All the (ArtsFest) world’s a stage

The University’s Canterbury campus has started sprouting stages ahead of  this year’s ArtsFest extravaganza on Saturday. 

Marlowe Building Stage
Marlowe Building Stage

The Marlowe tent will play host to jazz, classical and barbershop performances throughout the afternoon, including the new staff, student and alumni Cecilian Choir, a string ensemble, and various other student groups. Various musical alumni from previous years will also be appearing, so keep an eye out for some familiar faces and some old friends. 

The Eliot stage will showcase community Irish dancing, student stand-up improvised comedy, salsa dancing, performing from the Musical Theatre Society,  and Sing!

Rutherford stage will see performances from community and school groups including St. Stephen’s School, Kent College, the Maridadi Singers and Strode Park Foundation, as well as the University’s own CPAS and Capoeira socieities and more improvsed comedy from student-group Raspberry Crumble.

Registry Stage
The winning Registry Stage design

This year, students in the School of Architecture competed to create the design of the Registry stage; pictured here is the winning design, by Nicholas Sexton, being built. The theme of the stage is recycling: all the materials employed in the stage’s construction were gathered from around the campus, including wood coppiced from near the bomb-crater along the Eliot footpath, and roofing posts from old goal-posts. 

Eliot Garden Stage
Eliot Garden Stage

It’s going to be another fantastic event: make sure you’re there! 

ArtsFest: don’t miss out, just turn up!

The Dame on SuBo, Boccelli and singing without microphones

Opera prima donna Dame Kiri Te Kanawa has reacted rather dismissively to the SuBo phenomenon in an interview in the Radio Times.

Dame Kiri Te KanawaAs an article in The Daily Mail reveals, the Dame believes Susan Boyle’s achievements are not worth talking about, saying she is ‘not interested’ in talking about Boyle’s success.

‘I’m doing something classical, not whizz-bang. Whizz-bang disappears. It goes ‘whizz’ and then ‘bang’.

”You insult me by even wanting to bring it into this conversation. I’m not interested.’

It’s refreshing to find someone who is unafraid to meet the topic of cross-over classical artists and television song-contest winners achieving success in the same sphere as international classical performers, such as Dame Kiri or Luciano Pavarotti, head-on. Then again, when your career and your vocal instrument are as stratospherically brilliant as Dame Kiri’s, you probably have the right to discourse with such frankness on an industry in which you’ve been a international star since 1968.

She’s not afraid to distinguish between artists such as herself, Renee Fleming and Angela Gherorgiu, and those such as Katherine Jenkins and Andrea Bocelli – the former being performers who sing “glorious, serious, grand opera without microphones. There aren’t many of us.”

Ouch. But true, though.

Appearing at ArtsFest: Sarah Reed!

Sarah ReedSarah Reed is a singer-songwriter with three albums of original songs released to date.

Her songs, mainly based around vocals and acoustic guitar, are intense, lyrical and melodic, with influences of folk, rock, blues and country, amongst other things. Reviewers have described her as “an understated Kate Bush” and as having “the clarity of Dido and the soul of Eva Cassidy”.

Sarah is also a Research Facility Manager in the School of Biosciences, University of Kent.

Find out more about Sarah’s music and preview some of her tracks on her website.

ArtsFest: don’t miss out, just turn up!

Appearing at ArtsFest: St. Stephen’s Junior School!

Profiling performers and activities coming up at this year’s ArtsFest.

The Wagalak SistersBased in Canterbury, St Stephen’s Junior School has been busy devising a performance from scratch based on telling the Australian Dreamtime story called ‘The Wagalak Sisters’.

The performance combines music, dance and drama to guide the audience through the story about the girls who are creation sisters.

The sisters carry their power in their dilly bags. When they walk they use the contents of their dilly bag to create beautiful and lush landscapes. But one day they become distracted…

It’s certain to be a beguiling event: make sure you’re there!

ArtsFest: don’t miss out, just turn up!

Appearing at ArtsFest: Family Fun at the Gulbenkian Theatre!

Gulbenkian TheatreFresh from celebrating its fortieth birthday last year, the University of Kent’s Gulbenkian Theatre is proud to be the focus of family fun and children’s activities at ArtsFest this Saturday 12 June, from 1pm onwards.

