The last of our original songs for Solstice written especially for the Solstice Shorts Festival, Mock Posh and Tatters by Moira Quinn, which takes on all the Cornish midwinter traditions, set to a traditional tune by Ian Kennedy and Sarah Lloyd.
It’s twelfth night, and the official end of the festive season, so as you pack up your Christmas baubles, here’s something to cheer you up: your opportunity to experience the entire evening of Longest Night, in the same order as the audience, but without me waffling on in between, and without the mulled cider, unless you happen to have some to hand of course.
Wassail Vocal Chords
A Little Favour by Wendy Gill Read by Annalie Wilson
Past Three a Clock Vocal Chords
At The Hotel De La Lune by Sarah James Read by all the actors
Naughty Baby Ian Kennedy & Sarah Lloyd
Midwinter Wife by Cherry Potts Read by Annalie Wilson
Ba Ba Lamie Noo Ian Kennedy & Sarah Lloyd
Life Between Lives by Sarah Evans Read by Patsy Prince
Solstice Carol Ian Kennedy & Sarah Lloyd
https://youtu.be/P9iL6VDTazk How We Know the Cold is Coming, or October by Abigail Beckel Read by Annalie Wilson
The Cold Time Ian Kennedy & Sarah Lloyd
Mouse by David Mathews Read by Lorraine Spenceley
Dunstan Lullaby Vocal Chords
Spooning by Abigail Beckel Read by Annalie Wilson
Soulmate Annalie
Dancing To Silence by Neil Brosnan Read by Lorraine Spenceley
The Snow it Melts the Soonest Ian Kennedy & Sarah Lloyd
The Lover.s Ghost Ian Kennedy & Sarah Lloyd
Vigil by Abigail Beckel Read by Lorraine Spenceley
Crossing the Bar Vocal Chords
Dunking For a New Sun by Bob Beagrie Read by Saul Reichlin
Drive the Cold Winter Away Vocal Chords
What He Doesn’t Know by Frances Gapper Read by Patsy Prince
Waves Annalie
Doubting Thomas by David McVey Read by Saul Reichlin
We Will Be Heard Annalie
Left of Earth, Right of Venus by Pauline Walker Read by Patsy Prince
The solstice is almost upon us, and in the best traditions of midwinter we are planning to make a lot of noise. We have three musical interventions happening at Solstice Shorts 2015 Longest Night, with Vocal Chords, Annalie Wilson and Ian Kennedy & Sarah Lloyd
Here’s some music from Vocal Chords to get you in the mood –
Their CD of English Folk Carols will be available on the night.
But the music doesn’t stop there. Wendy Gill, whose story A Little Favour we are reading on the 21st, has also written a Christmas single in aid of CRISIS UK,- (under her newly married name, Wendy Martin-Gray) Christmas Spell – buy it here
A NEW CHRISTMAS ANTHEM TO RAISE FUNDS FOR CRISIS UK
“Christmas Spell” Brings the Warmth of the Season
to Help the Homeless
A brand new Christmas anthem, written by Wendy Martin-Gray and performed by a variety of musical theatre stars has been released to raise funds for Crisis UK, the national charity for single homeless people. “Christmas Spell” literally spells out the spirit of Christmas in all the ways that represent being ‘home for holidays’. But, for single homeless people, this can be a distant memory. Working with award winning musical director Paul Boyd who gathered a choir of singers from the West End and produced the inspiring arrangement, Martin-Gray has created an instant classic that lifts the soul.
Performers include The Voice star Jordan Lee Davies (currently appearing in “Les Miserables” in the West End), Olivier Award-winning actress Leanne Jones, and “Mrs. Henderson Presents” star Jane Milligan along with other singers and even pipers from The Black Watch to create “The Stages of London Singers”.
“A Christmas Spell” is available on iTunes (click here), as well as Spotify, Amazon Music and from most online music retailers for just 79p. The promotional video is now online on YouTube here. All profits raised will be presented to Crisis UK in the New Year. Social media can be followed @crisispeople using the hashtag #christmasspell
“I wanted to do something meaningful this year to raise money and lift the spirits,” says composer Wendy Martin-Gray. “A Christmas Spell reminds us of the comforts of home and support at this time of year, something which Crisis works to provide for single homeless people.”
Ed Tait, Director of Fundraising for Crisis, said: “Homelessness is a devastating and isolating experience. The average age of death for a homeless person is just 47. No one should face these dangers. But thanks to the dedication of our fundraisers, each year Crisis can help thousands of people to rebuild their lives. I want to say a huge thank you to Wendy for helping end homelessness for good.”
Here’s a gallery of pictures and the audio recording of the performance at the launch. With Kate Foley reading from The Don’t Touch Garden, and Sarah Lloyd & Ian Kennedy (and the audience occasionally) accompanying with music and song. We’ll put the Q&A up later, once it’s edited! And the video… out of focus though it is.
We are busy preparing for the launch of The Don’t Touch Garden next week, and spent yesterday morning rehearsing with musicians Sarah Lloyd and Ian Kennedy, who we worked with for last year’s Solstice Shorts.
Ian Kennedy & Sarah Lloyd
Ian & Sarah will be providing linking music for the various sections of the long narrative poem The Don’t Touch Garden which is the title poem of Kate Foley’s eighth collection (but first with us).
Here is a very small segment to give you an idea what they are up to together. They came up with a particularly good lullaby!
PLUS!
Some feedback from an audience member at the Woodbridge library reading last week, via Sylvia Fairley one of the musicians who played at that performance.
What a wonderful evening on Friday. We so loved it. You and your piano playing friend did the most perfect interplaying of music that added so much to such a marvellous poem… I hadn’t heard Kate before or read any of her poetry so what a treat that was. Wow, what a woman and didn’t the audience soak it all up. One of the best of evenings, truly.
Caroline Hawksley
And finally, a photo and video snippet from Kate’s performance at Incite @ The Phoenix Artist Club last night.
Hoping the multi-talented Anny Knight will share her photos of the evening later, as she was a lot closer to the action than I could get.
Annalie reading The Midwinter Wife by 
