Whoah! where did the summer go?! Well, we’re not going to be downhearted, all of our wondrous volunteers and staff are anticipating a great autumn. For anyone suffering the back- to- school blues, we have the remedy- “Captain Underpants” (U) on Sat 9th Sept 5pm and 7.30pm. It’s a celebration of friendship, of the boundless creativity of children’s minds. It’s visually inventive, narratively agile and yes, it has fart gags!
Fresh from playing ‘Beautiful Days’ we have three brilliant bands gigging at The Beehive very soon- namely The Eskies, supported by The Leylines (Friday 8th Sept) and Ferocious Dog with support, Black Water County(Friday 13th Oct).
The Dublin based, Eskies are returning after supporting Mad Dog Mcrea at their annual Beehive Xmas gig last year. The Eskies play their unique brand of folk noir/gypsy jazz/sea shanty and swaggering stage spectacle, music that meanders from sea soaked waltz to Italian tarantella, from Brassy funeral march-esque lament to weep along Klezmar knees up, from chain gang holler to rag time finger snap. All performed with not a small amount of tongue in cheek, we can’t wait for their return!
The Leylines from Weston Super Mare have created a style that combines the acerbic social commentary of Paul Weller with a folk-rock vibe that will send you right back to those long, hazy, festival days. Fiddle-driven rabble rousers and songs that stir the soul.
As a complete contrast to the festival fare above, we have the immensely talented Neil Maya Jazz Quartet, featuring Honiton’s superb young pianist, Matt Carter, playing the Beehive with ‘The Brubeck Project’ on Friday 15th September at 8pm. Totnes based musician Neil Maya (alto sax) is collaborating with some of the finest musicians in the South West to authentically reproduce the best known Dave Brubeck recordings such as ‘It’s a Raggy Waltz’, ‘Blue Rondo a la Turk’, ‘Unsquare Dance’ and of course ‘Take 5’. Nick Carter on drums and Kevin Sanders on double bass complete the quartet who will also play one or two of their own compositions and standards, expect some of the coolest jazz on the planet!
We have great cinema coming with “Alone in Berlin” (12A) on Sat 16th Sept 7.30pm. In this affecting drama, Brendan Gleeson and Emma Thompson play a grieving husband and wife who embark on dangerous acts of resistance during WW2. There’s the Swedish feel-good, black comedy “A Man Called Ove”(15) which follows the travails of a grumpy, grieving mechanic who is helped by his new neighbour on Friday 22nd Sept at 7.30pm. And Edgar Wright’s exhilarating, car-chase musical thriller “Baby Driver”(12A) at 7.30pm on Fri 29th Sept is not to be missed!
Our Royal Opera House live screening of “The Magic Flute” is on Weds 20th Sept at 7.15pm- Julia Jones conducts this spellbinding production of Mozart’s popular work with its famous Queen of the Night aria it delivers a magical adventure through mysticism, enchantment, love and trickery – with some wonderfully humorous moments – through an extraordinary blend of comedy, philosophical seriousness and sheer magic. Our next production in the 2017 ROH Live Cinema Season is Puccini’s beloved opera La Bohème on Tuesday 3 October at 7.15pm.
On Thursday 28th of Sept at 8pm we are screening “Black Sabbath: The End of the End” (12A) which chronicles the final tour from the band who forged the sound of Metal. Watch out for some Ozzy expletives!
We have heard great things about Keith James who faithfully performs the beautifully crafted “Songs of Leonard Cohen” at 7.30pm on Saturday 23rd Sept.
Michael Morpurgo’s “Out of the Ashes” on Sat 30th Sept 7.30pm, is the stage adaptation of his novel, performed by City Of Light Theatre Co and directed by Honiton’s Alex Jackson. Out of the Ashes is the story of Becky’s experience on her family farm in Devon, during the outbreak of foot and mouth disease across the UK.
‘Charming and inventive, the piece uses simple staging and storytelling to shed light on a monumental crisis in recent history.’ ‘The performances by Chelsea Marie and Amelia Hibbert were also superb.’ EXEUNT – terrific to have more Honiton talent recognised and it’ll be great for them to play to a home crowd.
Of course, there is loads more happening apart from our many gigs, classes are re-starting after a summer break for some- Western Spirit line dancing on Weds nights as well as Honiton Band rehearsals, Theatre Kidz restart and we launch our new Chess & Backgammon club fortnightly from Thurs 7th Sept 7-9pm in the café bar. Everyone is welcome, bring a board and pieces if you have them, any level welcome and free tuition or guidance is offered. There’s the free Folk or Acoustic café on the 2nd Weds of every month, the East Devon Death café on Tuesday 12th Sept and our brilliant Dementia friendly, Nostalgic cinema, usually on the last Friday of the month at 2pm.We are also really excited to be launching our new monthly comedy club initially on Thursday 12th October at 8pm with a wealth of local West country talent- in “The Comedy Avengers” this is at the very special launch price of £5 if booked in advance and tickets are limited- so get them quickly!!
Please check the website or ring the team at the Beehive for any info you’d like and do pop in to say hello or wander into the gallery where four Devon artists have joined together to showcase their talents for Devon Open Studios from 9th – 23rd Sept.
See you soon, from Wendy and the Beehive team.
