Red Ladder's musical evening - with Boff Whalley

Red Ladder Theatre Company              Photo: Richard Wilcocks

Laurah Furner writes:
The New Headingley Club played host to a fantastic evening of music performance by Red Ladder Theatre Company last night.  Victoria Brazier, Claire Marie Seddon and Stacey Sampson, with musical direction by Becky Owen, created a vibrant and comfortable atmosphere for the audience, in an intimate and emotionally charged performance of their production, ‘We’re Not Going Back’. The night was packed with flawless harmonies, combined at frequent intervals with brilliant anecdotes on the creative process by the writer of the show, Boff Whalley. 

No costumes were required for this group to create a stunning performance that celebrates the journeys to self-empowerment produced through the 1984/5 miner’s strike with which the play was concerned. Whalley discussed in depth the authenticity which the production aims to exude, and it was certainly this aspect which seemed to touch the hearts of audience members. Highlights included the song ‘This Was War’, and the funeral scene, which achieved an emotional intimacy that had the woman sitting next to me in tears. Whalley observed that ‘It’s not the play, it’s the conversation afterwards that matter’, and it’s this hope to truthfully depict the social upheaval caused by the miner’s strike whilst engaging with the strength of community that left me feeling both humbled and uplifted as I left.

Headingley LitFest is very grateful for the support from Leeds University student volunteers Laura Cummins, Laurah Furner and Serene Leong.

Audience Feedback:

Good to see the spirit of radical theatre is still alive.  Thanks. Great show, lovely actors.     (Tom Burden)

Wonderfully creative and authentic way of bringing real people’s experiences and emotions alive.  Lovely harmony and a nice punchy folk song at the end.     Anon

Marvellous emotive music without being depressing.     Anon

It was very informative and enjoyable.     Anon

Very enjoyable.  Fantastic harmonies and an obvioius passion for the subject.  (Adam Savage)

Wonderfully nuanced way to hear a  story we think we know already.   (Laura Cummins)

Really enjoyed the songs and explanation of the play, having sadly not seen it.  I was born during the Miners’ Strike and have a scar on my neck where a piece of coal spat out of the fire and attached itself to me as I sat in my baby bouncer in our house in Huddersfield (Shepley).  Very moving and enthusiastic cast, hope your funding continues.  (Erica Mitchell)

I’ve waited thirty one years for some humour on the Miners’ Strike.  It’s about time  (DS)

Very good, nice songs and harmonies.  (Angela M)

Yet again Red Ladder produce an authentic beautifully produced interpretation well researched.  Lovely harmonies.   (Richard Howson)

I enjoyed the ‘introduction’ to the play and its songs, interesting to hear how it came together.  Would now love to see the whole thing - which I hope will be round soon!   (Paul Connor)

Wonderfully structured, highly accessible performance, emotionally charged atmosphere of positivity and realism, committed to a truthful depiction of the 1984/5 miners’ strike.   (Laurah Furner)

A very moving and insightful performance.  Touching, funny and informative.  Made me want to see the whole play!  It brought out the human cast and the sometimes unexpected transformations of individuals.  Red Ladder know how to put across an historical political and human condition very effectively.  The company should be supported.  (Marion Purchon)

Warm, witty and thought-provoking.  An education for this southerner.   (Helen Ashman)

A real eye opener and very interesting to learn some local history as a student not from the area.  Thank you!   (Stella Spriggs)

Very good introduction and show by the Red Ladder Theatre company, particularly the songs.  I visited the National Mining Museum near Wakefield a few weeks ago which was very interesting. Nice form by the group afterwards as well.   (Jonathan Fetson)

It was a privilege to see Red Ladder describe the process of their drama and to see them perform and explain the play and the politics.  Brilliant!  (Maggie Burden)

Enjoyed the songs but could do without the rambling commentary.   (Martin)

Extremely engaging.  Moving too.  (Duncan)

Children's Books Question Time

Richard Wilcocks writes:

Zoe, Nicolette Jones, Lucy               Photo: Richard Wilcocks

It was a real pleasure to listen to the breathtakingly fluent and encyclopedic Nicolette Jones this afternoon. A national authority, she knows what she is talking about more than most. It was her second time as a guest of ours: seven years ago she spoke to a LitFest audience about her extensively researched book The Plimsoll Sensation, and made us aware of the nineteenth century campaign led by the MP Samuel Plimsoll against overloaded 'coffin' ships. This time she made us aware of the great wealth of new books written for children, and advised us on making best use of it.

She became a reviewer of books for children on the Sunday Times almost by default: it was decided by the arts editor that a new angle was needed, and she was drafted in, moving on from her position as a respected reviewer of new books for adults. She reminded us towards the beginning of her session of what W H Auden said:

There are good books which are only for adults.
There are no good books which are only for children.

