Following on from last November’s hugely successful ‘Barry and the Great War’ exhibition, which was attended by 2,500 visitors, the Memorial Hall and Theatre in partnership with military historian Dr Jonathan Hicks, present Barry and the Two World Wars Weekend, an expanded fundraising exhibition covering the local area’s role in the First and Second World Wars, complimented by a new piece of theatre, My Grandfather’s Great War, which is an impressive and poignant performance, adapted from the diaries of Captain Alexander Stewart and performed by his grandson, the actor Cameron Stewart.
The Barry and the Two World Wars exhibition includes personal collections from over 40 exhibitors, teams of First and Second World Wars re-enactors, Military vehicles, displays on the men commemorated on Barry’s Roll of Honour, the American Army in Barry, the Island Farm Prisoner of War Camp, the Merchant Navy, and the Penarth War-games Society.
Military service genealogy experts will be assisting visitors in finding out more about their relatives who served in the World Wars, along with a programme of illustrated talks on the battles of the Great War, including the Somme and Passchendaele, period music, video displays and a WW2 NAAFI canteen to complete what should be a memorable day.
In My Grandfathers Great War, the World War One diaries of Captain Alexander Stewart meet the contemporary perspective of his grandson, the actor Cameron Stewart, as he steps into his Grandfather’s shoes to perform extracts from them on stage. In doing so he provides a very personal exploration of his family’s last century and interweaves an incredibly frank account of trench life in The Great War with modern notions of war and patriotism.
After moving audiences and critics to laughter and tears at Edinburgh Festival, Cameron is taking his grandfather’s war diaries to the nation as this one-man drama embarks on its first national tour. At its premiere in Edinburgh, it won five star reviews and was nominated in The Stage Awards for Best Solo Performance.
The diaries had remained a Stewart family heirloom for seventy years before Cameron published them online in late 2007, leading to him reading extracts from them on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme and sparking an incredible amount of public interest. They were published in hardback this June under the title A Very Unimportant Officer (Hodder & Stoughton).
As well as this special commemorative weekend, the Memo also has a full feast of entertainment to see you through to Christmas. The Fire Starter is a gloriously irreverent romp through the extraordinary life of the nineteenth century Welsh Arch Druid and Doctor, the cremation crazy William Price. This hilarious comedy features over 25 characters including a sheep, a parrot, a spectacularly incompetent vicar, rampant twins and the lovesick Smelly Gwennie, all performed by three stunningly versatile actors.
Defying the law, challenging orthodox religion, healing the sick and dancing naked through the fields, his appearance in a repressed Victorian community in a tiny Welsh village means that nothing will ever be the same again! In an Under-Milk-Wood-style cavalcade of comic scenes, Big State portray the life of Dr William Price, poking fun not only at Dr Price himself, but at the pious folk of the valleys who were so outraged by his antics.
Heading further towards the festive season brings Opera Box to our stage for a Night of Romantic Opera, a charming evening of arias and ensembles created to transport audiences into a world of romantic opera from the world’s most loved and favourite composers.
Christmas just isn’t Christmas without our renowned Black Tie and Frocks Christmas Party, complete with fine festive food and drink, washed down with entertainment from The Imposters and the fantastic Ultimate 60s Show, and we herald the end the year with the fabulous Ceri Dupree in an outrageously naughty night of colourful stand up comedy, buckets of glitter and sheer pizzazz, with Ceri’s one man / 15 woman show.
Nestled in the centre of Barry, just fifteen minutes drive from Cardiff our forthcoming season has lots more on offer to entertain our audiences; we hope you will also support our centre. Tickets are available from 01446 738622 or email boxoffice@barrymemo.co.uk for further information |
