Saturday 9 July (8pm)

‘A Voyage round my Father’ with Shepperton Players
The first night of this year’s Arts Festival was the last night of Shepperton Players’ run of John Mortimer’s A Voyage round my Father at the RAC. As always in a Shepperton Players production the curtain rose on wonderful set – this time a beautiful garden set which became various locations as the play progressed.

A cast of nine played out the story of Mortimer’s father’s life’s work at the bar.  Steve Lewis brought out the deliciously wicked remarks of the blind, aging barrister, with Gill Lambourn, his wife, coping with his various idiosyncrasies. Standing aside from this sometimes maddening father, the son, Alex Johnson, from the side of the stage, lovingly told the story.

The remaining cast members created their roles in the outside world as Mortimer senior touched or interfered with their lives. Carrie Millinger and Katherine Lewis played the pair of lesbians who nobly survived living next door; Ron Millinger was the keeper of cheques in his private drawer at Mortimer’s son’s chambers as he tried to follow his father into the law.

The opening scene of the second half saw a stage full of virtually every cast member trying to film a few minutes of a promotional film while others were trying to fill a few minutes of a promotional film for the ATS at the beginning of the war. This tiny bit of the play was stolen by Olwen Home and Carrie.

Diana Denton-Baker, the director, found the right tempo for telling the life-story of the fascinating character to his death. In spite of his father’s foibles and irascibility, without him, his son was lonely.

Sunday 10 July (3pm)

Piano Recital by Peter Croser
This was an inspired piano recital by eminent local pianist Peter Croser. All the pieces in this fascinating and varied programme were performed with a poetic eloquence which drew the audience into the heart of each musical message. And what a musical journey it was! As Peter himself said during his interspersed narrative, ‘I hope to have designed a programme in which everyone can find something to enjoy’.  What was remarkable was that he succeeded in expressing the unique musical voice of each of the six composers featured.

First, the grace and wit of Haydn’s sonata in D major, two brilliant and sparkling movements enfolding a grave inner section.

Next, three Liszt transcriptions; one a Schubert ‘Soirée de Vienne’ – truly music for the moment ‘they took up the carpet and danced’, but with some wistful moments.  Then a transcription of a Chopin song , ‘Mes Joies’, with a more yearning, tender feel. Finally the more familiar setting of one of Liszt’s own songs, Sonetto 104 del Petrarca, with its noble but poetic strength and perhaps the piece where the real voice of Liszt was most evident .

Three pieces by Brahms followed: Two Intermezzi, Opus 118 and the G minor Rhapsody, were darker pieces, while the wistful phrases of No 2 remain in the memory along with the more open expressiveness of the Rhapsody .

For me the highlight of the recital were the four Albéniz pieces which not only portrayed the colourful scenes of Spain but also the sensuous passion of that country’s music and dance; first the fiery dance ‘Sevilla’, next the evocative ‘Cordova’ with its hints of night breezes and guitars, then the muted but passionate ‘Tango’ and finally, Castilla , a brilliant tarantella-style movement .

Debussy’s ‘Reflets dans l’eau ‘ was a floating and shimmering miracle of expressionism, though Peter reminded us that Debussy himself was not necessarily in favour of being linked directly to the Impressionist painters of his time. This was followed by the familiar ‘Golliwog’s Cake-walk’.

The last item in the recital was indeed something completely different, William Alwyn’s Sonata alla Toccata from 1951. It is a nimble, optimistic piece, probably reflecting the spirit of the Festival of Britain that year. Its generally brisk tempi were interlaced with reflective moments. How refreshing it was to end with music which was new to most of the audience and which provided such a different musical palette from what had gone before.

We left the Riverside Arts Centre having travelled a musical journey of many styles and moods, which Peter had illuminated for us in an eloquent recital which ended with the bonus encore of Liszt’s ‘Liebesträum’.

Tuesday 12 July
(all day)

Ukulele Workshop and Concert with Clive Harvey
 This workshop was a great success for the seven children, between the ages of 6 and 12, who took part.
 
Clive, a full-time musician, songwriter and teacher of the ukulele and guitar, took the youngsters on a journey through learning to hold the ukulele correctly, playing chords and finally mastering the technique of strumming.  He listened to and instructed the children individually as well as within a group and even instructed a mum on how to guide and help her six-year-old daughter play the instrument at home.
 
By the end of the workshop even children with no previous knowledge of the instrument were able to play the verse and chorus of ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’ which was successfully performed during their concert that evening.  Indeed the children had developed their skills so well that Clive decided to add ‘Isn’t it Quiet in the Country’ to their performance.
 
The concert was in two parts: a short history of the ukulele and then a performance of a variety of songs and instrumentals by Clive. The children accompanied him with ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’ and ‘Isn’t it Quiet in the Country’ which included enthusiastic audience participation.  
 
With a ukulele costing between £20 to £25 this instrument is proving extremely popular and is also a very enjoyable introduction to a musical instrument. 

