2015 sees Artsreach celebrate 25 years of bringing live, professional performances to rural venues across Dorset.
The first Artsreach programme was launched in March 1990 with just nine venues, mostly based in West Dorset. Since then three other districts of Dorset (North, East and Purbeck) have joined the scheme, and Artsreach now counts some sixty rural venues – mainly village halls, but some school halls, churches and community venues – on its circuit, each run by a network of voluntary promoters.
Through Artsreach these venues host a variety of professional arts events, both as a social event and to provide an opportunity for communities to see high quality arts on their doorstep, rather than having to travel to distant urban venues. Ticket prices are kept affordable, with concessionary rates focused on family groups. In hosting these events community venues also raise valuable funds for local causes.
Hot off the press, the new Artsreach spring programme features a host of exciting events; from large and small scale theatre, to accompanied silent film, to puppet shows and storytelling and a range of music including jazz, folk, classical, world and beyond!
Music lovers can enjoy a real medley of styles and genres from performers both national and international. Lady Maisery are widely considered to be one of the most original new groups emerging on the UK folk scene. Flute and harp duo Amalthea present compositions from different continents and cultures, award-winning jazz bassist and composer Alec Dankworth and his World Spirit quartet offer and evening of global song and improvisation, and three of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra’s ensembles, Principal Winds, Kokoro and Resonate Strings offer an exciting variety of classical programmes to the season.
A host of popular touring theatre companies will also be treading the boards across the County. Cornish stars Miracle Theatre are up the Zambezi without a paddle in Dr Livingstone, I Presume, while Artsreach favourite Pip Utton explores the life and loves of Casanova. The Ministry of Entertainment bring their songs and comic theatre to bear on the Cold War era in Normal Service will be Resumed, and Finding the Will takes an up-dated look at some of Shakespeare’s well-loved characters and imagines what might have happened next in ‘Bard Heads’. Following the success of his ‘Great Expectations’ tour, Dave Mynne is sinking his teeth into Dracula, while Little Solider present an imaginative and provocative look at The Ingenious Don Quixote of La Mancha. Early booking is certainly advised as the hilarious duo Living Spit return with their new play ‘Elizabeth 1: Virgin on the Ridiculous’. Cartoon de Salvo invite those who are not afraid of the dark to explore what happens when we have only storytelling to keep the night at bay in ‘The Powercut Compendium’ and Forest Forge take inspiration from the history of Dorset and Hampshire’s Railways in ‘Leaves on a Line’.
As we celebrate 25 years of rural touring, we will also be saying a sad farewell to The New Rope String Band who, after 25 years of entertaining have decided to call it a day. For diehard audiences it’s a chance to come along, laugh once more and say goodbye. For those who’ve never seen them, wake up, this is your last chance!
There’s plenty for families to see too, with four brilliant productions coming to Dorset. Forest Forge’s seasonal show this year is based on Neil Gaiman’s ‘Stardust’, and is a wondrous adventure full of eccentric characters, hilarious and thrilling moments, haunting music, magic and mayhem! Roll up, roll up, the circus awaits in Angel Heart Theatre’s zany and hilarious, yet tender and touching show Cirkus Spectakular. Britain’s top puppet company PuppetCraft bring to life the comic adventures of the fantastical superhero Monkey!, inspired by the classic Chinese epic story.
For an alternative evening’s entertainment, Oliver Meech meddles with forces we barely understand, in a comedy magic show for the QI generation ‘When Science and Magic Collide’. No knowledge of science required, just a mind that’s open and a jaw that’s ready to drop! Award-winning wildlife photographer Ben Osborne presents his compelling ‘Himalayan Journeys’ with stunning images and commentary. Serious Kitchen’s ‘The Whispering Road’ leaps between song, music and the spoken word; brought to life with the accompaniment of traditional Scandinavian music. Kate Lissauer, John Whelan, and Jason Titley provide live musical accompaniment to three of the earliest short films to have emerged from the infancy of Hollywood by the pioneering director Frank Borzage in ‘Sonic Silents’.
As you can see, there’s a lot going on this season! Full details including individual box office numbers are on www.artsreach.co.uk. Outlets where you can pick up a copy of the programme include libraries, arts centres and tourist information centres across Dorset. You can also find Artsreach on Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date with the latest news.
