MIDWEEK COLUMN WEDNESDAY 16 AUGUST 2023

previews, reviews, interviews, and recommendations Steve Cooke

MIDWEEK COLUMN WEDNESDAY 16 AUGUST 2023

HOME announce, ‘At HOME with Jerwood’.

PREVIEW By Steve Cooke

HOME have announced the first cohort of resident artists that will be part of their latest Artist Development programme ‘At HOME with Jerwood’ – a transformative support programme for early-career artists in the North West.

This exciting new programme offers a 12-month bespoke residency for selected cross art-form artists to make a step-change in their practice and career. Working closely with the Artist Development team the programme of support will be tailored to the specific needs of each artist, their circumstances, and aspirations.

This year’s artists are:

Manchester based theatre maker and producer Afreena Islam-Wright whose work is rooted in her experience of being the youngest child of old-school Bangladeshi parents. With this residency Afreena hopes to expand her practice and scale up her work by exploring different artistic mediums to tell her stories.

Digital Artist Lisa Mattocks whose work is mainly conceived and created digitally. Lisa experiments with new technologies and makes work in unexpected places. After many years supporting and collaborating with other artists, Lisa wants to focus more rigidly on her own solo creative practice, exploring the use of emerging technologies and creating an interactive online web- exhibit that showcases all the work she never made. Through the project, Lisa hopes to connect with viewers in a unique and accessible way, offering a glimpse into a life and body of work, that as a result of a debilitating illness, would remain unrealised without the power of technology.

Visual artist and storyteller Alina Akbar whose work spans film, photography and installation and explores the complexities of working-class representation and issues of diversity. During her residency Alina would like to further explore the use of film and video with a specific interest in a moving image project that looks at faith behind bars: how having an existing faith shapes people’s experience of life in prison and how prison might have an impact on people converting to a faith.

Manchester based, Bermuda born Gherdai Hassell a multidisciplinary contemporary artist who uses mixed media techniques to thread and weave layers of history and the complexities of Caribbean heritage and identity. Gherdai will use this residency to expand her artistic practice with a specific focus on sculptural and textile work, with a particular interest in post- and anti-colonial histories via the intersections of gender, nationality, race, and Afro-futurism.

A call out for the second cohort of residency artists will be live in the autumn (2023).

At HOME with Jerwood is supported by Jerwood Developing Artists Fund and the Noël Coward Foundation.

HOME is Manchester’s centre for international contemporary culture. Since opening in May 2015, HOME has welcomed over three million visitors to its two theatres, five cinemas, art gallery, book shop and restaurants. HOME works with international and UK artists to produce extraordinary theatrical experiences, producing an exciting mix of thought-provoking drama, dance, and festivals, with a strong focus on international work, new commissions, and talent development.

Visit: www.homemcr.org

TLC with EDANE NG piano

Review by Dr Joe Dawson

The TLC audience braved thunderstorms to welcome the Malaysian pianist, Edane (E-da-nee) Ng, first class honours RNCM graduate, gold prize winner of the Asia Music Competition 2015 and the 6th Asian Youth Music Competition in Malaysia. About to tour the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Poland she has been UK-based since 2017.

She founded "The Daring Artists," that combines classical music and animation to raise awareness for social causes such as child neglect, deforestation, and corporate power abuse; supported by Help Musicians UK, the RNCM, and Manchester International Festival.

Visit www.thedaringartists.com and www.edaneng.com.

Edane’s delightful programme took us through 300 years of piano music beginning with JS Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in C sharp (yes, 7 sharps, folks!) of 1722.

Then the nineteenth century Romanticism of Schumann’s Fantasiestücke Op.12 and Brahms Rhapsodies Op.79 No.2, and Op.117, all played beautifully and well suited to the resident vintage 1933 Challen grand piano.

Come the twentieth century and Bartok’s Suite Op.14 Nos 1-3, an exciting and vibrant exploration of the piano’s percussive qualities.

In conclusion Edane brought us bang up to date with the atmospheric piece, A distant voice of rainforest by Ng Chong Lim. Enchanting and impressionistic, this called on improvisation skills and making use of the piano strings.

The Queen’s Award-winning Toad Lane Concerts every Wednesday at 12.30pm at the Grade 1 listed church of St Mary in the Baum, Toad Lane, Rochdale, OL16 1DZ. Entrance fee is £6. Contact 01706 648872 for further information.

Falinge Writing Group Celebration Event

REVIEW By SEAMUS KELLY

An afternoon of celebratory performance at the Cooperative Museum on Toad Lane in Rochdale marked the culmination of a yearlong project the the Falinge Park Writing Group. The project, led by group founder Eileen Earnshaw, had looked at heritage and culture with a particular focus on Rochdale and the surrounding ares. During the year the group had worked with invited guest speakers, attended cultural events, including theatrical performances, and had visited Chetham’s Library and the Cooperative Heritage Centre in Manchester.