Wednesday 13 July (8pm)

Concert of Early Music given by Aurora in St Nicholas Church, Shepperton
‘Music for a while shall all your cares beguile’, begins Henry Purcell’s famous song, a sentiment that perfectly captured the mood of the festival’s third musical event, a concert given by Aurora (recorder player Maria Sanger and lutenist Dawn Johnston).

The intimate scale of the music and the sensitivity of the performances were enhanced by the beautiful setting of St Nicholas Church, Shepperton, which dates from the seventeenth century, as did much of the music featured in the programme.

This was in fact much more than simply a concert of music for recorder and lute: no fewer than eight instruments in total were demonstrated; Maria played five different recorders, and Dawn used the mellow-toned Baroque guitar and show-stealing 14-stringed theorbo, or chitarrone, in addition to the lute. Both instruments and music were introduced in such an engaging way as to make the event almost a lecture-recital.

Few of the pieces featured were by composers at all well known – although most seemed to have spent at least some time in the British Isles. Yet put together, the selection of music, comprising some individual items and some longer sets, made a delightful programme. William Byrd and John Playford (famous for his collection The English Dancing Master - the title given to the concert),were in fact the only Englishmen whose music was heard. Their music was placed alongside jaunty Irish airs by O’Carolan, sonatas by Bocchi and Bitti, a suite by Corbetta, and short works by Piccinini and Matheis, as well as several anonymous compositions and items from the collection The Division Flute.

That the music-making was imbued with much delicacy should not suggest any lack of virtuosity on the part of the performers, for there were notes a-plenty for both players; but any sense of empty showiness was studiously avoided in the pursuit of stylistic fidelity. In short this was a concert to calm one’s spirits, drawing those present into a by-gone world through its irresistible charms.

Thursday 14 July (all day)

Batik workshop in the RAC Studio
From the moment we met artist Deborah Vallance, our instructor, it was obvious that hard work was expected from participants of this day-long workshop. But we invested our time and effort and in five engrossing hours had each created two batik art-works.

We were learning the art of batik on paper, though many people use the batik techniques of wax and dye to decorate cloth.

The first practice piece was based on our names and the second sprung from our imaginations or we used images brought along by Deborah as inspiration. The technique involves layering coloured tissue and blocking out areas for dying later, by brushing or drawing hot wax over them. Painted or sprayed-on bleach was then applied in differing dilutions before dye was applied – the parts covered in wax resist the dye and remain in original colours. Once dry, we tore up the three paper layers and used the different effects created to put our final artwork together.
Few of our number confessed to any artistic experience beyond school but I think we all went away pleased with our efforts. As Deborah said, ‘Batik techniques are very forgiving’. We were even more impressed when we laid out the pictures under mounts to see how they would look when framed and hung. All in all a thoroughly enjoyable and productive artistic experience.

Thursday 14 July (8pm)

Portraits in Song (Piaf and Brecht) with Elizabeth Mansfield and Stephen Rose
One voice, two artists and three stage props added up to 95 minutes that transported the audience into the lives of two 20th-century cultural icons, Edith Piaf and Bertolt Brecht.  
 
Elizabeth Mansfield, working with pianist Stephen Rose, is an accomplished performer whose work is appreciated throughout Europe and particularly at the RAC on previous occasions. The Guardian recently reviewed Portraits in Song, stating that ‘Mansfield delivers the famous songs superbly’, and I can only concur!
 
While at first glance these two characters are worlds apart – one low-brow and one high-brow - Elizabeth’s research into their narrative and her delivery of their songs powerfully united the two through the theme of the ‘human condition’. The show closed with a reprise of Piaf’s ‘La goualante du Pauvre Jean’ and through its repeated line, ‘…without love, life don’t mean a thing’, the cultural link between Piaf and Brecht was once again defined. 
 
Elizabeth and Stephen’s performance was one of the most virtuoso and uplifting it has been my pleasure to experience in the last 18 months and I know many audience members will seek further opportunities to see Elizabeth on stage, through her Ensemble website.
 
But for now we do know that Elizabeth will be performing ‘Souvenir d’Anne Frank’ locally, at Brooklands College in Ashford from 1 to 3 March 2012, with her theatre company ENSEMBLE, as part of a national UK tour. This is an innovative theatre and music work, with the powerful stories of Anne Frank, her father, Otto, Miep Gies, their Dutch helper, and Mr Yamamuro woven into the live playing of a piano trio. Otto sent a ‘Souvenir d’Anne Frank’ rose to Japan where it was nurtured by Mr Yamamuro, and today these roses still bloom in the gardens of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and throughout Japan, cultivated by children as a symbol of universal love and peace. 

What’s more, some of the ‘Anne Frank’ roses are being sent from Japan to Sunbury, so keep a watch out for details of the Rose Planting Ceremony in the Walled Garden. Ensemble’s website address is: www.ensemble-online.com

Friday 15 July (8pm)  

An illustrated lecture on the art of Libya by Elizabeth Gordon
One of the most enjoyed talks of our summer arts festival is always Elizabeth Gordon’s. This year she spoke about the Roman remains at the Leptis Magna on the north west Mediterranean coast of Libya and the Greek ones at Sabratha on the north east coast.

