What's on where around Leamington, Warwick and Kenilworth: listings, March 18 edition

ONGOING

Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum: Exhibition Through the Shop Window provides a glimpse at shopping in Royal Leamington Spa from the 1880s to the 1980s, including personal stories, photographs and objects from the collection. The exhibition runs until Sunday, April 17.

Until Saturday March 26, 7.30pm (except Sunday): The Loft Theatre in Leamington presents Christopher Hampton’s ‘bourgeois comedy’ The Philanthropist, an inversion of Moliere’s classic The Misanthrope. Visit www.loft-theatre.co.uk or call 0844 493 4938 to book.

Saturday March 19 to Sunday June 19, Compton Verney Art Gallery: Commemorating the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, Shakespeare in Art offers a chance for art and theatre lovers to discover Shakespeare’s works through a unique series of theatrical encounters including painting, photography, projection, sound and light. The exhibition has been designed by the Royal Shakespeare Company’s director of design, Stephen Brimson Lewis. The exhibition focuses on pivotal Shakespeare plays, including The Tempest, Hamlet, Macbeth and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, all of which have motivated artists across the ages from George Romney, Henry Fuseli, John Singer Sargent and GF Watts to Karl Weschke, Kristin & Davy McGuire and Tom Hunter. Call 645500 or visit www.comptonverney.org.uk for more information.

Hill Close Gardens, Warwick, Saturday March 26 to Monday March 28, 11am to 4pm: In tribute to the Victorian heritage of the gardens, visitors can enjoy a special Victorian Easter. The cafe will be transformed into a Victorian tearoom with staff in Victorian costume, and themed displays in the cafe and around the summerhouses will bring to life the way Victorians celebrated Easter: Floriography (the language of flowers), the emergence of Easter eggs and Easter cards, and the tradition of Simnel cake. On Easter Sunday, children are invited to join in the annual Hill Close Easter Egg hunt and Easter bonnet parade at 3pm, which will be free to any child who attended a special Easter workshop on March 24 and brings their handmade bonnet/basket. Refreshments are served in our cafe overlooking the gardens, and there is a large greenhouse and plant sales area. Visitors will be able to enjoy not only the flowers in the herbaceous borders but also a new exhibition entitled The Language of Flowers. The Victorians used flowers to express specific emotions and this romantic language will be explained for those who would like to use it today. Call 493339 or visit www.hillclosegardens.com for more information.

FRIDAY MARCH 18

Netherfield House, Pound Lane, Lillington, 11am to 4pm: Easter fair. Call 338330 for more information.

Pump Room, Leamington, 7.30pm: Piatti String Quartet. Haydn Quartet in C Op 76 No 3 Emperor, Bartok Quartet No.5, Beethoven Quartet in F Op 59 No 1 Razumovsky. Tickets £20, £16, £13, £1 from 334418 or www.leamingtonmusic.org (Leamington Music)

SATURDAY MARCH 19

Eathorpe Village Hall, 8pm: The internationally renowned classical pianist, Andrean Lazarov, is coming from Bulgaria to play pieces by Rachmaninoff, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt and several others, including, for the first time, a couple of his own compositions. Tickets £13.50 or £12, including glass of wine or soft drink and canapés after the performance during a reception with Andrean. Call 632575 or 632664 or email [email protected] for more information.

St Mary’s church, Warwick, 7.30pm: Collegium Choir Warwick. Programme includes John Rutter’s Requiem and Vaughan Williams’ Five Mystical Songs. Tickets £13, under-16s free.

All Saints’ church, Leamington, 7.30pm: Bach St. John Passion (sung in German), presented by Royal Leamington Spa Bach Choir, The Musical & Amicable Orchestra, Sarah-Ann Cromwell soprano, Helen Anne Gregory contralto, Nathan Vale tenor (Evangelist), Bozidar Smiljanic bass, Colin Druce organ continuo, Nigel Stark conductor. Tickets £14 or £12 in advance, £5 students, £15 on door from www.rlsbc.org and Presto Classical on 317025.

Oak House (formerly Liberal Club), Upper Holly Walk, Leamington: The Kontikis.

Leamington Art Gallery and Museum, 11am to 4pm: Couture milliner and designer Bobbi Heath will be giving a Fabulous Fascinators workshop. Bobbi will help participants craft their own chic creation using materials provided. Some sewing skills will be required for this workshop. Cost: £20 per person. Tickets are limited. Call 742700 to book.

Kingsley School Hall, Beauchamp Avenue, Leamington, 7.30pm: Handel’s Semele, presented by Warwick & Kenilworth Choral Society and Beauchamp Sinfonietta with soloists, Benedict Wilson conductor. Tickets £13, £5 students and £2 children from Presto Classical, Kenilworth Books, Warwick Books and 01676 534944.

SUNDAY MARCH 20

RNA Club, Adelaide Road, Leamington, 10.30am: The club’s AGM.

St Nicholas church, Warwick, 3pm: Pergolesi’ Stabat Mater, with soloists Wendy Whyte & Rose Rowley. Admission free, refreshments available.

