Following the success of D’Ukes Fest 2011, the first ukulele festival for East London and Essex and D’Ukulele in London, Essex-based ukulele band D’Ukes have teamed up with the Cramphorn Theatre to bring D’Ukulele! to Chelmsford as part of Altogether Now.

D’Ukulele! Promises an afternoon of performances showcasing ukulele acts, ukulele workshops for beginners, music stalls and a mass ukulele jam. So if you want to play the ukulele, come along!

Among the great ukulele acts performing at D’Ukulele in the Cramphorn Theatre, Chelmsford, are:

Doogie Hunter
Doogie, who is no stranger to D’Ukulele, has been playing for two years and spends his time performing in clubs, pubs and festivals. He has recently had an internet hit with his wickedly funny song, I’m A Banker.

The Strummers
Thursday night is strumming night back on their home turf of South Woodham Ferrers, but The Strummers also venture out to play at ukulele festivals, beer festivals and other events. Performing songs from people as diverse as Tom Jones, The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, Cockney Rebel and songs from the 20s and 30s, The Strummers are: Alan Thatcher, Alan Saunders, Alan Newby, Iris Hill, Keith Greene, Pete Taylor, Ken Pratt and Phil Price. They also love adding the odd bit of percussion and are regularly joined by Strum’pettes Heather Reid and June Saunders, billed as the ‘human percussion section’.

BURP
Berkhamsted Ukulele Random Players were formed early in 2010, but their talent for playing and singing soon came to the fore and they began gigging. Keeping things largely informal, they have played festivals from Essex to Yorkshire and pubs from Hertfordshire to Buckinghamshire. Many of their members have a folk background and this comes through not only in their repertoire but also in their full-throated presentation. In March this year they hosted an all-day ukulele event in their home town which raised £2,500 for UNICEF.

Southend Ukelele Orchestra
SUO are a relaxed and friendly group of people who love to play ukes and uke banjos. Formed two years ago, they played at the first-ever D’Ukes Fest at The Queens Theatre, Hornchurch – and they just kept on playing! They have performed at the Preview Club, The Grange Club and, by request, outside a funeral directors’ premises during a charity fund-raiser!

Charlie
Playing his trade mark yellow ukulele and singing modern day classics is Charlie! Charlie is 11 years old and lives in Laindon West, Basildon and goes to Gable Hall Secondary school in Corringham.

He sings in a children’s choir called Voices of Tomorrow and has performed at many local events but D’Ukulele is Charlie’s first performance as a solo artist! Charlie is guaranteed to put a smile on your face and have you singing along.

Jules Everest
Jules Everest sings well-known songs… but not as you know them! Twisted lyrics with ukulele accompaniment.

The full line-up is:

BURP
Pat Seeley
Charlie
JJ and the Swordfish
Caroline Grannell
Fred Stead and Morwenna Moore (Uke and the Lady)
Southend Ukulele Orchestra
Wendy Solomon
The Strummers
Jules Everest
Doogie Hunter
Koasound

If you feel inspired by all this talent, there will be a uke workshop at 2.10pm to help you on your first steps to fame and a mass jam at 5.00pm to show off what you have learned.

One of the first duties of Chelmsford City’s new Deputy Mayor, Councillor Paul Hutchinson, will be to attend D’Ukulele and see for himself the enthusiasm this little instrument can bring. Councillor Hutchinson takes up his duties on 23th May. There will also be a number of stall holders.

The event runs from 12 noon to 5pm, with the ukulele jam session at 4.30pm. All participants will be asked to contribute £3 towards the cost of the event.

D’Ukes will be performing a concert the same evening in the Cramphorn Theatre

Art Garfunkel and Paul Simon conquered the music world back in the 60s and 70s with great hits such as Mrs Robinson, The Boxer, Sound of Silence, Bridge over Troubled Water, Cecilia and many more hauntingly beautiful songs.

Complete with the fabulous acoustic guitar playing and delicate harmonies, John Hylton and his son Allen (who bears a striking resemblance to Art Garfunkel), along with their talented band, will transport you back in time, which will certainly leave you “Feeling Groovy”!

Tickets for Garfunkel and Simon are £17.50 and concessions £16.00. To book tickets online visit www.chelmsford.gov.uk/theatres or call the Box Office on 01245 606505.

The challenge took place on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th May with teams tasked with creating a short film based on a random object, place and theme.

The evening, at the Cramphorn Theatre, will start at 6:30 pm and will finish at around 10pm.

