Arts and Heritage

Events in Northwich
January
to
May
2011

Tel: 01606 41597

A Virtual Arts Cen tre for North
Centre wich
Northwich
www.danarts.org
 Theatre
The Friendship Experiment
by The Big Wow Theatre Co.
Saturday 26 February
Harlequin Theatre, Queen Street, Northwich
7.45pm - £7.00 (£6.00)

The Friendship Experiment was first showcased at the Hope Place Theatre, Liverpool, in
July by duo Matt Rutter and Tim Lynskey, before being performed at the Edinburgh
Festival.

The Friendship Experiment, which does what it says on the tin, is presented in typical
Big Wow oddball fashion.

"We want people to wonder if the show is improvised or not," says Matt. "It's about the
friendship between two characters called Matt and Tim and two called Jeff and Steve.
It's like a buddy movie - but on stage.

"With the idea of friendship, we're also considering the thing of what it's like to be a
small theatre company.

"It's very much going back to stuff we did early on, full-on theatre."

Big Wow began life in 2002, although Matt and Tim have known each other for much
longer having trained at Liverpool Hope University.

They are influenced by theatre companies like Ridiculusmus and The Right Size and TV
comics Reeves & Mortimer.

"A duo in the style of The Right Size... They bridge the gap between comedy and thea-
tre" - The Guardian
 Jazz at the Players
Steve Oakes Quartet
Thursday 27 January
Davenham Players Theatre, Church Street, Davenham
8.00pm - £7.00 (£6.00)

Steve Oakes (Guitar), Ed Kainyek (Saxophone), John Sandham (Bass) and Tim Franks
(Drums). The band performs an eclectic mixture of modern jazz comprising be-bop,
latin jazz, funk, and contemporary takes on standards. Original compositions are inter-
spersed with pieces by jazz icons including John Coltrane, Pat Metheny, Courtney Pine,
and Chick Corea. The solos are frequently passionate and intense, while at other times
subtle and reflective.

Jonas Backman Trio with

Catherine Legardh
Thursday 17 February
Davenham Players Theatre, Church Street, Davenham
8.00pm - £7.00 (£6.00)

Jonas Backman returns to Davenham with his trio, accompanied by vocalist Catherine
Legardh. Cathrine was born in Denmark out of Danish/Swedish/Norwegian parents.
Educated as a music teacher, she left her day job in 2006 to dedicate herself to music.
Living and working in Copenhagen, she sings American standards - mainstream, swing
and bebop - and a selection of Nordic tunes as well as her own compositions. She has
studied with the Scottish vocalist Fionna Duncan and most recently in New York with
vocalists Sheila Jordan and Jay Clayton. The trio comprises Jonas Backman on drums,
Dan Whieldon on piano and bass player tbc.

‘Cathrine Legardh, the Danish singer with the smoky, sultry voice, takes you into emo-
tional places and makes you part of her world...’ - Jazz Centre, Edinburgh
 Jazz at the Players
Wychcraft Big Band
Thursday 3 March
Davenham Players Theatre, Church Street, Davenham
8.00pm - £6.00 (£5.00)

Wychcraft Big Band was formed in 1998 as a community band with the aim of keeping
the 'Big Band' sound alive. The band has played throughout Cheshire at a wide variety of
locations, including civic and village halls, sports clubs and open air venues. They play
numbers by Duke Ellington, Count Bassie, Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey,
Fats Waller, Miles Davis, Woody Herman, George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Leiber & Stoller,
Henry Mancini and Irving Berlin.

DB5 with Orli Nyles

Thursday 31 March
Davenham Players Theatre, Church Street, Davenham
8.00pm - £8.00 (£7.00)

Andy Scott - saxes, John Barber - trombone, Ulrich Elbracht - guitar

Ollie Collins - bass, Dave Hassell - drums, Orli Nyles - vocals and piano

Orli Nyles with DB5 features the talents of Manchester-based singer/pianist Orli Nyles,
recently seen on TV in the Chris Moyles House Band. The band will be performing Orli
Nyles originals and arrangements by saxophonist Andy Scott.

