Author: Andrew Taylor

DECEMBER 4 will see the return of the incredibly popular French market with a selection of stalls selling leather goods, soaps, perfumes and garlic as well as other seasonal and regional produce. Food, drink and music will fill the street, promises town tourist officer Simon Kerr, and there will be fun and games for all the family in a safe, traffic-free environment.

Two weeks later, on Sunday 18 December, it’s the turn of the High Street Traders to celebrate with a Dickensian twist in their third ’Twas the Sunday before Christmas event.

The traders will share the High Street’s unique seasonal atmosphere with special offers and carols from the shop-keepers’ choir.

THE committee behind plans for celebrations to mark the Queen’s Diamond jubilee is now considering the many suggestions which have been put forward.

One idea is for a charity fundraiser around the ‘60’ symbol which, as an example, could see local schools selling commemorative badges for 60p each said committee chairman Cllr Frank Osborne.

“We think this is a great idea, and we want to hear from anyone who can help us take maximum advantage of a 60-themed fundraiser.”

Other ideas being worked on include a choir festival which is being organised by Simon Elliott of the New Life Church, a Jubilee Dance and an interdenominational service to be held on 3 June at St Swithun’s parish church by the Rev Clive Everett Allen.

The Town Council will be hosting several events at East Court on 3/4 June which will include a parade of vintage cars, a funfair and other attractions, with an evening music festival for teenagers at the Meridian Hall.

Plans for Bank holiday Monday could include a Tea on the Terrace event at East Court with live music, and evening celebrations along the High Street culminating in a beacon-lighting as part of a National display, and fireworks.

* Frank can be contacted with ideas or by volunteers willing to lend a hand with events, via the Town Council’s East Court offices.

THE official start to East Grinstead’s Christmas season will be marked by the lighting up of the Rotary Club Christmas tree in the High Street.

Mayor John Saull will do the honours on 3 December, after a concert by local carollers.

Members of the Rotary Club will be holding a collection for the town’s less fortunate residents throughout the day, as well as a house-to-house collection during December.

THE Sackville Water Tower may look like something out of a fairy tale, but this strictly utilitarian building is going to have a new life as a family home, says Elspeth Beard, the architect responsible for its transformation.

SACKVILLE Water Tower is a Grade II Listed building which has dominated its surroundings since it was built in 1914 by W Vaux-Graham, an engineer for the Water Board.

But nearly a century later, the Tower has been granted consent for conversion into a family home.

The tower is built of sandstone and consists of a single void 16 metres high, reaching up to the base of the old tank which occupied its uppermost section.

The square tower has angled turrets and one circular stair turret to the top floor which provided access around the tank up on to the roof level.

This interior space has now been redesigned by Elspeth Beard Architects to retain as much of the original building as is practically possible in order to maintain its industrial character.

The main living spaces have been located at the top (with access to the roof terrace) with the bedrooms occupying the lower floors.

When completed, the tower will consist of seven floors with a reception room on the ground floor, a playroom on the first floor and bedrooms on the second, third and fourth floors.

One large room occupies the top floor which consists of a main living space with a mezzanine kitchen level.

But this is not a home for the unfit as there will be 74 steps to the living room, and 93 to the kitchen.

The existing internal walls will be left painted brickwork in order to retain the building’s character and the existing spiral staircase within the living/kitchen area is to be retained and reused.

But converting water towers can be problematic, says Elspeth, not least from a safety angle.

“Apart from the obvious practical difficulties with access, the main issue to overcome is the ‘means of escape’ and compliance with building regulations. In order to ensure the occupants can get out in the event of a fire, a sprinkler system is required with smoke detectors and a fire alarm.”

When it is completed, the tower will provide four bedrooms, and a large double-height living area and mezzanine kitchen.

For full details of shows, times and ticket prices, contact the theatre Box Office on 01342 302000.

Vienna Festival Ballet presents The Nutcracker on 2 November at 5pm and 8pm.

THE Nutcracker is one of the best-loved of ballets and centres around Clara and her nutcracker doll, which magically transforms into a princely soldier. Their adventures see the Prince and Clara combat the Mouse King and join the Sugar Plum Fairy for a wonderful trip to a Kingdom made entirely of sweets.

