THE HAPPY ZONE

THE HAPPY ZONE

Monday 20 April 2015

WHAT THE BUTLER SAW!!



Brighton's ever-popular and innovative theatre/tea room/cabaret space the Emporium has come up trumps once again with a short run of the hilarious farce What The Butler Saw starring Brian Capron (Coronation Street, Where the Heart Is, Grange Hill)!

Talking Scarlet present 'What The Butler Saw'


Joe Orton's final play is a hilarious farce which revolves around Dr. Prentice, a psychiatrist attempting to seduce his attractive prospective secretary, Geraldine Barclay. As part of the job interview he convinces her to undress. When his wife enters, he attempts to cover up his activity by hiding the girl behind a curtain. His wife, however, is also being seduced and blackmailed by a Nicholas Beckett. She therefore promises Nicholas the post as secretary, which adds further confusion, including Nicholas and Geraldine dressing as the opposite sex. Dr. Prentice's clinic is then faced with a government inspection ...

What follows is a near faultless piece of theatrical invention as these ingredients form the basis for a perfect recipe of outrageous confusion!

Cast
Brian Capron as Dr Prentice
Jenny Funnell as Mrs Prentice
Michael Kirk as Dr Rance
Melissa Clements as Geraldine
Michael Adams as Nicholas Beckett
Duncan Drury as Sergeant Match

April 21st til May 9th
http://emporiumbrighton.com/butler/



Sunday 29 March 2015

THEY'RE BACK! BIGGER! BETTER! MORE EXCITING THAN EVER!




Britain's greatest ever pop group are back - and they're bigger, better and more exciting than ever! Bucks Fizz were the UK's Eurovision winners way back in 1981 with Making Your Mind Up and despite various ups and downs (including a near fatal coach crash, in-fighting and a bitter legal battle) they are still going strong and are just embarking on a massive tour! Band members Cheryl Baker, Mike Nolan, Jay Aston and Bobby M sound better than ever and have one of the most solid back catalogues of hits and stunning album tracks of any band from the eighties.

Land of Make Believe, My Camera Never Lies, If You Can't Stand the Heat, Now Those Days Are Gone, Run For Your Life, I Hear Talk, London Town, When We Were Young, New Beginning, Heart of Stone...the list of hits goes on and on. Bucks Fizz are a pop group that has never stagnated; constantly changing and updating their sound to embrace electro pop, New Romantic, heart-felt ballads, accapella, rock anthems and more recently jazz, country and skiffle. 

The members of Bucks Fizz are frequent guests on TV and radio talk shows, perform at various events and festivals and have released solo albums, DVDs, numerous remixed and remastered CDs and other merchandise and are now gaining a whole new audience of younger fans via Twitter, Facebook and various social media.

So book your tickets for this spectacular tour before they sell out - check out the closest venue to your town or city, take your friends and family, put on your gladrags and have the night of your life!













Saturday 14 March 2015

MIND YOUR LANGUAGE - FRANCOISE PASCAL IS COMING TO TOWN!




An evening with Francoise Pascal

The career of one of the most beguiling leading ladies has been an adventurous one that has taken her from being in the centre of Swinging London in the mid-sixties, to cult status as a model and actress in the seventies and a stint in Hollywood in the eighties working in movies and a popular daytime soap. Finding solace as a humanitarian dedicated to helping the under-privileged and elderly, Francoise has recently revitalised her career with new projects and is currently revamping her autobiography, As I Am.

Pascal is best known for her iconic role as the sexy Danielle Favre in the smash hit sitcom Mind Your Language as well as guest appearances onCelebrity Squares, Blankety Blank, Happy Ever After, Coronation Street and many more popular television series. Francoise also gained a cult following amongst horror fans for her acclaimed performance in Jean Rollin’s The Iron Rose (1973) and made an impact in hit comedy There’s a Girl in My Soup (1970) co-starring Peter Sellers and Goldie Hawn.

