Du Maurier Festival Reviews - 2009

Sheila Vanloo writes :

Morse & Me
Colin Dexter was an inspired choice as the opening performance of this year’s Du MaurierFestival. Author of Inspector Morse, Colin created possibly the greatest and most populardetective stories of modern times.

Now in his 80’s, deaf, almost blind and a little shaky on his pins, Colin has lost none of thesharp wit and intelligence that made Morse such compelling reading and viewing. Colin is asuperb raconteur, recalling anecdotes from his long life with a wry smile and a glint in his eye. His greatest sadness in life was having to leave the teaching job he loved when he became deaf, even telling the story today he finds it hard to mask this loss.

Naturally, the talk was filled with stories of Morse, from the writing of the first book – which he started in a B & B on a wet holiday in Wales, through to the filming of the iconic series.Colin recalled hilarious stories from his times on location with the film crew, the great friendship he developed with John Thaw and the terrible sadness everyone felt when John died.

Colin Dexter held a packed audience in the palm of his hand for 90 minutes and it was a privilege to listen to his words. A terrific start to our favourite festival.

Does My Bum Look Big In This?
Star of The Fast Show, Harry Enfield & Chums, Posh Nosh and much more, Arabella Weir  charmed the Du Maurier Festival audience for 90 minutes. Reading passages from her hilarious novels before opening the floor to questions, Arabella’s quick wit was warmly welcomed.  Satirical comments on the personalities of well known M.P’s, not to mention their ludicrous expense claims, were greeted with huge applause. Hard to believe that this funny and happy lady also stars in ‘Grumpy Old Women’, but Arabella was quick to point out that she’s never grumpy and it’s all tongue in cheek for the cameras – who knew?

Icing on the cake for fans is that Arabella is busy writing a new series of Posh Nosh, but is extending the family to include David Tennant as a reformed drug addict who now breeds pigs on the estate. I can’t wait!

Chaplin

Written and Performed by Pip Utton
Never a fan of Chaplin, I was intrigued to watch Pip Utton’s one man show  about the man who created ‘The Tramp’ and would forever remain so in the eyes of his  adoring public

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Pip portrayed the private Chaplin brilliantly, set on the day of Chaplin’s death, Pip allows Chaplin to recall his life and the sadness he carried throughout. His fame was long lived, but he questions whether anyone loved him for himself. Born in poverty in London he attained stardom in the silent movies, but led a colourful life during which he was branded a pervert for his penchant for young women and a Communist for his left wing outbursts.

Beautifully crafted by Pip seamlessly interweaving live monologue with film, the Du Maurier audience were treated to a personal insight into one of the most famous men in movie history.

Cornish Lads
Performed by Cornwall Songwriters
As if proof were needed that Cornish performers are an essential and popular ingredient of the Du Maurier Festival, ‘Cornish Lads’ sold out two performances at Fowey Town Hall, with people outside begging to be allowed in long after seats were filled.

These wonderful singer/songwriters told the story of our rich history with song and comedy, gripping the audience from the first note. Reminding us that Cornwall was once the richest mining area in the world, driven by our industrious ancestors – many of whom were forced to emigrate as the mines closed and the fishing was taken away.

A fabulous 90 minutes spent in the company of men and women with pride in their step and a song in their hearts, locals and visitors alike roared their approval throughout the show. 

Cornish Lads is touring until September, check their website for upcoming dates and venues

Johnny Kingdom
What an amazing character Johnny Kingdom is! He literally bounced onto the stage at the  Du Maurier Festival, dressed in his famous camouflage garb and sporting his feathered hat, Johnny held the packed theatre in the palm of his hand.

What you see is very much what you get with this lovely Devonian, he delighted in telling stories of his early childhood and how, at the age of seven, he caught moles to sell their skins for money to help his family out. 

Now aged 70 – although he appears much younger, Johnny has spent many years promoting the saving of our wildlife and countryside. This passion for life has brought him international fame via his television documentaries and his books are best sellers.

Johnny Kingdom is a national treasure – a true British eccentric when we have so few, a born storyteller, the Du Maurier audience were left feeling as if they had passed away a couple of  hours with an old friend.

