-
£10.00
DATE: Monday 8th June
TIME: 17:30 – 18:45
LOCATION: Monks Yard
DESCRIPTION
There is far more to be discovered about the Bayeux Tapestry than can be covered in one lecture. Who made it, where, and why are the most frequently asked questions, although they are not as important as the information the tapestry itself offers us. It is not just a narrative of the most famous battle in English history, but also of the build-up to it, setting the scene and introducing us to the main characters. It is a story of kings, chivalry and ambition, but it is also a moral story showing that good cannot come to those who break their word. Intriguingly, many crucial events are omitted and we can only speculate why. The presentation looks at many of the scenes in detail and explores what might be learned from this depiction of a turning point in our history.
-
£10.00
DATE: Sunday 7th June
TIME: 10:30 – 11:45
LOCATION: Monks Yard
DESCRIPTION
“The Spy and the Devil” is an account of Baron William de Ropp, a Baltic German aristocrat who was MI6’s top secret agent in Nazi Germany from 1931 to 1939. He had direct access to Hitler and an inside track on the Nazi regime and its objectives, and his reports back to Britain shaped British policy toward Germany in a pivotal period of history. The story of Bill de Ropp, as he was known, has never been published before. This book offers an insider’s view of this outstandingly effective but enigmatic British spy.
Sponsored By: Harper Dolman & West Insurance Ltd
-
£10.00
DATE: Friday 5th June
TIME: 10:30 – 11.45
LOCATION: Monks Yard
DESCRIPTION
“Send in the Clowns” sang Judy Collins, but way before Sondheim’s lyrics became famous, Pierrot the classic French pantomime character, was treading the boards. For 50 years, from the end of the 19th Century until the second world war, almost no British seaside resort was complete without a Pierrot troupe. Renowned for their flowing white satin costumes, black pom-poms and conical hats and white faces, Pierrots provided songs and sketches in the open air for generations of seaside family audiences. There were more than 2000 troupes, with hundreds of thousands of performers, presenting millions of performances – yet now, there is not one troupe left! Few know their origins, their evolution and, even fewer know the debt we owe them for our contemporary pop music and comedy. Tony Lidington is one of the last Pierrot practitioners, having performed as ‘Uncle Tacko’ with ‘The Pierrotters for 27 years! Based on his book “Pierrot Heroes” Tony will give us a lively, illustrated interactive talk and demonstration, which allows us to appreciate the music, art and unique visual imagery of the genre, coming as it does from a world leading authority (and practitioner) of this British seaside phenomenon.