Last year Francoise filmed a guest appearance for a new television production, Fragments of Fear and began work on a new sitcom called For the Love of Ella. She has also been signed up for a lead role in action/superhero film GirlForce which is currently in preproduction for Cyberschizoid Multimedia and co-stars Dave Prowse, Alex Reid and Dani Thompson.

Join Francoise Pascal for an intimate evening at Emporium in Brighton on Thursday 26th March from 7:30pm.

There will be an onstage interview hosted by popular horror host, writer and publisher Richard Gladman and an audience Q & A.

Francoise will be signing autographs and having her photograph taken with the audience.


Autographs will be charged at £15 each unless otherwise stated on the night.

Emporium Brighton website - www.emporiumbrighton.com/

Francoise Pascal website –www.francoisepascal.co.uk

Francoise Pascal on Twitter –www.twitter.com/Fpascal

Francoise Pascal on Facebook –www.facebook.com/francoise.pascal

 BOOK TICKETS NOW! 










Tuesday 17 February 2015

BBC EUROVISION SCANDAL!



Who do YOU think of when someone mentions UK Eurovision Song Contest winners? Well, according to a poll of BBC Radio Two listeners in 2013 the answer is unquestionably Bucks Fizz, who were voted the UK's best Eurovision entry of all time with the iconic Making Your Mind Up, written by Andy Hill and John Danter. 

But Bucks Fizz were more than just Eurovision and a trio of number one hits - very underrated in their heyday, many of their singles, B-sides and album tracks were a lot more sophisticated than their contemporaries. With their ever-evolving style Bucks Fizz were ahead of their time in some respects and bang on trend in others.
Epic production, bombastic New Romantic-esque vocal stylings, incredible harmonies and "in your face" percussion - some fab 12" remixes too! And they are still going strong with solo careers and as a band (they released a brand new album a couple of years ago) - they're now known as "(Cheryl, Mike and Jay) Formerly of Bucks Fizz" are still recording and just about to embark on a massive world tour with guest vocalist Bobby McVey (the original group member Bobby G unfortunately left to start a cabaret band and won the rights to use the name Bucks Fizz in a bitter court battle). 

With all this in mind it seems more than a little strange that the most successful group (aside from ABBA) to ever come out of the Eurovision Song Contest has been excluded from the BBC's upcoming event to celebrate 60 years of Eurovision. A twitter campaign using the hashtag #iwantmyfizz has been started by loyal fans and began trending worldwide supported by the band and many other celebrities; it even has its own FaceBook page! Despite the huge outcry, the BBC have so far remained tight lipped on the scandal and have refused to make any comment. Original band member Jay Aston said: 
“They will not be able to call us Bucks Fizz, we’d have to be ‘formerly of Bucks Fizz’. That’s the only reason I can think of.”
Whatever the outcome, fans can rest assured that Bucks Fizz are here to stay and can be seen performing live in the Paradise Regained Tour 2015 all over the UK, Europe and even as far as Australia! With all the publicity gained from this BBC scandal you'd better book your tickets now before they sell out!

Useful links:









Sunday 11 May 2014

CHEEKY NEW POP VIDEO FROM "BUCKS FIZZ" BABE JAY ASTON PROVES SHE STILL SPARKLES!


With the Eurovision Song Contest done and dusted for another year and with the UK once again failing to finish in the top 10, at least we can all be happy in the knowledge that Bucks Fizz star Jay Aston is flying the flag for British pop with her fabulous new single "True Love"

Bucks Fizz won the Eurovision for Britain back in 1981 with the frothy "Making Your Mind Up" and had much success worldwide with their unique brand of glossy, contemporary pop, bombastic "pop opera" vocals and catchy tunes. Although still going strong under the name Cheryl, Mike and Jay: Formerly of Bucks Fizz, all three band members also have various projects of their own and Jay Aston's forthcoming new album, "I Spy", is actually her third solo long-player.

Proving that she still has what it takes in terms of both musical talent and sex appeal Aston has released a naughty but fun video to promote her latest release. So sit back, watch the video, download the single and buy the album - I can promise you won't regret it! 