HRH Entertainments presents Dancing Queen on 3 November.

Formerly known as Abba Magic, this three-shows-in-one features hits from the seventies, a superb Grease tribute and the best ABBA show in the country.

British Airwaves Productions presents The Fabulous Shadows Golden Greats Tour on 4 November.

This live tribute show features all The Shadows’ classic instrumental hits from the 1960s, including Apache and Wonderful Land recaptured with authentic Fender Stratocaster guitars and Vox amplification.

Acoustic Sussex presents Kate Walsh on 5 November.

Kate is a classically-trained pianist/singer/songwriter who bares her soul with shocking candour.

Outloud Productions presents Passing Strangers on 7 November.

Passing Strangers is a new "battle of the sexes" comedy by Eric Chappell, the BAFTA award-winning television writer whose TV sitcoms include the hugely popular Rising Damp and Only When I Laugh.

When Malcolm and his unhappy friend Clive attend a singles evening they meet the upwardly mobile Julie and cynical Liz.

Marks and Kennard present A Couple of Jobsworths on 8 November.

Musical comedy duo Marks and Kennard perform light-hearted comedy songs and ditties. Great live entertainment in the Pavilion.

A.M.Productions presents We Three Kings of Rock and Roll on 11 November.

A show starring “Billy Fury” played by the West End’s Gavin Stanley, “Buddy Holly” by Marc Robinson and “Elvis” by Steve Halliday, paying tribute to the Three Kings of Rock.

Chequer Mead Friends present Cue Music on 12 November.

Chequer Mead celebrates its 15th Birthday with a fabulous night of live entertainment featuring singer/songwriter Danny Bridle, traditional folk band Sloe Gin, the fabulous Vegas Nights and Tainted Lunch – plus a few surprise guests.

Imberhorne school presents Oliver! on17 -19 November in a Youth Production (By special arrangement with Musicscope and Stage Musicals Ltd of New York).

Imberhorne School presents its biggest show in decades when pupils bring their first full-length, whole-school musical to Chequer Mead.

An Audience with Tony Strudwick on 20 November.

Tony Strudwick’s band and singers make a welcome return to Chequer Mead. During the evening there will be an opportunity for a question and answer session with Tony, who comes from East Grinstead, and the band, many of whom have played with some of the country’s leading musicians.

Chequer Mead Lunchtime Concert Series presents The Woolmer Music Group at 1.30pm on 22 November.

Hannah Woolmer studied at Trinity College of Music and London College of Music and has recorded tracks for films. Belinda Jones studied at the Royal Academy of Music and has won numerous competitions and awards including The Jacqueline Du Pre Music Prize and The Brahms Duo Prize.

Copthorne Players present ‘Allo ‘Allo from 24 – 26 November.

"Leesen very carefully, I shall say zis only vonce…"

René Artois, a hapless café owner, is hiding two British airmen for the Resistance, and the priceless painting of ‘The Fallen Madonna’ for the Germans.

Can René meet the demands of the German occupiers, the Resistance, his wife Edith and his amorous waitresses whilst keeping at bay the unwelcome attentions of Lieutenant Gruber?

Ariel Drama Academy presents its Drama Showcase on 28 November.

Ariel Drama Academy is proud to present an evening of song, drama, and dance, celebrating a selection of its Crawley pupils’ work throughout the year

Los Endos presents Ultimate Genesis on 29 November.

Ultimate Genesis captures the excitement of a live ’70s Genesis concert, featuring music from the band’s heyday.

Jazz Café on 30 November.

Sit back, relax and enjoy the best of live Jazz Café combined with the finest bistro menus at our regular Jazz Café evenings.

 Bend One’s Steps – until 2 November:

In their first joint exhibition, textile artists Jude Kingshott and Penny Watts invite you to share their individual love of mixed media textiles.

Losing the Thread from 3-9 November:

Focusing on two years’ work by the Wednesday Workshop Group of the Tunbridge Wells Embroiderers’ Guild, the exhibition includes small quilts, 3D pieces inspired by Gavin Fry, abstract gardens and Thai embroidery.

Chequer Mead’s Crystal Anniversary Exhibition – 11-16 November:

An exhibition to celebrate the first 15 years of the area’s leading Community Theatre and Arts Centre, with contributions from all the diverse groups which call Chequer Mead ‘home’.

