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REVIEW: Brighton Fringe: Jane Postlethwaite

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Made in Cumbria

Jane Postlethwaite

Downstairs at Nowhere Man is a perfect little venue for this intimate performance of Made in Cumbria by local  funny girl Jane Postlethwaite. Her eclectic mix of characters gave us a peak into a twisted parallel Cumbrian universe where the premise of a coach trip acts as the entry point into this macabre world of missing tourists and northern intrigue.

Jane Postlethwaite is a Funny Women Finalist 2015 and Brighton Comedy Festival Squawker Award Finalist 2015. The inventive characters started with a coach tour guide whose enthusiastic and engaging manner instantly put the passengers at ease, handing out bastardised name tags to authenticate and engage the audience.

Full details of the show here

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The soundtrack drove the narrative well with a roving reporter and local radio station providing a link between characters and adding to the intrigue of the mystery coach disappearance 10 years ago and building to a traumatic climax. Highlights included survival specialist Karroll Karabiner Kavannagh pointing out that just because someone buys you a survival experience doesn’t mean they love you.

Kirsty Bird with her infectious giggle and sad falconry tale delighted me along with the morbid children’s author and illustrator Joy Hope taking us through her childhood autopsy experience, grim but wonderful. Almost all of Postlethwaite characters are believable although the first Northern female astronaut Stella Nova failed to connect.

Follow Jane or check out the rest of her work or upcoming gigs on her rather modern website here

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Overall Made in Cumbria was a hugely enjoyable and quirky show that highlights the inventiveness of Jane Postlethwaite and allows her crepuscular comical Northern charm to shine though and throw some serious shadows in a suitably cosy setting.

REVIEW: FRINGE: The Tiger Lilies – PIAF

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The Tiger Lilies – PIAF

Brighton Spiegeltent

Following their sell-out success at The Royal Opera House last year, Grammy nominated, cult sensations The Tiger Lillies return to Brighton Fringe with a brand new concert inspired by one of their greatest influences, the incomparable Edith Piaf. ‘Piaf was great, electric. She came from the gutter but is one of the best singers ever’ says Martyn Jacques (lead singer)

The Tiger Lillies are a sombre and macabre affair fusing Romany gypsy melodies with frantic beats and just a soupçon of the afterlife – Edith Piaf was this shows muse and focal point of their talented inspired tales. Part grand guignol, part seedy vaudeville, part grunge cabaret, The Tiger Lillies have always been drawn towards the theatrical and this new concert is no exception. Featuring brand new music along with songs made famous by Piaf. They captivated and entranced the audience with their Dia de los Muertos inspired make-up, inventive lyrics, beguiling rhythms and Martin Jacques’ unique and hypnotic vocals.

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The Spiegeltent lighting was on good form tonight with some decently worked out lighting adding to the atmosphere, and Adrian Stout’s accompaniment on musical saw as sweet and bonkers as it needed to be. The Lillies never pay much attention to decorum when they are in full swing and their set ran over the advertised time much to the delight of the crowd, many of whom were clearly avid fans, finishing by taking a number of requests. I for one can never get too much of them.

The King Is Dead was a personal favourite whilst all time classic Banging in the Nails had the audience stomping their feet and the Spiegeltent reverberating in joy. Ah their refreshing iconoclastic joy! They are the Saints of the Festival. The catchy Hamster song getting the biggest laughs of the night with its filthy sexual lyrics. As always their shimmering menace hangs in the air, intoxicating in its unpredictability. Such generous performers. With drummer Jonas Golland was situated off the raised area it was slightly less intimate than they usually feel but once they are in full swing it didn’t really matter.

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The Tiger Lillie’s are a complex, dark acquired taste but an addictive one if they sate your appetite then it was a veritable feast served up at the Spiegeltent on Sunday, no one in the charged up thrilled audience left hungry.

Full details of the performance can be seen here, you can catch them doing this show in London next weekend (11th-12th June) see details here:

For more info or to book tickets for the final weekend of the Brighton Fringe see their website here

 

 

Rainbow fun at Pride’s family diversity area

Families are placed at the heart of Pride’s Carnival Of Diversity celebrations in August as the Pride Family Diversity Area returns to the Preston Park Pride Festival site again this year.

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A warm and welcoming space awaits children of all ages as entertainers and Pride fun makers ensure a glitter-filled day for everyone.

With lots of art and crafts activities, dancing, music and live entertainment planned during the day, this safe, non-alcohol zone is just the ticket for rainbow families to come together, chill and enjoy a proud wiggle.

Set away from the main crowded areas on the festival site, the Pride Family Diversity Area will be a child friendly haven filled with laughter and sunshine.

Meet other families, and enjoy a proud day together. Whether relaxing in the chill out area, engaging with arts and craft activities and face painting, playing giant Jenga or Connect Four, singing along to the Kids Karaoke, getting sporty with table tennis or table football or having a dance at the end of Pride day disco, the fun, safe, and alcohol free Pride Family Diversity Area will be the perfect day out for all the family.

Children must be accompanied at all times whilst in the Family Diversity Area.

Brighton Pride is on Saturday, August 6.

To book tickets, click here:

 

 

Local Government Minister visits Saltdean Lido

Rt Hon Greg Clark MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government visited the Saltdean Lido yesterday.

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Simon Kirby MP, (second left), Rt Hon Greg Clark MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (far right) and Directors of the Saltdean Lido CIC

He was joined by Simon Kirby, MP for Brighton Kemptown & Peacehaven, Rebecca Crook and other directors of the Saltdean Lido Community Interest Company (CIC) to find out about how the project is progressing and received a tour of the building.

The Secretary of State, said: “Simon has been asking me to come and visit Saltdean Lido for ages and it was great to be able to come and see this iconic building firsthand.  I know that Simon has been working together with the CIC group for many years and would like to pay tribute to all their effort and dedication in trying to bring the Lido back into use once again.”

Speaking about the visit, Simon Kirby, said: “I was delighted to show Greg around the Lido. We all want to see the Lido reopened as soon as possible to become a vibrant hub of the community once more.” 

“It was great that he was able to meet representatives of the CIC and was also able to see the external works in progress. These are going really well and we will have a new pool and children’s pool with temporary changing facilities for local people to enjoy next year.”

“The CIC have worked so hard to secure funding including £2.3 million from the Coastal Communities Fund. We do however, need more funding and I will be working together with the CIC to do all I can to help to make the Saltdean Lido a great place for local people and tourists alike to enjoy.”

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