The FESTIVAL of DORSET ARTS
Founded in 2014 by lifetime Patron Mrs Amanda J Threadbone, the Threadbone Primavera Festival has rapidly established itself as the West Country's premier and most loved arts event.
With a programme covering all aspects of the visual arts, music, theatre, dance, literature (and a beer tent), this two week cornucopia of culture caters to all tastes and has become the must attend event for the cognoscenti, intellectuals and poseurs of the world.
Highlights of the 2017 Festival include: the West Country Premier of A Devonian in Dorset, exhibitions of paintings bySpanish neo-classicist Enrique and Frank Henry McNightly; readings and book signings by Celia Notso-Pointy, Brenda Oats, Shelley-Lulette Sizemore and Mrs
Amanda J Threadbone; concerts by The Thrupiece Philharmonic Orchestra under dynamic conductor-elect Irina Legova, the Nettlecombe Singers, Motcombe Symphony Orchestra and - for the young at heart - Ziggy and the Boners as well as the All New Fernando Mediantepieza Latin Rhythm Tribute Orchestra. Dance fans will find their needs more than inadequately catered for by the King-Slocombe-Hardy-Brastead Dance School Ballet Troupe, whilst straight theatre fans will welcome the Truly Useless Company whose Threadspeare Tribute "Titus Andrigenous" makes its only West Country appearance during the Festival.
All in all 2017 promises to be the biggest and brightest Festival yet and - don't forget! - there's a beer tent!!!
Poster and Commemorative CD available from the orinoco company. Trailer © The truly Useless Company
The THRUPIECE PHILHARMONIC Orchestra
Irina LEGOVA
VENUE: Village Hall, Herston
DATES: 13 April 2017
CD available from the orinoco company.
© TPO DIGITAL CONCERT HALL | The Hornimint Company
PLEASE NOTE: This concert should not be confused with the later July concert at The Arts Centre Chetnole. Tickets are NOT interchangeable
A welcome return of this popular group who will once again present a lively selection of Balearic Folksongs arranged by Music Director Peter Per Verte and sung in the group's inimitable a capella style. The concert takes place in the beautiful setting of St Andrew the Less, Pilsdon with its marvellous acoustic and famed stained glass depiction of Our Lord of Little Faith.
The NETTLECOMBE Singers
Peter Per VERTE
VENUE: St Andrew the Less, Pilsdon
DATES: 6 April 2017
Members of the popular Nettlecombe Singers with {BELOW] Musical Director Peter Per Verte
ALL MATERIALS © THE THREADBONE PRIMAVERA FESTIVAL 2017
Meet THE AUTHOR x 3
VENUE: Threadstones, Corfe Mullen,
DATES: 8 April 2017, 10 April, 11 April
A chance to hear and speak with three of this year's best selling authors and to buy signed copies of their works.
Arranged in association with Threadstone's Booksellers and The Threadbone Press.
Celia Notso-Pointy
8 April 2017
Shelley-Lulette Sizemore
10 April 2017
Brenda Oats
11 April 2017
The MOTCOMBE SYMPHONY Orchestra
Ivor BATON
VENUE: The Threadbone Arena, Owermoigne
DATES: 8 April 2017
The almost professional Motcombe Symphony Orchestra appear at the Festival for the third time this year offering a programme of Latvian chamber works under their Latvian specialist conductor Ivor Baton. Ivor's penchant for the music of the Baltic states is well known, as is his penchant for large female cellists, one of whom performs a little known concerto by Ritvars Pagabalu.
Festival SPECIAL family OFFER
FREE child's ticket for every 2 Adult tickets for the Motcombe Symphony Orchestra Concert.
The LODERS STRING Quartet
VENUE: The School Hall, Loders
DATES: 10 April 2017
The Loders String Quartet perform quartets by Dorset composers, Threadbone, Shapwick, Tyneham and Ibberton in the imperfect acoustics of their local Church Hall: a "challenging" concert all round.
Ziggy AND THE Boners
with TRAPPED Wind
VENUE: The Thrupiece Stadium, Melbury Abbas
DATES: 13 April 2017
The ALL NEW Fernando MEDIANTEPIEZA
Latin RHYTHM Tribute ORCHESTRA
VENUE: The Sanctuary, King's Stag
DATES: 7 April 2017
The irrepressible and ever popular grand-daddy of pop Ziggy Osmington returns with backing group the Boners o this their only date in Melbury Abbas during their 2017 West Country Tour. Re-formed only a year and a half ago after an acrimonious dispute lasting more than 10 years, the combo are now set to start feet tapping, toes tingling and bingo-wings flapping as they revisit the hits of yesteryear. With support act Trapped Wind.
CD available from orinoco
© The Hornimint Company
Festival fun at last year's Fernando Mediantepieza tea dance. The ever popular tribute band return once again to the Community Hall of the Sheltered Accommodation - The Sanctuary, King's Stag - where they will play a selection of hits by the late great master. A delightful afternoon is guaranteed and the running finger buffet will be especially enjoyed by those with their own teeth and the power to chew!
CD available from orinoco
© The Hornimint Company
in association with
The OPENING event
A DEVONIAN IN Dorset
VENUE: Pier End Lyme Regis DATES: 4-10 April 2017
Straight from (Ealing) Broadway this feel good musical is fun for all the family (over 18s only) and comes with the quality assurance you would expect from from the truly useless company - creators of the previous Festival smash hit Twist!