“She is one of the most brilliant natural jazz performers I’ve ever had the pleasure of
listening to.” - Scott Barbarino - Iridium Jazz Club, New York

www.myspace.com/orlinyles
 Blaze: Words, Music and Comedy
Our new series of events featuring writing workshops, poems, prose, songs comedy, and
music. Each nights starts with a writing workshop, followed by a chance to buy a meal,
and then an open floor performance featuring guest writers, poetry, songs, standup and
music. Workshop and performance can be booked separately. Bookstall at all events.

The Red Lion, Chester Road, Hartford, Northwich

6.00pm - 7.00pm - Writing Workshop with Angela Topping - £5.00
7.00pm - 8.00pm - Enjoy a meal at the Red Lion - £5.50
8.00pm - 9.30pm - Open Floor session with guest, songs, poetry and music.

Angela Topping
Angela Topping has four full solo collections published (1988, 1999, 2007 and 2010), and
three chapbooks due out in 2011. She has read her work at a wide range of venues
including The Poetry Cafe in London, The Bluecoat Cafe in Liverpool and will be
appearing at The Cheltenham Poetry Festival in April. She also writes critical books and
textbooks, was an English teacher for 20 years and is a very experienced poet in
schools. Angela will host Blaze.

Tony Walsh and Steven Waling

Wednesday 19 January - £4.00 (£3.00 concs)
Based in Manchester, Tony Walsh is a poet with a growing national and international
reputation. Exploding onto the Manchester scene in 2004, Tony was soon being invited
to guest nationally and has since performed everywhere from Glastonbury Festival to
The British Library, from the huge main stage of the stunning Lowry arts centre to Her
Majesty’s Prison Styal.

Steven Waling is a poet, also from Manchester, with several books out, the latest being
Calling Myself on the Phone and Travelator. He teaches creative writing and runs work-
shops. He also occassionally paints.
 Blaze: Words, Music and Comedy
Adrian Slatcher and JT Welsch
Wednesday 16 February - £4.00 (£3.00 concs)
Adrian Slatcher was born in Walsall in 1967 and has lived in Manchester since 1991,
where he advises arts organizations and voluntary groups about new technologies. He
completed an MA in Novel Writing at the University of Manchester in 1999. He has
written poetry, short stories and longer fiction, as well as occasionally working with
cartoons, music and sound art.

JT Welsch studied for an MA in Creative Writing (Poetry) at Royal Holloway, University of

London, under Andrew Motion, and an MA in Feature Film Screenwriting, at Royal
Holloway as well. His bachelor's degree, from Berklee College of Music, is in
songwriting. He was born in Waterloo, Illinois, but now lives in Manchester.

All three poets have chapbooks out with Salt Publishing and tonight Angela Topping will
be launching her book, entitled I Sing of Bricks.

Rebecca Sharp and Joy Winkler

Wednesday 16 March - £4.00 (£3.00 concs)
Rebecca is a writer and musician, whose work frequently crosses the lines between
poetry, theatre, music and performance. Her first poetry collection, The Ballad of
Juniper Davy and Sonny Lumière, was published in 2010 by Spike (Liverpool). The Ballad
also took the form of a site-specific theatre production, in collaboration with visual
artist Elizabeth Willow (who also designed the book). Rebecca also composed the
musical score for the production, the CD of which is included with the book. As a solo
performer, she plays original compositions on the lever (Celtic) harp, with spoken-word.

Born in Barnsley, Joy Winkler has written a lot about the places and people she knew as
a child. When her own two children were young, she moved with her family to live in
Flamborough on the East Coast and that gave her lots of material drawn from the rich
storytelling tradition from that area. She has now lived in Cheshire for over 18 years
and her interest tends to lean towards the people in the towns in the North West,
especially near to home in Macclesfield.
 Children’s Workshops
Make an Egyptian Mummy
Tuesday 22 February
Harlequin Theatre, Queen Street, Northwich
10.00am - 3.00pm - £8.00
Suitable for 8 years of age and over

Work with local artist Andy Leigh to create your own Egyptian Mummy and learn about heiroglyphics.

