2007 Project Archive

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FREE WILLOW LANTERN WORKSHOPS: December 2007. Two weekends at Albert Road Primary School, Ramsey.

These very popular FREE workshops gave families and friends an opportunity to design and make their own willow lanterns to parade through Parliament Street, Ramsey during the Christmas Parade.

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LUKE WRIGHT: POET & MAN October 2007

At just 25 Luke Wright is one the UK’s most successful stand-up poets. With a combination of witty accessibility and a mean acerbic streak Wright entertained a capacity audience at the Villa Marina Colonnade Suite, ably supported by local band Stone Creation.

Luke's visit to the Island included: two weeks of workshops with English/Drama students from all of the Island's secondary schools; an inset session for teachers and pupils; and an evening with the IOM Poetry Society. His visit culminated with a Stand-Up Poetry Night at Ramsey Grammar School, when students shared the fruits of their labours with their peers. Watch this space for samples of the poems that resulted from the workshops.

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THE ISLE OF MAN FILM FESTIVAL, including Young Film Maker of Mann and Short Film Competition, took place between 6-9 September 2007.

THE FESTIVAL began with Silents is Golden when Professor John Hodson and Doctor Andy Minion presented a History of the Silent Screen - an evening of genteel and educative silent pieces included assorted merriments and frivolities from Mr Chaplin and Mr Keaton! Instructional scenes of daily life! Spectacles and diversions of the ancient world! Battles! Love! Thrills! Terrors! And much more besides! All Kinematic Spectacles were Presented In The Miracle Of Kinematic Projection And Elucidated Upon By Dr Minion While Accompanied On The Electrical Omniphone By Professor Hodson.

NEXT on the agenda was Under the Stars, organised in conjunction with IOM Film. This was an opportunity to enjoy a picnic and watch two great movies on a 35ft screen in the beautiful grounds of The Nunnery in Douglas. On Friday, a near capacity crowd sang-along and danced at the showing of Grease and on Saturday a sell-out audience marvelled at the exploits of James Bond in Casino Royale..

Some feedback, via email: "I attended the showing of Grease on Friday night with two friends, and I felt compelled to write and let you know that we had an absolutely brilliant time. The weather was good, the wine flowed, we sang at the top of our voices, did the actions to Grease Lightening and a girl sitting close to us even got up and started dancing at one point ! I do hope that you will arrange to have more 'Under the Stars' weekends. Kind regards Lynsey Hall"

THE FESTIVAL culminated with the Short Film Competition and the Young FilmMaker of Mann Showcases at The Manx Museum. Winner of the Short Film Competition was Exquisite Corpse by John Craine who receives a trophy and £250. Winner of the Young FilmMaker of Mann Competition was Nathan Russell-Raby with Lycanthrope. Nathan receives a prize of £200 and the Young FilmMaker of Mann trophy.

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The inaugural Arts Council Summer Arts Scheme took place between 30th July and 30th August and the following workshops were well attended by enthusiastic participants.

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CREATIVE WRITING

A group of 12-16 year olds discovered their writing talent in this fascinating and fun workshop run by workshop leader and author Janni Howker.

PAINT A MURAL

11-16 year olds designed and created their own mural for Ramsey Youth Centre. They developed their painting skills, their eye for design and left their mark for years to come under the leadership of local artist Carola Colley.

CREATE A COMIC

Eight 11-16 year olds completed their own comics. This was an unique workshop run by renowned cartoonist Steve Donald of Viz fame.

STREET DANCE

These were fun and energetic weekly sessions to introduce 11-16 year olds to one of the most vibrant and exciting forms of dance, with workshop leader David Cowley.

TWO FILM SCHOOLS ENABLED 12 - 23 YEAR OLDS TO MAKE A FILM FOR FREE!

Krista Magee led these workshops, offering the opportunity to learn about scriptwriting, storyboarding, filming, editing and animation as they made their own films!

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FREE BRASS BAND AND MANX MUSIC SUMMER SEASONS AT THE VILLA MARINA May - September 2007.

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CRUEL SEA by John Faye 12th July 2007 at The Gaiety Theatre

1939 Liverpool. Dicky and Sam are two young scousers eager to follow in the footsteps of their fathers and countless other Liverpudlians. They want to see the world. They want a life of adventure in the Merchant Navy. And nothing is going to stop them. Not the U-Boats. Not the Luftwaffe. Not even their mums.

