Mardi Gras

   Mardi Gras 2011

The 2011 King Street Mardi Gras took place on Tuesday 8th March from 4-6.00 pm. The event  featured entertainment, food and customs with an international theme, both in the street and inside the event’s tented area on King Street.  This is the second Mardi Gras event to be held on King Street: the weather was much kinder than in 2010 and there was a good crowd.  The event is organised by SeaChange Arts to celebrate the international festival that is Mardi Gras, Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day .

The theme this year drew heavily on the notion of spring versus winter –  represented throughout the event in the form of ‘Fatso’ and ‘Hempen’ – two characters from the Lithuanian culture who do battle to signify the changing of the seasons. “We introduced Fatso and Hempen at last year’s event,” explained SeaChange’s Chief Executive, Joe Mackintosh, “This year, we’re developing their role and they will be central to the afternoon’s activities.”

The roles of Fatso and Hempen were filled this year by performers from Générik Vapeur, a French street arts company who SeaChange Arts work closely with as part of a European partnership, called ZEPA. The partnership enabled SeaChange to bring the full Générik Vapeur Company to Yarmouth last year to showcase their legendary street show Bivouac as part of the Out There festival.

The Mardi Gras event is designed to bring communities and businesses from around the King Street area to work together. The area is earmarked as a new cultural quarter for the town, focused around the £8m redevelopment of St Georges Chapel into a multipurpose Arts Centre.

For further information on the event visit www.seachangearts.org.uk 

(Information provided by SeaChange Arts)

Great Yarmouth Spring Festival 2010, St. Nicholas Parish Church

The St. Nicholas Parish Church Preservation Trust has organised a Spring Festival to raise funds for the £750,000 repair to the organ and the tower pinnacles.  Donations are always welcome and can be  made on-line to www.sncpt.co.uk

Gardener’s Question Time and Demonstration of Flower Arranging: Wednesday 12th May, 6.00 p.m. for 6.30-9.30 p.m. Tickets £10 includes buffet (£5 for college and Priory students).  Venue: St. Nicholas Church. Bar available. Tickets available from the Priory Centre, Mon-Fri 9.00 -17.00 hrs or from Paul Davies 01493 843647.

Lecture by General Sir Richard Dannatt, GCB, CBE, MC: “A Look Back, A Look Forward.  Reflections on 40 Years a Soldier” Friday, 14th May, 7.30 p.m., tickets £10. Venue: Masonic Royal Assembly Rooms, Albert Square. Bar available. Tickets available from the Priory Centre, Mon-Fri 9.00-17.oo hrs or from Paul Davies, 01493 843647.

Saturday 15th May, 10.00-16.00 hrs, admission free. Venue: St. Nicholas Church: Tower open 10.00-14.00 hrs, exhibiton of prints and maps of Great Yarmouth, display of Church silverware, organ recital by John Stephens 12.30 -13.30 hrs. Guided tour of the church and its history, 14.00-15.00 hrs.

Full Choral Evensong using the 1662 Prayer Book: Sunday 16th May 6.30 p.m., no ticket required.  Venue: St. Nicholas Church

Take Three Cooks: Cooking demonstration sponsored by the Imperial Hotel.  Tickets £25 includes lunch.  Venue: The Imperial Hotel, 01493 842000 (limited to 80 people).

Was nearly Curtains in Edinburgh

Hey Everyone

I have just had the most amazing weekend.  I travelled up to Edinburgh for the weekend, because a short film I worked on last year in Great Yarmouth had it’s premier screening at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. The film is called Curtains directed by Jullian Barratt (The Mighty Boosh), and Dan Jemmett.

The Friday started off really well. The sun was shining, it was a beautiful morning, at 5:45 when I got up. I was so organised it was unbelievable, for me anyway. I was in work early, and nothing seemed like it could go wrong…..  until I pulled off a handle off a door at work, and then chucked ink all over my paper work, because I didn’t realise my pen was leaking. I then handed in my ink dripping paper work, but didn’t tell my boss and ran for it , but then halfway down the road realised I still had keys that work needed in my pocket.  The day was going well, and we hadn’t even started our journey to Edinburgh.

We finally left Beccles at 2:45 – 15 minutes later than I had planned. We had a long drive ahead, and it was very interesting especially when we realised we didn’t have any directions to get home. Thankfully to keep our spirits up the sun was still shining, and we were trying to find some of the best bridges between Beccles, and Edinburgh. There was a winner, The Sutton Bridge  -can’t remember where it was though. I think it was in Lincoln. Anyway we reached Durham where I picked up my final friend, and we were ready to face the final part of the journey….. when I got a phone call from the Production manager on Curtains,  Emily Blickem (www.madandbad.co.uk) . She asked me if I had b0oked tickets for the screening. My reply was of course, I mean what kind of person drives half way across the country, and doesn’t book tickets? (I’m being sarcastic) ha ha ha.  Emily then went on to tell me that the screening was sold out. All I could do at this point was laugh. I had driven with 3 of my friends half way across the country to see a film, and it was very likely now we weren’t going to get to see it. We decided to go to Edinburgh even though the chances where very slim of getting to see the film. We arrived in Edinburgh about 11:30pm. The sat nav was going crazy we ended up getting lost for a good half an hour until we decided to ditch the car and walk to find the hostel. Finally made it to the hostel at midnight, and went to bed after a knackeringly bad day.

8:00am up and ready to face another day, and hopefully a better one. I was very anxious about whether we would get to see the film or not. Emily had told us to get there early, because there maybe some tickets that people might not want at the last minute. We made our way to the cinema for 11:00am. It was chucking it down with rain, and I was the only one who didn’t bring a coat. This was how the weekend I thought would carry on. We got to the cinema a bit soaked (only me), and by some miracle they had 4 tickets spare that people hadn’t wanted. The last 4 tickets what are the odds. We got to see Curtains. It was a fantastic film, so funny, had me in stitches. Thought it was brilliant. It got a fantastic response from everyone. There was also another film that we saw called After Tomorrow that was also funded like Curtains by Screen East. This was also an excellent film, and had such a great story, and twist to it.

Had a fantastic time in Edinburgh for the rest of the weekend sight seeing. Then had a 12 hour trip back home which was interesting, but funny. From this whole trip I have learnt not to be organised ever again, because things run smoother when I’m not organised than they do when I am!