Arts Officer for Test Valley Borough
Council said “Creative Creatures is being staged by Test
Valley Borough Council and Hampshire County Council with generous
sponsorship from The Stannah Group which has allowed us to offer
several of these fun activities free of charge”.
To get the week started, children of all ages can drop in on the
Monday to help build a giant creature using wicker and other
materials. Under the guidance of tutor Pamina Stewart
they can also build their very own Insect Robot to take
home. On the same day, and keeping
with the theme of the week, a play-in-a day called The
Magical Circus is on offer for children aged 8 to 12 years old.
Don’t Let The Pigeon Stay Up Late, a professional show for
children aged 4 to 7 years takes place on the Tuesday morning
followed by a science workshop Eggcellent Eggsperiments in the
afternoon, an intriguing session where the children will find out
about Isaac Newton’s 3 chicken laws and go home with a wobbly
chicken!
The Wednesday of half-term is when pre-schoolers are officially
invited to bring along their favourite teddy to join in the songs,
games and activities at a Grand Teddy Bears
Picnic. Just bring your blankets, picnics
and teddys, and join in the free fun in the Arena which will be
transformed into a magical woodland for the occasion.
During the afternoon they will be a Get Arty session where tutor
Rhyan Mayes will help children aged 3 and above create hanging
mobiles that reflect their own family life.
Other activities include sessions on Mask Making using the world
of animals as inspiration and Circus Monkeys, an introduction to
the world of circus skills which culminates in a mini performance
to family and friends at the end of the session.
Andover Museum and Andover Library are also offering activities
for children including exhibitions, animal finger puppets, clay
craft, quizzes and trails.
More information can be found in the Creative Creatures leaflet,
available at various outlets thoughout the town, from The Lights
Box Office on 368368 or by visiting http://www.thelights.org.uk/
Issued by: Teresa Bradley, Marketing
Manager, The Lights, 01264
368833
Jacqui Dankworth Swings at The
Lights
Jacqui Dankworth, the talented
daughter of musician/composer Johnny Dankworth and the legendary
Dame Cleo Laine is bringing her unique blend of sophisticated jazz
to The Lightson Saturday 14
March.
She has inherited her parents’ ear for a good jazz melody.
‘The inevitable comparisons can be a pain,’ she admits
with a wry laugh. ‘But it’s about being brave
enough to draw from your experiences and be honest.’
Though there is jazz in her blood, Jacqui is
very much her own creative force. After several years
at the National Theatre and RSC Jacqui decided to concentrate on
her singing career and great success has
followed. One of the best jazz singers in the UK
today Jacqui was recently nominated for Radio 2 Jazz Vocalist of
the Year.
There's no doubt about it, Jacqui Dankworth is a remarkable artist
of the highest calibre. She has toured with the Brodsky Quartet and
recorded with them on their latest CD, alongside such guests as
Sting, Elvis Costello, Bjork, Ian Shaw and Sir Paul
McCartney. She featured on Courtney Pine’s album
Devotionand sang alongside him at the Royal Festival Hall,
as part of the London Jazz Festival. Several songs from
her album, AsThe Sun Shines Down On Me,made the
Jazz FM play list, and she receives repeated play on BBC Radio 2,
especially on Michael Parkinson’s Sunday
Supplement.
Tickets for the show are available
from The Lights Box Office on 01264 368368 or on-line at http://www.thelights.org.uk/
Issued by: Teresa Bradley, Marketing
Manager, The Lights, 01264
368833
Arena Events at The Lights
The main stage at The Lights in Andover is
now experiencing some stiff competition from the increased
programme being offered in The Lights second performance space, the
Arena Hall.
This flexible space, is, by day, home to the
popular Coffee Carousel Coffee shop and the bright lounge area
where mums and toddlers, friends and groups meet thoughout the
week. The regular Health Walk group meet
before their walks and business visitors take advantage of
the free Wi-Fi available during informal meetings.
But, with subtle lighting change, stage drapes and a
little re-arranging of the furniture the Arena by night is a very
different venue. At night it becomes
a more intimate and informal entertainment space which regularly
hosts standing concerts, the monthly Comedy Clubs, Acoustic
Nights and the new Live and Local gigs.
This week the first Acoustic Night of the
season saw a great line up of home grown Andover talent take to the
Arena stage including Incredible Weapons, Talicza Stevens, Plus
Andy Reilly, Ben Black and the Have a Go Heroes. These
monthly events are completely free and aim to encourage and support
the local music scene in the town.
On Sunday 25 January the regular monthly
Comedy Club starts again in the Arena. The club has
built up a regular clientele with on average 150 people taking a
seat to be entertained by professional comics such as Andy Parsons
and Michael McIntyre presented by Off the Kerb Productions,
agents for some of the biggest names in UK comedy.
The evenings begin with live music, this month
provided by El duo Bongo followed by a line up headlined by Sean
Percival, a regular at festivals and comedy venues such as
Jongleurs and the Comedy Store.
When the event and style of music is more
suited to a standing concert the Arena is the preferred
space. With the furniture cleared the Arena
can take a standing audience of 500. In the
past seasons acts such as The Hamsters playing Jimi Hendrix and ZZ
Top, the Jon Walsh Blues Band, The Commitments and Think Floyd have
all raised the roof with their varied musical styles, and on
Saturday 24 January the talented tribute band Who’s Who will be
performing the Who’s hit songs including My Generation, Happy Jack,
Substitute, Who are You and many more.
Teresa Bradley, The Lights Marketing Manager
commented “These two very different performance
spaces mean that we have much more flexibility when booking shows
which is appreciated by our visitors who enjoy the different
atmosphere and experiences each space offers”
Tickets for shows are available from the Box
Office on 01264 368368 on on-line at http://www.thelights.org.uk/
Issued by: Teresa Bradley, Marketing
Manager, The Lights, 01264 368833