Rounding off the Christmas Season

Thank you to all of you who came and supported our Christmas season in the theatre. The Miracle Well was a great success and stupendous achievement for all involved. You'll be pleased to hear that you won't have to wait long until the next innovative piece of student drama! Stewart Wright will be joining us on Friday 21st January with the return of The Nothing Show. Stewart first performed this 'work in progress' back in May 2008, and we loved it! He'll be back running a workshop during the day with a group of students to develop a brand new piece of physical theatre. He will then tie in with his piece for the evening performance! Not to be missed!

This weeks Christmas concerts also went down a treat. The carol service at St Mary's Church was a lovely, heart-warming affair, followed by the school concert in the theatre. It was great to see so many students taking part - despite sickness trickling through the troops! There was a wide variety of ensemble, solo and group performances, including some choir and orchestra pieces conducted by the students themselves. Well done to all involved... and bring on the Spring concert!

We would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. There are still plenty of bookings for this season, so we'll see you in 2011!

Sing in your Christmas Cheer!

The Bradon Forest Music Department are proud to present their contrasting Christmas concerts to suit every taste! Tonight we have our traditional Christmas Carol service in St Mary's Church, Purton, starting at 7pm for approximately 1 hour. The service will include readings and choir pieces as well as carols for you all to join in on.

Tomorrow night we have the school concert in the theatre, starting at 7.30pm. There will be festive refreshments served before the performance and during the interval... so bring your change!

Enjoy a wide variety of Christmassy treats performed by the choir and glee club, the orchestras, soloists, rock school band and ensembles! The concert starts at 7.30pm and should be finished vy 9.15pm.

Not only will you have the usual high standard of musical delights in, but the Music Department are plotting with some of the other staff at Bradon Forest to give you a special treat!

Remember to wrap up warm for the Church Carol service - it's cold out there! Brrr...

Circomedia: A Night You Won’t Forget

It’s that time of year again- the skies are turning grey, the wind is getting chilly and there’s only a few weeks left until Christmas… So how about treating yourself to something special this December?
On Saturday the 18th of December, Circomedia- Bristol’s very own world-class circus and theatre school- is offering friends and supporters the opportunity to book tickets for an exclusive cabaret evening.

Starting from 7pm in the atmospheric St Paul’s Church, we invite you to enjoy an alternative Christmas event in the company of the best circus and physical theatre performers in the country. With a mouth watering fork buffet provided by local Zest Food, stunning circus displays in our cabaret show, beautiful decorations and musical entertainment the night is guaranteed to be unforgettable!

You can book a seat or table at a cost of £47 per person. Tables seat ten and are arranged facing the performance area in a cabaret club style- perfect for viewing both the ground based performers and spectacular aerialists. You will also be entertained by your host for the evening, a rather special compere with some unique tricks up his sleeve. Following food and performances our DJ and dancing is sure to keep you entertained until the bar shuts at 12.30am.

St Paul’s Church is an intimate and enchanting venue. Our bar serves beers and ales from local companies Bath Ales and Bristol Beer Factory while the wines are selected by Corks of Cotham. Our experienced Front of House team will ensure your evening of sumptuous food, entertainment and dancing goes smoothly and that you experience a night you won’t forget…

Tickets are limited and selling fast. To book or for further information please contact Ali on 0117 924 7615 or email ali@circomedia.com

Guest review - The Miracle Well

"Wow… Guess that’s just about all I can say. It was acted out brilliantly and there was always something happening. Polly's life certainly seemed to be exciting as she was travelling between the two worlds and having to save them both and when The Mad were around I couldn’t help but see resemblance from how they are, and how some of my friends are.

The audience where involved with it all the way through, Mary Theresa was talking to the audience and we were handed leaflets inviting us to attend an election. There wasn’t a chance to get bored during this performance!

Having not watched Mary Theresa’s Cupboard I was worried I wouldn’t understand The Miracle Well but it explained all I needed to know. This was interesting as it could make it a separate performance, that doesn’t need Mary Theresa’s Cupboard before it. It was appreciated that all was explained though.

I have only one nitpick… the sound effects and background music were very loud and occasionally you couldn’t hear the conversations on stage. You heard a few words every now and again but nothing more. But other than that it was amazing and I would definitely recommend others go and see it."

- Vicky Edgerton

You still have two more opportunities to catch this great show! We have a few tickets left for tonight and tomorrow. Show starts at 7.30pm and runs until approximately 9pm including an interval. Refreshments available.

It's December 1st... what does that mean?

