WOW 1

FINE ART, PHOTOGRAPHY, CERAMICS, 3D, TEXTILES, GRAPHIC DESIGN, FILM AND MEDIA, THEATRE STUDIESvisual and performing artsSTUDY AT GCSE, AS & A LEVEL | New arts building opening 2014

www.rochester-college.orgSTAR HILL ROCHESTER ME1 1XF 01634 828115

YEAR 7 TO SIXTH FORM ISC ACCREDITED

‘Work in progress’ An exhibition of work by GCSE & A level students at The Deaf Cat, High St,Rochester until 6 May.

UNIQUE CHILDREN’S GIFTS, CLOTHING AND TOYS FIND US WITHIN COPENHAGEN BLUE

78 High Street, Rochester, Kent, ME1 1JD M: 07815 206218 Website coming soon: www.mini-mi.co.uk

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Phil Dillon (Music) is a former Medway musician turned photographer who is best known for his work with bands such as Groovy Uncle, Theatre Royal, Wheels, The Lovedays and Stuart Turner and the Flat Earth Society. He is also the principal protagonist in Medway Eyes, an independent, not for profit, creative collective and has recently taken on the role of producer for Fizzer’s Radio Show.

Sam Froudist (Features) is a writer and bunting enthusiast. She co-runs bunted!, a bespoke bunting business, and is a card carrying member of the Rochester Vintage Society. You can find her blogging over at hellosamgoodbyesamantha.com.

Edward Gransden is a sailing barge skipper and co-founder of the new Sun Pier House CIC creative centre in Chatham. Having grown up on the shores of the Medway, he now charters the sailing barge Edith May with his family, taking passengers out on day excursions and racing the barge around the East Coast. edithmay.com.

Nick Walker (Film) is a film festivals programmer and film writer. Nick is the director of the Rochester Film Society, which currently includes screening and discussion events at the Odeon Chatham and at Central Theatre, Chatham. He has worked for The Guardian and the London Film Festival, and currently he is Festivals Director at Film Education and Director of National Schools Film Week. For more information on the Rochester Film Society please visit facebook.com/rochesterfilmsociety.

Your guide to the best of What’s On Where

In response to the magnificent number of excellent visual art exhibitions happening this month, we’ve chosen five of the best for our main feature. We’re also looking ahead to June’s fantastic and fantastically free Fuse festival, with an interview with new Artistic Director Megan Donnolley, and Sam Froudist meets the one-woman creative phenomenon that is Natasha Steer, aka creatabot.co.uk.

A huge shout out to those who have committed their readies to supporting WOW and its work by joining the new Subscription Scheme. I have added a ‘Subscribe’ button to WOW’s website now, so that you can pay easily by debit/credit card, or by Paypal. Your support is invaluable: thank you.

In response to that rare event, a wrong listing, in the April issue, for which I wholeheartedly apologise, I’d like to ask readers to check with the venue before making a special journey to something listed in WOW, to avoid disappointment. The WOW editorial ‘team’ is, in fact, just me and the sheer amount of information I process for each issue means that my brain occasionally trips up. Apologies!

Meanwhile, yes, this issue is thicker at 28 pages, and print circulation holds at 6000 copies meaning that WOW is reaching ever further corners of Medway, Maidstone and Gravesend. Hoorah!

Emma Dewhurst editor@wowkent.co.uk

PLEASE MENTION WOW!WOW needs your help to survive: if you love the magazine please become an ambassador for it and mention it at every turn, especially if you use any of its advertised services. WOW depends entirely on its supportive advertisers.

Find us on Facebookfacebook.com/WOWMedway @EmmaDewhurst7

COVER PHOTOGRAPH BY SARA WORDLEY

(SEE MAIN FEATURE)

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CONTRIBUTORS

WELCOME TO WOW

Chelsea by Ash White, whose exhibition of digital collage work is showing at the Below 65 Gallery, Maidstone from 1-30 May, Mon-Sat 9.30-4.30-pm

MAKERS MARKET PITCHES AVAILABLE NOW!

Book now to secure your stall at the Art Fair, part of Medway Open Studios

& Arts Festival. Limited pitches are available on Sat 13, Sun 14, Sat 20 & Sun

21 July. Prices start from £25. Email Heather for more details:

medwayopenstudios@hotmail.co.uk

WINNER

This terrific competition, aimed at artists who have not previously had a solo show, is now open to all artists aged 16+ (unless previously shortlisted). The winner is given an exhibition of their work in the Graham Clarke Gallery at the Hazlitt Arts Centre in July, so must be ready to stage a show. Judges: Graham Clarke, James Allen and Sheilagh Dyson. Application forms from the Hazlitt Arts Box Office, or download from hazlittartscentre.co.uk.

StARTle Arts Prize 2013

IA B R A N D N E W S U B S C R I P T I O N S C H E M E W I T H B E N E F I T S !

SPRING CRAFT FAIRS

with FREE ENTRY to allSATURDAY 11 MAY 11am-4pm

St Mary’s Island Community Centre, ME4 3EP

SUNDAY 12 MAY 11am-4pmHoo St Werburgh Institute Hall,

ME3 9AAThank you to those readers who have already subscribed to WOW’s new annual subscription scheme, which delivers WOW to your door each month and guarantees a host of subscriber benefits.

The first 50 subscribers also receive a free copy of ‘Left Tae Tell the Tale’, a CD of veteran actress Eve Pearce reading from her moving collection of poems, ‘Capturing Snowflakes’, which was published by WOW’s imprint Greenheart Press in November 2012.

An annual subscription costs £25. Members of the scheme will receive a very lovely ‘I ♥ WOW’ card which they must show to receive their discounts. There is now a Paypal button the website, or you can email subscriptions@wowkent.co.uk to join this very exclusive club!

SUPPORT THE LITTLE MAGAZINE THAT PUNCHES ABOVE ITS WEIGHT

AND NEVER MISS A PRINT COPY OF WOW AGAIN!

FREE POETRY CD FOR THE FIRST 50 SUBSCRIBERS

Medway Flower Fair at Cozenton ParkCozenton Park, Bloors Lane, Rainham

Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 May09:00am – 5:00pm

Celebrate all that’s good about your garden with this two day free event. Find a range of specialist nurseries,

children’s activities, garden suppliers and the horticultural expertise of

Hadlow College.

WOW IS A DOUBLE AWARD-WINNING

MAGAZINE!

BEST CREATIVE BUSINESS,

Kent Independent Traders Awards 2012WINNER

THE GATHERINGFri 31 May and Sat 1 June Canterbury CathedralThis is an interesting spiritual and cultural festival with some top speakers, including Melvyn Bragg, former footballer Fabrice Muamba, scientist Professor Dame Julia Goodfellow and an impressive line-up of eminent theologians. There will also be entertainment, and a great programme of activities for kids on the Saturday. Visit the-gathering.co.uk

NEW

STHEATRE IN THE POND

Kent Wildlife Trust Half Term workshop

Turn the wonders of the pond into a

5 minute play. Fri 31 May 10.30am-12.30pm or 1.30-3.30pm at Tyland Barn, Sandling, Maidstone ME14

3BD. £5 per child (adult needs to accompany). Ages 8+. Booking

essential on 01622 622012.

