Cornwall Songwriters unashamed plug!

Subject: Cornwall Songwriters unashamed plug!
From: Hawker
Date: 03 Jun 04 - 04:51 PM

The Cornwall Songwriters newest production,'UNSUNG HEROES - The Lost Gardeners of Heligan' - Has its premier performance this weekend (5th & 6th June) at The Lost Gardens of Heligan. There are I believe still some tickets left for the Sunday performance, if anyone is interested.

The tale of the beautiful gardens at Heligan, lost when the gardeners went away and were lost to war, the gardens then found and resurrected to their former glory, provides a powerful parable - a metaphor for life. It is now many years since the garden's creators left us. The magnificently re-created gardens are part of their legacy - but their story is also a gift to us all. An amazing story, with wonderful music and songs, an incredible rollercoaster of emotions!

The story follows the format of the Ewan McColl & Charles Parker style 'Radio Ballads' but the format originally dependent on recording, editing and overdubs has now been turned into riveting live drama. Songs which are in turn powerful, lyrical & inspiring tell the story and convey the emotions - and narrative gives context and scope.

Catch it at:
Golowan Festival, Penzance 17-6-04
Shire Hall, Bodmin 26-6-04
Wadebridge Folk Festival 30-8-04
South Brent Hall 10-9-04
Lowender Perran 14-10-04
Falmouth Arts Centre 6-11-04
more dates to be confirmed!

CDs of the show are available at £12.00 each and of course we are available for bookings!

This is an unashamed plug! I, as one of the newest members of the songwriters am very proud of what we have produced and hope very much that you will enjoy it as much as we have enjoyed creating and performing it!
Cheers,
Lucy

Subject: RE: Cornwall Songwriters unashamed plug!
From: harpmaker
Date: 03 Jun 04 - 06:52 PM

Sounds fantastic Lucy, and a well earned plug! I must say.
Would love to see it, but we are far away.

Subject: RE: Cornwall Songwriters unashamed plug!
From: Cllr
Date: 03 Jun 04 - 06:54 PM

champagne Carol and I will be there saturday. Can't wait!

Subject: RE: Cornwall Songwriters unashamed plug!
From: Phot
Date: 04 Jun 04 - 02:24 PM

Kathy & Jon

Chris has to go across to France tomorrow to do photography for the 60th anniversary of the D-Day Landings. As he says that's life in a blue suit - you have to go where they send you.

He's really sorry he'll miss tomorrow and asked me to wish you well, it sounds fantastic. Just hope we will be able to catch it at one of the other venues.

Wassail!

Mrs Phot

PS Happy birthday Kathy.

Subject: RE: Cornwall Songwriters unashamed plug!
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 04 Jun 04 - 02:31 PM

The Lost Gardens

Subject: RE: Cornwall Songwriters unashamed plug!
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 04 Jun 04 - 02:36 PM

Doesn't time fly! - I heard about this from Jon and Kathy last year, and was wondering how it was going, but I hadn't realised that the debut performance was so imminent. I hope it all goes well.

Kitty

Subject: RE: Cornwall Songwriters unashamed plug!
From: Hawker
Date: 06 Jun 04 - 11:28 AM

Phew! well the first show went very well, we all managed to make a mistake, but nobody noticed (i think!!) There were a few tears in the audience and I hope that was from emotion and not the noise we made! There were a few catters there, Cllr and Champagne Carol for starters, perhaps if you saw it this weekend, you would like to review it for us here?
What was particularly wonderful for me was meeting the present gardeners who loved the show and felt it was well researched. and one of theor mothers who wept as she told me that her father would have loved it as he played in the gardens as a child!
I am looking forward to tonights show now, rather than being incredibly nervous!
Cheers, Lucy

Subject: RE: Cornwall Songwriters unashamed plug!
From: Marion in Cornwall
Date: 06 Jun 04 - 03:01 PM

Unsung Heroes

Subject: RE: Cornwall Songwriters unashamed plug!
From: Hawker
Date: 06 Jun 04 - 08:12 PM

Thanks Marion!
Second show was amazing - there were strange things happening tonight! - suffice to say the old gardeners approved!
More catters there tonight so come on tell the rest what you thought! I won't be offended if its bad!
Cheers,
Lucy

Subject: RE: Cornwall Songwriters unashamed plug!
From: JohnB
Date: 06 Jun 04 - 10:09 PM

We found the Lost Gardens on our recent trip to England, OK Cornwall, I forgot about the seperatists (thought that was just a Canadian thing) Really neat place, the Azalea and Rhodedenderon TREES were all in blossom, Bloody Magnificent.
JohnB

Subject: RE: Cornwall Songwriters unashamed plug!
From: GUEST,Germoe girl
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 04:24 AM

What an amazing evening the premiere of "Unsung Heroes" was – the setting at the Lost Gardens of Heligan in Cornwall of this powerful story was indeed pure magic! The drama told of the heyday of the gardens and gardeners of Heligan, their subsequent loss, and hope for the future.

