Mystery Barn Dance Oct 22

Hi Everybody The Penkhull Mystery Plays are trespassing into the Boat Band's address book to advertise their latest fundraiser, a barn dance in Penkhull Village Hall. The Mystery Plays are the largest community arts project in North Staffs, now in their 8th year, and as always desperately short of funds. You could just send us a tenner, which would be great, but what we would really like is for you to use the money to buy a ticket to the barn dance in Penkhull Village Hall on Sat Oct 22, have lot of fun, sample some real ale(if that is your tipple) and dance to the wonderful Devon band Moor Music with very jolly caller Baz Parkes.   Here is a bit of write-up to explain things in more detail:   Moor Music(all the way from Dartymoor in Devon) follow the Watch and the Boat Band in our series of supergroup barndances. Mark Bazeley (Melodeon and Concertina) and Jason Rice (Accordion) have been playing their instruments since childhood absorbing the unique Dartmoor style from their respective grandfathers Bob Cann and Jack Rice. Rob Murch (5-String Banjo) also learnt to play finger-style banjo from a young age and has since become one of the finest exponents of this once popular but now rarely heard style. Playing in a way that comes naturally to them they have since become one of the best truly traditional acts, doing what they do, simply because they enjoy it. These men are the real deal, proper traditional musicians steeped in generations of skill. And from Devon, what more could you want? Caller will be our old faithful tried and tested favourite caller Baz Parkes What can we say but "Proper Job". Tickets a very moderate £10 (pie and peas included). Real ale bar(three different beers hopefully). The Penkhull Mystery Plays are a spectacular annual open air community theatre project,on July 14 next year, on the village green. Theatre show, with stalls musicians tug of war, Punch and Judy, test-your-strength machine, 5 pubs etc etc as well). Times arevery hard for grants, and the Mysteries take a lot of funding: please show your your support by coming to the barn dance, having fun and dancing and buying beer. You know it makes sense. Who would have thought funding the arts could be so enjoyable? Tickets(now selling fast!): ring me(Greg Stephens)on 01782 871691 or send me a message Emails seem to be old hat nowadays, this "social networking" is apparently the latest thing. So if you click on this http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=261762910529714 you may(or you may not) arrive at a Facebook page where you can find out what kind of happening people may be going to the barn dance, and also publish photos of yourselves in unsuitable clothes at parties, or on holiday in very expensive places. And then there's twittering(or is tweeting?) but I won't go there.     Here's Rob Murch doing a bit of his legendary banjo picking. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwRrGnnWf74&feature=related   Here's Jason Rice demonstrating Dartmoor step-dancing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z80lmyMLS-I   STOP PRESS: THIS JUST IN And for those with time on their hands who have managed to read this far(well done) here is what a real live Government minister said about the Penkhull Mystery plays(note the bit about straitened times!)     THE PENKHULL MYSTERY PLAYS I have seen every Penkhull Mystery Play since they started six years Ago, and enjoyed every one of them greatly. They are already an established part of the life of Penkhull and Indeed of the whole of Stoke on Trent, involving large numbers in Writing, producing and performing them every summer.  Their success Demonstrates that the Penkhull community, like almost all communities, Contains a large number of very talented people, professional, Semi-professional, amateur and those who have never before had anything To do with plays.  Not surprisingly their productions draw large Audiences even when, as two years ago, they take place in a monsoon. In what are likely to be difficult, straitened times for the arts, The Penkhull Mystery Plays offer an example of how the arts can Survive if they grow out of a community, listen to that community and Deliver first class work. Mark Fisher MP for Stoke-on-Trent Central 1983-2010 and former Minister for the Arts