Celebrating their indomitable spirit, heroism and humour, Cruel Sea was inspired by the living memories and experiences of Liverpool's and the Isle of Man's war-time Merchant Navy and the people who experienced World War II.

Directed by Rebecca Ross-Williams

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THE HALLÉ 7th & 8th July 2007

July 2007 saw the return of this outstanding orchestra, with two completely different concerts.

Saturday's concert began with Grieg's Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, followed by Raphael Oleg with a stunning rendition of Bruch's Violin Concerto No.1. The second half consisted of Dvorak Symphony No.7. The conductor for the evening was Cristian Mandeal.

On Sunday it was A Pirate's Life for Me!, a family concert presented by Alasdair Malloy and conducted by Rory Macdonald. Avast me hearties! was the cry, as Captain Malloy press-ganged children of all ages into an afternoon of pirates, sailors, ships and all things nautical. The afternoon started with a parade of splendidly costumed pirates parading into the Royal Hall to the accompaniment of the orchestra playing The Pirate March. What followed was an exciting programme of music from The Little Mermaid, Pirates of the Caribbean, Jamaican Rumba, A Pirate's Life for Me and much more, punctuated by dancing, singing and lots of laughter from both the delighted audience and the orchestra who were having as much fun as everyone else!

Some feedback from the Halle concerts ......

"Wonderful concert by the Halle - I have never heard the National Anthem played so well in my life let alone the rest of the concert. I think everyone really enjoyed it." C. Glover, via email.

"The Halle Pirate's Life for Me family concert was absolutely outstanding - my five year old son was captivated from start to finish, enthusiastically conducting the orchestra with his pirate's sword. To see all of the children (and some of the adults) in pirate's costumes was a delight. What an excellent introduction to classical music for children of all ages. With many thanks for bringing this great idea to the Island." K. Shaw, via email.

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THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES at Peel Castle: 21-24 June 2007

The Hound of the Baskervilles was created by Simon Corble and his Midsommer Actors' Company in 1995 and was the company's most successful and popular walkabout production, touring to wild outdoor locations. The original cast was brought back together for these 2007 performances and Peel Castle was the perfect location in every way, with its eerie atmosphere, surrounding moorland and ruined buildings. The first scene took place on the site of St Peter's Church, right in the middle of Peel, and involved the local community in the creation of a late Victorian country fair. There were several scenes within the castle grounds, becoming more spookily atmospheric as the evening progressed and darkness fell.....

For a review of the production, please click here.

Some feedback from The Hound of the Baskervilles ......

"The Hound of the Baskervilles was superbly produced. Enjoyed every minute of it – even somewhat chilly! I often found myself thinking I was actually “there”, watching the real thing, walking to the castle with the pony and trap, delivering the guests in and among us. The seagulls, the fire, Murphy with his stunt-like actions and fabulous jig. All players well cast and a lot of attention to details – even the guide with her colourful umbrella. Splendid all round and full marks to everyone." Jane Fulton, Questionnaire

"What a wonderful night’s entertainment. I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun. The acting was very much in the pantomime mould with lots of booing and hissing. Great fun. As it got darker the wandering around the castle grounds became an entertainment in itself, with people getting caught short half way through a picnic, lots of frantic grabbing of food ,cutlery and usual picnic paraphernalia to stumble off into the darkness to the next site. Certainly a way to make friends quickly and easily with everyone pitching in to help." Juanita (saw the opening night), email

"Thank you to yourself and to all involved in The Hound. Cameron had a great time and learnt a lot. Our whole family enjoyed the production on Sat night. Well done, we look forward to the next one. Sue Skidmore, by text message to Company Excellent – well acted, lovely costumes. Perfect setting. Shame about the cold weather." Theo & Kath Whittaker, Questionnaire

".............. I can honestly say I thought it was excellent! ....." Valerie Caine, journalist, email

"I was at the 'Hound of the Baskervilles' on Sunday night and must say how much I enjoyed your performance. As you had no microphones I was particularly impressed by the projected diction in an outdoor setting. Well done. I am attaching a photo that I took which conveys the setting." John Hall, email

"Great evening. Thank You. Mr & Mrs Tatlow Questionnaire

"We had a wonderful evening. The way the landscape of Peel Castle was utilised as scenery was most imaginative and successful. The actors did a great job of using it, and their talent at being totally believable different characters was great. The actors projected their voices so clearly – lovely not to see microphones. Altogether a memorable evening. Thank you." Anon, Questionnaire.