Also on Friday is The Bank Job.

The play features Leonard Devenish, who manages a small bank in a dull village. Most days
are the same old story, that is until three sisters come to see him with a proposition too ridiculous to ignore…

The performance takes place at the High Chelmer Shopping Centre. Patrons can access the High Chelmer Shopping Centre via the Exchange Way entrance from 7.30pm

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The vocal duo started in July 2009 and since that time, have done over 250 UK charity performances raising funds primarily for Cancer Research UK, Dementia UK and Music in Hospitals.

Franz was a finalist, and Jack a semi-finalist in Operatunity, a remarkable collaboration between English National Opera and Channel 4 to conduct a nation-wide search to find someone to sing in Rigoletto (an opera by Verdi) on the stage at the London Coliseum. The four-part series went on to win – the Royal Philharmonic Society RPS Music Award, Bafta Television Craft Award, Prix Italia, Royal Television Society Programme Award and others.

Foley & Hepburn have had many memorable performances over the years including Leeds Castle, Whitehall Palace, the Mall of America in Minneapolis, Government House in The Bahamas and a special tenth anniversary 9/11 concert in New York. One of the highlights in February this year was their Dinner on Broadway show at the exclusive Lyford Cay Club on New Providence, The Bahamas where Sean Connery led the standing ovation at the end of the evening.

The vocal pair will present to the Chelmsford audience their mix of repertoire from the world of opera, musicals and other popular classical favourites. Songs such as You Raise Me Up, Nella Fantasia, The Music of the Night, Ol’ Man River, You’ll Never Walk Alone and World in Union are just a sample of the delights from the evening. Foley & Hepburn will be joined at the Civic Theatre concert by Canadian Kyla Lingley, guest soprano and Alexis Bradburn, guest dancer from London.

Their aim is to uplift and encourage people through the power of music and also show that we can all live and work in harmony. Rachel Matthews of Wafi, Dubai says, ‘We have an upcoming show that we fully expect to sell out as with the previous ones. It’s always a pleasure to work with Jack and Franz both professional and very talented singers.’

Concert tickets are still available at £12 and £17 with concessions from the Civic Theatre Box Office on Tel: 01245 606 505.

Auditions to find the juvenile cast will commence in June at the theatre positioned in the west end of the city. Children and young people are encouraged to apply for an audition now.

Each year, the co-producers of the pantomime, One From The Heart are overwhelmed with the response and abundance of talent from the local region that come to audition. This year they are looking for outstandingly talented dancers, both girls and boys to join the professional cast members on stage during the production which will be delighting audiences with the classic pantomime adventure throughout December. Entrants should be between 11 and 19 years and have extremely strong dance ability and exceptional stage presence. Singing and drama experience is useful but not essential.

To audition, young people need to request an information pack by calling the Box Office on 01245 606505 or by logging on to www.chelmsford.gov.uk/theatres where an application form can be filled out online. Information packs can also be collected from the theatre’s Box Office on Fairfield Road.

Auditions will be held in the Civic Theatre on Sunday 17th June from 10am to 3pm, the closing date for application forms is Friday 1st June.

The competition is open to anybody with an interest in making films, on a limited budget and with any equipment. If you have a device capable of recording video, then you are good to go.

The competition is on Saturday 12th May, where everyone will meet and your crew will pull the following out of a hat:

1. Theme
2. Place (will be in Chelmsford somewhere)
3. Object

You will have that evening to discuss, plan and storyboard at the venue and you can use this time to ask our guest videographers for help and advice.

You will then have have the whole of Saturday and part of Sunday to do your shooting/editing/composting.

Sunday will be the deadline for your submissions, with the deadline at 7pm.

Your films will be showcased at the Cramphorn Theatre on Friday the 18th of May. The evening will start at 6:30 pm and will finish at around 10pm.

The final winner will be announced that evening and prizes will be given to the group that have produced the best film. There will also be an ‘audience’s favourite’ prize.

For more information visit the Altogether Now website or the First Page Film Festival Facebook page.

The event, which commemorates Sir Thomas Sissye’s cowardly actions during the English civil war, will be the first since Chelmsford obtained city status.

Legend has it that Sissye, the commander responsible for the protection of Chelmsford, was so horrified by the bloodshed and destruction caused during the siege of Colchester that when parliamentary forces advanced on Chelmsford he simply surrendered the garrison to avoid any further loss of life.

