On Saturday all attendees to the pageant preview day in the town hall will get a copy of this book – which has a feature on our own pageant. Plus the acclaimed academics who are visiting will have copies of their books Restaging the Past for £20 and The Pageants of St Albans for £10 for those interested in how history has been portrayed by communities in Britain. Free tickets available at www.ticketsource.co.uk/axbridgecommunitytheatre from Liz Welch – phone 07851-569751. It’s an all day event so just pop in.

This is a link to The Redress of the Past project website of the Historical Pageants Kings College London and UCL who are promoting our Historical Pageants Day and there is a convenient link to our free on-line ticketing. Do book a seat if you want to 100% certain of getting in! https://historicalpageants.ac.uk/ Free lectures, films, drama, music and a chance to find out more about the pageant in August – and sign up to join the town’s biggest event.

Rehearsals are under way for next Saturday’s free Axbridge Pageant event in the town hall. Sarah Kendall, Tony Wilson and Phil Saunders return to the town of the 17th century in a live theatre production as part of the day’s programme. The drama was performed in London last summer – it’s a must see – and it’s free so get your tickets now! Tickets available at www.ticketsource.co.uk/axbridgecommunitytheatre from Liz Welch – phone 07851-569751. If you don’t get a ticket you may get in on the door – but numbers are restricted so it’s best to be safe and get one.

A reminder for next Saturday’s pageant preview in the town hall from 11am – for the daytime events you can book a FREE ticket at www.ticketsource.co.uk/axbridgecommunitytheatre but it is likely you can get in without one as it is all day – and they wanted to keep numbers to about 40 or so – or phone Liz Welch – phone 07851-569751. Tickets for the Stopcocks’ concert in the evening are available from The Chemist and the Post Office – £5 – or from Pete Harding on 07765 527377 or on the door.

Support the Axbridge Pageant by rocking to the rock steady beat of the Stopcocks and Looper on Saturday night – 22nd January in the Town Hall – only a fiver – grab a ticket from the Chemist, the PO or on the door – licensed bar – one for the diary – don’t miss out! Tickets available at The Post Office and the Axbridge Chemist and on the door or from Pete Harding on 07765 527377.

Covid-19 Regulations and the Axbridge Pageant Preview on Saturday 22nd January in the Town Hall.
FOR THE DAY’S EVENT ONLY please wear a mask or face covering unless you are exempt or are eating or drinking – no need for passports or NHS apps.
For those attending the EVENING STOPCOCKS event ideally should have some evidence of being Covid negative within the last 48 hours or they can show a vaccination card or a Covid passport from the NHS app on entry but don’t have to wear a mask. We hope to have some lateral flow tests available on the door for people to use.
Please use you common sense!

More news on the FREE Pageant Preview and Recruitment day on Saturday 22nd January in Axbridge Town Hall. Talks, films, live theatre, sign up for the pageant, talk to those involved, displays and sample costumes – plus a separate live rock concert in the evening.

11.00: Welcome from the Pageant’s artistic director John Bailey

11:05: An introduction to The Redress of the Past Pageants Project by Professor Mark Freeman, University College London

11:25: Pageant Fever! Historical Pageants in Britain, 1905-present. An illustrated talk by Professor Paul Readman, King’s College London

12:20: The material culture of historical pageantry: souvenirs and mementoes. An illustrated talk by Ellie Reid, Oxfordshire History Centre

1:00pm: Lunch1.45pm: Pageants on film. A talk with film screenings by Trevor Bailey (Windrose Rural Media Trust)

2.20pm: Music and Historical Pageants. An illustrated talk with musical accompaniment by Dr Parker Gordon (University of St Andrews)

Followed by live theatre – a preview of some of the scenes in the pageant including The Monmouth Rebellion, The Fighting Vicar of Axbridge the Reverend Gould who clashed with the reformer Hannah More – and the arrival of the collector of folk songs Cecil Sharpe at the turn of the century in Edwardian England.

Make sure you don’t miss the event and come along for part of the day and find out about the town’s big event over the August Bank Holiday weekend 27-29 August.

More details at http://www.harrymottram.co.uk/axbr…/axbridge-pageant-2020/

and http://axbridgepageant.com/Axbridge_Pageant_News