Record-breaking Frome Festival is coming your way!

IT IS set to be a record-breaking year for Frome Festival with ticket sales at an all-time high. Top acts Jo Brand and Phill Jupitus sold out within hours of tickets going on sale, while other events have also been selling well.

The festival boasts a fantastic line-up of events and has been hailed as one of the most diverse and successful community arts festivals in the country.

Organisers have signed up some of the best comedy acts and live musical talents the country has to offer, alongside interesting talks, exhibitions and workshops to make this year’s festival the biggest and best yet.

Creative director Martin Dimery said, “This year we have some incredible acts and we’ve been rewarded with record ticket sales. There are still tickets available for many events but you’ll need to get in quick to get tickets to the most popular shows!

“Rich Hall is near capacity, as are many of our classical music events. Olivia Chaney at Cooper Hall is nearly sold out, classical pianists Stephen Marquiss and Ashley Wass are selling strongly, and so is our semi-staged opera The Turn of the Screw (also at Cooper Hall).

“Theatrical events are also selling very well – Under Milk Wood and Waiting For Godot are going fast, as are the Fine Chisel Co. at The Granary. Both of their shows have been hits at the Edinburgh Festival.

“Prunella Scales is selling out rapidly at Rook Lane in her ‘Assortment of Sybils’, featuring the poetry of Leo Aylen. Ian McMillan is also doing well at The Merlin. Our masterclass with John Shirley-Quirk at Cooper Hall is also proving very popular.

“Workshops and walks are  selling in record numbers this year – Dr Archibald Combellack’s ‘Alternative Guide to Frome’ is virtually sold out, as are the tunnel walks, Indian head massage and stone carving workshops. Children’s writing workshops are going well, so too are Babar the Elephant and What’s the time, Mr Wolf – but there is still time for last minute purchases.

“We’re expecting a surge in sales nearer the day for local bands such as the Frukes, Fat Stanley, The Critters and the Honk Masters. Eddie Martin is doing well. You can still bag tickets for Hank Wangford and his extended line-up, and the chance the see John Power of Cast play an intimate acoustic set mid-week at the Cheese and Grain. Other names to look out for include Adam Clayson singing Jaques Brel at the Granary and the wonderful Afrobeat Messengers at ECOS.

“As usual, there are too many names to mention – but take a look at the festival website, visit the Cheese and Grain box office and book your place at a festival to remember.”

This year’s surprise hit has been ‘Somerset’s 17th Century Witches and Witch Hunters’ –  over 60 tickets have been sold for the event which explores the story of witchcraft around Frome.

This year, the festival has also launched a brand new Festival app. Designed to be downloaded onto smart phones of all kinds, the app will provide a complete guide the festival, together with suggestions for great places to eat and places to stay for people from out of town. In case there is time between shows, try your hand at the ‘app’ version of the Frome Town Trail and interactive guides to hidden gardens and artists’ studios at the click of an icon.”

• The Frome Festival takes place from the 5th-14th July. Find our more at www.fromefestival.co.uk