Events
Literally Shepton Festival 2023 - Friday 17th & Saturday 18th November
A weekend of events celebrating the written and spoken word at Shepton Mallet Library and the Art Bank.
Friday 17th November
Stand up for Shepton - 7.30pm until 11pm
@ Art Bank , 13 High Street, Shepton Mallet
Back for a 3rd year, our festival comedy nights have always popular, with tickets booking fast for nights bursting with talent. This year will be no exception, but we’re mixing it up, instead of running a competition, we’re giving the audience a night off! No need to vote for your favourite act, just sit back, enjoy being entertained with four seasoned professionals from the stand up circuit.
Expect slick acts and plenty of laughs, and help fundraise to ensure this popular annual festival continues.
Tickets £15 (£10 early bird special if booked by 06/11/23) use link below
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/stand-up-for-shepton-tickets-
Saturday 18th november
An Evening with Baked Alaska - 7.30 until 11pm
performed by Tor Theatre
@ Art Bank , 13 High Street, Shepton Mallet
A hilarious comedy with original music and an 80’s twist.
What do washed-up wannabe Pop Stars do when the 80’s come back into fashion? Why, they go back on the road, of course! Even though they hate each other and no one can really remember any of their songs. Laugh and sing along as Baked Alaska – ‘the Synthpop Spinal Tap’ – take you through the ups and downs of the success that they never actually had. Expect songs, stories, split-ups and come-backs as these self-styled Synthpop legends lift the lid on their electric careers! This 80 minute cabaret-style show is half-gig, half-drama.
In the spirit of the event there will be a DJ set following the performance from the era, expect tunes from The Cure, New Order, Smiths and more.
FREE Entry with a bucket collection for the mental health charity, Mind. Reserve your tickets here:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/an-evening-with-baked-alaska-tickets-738377235187
Ben Kane - Napoleon Spy -12.30 -1.30pm
@ Art Bank , 13 High Street, Shepton Mallet
The Top Ten bestselling author brings us his latest historical drama.
Ben will share the details of the extraordinary history behind the events of 1812.
He uses a powerpoint presentation to set the scene. Russia, 1812. Has France finally met its match? On the eve of the invasion of Russia, half-French, half-English Matthieu Carrey finds himself in the ranks of Napoleon’s five hundred thousand strong army. With Tsar Alexander seemingly ill-prepared, a French victory seems certain. The Grande Armée will obliterate everything in its path.
Carrey’s purpose is less clear. Blackmailed into becoming a spy in the emperor’s army, he hopes to follow his lover, a French actress who has gone to work in the Moscow theatre. As supplies grow scarce and temperatures plummet, the Grande Armée begins to crumble. Caught up in the maelstrom of war, Carrey embarks on an epic journey, while the Russians circle like hungry wolves.
Hundreds of miles lie between Carrey and safety. To reach it seems utterly impossible.
This is a topical warm up for Ridley Scott’s epic historical out in Cinemas in the UK from 22 November
Event is FREE to attend but reserve your tickets here:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ben-kane-napoleon-spy-tickets-738383313367
Recycled Words Workshop by Polly Hall & Will James
11am -12 noon
@ Art Bank , 13 High Street, Shepton Mallet
A fun, experimental ‘Recycled Words’ workshop led by Polly Hall & Will James. Using existing texts from books, newspapers and other printed materials in this you will learn how to create your own ‘found’ poetry from existing printed text using different techniques AND create your own beautiful paper flowers from old books and magazines.
An environmentally conscious form of word recycling!
All materials provided. No experience necessary. Sign up and reserve your place here:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/recycled-words-workshop-tickets-738388669387
Polly Hall is the award-winning author of The Taxidermist’s Lover. Her second novel Myrrh is out in 2024 with Titan books.
Will James, founder of Eco-logical – is an artist, inspired by nature and the environment, using materials that have a single purpose to recreate into a new piece of art that carries its own story and meaning. www.eco-logical.org.uk
The Time Machine – performed by Tor Theatre 1 - 1.45pm
@Shepton Mallet Library
A hilarious, family-friendly mash-up of the vintage Science-Fiction stories of H G Wells.
We wanted to call the show:
The Shape Of The War Of The Invisible Time Machine Man Of The Worlds To Come!…but we didn’t have room on the poster.
- GASP as we battle monsters from the future – using nothing but DECK CHAIRS!
- GAPE as we witness Martians destroy Somerset – a bit!
- SWOON as we show you some really cheap special effects, like…An Invisible Man crossing the stage!
Tor Theatre are Angela Laverick and David Reakes. Founded in 2006 and based in Glastonbury, our other productions include: The Fire Catcher, Cinderella II (Or Buttons Bounces Back), and The Rum Tale Of The Moonfleet Diamond.
The event is FREE to attend, reserve your tickets here:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/tor-theatre-the-time-machine-tickets-738413252917
Children's Author Beth Webb - Dragon Tales
10.00 -11.00am
@Shepton Mallet Library
Storytelling for children up to age 11.
Dragons come in all shapes and sizes; some are kind, some naughty, some are plain mean! Beth will tell stories from her book ‘The Dragons of Kilve,’ plus some traditional tales with claws and scales.
The storytelling will be followed by some story making, and there’ll be free colouring sheets too.
The event is FREE to attend, please reserve your tickets https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/childrens-author-beth-webb-dragon-tales-tickets-738401086527