Make Your Own Play

Thursday 24 and Friday 25 February
Harlequin Theatre, Queen Street, Northwich
10.00am - 3.00pm - £15.00
Suitable for 8 years of age and over

Spend two days working with a professional drama teacher, creating your own play on
the theme of the “Curse of the Mummy”, and then perform it to your friends and family
at the end of the second day. If you want to see a real “mummy”, and a reconstruction
of King Tutankhamun’s tomb, why not join us on our heritage tour on Saturday 19
February.

Young Persons Writing Group

Wednesday 26 January
Wednesday 23 February
Wednesday 23 March
Northwich Library, Witton Street, Northwich
7.00pm - 8.30pm - £15.00/3 sessions
Suitable for 11 years of age and over

Work with widely published author Angela Topping to write your own stories. In between
each workshop, you add to your story on our special blog, and get professional feedback
from Angela. Angela holds a full CRB and also works for The Windows Project and The
National Education Trust. We will publish your finished stories on our blog, so all of your
friends and family can read your completed story.
 Lectures
Art of the Mediterranean
Monday 24 January
Harlequin Theatre, Queen Street, Northwich
2.00pm - £5.00 (£4.00 concessions) inc. refreshments

A lecture tour with Adrian Sumner around the civilizations and cultures of ‘the Middle
Sea’, from Classical Athens to Contemporary Nice, Ancient Egypt to Baroque Rome,
Casablanca to Constantinople, Barcelona to Lanzarote, looking at Great Artists, Great
Art, Great Structures and Memorable Cities, and telling the tale along the way of our
common heritage.

Egyptian Mummies
A resource for studying life, disease and death
Monday 21 February
Harlequin Theatre, Queen Street, Northwich
2.00pm - £5.00 (£4.00 concessions) inc. refreshments

Professor OBE has achieved world renown for her pioneering work in investigat-
ing mummies using non-destructive techniques. She is Director of the KNH
Centre for Biological and Forensic Studies in Egyptology at The University of
Manchester, and former Keeper of Egyptology at the Manchester Museum, and is
Director of the International Mummy Database. Prof David is the author of
numerous books and articles on mummies and the religious practices of the
ancient Egyptians, a presenter of TV and radio programmes, and an extremely
popular lecturer all over the world. Rosalie David was the first woman professor
in Egyptology in Britain, and the first to receive an OBE in recognition of her
services in Egyptology.
 Lectures
Revolution - a History of Russian Art
Monday 7 March
Harlequin Theatre, Queen Street, Northwich
2.00pm - £5.00 (£4.00 concessions) inc. refreshments

From the introduction of the Icon in the 10th Century through Russian Rococo, Baroque
and 19th Century Realism, to the Avante Garde and its suppression by Socialist Realism,
Art in Russia was and is ‘a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma’. Here we shed
some light on this marvellous subject – both revolution and revelation. A lavishly
illustrated lecture by Adrian Sumner.

The Aesthetic Movement

Tuesday 5 April
Harlequin Theatre, Queen Street, Northwich
2.00pm - £5.00 (£4.00 concessions) inc. refreshments

To accompany the great Victoria and Albert Museum show, this lecture by Adrian Sumner
looks at this late-Victorian impulse which informed Art Nouveau with its exaggerated
good taste and refinement, its emphasis on the individual and the importance of the
arts and their potentially-intoxicating effects, as well as its European equivalents,
Symbolism, the Decadence, and the Cult of the Dandy. Along with the great and famous
names; Whistler, Burne-Jones, Albert Moore, Aubrey Beardsley et al, we shall explore
the dark corners of the Continent, looking at Gustav Moreau, Fernand Khnopf, Jean
Delville, Franz von Stuck, Jan Tooroop, Max Klinger, as well as considering the influence
of such writers as Wilde, Swinburne, Baudelaire, Rimbaud and their contemporaries.
And lets not forget the influence of William Morris, William Burges, Mackintosh, Voysey
and many more.
 Lectures
The Art of War
Tuesday 3 May
Harlequin Theatre, Queen Street, Northwich
2.00pm - £5.00 (£4.00 concessions) inc. refreshments

