Happy Christmas

Happy Christmas to all CADS friends, members, patrons and supporters. May we look forward to some excellent productions next year. Thanks for lots of fun.

Arms and the Man - reading

Do you fancy wearing a costume similar to these - and - er - are male, young and handsome? Then come to a reading of Bernard Shaw's 'Arms and the Man' on Thursday 13th December at 81 Eastgate. Anyone else interested in the production will be welcome also. 7.30ish.
Production aimed for the end of March 2008, directed by Jim Grove

Red Ball, Pink Ball

Perhaps it's global warming and the rising water levels but the market theatre is becoming home to an endangered and fast disappearing species of marsh audience. At least to judge from the few brave web-footed souls who waded to the heart of the swamp to attend Friday evening's CADS Christmas party.

My contribution to thee proceedings involved stumbling through AA Milne's poem about King John's Christmas, which is all about...er...King John and his wish for a big red india rubber ball. It contains the couplet '...when by the window, big and red, there whistled by the royal head and bounced and fell upon the bed, an india rubber ball.'

Well, I was walking yesterday, head down against the gale that was sweeping up Broadway, when bouncing towards me (and almost whistling past) came.....a red ball. 'Apt,' I thought, if a day too late. Anyway I couldn't resist picking it up while looking around for the likely lass or lad to whom it might have belonged, for I discounted the possibility that it might have been lost by a passing Royal. It was not made of india rubber, but of a light plastic, though there is not a lot of difference in the look of the thing in the gathering dusk of a winter afternoon.

As no wailing child hove into view and as I felt a bit silly dropping the ball back on the pavement (I could have got myself arrested for littering) I placed it in my right pocket and continued on my way. Imagine my surprise then when in the middle of Love Lane I should find a pink ball lying at my feet. Had someone been playing snooker in the Heavens? Was there now a whole frame of balls dotted around the Cowbridge streets? I picked up the orphan ball and put it in my left pocket.

I didn't find anymore but if any of you have any information or claim ownership, do please say.

Arms & the man

An earlier blog on this topic is slipping down the charts and will soon disappear, so here is a refresher. The last was widely ignored, so I am beginning to feel lonely. Sob! Is anybody interested in this: there will be a reading of the script with a view to casting parts on Thursday 10th December at 7.30 in the warm at 81 Eastgate, Cowbridge. If you want to read the play, you can find a text at gutenberg.org that can be downloaded and copied freely,or Brenda has copies to borrow. There is also a DVD of the BBC production from about 25 years ago with a youthful Helena Bonham-Carter that is worth seeing (but we can do better). There is still an important gap in our ranks for a "young" officer of artillery (he says he is 35 but I don't believe him), Bluntschli, a splendid part. Do you know of a personable (not necessarily handsome) young man who really, really wants to act but nobody ever asked him? Come on! I know you are out there somewhere!
Committee approval is still required and you know how perverse and capricious the Committee can be. We need a good case, preferably with a convincing looking cast sketched in if we are to compete with all the other projects on the agenda.
Contact Jim on (01446) 771645 or jimgrove81@mac.com.

Blogopolis

As I stumble hesitantly through the thicket of the blog-world I find items which strike me as a very good idea viz. communication lists. Unfortunately I am currently unable to add comments nor indeed to find the comments left by others so perforce I have to create a new entry but it certainly seems like an idea worth considering.
It is also the case that I tried very hard to reduce the font size of this message but on my machine at least it refused to accept my instruction. But then as any student of theatrical history will realise I am very old.

Henslowe

blogphobia

Having successfully managed to leave two comments, I thought it was time to have a go at some thoughts. Upstager gave me a crash course over the phone in posting a message, which I promptly forgot. (It might have had something to do with having just got home from work and having lost the will to live of course.) Somehow this morning I seem to have got onto the page, but I have already forgotten what I did.Perhaps it will be a permanent blindspot for me like the trip to Bristol Airport, made comparatively frequently, but a white-knuckle ride nonetheless. Still I can find my way around Tescos at Culverhouse X, just, so perhaps all is not lost. If I can negotiate my way (with trolley) around that beast, why should I fear a blog and Bristol Airport? OR, if there are others out there like me we could form a splinter group called 'Blogphobics Anonymous'.The possibilities are endless!

A Newcomer

This is Squirrelchaser, new kid on the blog. Please, Upstager, add me to the list of contributors. I've already added a small comment to the "Rotary Quiz" post.
Hello everyone.
By the way, as I feel I know you all well enough, you may call me "Squirry", if you wish.

Prima Donna

All Grandmas and Grandpas will know what this is - a photo of a grandchild on her first stage appearance. This is Joni Glover (a name to watch out for) aged 4 1/2 in her first show 'Pinnocchio' in Bristol. Alas one performance only. She is clutching flowers from her delighted fans.

The France Show

For all those who are lovers of France here is something that might interest you...

http://www.thefranceshow.com/

They tell me there will be live cookery demonstrations by top chef Jean-Christophe Novelli, Caricature artists, seminars on winetasting, book signings by leading authors like Stephen Clarke, live music, sample food dishes from Mon Plaisir and Cafe des Amis restaurants, a TV5 cinema, language lessons, champagne bar and over 20,000 properties for sale.

The answer is at London's Olympia, 18-20th January - where the UK's biggest celebration of France and the French living takes place in the shape of The France Show 2008.

Sound of interest? Then, here's the really great news because if you register for tickets on the France Show's official website (www.thefranceshow.com) before 31st December, your tickets to the Show will be absolutely free - no catches, or gimmicks, absolutely free! The offer allows you and up to five guests to gain entry free - saving you up to £48.

From 1st January 2008, tickets will cost £8 per person, either from the website or on the door on the day.

A big event, expecting over 40,000 visitors, The France Show 2008 will be split into Travel, Food and Wine, Property, Lifestyle and Language and Culture. There'll be full Seminar programmes running throughout each day with leading speakers on aspects of travel in france, learning French and buying and living in France - all are free on a first come first served basis. The property exhibition, meanwhile, will be the largest single French property exhibition held in the UK - no better place to find that dream home you've been promising yourself. The free cookery demonstrations, taking place in the Novelli Academy Food Theatre will also have a six session programme each day, three being carried out by Jean-Christophe Novelli himself, two by his protege Stephen Kitchen and the other by Frank Raymond of Mon Plaisir, the celebrated and oldest french restaurant in London.

Within the mini-Montmartre centrepiece of the Show, visitors will be able to relax with a drink or eating a sample signature dish cooked on the premises by top French restaurants for as little as £3 per dish. And all this while listening to live music and watching caricaturists and painters demonstrate their incredible talents.

The event is being run by top French sector magazine publisher, Archant Life, and sponsored by amongst ohers, Sunday Times, Classic FM, Brittany Ferries, Maison de la France and Rosetta Stone. For full details of all that's going on over the three days, check out the website at www.thefranceshow.com

I also notice if you click on the link there are free tickets....