General:
| Pam Rhodes visits Stratford-upon-Avon where she samples some local wine, meets actor Geoffrey Streatfeild of the Royal Shakespeare Company and finds out about the great bard's very own Parish Church.
|
| Paul Edmondson
Paul is Head of Education at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and an honorary Fellow of the Shakespeare Institute, University of Birmingham. and also Paul assistant director of the Stratford-upon-Avon Poetry Festival. He talks of Shakespeare's connection with Holy Trinity Church and his knowledge of the bible illustrated by the many references in his works which show he was writing within a true Christian context. Paul is co-author (with Stanley Wells) of Shakespeare's Sonnets (Oxford University Press, 2004) and his book on Twelfth Night in performance, was published in 2005, for the Shakespeare Handbook series by Palgrave Macmillan. Meryl Stanley Meryl runs the Heart of England vineyard just outside Stratford-upon-Avon which produces award-winning English wine. It was established in 1995 by her husband David who died earlier this year. Meryl talks of how his unexpected death proved to be a challenge to her faith and how the hope of new life after death has sustained her in the months that followed. The Heart of England Vineyard, Welford Hill, Welford-on-Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 8AE Tel: 01789 750565 http://www.heart-of-england.info/ John Davis John is a successful professional landscape painter whose work is widely exhibited in this country and abroad. He believes the history of England is tied up in the ancient churches which he often paints and, whilst painting, he often finds himself in the presence of the faith of those who built them. One of his favourite churches is Holy Trinity, which provides the classic landscape of Stratford-upon-Avon. Cards and Limited Edition Prints can be purchased by contacting John directly Tel: 01789 488457 Email: jacgdavis@aol.com www.stratford-upon-avon.co.uk/jdavis.htm John is also available for commissions and can be contacted at his home. His next exhibition is a two day one in his own village of Aston Cantlow at the village hall on Saturday 21stand Sunday 22nd October 1000 - 1700 Geoffrey Streatfeild Geoffrey is performing at the RSC Stratford as Henry VI (parts 1 2 and 3) and as Prince Hal in Henry IV and the title role in Henry V. He explains how one can find all of human life and nature in Shakespeare's plays and how performing a character in Shakespeare can enable greater understanding of one's neighbour. He goes on to talk of how his Christian faith gives him stability in a very uncertain profession and how it helps him to establish his life on solid foundations. Agent: Markham and Froggatt Phone: 020 7636 4412 Henry VI Parts I, II and III run in repertoire at the newly opened Courtyard Theatre, RSC, Stratford-upon-Avon until the 21st October 2006. Box office: 0870 609 1110. Peggy Rothman Travelling with her husband in Europe, Peggy Rothman enjoyed a life of 5 star hotels and restaurants which she loved. Without realising, this glamorous style of living was giving her a false sense of security and her self esteem was based simply on the envy of others. Eventually, her marriage broke down, and she found herself reaching a very low point where she was drinking heavily. Through her daughter's faith, and the ministry of Joyce Meyer, she came to the realisation that, no matter what she had done, Jesus loved her and all the 'baggage' that came with her previous lifestyle was irrelevant. |
| Christ is Made the Sure Foundation
Tune: Westminster Abbey Music: Henry Purcell (1659-95) Latin c.6 or 7 tr. J. M. (1818-66) Performed by the congregation of Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon with organist Andrew Jones and conducted by Paul Leddington Wright Like a Mighty River Flowing Tune: Old Yeavering Music: Noël Tredinnick (b. 1949) Arranged by Geoff Ellerby for this programme. Not available commercially Words: Michael Perry (1942-96) Performed by the congregation of Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon with musicians Robin Thompson Clarke, Pete Lingwood, Dave Fitzgerald, Craig Mcleish, Alan Tokeley and organist Andrew Jones, conducted by Paul Leddington Wright My Jesus, My Saviour Composed by: Darlene Zschech Arranged by Geoff Ellerby for this programme. Not available commercially. Performed by