until 5th January 2021

“Absolutely brilliant!”

Several years ago I travelled to the scariness that is south London (apologies if you live there!), to the tiny Theatre 503, to watch this company’s production of Scrooge and the Seven Dwarves. I was attacked by a T-Rex during the show. I laughed a lot. I joined in a lot and, finally, left the theatre on a high… still talking about it.

Times have changed. Live, intimate theatre seems so long ago. Companies and creatives have pummelled their audiences with virtual shows – productions that we watch through the screen. But how to keep the essence of ‘live’ even though we are, basically, watching a tv programme?

Simple – sit back and join John, James and Joshua of Sleeping Trees as they tell you a story… although you won’t be resting for long. You’ll throw paper at the screen, hide under a sheet, peer through toilet rolls, even row a boat with kitchen implements – all manner of madcap antics that turn a simple muck around with these three chaps into an ‘interactive’ 50-minute long show that will make children AND adults laugh out loud.

They play all the characters bar one (but no spoilers!) and pull us into their crazy world. It is hilarious fun. All shot in someone’s house – which means there could be neighbours with their ears to the walls saying, ‘They’re at it again! What IS going on in there?!?’ Unlike other offerings on the web this year, this production is imaginatively shot and edited by Shaun Reynolds and neatly directed by Kerry Frampton.

Sleeping Trees specialise in melding different stories together – creating a fusion that turns the whole experience into a ‘live cartoon’. Absolutely brilliant! As for the baddie of the piece…

This is King Rat… BOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!

Photography Shaun Reynolds

Producers Alice Carter & Sleeping Trees – with support from Battersea Arts Centre

Writers John Woodburn, James Dunnell-Smith, Joshua George Smith and Ben Hales

Director Kerry Frampton

Music Ben Hales

Running Time 50 minutes approx

Tickets https://sleepingtrees.ticketco.events/uk/en/e/the_legend_of_moby_dick_whittington

Shows until 5th January 2021 – go to www.thesleepingtrees.co.uk for details

Price From £5

Twitter @WeSleepingTrees

SAS Band of Brothers by Damien Lewis was, for me, unputdownable, and not just because I have my own small charity which helps veterans.

This is a story which should be told, and boy, is it told well, and rivals any thriller  on the shelves today. But what makes it riveting is that it is true, painfully so.

In June 1944 twelve SAS parachuted into occupied France, led by Captain Patrick Garstin MC, who bore wounds from previous  battles. It was a  small elite band, which included Thomas ‘Ginger’ Jones and Serge ‘Frenchy’ Vaculik, who destroyed enemy targets. However, they were captured, imprisoned and tortured. Hitler ordered their execution and only Jones and Vaculik escaped. You can imagine the hue and cry, the hunting…

Later in 1945 the Nazis hunters became the hunted,  and those in pursuit of these who committed such war crimes were the SAS including  ‘Ginger’ Jones and Serge Vaculik until… Ah, but no more, because this is a tale that needs to be read properly from beginning to end.

Damien Lewis’s exploration of this whole incident tears at the heart strings exposing what I consider injustices, quite apart from the executions. These were brave men, who acted on their country’s behalf  and, for me, Damien Lewis has not only told a story of bravery in the face of barbarity, but he has also exposed what amount to post war deceits.

Read it, give it to others. In this time of the pursuit of our esteemed military for historic so called  ‘crimes’ let us read through a different lens, the valour, the sacrifice, the commitment to the protection of our country and their comrades, and be proud of, and grateful to, them ALL, including those serving today.

SAS Band of Brothers by Damien Lewis pub by Quercus Books Hardback @ £20.

Margaret Graham is a bestselling author, who writes under the names Annie Clarke and Milly Adams Her latest by Annie Clarke is the Girls on the Home Front series.

Let’s get you into the Christmas spirit with, er … Christmas spirit. Gordon’s gin are giving away 45 festive hampers which each contain things to help your Christmas sparkle at home – rich velvet table runners, baubles and Christmas lights, festive candles, gorgeous coasters and wrapping paper. Of course, there’s also mini bottles of Gordon’s to hang from your tree, assuming they make it that far, AND a full-sized bottle of Gordon’s, plus beautiful glassware – how fabulous.

To enter, all you need to do is complete your details on the competition landing page between 12:00 on 23rd November 2020 and 12:00 on 30th November 2020: Instagram: @gordonsginuk ; Facebook: @GordonsGinUK  or : https://competition.gordonsgin.com/

The competition is open to those aged 18 and over nationwide. Terms and conditions apply.