Eathorpe Village Hall, 4.30pm: The internationally renowned classical pianist, Andrean Lazarov, is coming from Bulgaria to perform the Top 20 Piano Encores. Tickets £13.50 or £12, including glass of wine or soft drink. Call 632575 or 632664 or email [email protected] for more.

MONDAY MARCH 21

County Record Office, Warwick, 11am to 3pm: Amazing Animals Live! From tame tigers to mad dog bites, discover the fascinating animal documents in the County Record collections. Create a terrific turtle craft and a furry rabbit friend to take home. Meet some animals from the Nuneaton Wildlife Sanctuary between 11am and 2pm and handle some of the museum’s collections. Cost £2.50 per child. Children must be accompanied by an adult. No need to book, just drop in.

St John’s Museum, Warwick, 1.30pm to 3.30pm: Arty Tots - Egg-stravaganza. Join in Easter crafty fun, sing songs and listen to a story. Cost: £2.50 per child. Children must be accompanied by an adult. No need to book, just drop in. Suitable for under fives, older siblings welcome.

TUESDAY MARCH 22

Sydni Centre, Cottage Square, Sydenham, 7.30pm: The Sydenham History Group meets. Speaker will be Mave Dellor whose talk is entitled Travels in Ethiopia. Admission £2 including refreshments. All welcome.

Spa Centre, Leamington, 7.30pm: A screening of the acclaimed documentary Escape From Tibet to coincide with the publication of the new book, introduced by its locally-based writer/producer Nick Gray. The film follows 11-year-old Tenzin’s efforts to flee Chinese repression of his homeland by attempting the most dangerous escape route in the world, over the Himalayas, led by his fearless brother, Pasang. There will be a question-and-answer session with Nick after the screening. Tickets: £6.50 or £5.50 concessions. Call 334418 or visit www.royalspacentreandtownhall.co.uk to book.

Spa Centre, Leamington, 11am: CBeebies’ Chris & Pui return with a new show. See Incy Wincy, Twinkle, Old MacDonald, Humpty, Granny Humpty and many characters live on stage. Tickets cost £12 or £10 for concessions. Call 334418 or visit www.royalspacentreandtownhall.co.uk to book.

WEDNESDAY MARCH 23

Leamington Art Gallery & Museum: An opportunity for18 to 24 year olds to take part in an oral history project that will provide practical experience and a full day’s Introduction to Oral History. A British Library-accredited trainer will help attendees will find out more about oral histories, learn some interview tips and explore the practices of transcription and archiving. Recording will take place on Wednesday March 30, Saturday April 2 and Saturday April 16, with each volunteer expected to attend one full day or two half days of recording. Each person to complete the project will also receive a gift voucher. To apply, send a short paragraph outlining your reasons for being interested in the project and your availability to take part on the project dates to [email protected]. The deadline for applications is today (Friday).

Spa Centre, Leamington, 7pm: Grigorovich’s ballet Spartacus, recorded at the Bolshoi, is being screened. Spartacus has become the Russian company’s signature ballet. Tickets: £12.50 or £10 concessions. Call 334418 or visit www.royalspacentreandtownhall.co.uk to book.

Spa Centre, Leamington, 7.30pm: The Three Degrees, the American female vocal group formed in 1963 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, perform hits including When Will I See You Again, Dirty Ol’ Man and Take Good Care Of Yourself. Tickets cost £25 or £37.50 for VIP tickets. Call 334418 or visit www.royalspacentreandtownhall.co.uk to book.

THURSDAY MARCH 24

Royal Regiment of Fusiliers Museum, St John’s House, Warwick, 2pm to 4pm: Make your own flag of an Allied nation during the First World War. Children’s drop-in activity, no need to book. Activities £2 per child (under 5s £1), all materials are provided, all ages welcome, but children under eight must be with an adult. Call 491653 or visit www.warwickfusiliers.co.uk for more information.

St John’s Museum, Warwick, 11am to 3pm: Egg-cellent Egg Hunt around St John’s Museum and garden. Find out about egg identification along the way and create your own bouncing chick and proud peacock to take home. Cost £2.50 per child. Children must be accompanied by an adult. No need to book, just drop in.

Spa Centre, Leamington, 2.30pm: The Marvellous Imaginary Menagerie, presented Les Enfants Terribles, promises to entertain with caravan of curiosities and its crew of mysterious misfits. Tickets cost £12 or £10 for concessions. Call 334418 or visit www. royalspacentreandtownhall.co.uk to book.

Oak House (formerly Liberal Club), Upper Holly Walk, Leamington: The Jay Kays.

SUNDAY MARCH 27

Oak House (formerly Liberal Club), Upper Holly Walk, Leamington: Vinyl afternoon.

MONDAY MARCH 28

All Saints church, Leamington, 11am: Paul Carr organ, director of music St Paul’s church, Birmingham. Refreshments before and after recital. Free admission, retiring collection.

TUESDAY MARCH 29

St Mary’s church, Warwick, 7pm: Handel’s Messiag, sung by The Carice Singers, director George Parris, Lottie Bowden soprano, Helen Charlston alto, Joel Williams tenor, Henry Hawkesworth bass with baroque ensemble. ickets £15, £10 concessions, £5 Friends. Call 334418 or visit www.warwickdc.gov.uk to book. In aid of Singing for Syria.