THIS YEAR’S Bromsgrove Festival got off to a flying start with ten events in the first weekend.
The five-week programme got underway last Friday (June 12) with the Festival Players’ staging of Shakespeare’s As You Like It at St John’s Church – to read The Standard’s review, check out the link below.
Other events saw Blackwell Concert Band playing two one-hour sets in the High Street and breath-taking performances of Captive by Motionhouse – two in the Bromsgrove town centre and two at Artrix.
The show was choreographed by the man who put together the opening ceremony for the 2012 London Paralympics and, as well as the acrobatics from the professionals, students from HOW College got to do their own performances of The Panther following workshops with Motionhouse.
There was a host of other fun activities in the High Street, including the ‘Fancy a Tinkle’ piano which is new this year. Loaned by Cranes of Worcester and sponsored by Bromsgrove Cobbler Martin Connellan and The Friends of St John’s Church, it enables residents to go up and have an impromptu play. That included some high-class pieces from a Conservatoire trained passer-by.
Jules Evans, friend of St John’s Church, said: “Fancy a tinkle went really well on its inaugural outing and we look forward to lots more people tinkling the ivories for the next five Saturdays of the festival. You don’t have to spend a penny to have a tinkle.”
Bob Bignell from the Festival committee said: “It got off to a fine if damp start on Saturday morning and thanks must go to performers, volunteers and audiences for braving the elements.”
He thanked Jules Evans and Pat Tansell for overseeing the piano playing. “Our thanks must also go out to Bromsgrove District Council for providing spare gazebos without which nothing would have been possible,” he added.