So let’s just contemplate on the gin treats you could be winning in the hamper:

Gordon’s London Dry Gin, (70cl, RRP £15.50) – the original London Dry gin it’s triple-distilled with carefully selected botanicals including oodles of juniper.

Gordon’s Sicilian Lemon Distilled Gin – 100% natural flavours, it’s perfectly crafted to balance the juniper notes of Gordon’s with the zesty hit of the finest Sicilian lemons.

Gordon’s Premium Pink Distilled Gin – the perfect drink for someone who loves a colourful, fruity G&T, it balances the refreshing taste of Gordon’s with the natural sweetness of real raspberries and strawberries, and tang of redcurrant.

Gordon’s Sloe Gin – made from the finest hand-picked sloe berries from English and Northern European Mountains, creating a dry, yet fruity taste.

Oh, a word of caution – JLS’s Aston Merrigold does not come with the hamper (I already checked).

By Dr K Thompson, award-winning author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://faitobooks.co.uk

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.

In a year where sun-drenched Caribbean beaches was more of a dream than a reality, She Hot Pepper Sauces make that dream just a little more real.

The business was started by Sheliza Thompson (no relation), who wanted to recreate the Trinidadian and Mauritian household in which she grew up. She remembers as a child waiting for relatives to bring fresh supplies home from trips to Trinidad, and the ‘Chubby bottle’ containing homemade Pepper Sauce. Thankfully sourcing ingredients such as authentic West Indian Scotch Bonnet chillis is a little easier these days.

The three sauces – Trini Pepper, Line Pepper and Tamarind – are made in small batches in the Doubles Kitchen, London, so it’s the nearest thing to home-made and I can confirm they taste amazing. The Lime Pepper is stuffed with finely-chopped fresh chillis and lime and each fabulous flavour hits your taste buds separately. If you prefer something milder, the tamarind sauce is simply delicious and slightly sweet.

Only real ingredients are used, with no artificial additives or stabilisers – also no monosodium glutamate or animal products. You should keep the jar in the fridge once it has been opened, where it will last for a long time.

You can order from the website She Hot Pepper Sauces, and my jars arrived very quickly by Royal Mail and were well-packed. If you live in Enfield you can even request free local delivery, and look out for it at local farmers markets. Just £5.50 per jar, with a deal if you buy two together. And look out for their Festive Bundles which contain lots of other goodies too and make great Christmas presents.

Go on, treat yourself and your family, the sauces are delicious and they actually taste like they’re doing you good too.

By Dr K Thompson, award-winning author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://faitobooks.co.uk

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.

Digital:

Much-loved company Sleeping Trees will bring the magic of panto to your living room with their epic Christmas adventure The Legend of Moby Dick Whittington. Streaming throughout December, this exciting production, filled with original music, will ensure the whole family has a whale of a time. Available from 1^st December  – 5th January

Tickets:  here

Polka are giving a free gift to give to their supporters this Christmas with a digital family reimagining of Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol. Created by the team behind the lockdown hit I Want My Hat Back, comes a visually imaginative short film made almost entirely from recycled and recyclable Christmas materials!

Available from 19^th December to those who sign up to the Polka newsletter: here

Social Media: @ polkatheatre

Constella aim to raise money with their upcoming Christmas Gala to continue their incredible Connecting Stars initiative which provides free one-to-one virtual performances to isolated care home residents. Constella’s Christmas Gala will see the musicians enter a Christmas wonderland. Since their launch earlier this year, they have reached over 50 care homes and over 2,000 residents with 150 virtual performances; the Gala will bring festive joy to even more residents, and raise money to continue this vital programme. Available from 8^th December.  Tickets and further information here

London’s Old Red Lion Theatre’s first piece of digital work will be a brand new filmed production inspired by Bob Cratchit. Written and directed by artistic director Alexander Knott, December will be filmed on the theatre’s stage and will be available to watch online this December.

In Person

Throughout December the crème de la crème of London’s Queer cabaret scene, Ginger Johnson, Bitten Peach, Pecs Drag Kings, and the Cocoa Butter Club, are taking over the Pleasance’s transformed auditorium for some festive fun – ‘tis the season to be Queer! The venue will follow up-to-date safety regulations with e-ticketing, enhanced cleaning and table service with drinks and pizzas from their neighbours, The Depot.

More information here.

