Image credit: Asaf Sagi

The spectacular true story of how a Jewish acrobat escaped the Nazis by running away to join the circus!
Based on the true story of Irene Danner-Storm, The Escape Act – A Holocaust Memoir tells the riveting and powerful story of a Jewish acrobat who hid in a German circus during WWII to escape the concentration camps. Hard-hitting and inspiring, this historically researched and poignant onewoman theatre and puppetry production embarks on a UK tour this autumn.
The production follows Irene’s journey from Kristallnacht in 1938 to liberation in 1945, and her all too risky escape to the circus. It’s the story of how she fell in love and started her own family, all under the protection of the Althoff Circus. It is about the immense kindness shown towards Irene by the non-Jews who risked their lives to save her and inspects the devastating impact of the Holocaust on individuals and families who were torn apart.
The performance flits from past to present as it simultaneously examines Irene’s life under the Third Reich and the experiences of writer and performer Stav Meishar growing up a grandchild to Holocaust survivors. As Meishar tells Irene’s story it triggers her own memories of family stories, and she is compelled to face the past traumas and struggles of their history.

Image credit: David Konecny

A multi-faceted performance combining theatre, circus and puppetry, the performance is a
culmination of seven years of research into the lives of German-Jewish circus families between 1929- 1945. Using collected testimonies and interviewed witnesses, the production is brought to life by Meishar in an effort to document and commemorate the Jewish legacies.
Creator and Performer Stav Meishar comments, I felt compelled to make this work of historical circus-theatre in light of the current climate. With statistics showing 1 in 20 Britons disbelieving that the Holocaust happened …’

In addition, the tour is accompanied by a public talk about the history of Circus Jews in Europe
Between the World Wars; interactive circus and drama workshops for all ages; audience Q&As; and
more, which are all available to book in advance.

The Escape Act is produced by Dreamcoat Experience and Petite Mort Productions, and supported by
Arts Council England, The European Cultural Association, TelepART and The Puffin Foundation.
Title The Escape Act – A Holocaust Memoir
Running time 75 minutes
Box Office Tickets are available from individual theatre box offices.
Twitter #TheEscapeActShow
Guidance Suitable for ages 10+ (Viewer discretion advised)
Performance Dates
23rd -24th September Jackson’s Lane
269a Archway Road, London, N6 5AA

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26th September Circomedia
Portland Square, Bristol BS2 8SJ, UK

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26th – 27th October CircusMASH
2 Vicarage Road, Kings Heath, Birmingham, B14 7RA
https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4311021
29th October The Lowry
Pier 8, The Quays, Salford M50 3AZ
https://thelowry.com/

These  arrived on my desk, and having seen my two year old grandchild running full pelt, before tripping, I thought it a great idea.

Pic

Take a look at Elastoplast’s,  the UK’s leading plaster brand,  new range of ‘PAW Patrol’ plasters which feature all famous characters from the hit animated pre-school series – Chase, Skye, Marshall, Rubble, Zuma, Rocky and Everest. Elastoplast children’s plasters are especially developed for the sensitive skin of children. The plasters are dirt and water resistant. They are very skin friendly and easy to remove..

But don’t forget to put Elastoplast Wound Spray into your rescue pack. This cleans and prepares the wound. Apart from anything else,  the tot will be so fascinated tears will be forgotten.

Then the plaster, best not to stretch, and heavens – no creases.

Then Elastoplast also have healing cream which you might consider applying.

Almost worth coming a cropper.

Nickelodeon PAW Patrol Plasters: RRSP: £2.90*

Barbara Matheson; a journalist, a critic of the Mayor of New York.

Richard Headley; the mayor, with a past he is ashamed of.

Jerry Bourque,; a NYPD detective is at the scene of a gruesome homicide

One freak elevator accident =  tragedy, two = problem, three = chaos.

So let’s recap: Monday morning in a Manhattan office tower, four people enter an elevator, press the buttons and watch in confusion as the elevator passes their floors, rising, rising without stopping. proceeding straight to the top and then – the lift falls right to the bottom.

An awful tragedy but then it happens again and then again. One of the most vertical cities in the world is plunged into chaos.

People refuse to leave their homes. Many men and women working in offices are left fearing for their lives.

Why is this happening? Who is terrorizing the people of New York? In a race to find the answers the lives of Barbara, Richard and Jerry are changed forever

Just as the film “Jaws” left us not wanting to dip a toe in the ocean, Elevator Pitch will leave you wanting to take the stairs from now on. Fast moving and packed full of suspense I could not read quickly enough. I was shocked at many points throughout the book and just when I knew who the culprit was, and why they did it and how, the genius that is Linwood Barclay delivered one more surprising revelation.