A lecture, by Adrian Sumner, examines the memorable and moving images created by
British artists in the Great War and World War 2, as well as those of many other
countries, plus how artists have recorded and remembered conflict down the ages, plus
posters, propaganda and political cartoons. Features Paul Nash, Graham Sutherland,
C.R.W.Nevinson, Wyndham-Lewis, David Bomberg, Frank Brangwyn, Orpen, Lavery, Eric
Ravilious, Boccioni, Severini, George Grosz, Otto Dix, and many more.

Gigs
Degeneration Gigs
Friday 21 January
Friday 18 March
Friday 15 April
Winnington Rec, Park Road, Winnington, Northwich
8.00pm - £4.50 - over 14s only

Check out bands playing at myspace.com/bannedinnorthwich or “degeneration

northwich” on facebook.
 Heritage Tours
Stockport and Bramall Hall
Saturday 22 January- £14.00
9.00am (a) - Northwich Memorial Hall
Other Pick-up Points Available - see page 15

Stockport’s Air Raid Shelters are a network of tunnels, nearly a mile long, hewn out of the red
sandstone hills on which Stockport stands, to provide air raid shelters for 6,500 during the Second
World War.

Stockport in the 16th century was a small town entirely on the southbank of the Mersey. It was
also at the centre of the country’s hatting industry. St Mary’s Church is the oldest parish in the
town centre. Stockport Art Gallery presents an inspiring programme of temporary exhibitions and
a permanent display of Stockport's art collection.

The Staircase House is set in the heart of Stockport’s historic market place and boasts an intrigu-
ing array of rooms linked by corridors and narrow passages. All the rooms have been restored
using period colours, furniture and artefacts which reflect the house’s long and eventful history.
There are also rumours of ghostly goings-on and the house is allegedly haunted by the ghost of
Robert Owten, former butler to the Shallcross family.

Bramall Hall is a Tudor manor house dating back to Anglo-Saxon England. The manor of Bramall
was first described in the Doomesday book. It is a timber framed building, the oldest parts of
which date from the 14th century, with later additions from the 16th and 19th centuries.

Tutankhamun Exhibition
and Manchester Museum
Saturday 19 February - £15.00
9.00am (a) - Northwich Memorial Hall
Other Pick-up Points Available - see page 15

We start the day at the Manchester Museum. The museum is home to one of the largest and most
important collections of ancient Egyptian artefacts in the United Kingdom. The collection in-
cludes objects from prehistoric Egypt (c10,000 BC) to the Byzantine era, up to around AD 600.
There are about 16,000 objects in the Egyptology collection. In addition to the exhibitions in the
Daily Life Gallery and the Funerary Gallery, the entrance hall of the Museum displays monumental
stone sculpture from the temples of ancient Bubastis (modern Tell Basta and Ihnasya el-Medina)
in the Nile Delta.

We then move on to the Trafford Centre for lunch, and to visit the Tutankhamun Exhibition. The
exhibition breaks new ground in the presentation of cultural history, in general and with ancient
Egypt in particular. On the one hand is the incomparable breadth of presentation. With more than
1,000 objects - perfect replicas produced under scientific supervision - Tutankhamun is more
complete than any previous exhibition of originals. And on the other hand, there is the sumptuous
arrangement of the treasures. Entering the tomb chamber, feeling like a discoverer with the
unbelievable splendour right before your eyes, close enough to touch - it’s an adventure for all
the senses that no visitor will forget.
 Heritage Tours
Lichfield and Tamworth
Saturday 19 March - £19.00
9.00am (a) - Northwich Memorial Hall
Other Pick-up Points Available - see page 15

We start the day with a visit to a city that’s steeped in heritage. Stunning Lichfield Cathedral is
set within the beautifully serene Cathedral Close. The 800 year old cathedral is the third building
on the site, and has a fascinating history.