JAY ASTON - "TRUE LOVE" (POP VIDEO)

 









Sunday 27 April 2014

"BUCKS FIZZ" DIVA ROCKS A SEXY NEW LOOK AND SOUND!


Bucks Fizz were one of Britain's biggest pop exports back in the eighties and despite various dramas and in-fighting over the years have successfully reformed, now comprising of original three members Cheryl Baker, Mike Nolan and Jay Aston. Not only have they released a brand new album (Fame & Fortune), various compilations of rare tracks and remixes (the Lost Masters project) and toured extensively, all three members of the group have their own thriving solo careers. Cheryl is currently touring in the brilliant Happy Days The Musical, Mike released a warmly received solo album (In My Life) and now Jay is following suit with a new single (True Love) and album (I Spy).

Jay Aston was known for her sexy outfits and dramatic powerhouse vocals, particularly on Bucks Fizz's huge hit When We Were Young and has always been popular with the group's fans. Aston left Bucks Fizz in 1985 after they were involved in a devastating coach crash and her career was left in limbo when she was sued for breach of contract by the band's management. She eventually released some critically acclaimed solo albums and finally settled her differences with Cheryl and Mike, leading to the successfully reformed group we see today who tour under the name Cheryl, Mike and Jay - Formerly of Bucks Fizz!

On 5th May, Jay officially releases her new single True Love and it is already available to pre-order on Amazon.co.uk. It's a jaunty little number although not the big Kylie-esque pop/dance anthem I was expecting; the lyrics are fun and down-to-earth and Jay surprises once again with a quirky vocal style very different to what fans are used to. Catchy and old-school but with a nod to contemporary production techniques, all Bucks Fizz and Jay Aston fans should buy this track on the first week of release and get this talented singer-songwriter back in the charts where she belongs. 






Thursday 28 November 2013

"HANSEL & GRETEL" - A MAGICAL SHOW IN BRIGHTON THIS CHRISTMAS FOR ALL THE FAMILY



COME ON A MAGICAL JOURNEY INTO AN ENCHANTED FOREST WITH LANTERN LIGHT'S CHRISTMAS PRODUCTION OF 'HANSEL & GRETEL'!

Looking for some entertainment this December to put you in the Christmas spirit? Then look no further - this family-friendly adaptation of the Brothers Grimm's dark fairy tale Hansel & Gretel opens at Brighton's Unitarian Church on Wednesday 11th December!

Quirky and engaging,
Lantern Light's charming re-telling of the classic fairy-tale will have you hunting for pebbles, clapping to the polka and singing along with the Forest Song!

In a small village, deep in the Black Forest, things are not all as they seem when a handsome young woodcutter marries a mysterious woman….


His children don’t like her, but they also don’t like village life and chopping wood! Feisty tomboy, Gretel wants to leave the boring old forest for the excitement of the city and shy, sensitive, Hansel, well – he doesn’t want to cut down trees, he wants to paint them!

Join Lantern Light this Christmas for a magical adventure and find out how the story ends… can the bird outside the cottage really talk?.... what kind of a spell has their new stepmother cast on Hansel & Gretel’s father?.... and why is there a smell of gingerbread wafting through the trees?

A Christmas show with a heart, about growing up, learning to love your family and not always getting what you want!

Songs, dancing, games for children of all ages (!) to get involved with and sweet giveaways – come down and join the fun....

Age Recommendation:

We would recommend that the show is suitable for ages 5+, but are happy to welcome younger members of the family if parents feel they will enjoy it!

Running Time:

Approximately 1 hour & 20 minutes

Plus a 20 minute interval


PLAYING AT:

Brighton Unitarian Church
New Road
Brighton
BN1 1UF

ON:

December 11th, 14th, 18th, 20th, - (7pm)
December 23rd - (2pm & 7pm)

Adults £8
Concessions £6 (Under 16, OAP, NUS, Equity)
TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM WEGOTTICKETS


Interval refreshments of tea, coffee, soft drinks, cake and gingerbread (!) will be provided by Temptation Cafe, Brighton.