 She is still proving that what he said was absolutely right, which she made clear by making so many enthusiastic recommendations that audience pens and pencils were seldom at rest.
There were all sorts of questions, from the general ("Do you find that today's children are less interested in books than we were?") to the specific ("What books do you suggest for a boy with Nigerian parents who is mad keen on sports and is more interested in computer games than books?") and all of them were answered in great detail, to the full satisfaction of the questioners. Prominent amongst her favoured authors were Shirley Hughes, Eva Ibbotson and Philip Pullman. To chime with the theme of the LitFest, she finished with a reading from Something Else by Kathryn Cave, to our delight.

Mary Francis adds:
Nicolette talked about Northern Lights, the first volume in Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. Apparently, it is now twenty years old: there is a piece in the Guardian (see link) and an opportunity to win a twentieth anniversary edition of the trilogy … as long as you are aged between seven and eighteen. Or if you enter on behalf of a child ….
http://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2015/mar/09/philip-pullman-10-magical-quotes-his-dark-materials-anniversary

Audience Feedback:
 I liked it when Nicolette Jones read a book out loud called Something Else and she helped us with books for recommendation. I enjoyed it thoroughly. (Girl aged 9)

First-class presentation and responses from Nicolette Jones. A good range of queries answered with a wealth of intimate knowledge. A very fluent and eloquent performance, obviously popular with a good audience.

Excellent! - and great cake! 

I’m not a mum or involved with many children but found the presentation v. interesting.  I could relate to my own experiences as a child.       

Absolutely excellent!  Nicky gave lots of valuable tips and information.  A fantastic and articulate speaker.  Thankyou!   

Very well informed and encouraging – infectious enthusiasm.  Fun!      

A most interesting and informative session – I learned a great deal.  What a world of information Nicolette Jones brought before us!  Good presentation too.    

Very informative. Wonderful to have such an authority on Children’s Books in the room.  For a first time self publisher her insights were very valuable.    

Very informative and clear presentation.  I could have spent more time listening to Nicolette and look forward to her return.  Many thanks.     

 

Great event!  Lots of info! V. interesting.  Loved the book reading – more of that would keep children interested?  Shame more children didn’t attend.     

Lovely chat, good ideas, nice to have café seating and refreshments.  More please.  

 

A delightful informative discussion on contemporary children’s lit.  Full of charm and relevant information and useful tips.     

Brilliant!  Thank you.  Useful, entertaining, educative... tea and cake appreciated.

Event was very informative.  Ms Jones was charming, engaging and very helpful. 

Very enjoyable – thank you!  Glad I took notes of most of the titles to check out later. Not enough time for questions.      

Charming speaker, very informative, lots of good suggestions.    

An excellent event, very informative, with some interesting questions and answers fromn Nicolette (although couldn’t hear clearly everything she was saying).  Good venue, lovely cake.   

Made me realise how old my children are – good to hear about contemporary writers. 

Absolutely terrific!  Nicolette Jones was so knowledgeable and informative.  Clear concise and so so useful.  I liked the Q&A format.  V. entertaining, and well worth repeating.   

The Dragon Who Hates Poetry

Dominic Berry with poetry lovers  Photo: Carol Downing

Carol Downing writes:
‘Tremble at my name says the fiend of fire and flame.’

The story of the dragon who hates poetry by Dominic Berry was a lively and energetic performance in the Meanwood Institute, full of energy, jokes and action, with plenty of audience participation, including the audience helping to write a poem about the dragon to make him look good.

Rhyming Rick, the hero, sets out to convince the poetry-hating dragon, who is terrifying the land, that poetry is really cool.  The dragon, however, flies up above Rick’s head and burns all the clothes on Rick’s washing line.  He then threatens to eat him alive!  Rick is so scared he asks the dragon to be kind and not to eat him.  Suzy Sue, a Farmer, suggests writing a poem about all the fantastic things a dragon can do to make him look good.  Rick is not sure but everyone in the village persuades Rick to do this. So with help from the audience -

‘Dragons are fantastic

Dragons are great

I’d love a Dragon

As my mate’.

In the end Rick manages to win the dragon over, and he and the dragon become best friends, writing poems together, and even winning poetry competitions!

'Threshold' at Café Lento

Laura Cummins writes:

Peter Spafford and Richard Ormrod               Photo: Richard Wilcocks

The cosy and atmospheric Café Lento played host to the eclectic ‘Threshold’ last night, put on by the multi-talented Peter Spafford and Richard Ormrod. There was a perfectly-blended mixture of spoken word, beautiful music, and surrealism on offer, all fitted around the theme of hospitality and our shared experiences of the kindness of particular strangers. Highlights included modern re-imaginings of everything from Schubert’s Winterreise to sixteenth-century Chinese poetry, and an exploration of the possible outcries of Chagall’s mother. A fantastically funny evening - so much so the woman next to me spat out her wine at one point - with some beautiful musical moments.

