News
Musical Stage Show, Featuring Disney Classics, comes to Wales
FANS of the songs of the Oscar-winning brothers, Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman including classics from Disney films such as Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book, Bedknobs & Broomsticks, Winnie the Pooh and The Aristocats, as well as other classics such as Charlotte’s Web and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang will be delighted to know that a fantastic show, A Spoonful of Sherman will be arriving at the Swansea Grand Theatre this April.
A Spoonful of Sherman is a new musical stage show currently on a UK tour to celebrate 100 years of Sherman family history, and lands in Wales next month. Al Sherman, the father of the famous Sherman brothers, began his career in 1918, and went on to write songs for the likes of Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra. The cast of five tell the story of the Sherman family legacy and sing through well-known songs from the Sherman brothers’ impressive repertoire.
This exhilarating new show stars a wealth of musical talent – the cast are; musician/songwriter Mark Read, member of the smash hit number one boyband A1; Olivier Award nominated Sophie-Louise Dann, whose West End credits include: Celia in The Girls; Bend it Like Beckham, Made In Dagenham, Lend Me a Tenor, 42nd Street, and Jolson; recent graduates Glen Facey and Jenna Innes; and musical director and performer Ben Stock, who has numerous West End credits to his name.
The double Oscar-winning Sherman Brothers – Richard M Sherman & Robert B Sherman – remain one of the most formidable songwriting teams in family entertainment history. From 1964 onwards their unparalleled partnership produced music, songs and scores for dozens of films, particularly many of Disney’s best loved titles including Mary Poppins, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Jungle Book, Bedknobs & Broomsticks, Charlotte’s Web, and The Aristocats. The highly prolific brothers were the sons of the great Al Sherman, who wrote songs for the likes of Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and many singers of the golden American Songbook period of the 1930s-1950s.
Robert J Sherman, son of Robert B. Sherman and a successful composer in his own right, brings the compelling story of one family’s century-long, award-winning musical journey to UK audiences in 2018. Three generations of Sherman songwriters are brought to life in this delightful show, which includes songs from Robert J. Sherman’s own charming musical, Love Birds, which premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2015.
A SPOONFUL OF SHERMAN tour dates:
- March 8th-10th – Inverness Eden Court
- March 12th-14th – Darlington Hippodrome
- March 16th-17th – East Grinstead, Chequer Mead
- March 20th-21st – Guildford, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre
- March 22nd-24th – Windsor Theatre Royal
- March 26th-30th – London Greenwich Theatre (PRESS NIGHT: March 27th)
- April 2nd – Buxton Opera House
- April 5th-7th – Swansea Grand Theatre
- April 10th-11th – Harrogate Theatre
- April 12th-13th – Southport Atkinson Theatre
- April 15th-17th – Hornchurch Essex, Queen’s Theatre
- April 18th-20th – Isle of Wight, Shanklin Theatre
- April 23rd-24th – Newport Riverfront Theatre
- April 25th-26th – Yeovil Somerset, Octagon Theatre
- April 30th-May 1st – Swindon, Wyvern Theatre
- May 7th-9th – Lincoln Theatre Royal
- May 14th-15th – Weston Super Mare, Playhouse Theatre
- May 16th-18th – Exeter Northcott Theatre
Community
Festive celebrations at St Davids Cathedral this weekend
ST DAVIDS Cathedral is set to host two special events on Sunday (Dec 22), offering a blend of joyful participation and traditional carol singing to mark the Christmas season.
In the morning, families are invited to the Scratch Nativity at 11:00am. Attendees are encouraged to come dressed as wise men, angels, sheep, or shepherds and take part in an unrehearsed retelling of the Christmas story. Canon Leigh described the event as: “Complete, wonderful chaos for an hour… but with some poignant, thought-provoking moments to centre ourselves on the real meaning of Christmas.”
Later in the evening, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols by Candlelight will take place at 7:00pm, featuring the Cathedral Choir. The event, steeped in tradition, will see the cathedral bathed in candlelight as carols and scripture readings fill the historic space.
Doors will open at 5:45pm for those seeking unreserved seating, and a large turnout is expected for this beloved Christmas celebration.
Crime
Three men from London admit their guilt over illegal cannabis farm
THREE men admit their guilt after police discover over 700 cannabis plants during a raid on a former school building in Llandysul.
Officers from Dyfed-Powys Police executed a warrant at the former Ysgol Gynradd Llandysul on Heol Llyn Y Fran on November 15. Inside, they found 737 cannabis plants spread across multiple rooms.
Armeld Troksi, 29, and Njazi Gjana, 27, both from Empire Avenue in Edmonton, London, along with Ervin Gjana, 24, from Durham Avenue in Romford, were arrested at the scene and later charged with producing cannabis.
The three men appeared before Swansea Crown Court, where they admitted their involvement in the illegal operation. Defence solicitor Joshua Scouller requested a pre-sentence report for Ervin Gjana, which was granted by Judge Geraint Walters.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 20.
A Dyfed-Powys Police spokesperson said: “Following a warrant executed at the former school on Heol Llyn Y Fran, officers discovered a significant cannabis grow containing 737 plants.
“We are grateful to the local community for their continued support and cooperation. Officers will remain in the area while the site is secured.
“Our commitment remains firm in disrupting drug production and supply networks across our force area.
“We encourage residents to report any suspicious activity, no matter how small it may seem. Every piece of information can make a difference, and reports can easily be submitted through our website.”
News
Protest in Lampeter to save Wales’ oldest university
CAMPAIGNERS fighting to save Wales’ oldest university staged a march and demonstration last Friday (Dec 20) in a bid to highlight the plight of the Lampeter campus.
The protest, organised by the Lampeter Society, brought together former and current students, along with local residents, to oppose plans by the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) to relocate humanities courses to Carmarthen next September.
The rally began at Lampeter Rugby Club at 10:30am, with demonstrators marching to the university campus. Despite the timing—on a weekday and so close to Christmas—organisers reported a strong turnout.
Ieuan Davies, one of the organisers and a Lampeter alumnus from the 1980s, said: “We wanted to show support for the students whose education is being directly affected by these plans, and to remind decision-makers of the devastating impact this will have on the local economy and culture.”
Established in 1822, Lampeter is Wales’ oldest higher education institution. In 2009, it merged with Trinity College Carmarthen and later joined with Swansea Metropolitan University to form UWTSD.
The proposed relocation of the humanities faculty has sparked concerns about the long-term sustainability of higher education in Lampeter. Campaigners argue that losing the faculty would mark the end of over 200 years of academic heritage in the town.
The Lampeter Society has also launched a petition calling on the university and the Welsh Government to create a ‘viable, sustainable plan’ for the campus’s future. The petition requires 10,000 signatures to trigger a debate in the Senedd and can be accessed at https://petitions.senedd.wales/petitions/246410.
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