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Thursday, November 18, 2021 41

Newbury Weekly News

arts &enter tainment

Meet the author keeping up with the Cravens - 43

Modern artists collective returns toYattendon this weekend Makers marvellous market News & reviews - 41-45 Celebrating with Cecilia, our gem of a choir - 44 Pantotime - 42,45

Compton Players COMPTON Players’ production of Evil Will Come – a one-act play by Alexi Stonehouse – opens tonight (Thursday, 7.30pm) and runs to Saturday at Compton Village Hall. London. 1947. Philip Mackinder is dead. His wife has shot him. In Evil Will Come, a homage to Agatha Christie, a court hears the evidence, and we see the events leading up to the fateful night.What could have driven a respectable pillar of the community to commit such an evil act? https://www.comptonplayers.co.uk Boundary Players BE A Party to Murder – Boundary Players latest production by Marcia Kash and Douglas E Hughes runs at the William Penney Theatre, Tadley, until Saturday (7.30pm). Six people have come in secret to a remote house on a secluded island.With a storm raging about them what appeared to be a weekend of fun takes an unexpected turn. A Party to Murder is a mystery full of odd characters and surprises to keep you guessing from the start until the final curtain, plus an atmosphere to make you jump in your seats from time to time. A play for young and old. ACE Space JONWilks has had to pull out of tomorrow’s (Friday) gig, the double headliner with folk singer and avid accordionist Georgia Lewis, due to illness. Well- known local musician Mark T has agreed to step into the breach. Mark has been playing his unique blend of blues, folk and roots music since the mid-80s, solo and in the company of esoteric collaborators The Brickbats, roots rock band Rootdogs and Charles Spicer (Mellstock Band). http:/www.acespace.org.uk/ Coming soon Ravensbury Players THE Ravensbury Players production of Lady in the Van runs from December 1-4, at Ramsbury Memorial Hall (only a few tickets left for Friday evening as tickets are selling fast with restriction of 80 people per night to ensure a safe, Covid conscious evening.) Aldermaston Nativity THIS is the 65th year of Aldermaston’sYork Nativity in the Church of St Mary the Virgin. Performance dates will be Thursday, December 2 (8pm), Friday 3 (8pm), Saturday 4 (7pm) and Sunday 5 (7pm). Entry is free, but booking is required – there will be a retiring collection for the restoration of the church and The Children’s Society. http://aldermastonnativity.co.uk

THOSE talented members of local Modern Makers Collective have been creating hundreds of beautiful handmade items to buy at their Christmas Market this weekend at Yattendon Village Hall – from ceramics and jewellery to textiles and paintings, basketry and bags to woodwork and prints, lampshades and bookbinding to Christmas wreaths and artisan soaps, an abundance of delights will be on display. This festive and fun makers market is an opportunity to find unique gifts or an extra special treat for yourself. It features a wealth of talented local artists, craftspeople, designers and makers, including ceramicists Andrew Hazelden, who has recently moved his pottery to Bradfield, and Harriet Coleridge, a long-standing member of the collective. Both Andrew and Harriet began their careers at the renowned Aldermaston Pottery with Alan Caiger-Smith and the wonderful and different directions they went in with their own work can be seen side by side at the market. Local artists Freya Barton and Anne Payton will be at the market. Freya paints colourful and jewel-like pictures as well as decorated interior pieces and Anne paints and prints dynamic and lyrical pictures. There are three jewellers at the market this year; Charlotte Berry whose stunning jewellery is inspired by the natural world around her, Kate Wilkinson who creates magical silver forms, and Drawer of Plush, who incorporates hand-painting and impressed porcelain into her delicate gold and silver jewellery. A range of different textiles and accessories will be available at the market, including beautiful hand- stitched leather handbags made by Victoria Baker, exquisite hand-woven silk scarves by Mary Lowry and sumptuous embroideries by Yvette Phillips. There are several exciting new members of the collective, among them Hannah Elizabeth, who creates prints and illustrations of local sites, the fabulous Lots of Lovely Art, selling their imaginative and inspiring art boxes for children and Eric Michell’s lost objects transformed into stunning interior pieces. Natural materials are central to some of the makers’ work, including willow weaver Louise Arthur’s charming baskets, and Gaia Botanics’ natural artisan soap. Jon Townsin’s fine crafted woodwork and furniture combine different varieties of wood to create beautiful contrasts and patterns and Michael J Amphlett explores the natural movement of the wood with his handcarved spoons. Join them on Saturday and Sunday, between 10am and 4pm, in this celebration of art, craftsmanship and Christmas. Entry is free www.modernmakerscollective.co.uk TRISH LEE

Contact us n EDITORIAL: Arts Editor Trish Lee. If you have Arts news, diary dates and pictures, send her an email at trish.lee@newburynews.co.uk n ADVERTISING: For advertising inquiries and bookings in this section telephone the leisure team on (01635) 550444

On the web

n For daily local Arts & Entertainment news online, log on to www.newburytoday.co.uk and click the link to ‘Arts’.

Clockwise from top left: Exhibitors Drawer of Plush, Andrew Hazelden, Kate Wilkinson, Louise Arthur and Victoria Baker