What's on where around Luton: listings, March 16 edition

WEDNESDAY

Adults with learning difficulties arts and craft sessions. Every Wednesday 10.30am to 12.30pm and Saturdays from 11am to 1pm at Arttrend, Arundel Road, Luton. Social and creative activity for adults with learning difficulties, engaging in all types of art and craft work such as painting in acrylics, papier mache, salt dough, cross stitch, rug making etc. Please see the website www.arttrend.co.uk and go to Art ALD, then see the gallery of work already done. Tel 07794 987796 if you would like more details. 10.30am to 12.30pm Wednesdays, 11am to 1pm Saturdays – but you can come and go at any time. £6 per session including materials and refreshments.

Luton Irish Forum holds a weekly Tuesday and Wednesday Club from 11am to 1.30pm at 102 Hitchin Road. This is a great chance to meet old friends and make some new ones. Refreshments are all included along with soda bread, scones with jam and monthly chicken and chips. Entry costs £1, plus optional £3 for two games of bingo and a raffle.

Irish comic Ed Byrne has built a reputation of critical and popular acclaim with his nerdy and curmodgeonly persona. Ed has also increased popularity over his career with appearances on various BBC radio shows, and as a regular panellist on TV shows such Mock the Week and Have I Got News For You. Ed comes to the Grove Theatre at 8pm, with Outside, Looking In, a comically reflective show of the persona that is loved by so many. It starts at 8pm.

Recommended age 16+. Tickets are £19. Call 01582 60 20 80 or visit www.grovetheatre.co.uk to book.

Little Gaddesden Drama Club holds a play reading of the gentle comedy The Secretary Bird by William Douglas Home at 7.45pm in the Village Hall Committee Room. Read a part or two, or just listen. Email info@lgdramaclub.com for more information.

Classic psychological thriller Gaslight comes to the Little Theatre in Dunstable, courtesy of Dunstable Rep, at 7.45pm. Call 07940 105864 or email dunstable

repboxoffice@gmail.com to book.

Harpenden Operatic Society presents 1980s-themed show The Wedding Singer at Harpenden Public Halls at 7.30pm. Visit www.hlos.ticketsource.co.uk, call 07817 331150 or email hlostickets@live.co.uk to book.

THURSDAY

Classic psychological thriller Gaslight comes to the Little Theatre in Dunstable, courtesy of Dunstable Rep, at 7.45pm. Call 07940 105864 or email dunstable

repboxoffice@gmail.com to book.

St Patrick’s Day festival at Luton Irish Forum, 102 Hitchin Road, Luton from 11am to 3pm. Hosted by Spectrum Radio’s Gerry Byrne and including The Wilsons, Sean Furey (from the Skivers), Mims Parties (Children’s’ Entertainer) and traditional Irish dancing. Call 01582 720447 for more information.

FRIDAY

Classic psychological thriller Gaslight comes to the Little Theatre in Dunstable, courtesy of Dunstable Rep, at 7.45pm. Call 07940 105864 or email dunstable

repboxoffice@gmail.com to book.

Smash-hit Stateside spectacular Soul Legends comes to the Grove Theatre, Dunstable at 8pm. It’s all aboard the soul train, starting from soul’s heady Sixties origins and going non-stop, through to the present day via everyone’s favourite ‘70s and ‘80s dance classics. Tickets: £24. Call 01582 60 20 80 or visit www.grovetheatre.co.uk to book.

SATURDAY

Classic psychological thriller Gaslight comes to the Little Theatre in Dunstable, courtesy of Dunstable Rep, at 7.45pm. Call 07940 105864 or email dunstable

repboxoffice@gmail.com to book.

Magic, the first tribute to Queen, perform all of Queen’s greatest hits plus some you may not have heard for a while at the Grove Theatre, Dunstable at 7.30pm. Tickets: £19.50 or £18. Call 01582 60 20 80 or visit www.grovetheatre.co.uk to book.

The Beat Day at The Hat Factory, Luton from 2pm. This year is the 60th anniversary of the publication of Allen Ginsberg‘s Howl - which vies with Kerouac‘s On The Road and Burroughs Naked Lunch in being the seminal work of the Beat phenomenon. The day celebrates Allen Ginsberg, but contributors will each bring something for the audiences’ delight - readings, films, jazz and performance. Day pass £25 or £22 for concessions.

