For those of you with good memories or who are such avid followers of our adventures that you just know everything about our general Magnificentness, you may already be aware of our connections with MJ-UK Music & Arts, a youth theatre group based in nearby Cirencester.
Last year the Blokes did a fund raising concert with them in Bingham Hall in the capital of the cotswolds, and this year they are doing another one of their amazing shows, a new production of a new musical that recently completed a decent sized run in that there London Town, called "The Clockmaker's Daughter".
Reports from those in the know describe it as a blend of Les Misérables + elements of Sondheim + Disney, all with a local cast of terrifically (curmudgeons would say sickeningly) talented group of youngsters. They are all working very hard to make it a great show, so
Watch their feature video at
http://mj-uk.com
Follow their journey at https://www.facebook.com/MJUKMusicAndArts
and https://twitter.com/MJUKMusicArts
if you do that sort of thing
And get your tickets from http://mj-uk.com/index.php/tickets/
And maybe you will see one or two familiar faces there (most likely near the bar!).
The lads are back in action again this very Saturday night (you can watch Strictly later...) as part of a fund raiser for local good causes.
The event sees us teaming up again with some of the ridiculously talented MJ-UK crowd who we worked with in the summer for the World War 1 Commemorative event, and also some of our singing chums in the Cirencester Community Choir.
Also appearing are another Ashton Keynes Music Festival success story, the Ukeydukes, the ukelele group from AK.
All in all a great little show for the bargain rate of £5 (Under 14 free) so we look forward to seeing some familiar faces there.
Tickets available from Local Info Point at
Bingham House, 1 Dyer St, Cirencester – Tel: 01285 655646 or on the door or from Cirencester Visitor Information Centre (www.cotswold.gov.uk) at Corinium Museum, Park St, Cirencester 01285 654180
Well, that was quite an evening to remember!
Everyone who was present at the World War 1 Commemorative Event in Cirencester Parish Church this Friday 8th August 2014 witnessed an extraordinary piece of musical theatre.
Linked together in a narrative that weaved monologues, poems, action scenes along with some seriously brilliant vocal performances, the evening raced by as we were transported back to the heady first days of the war through to its culmination. The whole show had been put together in two days by the absurdly talented youngsters from MJ-UK Music & Arts and was full of drama, famous tunes and staggering facts about what people went through during that momentous period of history.
Lending a hand were The Magnificent AKsionals, a motley crew of blokes plucked from the ranks of the The Magnificent AK47 regulars and Swindon Scratch Choir, who managed to transform themselves from never having rehearsed together three weeks ago to being a very creditable sound.
"Dad's Army" references might be a little unkind as our valiant lads more than did themselves proud when surrounded by the young talent, and the chaps contributed superbly with some heart rending performances of their songs, opening with a stirring, yet controlled version of "Blood and Gold" and following that with an emotional rendering of "And the Band played Waltzing Matilda", with some tremendous solos and duets.
"Only Remembered" was the final piece of the evening and was quite spine tinglingly good with the hard work learning harmonies thoroughly paying off - a very fitting way to close the show.
Not that you need to take our word for it, you can hear for yourself by visiting the links to the recordings of the lads in action.
Everyone who took part should be rightly pleased with themselves and the tremendously dramatic show they produced in such a short time. A very fitting commemoration of the events of so long ago - they shall not be forgotten.