Contemptuous of his attempt to preserve the people of Chelmsford, the parliamentarians forced Sissye and his men to parade through the streets dressed as women as a humiliation for their cowardice.

This parade was recreated by the men of Chelmsford, whether as a reminder of his disgrace or as a celebration of his protecting the people of Chelmsford it is not clear, by parading through town in mid-May dressed in skirts, bonnets, dresses and blouses, accompanied by song, frivolity and, on occasion, a marching band.

By the mid 1970s attendance was low to the annual celebration, and the tradition faded out. That was until late 2010 when a group of enthusiasts attempt to revive the event, and the Sissie’s Parade was reborn.

This year’s parade will be taking place on Sunday 13th May, and all are welcome. For more information visit the Altogether Now website, or the Sissie’s Parade Facebook event.

Panic Awards nominated Machine Gun Men perform a unique acoustic set at Shakey’s Unsigned Sessions on Tuesday. They will be joined at Hooga by Deferred Success, Jimmy Murphy and Gary Smith. Meanwhile Best Venue winners St Anne’s Castle host Jane’s Open Mic Night.

Bouncers begins it’s run at the Old Court Theatre on Wednesday, whilst the Cramphorn Theatre hosts it’s weekly lunchtime concert. Over at Hooga, Sloe Gin are performing live.

The Band Quest Area Final is here on Thursday, being held at the Golden Fleece. Johnny B Goode perform at Hooga, with support from Perry Bryan and Little Donkey & Dusty Rhodes.

Wild Combination head the lineup at Hooga on Friday; also on the bill are Coleurs and Lil Poppy Rae. It’s Jazz at the Castle at St Anne’s, with Interplay and A Kind of Blue, whilst at the Golden Fleece, Friday Night Rocks with Stormchild, Playground and DJ Rev.

Gringo Star (pictured) return to Chelmsford from Atlanta, Georgia, on Saturday, being supported at Hooga by Mantango and From the Bassment. Meanwhile Rock the Castle at St Anne’s features a full lineup of Three Thrones, Kaine, Porcupine Kiss, Looking Glass Diaries and 5 String Drop-Out Band, and at the Golden Fleece, Sugar Rush are at Saturday Night Covered.

Sunday sees a busier finish to the weekend than normal courtesy of a bank holiday, and Hooga make the most of it with Dot Rotten, Dream McClean, Scoundrel and Format. Meanwhile the Golden Fleece have a Bank Holiday Disco Inferno with Hot Sauce Disco.

There’s plenty to do, and Sunday isn’t a school night, so get out there and support your scene!

If your gig/event/production is located within our Chelmsford coverage area and we have missed it out, please let us know by emailing us at listings@paniconline.co.uk, or filling in our Event Submission Form online.

Songwriters Night, at the Green Man, Howe Street, is inspired by the BBC4 show Songwriters Circle.

Hosted by Amy Westney, the evening will feature a wide range of music, encompassing anything from country to rock to heavy metal. The only stipulation is that all artists are required to perform original material.

The event is every 3rd Tuesday of the Month, and is not an open mic format so all artists that wish to play should contact Amy Westney beforehand to book a spot.

For more information visit the Facebook group.

The four-piece have augmented their sound with the addition of long-time producer Lee Richardson on drums and percussion. It’ll also be the first time that Mawkin will be interpreting traditional songs with singing duties shared between the band.

The eagerly awaited follow up to Mawkin’s critically acclaimed debut The Fair Essex is due for release in April 2012 and will be supported by a full UK tour of arts centres and theatres. The album will also feature a number of special guests.

Expect the mesmerising guitar playing of David Delarre, the carnal beats of drummer and percussionist Lee Richardson; underpinning richly textured bass lines from Danny Crump. Add a host of wild and emotive melodies from the frenetic fiddling fingers of James Delarre inter-playing with the virtuosic bellowing of Nick Cooke’s melodeon and you have Mawkin.

Mawkin have now played over 150 UK festivals and have supported a range of well-regarded artists including Eliza Carthy, Shooglenifty, Show of Hands, Billy Bragg, Mr Scruff and more besides. Their collaboration with Jim Causley saw them tour nationally, win the stamp of approval of BBC Radio 2 (Bob Harris and Mike Harding Shows) and saw them nominated for 3 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.

Tickets for Mawkin are priced at £10.00 and concessions £7.50. Book tickets online by visiting www.chelmsford.gov.uk/theatres or by calling the Box Office on 01245 606505.