Tell-Tale HeartsWith plenty of tables and chairs, a café bar, children’s menu and baby-changing facilities, the Gulbenkian for the first time offers a dedicated area especially for children and families on the day. Dee Ashworth, Gulbenkian Director says he is delighted at the prospect of extending the Gulbenkian welcome to all families.

Mimirichi
Mimirichi: Paperworld!

Ukrainian comedy act Mimirichi will delight and entertain children (both young and old!) with ‘Plastic Fantastic’ which combines pantomime, improvisation and lots of cellophane and ‘PaperWorld.’ There will also be face-painting, a BBQ, candy-stall and ice-cream machine, and the spacious café will be providing a variety of children-friendly meals to keep youngsters happy.

Stage SpidersStage Spiders will be performing Hansel and Gretel, a 15-minute play for children, on the Gulbenkian Foyer Stage at 4pm, 5pm and 6pm.

Elsewhere around the campus, all manner of family-friendly live music, drama, comedy and entertainers will be taking place: there’ll be something for everyone.

Further details about the entire day can be found on-line here.

ArtsFest: don’t miss out, just turn up!

Download the ArtsFest Afternoon events brochure now!

For those of you who just can’t wait until Saturday to find out what’s going on at this year’s ArtFest, fear not: from this morning, you can now download a pocket-size brochure of events that will tell you exactly what’s going on. 

ArtsFest afternoon events
What's On at ArtsFest: click to download!

As well as a guide to all the events on the stages and around the grounds, the reverse side includes a map of the campus with details of exactly what is appearing where. 

You’ll need to print it double-sided and fold accordingly. Click here to open the brochure. 

ArtsFest: don’t miss out, just turn up!

Appearing at ArtsFest: Luke Palmer-Divers!

Profiling performers and activities at this year’s ArtsFest.

Luke Palmer - Divers
On the scene: Luke Palmer-Divers

Already a performer on the local music scene, Luke Palmer-Divers is a pupil at Canterbury High School, and has already appeared at ArtsFest to an enthusaisdtic reception.

Luke started writing his own songs in late 2006. Since then he has played in multiple bands; however, he’s always found himself occasionally with more drive and determination than other band mates, resulting in a bold decision to go it alone.

After recording five songs privately for “The Acoustic Sessions”, Luke started gigging around Canterbury and the surrounding area. 

Last year alone, Luke played at such prestigious events as ArtsFest, The International Kent Jamboree and Lounge on the Farm

With an E.P due to be released this year, the future looks bright for Luke Palmer-Divers. Keep an eye out: you saw him here first!

ArtsFest: don’t miss out, just turn up!

Appearing at ArtsFest: the Macmangian Academy of Irish Dancing

Profiling performers and activities coming up at this year’s ArtsFest. 

Macmanigan Academy of Irish Dancing
Lords (and Ladies) of the Dance: Macmanigan Academy

Based in the Medway towns, with classes in Chatham, Gillingham, Aylesford and Faversham, the Macmanigan Academy of Irish Dancing is taught by ex-Riverdance cast members Nula and Kirsty Macmanigan. 

The Academy was founded in 2001 by twin sisters Kirsty & Nula. Both girls have toured the world performing  on cruise ships, in dance shows, pop videos and even in a film directed by John Henderson with Randy Quaid, Whoopi Goldberg, Roger Daltrey, Colm Meaney and Zoe Wanamaker, called ‘The Magical Legend of the Leprechauns’

The school provides opportunities for children and adults to participate in showcases and competitions locally and all over the world. It has won many competitions including Great Britain titles in figure, and competes at world-class level in many countries abroad including Ireland, Italy, and Spain. They also dance regularly at festivals throughout Kent, including Rochester Sweeps Festival and the Faversham Hop Festival. 

This is the second year that the dancers will appear at ArtsFest, and they’re looking forward to high-stepping and kicking their way into your hearts. 

Further details about the entire day can be found on-line here

ArtsFest: don’t miss out, just turn up!

(The ‘Was It Good For You’ column returns in three weeks’ time).