Frome Opens Its Doors to Festival Fans

Frome is preparing for a heavy influx of visitors when the Frome Festival kicks off on Friday 3rd July. The Festival will host over 170 events in 10 days . In addition, 66 artists and craft makers will be opening their studios throughout both Festival weekends on the Open Studios tour. On Friday 10th to Sunday 12th July, 37 private gardens will be open to the public on the Hidden Gardens trail, which last year attracted nearly 2000 gardening enthusiasts. 11 exhibitions are listed in the Festival brochure in some of Frome’s most interesting buildings, including St. John’s Church, Rook Lane, and Black Swan Arts.

Frome will also be explored by locals and visitors alike with a number of fascinating events taking place around town, amongst them the play “Midsummer Dusk”, which takes place at the Dissenter’s Cemetery. This has proved so popular, another performance has been added on Saturday 11th July.

At the time of going to press, 15 Festival events had sold out including 2 performances of the opera “Cosi fan Tutti” at Cooper Hall, Selwood Manor. Another performance has been now scheduled for Sunday 26th July to accommodate demand. Martin Dimery, the Festival Creative Director, was keen to highlight the number of events that are free of charge: “In all, 37 walks, talks and performances are free, and 9 ask for donations, about a quarter of the programme. This is a remarkable number for a Festival which receives subsidy only from the town council.” The two biggest free events are the Children’s Festival which hosts numerous activities on Sunday 12th July in Victoria Park, and the Annual Food Feast in the Market Yard featuring 14 food stalls specialising in world and locally sourced cuisine, real ale, cider and cocktail bars, as well as other craft and market stalls. In the event of rain the entertainment will take place in the Cheese and Grain, ensuring a substantial turn out.

Three of the British theatre’s most respected actors will be appearing in this year’s Frome Festival.

Sara Kestelman has been seen in recent years in many TV dramas including Holby City, Casualty, and Midsomer Murders, but is well known in the theatre business as a superb classical actor having appeared in major roles for both the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company. For the RSC she rose to the leading role of Lady Macbeth, and appeared as Gertrude in a major production of Hamlet in Boston.

Sara’s distinctive voice has been heard as Kreia in Star Wars Knights of the Republic II, and will be put to good use in a wonderful performance called The Trouble with Women is Men at the Merlin Theatre in Frome on Sunday 5th July . This revue style show is written, compiled, and co-stars BAFTA nominated poet and performer Leo Aylen.

Michael Pennington also has a Star Wars credit to his name, having appeared in Return of the Jedi. Like Sara Kestelman, he is perhaps better known for his lengthy CV as a stage actor which also includes leading parts with the RSC, notably Hamlet. He was also a founder member and Director of the English Shakespeare Company. Michael’s solo performance brings down the curtain on the Frome Festival on Sunday 12th July at the Merlin Theatre. He will be reading from his hilarious autobiography Let Me Play the Lion Too: How to be an Actor. Michael is currently co-starring at the Theatre Royal Bath in She Stoops to Conquer.

Another Royal Shakespeare connection occurs with appearance of Jeremy Burnham at Cooper Hall on Sunday 12th July with his afternoon performance of A Shropshire Lad, featuring the life and poetry of AE Houseman. Jeremy appeared in some eminent RSC performances including Sir John Gielgud’s Much Ado About Nothing and George Devine’s presentation of King Lear. He then went on to act in a host of hugely successful TV series such as The Avengers, Dangerman and The Saint with Roger Moore. Jeremy scripted episodes of the above series as well as Minder and Inspector Morse, becoming equally well known for his writing as his acting.

Audiences can catch A Shropshire Lad from 4.30 until 7 pm, before making the short distance from Cooper Hall to the Merlin to see Michael Pennington. Tickets for both shows are available from the Cheese and Grain box office or either venue. See www.fromefestival.co.uk for further information.

Tickets for all the above events are available from the Cheese and Grain box office on 01373 455420 or on line at: www.fromefestival.co.uk