Sunday 26 May 2013, 1.00pm - 4.00pmFlower Detectives with Wendy DawsFlower Detectives, we want you! Your mission,should you choose to accept it, is to design awinning postcard based on your adventuresat Ranscombe Farm Reserve. Armed with thenecessary tools: pipe cleaners, pencils, viewingnecessary tools: pipe cleaners, pencils, viewingframes and the all-important clip-board you canmake, collage and draw your discoveries.

This workshop is part of Plantlife’s postcarddesign competition, What Does RanscombeFarm Reserve Mean to You?To book your place and for more information,call us on 01634 292062, email ranscombe@call us on 01634 292062, email ranscombe@plantlife.org.uk or go to: www.facebook.com/RanscombeFarm

Rochester Film Society present...

An evening of Avant Garde and Experimental short films by local filmmakers at this pop-up cinema

event at the Nucleus Gallery, Rochester on Tuesday 28 May at 8pm. For more information

please visit: www.facebook.com/rochesterfilmsociety

If you’d like to submit your film (10

mins maximum) for this event please send it on DVD c/o the Rochester

Film Society to the Nucleus Gallery, High Street, Rochester ME1 1LX no

later than Monday 20 May.

MADRIGAL DELIGHTOn Saturday 18 May the Cambrian Singers of Roehampton are giving a madrigal recital at the French Hospital, High Street, Rochester, ME1 1NB. The recital starts at 3.45 pm in the Common Room.

The programme includes a wonderful selection of madrigals by Canzonetta and Dowland, and music by Handel and Sibelius. Entrance is free but there is a collection in aid of the Hermione Hammond Drawing Award, which provides bursaries of £4,000 annually to enable graduate artists to develop their drawing skills. To book please telephone the organiser, Jane Brown, on 01634 847772 or email trident@btconnect.com.

WINNER Media Category, Medway

Culture & Design Awards 2012

Rochester’s friendly Designer FloristSame Day Delivery

Funerals & WeddingsUnique plants and gifts

Online shop at sweetpeaandolive.co.uk

ITS FOUNDING EDITOR, NATASHA STEER, IS BRANCHING OUT THIS MONTH WITH A SITE RESPONSIVE THEATRE WORK ENTITLED ‘SURVIVED’

Naturally, our very own SAM FROUDIST is a member of the cast

If you identify as remotely creative and you live in Kent, chances are at some stage your path to artistic bliss will point directly to Creatabot, the online hotspot for artistic happenings both locally and on a national scale. “Similar minds find each other,” says founding editor Natasha Steer, “and then they naturally seem to be attracted to Creatabot.”

Dedicated to supporting creative individuals in the UK, Creatabot was born out of Steer’s previous experience with creative industries blogs. Seeing a gap in support for individual artists and makers, as opposed to the industry as a whole, Steer decided to fill the gap herself, launching Creatabot late in 2010, with contributors coming forward from the South East and as far as Wales.

The site features artist profiles, lively editorial as well as call outs for collaboration and upcoming events. However Creatabot’s success is its focus on forging connections with people, and building networks of creative types who are willing to help others on their way. When I ask what she considers to be Creatabot’s greatest success, Steer pauses before telling me that “the original contributors are now too busy to write for me anymore.” I find myself rather impressed!

Evidently Steer’s not one for resting on her laurels, and I begin to see that beneath her cheerful demeanour lurks a determined and ambitious artist in her own right. This month, under the banner of Creatabot, she is producing the première of her brainchild ‘Survived’, a site responsive theatre work which will be performed in Medway’s latest arts venue, Sun Pier House.

Set in the “distant present”, the promenade piece is a discussion on the somewhat alarmingly topical issue of what it means to survive in a world post nuclear fallout.

Inspired by a visit to the nuclear bunker at Kelvedon Hatch in Essex, Steer was looking for ways to recreate its atmosphere, and tie it in with the local arts scene. A trip to Somerset House to see the recent site-specific theatre piece by Brighton based dreamthinkspeak sealed the deal.

“I had to see it to understand how I could do it [in Medway]”, she tells me. A callout for participants (including a characteristically enthusiastic response from yours truly) yielded results, and the piece opens to the public on 19 May, for one performance only.

Part devised theatre, part installation, and part public announcement, ‘Survived’ is the perfect example of Steer doing exactly what she does best: bringing people together to create. I’m absolutely thrilled to be part of it.

E X C E L L E N T O N L I N E M A G A Z I N E C R E ATA B O T C H A M P I O N S

A L L T H I N G S C R E AT I V E

‘Survived’ will be showing at Sun Pier House, Sun Wharf, Chatham ME4 4HF on 19 May, from 7.30pm. Tickets £5, with pre-booking essential. Head to creatabot.co.uk for more information and booking details. Please email natasha@creatabot.co.uk if you wish to attend and have accessibility issues.

Photo: George Langridge

T H

SAT 18th MAY

TH

SAT 18th MAY

Sailing barge skipper, EDWARD GRANSDEN, has first-hand experience of THE THRILL OF THE RACE

Every year, on a Saturday in early summer, one of the world’s oldest sailing competitions takes place on the River Medway.

For anyone on an early morning stroll along The Strand in Gillingham, a sight reminiscent of an era long since passed will strike them. Around a dozen antique craft, 100ft long and 100ft high, adorned with thousands of square feet of red ochre stained canvas hanging off towering masts, will be charging at up to 10kts downriver to Sheerness and beyond, before returning.

This historic yet relatively little known event is the annual Medway Barge Sailing Match.

The Match was established in 1880 and has been held almost every year since, only temporarily being halted for the World Wars. There have now been 104 matches on the River Medway and on 18 May this year, at 0830 hrs, the starter’s gun will be fired for the 105th.

There are eight matches in total throughout the season, with the Medway Match always being the season opener. Barges travel up the coast from Essex and Suffolk to compete, with local barges ‘Edith May’, ‘Marjorie’ and newly restored ‘Niagara’ representing their home river.

Points are awarded for success which count toward The Championship – Medway-based barge ‘Edith May’ is the reigning Champion, having won by a single point at the last match of the 2012 season.

The competition is taken very seriously amongst the competing crews, but the barges are large vessels and there is space aboard for up to 12 passengers. It provides some of the most

KENT

isle of sheppey

queenborough

sheerness

isle of grain

grain spit

medway buoy

gillingham

brompton

Rochester

HoonessstARTing line &finishing line

Admiralty pier

garrison point

norm sand

maplin sand

maplin sand

r i v e r t h a m e s

r i v e r m e d w ay

m e dway ba rg e m at c h . c o. u k

exhilarating large vessel racing available, with barges often sailing within touching distance of one another trying to gain the advantage and providing unrivalled photo opportunities.

The start and finish line is off Gillingham Pier (where the lightship LV21 is moored), which undoubtedly enjoys the best view of the match, along with The Strand, Gillingham and Minster Beach, Isle of Sheppey. The barges take between five and ten hours to get round the course, depending on conditions. Regular updates and photos will be posted on the Edith May’s social network sites (Twitter: @edithmaytradco and Facebook page ‘Edith May Trading Company’).