"The recent Peel Castle production was an excellent evenings’ entertainment, enjoyed by three generations of our family. The full use of the castle grounds and surroundings was spot on, ensuring that the atmosphere complemented every scene. The cast were all superb and the balance between drama and humour very well maintained throughout. The resident seagull played his part very well! Heard a few grumbles about having to walk about between scenes but we had done our homework and were well aware of this beforehand. I thought that the stewarding and speedy placement of the audience was undertaken with efficiency, no mean task with narrow pathways etc."Doreen Smith, email To Found Theatre & Arts Council

"It was great using the local talent, and the setting was magical. Great show, enjoyed it a lot, come again. Many thanks."Geoff, Doreen & Nicola Dixon

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LIKE THE WIND, commissioned by the Arts Council from renowned composer Barry Russell to commemorate the Centenary of the TT, was performed at the Peel Bay Festival on 2nd June 2007 on the same bill as Bonnie Tyler, Chris Norman and Robin Gibb.

The night began with a performance of "Like The Wind" an exciting, celebratory piece of music featuring two rock bands, massed brass, wind and percussion groups. The piece reflected the various aspects of the TT - tension and build up before the race, revving up, riding like the wind, and wide open spaces. During the three months leading up to the 2007 TT Festival Barry Russell worked with two local rock bands (Chiaroscura and Stone Creation), brass and wind musicians drawn from the Douglas Town Band and the IOM Wind Orchestra, and a community group who formed the percussion section playing recycled blue plastic tubs in the manner of Japanese Taiko drummers. Click here to see a review of the performance on the Peel Bay Festival website.

Click here to view pictures of the "Like the Wind" team

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RAMBERT DANCE COMPANY appeared at The Gaiety Theatre in March 2007

Divine Influence

This intimate duet is a fast-moving, passionate encounter that bristles with comic tension and moments of intense tenderness. Created by Rambert dancer/choreographer Martin Joyce, Divine Influence is performed to the third movement of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata.

Judgment of Paris

Set to extracts from Kurt Weill's Threepenny Opera, Antony Tudor's Judgment of Paris is a sardonic take on the classical myth. In this black comedy, the three women are no longer goddesses but tired, tawdry floozies, competing for the attentions of a drunken client in a seedy nightclub. This little Tudor gem was first performed by Rambert in 1940 and has been revived on several occasions since.

Stand and Stare

To mark the 30th anniversary of the death of revered British artist, LS Lowry, Rambert was commissioned by The Lowry, Salford to create a new work that embodies LS Lowry's art and world view. Former artistic director of Phoenix Dance Theatre, Darshan Singh Bhuller, has choreographed the work, taking his inspiration from LS Lowry's approach to his paintings and response to his surroundings.

Constant Speed

Mark Baldwin's Einstein-inspired Constant Speed has Rambert's dancers whizzing around the stage like hyperactive molecules, in a joyous and athletic frenzy of movement. Performed to sparkling waltzes by Franz Lehar, this ingenious and witty piece succeeds in making physics fun. With cheeky costumes and vibrant lighting, this hugely entertaining and popular work is set in a prismatic landscape of colour.

To visit the Rambert Dance Company Website click here.

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YOUNG DANCER OF MANN 2007

The Young Dancer of Mann Final took place at The Studio Theatre in March, with the overall winner being Sophie Campbell. Age Group Winners were Sophie Campbell 12-15; Alison Lloyd 16 - 19; and Jon Walker 8 - 11. Sophie Campbell and Jon Walker are pictured with Barbara Gale of the Arts Council. Sophie receives the Dixon Hughes Trophy for one year and £100 prize.

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TAUDEVIN DANCE COMPANY January 2007

The Taudevin Dance Company returned to the Isle of Man by popular demand after performing to full houses in 2006. Their performances left capacity audiences in awe of their energy and professionalism. Taudevin is renowned for its versatility and its 2007 European touring production was no exception. With a programme containing excerpts from the classical ballet "Swan Lake" (the Black Swan) as well as song and dance numbers from major musicals and films including "Night Fever", "Mama Mia", "Chicago", "Grease", "Rent" and "Forbidden Broadway" (the "Cats" audition). The programme included uniquely choreographed contemporary ballet, classical Spanish, tap, jazz and street jazz routines accompanied by versatile vocal performances.

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