The thrilling adaptation of Joan Aiken’s classic children’s novel, The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, brings festive magic south of the river. Injecting some Christmas joy into the local community, the production will see the return of Greenwich’s favourite panto villain Anthony Spargo (Horrible Histories). With unforgettable characters, snowy wastelands and ferocious wolves, this promises to be a winter adventure the family won’t forget! Available from 18^th December – 10^th January.  Tickets and more information here.

18th December to 10th January 2021

Come along to the Old Royal Naval College this Christmas to celebrate the festive season with pop-up festive theatre performances for children in the beautiful riverside grounds, a local arts and crafts market and live-streamed and in-person carol services. Admire the magnificent Christmas tree with a glass of mulled wine and explore the beautiful Wren architecture illuminated with colourful lights and projections.

For unique and special gifts this Christmas season, go straight to Shapero Rare Books – the internationally renowned rare and antique bookshop. Gift buyers can head online to their bookshop for the ultimate gift. Their incredible and wide-ranging collection has beautiful and unusual books on every topic, for everyone including beautiful first editions of Beatrix Potter, Winnie the Pooh and Dr Seuss, as well as favourites like Charles Dickens to Daphne Du Maurier’s thrilling Rebecca, to Ernest Hemingway.

More information here

Produced in Kent is a comprehensive, reliable, and exciting go-to resource for finding the best local food and drinks producers in Kent. It is a dynamic network of the best independent food and drinks entrepreneurs in the county and they have come up with the imaginative ideas of the virtual hamper.

There is something about a hamper that appeals to my inner child. Maybe it is the array of delectable goodies that I wouldn’t necessarily treat myself to, maybe it just appeals to my inner glutton. Whatever it is, a hamper of whatever content, is a very welcome gift in my household.   However, come the New Year, there is the problem of what to do with the empty hamper. Too nice to throw away and too big to store.

Fear not, because those wizards of ‘Produced in Kent’ www.producedinkent.co.uk have come up with the perfect solution. Thanks to their scheme it is possible to order exactly what you want to make up your own hamper or even cut out the Hamper and fill a box or bag of your choice, maybe re use an empty hamper after all it is the contents that we are mostly interested in. Here is the perfect way to fill a virtual hamper. Follow Produced in Kent (PinK) on Instagram Twitter or Facebook.

I began with the Fudge. Until now I have always maintained that fudge is fudge, very pleasant, but one piece is as good as another. I don’t know quite how to explain this, but this fudge really does taste of Christmas and my wife agrees. I mention this because I stupidly said that she could try a piece. It was whilst she was waxing lyrical about the fabulous flavours that I realised that we had different definitions of ‘a piece.’  The Luxury Fudge Kitchen Christmas Crackers: £3.50 each come as three generous squares contained in a Christmas cracker shaped box. With Sea Salted Caramel, Chocolate Orange and Speculoos : https://www.fudgekitchen.co.uk/en/products/luxury-red-and-bronze-christmas-crackers-set-of-6

If we are going to avoid the divorce courts, we are going to have to buy much more of this before Christmas.

If you are Vegan and cooking for yourself then I can thoroughly recommend the Vegan mixed herb mayonnaise to enliven anything and everything that is served for lunch or dinner.  If you are invited to dine away from home, then I would most certainly have this stored upon my person. This would be fantastic with salads, nut roasts and vegetarian wellington – so versatile and so tasty and even as a stocking filler for the vegan or vegetarian in your life. A Little Bit Food Co Mixed Herb Vegan Mayo £3.75 https://alittlebit.co.uk/products/mixed-herb-vegan-mayo

I suspect that this is a Christmas must have and I will be serving this chilled to anyone who doesn’t like alcohol and anyone who needs a rest from alcohol. I would be very happy to toast Christmas with this rather than a fizzy wine. It is crisp, refreshing and tastes as if each glass is crammed with fresh apples. It feels suitably celebratory, not too sweet and not too fizzy. This 100% sparkling apple juice is the first of its kind! Made using 100% apples with a light spark https://biddenden.myshopify.com/collections/juices/products/biddenden-sparkling-apple-juice. Sparkling Apple Juice from Biddenden Vineyard: £43.32 Case of 250ml x 24 bottles. Cheers.