For more information, match day programmes are available from a variety of outlets prior to the match, including Baggins Bookshop and City Books (both on Rochester High Street) and Gillingham Marina. For a full list and further details, please visit the website: medwaybargematch.co.uk and for enquiries, please email info@medwaybargematch.co.uk

F I L MCENTRAL THEATRE ‘AFTERNOON TREAT’170 High Street, Chatham ME4 4AS 01634 338338THE BIG HEAT (15) 1953Tue 21 May 2.30pmDir: Fritz LangCast: Glenn Ford, Gloria Grahame, Jocelyn Brando & Lee MarvinMatinee screening. Classic Hollywood melodrama. £4 (includes hot drink and teacake). 90 minsmedwayticketslive.co.uk

CINEWORLD Medway Valley Leisure Park, Chariot Way, Strood ME2 2SS. 0871 200 2000Regular screenings of live opera and theatre performances from around the world arrive at the cinema via a live feed. They include interviews with the principals, behind the scenes shots and explanations. Adult: £17, concs £13.50

DONNA DEL LAGO (12A) Mon 27 May 6.45pmRossini’s romantic masterpiece based on Sir Walter Scott’s poem ‘The Lady of the Lake’ live from the Royal Opera House. 200 mins cineworld.co.uk

MEDWAY FILM SOCIETY NEW SEASON of 16mm printsThe Brook, Old Town Hall, Chatham ME4 4SE Members can join for the whole year or for shorter seasons to see films at reduced rates. Non-members are welcome to attend single shows for £6.50 (concessions £5.50). For full details see medwayfilm.org.uk or contact MFS Secretary on 020 7638 0012 or email medwayfilm@tiscali.co.uk

NACH FUNF IM URWALD (After Five in the Forest Primeval) 1995Fri 31 May 7.45pmDir: Hans-Christian SchmidCast: Franka Potente, Axel Milberg, Dagmar Manzel German romantic comedy. Teenager Anna throws a chaotic party while her parents are away then runs away to Munich with a boyfriend.

The kids discover urban cool and their parents re-discover their own wild and restless youth. 99 minsWith ROPE DANCE (Seiltanzer) 1986Dir: Raimund Krumme Two men and a rope in bizarre animation. 10 minsmedwayfilmsociety.org.uk

PAUL GREENGRASS CINEMAThe Woodville, Gravesend DA12 1DD 01474 33774Popular pop-up cinema in the main auditorium, showing a wide variety of films from all over the world, from great British classics to recent favourites. Thursday 11am Club, £3 (incl pre-movie drink and biscuit). Family Film club £2 (accompanying adult free). Wheelchair users – carers go free. All other movies £4.50.

Every Tuesday is “big film day” featuring top movies from 2012 with three showings at 1pm, 4pm and 7.30pm. On Saturdays a family film morning starts at 10am. Occasional Sunday Asian film screenings take place at 3pm and 7pm. Visit woodville.co.uk for full programme, or call the box office.

ROCHESTER FILM SOCIETYChatham Odeon Cinema, Maritime ME4 4LL 0871 2244 007 For May programme visit facebook.com/rochesterfilmsocietyROCHESTER CATHEDRAL ME1 1SXBLACK NARCISSUS (1947)Fri 17 May 7.30pmDir: Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger Cast: Deborah Kerr, Jean Simmons, David Farrar Tickets £8, conc £7 (incl pre-show drink) from 01634 810074

SCREEN CLASSICSCentral Theatre, 170 High Street, Chatham ME4 4AS 01634 338301A monthly, big-screen celebration of cinema classics. Introduction and post-film discussion over a complimentary drink hosted by programmer Nick Walker. £7, concs £5, includes free drink.

THE BIG HEAT (15) 1953Mon 20 May 7.30pmDir: Fritz LangCast: Glenn Ford, Gloria Grahame, Jocelyn Brando & Lee MarvinSee Nick Walker’s article opposite. 90 mins medwayticketslive.co.uk

STEPPING STONE STUDIOS2 Museum Avenue, Maidstone ME14 1QXTUESDAY CINEMA CLUB Showing a selection of handpicked films from around the world. Every Tuesday from 7pm. See Facebook page for programme. FREE

SELECTED MAY RELEASES:

I’M SO EXCITED! (15)Black comedy at its best from Pedro Almódovar. Rel 3 May

THE GREAT GATSBY (Cert tbc)Jazz Age tragedy and glamour after the novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Rel 16 May

HUMMINGBIRD (Cert tbc)Brit drama from the team behind ‘Eastern Promises’. Rel 17 May

Showing at the following:

ODEON CHATHAM 0871 224 4007. odeon.co.uk

ODEON MAIDSTONE 0871 22 44 007. odeon.co.uk

ROCHESTER CINEWORLD 0871 200 2000. cineworld.co.uk

THE ROYAL CINEMABox Office: 01795 591211royalcinema.co.uk

SHOWCASE BLUEWATER0871 220 1000showcasecinemas.co.uk/bluewater

Filmmakers Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger always shared the writing, directing and producing credits, but their division of labour hinted more that Powell concentrated on the directing while Pressburger wrote and produced.

Pressburger adapted the screenplay, an extraordinary melodrama of repressed love in the landscape of South Asia, which takes on the central theme of how we manage our passions, from a novel by Rumer Godden.  It is full of rich symbolism and thematic depth with an erotic charge, the storyline nicely structured as a succession of vignettes, so that the narrative develops more through actions than either dialogue or narrative.

‘Black Narcissus’ is often described as one of the most beautiful films ever made. Shot in vibrant Technicolor by the award-winning Jack Cardiff on sets constructed in England, using matte paintings for backdrops, the awe-inspiring set designs and artwork by Alfred Junge are gorgeous and even breathtaking.

Deborah Kerr as Sister Ruth provides the film’s outstanding performance, playing her character’s escalating derangement with obvious relish. Jean Simmons, on the other hand, plays her part as Kanchi with restrained but palpable eroticism.

The story and theme of ‘Black Narcissus’ is a simple one, characteristic of much British colonialist literature and filmmaking, from Conrad, Kipling and Greene to Merchant Ivory’s adaptations of E.M. Forster - the awakening of repressed urges for English colonists and missionaries and the temptation and dangers of “going native” as they struggle to retain their essential English reserve while finding a way to adapt to other climates, and communicate with other civilisations with different ways of living.

Therefore the film should be taken within the historical context of Britain bidding farewell to its fading empire, as well as being one of the finest examples of post-war British filmmaking.

‘Black Narcissus’ is screened by the Rochester Film Society at Rochester Cathedral on Friday 17 May at 7.30pm. The ticket price includes a free drink. 

Director Fritz Lang was one of the cinema’s great creators of dark stories populated by evil characters (see Peter Lorre’s eerie portrayal of a child murderer in ‘M’). There is definitely an ironic pessimism in his work, undermining the apparent bravery of his heroes. Glenn Ford plays the straight-arrow police detective ‘Bannion’; unwavering for his goals, courageous, fearless and with more than a hint of charm, who takes on the criminals controlling the politics in ‘his’ town.

There are also terrific supporting performances by the amazingly cruel and brutal Lee Marvin and the quintessential femme fatale Gloria Grahame, all sass and swagger and fragility.  Lang questions the human cost of Bannion’s ethical stand of being a good cop in a very bad town as people (mostly women) lose their lives, by showing the domestic tranquillity precariously separated from a world of violence.

