Festive Events in Axminster

Axminster’s Christmas celebrations are underway following a wonderful evening of events to mark the switching-on of the town’s lights on November 18. The town has a range of events taking place right up to the big day.

The Minster Church will be hosting a number of services during advent and the festive season:

• Thursday, December 1, 7.30pm, Hospiscare Service of Light.

• Sunday, December 4, 5pm, Axminster Team Ministry Advent carol service.

• Thursday, December 8, 7.30pm, Exeter’s Cygnet Theatre perform the Nativity    based on the York Mystery Plays.

• Friday December 9, 10am, as above but performed especially for schools.

• Sunday, December 18, 3pm, Christmas Community Carol Service.

• Christmas Eve, 6pm, Crib Service and Christingle.

• Christmas Eve, 11.30pm, Midnight Eucharist.

Carols and shows galore

by John Dalton

The town’s choral society will not let the Christmas season pass without some carol singing. An informal afternoon of carols will take place in the Minster at 3pm on Saturday, December 10. There will be a few choir items but most of the carols will be well known and for audience participation. A collection will be taken for Friends of the Minster.

The most popular entertainment in Axminster this Christmas is likely to be the Christmas Music Hall put on by the Alternative Company Theatre Ltd. This year it will be at the Guildhall on December 8, 9 and 10, starting at 7.30pm. Once again the inimitable Michael Steer will be the MC and the driving force behind the show. Also taking part are popular singers Jean Board, Carole Hallett, Derek Dickens and John Eborn with solos and medleys.

One of the most popular features of the show, the children’s ‘potted pantomime’, has been restored this year with Snowhite and the Seven Dwarfs as the chosen theme.

As usual there will be a licensed bar with table seating and waitress service adding to the atmosphere. Tickets are available from the Guildhall, or from Jean Board, Tel. 01297 33854.

Axminster’s i.e. Theatre claims to have one of the smallest theatres in the world but in that small space it certainly lives up to its abbreviated name by putting on ‘intriguing entertainment’.

Friday, December 2, at 8pm, brings Martin Soan’s solo show Soan Alone, described as ‘a family comedy without the family’. Broadcaster Chris Evans has said of the show ‘as a comedian Martin is a hit, as a performance artist he is exceptional, and as a quick change artist he’s a genius’, and Clive James considered it to be ‘the funniest thing I have ever seen’. Tickets cost £7 for this one night show prior to its 2006 UK tour.

The theatre’s big Christmas show is Turkey, Turkey, Everywhere, a very funny two act comedy by Steve Black, which is also touching and has all the ingredients of a family Christmas. It is Christmas Eve at the Rees family house. Debbie is getting ready for the family get together and, as in previous years, it is all about to go wrong. Her husband arrives home from the firm’s ‘do’ slightly worse for wear, their two best friends arrive a little early, their daughter Victoria and her husband are running late, their son Danny has gone AWOL, and Debbie’s father Maurice is en route from a holiday in Scotland with his new lady friend, Vera. There is also a surprise visit from Debbie’s sister who she hasn’t seen for 15 years. But why?

Things get progressively more complicated as the evening goes on, as do the revelations that each new visitation brings.Will all be resolved by Christmas Day, or will their be the usual mayhem and family ructions? You can find out by going along to the i.e. Theatre from Monday, December 5, to Friday, December 9, or from Monday, December 12, to Friday, December 16, at 8pm. Tickets cost £7.50, and for both shows they may be obtained from the theatre by telephoning 01297 631607.

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