the congregation of Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon with musicians Robin Thompson Clarke, Pete Lingwood, Dave Fitzgerald, Craig Mcleish, Alan Tokeley and organist Andrew Jones, conducted by Paul Leddington Wright How Deep the Father's Love for Me Composed by: Stuart Townend Arranged by Geoff Ellerby for this programme. Not available commercially. Performed by the congregation of Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon with musicians Robin Thompson Clarke, Pete Lingwood, Dave Fitzgerald, Craig Mcleish, Alan Tokeley and organist Andrew Jones, conducted by Paul Leddington Wright I Will Sing the Wondrous Story Tune: Hyfrydol Music: R. H. Prichard, (1811-87) Words: Francis Harold Rowley (1854-1952) Performed by the congregation of Holy Trinity Church Stratford-upon-Avon with organist Andrew Jones and conducted by Paul Leddington Wright Far Away Composed by: Takatsugu Muramatsu and Robert Prizeman Performed by Libera (This song will be included on a new album from Libera to be released in the Autumn on EMI.) Thus Angels Sung Tune: Song 34 (Angels' Song) Music: Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625) Words: v. 1 Wither, George (1588-1667), others anon (Sandys 1833 adapted) Performed by Ex Cathedra accompanied by lute player, Lynda Jayce, and conducted by Jeffrey Skidmore |
| HOLY TRINITY CHURCH
Old Town, Stratford-upon-Avon, CV37 6BG Tel: 01789 266316 http://www.stratford-upon-avon.org Where we recorded all our music items and filmed the interview with Paul Edmondson THE PARISH CHURCH OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST Aston Cantlow, Warwickshire Where we filmed John Davis as he was painting the church THE SWAN THEATRE AT THE RSC Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Waterside, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 6BB Information Line: 01789 403444 Ticket Hotline: 0870 609 1110 www.rsc.org.uk/ Where we filmed Geoffrey Streatfeild THE SHAKESPEARE BIRTHPLACE TRUST The Trust owns the following properties where we filmed:- Shakespeare's Birthplace Nash's House (New Place) Anne Hathaway's Cottage http://www.shakespeare.org.uk/ Other locations were:- THE MENZIES WELCOMBE HOTEL Warwick Road, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 0NR Tel: 01789 295252 EDWARD VI GRAMMAR SCHOOL Church Road, Stratford upon Avon, CV37 6HB THE SHAKESPEARE HOTEL Chapel Street, Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 6ER Tel: 0870 400 8182 THE CHAUCER HEAD BOOKSHOP 21, Chapel Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, CV37 6EP Tel: 01789 415691 email: books@stratford-upon-avonbooks.co.uk www.stratford-upon-avonbooks.co.uk ANNE TUDOR INTERNATIONAL COLLECTIONS 35 Sheep Street. Stratford-upon-Avon, CV37 6EE Tel: 01789 293325 |
| LIBERA
A new CD is due to be released later this year and will feature the track 'Far Away' http://www.libera.org.uk/ EX CATHEDRA Based in Birmingham, Ex Cathedra performs a broad spectrum of choral music spanning the fifteenth to twenty-first centuries, and regularly commissions new works http://www.ex-cathedra.org/ They were conducted by their founder, Jeffrey Skidmore http://www.ex-cathedra.org/jeffreyskidmore.htm MUSICIANS Our musicians accompanying our congregation were:- Organist: Andrew Jones (organist at Holy Trinity Church) Cello: Robin Thompson Clarke Keyboard: Pete Lingwood Flute and saxophone: Dave Fitzgerald Acoustic guitar: Craig Mcleish French horn: Alan Tokeley The lute player with Ex Cathedra was Lynda Jayce http://www.theorbo.com/ THE RSC COMPLETE WORKS The RSC has undertaken to perform all of Shakepeare's works in one year. 'The Complete Works Festival' runs until the end of April next year and will feature all his plays, poems and sonnets performed by both the RSC and visiting companies from all over the world. We filmed rehearsals of Henry VI in the Ashcroft Rehearsal Rooms at the RSC in Stratford-upon-Avon and featured the following:- Katy Stephens Agent: Waring and McKenna Tel: 020 7734 7555 Patrice Naiambana Agent: Daly Pearson Associates Tel: 020 7384 1036 Richard Twyman, the Associate Director Agent: Stella Richards Management Tel: 020 7736 7786 CLARKE'S CYCLES Guild Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, CV37 6QY. Reg Clarke sells and hires out traditional Pashley Bikes which we featured, with Pam, in our opening titles sequence. Shop: 01789 205057 Mobile: 07785 954887 |