All in all, this taut, gripping, vintage cop thriller full of typical film noir tropes: the maverick cop, the revenge theme, the underworld characters and heroines, is a true classic of its genre.

‘The Big Heat’ is screened by the Rochester Film Society at Central Theatre, Chatham on Monday 20 May at 7.30pm. The ticket price includes a free drink. 

NICK WALKER ON TWO STEAMY CLASSICS

B L AC K N A R C I S S U S T H E B I G H E AT

For more information on both screenings, please visit: www.facebook.com/rochesterfilmsociety

18-30 MAY MON-SAT 10AM-5PMPREVIEW FRI 17 MAY, 6-8PM, ALL WELCOME

NUCLEUS GALLERY CHATHAM272 HIGH STREETCHATHAM ME4 4BPTEL: 01634 812108

T H E C O LO U R O F L I F EORIGINAL ARTWORK & L IMITED EDIT ION PRINTSBY MARION SMITH

MARIONSMITHDRAWINGS.COM

Coming from a live performance background myself, I am a self-confessed fan of Fuse, which is arguably the most eclectic, and, when it gets it right, most exciting public event in Medway’s festival year. So I went to meet Megan Donnolley, the festival’s new Artistic Director, with some trepidation and not a little hope that she will steer this most interesting and yet not strongly identifiable annual happening to even greater heights. Reader, I liked her. Megan Donnolley is good news.

What becomes refreshingly apparent within minutes of our meeting is that Donnolley sees the bigger picture: like Victoria Pomery, much-fêted director of Margate’s Turner Contemporary, she knows that the arts have an under-recognised social power to revivify, not only through inspiring souls but also in bringing more bread and butter business to the local economy by attracting more people to visit the area. She recognises that Medway’s cultural capital lies in its arts, and that now is a poignant moment of change.

“In the next couple of years this area is going to change incredibly,” she says. “In ten years’ time it’s going to be unrecognisable. I am really thrilled to be here now, when so much regeneration is happening. I want to promote this area, get people into it and say, look, you can see a spectacular show for free!”

Donnolley ‘gets’ Medway because her roots are here, with, as it turns out, a grandmother born and bred in Chatham. “My great aunties have never been more proud of a festival I’ve done!” she laughs.

When this same grandmother moved to Australia, she staunchly refused to relinquish her British citizenship, sending Megan and her sister to speech and drama lessons to ensure they spoke well, thus unwittingly beginning Donnolley’s love of the arts.

Donnolley comes to Fuse with a context in which to put her vision, with vast tracts of experience in programming large-scale public art events, both in her native Australia and here in the UK. Having worked as an agent in the music industry, she founded and produced the Sydney Fringe Festival for eight years, and went on to produce Sydney’s Kings Cross Theatre Festival. She moved to London seven years ago, and is currently dividing her time between co-producing Comica: London International Comics Festival and getting to grips with Fuse.

I ask if the emphasis on community participation will be as important as it was last year. “Absolutely!” she says. “But this year, if you enjoyed watching the show, then you can do a workshop with the company – so it’s very much watch, react, be inspired to participate.”

Indeed, part of Donnolley’s mission is to introduce to Medway’s younger generation the idea that the arts are a viable career path, as well as to continue to support local artists in their work. “I feel very strongly about this, that a festival should not just show art but also offer participation.”

“Art should mean something,” she says emphatically. “It is a way of connecting, to make you feel like you are part of something. In the olden days, church used to do this. If there is some activity that you are involved with, that you feel you can identify with, it helps you find your place in the community, so that you know you belong.”

Once again, may I say, Megan Donnolley is good news.

Fuse 2013: Friday 14 June to Sunday 16 June. All Fuse events are free

fusefestival.org.uk

“I ALWAYS THINK REALLY

Emma Dewhurst meets MEGAN DONNOLLEY, new director of Fuse Medway FestivalBIG…”

From a photographic record of the deep to spiritually inspired sculpture, May brings a plethora of art exhibitions to Medway, Maidstone and Gravesend EMMA DEWHURST rounds up five of the best

In a set of stunning images (including this month’s cover) Marine Biologist and photographer Sara Wordley gives her unique perspective on the underwater world of jellyfish.

“I have an obsession with the oceans, which started when I was quite small with a book about what the world would be like in the future. It had these pictures of underwater habitats where people would live and work, studying the oceans and farming the seas. It lit my imagination. I also remember being glued to the TV screen watching Jacques-Yves Cousteau, the ocean explorer. I laugh and cringe a bit now when I watch those programs as it’s no longer OK to play with marine animals or take rides on the fins of whales. But in life you have to have heroes, he is one and the other is Rachel Carson a good feminine role model in Marine biology. Then at university I came into contact with early anatomical prints and illustrations such as those famous ones by Ernst Haeckel and F.W.Kuhnert, who could draw so beautifully. It made me feel that it was definitely possible to combine art and photography with real science and research.

I am a day dreamer really, but luckily for me I am a pretty persistent, methodical and well motivated person. As such, I have in fact managed to work within my area of expertise most of the time, though its pretty tough in the UK.

I am captivated by certain surreal marine creatures, jellyfish in particular, as I have worked with and studied these creatures up close and they are intriguing. Some jellies have quite a nasty sting and yet in pictures look so harmless: unlike top predators there is no intent or feeling of menace. They are the most simple of creatures but they have a life strategy which is utterly amazing, because they can adapt. In evolutionary terms these creatures are very, very neat. I like their story.

So I am basically the girl from Gravesend who wants to bring a little art (and possibly science) to the town, where there are no expectations, where there is no sea, just an estuary... all muddy and brown, but that’s ok as there is still A LOT to photograph, even on the Thames.”

GRAVESEND OLD TOWN HALLHigh Street, Gravesend DA11 0AZ26 April - 24 May, 10am to 3pm Mon-Fri . Free

GRAVESENDS A R A W O R D L E Y – T H E J E L LY F I S H S T O R Y

MAIDSTONEA S H W H I T E

Creative designer Ash White calls himself a ‘digital tinkerer’ and ‘general thinker’. Certainly, these colourful, thoughtful digital collages showing at Maidstone’s newest gallery, Below 65, reflect his own description of himself.

“I mainly work within the realms of digital collage, aiming to bring images that wouldn’t necessarily fit together alongside each other into some surreal composition where past melts with the present.

My work stems from a mixture of two passions, music and art. Both fuel each other. When I listen to music I see it visually too, which is probably why most of my artworks are square in dimension. They seem to evolve into sleeve designs, subconsciously.

I have various methods of sourcing the images I compile into any given piece. From forgotten family photos found at boot fairs and old books in dusty bookstores to one-offs in charity shops, or the odd rarity online. The process of looking and finding can uncover stories you wouldn’t generally find scrolling through endless images on Google. It adds that extra personal satisfaction which should come with everything you do. If you don’t enjoy the process, your results will only make that more apparent.”

