015: What's On Stoke & Staffordshire
We ponder what really happened in Bentilee on that fateful night in 1967, plus there's still time to enter the Potters 'Arf and enroll on collage and digital tech workshops…
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WHAT’S ON/THINGS TO DO ✅
HIGHLIGHTED ⬇️ (FULL EVENTS LISTINGS BELOW)
What Really Happened in Bentilee? 27/09-12/10, Claybody Theatre. The cast has been announced for one of Stoke’s most hotly-anticipated shows, ‘Bright Lights Over Bentilee’, with Tunstall lad Jack Wilkinson and Newcastle girl Ava Ralph in two of the main roles. Theatre manager Deb McAndrew (formerly Angie Freeman on Coronation Street) says those who saw the bright lights over Bentilee back in 1967 believe it was something from beyond the Earth. “The mystery is a gift to a writer. Nobody knows, so I had the freedom to create a fictional scenario to explain the events of that night. I've gone for sci-fi, but I also hope I've explored a bit of what it was like to live on Bentilee at the time, and what it means to be human. That's what drama is all about really.”
Next up for Claybody is Hootenanna, which will be streamed on a digital platform (probably YouTube) on New Year's Eve. “It's a sort of magazine programme with music, interviews, and film reports on Stoke-on-Trent. We're on the lookout particularly for Nannas in the city who have great stories to tell, or are doing important and unusual things for their communities,” says McAndrew. Tickets £15, £13 concessions.
Potters ‘Arf Returns. 29/09. Everyone’s favourite running race in Stoke-on-Trent is back – and it’s still not too late to enter (take the pressure off and run it with a team as a relay). It will be an eventful beginning as the official race starter is British middleweight champion and local hero Nathan Heaney (check out his TEDExStaffordshire university talk). In addition to the half-marathon and the relay, there’s a half-marathon walk (can also be done as a relay), junior 1km race for 5-11 years and a junior 2km race for 12-16 years. Everyone will get a medal for their efforts – if you manage to make it up the infamous Heartbreak Hill on Milton Road in Sneyd Green, that is (pace yourself and keep hydrated). Want to volunteer? Sign up! If you’re out and about that day, don’t forget there will be road closures from 8am-2pm. Entry prices vary – £34.95 per person, £45 per team.
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Get Creative at This Collage Workshop. 21/09, 10am-4pm, Silk Mill House. Fancy tapping into your creativity? Then get along to Staffordshire Collage Club’s day-long workshop, which is organised by Contemporary College magazine. “The great thing about collage art is that it’s very easy to get up and running - and there really is no wrong way of collaging. It’s very mindful and relaxing,” says Les Jones, who will be running the workshops. What can people expect if they haven’t tried collage before? “They’ll get a friendly intro to collage art and the opportunity to play with a number of different approaches,” he explains.
For more advanced collage artists looking to develop their practices, there are two other workshops coming in October and November. If you can’t wait, get the magazine and dabble at home: it comes with some great collage challenge packs. £60 for day-long workshop.
Celebrating Stoke’s Digital Tech Scene. Until 12/09, 3pm-7pm, Centre Space Arts is hosting an exhibition that pays tribute to the budding digital tech industry of Stoke-on-Trent and its surrounding areas, with all invited to admire works from exhibitors including animators Carse & Waterman, video production company Reels in Motion, Cartoon Workshops and more. During the exhibition, you can also attend free Not a Real Job workshops that provide an insight into career opps within the create tech industry. The Knot’s resident cartoonist, Chris Altham, says there will be workshops on Game Design & Development on 11/09 and Video Interviews & Editing on 12/09. Watch out for his Digital Drawing class on 30 November and 22 February at Framescape's training studio in Stoke, too.
EVENTS LISTINGS
Potteries Centre Events Series, ongoing, Potteries Centre
Throw a Pot Sessions, ongoing, LoveClay
Guided Walks in the Peak District, Various, Multiple (Peak District)
Titanic Brewery Tour, Multiple Dates, Titanic Brewery
Spitfire Comedy Open Mic, Multiple Dates, Old Post Office, Burslem
Electric Tentacle Electronic Music Open Mic, Multiple Dates, Captain’s Bar
Heritage Open Days, until 15/09, Multiple Venues
Pots & Prosecco, until 26/10, World of Wedgwood
Tim Peake: Astronauts: The Quest to Explore Space, 11/09, Regent Theatre
Prima Facie, 12/09, Mitchell Arts Centre
Teapot Tour, 15/09, Multiple Venues
Peppa Pig’s Fun Day Out, 18-19/09, Regent Theatre
Stoke Exchange Forum, 19/09, World of Wedgwood
An Afternoon With Jack Scott, 21/09, Aston-by-Stone
Barrioke, 21/09, Sugarmill
Devotion Summer Boogie, 21/09, Backyard Stoke
Comedy & live music with Benidorm's Pablo Bloom, 22/09, Jollees
An Inspector Calls, 25-28/09, Regent Theatre
Bright Lights Over Bentilee, 27/09-12/10, Claybody Theatre
Middleport Artisan Autumn Market, 28-29/09, Middleport Pottery
Beatrix Potter & Friends, 28/09, Potteries Museum & Art Gallery
Potters ‘Arf, 29/09
Open Weekend Stockton Book Waterworks, 27-28/09
Edward Scissorhands, 29/09-03/10, Mitchell Arts Centre
Banjos and Bottom Knockers, 03/10-05-10, Middleport Pottery
Stoke-on-Trent Symphony Orchestra, 05/10, Kings Hall
Cranford, 08-12/10, Stoke Repertory Theatre
Gandeys Hallowe’en Spooktacular, 11/10-03/11, The Trentham Estate
Autumn Clay Handbuilding Workshop, 13/10, LoveClay
Hannah Aldridge, 13/10, Fulford Village Hall
Last Supper at FEASTED, 19/10, Spode Works
It’s a Beautiful Noise, 19/10, Victoria Hall
Clay Club, 21/10-03/11, World of Wedgwood
Blossoms, 28/10, Victoria Hall
OOOOAARGH! Pirates, Gladstone Pottery Museum
Middleport Ceramic, Craft & Art Festival, 02/11, Middleport Pottery