Richard Wilcocks adds:
One of the many things which sticks in my mind from last night is Peter Spafford's very personal, almost confessorial storytelling, backed by notes and chords from the extraordinary Richard Ormrod, for example the one about when he was offered a bed for the night by strangers when he was stuck with his car in impassable snow.

Audience feedback:

Excellent. Really good mix of music and words - old and new. Warm, friendly atmosphere. (James Fernie)

Excellent and intriguing mix of beautifully delivered entertainment. Thought provoking and delightful at the same time. (Marion Purchon)

Brilliant evening! Wunderschönes Abend mit sehr interessantem Publikum und außergewöhnlichen Interpreten, die mit ihrer Liebe zur Musik und Literatur die Menschen in ihre Welt holen...  (Lisa)

Eclectic - harmonied genres/range of instruments. I love the material. Brilliant, as ever. (Murray)

Two talented, creative and imaginative artists... enjoyable and challenging. (Gail McIntyre)

Nice comfortable relaxing evening, good company, atmosphere. Lovely to listen to very creative talented musicians who are very humble and hospitable! (Maria)

Enjoyable and wonderful to hear original work. (Ruth Wynne)

A marvellous evening's entertainment. Excellent music and a great atmosphere. (Bill Fitzsimmons)

Brilliant atmosphere and mix of people. Great format for the event. More please. (Dick Downing)

Lovely atmosphere - intimate setting made it a very friendly audience. Storytelling was wonderful. (Laura)

Interesting mixture of sources and ideas, and an impressive array of instruments played. Made me both want to go travelling and to come home - and to offer hospitality to strangers. (Nicolette Jones)

Enjoyed the music as well as the stories. (Gaby Jones)

Unusual, tuneful, thought-provoking, funny... great storytelling through both media, words and music. (Jane Oakshott)

Lettice Cooper's Leeds novels

Kate Baldwin writes

Janet Douglas   Photo: Kate Baldwin

Janet Douglas thoroughly engaged the audience last night at Headingley Library with her talk on Lettice Cooper, a rather forgotten name of the twentieth century. Tales of her upbringing, her activities throughout her life and even her friendship with Orwell’s wife really painted a wonderful picture of a dynamic woman with a keen interest in society (as well as a particularly keen interest in men, infer from that what you will!), an interest very much apparent in her novels. 

After regaling us with such tales as her writing reviews for the Yorkshire Post for thirty years, Janet then went on to discuss Lettice’s (we decided we felt familiar enough to call her Lettice) novels, in particular National Provincial and The New House: the only one still in print.

Through Janet’s brilliant summaries of the plots, tactfully avoiding spoilers, we discovered the charm of Lettice Cooper’s writing, especially for those living in Leeds. Although not born in the glorious city, she was brought up there and it had a special place in her heart featuring in many of her novels, not so inconspicuously with the pseudonym ‘Aire’. For a Leeds native, part of the joy of reading National Provincial would be to recognise the familiar streets and areas, all ‘disguised’ with aliases, and to imagine very clearly the backdrop for the story. Another interesting point Janet focused on was the historical accuracy of Lettice’s writing, with her stories reflecting real events such as a strike at Burton’s factory in the sixties.

The link with Leeds was enjoyed by everyone in the audience and sparked conversation in the question and answer section, with people chipping in with their own stories and comments, creating a lovely atmosphere full of communal love for a city inspired by the words of Lettice Cooper (via the brilliant Janet Douglas) and possibly the free wine! All in all, a wonderful evening.           

Some audience feedback:

Janet Douglas – lovely, entertaining speaker. Loves her subject. Really interesting. Thank you. L

 Really very interesting to hear the life and times of Leeds. I must read the books. Lovely presentation, Janet. M

Very accomplished introduction to Lettice Cooper and has inspired me to read more of her works – particularly National Provincial. Her contribution to Leeds needs to be more recognised – perhaps R

It’s interesting to learn about a writer from your own locality. I will possibly try reading her novels. T

Interesting, relevant, lively. J

Very interesting. I enjoyed it very much. K

Irish Day on Sunday

Laugh! Sunday is Irish Day at New Headingley Club - mentioned here - http://leeds-list.com/out-and-about/whats-on-this-weekend-in-leeds … …

There's a kind of comedy about Samuel Beckett too. It might surprise you. Don't miss the brilliant Dave Robertson in Krapp's Last Tape.