Even as a lover of cherries I was a little perplexed at how I would use 1 litre of Dalloway’s Kentish Cherry Juice, but I needn’t have worried, as Shakespeare might have said ‘let me count the ways.’ Certainly, at Christmas there is a preponderance of heavy, rich foods, and quite right too, but equally at times there is the desire for something light, fresh and tasty. Poured over vanilla ice cream, the effects are transformative, added to tonic water or sparkling water will provide a delicious non alcoholic drink and added to a cocktail, will provide a delicious alcoholic one. I have yet to try adding to fruit destined for a crumble or pie, but it is only a matter of time. It could also be drunk neat, to get the full benefits of the juice of 3 kg of pressed cherries with nothing added, because the flavour is perfect. The cherry juice comes in 1 litre bottles Dalloway’s Kentish Cherry Juice. £7 https://rentacherrytree.co.uk/farm-shop/cherry-juice

It seemed strange to be trying the Macknade Christmas Pudding: £7.75 450g in November but I was very glad that I did. This is the traditional Christmas dessert, classic, delicious and jam-packed with vine fruits, generously soaked in rum & brandy. I have to confess that after just one mouthful I was well and truly in the Christmas spirit and you will not be at all surprised to learn that I didn’t stop at one mouthful. https://macknade.com/shop/macknade-larder/macknade-christmas-pudding/

If anything, I probably associate hops with Kent, more than anything else, so I was looking forward to trying the Foundry Man’s Gold – Flagship Golden Ale-£21.99 per case of 12, £13.99 for 6 or £10 in beer gift packs. 500ml bottles. Made from hops named Cascade and Magnum, this ale has the taste of spice, some citrus and grapefruit and is finely balanced with a subtle low-level bitterness with biscuit and caramel flavours. This ale will be great for Christmas but equally tasty throughout the year. Loved it. https://www.thefoundrycanterbury.co.uk/beers/foundry-gold/

I am of all things an aficionado of Gin, but like any aficionado I have my trusted favourites and am content not to interfere with the pecking order. That is, until I tried George Bishop London Dry Gin by Maidstone Distillery:  £39/£15/£5 which is a perfect balance of 15 exotic botanicals, warm Mediterranean orange combined with delicate spice.  Sweet citrusy notes from coriander and air-dried peels are balanced with the tangy piquance of tellicherry pepper, ambrette (musk mallow) and perfumed chamomile. This gin is delightful with a mixer, or in a cocktail. Each bottle is finished by hand, with handwritten batch and bottle number. https://themaidstonedistillery.com/george-bishop-london-dry-gin/

Produced in Kent www.producedinkent.co.uk have worked a Christmas miracle, bringing the Garden of England to the Christmas Hampers and Christmas Stockings of England and, I for one am rather glad that it is beginning to feel a lot like Christmas.

“If songs from roughly a hundred years ago are your thing – this is a show for you!”

If songs from roughly a hundred years ago are your thing – this is a show for you! Conceived and written by the brilliant Peter Polycarpou, Falling Stars is a jam-packed hour full of songs familiar and, perhaps, unknown from the 1920s – many written by Charlie Chaplin! There are also numbers by Irving Berlin and Meredith Wilson, plus many more.

Peter (best known to fans of Birds Of A Feather as Chris Theodopolopodous) is joined by Sally Ann Triplett (most recently seen in Viva Forever! at the Piccadilly Theatre in the West End). Together and individually they embrace the songs with gusto and style. Full of factual information in-between the numbers, the production is directed by Michael Strassen, keeping a tight rein on the whole event. The show was originally planned as a live experience, but during lockdown a decision was made to create this filmed version – which can be viewed by following the links on www.stream.theatre.

Planned and executed over three days, with only one day of rehearsals, the show is a little rough at the edges, but more than makes up for it in energy. For all its bravado, for me the highlight is Peter’s touching rendition of Rose Of Picardy. However, the two do perform Yes, We Have No Bananas where the song actually makes sense!

Although thoroughly enjoyable, I feel this show really needs a live audience to respond to. However, at the moment, we’ve all gotta take what we can get!

.Photography Paul Nicholas Dyke

Producers Ginger Quiff Media and Union Theatre

Writer Peter Polycarpou

Director Michael Strassen

Music Mark Dickman

Running Time 60 minutes

Tickets www.stream.theatre

Shows Sunday 22nd to Sunday 29th November 2020 at 7.30pm

Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th November 2020 at 2.30pm

Price £15 (plus booking fee)

Twitter @Gingerqmedia, @TheUnionTheatre, @stream_theatre

Instagram @Gingerquiffmedia, @theuniontheatre