I enjoyed the many different characters, and easily followed the various threads. In particular I enjoyed the fact that there are chapters that are  written from the future witness’s point of view. Each character is unique and as a reader you can relate to at least one of them.

You will be left guessing until the very end but will relish every moment of it.

Elevator Pitch Harper Collins Hardback – £20 eBook – £9.99 Audio download – £12.99

Natalie Jayne Peeke: http://www.thebookwormmother.co.uk

Life is super busy and the pace is increasing. Stresses don’t space themselves out, do they? They prefer to hunt in packs.

Realistically we can only do so much to slow things down, give ourselves a breather. So we need smart solutions. We don’t always have time, or money, for a spa weekend, or an ayurvedic retreat, least of all when we most need one, but we can incorporate things into our daily life, which don’t steal time, but do calm our minds.

Fortunately, Lara Morgan, the founder of Scentered is one step ahead.  During her busy international job, she recognized the need for portable aromatherapy products to support mindful transitions from home to office, to travel, to “me time”. Aromatherapy is widely believed, in many cultures, to have powerful effects on our emotions and the mental state, and by using everyday products, which heal, even as we rush, we can make a significant difference to our stress levels and enjoyment, without really trying.

But you should source high quality. Scentered products only use the finest natural ingredients and therapeutic grade essential oils. There are no parabens, petrochemicals, synthetic fragrances, colours, or other nasties, and I do think this is important. There’s simply no substitute for quality natural ingredients. And, by the way, they really do smell amazing.

I have used their scented balms for a while, and I believe that they help me when I’m stressed. The Sleep balm is great when one is too overtired to even get to sleep, and the Escape balm helps before meditating or other mindfulness activities.  The Focus balm is great before writing an article like this one.

I’m testing their De-Stress wash and lotion duo at the moment –a 300ml each set of hand and body wash and lotion.  As I use it to shower, or even to wash my hands, I feel my troubles melt away and I’m more equipped to deal with the world. The beautiful smells of Chamomile, Neroli and Mandarin essential oils just seem to seep into my psyche and do their jobs. The wash contains organic Aloe and the lotion has Jojoba Oil, Sweet Almond Oil and Sunflower Oil to condition and moisturise the skin.

At around £30.00, this duo set will provide pleasure and calmness for a long time, and, if it isn’t too soon to think if Christmas presents, then consider buy the set for someone special, beautifully boxed in Scentered’s Christmas wrap.

Visit the Scentered website for a list of their essential oils, and their great blogs on how to use them to  best effect in your life. Their beautiful products can be purchased there too.

By Dr K Thompson, 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

OLD EL PASO OPENS POP UP RESTAURANT to be  POWERED BY DINERS’ CONVERSATION

 Old El Paso FajitaFriday Pop-Up at 4 Brushfield Street, Spitalfields, E1 6AN

 Friday 20^th September, 7pm start  Cost: Free. On a first come, first serve basis

Old El Paso is opening a pop up restaurant in which the diners’ conversation, chat and laughter will generate small amounts of measurable electricity that, once channelled through converters, will actually power certain elements of the restaurant – including the warming of your fajita!

The whole restaurant has been designed and created to fuel conversation on what Old El Paso is naming National Fajita Friday –  a day they want to encourage the nation to sit and eat with their friends and family. And to keep the banter alive within the restaurant there will be a push button at each table which will dispense a card with a conversation starter on it. Even the fajitas will have thought provoking questions ‘toasted’ onto them and the restaurant will also be styled with neon signs and Mexican street art featuring fun questions to help keep the conversation flowing.

Using piezoelectric technology and specialist microphones positioned at each individual table, the more conversation the table engages in, the more electrical volts they produce. These volts are then connected to a virtual battery.

And as the battery fills up and reaches certain voltage levels, it will unlock elements and rewards for the table such as a margherita tap and even the ambiance of the table lighting.

But if conversation runs out then the battery will start to discharge. So get talking else you might not get your food!

Lionel Morgado, spokesperson for Old El Paso says, “There are many benefits for family and friends connecting over a meal. But we undertook research which revealed that a shocking 22% of British families sit and eat dinner together less than twice a week, with 8% admitting that they never sit and share dinner together. And even when they do make the effort, there are distractions from things like mobile phones and the TV.”

“So we wanted to create a fun space where friends and family are encouraged, and rewarded for really connecting in a meaningful way with one another over a delicious meal. And when people sit together over Mexican it creates happy noise and genuine connections. Everyone has to roll up their sleeves, catch the drips, dive in with their hands and pass the guac around. It fills your heart as well as your belly! he concludes.”

