1.    Onedin Line researchers

1.   Onedin Line researchers

The Onedin Line was a popular BBC television drama series that ran from 1971 to 1980 and made 91 episodes.  Set in 1860 in Liverpool, the majority of the filming was at Bayards Cove in Dartmouth.  Featuring Anne Stallybrass who first appeared in 'Emergency Ward 10' in 1965, Peter Gilmore who was in the early TV series 'Ivanhoe' in 1958, and Jane Seymour who stared in the Bond film Live And Let Die in 1973, it has quite a following of loyal fans.

2.     Will the real Philostrate please stand up!

Dartmouth Shakespeare Week has, in the past, featured one or two local personalities in its plays. But this year, for A Midsummer Night’s Dream, they have gone one stage further.

Director Malcolm MacIntosh approached no less than five well-known Dartmouth personalities with the novel idea of asking them to perform the same part on five different nights. All five jumped at the suggestion, and are now busy learning their lines for a ‘one night only’ performance.

They are all playing the part of Philostrate, who is a kind of ‘master of revels’ for the Duke, and the week kicks off with Nigel Way MBE performing on the opening night, Tuesday 31 July. This is followed by councillor Hilary Bastone on Wednesday, Mike Jones from Sax Appeal on Thursday, the flamboyant Simon Drew on Friday, and ending with the owner of Spice Bazaar, Shahar Lashkar, who will give an Eastern flavour to Saturday’s performance.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream will be performed in the open air at Dartmouth Castle from Tuesday 31 July to Saturday 4 August at 7.30pm. Tickets available from Dartmouth Tourist Information Centre:  01803 834224

3.    The History Boys  tonight

Rob Bird reports:  Our film for Thursday 12th July is The History Boys - the big screen version of Alan Bennett's stage play.

A class of gifted teenage boys charm and wisecrack their way through the summer of 1983 as two very different teachers steer them towards their Oxbridge exams. The wonderful Richard Griffiths as Hector inspires his pupils in the classroom. Every moment Griffiths is on screen is a delight. Francis De La Tour, as his friend and colleague Mrs Lintott, is an equally muscular presence on screen.

Guest tickets available at The Windjammer 7.30-7.55 at £3.50
Our bar at The Guildhall is open at 7.30 - the film to be shown at 8pm approx.

4.    Scarecrows for fun!

Sally from Woodlands reports:  July 22nd Scarecrow Day.  Opening of the Big New Fun Farm and raising funds for Bidwell Brook Special School.

Make a scarecrow (over 1 metre) & bring to live in the Fun Farm and get Free entry for 2 people.  Dress up as a scarecrow and 1 person gets half price entry.  Scarecrow competitions & games to win mountain bikes & ipods!

The U-Drive Tractor Ride is the best of its kind in the world.  Families can interact with the tractors not just by pressing noise buttons but by controlling the accelerator either speeding round the 260m track or taking their time to admire the Scarecrow Village we have created from stuff other people have thrown away