Vicky Ellis, Author at Blackpool Social Club

11 Dec

Local Christmas Gift Ideas: Books for Grown-ups

Vicky Ellis0 CommentsLocal News

The North-West is burgeoning with exceptional authors. Altblackpool would like to highlight a variety of publications which we think would make terrific stocking fillers. As an added bonus, if you complete our readers' survey (competition closed: 24/12/12) (a mere 2 minutes of your time) you are in with a chance of winning copies of all 4 books featured this week! Today's books are suitable for adults. The Sweetest Kiss edited by D L King The Sweetest Kiss is edited by D L King and includes fiction from Ashley Lister, D L King and Remittance Girl (all of whom recently attended…

10 Dec

Local Christmas Gift Ideas: Children’s Books

Vicky Ellis0 CommentsLocal News

The North-West is burgeoning with exceptional authors. Altblackpool would like to highlight a variety of publications which we think would make terrific stocking fillers. As an added bonus, if you complete our readers' survey (competition closed: 24/12/12) (a mere 2 minutes of your time) you are in with a chance of winning copies of all 4 books featured! Today's books are suitable for children and teens. Mathamagical by Colin Davies This is a book about a young boy called Ben Small runs away form home because he is accused of cheating because his English test results are so much better than…

10 Dec

Review: That Ever Increasing Distance at Supercollider

Vicky Ellis0 CommentsVisual Arts & Exhibitions

Conceptual art is a challenging discipline. Perhaps this is why it is often side-stepped in favour of more accessible modes of expression. Fortunately, Blackpool has Tom Ireland, champion of the genre, to give a voice to ideas which are difficult, if not impossible, to express through words alone. That Ever Increasing Distance opened on Friday 7th December at Supercollider's compact gallery at 59 Cookson Street. Given the huge canvas which hangs across the doorway and windows, it's a little difficult to recognise - a fitting entrance for an exhibition which asks you to look a little further, dig a little…

04 Dec

Interview: Paul Harding

Vicky Ellis1 CommentVisual Arts & Exhibitions

Taking part in Caffe Dolce's Christmas Exhibition is local artist, Paul Harding. He describes his work as being in a narrative, represational style and he is particularly interested in representations of memory. Paul found time to down his paintbrush long enough to answer some fanciful questions: 1) Fight or flight? When in doubt, "Charge!!".....in theory anyway. 2) Imminent or imitation? Brilliant new ideas are often 'imminent'- then don't really deliver. 'Imitation' gets things done now. In the art realm, as in so many other aspects of life, we're constantly evolving and imitating whether consciously or not- even if we're only…

28 Nov

One Man, Two Guvnors at Blackpool Grand Theatre

Vicky Ellis1 CommentTheatre, Dance & Performance

Last night One Man, Two Guvnors opened for its five night stint at Blackpool's Grand Theatre. And it did so in smooth style, filling the space with raucous laughter from start to finish in a full-on, fast-paced medley of comedic styles which is the trademark of Commedia Dell'arte. Rufus Hound was a charming harlequin. His presence was bold and his improvisation hilarious. Peter Caulfield's physical clownish comedy was much appreciated and skillfully delivered. Edward Bennett was a smutty toff who moved between the physical, the high-minded and the smutty with an easy grace. Dolly, confidently performed by Jodie Prenger, brought…

26 Nov

Preview: One Man, Two Guvnors

Vicky Ellis0 CommentsTheatre, Dance & Performance

Adapted by Richard Bean from the 18th century Italian comedy, Arlecchino servitore di due padroni, by Carlo Goldoni, One Man, Two Guvnors finally arrives in Blackpool this week. Running at The Grand from Tuesday 27th November to Saturday 1st December, the production features comedian Rufus Hound and Blackpool's own Jodie Prenger. The play has been the focus of a plethora of awards during its stints at the West End and Broadway, including best play at the Evening Standard Awards 2011 and best actor, won by James Cordon, at the prestigious Tony Awards in the same year. In his weighty tome…

23 Nov

Review: It’s a Wonderful Life! at Thornton Little Theatre

Vicky Ellis0 CommentsTheatre, Dance & Performance

A review by David Riley It’s a Wonderful Life! is a classic film from mid 1940’s America that has become a staple of Christmas television in many parts of the world and is now recognized as one of the greats of US film making. It was directed by Frank Capra and starred (as its lead character George Bailey) James Stewart. When it had already achieved this iconic status as a film, the script was adapted for the stage by Los Angeles playwright and performer Tony Palermo, who gave it a brilliant twist – it was to be staged as a…

07 Nov

Review: End to End – The Gramophones – 06.11.2012

Vicky Ellis0 CommentsTheatre, Dance & Performance, Visual Arts & Exhibitions

Walking into the small Starbucks cafe at Blackpool Sixth Form College, (who knew?) I was delighted to see a giggling bubble of teens brightening the space and chirping happily in expectation of a Wordpool event. Approximately 30 students had turned up to see The Gramophones perform their theatrical storytelling piece, End to End. I was pleased that they had turned up as this was my second time seeing this show and I knew it wouldn't disappoint. Ria Ashcroft, Kristy Guest, Hannah Stone (performers) and Tilly Branson (director) greeted the audience on the floor as we entered the theatre space (another…

05 Nov

Review: Carpe Jugulum St Bernadette’s Players 02/11/12

Vicky Ellis0 CommentsTheatre, Dance & Performance, Visual Arts & Exhibitions

A review by David Riley. Carpe Jugulum is a comedy-horror stage adaptation of novelist Terry Pratchett’s story of the same name. Featuring a cast of witches and vampires, it is set in his fantasy creation: Discworld. Staging it is a challenge for anyone, as it calls for a cast of at least 19 and has 27 scenes. A brave choice, then, for amateur dramatics which in this case caused the performing group, St. Bernadette’s of Bispham to call upon Cleveleys neighbours, The Lancastrian Players, for three additional actors. (more…)

17 Oct

Interview: Mike Cassidy

Vicky Ellis1 CommentVisual Arts & Exhibitions

Leading up to the preview of his exhibition, Studies for the Broken Sun - currently exhibited at Caffe Dolce, Mike Cassidy took time out to answer some questions about an eternally debatable subject: art. 1) Fight or flight? Am I able to actually fly? That would be amazing! If so that, but I’ve never really been one to run away from anything. 2) Imminent or imitation? Well imitation is the whole reason why art exists. As human beings we do it without even noticing. What I find really interesting about imitation is the differences that occur, the unintended little diversions…