BELOW 65 GALLERY Gilbert & Clark Frame and Print65 High Street, Maidstone ME14 1SRMon-Sat 9.30am-4.30pmashwhite.net

CHATHAMM A R I O N S M I T H – T H E C O L O U R O F L I F E

“I was initially inspired by detailed patterns within ancient walls and in the natural world. My first abstract work was the image ‘Rain’. My visualisation of a rainbow was the beginning of my exploration of colour and how juxtapositions appear to create new shades and infinite moods.

Other influences come from familiar landscapes as in the picture ‘Meadow’ (a local field which was glorious in May); television programmes such as a news item celebrating the record crossing of hot air balloons in ‘Channel Crossing’, as well as split-second images such as ’ Winter Sunset’, from a documentary about Britain in winter.

This exhibition highlights my artistic journey from monochrome to colour and will include both traditional and abstract work in pen and ink and watercolour.”

NUCLEUS ARTS CHATHAM272 High Street, Chatham ME4 4BP18-30 May, Mon-Sat 10am-5pm. Free

ROCHESTERT H E H A Z E L N U T P R E S S S H O W 2 0 1 3

The show includes work by Heather Haythornthwaite (her Dockyard Queen, pictured) and five guest printmakers, Frances Bray, Bev Burgess, Sue Maddocks, Louise Norfolk and Dianne Reeves.

The drypoint etchings, linocuts and mixed media prints have all been produced during the last six months, and guarantee to delight your eyes as you enjoy a meal at the charming Cafe Moroc. Framed and unframed short edition prints and proofs will be available to buy at competitive prices.

The Hazelnut Press opened in 2009, and is located on Ridley Road Rochester. This small open access print room has intaglio and relief facilities, embracing analogue technologies and the classical printmaking skills of cutting, etching and hand rolling inks, printing on high quality acid free papers.

CAFÉ MOROC365 High Street, Rochester ME1 1DAFrom Friday 16th May for one month. Mon-Sat 10am-4.30pm, and Thu-Sat eves 7-11pm. Currently unlicensed, Café Moroc provides glasses and no corkage charges.

ROCHESTERG U Y P O R T E L L I – I N T O T H E L I G H T

Award-winning sculptor Guy Portelli was born in South Africa and studied Interior Design and 3D Design at Medway College of Art in the 1970s, before going on to working as a sculptor in the special effects department for the BBC. He has since become internationally known for his large public commissions and in 2008 featured on TV’s ‘Dragon’s Den’, securing backing to develop his ‘Pop Icon’ collection.

“The exhibition ’Into the Light’ has a focus on the Tonbridge Passion Play, which I documented as a series of watercolours (14 in total). They are quite large and very much a response to the action as it unfolded on the stage.The show also features the Mandela Book (‘Into the Light’), which was on show at Canterbury Cathedral in 2012 and illustrates the oppression on the cover with an optimistic future on the inside; and an Olympic sculpture, as well as two pieces which were a response to the 9 /11 crisis: ‘Why’ and ‘Cross’. Sculptors are not necessarily known for spelling and a mis-spelling on one label caused quite a debate during the Private View: cruci fiction. It was decided by the Dean that it should be left as it was, in order to perpetuate the debate with the visitors.”

ROCHESTER CATHEDRAL CRYPTRochester ME1 1SXTo 30 May. Daily, 10am-5pm. Freeportelli-sculptor.co.uk

C O M E D YCOMEDY ZOO Nucleus Arts, 272 High Street Chatham ME4 4BP 01634 812108Mon 20 May, 7.30pm for 8pm start. New monthly comedy night with licensed café. £5. comedyzoo.eventbrite.co.uk

BILLABONG CLUB Royal Function Rooms, Star Hill, Rochester ME1 1XBDOUGIE DUNLOP, DAVE WARD + JONNY KATS Thu 30 May, doors open 7.30pm, comedy 8pm. £9 in advance from the Billabong Club; Dot Café at 172 High Street Rochester or from wegottickets.com. £12 with flyer on door. Groups of 6+ can claim one free ticket. Limited number of 2 for 1 tickets available via wegottickets.com as part of Dave’s promotion of comedy clubs. billabongcomedyclub.co.uk

BROOK THEATREOld Town Hall, Chatham ME4 4SE 01634 338338COMEDY CLUB Mon 13 May and Mon 3 June, 8pm With some of the stand-up circuit’s finest. For 18 years + only. £10, £9 (Comedy Club members) medwayticketslive.co.uk

JOKING WITH INTENT The Good Intent, 3 John Street, Rochester ME1 1YLOPEN MIC COMEDY CLUB First Thursday of the month. Next gigs: Thu 2 May and Thu 6 June 8-10pm. £2 admission. Find Joking with Intent on Facebook

HAZLITT COMEDY NIGHTS Exchange Theatre Earl Street, Maidstone ME14 1PL 01622 758611PHIL JUPITUS presents: YOU’RE PROBABLY WONDERING WHY I’VE ASKED YOU HERE Thu 16 May 8pm Based on his 2012 Edinburgh Fringe show. £15. hazlittartscentre.co.uk

LARKFIELD PRIORY HOTELLondon Road, Larkfield ME20 6HJ 01732 846858YIANNI, RAYGUNS + ED O’MEARA Fri 10 May, restaurant opens 6.30pm

(£24.95 inc meal and drink, advance booking only) comedy 8pm. £10 inc drink voucher (in adv) or £10 on the door. larkfieldprioryhotel.com

MARLOWE THEATREThe Friars, Canterbury CT1 2AS 01227 787787THE MARLOWE COMEDY CABARET (STUDIO) Sat 4 May & 1 June, 8.15pm. Comedy and quirky cabaret (includes adult themes & language). £13JULIAN CLARY: Position Vacant, Apply Within Sat 11 May 7.30pm. 16+. £20MONKEYSHINE’S LAST STAND Thu 16 & Fri 17 May 8pm. Young comedians from the University of Kent’s stand-up course. £5. marlowetheatre.com (booking charges applies via internet)

T H E A T R EBROOK THEATREOld Town Hall, Chatham ME4 4SE 01634 338338LOOP DANCE COMPANY – 20th Anniversary Fri 10 May 7.30pm. Charity event celebrating the company’s work. £10HOW TO CATCH A STAR Sun 26 May 11.30am and 2.30pm. Family show with music, puppetry and storytelling. Adults £6, Child (ages 3-7) £5. Any 4 tickets £20. medwayticketslive.co.uk

MARLOWE THEATREThe Friars, Canterbury CT1 2AS 01227 787787NATIONAL THEATRE CONNECTIONS Mon 6-Thu 9 May 7pm. Ten new plays commissioned by the NT for young people’s theatre companies. One double-bill per night: £7

MATTHEW BOURNE’S SLEEPING BEAUTY – A Gothic Romance Tue 14-Sat 18 May 7.30pm, Thu & Sat Mat 2.30pm. Bourne’s celebrated new version of the classic tale, straight from Sadler’s Wells. £14.50 - £38, concs available.CANTERBURY CHILDREN’S FESTIVAL Tue 28-Fri 31 May, Marlowe Studio and The Beaney (18 High St Canterbury, Kent CT1 2RA). Various events for children, from 2-12 years. All tickets £5marlowetheatre.com (booking charges applies via internet)

HAZLITT THEATREEarl Street, Maidstone ME14 1PL 01622 758611SOLDIERS’ WIVES Fri 17 May 8pm. Catherine Shipton (Duffy of Casualty fame) was nominated for Best Solo Performer at the 2012 Edinburgh Fringe. £12, concs £10 hazlittartscentre.co.uk

ORCHARD THEATREHome Gardens, Dartford DA1 1ED 01322 220000TIDDLER Tue 21-Thu 23 May, various day times (10.30am, 1.30pm & 3.30pm). Excellent Scamp Theatre bring to life popular tales by author Julia Donaldson and illustrator Axel Scheffler. Aged 3+. £11, family ticket £40 (2 adults, 2 children). orchardtheatre.co.uk

SUN PIER HOUSESun Wharf, Chatham, ME4 4HFSURVIVED 19 May 7.30pm Site specific piece from Creatabot founder, Natasha Steer. See article. creatabot.co.uk

THE WOODVILLE Woodville Place, Gravesend DA12 1DD01474 3377741984 Wed 22 May 7.30pm Award-winning Sell A Door Theatre Company presents George Orwell’s classic, adapted by Matthew Dunster. £18, concs £16.50. woodville.co.uk

Performed entirely by studentsMusic by CLAUDE-MICHEL SCHÖNBERG

Lyrics by RICHARD MALTBY JR & ALAIN BOUBLILAdapted from the original French lyrics by ALAIN BOUBLIL

Additional material by RICHARD MALTBY JROrchestrations by WILLIAM DAVID BROHN

Original Stage Production by CAMERON MACKINTOSHSchool Edition specially adapted & licensed by JOSEF WEINBERGER LTD

On behalf of MUSIC THEATRE INTERNATIONAL & CAMERON MACKINTOSH

Performing at the

HAZLITT THEATRE Earl Street • Maidstone • Kent • ME14 1PL

Tues 25 June to Sat 29 June 2013at 7.30pm

T CKETS:Tuesday, 25th June – Preview Night – All Tickets £6.00

Advance Booking Rate up to 24th May 2013

Adults: £10.00 • Children: £5.00

Family Ticket - 2 Adults & 2 Children: £25.00

Booking Rate from 25th May 2013

Adults: £12.50 • Children: £7.50

Family Ticket - 2 Adults & 2 Children: £35.00

Group Rate - 1 FREE ticket for every 10 purchased! To book please call Box Office: 07805 178664

VALLEY PARK SCHOOL PRESENTS

Posters Leaflets Brochures Business Cards Magazines Folders Books

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Units 1-3 Drywall, Castle Road Sittingbourne Kent, ME10 3RX

M U S I C

MAY BANK HOLIDAY WEEKENDSWEEPS FESTIVAL Sat 4 May to Mon 6 MayMorris sides, evening concerts, free music in bars and pubs, Jack-in-the-Green. For a terrific music overview, see Phil Dillon’s article in the April issue at wowkent.co.uk. enjoymedway.co.ukMAIDSTONE FRINGE FESTIVAL Thu 2 May to Mon 6 MaySee Clive Austen’s preview in the April issue Full listings at maidstonefringefestival.co.uk

ALL SAINTS Mill Street, Maidstone ME15 6YEMAIDSTONE WIND SYMPHONY: Heritage Sat 25 May 7.30pm. Includes music by Percy Grainger and Nigel Clarke. £10, concs £8. For tickets call 01580 291056 or email info@maidstonewindsymphony.org

BROOK THEATREOld Town Hall, Chatham ME401634 338338JAZZ AT THE BROOK: ALEX HUTTON PIANO TRIO Tue 14 May 8pm. Piano, double bass and drums with ‘folksong-like melodies’ (Guardian). £11FOLK AT THE BROOK: VIN GARBUTT Thu 16 May 8pm. Teesside troubadour. £14

CENTRAL THEATRE170 High Street Chatham, ME4 4AS 01634 338338CITY OF ROCHESTER SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Sat 11 May 7.30pm. A Spanish-themed feast of music. £15, £12, £9. Children/students: £1 medwayticketslive.co.uk

COMMAND HOUSE (OUTDOOR STAGE)Gun Wharf, Dock Road, ME4 4TX 01634 828181Sat 11 May All day free event including TANK TRAP, MAKER, PEDALO FRED, CRYBABY SPECIAL AND THE MONSTERS

(see Phil Dillon’s review), TAPE ERROR, CALLUM RAFFERTY, DIDI BERGMAN AND RICHARD DE SOUSSA SILVA REID

SWEEPS: EDITH MAY THAMES BARGE Rochester Esplanade 07814 950442 (sorry, no disabled access)Sat 4 May: BROOKE SHARKEY 12.45-1.30pm and folk duo CAPELLA at 2-2.45pm. Free NO WORRIES with support from JOHN BARDEN evening concert. Tickets are £8 from 01634-338338 or medwayticketslive.co.uk

Sun 5 May: SWINGING THE LEAD

12.15-1pm; ADAM BEATTIE & THE CONSULTANTS 2-2.45pm;

THE BEARDS 4-5pm. Free

LUKE JACKSON Evening Concert 7.30pm. Tickets £10 from the Medway Council Box Office on 01634-338338 or medwayticketslive.co.uk

Mon 6 May: PIERRE VINCENT 12.30-2.30pm; BORDER CROSSING 2-2.45pm; DAVEY MALONE’S FLOATING UKULELES

3-4pm; THE ALLEN FAMILY 4-5pm. Free. edithmay.com

JAZZ: Award-winning 144Club

THE ROFFEN41 New Road, Rochester, ME1 1DX

Wed 8 May CHARLOTTE GLASSON. Multi-instrumentalist who has recorded for Oasis and Claire Martin. Doors 7.15pm for reception, meals and bar for 8.15pm start. £13 or £23 for 2 course meal.

SUNDAY LUNCH at LARKFIELD PRIORY RESTAURANT802 London Road ME20 6HJ (on A20 next to B&Q – formerly Hamlets)

Sun 5 May: TOMMASO STARACE and SJ. Tommaso is one of the finest sax players from Italy, singer SJ is star of West End’s Evita.

Sun 26 May : SUMUDU Singer to Elvis Costello, Dionne Warwick and Burt Bacharach. Sumudu will be joined by award-winning pianist Jon Gee and full band. Doors 12.45pm for 1.15pm service. Tickets include roast meal, £26 for 2 courses, £30 for 3 courses.

For 144Club programming information and tickets please call 01634 365453 or go to 144club.co.uk

44TWO SPORTS & SOCIAL CLUBFeatherby Road, Gillingham ME8 6AN 01634 405037

DONN BARCOTT BAND Thu 9 May 8.30pm . Big band with guest vocals. Raffle & bar. £6 (no membership required)

THE HASTINGS ARMS FUNCTION ROOMLower Rainham Road, Gillingham

ROCHESTER SWING PRESERVATION SOCIETY Thu 30 May 8.30pm. ‘Glenn Miller Night’ with the Rochester Swing Sax Section. £5. Free parking. Reservations: 01634 712217

MOTE HALLMaidstone ME15 7RN

MAIDSTONE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Sat 18 May 7.30pm. Soloist: Ulf Hoelscher. Programme includes Wagner and Tchaikovsky. Tickets £25, £20, £10 from 01622 735830, 0845 1552277 or mso.org.uk

NAGS HEAD292 High Street, Rochester ME1 1HS

STAGECOACH with supports Sat 18 May. Indie pop rock from one of the UK’s most exciting new bands. 8pm. Free entry

ROCHESTER CATHEDRALRochester ME1 1SX

RECOMMENDED: HARRY CHRISTOPHERS AND THE SIXTEEN – THE CHORAL PILGRIMAGE 2013 Fri 31 May. The Sixteen visit 34 venues on their annual Choral Pilgrimage, bringing sacred music back to the churches and cathedrals for which it was written. Includes Allegri’s Miserere, Palestrina and MacMillan. Doors open 6.30pm, pre-show talk 7pm. £25, £15 & £10. Box office: 01634 338 141

THE SOURCE 4-6 Rose Yard, Maidstone ME14 1HN

TANK TRAP Mon 6 May for Maidstone Fringe Festival. £3

WHATMAN MILLENNIUM PARKMaidstone ME16 0SX

PROMS IN THE PARK 2013 Sat 25 May Kent Concert Orchestra led by John Perkins with the Maidstone Singers. Picnics from 4pm, concert from 7.30pm, fireworks approx 10pm. Free family event

Sponsored listing

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AleWORLD. FOLK. ROOTS & BLUES

6-8 JOHN ST, ROCHESTERTEL: 07772 214315

WWW.THEMANOFKENT.COM

MAY 2013Wed 1st: Skinners Rats

Thur 2nd: Stuart Turner & the Flat Earth Society

Fri 3rd: Ash Mandrake

Sat 4th: 2pm Funke & The Two-Tone Baby8:45pm Sur Les Docks

Sun 5th: 2pm Hartley Morris8:45pm JD and the Longfellows

Mon 6th: 12:30pm Galley Beggar

Tue 7th: Ukulele Jam night

Wed 8th: Sarah McQuaid

Thur 9th: The Mercurials

Sun 12th: Jam night

Wed 15th: Bruise

Thur 16th: TBC - see wowkent.co.uk

Sun 19th: Jam night

Tue 21st: Quiz night

Wed 22nd: Keith James

Thur 23rd: Nigel Hobbins & the Dreamlanders

Sun 26th: Jam night

Wed 29th: We Ghosts

Thur 30th: Kingsize Slim

MAIDSTONE’S

C O N T E M P O R A R YOWN

2 MUSEUM AVENUE WEEK STREET, MAIDSTONE, KENT ME14 1QX

6PM - LATE BAR - MUSIC - EVENTS

10AM - 3PM CAFE - GALLERY - ART

steppingstonestudios.com

This May we are becoming a host of the MAIDSTONE FRINGE FESTIVAL (2 -6 May)

Friday 3 May from 7pm is headlined by Dave Migden & Joe Gibson, supported

by David Howard.

Saturday 4 May sees an all-day event with music from Hey Maggie (live reggae band),

Dan Wolf, Pip Bowers Trio, Nina Clark, Alex Hanson and Al Turner.

In true studio style, and with the help of local artists, crafters and traders, a Saturday ‘fringe special’ Art Fayre will be kicking off from 10am, keeping the festival spirits up

until the music starts at 4pm!

The bean bags and bunting will be out, the BBQ lit, and the Stepping Stone

alleyway will be transformed into a carnival of activity, with an art & craft market,

impromptu jam sessions, street art, and circus skills sessions going on throughout

the day.

Not to be missed!

HAZLITT

s Prize 3

International Garden Photographer of the Year Exhibition 25 May – 14 JulyThe most prestigious fl ower and garden photography competition and exhibition in the world. In association with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Admission charges apply.

‘Better Plant and Garden Photography’ Sat 25 MayJoin renowned garden photographer and Director of the International Garden Photographer of the Year, Philip Smith, for a talk on ‘Better Plant and Garden Photography’ 10.30am, booking required. Adults £5, concessions £3. St. Faith’s Street, Maidstone. ME14 1PL Tel 01622 602838.

Maidstone Museum & Bentlif Art Gallery

www.museum.maidstone.gov.uk

@MaidstoneMuseum MaidstoneMuseum

Box O� ce 01622 758611www.hazlittartscentre.co.uk

STARTLE ARTS PRIZE COMPETITION 2013!Get scribbling, painting or stitching TODAY!

StARTle Arts Prize, now in its fi fth year, is fast becoming a Maidstone Arts must for all aspiring artists.

We’re looking for exciting artists of all genres to submit an example of their work to WIN a chance to host their fi rst public exhibition in the Graham Clarke Gallery!

For full details visit www.hazlittartscentre.co.uk

Closing date for all entries Friday 7 June 2013

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@HACMaidstone HazlittArtsCentre

CRYBABY SPECIAL AND THE MONSTERS HAVE RELEASED A NEW ALBUM

PHIL DILLON reviews

It’s hard to pigeonhole people, and so it should be. Pigeonholes are mere prisons after all. Medway has a grand tradition of artists who wouldn’t get in the box, and Crybaby Special and The Monsters are no exception, with no excuses. They’ve just released an album called ‘No Excuses’, in fact, and it’s exquisitely non-conformist.

It mostly sounds like this: Oom Pah Pah BANG! BANG! BANG! And that’s great. It makes for a refreshing and absorbing live experience in which front man Jason Stafford gets to be Fagin, through a glass or two darkly, bouncing atop his guitar amp. A theatrical performer. Bigger than any stage. So how does it work recorded?

Well, the answer is that in the expert hands of Jim Riley at Ranscombe Studios, it sounds enormous. Everything is crisp and perfect, which makes the unique assault of the lyrics all the more present. Stafford is a gentle, quiet man in person, but behind the microphone he’s on fire. A man apart from the world (in persona), for whom the television (if I’ve understood this) is a crystal ball of unreality, and the inanity of intergenerational conversation is best expressed as wordless harmony.

It’s Ska but it isn’t. It might be folk, but it’s not quite that either. It’s tired. It’s a a ball of energy. It’s hot. It’s cold. It puts a curse on you. It puts a spell on you. There are bodies in the wall and murder in the hall. It’s dark, but it has the magic to take us out of these times.

If you’ve been to their gigs, you’ll find this album faithful. If you hear the album and are moved as the band intended, go to a gig. The formula might be stretched beyond one album, but the listener doesn’t have to worry about that yet. The good news is that the band doesn’t either. Songs like ‘Lay Down With Me’ on the band’s website are a clear indication that once they’ve kicked our respective doors down with their one way mindfulness there is diversity to follow.

Proof of this lies in ‘One Winged Bird’. A dark waltz, clothed in falsetto, with a brilliant walk on, written in ten minutes performance. Yes, the band can deliver a great gig and a great album that makes you want to go back, but when you do go back go with an open mind. The initial assault is unique and exquisite, but the possibilities and nuances are tantalising.

‘NO EXCUSES’ IS AVAILABLE FROM THEPRESERVATIONSOCIETYPRESENTS.COM

E X C U S E SNO

Photo: Phil Dillon

V I S U A L A R TBELOW 65 GALLERYGilbert & Clark Frame & Print65 High Street, Maidstone ME14 1SR 01622 685146Open 9.30am-4.30pm Mon-SatASH WHITE Wed 1 - Thu 30 May. Deeply thoughtful digital collage work: see main feature. Private view Thu 2 May 6-8pm. Free entrygilbertandclark.com

BLAKE GALLERYWoodville Halls, Woodville Place, Gravesend DA12 1DD 01474 337774THE HALF: PHOTOGRAPHS OF ACTORS PREPARING FOR THE STAGE - SIMON ANNAND To Thu 20 June, Mon to Sat 9am-8pm and Sun 10am to 2pm. Highly recommended touring exhibition from the V&A, a collection of more than 100 photographs of some of our best-loved actors, including John Gielgud, Cate Blanchett, Daniel Craig and Colin Firth, taken during the half hour before they go on stage. Fascinating. Free entrywoodville.co.uk

CAFÉ MOROC365 High Street, Rochester ME1 1DATHE HAZELNUT PRESS SHOW 2013 From Friday 17 May for one month. Mon-Sat 10am-4.30pm, and Thu-Sat eves 7-11pm. Works by printmakers Heather Haythornthwaite, Frances Bray, Bev Burgess, Sue Maddocks, Louise Norfolk and Dianne Reeves. See main feature. hazelnut-press.com

CRANBROOK LIBRARYCarriers Road, Cranbrook TN17 3JTVIR-Art: THE WRITING ON THE WALL To 5 June. Works by Maidstone’s VIR-Art artists including Sheilagh Dyson, Veronica Tonge, Cas Holmes and Sue Pritchard inspired by books in the Kent Libraries collection. Free. Further info: 01622 738887. vir-art-artists.blogspot.co.uk

THE DEAF CAT COFFEE BAR & GALLERY83 High Street, Rochester ME1 1LX Open all week 9.30am-5pm WORK IN PROGRESS To 6 May. Selected work by GCSE, AS and

A level students at Rochester Independent College. Free entrythedeafcat.com

FRANCIS ILES GALLERY103 High Street, Rochester ME1 1LX01634 843081Open 9.30am-5.30pm Mon-SatSPRING EXHIBITION featuring JEREMY SANDERS plus new works from the Gallery’s artists. To 15 June. francis-iles.com

GRAVESEND OLD TOWN HALLHigh Street, Gravesend DA11 0AZ01474 550023THE STORY OF JELLYFISH -SARA WORDLEY To Fri 24 May. Mon-Fri 10am-3pm. Beautiful photographs of these unusual creatures (see cover and main feature). Free entry

NO.1 SMITHERY: The Gallery The Historic Dockyard Chatham, ME4 4TZ 01634 823800Open 10am-6pm. Adults £17.50, Children £11, concs available. Includes unlimited return to all Dockyard attractions for one year.

ART IN THE DOCKYARD To 6 May Last chance to view these Dockyard-inspired artworks. thedockyard.co.uk

NUCLEUS ARTS 272 High Street, Chatham ME4 4BP 01634 812108Gallery opens 9-5pm, closed Sunday Free re-stART: A NEW LIFE FOR OLD PIECES – Hadlan To 2 May

THE FAST AND THE OBSCURIOUS - Various Artists Sat 4 May to 1pm on 16 May. An impromptu jamboree by five Medway Artists, Bev Bunn, Claire Poynter, Heather Haythornthwaite, Hannah Bradley and Tony Bunn. Preview: Fri 3 May 6-8pm, all welcome.

THE COLOUR OF LIFE - MARION SMITH Sat 18 May to 1pm on 30 May. Stunning works in pen and ink and watercolour: see main feature. Preview: Fri 17 May 6-8pm, all welcome.

NUCLEUS ARTS, ROCHESTER 75 High Street, Rochester ME1 1LX 01634 780932

NUCLEUS ARTS, MAIDSTONE 2-4 Granada House, Gabriel’s Hill, Maidstone ME15 6JR 01622 690337 Gallery shops with eclectic selection of artworks for sale.

ROCHESTER ART GALLERY Medway Visitor Information Centre, 95 High Street, Rochester ME1 1LX 01634 338319 Mon-Sun 10am-5pmKALEIDOSCOPE – Printed Textiles by NEIL BOTTLE Fri 17 May to Sat 13 Jul. Exquisite printed textiles combining digital print technologies and traditional hand pleating and embroidery, inspired by the artist’s travels. Free entry

ROCHESTER CATHEDRAL CRYPTGarth Precinct, Rochester ME1 1SXINTO THE LIGHT – GUY PORTELLI Daily to Thu 30 May, 10am-5pm. Sculpture and watercolours by this award-winning, internationally renowned sculptor. See main feature. rochestercathedral.org

STEPPING STONE STUDIOS2 Museum Avenue, Maidstone ME14 1QXLONDON: NIGHT & DAY - MATT WHITE To the end of May. Stunning photographs of London’s skylines. See The Artist’s Space. Free entry. steppingstonestudios.co.uk

THE TITHE BARNLenham ME17 2QD 01233 770425THE PILGRIMS WAY ARTISTS Daily from Fri 10 to Sun 19 May (10 May til 8pm; closes at 4pm on 19 May). Annual summer exhibition by terrific group of established artists in lovely barn. Free entry. pilgrimswayartists.org.uk

UNIVERSITY OF KENTChatham Historic Dockyard ME4 4TZJOINING THE DOCKS – 2013 DEGREE SHOW, FINE ART Sun 26 May – Sat 1 June, 10am-5pm. Well worth a trip to support the artists of the future, this promises to be a varied and eclectic show from the University’s 3rd year students, working in collaboration with Creative Events, Music and Audio. Free entry. joiningthedocks.co.uk

The H

alpern Charitable Foundation R

egistered Charity no 1096478 Studios

Gallery

Café

Conference

Nucleus ArtsThe Cultural &

CreativeHeart of KentChatham 01634 812108Rochester 01634 780932Maidstone 01622 690337

www.nucleusarts.com original@nucleusarts.co.uk

Education

EDITORIAL: editor@wowkent.co.uk0845 388 2243 (local rate from BT landlines)

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PRINTING: The Colour Factory Ltd, Sittingbourne, 01795 470 825, www.colour-factory.com

PUBLISHER: Emma Dewhurst

Distributed locally to Medway households and public pick-up points throughout the Medway towns and Maidstone.

Current print circulation: 6000 copies.

Excellent discounts for series bookings available to all advertisers. All ads also appear in the e-edition of the magazine at wowkent.co.uk

Copy/listings deadline for June issue:

Wednesday 22 May

©WOW Kent magazine.

All rights reserved. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that details in this publication are accurate, we cannot accept responsibility for such. Readers are advised to check listings information to avoid disappointment.

Views expressed by contributors and advertisers do not necessarily reflect those of the editor and publisher.

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WOW magazine is printed on 100% recycled paper

Matt White is a photographer who specialises in architectural, nightscape and street photography. In 2012 his work concentrated on London. He has a thing about bridges, clouds and the London Eye. His next project is to create images of Vienna at night.

‘London: Night & Day’, runs until the end of May at Stepping Stone Studios, 2 Museum Avenue, Maidstone ME14 1QX

mattwhitephotography.com

O X O T O W E R A T D A Y B R E A Kby Matt White

THE ARTIST’S SPACE