It's the first day of your advent calendars... the first day it's acceptable to put up your Christmas decorations... the start of the party season.... and... the opening night for The Miracle Well! Here's a few preview photos, but make sure you come and get your tickets. The weather looks to be holding off for us and we're selling out fast... so don't delay, reserve yours today! Ho ho ho :o)

Wednesday 1st - Friday 3rd December

7.30pm

Approx finish time: 9pm

Christmassy interval refreshments available from the PTA. Tickets are £3 for students, £4 for adults and don't forget your exclusive Facebook discount!

The Miracle Well trailer

I've put together this trailer for The Miracle Well which opens next week! Let me know what you think. I've used clips from last years Mary Theresa's Cupboard and also some short extracts from rehearsals from this long awaited sequel. Today, we've been painting the set and making a start on the lighting. It's all getting quite exciting now! Tickets are on sale for just £3 for students and £4 for adults. Don't forget you can get a 50p discount if you 'like' us and book through Facebook.

The show opens next Wednesday 1st December at 7.30pm and runs through to Friday 3rd December. There will be a short interval during the show where we will have a bar serving mulled wine and mince pies, as well as other refreshments. So come along and get yourself in the Christmas spirit... it will be December, after all!

Purton Artists Exhibition

This weekend if the Annual Purton Artists Exhibition, featuring work from Bradon Forest students. I've just been down there and there are some lovely pieces up for your viewing pleasure. Most items are for sale so it's a great opportunity to get some early Christmas presents! Choose from a wide variety of art including paintings, photography, wood carvings, pottery and a great selection of handmade cards.

Bag yourself an early Christmas treat!

Bradon Forest School are hosting a special promises auction to raise money for new curtains in the school hall. Year 10 Business Studies students, together with the PTA, have managed to secure some excellent promises for you to bid on. So, if you're after that extra special Christmas gift, or wanted to indulge in an overnight stay for a weekends shopping, then make sure you get yourself a ticket! They are just £5 for the night and that includes a drink and dinner.

The evening is for over 18's and so there will be a licensed bar. Live musical entertainment will also be provided from a former member of The Kings Singers! Contact Emma Haydon on 01793 770570 to reserve your ticket today.

Click here to see a full list of promises which include hospitality tickets for Liverpool FC, romantic meals for two, overnight stays in hotels, spa treatments, golf and fitness passes and much, much more! Don't miss this exciting opportunity to bag yourself a bargain!

From Mecca to Meca

You may remember we already blogged about this in September, but the official press release is now in circulation.

"Last month Swindon woke up to the announcement of a venue that the town has wanted for years. GVS Entertainment limited, a consortium of local business men, started work to convert the Old Mecca Bingo Hall into a 2000 capacity music Venue.

Speculation on the name, acts and what is planned have circulated online and across the town. The new owners are now able to release that the official name will be M.E.C.A. Taking its lead from what the venue has been called since its closure over 2 years ago but putting a twist on it that allows people to know exactly what is intend for the venue.

“M.E.C.A will stand for Music Entertainment Cultural Arena”, stated Steve Causer, spokesman for GVS. “We put out a smoke screen name recently to get people talking about the venue, the name and keep the mystery going on what we have planned. MECA has always been the name from the initial time we took the building on, you can search facebook for Swindon Meca and see we have been talking about the project for the past year”.

The announcement of the name comes as the venue is preparing to open its doors for the first time this December.

“Work is on track to be ready by the end of November as we have already announced. We have a number of events that will be announced formally in the next week or so. We have looked hard at what to put on this year to show what the venue wants to cater for and show it off. We look forward to people attending and inputting into what the venue should be offering, looking to bring to the town and more”. Commented Steve

Tickets for the first events will be on sale next week via online ticket agency and via outlets around the town including Swin City Comics on Morley Street.

Showing next at the Ashton Keynes Movie Club

Showing next at our local film club is Four Lions, a story of a group of British jihadists who push their abstract dreams of glory to the breaking point. As the wheels fly off, and their competing ideologies clash, what emerges is an emotionally engaging (and entirely plausible) farce. In a storm of razor-sharp verbal jousting and large-scale set pieces, Four Lions is a comic tour de force; it shows that-while terrorism is about ideology-it can also be about idiots.

"Morris' film is brutally unimpressed with the moral idiocy of suicide bombing and suggests that the only sane response is derisive laughter." The Guardian

Wednesday, 3rd November at 7.30pm

For more information call 0844 776 0001. Tickets available from the Ashton Keynes shop and on the door − £3.50

Don't be late - first come first served!

Certificate 15