What’s on where around Luton: listings, October 7 edition

WEDS OCTOBER 7

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 can come and go at any time. £6 per session including materials and refreshments.

Dunstable Rep’s Little Theatre hosts Forbidden Broadway, an off-Broadway cabaret-style revue sharply spoofing show tunes, characters and plots of contemporary and current Broadway/West End musicals. Tickets cost £12 (plus booking fee). The show is presented by Dunstable Amateur Operatic Society. See www.ticketsource.co.uk/DAOS or call 0333 666 3366.

Internationally acclaimed cellist Matthew Barley will be performing a solo recital at The Stables, Wavendon, at 8pm. The programme includes an improvisation, Bach Cello Suite No.1 in G BWV.1007, Tavener Threnos, Britten Cello Suite No.3 Op.87 and Sollima Lamentation. Tickets, priced £19 and £14 before fees, are now on sale from The Stables box office on 01908 280800 and via www.stables.org.

THURS OCTOBER 8

Dunstable Rep’s Little Theatre hosts Forbidden Broadway, an off-Broadway cabaret-style revue sharply spoofing show tunes, characters and plots of contemporary and current Broadway/West End musicals. Tickets cost £12 (plus booking fee).

The show is presented by Dunstable Amateur Operatic Society. See www.ticketsource.co.uk/DAOS or call 0333 666 3366.

With a brand new set which reflects the stunning architecture of Seville and its main square with Roman and Moorish influences, Watford Colosseum is transformed for a production of Carmen. It is the story of the bewitching gypsy girl whose tantalising beauty lures a soldier to desertion and leads to her own murder.

The opera includes some of the most evocative and best-loved melodies in opera –The Habanera, The Seguidilla, The Flower Song, The Chanson Bohème and The Toreador’s Song.

It is brought to the stage by award-winning opera producer Ellen Kent. Tickets start at £24, www.watfordcolosseum.co.uk for more information and to book online 24 hours a day, or call 0845 075 3993.

My Soul Is Alight brings the mesmerising dance styles of Indian Kathak and Odissi dance to The Hat Factory at 7.30pm. My Soul Is Alight will bring two fascinating dance styles; Kathak with its fluid movements, complex foot rhythms and rapid-fire spins, and Odissi, renowned for strength, grace and sculpturesque stances.

Presented by Kadam and Pulse Magazine, this evening of technical dance pieces will be balanced by dramatic storytelling and emotive intensity from two dancers, Katie Ryan and Parbati Chaudhury.

Tickets are £10, £8 concessions and are available from www.thehatfactory.org or the box office on 01582 878100.

Booking fees may apply.

FRIDAY OCTOBER 9

The rugby club in Newlands Road, Luton, hosts a charity disco, with a buffet and raffle. All are welcome.

Mad About The Musicals is to celebrate its 10th anniversary when it comes to the Grove Theatre, Dunstable. Starring Gareth Gates and Michael Courtney, the two-hour musical features numbers from Andrew Lloyd Webber, Rodgers & Hammerstein and others, such as All I Ask Of You and One Day More.

Gareth Gates is in the leading role of the production, having starred in a string of musicals since reaching the final of Pop Idol in 2001.

Tickets cost £24. Call the box office on 01582 60 20 80 or by visiting the website www.grovetheatre.

Dunstable Rep’s Little Theatre hosts Forbidden Broadway, an off-Broadway cabaret-style revue sharply spoofing show tunes, characters and plots of contemporary and current Broadway/West End musicals.

Tickets cost £12 (plus booking fee).

The show is presented by Dunstable Amateur Operatic Society. See www.ticketsource.co.uk/DAOS or call 0333 666 3366.

SATURDAY OCTOBER 10

Fans of T.Rex will once again be able to rock along to 20th Century Boy, I Love to Boogie and Telegram Sam when tribute band T.Rextasy comes to The Grove Theatre. T.Rextasy have been performing around the world for more than 20 years, longer than the original T.Rex. The band is the only act endorsed and approved by Marc Bolan’s family, estate, original former members of T.Rex and Bolan’s catalogue management.

I Love to Boogie with T.Rextasy starts at 7.30pm and tickets are £20 adults, £18 concession.

To book, call 01582 602080 and press option 7, or visit www.grovetheatre.co.uk.

Caroline is a charity dealing with eating disorders. It relies on donations to carry on its work. Fundraisers are hosting an event at Stopsley Working Men’s Club, Putteridge Road, Luton, running from 7.30pm until late.

The entertainment will be Joe Scripps, the ‘Ultimate Tribute to Olly Murs and Sam Smith’.

For details contact Karen or Ralph Adamson on 07583 904161.

SUNDAY OCTOBER 11

Celebrating the 35th anniversary of the album Sound Affects, From The Jam, featuring original The Jam member bass player Bruce Foxton and guitarist/vocalist Russell Hastings, will perform the album in its entirety, live at Watford Colosseum.

As well as a performance of Sound Affects, the audience can expect a selection of hits and album tracks from The Jam’s back catalogue and songs from Bruce Foxton’s own solo career.

Tickets cost £24.50 seated or £20 standing before fees. www.watfordcolosseum.co.uk for more information and to book online 24 hours a day.

Tickets can also be purchased by calling 0845 075 3993.

MONDAY OCTOBER 12

Rising star of classical music Joseph Houston will be joined by Harpenden born Katherine Birtles and actress Patricia Hodge to celebrate composers. Pianist Joseph, flautist Katherine and Patricia will be performing an unusual programme at Luton Library Theatre. The first half will focus on the Préludes of Claude Debussy, including four new commissions inspired by La Cathédrale Engloutie and La Fille aux Cheveux de Lin. In the second half the players will be joined by Patricia for 40 minutes of nocturnal repertoire performed in near total darkness.

Music in the second half will be from composers Bartok, Messiaen, Morton Feldman, Edward Roxburgh and Liszt. Tickets are £15 adults, £8 for students/unemployed/disabled and free for under 18s in education.

They are available by calling the box office on 01582 878100 or on the door. The concert starts at 7.30pm.

TUESDAY OCTOBER 13

Poetry Reading at High Town Community Centre, 8pm to 10pm. Malene Enguland, described by former Poet Laureate Andrew Motion as ‘a very talented writer’, will be guest reader at the October meeting of Toddington Poetry Society in Luton. Danish-born Malene, who was highly-commended in the 2013/14 Faber New Poets Competition, will be reading from her work in the first half of the evening.For the second half, please bring poems about ‘Light’ to celebrate this year’s National Poetry Day theme.