They’ll be a prize for the table which generates the most amount of electricity during the evening.

Open to the public for one night on a first come, first serve basis, the restaurant will serve a starter of loaded nachos, a choice of meat and vegetarian fajitas for main, followed by a dessert, all accompanied by a limited number of alcoholic and soft drinks for free. 

Tables for 6 will be available. Evening starts at 7pm.

Lady Penelope Campion is beautiful, kind and compassionate. She takes pity on lost or wounded animals from abandoned kittens to goats and parrots. Her home is full of animals that she loves to dote on. By society’s standards Lady Penelope is strange and thus she has the reputation of a spinster despite her young age and decent standing.

Gabriel Duke clawed his way from the horrors of a workhouse to become a handsome, wealthy young man with the reputation of being the Duke of Ruin. He despises high society and he wants to get even. When he stumbles across his new and utterly gorgeous neighbour, Gabriel is bewitched by her beauty. He also sees an opportunity to make an immense profit on his new property, after all, people would pay a pretty penny to live next door to a Lady.

An unannounced visit from Penelope’s aunt, however, turns not only her life upside down but threatens to ruin Gabriel’s plan because such are the concerns of the older woman at Penelope’s way of life, she sets certain conditions for improvement, or , Penelope’s older brother will collect her, and return her to the  family home in Cumberland. Penelope has just 3 weeks to introduce her aunt’s conditions: a new wardrobe, attend social events such as the opera and –  to be rid of all her animals.

Penelope ropes in the help of unenthusiastic Gabriel, but if she has to leave, he realises his potential for making money based on the fact that Lady Penelope Campion is a neighbour will be over.

What will happen? Will they truly fall for one another, will the truth of Gabriel’s plan be revealed or will he change his mind? Will she be dragged off home as the family spinster, strange in her ways? Is there a solution to it all?

A beautiful and sexy read, as an animal lover I could completely relate to Lady Penelope and her devotion to animals. I enjoyed the writing style of Tessa Dare I was absolutely absorbed in the lives of both Lady Penelope and Gabriel.

A must read for fans of Jodi Picoult and those that have enjoyed previous books by Tessa Dare

Published 5^th September 2019

Paperback £7.99

www.thebookwormmother.co.uk

Every so often the Frost Magazine review team get a real belter of a toy to review and fortunately we have several testers of a certain age. This time Miss Delilah drew the lucky straw. And this reviewer is a very popular Grandma.

Once it was all up and running (not a difficult job) in she pitched, loving it from the first get-go. Everything was accessible, and designed to fit hands from two to five years of age. It’s vibrant colours and replication of the sounds of BBQ cooking made her feel it was familiar, and at the same time, grown up.

LeapFrog’s Smart Sizzling BBQ Grill comes with eight pieces of food, from an aubergine and steak through to prawns, mushrooms and even peppers. The colourful and friendly toy features accessories for cooking and a light-up grill. Great for playtime and learning, because LeapFrog Smart Sizzling BBQ Grill will teach children from 2-5 years food names, numbers & colours.

Children can set different grilling temperatures, hear fun cooking sounds or jam along to the music and sing-along songs.

Delilah placed a piece of food on the interactive pretend skewer and the BBQ told her what the food was and the  colour. 

As luck would have it over this Bank Holiday, the weather has been splendid so both the LeapFrog BBQ and daddy’s have been busy out on the decking, preparing feasts so she felt really important.

The grill even knows if the heat is too high and asks to have the dial turned to a lower number, whilst also saying safety phrases. Delilah pressed the fun ‘ignition’ button for grilling suggestions,  melodies, phrases and sound effects.

If the Smart Sizzling BBQ Grill is making you hungry for more, then take a look at the recipe inspiration from best-selling family food and nutrition author, Annabel Karmel. These  inviting recipes all use ingredients that feature in the LeapFrog Smart Sizzling BBQ Grill.

With three to choose from; BBQ Beef Fajitas, Super Sizzling BBQ Salmon and Zingy Pineapple Salad Boats,  (the last was one Delilah’s dad tried, successfully) you can be sure that the whole family will be eating well this late  summer.

The LeapFrog Smart Sizzling BBQ Grill will be one sure way to fire up kids’ imaginations as they ‘cook’ alongside mum or dad during a fun weekend BBQ or family celebration.

This would be great even for a Christmas present, because it’s small but robust enough to have in the house, as you can see from the photos, and very much a pro-active toy. Good stuff.

RRP £49.99
Available from: Argos, Amazon, Smyths and more

Recipes available here: