As we enter Britain’s second lockdown, efforts continue to deal with the ongoing impact on the theatre industry.

To help raise funds for our cherished performing arts industry, the Lawrence Batley Theatre will be bringing an exclusive semi-staged rehearsed reading of The Understudy to London’s Palace Theatre for two nights only from 7^th – 8^th December.

Proceeds from the play will be split between Acting For Others, the Equity Charitable Trust and The Theatre Development Trust, run by the Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre.

Having previously recorded their lines in isolation, this will be the first time the actors will be performing together in the flesh as they swap their makeshift recording studios at home for the real life stage. Directed by Giles Croft, this is a stage adaptation written by Henry Filloux-Bennett and will be accompanied by Dusthouse’s wonderful animation from the play’s online adaptation.

The stellar line-up of actors currently confirmed to perform in The Understudy includes Stephen Fry, James Norton, Mina Anwar, Natalie Casey and many more as they help us celebrate the re-opening of the West End.

STEPHEN FRY & JAMES NORTON TO RE-OPEN THE WEST END POST-LOCKDOWN

 PALACE THEATRE LONDON  7^TH – 8^TH DECEMBER 2020

 Produced by the Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield in association with Guy Chapman:

THE UNDERSTUDY

By Henry Filloux-Bennett, based on the best-selling novel by David Nicholls

Monday 7^th December and Tuesday 8^th December, 7.30pm

Venue                               Palace Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1D 5AY

Running Time                  2 hours plus interval

Tickets                               £20 -£45

Box Office                         0330 333 4813

Website                            www.understudyplay.com

Social Media                    @UnderstudyPlay, @theLBT

Writer                               Henry Filloux-Bennett

Director                            Giles Croft

Sound and Music by       Alexandra Faye Braithwaite. Annie May Fletcher and Sophie Galpin

Animation by                   Dean Kendrick and Mark Kendrick for Dusthouse

Produced by                     Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield

With further casting to be announced.

When Eva Mozes Kor and her family arrived at Auschwitz they were immediately separated. Her parents and sisters were taken to the gas chambers, while Eva and her twin Miriam, were herded into the care of Dr Josef Mengele, later to become known as ‘the angel of death’

They were 10 years old.

At Auschwitz, twins were granted the ‘privileges’ of keeping their own clothes and hair. But they were also subjected to Mengele’s sadistic and dangerous medical experiments. Forced daily to fight for survival, many died as a result of the tests, or from the disease and hunger rife in the camp.

A narrative told with beautiful simplicity, emotion and astonishing restraint, The Twins Of Auschwitz is the heartbreaking and inspiring true story of a child’s endurance in the face of truly extraordinary evil.

As a mother I am often amazed with the resilience and defiance of my two young children. They have this amazing ability to brush off most things that adults would let upset them. I can not imagine what Eva and Miriam’s mother felt when her beautiful twin daughters were ripped from her arms and their fate unknown.

Eva shares her harrowing story matter of factly  making The Twins Of Auschwitz a unputdownable book which will leave you amazed at the strong will a 10 year old girl had to survive hell on earth.

The Twins of Auschwitz is both heartbreaking and uplifting, I highly recommend this book to fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The librarian of Auschwitz and The diary of Anne Frank. This is one of those rare books that will stay with you for a long time afterwards and you will return to time and time again.

The Twins of Auschwitz available  in pb, audio and e-book.

NEW from Rosebud Preserves for this Christmas is a fabulous and intriguing range of gift selection boxes and kilner jars containing some of the company’s finest products.

From a gift pack for lovers of marmalade, to the perfect set of preserves to complement a festive cheeseboard, all the gift sets are presented in the company’s stylish mottled grey, branded boxes. Just perfect to put under the tree for someone who likes the best.

All the products are available from www.rosebudpreserves.co.uk.

The NEW gift range includes:

•     The Spirit of Marmalade Gift Box(£12.95) – This pack is perfect for lovers of marmalade and is made up of the company’s award-winning Seville Orange Marmalade and its Seville Orange Marmalade Gin Liqueur. And let me tell you, the marmalade is something to cherish. But will you be able to bring yourself to give it away. The presentation box contains:
  1 x Seville Orange Marmalade (113g) and 1 x Marmalade Gin Liqueur (5cl)
• Breakfast Classics Miniature Gift Box(£8.95) – A classic selection of four sweet preserves to enjoy at breakfast, or afternoon tea over the festive period. It contains: 1 x Strawberry Jam (28g), 1 x Blackcurrant Jam (28g), 1 x Apricot Jam (28g) and 1 x Seville Orange Marmalade (28g).
• Savoury Preserves Gift Box(£10.95) – Three appetising products that work perfectly with a Christmas cheeseboard, cold cuts and charcuterie.  It contains: 1 x  Spiced Plum Chutney (105g), 1 x Red Onion Marmalade (113g) and 1 x  Fig Chutney (105g).
• Sweet Preserves Gift Box(£10.95) – A set of three delicious preserves for use at a breakfast or afternoon tea. It contains: 1 x Seville Orange Marmalade (113g), 1 x Strawberry Jam (113g) and 1 x Gooseberry & Elderflower Jam.
• Fruits for Cheese Gift Box (£13.95) – Three unique products to pair perfectly with the all-important Christmas Cheeseboard. It contains: 1 x Apple Butter (113g), 1 x Damson Cheese (113g) and 1 x Pear and Brandy Conserve (113g).
• Kilner Jars 
• (Old Yorkshire Chutney, Seville Orange Marmalade, Traditional Piccalilli £7.50,Almond & Orange Mincemeat £8.95 Seville Orange Marmalade (410g)  Almond & Orange Mincemeat  (450).
•  – These original ‘Le Parfait’ glass jars contain four of the company’s most popular products. Great as a gift or to use on a festive table packed with seasonal fayre. Available in the following flavours: Old Yorkshire Chutney (375g). The  Traditional Piccalilli (375g)  we will pass on. Dick was a submariner, and the ordering went wrong, and cases of piccalli were brought on board instead of what they had ordered. Ooops. He can’t now face it. But I had a taste, and it is truly excellent, but then all their produce is.
• 

  Elspeth Biltoft, owner of Rosebud Preserves, says: “2020 has been a challenging year for everyone, so we are hoping that this Christmas can wipe away some of the gloom and doom and be a joyous time for family and friends.

“With this in mind we have reviewed and increased our offering of gift boxes and added a number of Kilner jars, with a selection to suit all pockets and tastes and for every meal of the day including Christmas itself of course!”

The company has been making its jams, marmalades, chutneys and jellies at Masham, North Yorkshire, since 1989. The company was started by Elspeth Biltoft and her founding principles, to source local produce whenever possible; to cook traditional recipes; and practice time honoured techniques, without the use of additives, preservatives or pectin; remain the same today.

As well as the gift sets listed above, Rosebud Preserves also has these Christmas beauties…

A Christmas tipple:

• Seville Orange Marmalade Distilled Gin Liqueur(£29.95/35cl/20% ABV) Rosebud Preserves has captured the spirit of its Seville Orange Marmalade in this uniquely distilled Gin Liqueur. It is made in a traditional copper still to create a deep, dark and warming blend of bitter orange, molassed sugar and botanically rich hand crafted gin, with a truly distinctive flavour. It’s perfect drunk neat, over ice or simply with some tonic added for a longer drink. This liqueur has been made in partnership with the Spirit of Masham Distillery, a small, craft batch distillery based in the North Yorkshire town of Masham, just a short distance from the home of Rosebud Preserves in Healey.

For your Christmas dinner:

 Cranberry & Orange Sauce with Port (£3.95/227g)

A popular twist on a classic. Traditionally prepared with fresh citrus and a measure of port. Perfect with Roast Turkey, Game or Ham.

Cranberries 72%, unrefined sugar, oranges 18%, port 3%, fresh ginger, ground cloves, ground cinnamon.

 Red Onion & Port Marmalade (£3.95/227g)

Piquant, full-bodied and richly savoury with red onions, mollased sugar and ruby port. Perfect with Blue Stilton and Cold Meats.

Red onions 62%, unrefined sugar, white wine vinegar, redcurrant juice, ruby port 5%, herbs, spices.

For Boxing Day … Well, we’ll stop here. Do go to : www.rosebudpreserves.co.uk. to find more products from this fantastic ethical local (to me, and one of my favourites) small companies.

I don’t usually enjoy anthologies. Daft really, as I write stories for for inclusion in anthologies and magazines, but have never enjoyed perusing them.

Murder in Midwinter however has been an absolute pleasure. I read one a night, and there’s nothing to keep me awake wondering what comes next. Because that’s it, a neat package of sublime classic writing, full of icy twists and turns.  The only thing to wonder about is – what the next winter murder is about.

So here within the book covers are perfect stories complied by Cecily Gayford:  Dorthy L Sayers, Cyril Hare, Margery Allingham, Anthony Berkely Arthur Conan Doyle, Ruth Rendell, Ellis Peters, Edmund Crispin, John Dickson Carr, Ngaio Marsh.  They are all delightful in their own way, none of them savage, all of them just excellent.

Perhaps my favourite was Cyril Hare’s Sister Bessie, but then what about Margery Allingham’s The Pro and Con with the old favourite, Campion. I  envisage Peter Davison in the role. But then there’s Arthur Conan Doyal. And what about Ruth Rendell? No, let me stop there, because there can be no favourites, they’re all the best of the best.

Do buy it for Christmas, for yourself at the very least, or read it carefully, package it up and send it on.

I absolutely loved it.  I know you will.

Murder in Midwinter: £8.99 paperback and ebook.

Available HERE at Amazon, and HERE for Bookshop.org:

Annie Clarke’s latest novel Christmas on the Home Front  is out now. at Amazon, supermarkets and bookstores.