Lichfield Heritage Centre displays 2000 years of the history of the city. Discover the life and
times of Samuel Johnson, England’s greatest man of letters and famous wit. Follow the story of
the young Samuel from his difficult childhood to national celebrity and Dictionary fame. You can
also visit the Georgian home of Erasmus Darwin, Grandfather of Charles Darwin and leading
doctor, scientist, botanist, inventor and poet of the 18th Century.

After lunch we move on to Tamworth. The Castle is a typical Norman motte and bailey castle. Its
sandstone walls and superb herringbone wall are thought to date from the 1180’s. The Castle has
apartments from almost every century from the 12th to the 20th, and has a fine collection of
16th - 19th century furniture on loan from the V&A Museum. In addition there are the Castle's
own collections and The Tamworth Story, an interactive local history exhibition. Standing in the
Church Square in Tamworth is the Colin Grazier Memorial. Able Seaman Grazier was responsible,
along with others, for recovering the codes from U-559 used to decipher the Enigma code
machine in WW2.

St George’s Day at Blists Hill and

Ironbridge
Saturday 23 April - £20.00
9.00am (a) - Northwich Memorial Hall
Other Pick-up Points Available - see page 15

The Ironbridge Gorge is known throughout the world as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolu-
tion. The bridge was built in 1779, and there are plenty of cafes nearby. We then spend the rest
of the day at Blists Hill Victorian Town. Costumed staff give a warm welcome and a fascinating
insight into how life was lived in Victorian Times. Exchange your money in the bank; admire the
goods in the grocers, bakery and sweetshop. Find out about curious remedies in the chemist and
see the printer and candle-maker in action.
 Heritage Tours
Bass Brewery and the National
Memorial Arboretum
Saturday 7 May - £19.00
9.00am (a) - Northwich Memorial Hall
Other Pick-up Points Available - see page 15

We mark VE Day with a visit to the National Memorial Arboretum. Firstly we visit the Bass (now
Coors) Brewery Museum in Burton on Trent. It is a world-class museum and visitor centre that
celebrates Burton upon Trent's proud brewing heritage and it's influence on brewing techniques
throughout the world.

After lunch we will move on to the National Memorial Arboretum. Created in 1997, the NMA is a
special place that remembers those who have served our nation, including the Armed Forces
Memorial, containing the names of 16,000 Service men and women killed on duty or by terrorist
action since the end of the Second World War.

Ludlow and Acton Scott

Victorian Farm
Saturday 21 May - £22.00
8.30am (b) - Northwich Memorial Hall
Other Pick-up Points Available - see page 15

Situated on the River Teme in the outstanding countryside of the Welsh Marches, Ludlow's medi-
eval street pattern survives almost intact, along with many ancient properties including a mag-
nificent ruined castle and one of the largest parish churches in England. Acton Scott Historic
Working Farm offers a fascinating insight into rural life at the turn of the 19th century, as farm
life unfolds daily and the land around is worked by heavy horses. There are daily demonstrations
of period skills and visits from the Wheelwright, Farrier and Blacksmith, providing a picture of
life as it might have been on a Victorian country estate. Featured in TV’s Victorian Farm.
 London Study Weekend
The Aesthetic Movement
and Titanic Exhibitions
Friday 8 - Monday 11 April
£347.00 for 3 nights bed and breakfast (based on sharing a twin room)
Limited number of single rooms available for £30.00 surcharge

We will be staying at the Holiday Inn Regents Park, a modern and stylish hotel in central London.

Friday - We depart from Chester, Hartford and Northwich, reaching London early afternoon.
Adrian Sumner will be with us to guide us around the various galleries and collections. The Sir
John Soane’s Museum. The collection contains two of Hogarth’s series of paintings, including The
Rake’s Progress, painting by Canaletto, Turner and Reynolds.