ShedArt – 18-30 November:

ShedArt works in a wide variety of media, and their exhibition presents painting, prints, drawings and textile art that is eclectic, contemporary and vital.

TOWN Mayor John Saull will be attending the following events in November:

• November 2: Youth Council volunteers presentations at Pizza Express.
• November 9: Town Twinning AGM in Meridian Hall: the mayor is Honorary President during his year in office.
• November 11: Estcots Tennis Club dinner at The Swan, Forest Row.
• November 13: Remembrance Sunday. The Mayor will lay a wreath at East Court and then later lead the procession of councillors up London Road and into the High Street for a service at the town centre War Memorial at 11am.
• November 18: Relate AGM at The Crawley Club, Crawley. The Mayoress will also attend.
• November 20: St Catherine’s Hospice Santa Run Day at Chartham Park Golf Club. The hospice is one of the mayor’s chosen charities for his year in office.
• November 27: Civic Service for the Chairman of Mid Sussex District Council at St John’s Church, Burgess Hill. The Mayoress will also attend.

CHEQUER Mead will be celebrating 15 years as one of the south east’s premier arts centres in November, and the whole town has been invited to join the fun.

There will be a week of special events to mark the theatre’s birthday, including backstage tours, competitions and demonstrations, and a celebratory show on 12 November.

For details see the posters below, or check with the box office on 01342 302000.

THE Farmers Market is to continue as a weekly event after crisis talks between the stall holders and the Town Council to save it.

The former market manager Tony Martin had announced he was pulling out after stall numbers fell dramatically over recent months. But the remaining traders were keen to continue, and with the help of the Town Council have now reached an agreement which will enable them to remain in the High Street for the foreseeable future.

Town Clerk Julie Holden called Mr Martin’s decision "a great shame" but said the Council was fully behind the remaining traders, and would hope to encourage more quality stalls in the coming months.

Chris Veasey, who runs the fish stand with his father, welcomed the decision to carry on.

"The amount of rent we were being charged put a lot of people off coming to East Grinstead, but we hope that the new arrangements will prove fruitful," he said.

FOOTLOOSE is one of these feel-good family musicals which arrive at their inevitably happy ending via a plot which combines foot-stomping dance routines with great songs, some of which have become much-loved stand-alone hits.

The eighties film version was instantly popular, and the subsequent stage adaptation earned four Tony Award nominations.

In choosing Footloose to showcase the considerable talents of its young performers, Act One Beginners did themselves – and their audiences – very proud indeed.

Tim Hewitt has a strong, warm voice and his essential decency as Ren McCormack, the troubled teen unjustly labelled a troublemaker in Dullsville Bomont, made him an immensely likeable lead.

Sophie Karaolis put in a sassy performance as the rebellious preacher’s daughter Ariel Moore, and her Holding Out for A Hero was one of the show’s many highlights.

The Hero in question’s six-pack was another, and Tom Rowlinson’s shirt-ripping reprise in the finale earned roars of appreciation for his finely-chiselled chest.

A great dancer, Sophie also brought a real sense of pathos to her role as a misunderstood daughter rebelling against a father too locked in his own misery to notice hers.

Ian McCheyne and Alexandra Constable both gave touchingly accomplished performances as her grieving parents, and the scene in which they realise how much they still love each other, was a real shiver-down-the-spine-moment. Sweet-faced Katherine Stevens was also well-cast as Ren’s mother, torn between defending her son and wanting to fit into her new life.

There were some lovely moments too from Ariel’s five-strong coterie of giggly girl chums, and Jose Napper as Rusty gave a scene-stealingly terrific rendition of Let’s Hear it for the Boy.

The boy in question was Matt Harris as Willard, always spoiling for a fight, but still too shy to ask a girl to dance, and his endearingly funny portrayal of teenage angst was a delight, as was his Mama Says.

The principals were wonderfully well-served by their ensemble, who were step-perfect in some very tricky dance routines, and some great lighting effects down by the rail road tracks.

And when the entire audience got to its feet for the rip-roaring finale, I think it is fair to say that everyone had had a very good time indeed.