twilightdawning

A writer's thoughts – mainly about music, sport and theatre. Shakespeare, Bob Dylan, live shows, New York Yankees

The Shakespearience Too at Ravenscourt Arts

Posted on April 7, 2015 by twilightdawning

Presenting Shakespeare for ages 10-14 (i.e. the ages before they start formally studying the writer for exams in school) is not an easy task but it is a challenge that I have set myself over these last six years and I have to say with some degree of success.

This year was our largest project to date. With 1600-1700 young people signed up to attend and with our troupe now firmly esconced in our own theatre at Ravenscourt Arts, we decided to strip back to basics and bring in a new cast to work with a new script. Time to take some risks.

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Songs and Stories

Posted on March 13, 2015 by twilightdawning

Who: Judie Tzuke

What: Songs and Stories

Where: Ravenscourt Arts, Hammersmith

When: 20th February 2015

Ravenscourt Arts is a delightful little venue. Seating 160 with immaculate sound reproduction, great lights, an engaging atmosphere and well-thought-out design, it is a great place to host a concert. Consequently, it is the ideal place for the kind of tasty dish that was served up on Friday night.

Tonight is the “secret” launch night for Judie Tzuke’s first ever full acoustic tour in a long and successful career. There’s some joke about the “pineapple gig” that the all-invited audience seem to be in on but we don’t need to dwell on that. What we have is an acoustic set which spans the bases from the debut album “Welcome to the Cruise” right up to the as-yet-unreleased “Woman Overboard”.

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Down To The Waters’ Edge

Posted on February 20, 2015 by twilightdawning

Who: The Daughters of Davis

Where: Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith

When: 18th February 2015

Being piggy-in-the-middle on a three act bill is never an enviable task but when even the opening act is allowed access to the higher ranges on the volume sliders of the mixing desk that you’re not and the top act’s target audience is very different from your own then it’s somewhat more problematic.

But having said that Daughters of Davis blew everyone else off stage when it came to artistic integrity and provided a great set for an audience who entered not really caring who they were and exited won over in some numbers.

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The Shakespearience Too!

Posted on February 19, 2015 by twilightdawning

In the second half of March, our theatre “Ravenscourt Arts” will host “The Shakespearience Too”.

This is the latest venture for our own production company “The Shakespearience” which Darren Hirst founded in 2009 to present an introduction to Shakespeare for young people of pre-GCSE school age.

When the Shakespearience first began to work together, it was actors, a tour bus and props but since our own theatre opened, life has been much easier.

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Chasing that Goose!

Posted on December 22, 2014 by twilightdawning

What: Goose Chase

Who: Riding Lights Theatre Company

Where: Ravenscourt Arts

When: 9th December 2014

This was Ravenscourt Arts’ (a new venue in Hammersmith) first attempt to stage a play / pantomime for families with young children. This reviewer attended two performances on this date – a free daytime one for local school children which was packed and a evening one which carried a ticket price for which there was a good number of spare seats.

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Time Lapse in Hammersmith

Posted on November 4, 2014 by twilightdawning

Mostly Hackett but things turned a little Autumnal too.

What: Steve Hackett

Supported by Mostly Autumn (acoustic)

Where: Hammersmith Apollo

When: 1 November 2014

It was February 1984 and a close friend and I went to see Genesis at the NEC in Birmingham. Collins, Rutherford, Banks. I’d been a Genesis fan for about six years. Loved “Seconds Out”, “Wind And Wuthering” and “Duke”. Didn’t like the production on “Trick of the Tail”. Found “….And Then There Were Three” a bit of a mixed bag. Then I discovered the Gabriel years and my perception of the band began to change. “Trespass”, “Nursery Cryme” and “Foxtrot” joined “Duke” as my favourite Genesis albums.

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British Soul

Posted on October 20, 2014 by twilightdawning

Who: Daughters of Davis, supported by Lánre

Where: Ravenscourt Arts, Hammersmith, London

When: October 11th, 2014

About a year ago I heard an interview with a fairly major music industry figure who when asked what he would like to be doing if he wasn’t doing that interview, said he would like to be at home listen to the harmonies of the “Daughters of Davis”. Time to find out about the Daughters of Davis, I thought. Located them on the internet. Ordered their cd and dvd (I’m the archetypal guy who like to have the solid item in both hands. Not much time for mp3s here). Nearly a year later, it’s time to see them in concert. Can they cut the mustard live?

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Carry the news…..

Posted on October 13, 2014 by twilightdawning

Who: Ian Hunter and the Rant Band

Where: Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London

When: October 4th 2014

So we gathered at the front of the stage with all the old dudes, waiting for the band to take the stage and wondering what Mr Hunter would serve up for us tonight. In truth, it was to prove fairly predictable. But predictable isn’t always a bad thing if it comes with passions — and this did. Ian told us he has nothing new to sell. So consequently, we were treated to a collection of his best solo moments, and all the great Mott the Hoople hits from long ago and a smattering of more obscure songs from both eras to please the most dedicated fans.

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On the Jersey Shore

Posted on July 17, 2014 by twilightdawning

What: Jersey Boys

When: 20th June 2014

Where: Cineworld, Hammersmith, London

I’ve been a big fan of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons since the 1970s. I live in London. The musical of “Jersey Boys” opened in the West End of London in 2008. It has never occurred to me to go and see the musical. But here I was on the opening day of the “Jersey Boys” film release with my large bag of popcorn (and I mean large!) waiting for the film to start. Life is full of curious choices.

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Folk ‘n’ Magic

Posted on June 23, 2014 by twilightdawning

What: Cordner and Rudolph supported by Perkelt

Where: Ravenscourt Arts, Hammersmith, London

When: June 11, 2014

This show promised to be an unusual and cosmopolitan evening of folk music and it didn’t disappoint. The main act came from Northern Ireland and France, the support from the Czech Republic and in the show there was something for everyone.

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