The twentieth century, from 1911, saw the Italian occupation of what is now Libya, which led to our hearing the names of towns like Tobruk and Benghazi as the UK forces, together with other allies, fought Rommel to contribute to the end of the second world war.

UNESCO eventually took charge of the wonderful, wonderful historic sites which had been dug out of the sands of the Sahara to bring these classical buildings back to life for tourists and academicians alike. The arches of the Romans, supported by columns with beautiful bases and capitals, recognisably contrast with the simpler Greek columns supporting buildings without arches in the style of the Acropolis in Athens.

Mrs Gordon screened most beautiful photographs of these sites and talked enthusiastically of them – an engaging evening!

Saturday 16 July
(2 - 4pm)

Sugarcaft workshop in the RAC Studio
 During this workshop sugarcraft expert Erica Galvin took 16 enthusiasts through the technique of decorating a cake using sugar paste icing, from the initial white covering to the creation of delicate pink roses set against a pale green fan, finished with a ribbon at the base of the cake. The photographs illustrate a small part of the decorating process during the two hour workshop together with the finished cakes, which were magnificently iced.  Erica also provided boxes so the cakes could be taken home by their proud creators in safety. Many participants declared their intention of pursuing their interest in sugarcraft.

Saturday 16 July (8pm)

A Night at the Opera with Ardente Opera
Aoife O’Sullivan, soprano, Justina Gringyte, mezzo-soprano, John Pierce, tenor, Ashley Riches, baritone and Julian Black, musical director and pianist, presented an evening of opera excerpts that will reside for years in the memories of those fortunate enough to have been in the audience.  The standard of musicianship was exceptionally high, and there can be no doubt that these exceptionally gifted and hard-working young musicians have glittering careers ahead of them.

The evening began in dramatic vein, with John Pierce commencing ‘La Donna è mobile’ from the steps of the raked seating - startling the audience, who assumed he was a latecomer.  This was followed by two Mozart arias, performed by Aoife, John and Ashley with great depth of feeling and nuance.  The Carmen excerpts were thoroughly enjoyable, the performers throwing themselves into their roles with Latin aplomb, and the first half ended with a touch of comedy with an excerpt from Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore.  

The second half included an exceptional performance of Stravinsky’s ‘No word from Tom’ (The Rake’s Progress) by Aoife, who modulated the contrasts of mood with admirable facility, whilst her performance of ‘Glitter and be gay’ from Bernstein’s Candide was simply a tour de force.  Equally enjoyable were Justina’s highly sensitive and well-judged rendition of ‘Mon coeur s’ouvre’ from Saint-Saëns’ Samson et Dalilah, and scene 3 from act 1 of Hänsel und Gretel, which ended the formal concert.  

Julian Black’s splendid performance of Liszt’s transcription of the Liebestod from Tristan was a highlight of the second half; he coaxed an array of orchestral colours from the piano and demonstrated masterly control in building up the texture without conceding control of tempo.  His support of the singers throughout the evening was equally compelling; details of the orchestral scores were constantly paraded before our ears in his keyboard realisations.  Equally, Julian’s witty and highly informative contextual introductions to each number were greatly appreciated by the audience.  

The evening ended with three encores: the wonderful E major trio from Mozart’s Così fan tutte, a stentorian performance of ‘Nessun dorma’ from Puccini’s Turandot, which included audience participation, and the touching Evening Prayer from Hänsel und Gretel.  Little wonder that the audience stamped their feet on the raked seating to express their appreciation at the end.

Sunday 17 July (2.30pm)

Historical walk around Lower Sunbury
Fifty-five or so intrepid souls (plus a greyhound) braved the volatile weather to participate in an historical walk around Lower Sunbury with Nick Pollard, Chairman of the Sunbury & Shepperton Local History Society.  The reward was a fascinating afternoon, full of anecdote and historical detail; everyone learnt something new about the locality.  

The walk began at the RAC, which we learned dates from the 1830s and which has variously served as assembly rooms, council offices, a cinema and a factory.  We then proceeded down Thames Street, taking in Monksbridge (dating from 1760), the Old Court House (Sunbury’s first police station), and then French Street, studying amongst other buildings the William & Mary House and the Ivy House (1692), sometime home of Major Tapp, the founder of the Local History Society.  

The party turned into Rope Walk, where the ropes required for barge traffic were manufactured, and which path constituted the boundary of the village until the 18th century.  This took us to The Avenue, whose chestnut trees were planted in the 1890s, and then back to Thames Street, where we learnt about Orchard House and The Magpie Inn (‘magpie’ being old slang for ‘half a pint’).  From there to King’s Lawn on the Thames, where we discovered the importance of the river for trade in olden times, learned about the pound locks constructed in the early 19th century to control the water flow, surveyed St Mary’s Church (mentioned in Oliver Twist), and heard some possible origins of the name Flowerpot Inn.  The walk ended in the Walled Garden, which was the garden of the Manor House, some two hours after setting out, where Nick Pollard received warm thanks from all for such a splendid tour.