Eileen Earnshaw has compiled some of the writing produced by group members during the project into an anthology, “As We Were”, which was also launched as part of this event.

A packed two-hour programme included readings writing from group members Glenis Meeks, Maureen Harrison, Jo Wood, Eileen Earnshaw and Seamus Kelly, and pre-recorded video of poems from Chris Green.

Interspersed with the poetry were clog dancing performances from local group Oakenhoof, led by Helen Davis. The group selected music and dances with connections to the themes from the poetry.

More musical entertainment was provided by “The Ukuteers” an enthusiastic ukulele group playing tunes and singing along as they performed several songs, and the U3A (University of the 3rd Age) choir who performed several traditional songs.

Local writer, Michael Higgins, who had previously facilitated a workshop for the group, read some of his own poetry in an homage to Lord Byron of Rochdale and the event was rounded off with an excellent spoken word set from Sid Calderbank, an excellent writer and reciter of Lancashire dialect pieces, who had themed his choices around creativity and writing.

Audience reactions were very positive and included lots of praise for the variety and quality of the writing and suggestions that they should be shared more widely.

The group will now take a short Summer Break and will return with a new project with a focus on food, in September 2023, meeting each Thursday at Vintage Worx in Falinge Park, Rochdale from 10am to noon. All are welcome to attend these sessions; further details from Eileen – eileen.earnshaw@yahoo.co.uk and Seamus – seamus@onepoetsvision.co.uk

RECOMMENDED

Thursday 17 August

Get It ON

It’s time to bang a gong and Get it On for – one night of glam rock!

From the producers who brought you hit show – Lost in Music!

Girls rock your boys as we bring you the biggest glam rock show of a generation!

An outrageous celebration of a golden age, live on stage. The costumes, the make-up, the music.

You ain’t seen nothing yet! So, bring your tiger feet and join us for a night like no other.

We will transport you back to a time dreams were made of! Featuring the biggest hits from T.Rex, Mud, Slade, Bowie, Suzi Quattro, Wizzard, Sweet and many more. Come on feel the noize and dress to impress for this feel-good show of the year!

This is a tribute show and is in no way affiliated with any original artists/estates/management companies or similar shows. Promoter reserves the right to alter the programme.

Tickets from £28

Phone: Middleton Arena

0300 303 8633 

Visit: https://www.yourtrustrochdale.co.uk/whats-on/events/get-it-on/

7.30pm

Middleton Arena, LCpl Joel Halliwell VC Way, Middleton M24 1AG

Thursday 17 August - Saturday 19 August

Visit Fireground Museum

Join us at Fireground this week to discover Greater Manchester's firefighting story.

Fire museum attractions are on show inside the museum including our collection of historic firefighting artefacts from the 18th century to present day, plus home-made refreshments in the new Fireground Café, and souvenirs from our fantastic new gift shop! We have a wide choice ranging from toddler to collector.

Fireground is open to visitors on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, 10am - 4pm.

Under 4s are free, Children (aged 4-15) and Concessions £5, Adults £7, and Family (4 people) £20.

Phone: Fireground 01706 341219

Visit: https://www.fireground.org.uk/

Open Thursday, Friday & Saturday from 10am - 4pm

Fireground, Maclure Road, Rochdale OL11 1DN

Sunday 20 August

Hollingworth Lake Craft and Wellbeing Fair

The popular Hollingworth Lake Craft and Wellbeing Fairs are back at a new lakeside location.

Join them on Lake Bank for the best handmade goods or treat yourself to a relaxing complementary therapy.

Find them on Facebook- Hollingworth Lake Arts and Crafts

Free

Phone: Karen Hill 01706 922132

10am - 2pm

Hollingworth Lake, Lake Bank Road, Littleborough OL15 0DN

Sunday 20 August

Leyla Mae's Day

Family fun day to raise money for families with critically ill children, whilst generating awareness.

DJ and live music (DJ Webby, The State and Aidan Egerton), HDK & HDH dance groups, Family entertainment, Food, Bar, Face painting, Penalty shootout, Guess the bear's name, Balloon release, Raffle and tombola, Wet sponge throwing, and many more activities.

Please note it is a cash only event.

All help, donations, sponsors, and volunteers are welcome.

Sponsored by Specsavers and Goodmix.

Visit: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091856527056

2pm

Heywood St James AFC, Shepherd Street, Heywood OL10 1JW

celebrating creative arts and artists - an oasis of positivity supporting individual and community wellbeing.

https://www.allacrossthearts.com