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IN ADDITION TO OUR GENERAL PERFORMANCES, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF SET SHOWS AS DESCRIBED BELOW. |
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WHERE THE
WORKING BOATS WENT
CD DETAILS: click here |
FROM MARCH 2009 TO MARK 250
YEARS OF THE CANAL SYSTEM IN “Impeccably performed. One of my Sidmouth
highlights… I thoroughly enjoyed it… The perfect end to my working week.” Ralphie (folk musician & sound engineer at
The Manor Pavilion, Sidmouth 2011) “What a great show. The combination of story and song (and
pictures) made a truly unforgettable evening - not to mention your dance!“ Richard Thomas of Hertfordshire IWA and
‘Friends of President’ “I was really blown away by your presentation” Celia Byham,
social secretary of Herts. Branch IWA “How could anyone not enjoy your brilliant, witty show” Martin Bryan, Friends of The “There were many theme
concerts (at Jan Ivarson of Eken Morris
( “The best history of 250 years of the canals” Ray Smith, EMYC Boaters "What a fantastic way to teach history - I want to put on
something like that back home" Debbie, musician from “We had nothing but compliments on your performance… It was well
paced, nicely broken by pieces of appropriate humour, and not a wasted
moment! …many of the audience were local people who really didn't know what
to expect, and you kept them riveted throughout the whole show” Tim Brooks (swhertsnarrowboat.org.uk) "Cracking songs" Kate Saffin,
Theatre In The Dock, Banbury “It’s a great concept and a great set of songs” James Blatchley,
Chorley
FM Folk Show “I've been trying to see this show for a long time and I was not
disappointed; the quality and variety of your songwriting is amazing,
especially around a theme, and it has always inspired me; your ability to
bring social history to life is (also) amazing, you can sing, play your own
instruments and do sexy dancing… well done indeed.” Ross Scrivener, Barton-le-Clay Folk Club “Great music from a time when life was at a slower pace brought
to life by these guys....” Colin Smith, The Countryfolk
Show, Wythenshawe FM ...and from other audience
members: “Best entertainment ever!” "I can't believe how much we learnt about the canals from
that show" "It was like something from Lark Rise to Candleford" “Thanks for a brilliant show… we both thoroughly enjoyed it and
thought your singing, playing and presentation fabulous” “It was a brilliant evening”
“You brought back so many happy memories” AS
SEEN AT ·
SIDMOUTH FOLK WEEK ·
·
BROADSTAIRS FOLK WEEK ·
·
CHIPPENHAM FOLK FESTIVAL ·
SHEPLEY FOLK FESTIVAL ·
WHITE HORSE FOLK FESTIVAL ·
THE ·
THE ·
THEATRE IN THE DOCK, BANBURY ·
THE ·
THE SETTLEMENT, LETCHWORTH ·
LEIGHTON-LINSLADE ARTS FESTIVAL …among
other places It
is music from this show which won us the FATEA Tradition 09 Award which… “…is
presented to the act that have traditional folk at
the root of their sound and use it to inspire new songs, tunes and
arrangements.” > SEE PHOTOS HERE < The canals seem to have been with us
forever but the first ‘modern’ canal was commissioned by the 3rd
Duke of Bridgewater in 1759. ‘Canal Mania’ swept the country when people
could see the benefits of water transport for the products of the Industrial
Revolution. A decline and almost complete demise in the 1950s saw a
reinvention of the waterways as a leisure facility but, with an eye for the
‘green’ option, could we see a return of some cargoes to the waterways? This
show in song, drama, music, and dance tells the history of the canals through
the eyes of the canal folk themselves at different periods of the canals’
history. The show contains 12 new songs, some rarely heard and some old
favourites as well as many genuine canal stories and canal facts. The
show is in two 45 minute (approx.) parts with an interval: PART
1 Set in the
early 1870s. Two No.1s meet on the canalside and discuss life on the cut for themselves and
their forebears. PART
2 Set in the
late 1950s, about 10 years after the Nationalisation of the waterways. Two boatmen in a canalside
pub consider how life on the canals has changed since their fathers’ day and
how it might be in the future. Script by Graeme Meek. Additional
material by > SEE PHOTOS HERE <
You can hear two songs from this show:
at our Myspace
website. Click
here. You can find words and music to the songs
from the show at: Our thanks to Mike Stone of the Grantham Canal Society and Richard
Thomas of Friends
of President for their agreement in using photographs from
their websites. > SEE PHOTOS HERE < VIDEOS OF PARTS OF THE SHOW
AVAILABLE ON YOUTUBE ·
Iced In ·
Where The Working Boats Went With thanks to Tony Haynes SOURCES OF INFORMATION For the principal sources used in the
writing and compilation of this show click here. |
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TREASURES
OF THE
HEARTLANDS
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> A MULTIMEDIA PRESENTATION < AS
SEEN AT TOWERSEY FOLK FESTIVAL Let’s face it,
Bedfordshire is one of those counties that most people know very little
about! It lies 30 miles to the north of London and is undistinguished by major
historical event – or is it? Did you know that midsummer bonfires were once
lit on Dunstable Downs? Do you know why the brewer, Charles Wells, gave up a
promising career at sea to start the famous brewery? Or that mineral water
was once produced in the town of Flitwick, and that
a highwayman called Henry Claydon once lived there?
There is a wealth of history of local customs, characters and events just
waiting to be discovered. This is where Life & Times come in. With our
performance of songs about Bedfordshire stories, customs and legends you will
be informed, enlightened and entertained. Who knows..? You might even want to
go there! Under the title Treasures of the Heartlands, we
can perform a show of Bedfordshire music and songs timed to your requirements. |
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THE SINGING,
DANCING YEAR
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> > REDBORNSTOKE MORRIS < AS
SEEN AT CHIPPENHAM FOLK FESTIVAL SHREWSBURY FOLK FESTIVAL A show combining the music and song of Life & Times with the dance of Redbornstoke Morris and a guest appearance by Mummers side The Brafront Guizers.
The show takes us through the year via song, Morris and Mummers
traditions. An audio-visual spectacular! SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY |
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Also… SHOWS FOR SCHOOLS (KS1, 2 and 3 to Year 8) Click |
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