The story is told through the characters of the Narrator( Mike O'Connor), the Head Gardener (Roger Bryant), the Maid (Lucy Burrow), the Old Gardener (Jon Heslop), Second Gardener (Ron Openshaw), First Gardener (Tony Truscott), and Helygen, the spirit of the garden (Kathy Wallis). With such a talented group of writers and singers, it is not surprising that there are some memorable and eminently singable songs, some new, some recycled, which takes us on a rollercoaster ride of emotion as the story unfolds.

The evening wove song, verse and dialogue together to enable us to glimpse the Edwardian way of life for the workers on the estate, the onset of World War I, and the decline of the estate as the gardeners departed for the front line. What could have been a depressing tale has an optimistic end, as we are able to witness today. The story is indeed a metaphor for Cornwall and life itself.

There are scheduled performances at several places over the summer, including Golowan Festival and Sidmouth Folk Festival, and I urge you all to go and see this marvellous production.

Subject: RE: Cornwall Songwriters unashamed plug!
From: GUEST,Germoe girl
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 04:26 AM

Oops, sorry got that wrong - NOT Sidmouth Folk Festival, but lots of other places to catch it - see Marion from Cornwall's message.

Subject: RE: Cornwall Songwriters unashamed plug!
From: GUEST,Cats at Work
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 07:58 AM

Thanks for your kind words. Yes Hawker, there were some very strange things going on and the gardeners of the old world did approve as well as the new generation. The Saturday birthday picnic in the gardens was wonderful and we raised a glass to 'those in the blue uniform who had to be on the sea. There were more than a few tears and it wasn't the singing!!!! At one point there was a definite mexican sniffle. Make sure you bring your hankies with you!!

You can catch the show at Bodmin Shire Hall, Golowan Festival Penzance, South Brent Village hall and anywhere else that would like it.

Subject: RE: Cornwall Songwriters unashamed plug!
From: Hawker
Date: 08 Jun 04 - 03:39 AM

Thanks Germoe girl for your kind words, Cats I have had the op, and am home - I didn't stay overnight! It is a little more tender than I anticipated, but at least I got home to see the transit of venus and have a fab pic of same! Hopefully Ill be waltzing for Golowan! (but maybe not, so get practising!)
Cheers, Lucy

Subject: RE: Cornwall Songwriters unashamed plug!
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 08 Jun 04 - 02:43 PM

Sidmouth next year, (even) if not run by Mrs Casey.......?

Kitty

Subject: RE: Cornwall Songwriters unashamed plug!
From: GUEST,Mike O'C
Date: 08 Jun 04 - 06:12 PM

It has always been my hope to take 'Heroes' to Sidmouth in 2005. Indeed Alan Bearman was so positive about 'The Cry of Tin' it seemed a good bet. With the current situation your guess is as good as mine, but I'm sure the show would be well received at Sidmouth, as was the Cry.

We've had a lot of positive comments, on and off list, for which many thanks.

The most moving were, perhaps, those of the relatives of the old gardeners, and those of Tim and Candy Smit.

Subject: RE: Cornwall Songwriters unashamed plug!
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 09 Jun 04 - 04:31 PM

Mike O'C

I hope the show can get a bit further north, and east...

Subject: RE: Cornwall Songwriters unashamed plug!
From: breezy
Date: 09 Jun 04 - 06:43 PM

not without a visa

Subject: RE: Cornwall Songwriters unashamed plug!
From: GUEST,Cats at work
Date: 10 Jun 04 - 04:26 AM

It's not the Cornish who need passports and Visa to get out, it's everyone else coming in!!!!

Seriously though, We would love to take Unsung Heroes north and east, we'll even take it overseas if they pay, but we are only doing it for 2 years and after that...... So, if you want it at your local festival, village hall, garden centre etc, start talking to Mike O'connor now or you won't get it.

Subject: RE: Cornwall Songwriters unashamed plug!
From: Cllr
Date: 10 Jun 04 - 05:43 AM

Already working on it Cats...