Part of the Lutonia festival. Visit www.lutonculture.com or call 01582 878100 to book or for more information.

Jazz and Beats at The Hat Factory, Luton from 9.30pm. A loosely structured endless exploration in Jazz and Words of the Beat Ethos with Ray Jones performing Bob Kaufman, more Ginsberg from extraordinary Welsh actor Ceri Murphy and guest spots from Mike Garry and Professor Dan Williams on Sax with Luton’s own Paul Jolly trio. Tickets: £6. Suitable for ages 16+. Part of the Lutonia festival. Visit www.lutonculture.com or call 01582 878100 to book or for more information.

Harpenden Operatic Society presents 1980s-themed show The Wedding Singer at Harpenden Public Halls at 2.30pm and 7.30pm. Visit www.hlos.ticketsource.co.uk, call 07817 331150 or email hlostickets@live.co.uk to book.

SUNDAY

Poet In The City Presents...at The Hat Factory, Luton from 2pm. Poet in the City is a leading literature organisation working with leading UK and international poets, celebrated actors and experts from across the arts and beyond to present poetry in a new and dynamic way. The day features Anthony Anaxagorou, Dean Atta, Caroline Bird, Don Paterson and Deanna Rodger, with explorations of Shakespeare’s sonnets, the Pakistani poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz and the role of poetry in politics. Please note sexually explicit language may be used in this performance. Tickets cost £10 or £8 for concessions. Part of the Lutonia festival. Visit www.lutonculture.com or call 01582 878100 to book or for more information.

MONDAY MARCH 21

Boris Godunov is broadcast live from the Royal Opera House to the Grove Theatre, Dunstable at 7.15pm. The originality of the composer’s vision of Pushkin’s play about Tsar Boris Godunov – who reigned over Russia between 1598 and 1605 – was too much for the management of the Imperial Theatres, who demanded changes that were incorporated in the second version of the opera, in which Boris finally had its premiere in 1874. Many commentators, nevertheless, prefer the integrity of the original, which makes few concessions to operatic conventions.

Tickets: £15. Call 01582 60 20 80 or visit www.grovetheatre.co.uk to book.

Music on Mondays presents The Great American Songbook featuring Susan Bullock at Luton Library Theatre from 7.30pm. A celebration of the word as ‘lyric’, with internationally renowned soprano Susan Bullock interpreting The American Songbook, with Gershwin, Hammerstein, Mercer, Harburg and Sondheim; accompanied by pianist Richard Sisson.

Tickets cost £15 or £8 for concessions and are free for under 18s. Visit www.lutonculture.com or call 01582 878100 to book or for more information.

TUESDAY MARCH 22

Culture In Conflict Film And Debate, with a look at Taxi Tehran, exploring a conflict zone in Iran and directed by Jafar Panahi. Guest speakers will lead audience discussions after the screening. Light refreshments provided. It takes place at The Hat Factory from 6pm to 9pm. Suitable for ages 16+. Tickets: £5 or £3.50 for concessions.

Part of the Lutonia festival. Visit www.lutonculture.com or call 01582 878100 to book or for more information.

Bali Rai: From (Un) Arranged Marriage to Web Of Darkness at Luton Library Theatre at 1.30pm and 9.45pm. Bali Rai, prize winning author, talks about his creative process and books, including those on recommended reading lists for KS3 and his latest title, Web of Darkness. Aimed at Year 8 pupils, there are 30 free places for schools working with Luton Libraries. To book places, contact: childrenlibrary@lutonculture.com. Free admission.

Part of the Lutonia festival. Visit www.lutonculture.com or call 01582 878100 to book or for more information.

WEDNESDAY MARCH 23

Prepare for a nostalgia party extravaganza at the Grove Theatre, Dunstable at 7.30pm as That’ll Be The Day returns with another opportunity to see its 30th anniversary special The nation’s favourite rock ‘n’ roll variety spectacular features a fantastic line up of knock-out hits from the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s, plus more comedy. Tickets: £25.50. Call 01582 60 20 80 or visit www.grovetheatre.co.uk to book.