The EXHIBITION programme
Thrupiece THE CRAFTSman
VENUE: Cripplestyle Arts and Crafts Institute
DATES: 14-26 April 2017
Enrique A SPANISH MAVERICK
VENUE: Chalbury & District Library
DATES: 4-10 April 2017
Frank THE RAILWAY King
VENUE: The Assembly Rooms, West Orchard
DATES: 9-13 April 2017
Knitted OBJECTSions
VENUE: Cripplestyle Arts and Crafts Institute (Annex)
DATES: 9-26 April 2017
The MAGIC of MUSIC
The FESTIVAL of LITERATURE
Festival SPECIAL EVENT of the Year
It's ONLY WORDS but THEY ARE mine
AN Evening WITH Mrs AMANDA J Threadbone
VENUE: The Great Hall, DHRA Building, Great Heaving
DATES: 7 April 2017
In what will be, without question, the event of the Festival, Mrs Amanda J Threadbone will appear before an invited audience to read extracts from her poetry and to reminisce about her long and eventful life. With musical interludes provided by the Great Heaving Mini-tractor Works Brass Band, this is bound to be an overwhelmingly emotional evening filled with love laughter and perhaps a few tears.
With surprise guests drawn from the many worlds of which Mrs Threadbone is the life, soul and organising grandee, celebrity spotters will not be disappointed, but this is above all a chance to share and to be - albeit momentarily - a part of the life of perhaps the most remarkable and celebrated woman in modern Dorset History.
Meet the creative artist, meet the legend but above all meet the woman who is Mrs Amanda J Threadbone.
PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS A STRICTLY INVITATION ONLY EVENT. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A TICKET, A SECURITY PASS AND THE ABILITY TO MAKE A LARGE CHARITABLE DONATION YOU WILL NOT BE ADMITTED.
Threadspeare THE BARD of UPTON
Titus ANDROGENOUS
William Threadspeare
VENUE: The Threadbone Arena, Owermoigne
DATES: 8 April 2017
William Threadspeare (1563-1618) known throughout the West Country as the Bard of Upton was born in Upton almost exactly a year before William Shakespeare, outliving his over-rated and over-performed contemporary by two years.
Known for his light comedies, slap-stick farces and mime-plays, he wrote only one tragedy - Titus Androgenous - the story of a child of indeterminate gender who, through assiduous application overcame prejudice to become one of Rome's greatest and most celebrated chef/bio-ethicists. Rising to the rank of Imperial Maitre d' under the Emperor Tiberius, he invented the gender-neutral Caesar Salad but died penniless without a tail between his legs.
In this revival, the trulyuselesscompany's great revisionist director Zoe Wannasmacker brings all the benefits of close study of the newly discovered urtext (Chilfrome Thrupecian Library Collection Elizabethan Manuscripts CTL 54.9) to reinterpret this classic fable for modern audiences. The play is set in the Stoborough Green Pilchard Factory c1938.
Festival SPECIAL family OFFER
Purchase 4 tickest for Titus Androgenous (minimum 2 adults) and gain half price entrance to Pam Hath-A-Way's Cottage during the Primavera Festival
PAM HATH-A-WAY's COTTAGE
Minterne Magna
Open Daily (11am-4pm) during The Threadbone Primavera Festival. Hourly tours with local historian Delia T Dious at 12 noon, 1pm and 2pm. Last admission 30 minutes before closing. Children must be accompanied by an adult and must not steal the artefacts.
The FESTIVAL of DANCE
King Slocombe HARDY Brastead DANCE School
VENUE: Loders Comprehensive School Hall, Loders
DATES: 10-11 April 2017
The MAPPOWDER
Morris MUMMERS
VENUE: The Greasy Swan, Melcombe Horsey
DATES: 12 April 2017
The King-Slocombe-Hardy-Brastead Dance School Ballet Troupe will once again over-extend themselves by attempting to perform Mrs Threadbone's The Rite of Primavera with music by Igor Kaplinsky and choreography by Dolin Entrechat (Dorset Royal Ballet Principle Choreographer). Praised for their efforts at the 2016 Festival ("at least most of them turned up", North Dorset Ballet Monthly) they return for another brave attempt at face-saving without the aid of a safety net.
Mediaeval mayhem and madness are guaranteed as the Mappowder Morris Mummers once again bring their special brand of needlessly restored folk traditions to the pavements outside the Greasy Swan, Melcombe Horsey. So why not buy yourself a drink (or several) and sit back whilst the mirthful masters of merry mischief make hay whilst the rain falls. Admission Free.
Treasures of DORSET PLAINCHANT
The MONKS of COMPTON Abbas
VENUE: Threadbucks Coffee House, Compton Abbas
DATES: 10 April 2017
Additional EVENT now BOOKING
Fresh from recording their inspirational devotions and the 14 Abbey Tour which followed its release, the Monks of Compton Abbas grace the Festival with excerpts from the Compton Abbas Choirbook (1482). One of the Treasures of Medieval Music the Choirbook has been in the Abbey's possession since 1483. Originally a gift from Lord Howard de Wensleydale to his betrothed Lady Margaret de Broadthyes, she gave it after her husband's death first to the nearby Priory of St Simeon Blind and later (the Priory having fallen into disrepute) to the Abbey of Compton Abbas. It has been used continually by the monks ever since.
The choral concert to be given o this evening will be the first occasion on which any of the music has been hgeard outside its intended ecclesiastical setting. Christians only. Please be seated and able to kneel an hour before commencement.
CD available from orinoco © The Hornimint Company
FESTIVAL of DORSET
SPECIAL
guests
Festival Highlights: Maestro Irina Legova directs the Thrupiece Philharmonic orchestra in music by Addinsell Threadbone; Shelley-Lulette Sizemore reads from her latest novel; Enrique (1983 photo) has for the first time a solo exhibition of works from his Pink period.
