THE line-up for this year’s Frome Festival has been announced and it will feature close on 200 events with an eclectic mix of opera, pop, choral, jazz and folk music; theatre, workshops, exhibitions, films, walks and talks.
The Festival, which will run across many venues starting on Friday 6th July and continuing through to Sunday 15th July – has been the town’s biggest celebration of the arts for 17 years.
Amongst the highlights will be Aston Merrygold, JLS singer and recent “Strictly” contestant; the inimitable Badly Drawn Boy; comedian Tom Allen; Scottish folk rockers Blazin’ Fiddles; performance poet John Cooper Clarke; broadcaster and comedian Viv Groskop; and as a post-Festival “encore” the legendary Leo Sayer.
The festival also celebrates the 200th anniversary of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein which has inspired the distinctive brochure and poster artwork by the renowned illustrator Sholto Walker.
Amongst the Frankenstein related events is, a talk on the works of film director Terence Fisher, who directed the Hammer Horror Frankenstein movies, with a showing of cult film Frankenstein Must be Destroyed.
The festival is a platform for many local artists, writers and musicians, as well as a raft of celebrated headline acts, several of whom will appear at the town’s renowned Cheese and Grain hall.
Martin Dimery now in his 11th year as the Frome Festival’s creative director, puts their success down to the range of venues available in the town.
“We are lucky to have so many performance and exhibition spaces in Frome.” said Martin. “I suspect we have more theatres per square mile than anywhere outside of Shaftesbury Avenue!”
The longest-running is the Memorial Theatre, a 530-seat former cinema who will host comedian Tom Allen this year. Then there’s the Merlin Theatre, a more intimate arts space which will be presenting a packed programme including broadcaster and comedian Viv Groskop; comedy chef George Egg, and on their adjoining outdoor ECOS Amphitheatre, Illyria Theatre Company in “The Merchant of Venice”.
Privately-run theatres include the beautifully restored Rook Lane Chapel; Cooper Hall in the historic setting of Selwood Manor, and the Silk Mill in the town centre, all of whom are running events throughout the 10 days.
“We also have a wonderful programme of performances in three of our historic churches,” Martin continued. “The settings are ideal for classical music and some of the daytime concerts enable people to visit Frome and enjoy high quality performances, workshops and exhibitions throughout the day and into the evening.”
The Festival’s UK-wide reputation is thought to be one of the major factors in Frome becoming a hot spot for tourists and for those relocating from London, Bristol and Bath.
Full programme details will be available on www.fromefestival.co.uk. Tickets will be available from the third week of May through the Cheese and Grain’s box office www.cheeseandgrain.com 01373 455420, or from hosting venues.