Kettleboys & Captains
Cribhut Theatre
I was delighted to learn that Cribhut had resurrected Kettleboys and Captains for their contribution to this year’s Du Maurier Festival. Although this production contains small changes to the original, playwright Rod Tinson and his team bring us another chance to enjoy this wonderful story of our mining heritage. 

Exploring the history of Cornwall’s China Clay industry, the drama unfolds to recount tales of hard lives, early deaths and poverty. From the discovery of Cornwall’s white gold in the mid 18th century, through wars and hunger the story serves as a stark reminder of the cruel and dust ridden lives our ancestors endured to dig the clay. Although dealing with harsh reality, this isn’t a miserable play – far from it, filled with comedy and song the story proves how hard times formed close knit communities which are lost forever.

The two hour performance provided a wealth of laughter alongside heart breaking tales, including the arrival in 1913 of Stocker’s vicious coppers sent to destroy the miners’ strike with violence and hatred in their hearts. 

With our mining rapidly diminishing to almost a thing of the past Kettleboys and Captains is a timely reminder of it’s heyday and importance.

My Judy Garland Life
Susie Boyt captivated the Du Maurier theatre with the background to her latest book, ‘My Judy Garland Life’.   Susie Boyt would, on paper, seem to have fortunate beginnings – great granddaughter of Sigmund Freud,  daughter of artist Lucien Freud and his wife Susie.

Susie senior, herself an artist,  was forced to sell second hand clothes to feed her brood of five children. Susie junior was shy and sensitive and at the very early age of three identified herself with the sad, but beautiful, Judy Garland. Susie’s passion for Judy became almost obsessive, but not in a bad, stalker-like way; Susie identified with Judy and used the frail star as ‘her imaginary friend’, confiding her innermost thoughts and secrets.

A charming talk by a self-effacing and lovely lady wearing a stunning pair of red glittery stilettos, but not, thankfully, the blue gingham dress!

Dew Vardh – Two Poets

Pol Hodge & Bert Biscoe
Take two proud and funny Cornishmen, let them loose on Festival devotees and you have the perfect Sunday afternoon.

Pol and Bert entertained a packed theatre with their poems, narratives and songs – both in our Kernewek language and the other one that most of us understand! Their work looks back on the history of Cornwall with comedy and feeling, seamlessly moving from past to present day issues; from second homes and tourists to seagulls and the new Council, from laws made in England to town centre chaos, the two entertainers covered subjects that touch the lives of  Cornish people everywhere.

Despite being strongly rooted in Cornish and all things Kernewek – a surprising number of  visitors sat amongst the locals and laughed as loudly as the rest of us. Pol and Bert  proved that Cornish entertainers can stand proud and tall amongst the more famous names at the Du Maurier Festival. A Sunday afternoon well spent.

That Awkward Age

Roger McGough  took Du Maurier fans on a ramble through his poems and our lives in a  warm and witty show. With poems from childhood through to teenage angst, parental worry and old age with death lurking round every corner, Roger is a truly masterful writer and narrator, Linking his poems with true stories and the famous Liverpool wit, Roger captivated the audience in a way that no other poet of our time can.

My only question is; "Why has this man of poetry and the people never been given the richly deserved accolade of Poet Laureate?".  Answers please!

Show of Hands
Phil Beer and Steve Knightley, along with special guest Miranda Sykes, played to a capacity audience at this year’s DuMaurier Festival. And why wouldn’t they? Held in high regard by such luminaries as Johnny Walker, Peter Gabriel and Jools Holland, the Devonian boys know how to give their fans a great night out.
From the moment Phil and Steve played their first note, the fans joined in, clapping and singing along – leaving the cold recession outside the theatre and finding instead a warm and fuzzy feeling inside. Miranda Sykes regularly appears with Show of Hands and fits like a glove, adding her own warm vocals and bass playing to their already strong mix.

Having worked hard for 15 years, it seems incredible that this is their first visit to Du Maurier – with luck and the new Cornwall Council casting a favourable eye on Fowey, it won’t be the last.

Du Maurier Festival Reviews - Copyright Sheila Vanloo,  Station Manager, Radio St Austell Bay.