August events letter

It’s Time… Again.

One of the things you have to get used to when planning events is living in two seasons at once.

Making the most of long summer evenings and theatre in the woods…

while planning for cosy winter nights out and thinking about the C word.

And doing all of this while sweating and wishing we’d bought one more fan for the office.

Yet somehow… they usually work out in the most wonderful of ways.

So, as we start to leave tree-framed stages and Scarlet Pimpernels in the woods, we hope you’ll come with us to greet the cosier corners of Bodmin, folky ghost stories and a new troupe of performers leading the way into the season of silliness.

Because things don’t stop happening in Bodmin when summer ends.

We just find somewhere different for them to happen.

First stop… Blisland.

Why Blisland? Glad you asked!

It’s because we believe some stories are better told somewhere a little smaller. Somewhere you can hear the music properly and where everyone feels part of the evening.

First up – Song of the Crow

Last week I was chatting to the team at Riddlestick Theatre and they told me something that completely surprised me.

Did you know that after the First World War there was a huge rise in people’s fascination with séances, tarot and the occult?

Many families desperately wanted to reconnect with loved ones they had lost.

That piece of history became the starting point for Song of the Crow.

Written with Cornwall — and particularly The Lizard — in mind, it blends dark Cornish folklore with the story of a group of First World War deserters hiding from both the police and the consequences of their own decisions.

Expect live folk music, storytelling, comedy, a little darkness and a little mischief.

So whether you’re someone who loves Cornwall’s folklore or you simply fancy a brilliant night local to you, I think this one might surprise you.

Then it’s time to dance…

Nos Lowen with Bagas Fellyon

I’ve been to four Nos Lowens in my life and I’m delighted to say that I didn’t have a clue what I was doing and nobody cared! They helped me anyway 😊

So, for those Nos Lowen virgins, here is a quick guide to what you do:

1. Arrive, join in, clueless.
2. Follow everyone else.
3. Sometimes get it right, mostly get it wrong.
4. Laugh at yourself quite a lot.

And by the end of the evening you’re wondering why you don’t do this more often.

Bagas Fellyon — Cornish for “Band of Fools” — mix ancient melodies with hypnotic rhythms, bass, fiddle, accordion and hammered dulcimer to create something that feels unmistakably Cornish while sounding completely fresh.

If you’ve never been to a Nos Lowen before, think somewhere between a ceilidh and a giant community dance where everyone helps everyone else.

Good music and good company guaranteed.

Meet The Troupe

Cast your mind back to a few months ago when I mentioned Mimi had another one of her surely-this-is-never-going-to-work ideas?

Well, it’s happening.

And The Hopening Ceremony is the very first outing for our brand new Music Hall Troupe.

Expect silliness.

Unexpected talent.

Laughter.

Probably something nobody quite anticipated.

Just how we like it.

We aren’t out of the woods just yet…

As far as Theatre in the Woods season is concerned, we’ve still got a few Scarlet Pimpernel dates to go, and we’re not ones to brag.

BUT…

The messages we’ve received during Theatre in the Woods have genuinely made us stop, smile and occasionally do a little happy dance around The Old Library office.

Whether you bought a ticket, shared a post, told a friend or simply stopped to say something kind after a performance, it all matters.

Thank you for creating a ripple effect that has reached Cornish artists, community groups, organisations like intoBodmin and visitors discovering Bodmin for the first time.

All your support helps us keep saying “yes” to slightly ridiculous ideas. Here’s to more summer adventures next year.

More in September

Jazz Jam Monday 7 September, 7.30pm The Old Library Find out more

Symphoni Kernow Charity Concert Saturday 5 September, 7.30pm St Petroc’s Church Find out more

Secrets of the Hidden Realm Friday 25 September, 7.30pm The Old Library Find out more

The Hopening Ceremony Saturday 26 September, 7.30pm Blisland Village Hall Find out more

So, as we swap woodland stages for village halls and The Old Library…

we’d love you to come with us.

See you soon,

Lisa P

(the Lisa that does the marketing)