Saturday - After a hearty cooked breakfast, we visit the Aesthetic

Movement Exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum. The
exhibition will feature paintings, furniture, ceramics, metalwork,
wallpapers, photographs and costumes, as well as architectural
and interior designs. Included will be major paintings by Whistler,
Rossetti, Leighton, and Burne-Jones. Art and design by William
Morris, Christopher Dresser, Bruce Talbert, Henry Batley and Walter
Crane will showcase not only the designers and manufacturers they
worked for, but also new retailers, such as Liberty's.

After lunch we visit Strawberry Hill House. Created by Horace Walpole in the 18th century, Straw-
berry Hill is internationally famous as Britain’s finest example of Georgian Gothic revival architecture.

Sunday - We start a busy day by visiting The Wallace Collection. It is probably best known for its
paintings by artists such as Titian, Rembrandt, Hals (The Laughing Cavalier) and Velázquez.

We next visit the Estorick Collection. The Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art opened in
London in 1998. Its new home is a Grade II listed Georgian building contains six galleries.

Finally we move on to Kenwood House. Set in beautiful landscaped parkland in the midst of
Hampstead Heath, Kenwood House is one of the most magnificent visitor attractions in London.
This elegant villa, remodelled by Robert Adam in the 18th century, houses a superb collection of
paintings, including masterpieces by Rembrandt, Vermeer, Turner and Gainsborough.

Monday - We leave our hotel on Monday morning to visit the Titanic Exhibition at the O2 Arena.
With over 300 artefacts from the ship itself and several recreations of rooms on board, fans of the
Titanic's history are in for a real treat. Step on board and get a replica boarding pass of an actual
passenger, before seeing what travel was like for the rich and the not so rich in first and third
class cabins, and what life was like below stairs in the cargo hold and boiler room.

We arrive back in Northwich, Hartford and Chester in the early evening.

Contact the DAN Office on 01606 41597 for full details and a booking form.
 Heritage Tours Information
!The price of tours includes the coach fare but not entry fees to houses,
museums and galleries, unless stated.
!Places marked NT/EH are free to National Trust/English Heritage members.
Remember to bring your membership card.
!We stop for morning coffee, lunch and afternoon tea.

Pick-up point (A) Departure times (B)

Winsford, Delamere Street 8.00am 8.30am
Davenham Old Primary School 8.10am 8.40am
Sandiway Church 8.15am 8.45am
Weaverham shops 8.18am 8.48pm
Hartford Crossroads (Bradburns Lane) 8.20am 8.50am
Greenbank Hotel 8.25am 8.55am
Darwin Street, Castle 8.28am 8.58am
Northwich Memorial Hall 8.30am 9.00am

!Brochure departure times are from Northwich Memorial Hall.

!Earlier times are shown above for the other pick-up points.
!Please be at your collection point in good time as the coach will
not wait.
!Itinerary may change due to circumstances beyond our control.
!Sorry but no refunds on cancellations unless we can resell your ticket.

Theatre Trip Information

!Theatre trip prices include a theatre seat and return coach travel.
!Times given are departure times from Northwich Memorial Hall. We also
pick-up and drop off at Sandiway Church (20 mins prior to the time given) and
Hartford Church (10 mins prior to the time given).
!Please be at your collection point in good time as the coach will not wait.
!Once theatre trip places are reserved tickets must be paid for. If you
cancel, your tickets must still be paid for, unless we can resell your ticket.

Mailing List
To join our free mailing list, send your details to:-
DAN Office, The Library, Witton Street, Northwich, Cheshire CW9 5DR
or register through our website at www.danarts.org
 Box Office Information
In Person - DAN Office in Northwich Library
By Post - DAN, The Library, Witton Street, Northwich, Cheshire CW9 5DR
Telephone - 01606 41597
Online - www.danarts.org - Secure online payments via Paypal
Ticket Prices - Some events show two ticket prices. The first is the
full adult price. The concessionary figure in brackets is for senior citizens,
unwaged, full-time students and children under 16 years of age.

Blog - www.dannorthwich.info - Our new blog contains

an archive of DAN Events, including photographs, videos, poems, stories
and recordings.

DAN is a Registered Charity - No. 513298

Acknowledgements

Northwich Town Council