* Wilko Johnson (by Paul Crowther).
A disused factory could get all lit up to
help illuminate this year’s 20th anniversary Llangollen Fringe.
Professor Alec Shipley, head of the School of Creative Arts and professor of
Contemporary Art Practice at Wrexham Glyndŵr University, has a special project
in mind to mark the landmark occasion which means using the old Berwyn Works on
the A5 through Llangollen as the base for a spectacular light show.
Prof Shipley was a
guest at last Friday’s official launch of the festival at the White Water Hotel
and explained that he was currently thinking of ways to create a light show
based on the derelict building as a way of celebrating the Fringe’s
anniversary.
He said: “I see the
building as a kind of lantern and I’m looking at how to light it in a certain
way.”
The professor told
a large audience he also had in mind marking 20 years of the Fringe by staging
another light show outside the Town Hall in Castle Street.
“I like to work
with people, light and space and I have an idea of asking people to donate old
teacups and saucers which could be turned into some sort of light fitting
outside the Town Hall, perhaps a chandelier,” he added.
Highlights of the festival programme, which
runs from July 13-23, include appearances by:
* CC Smugglers, a Bedfordshire sextet inspired
by American and world folk, swing, jazz and blues on Friday July 14* A full day festival of acoustic music, Fringe Acoustica, on July 15.
* Prolific activist, documentary maker and
comedian Mark Thomas who will talk about his book 100 Acts of Minor Dissent on
Sunday July 16.
* An evening in conversation with Guardian
columnist, TV chef and austerity campaigner Jack Monroe on Tuesday July 18.
* The return to the Fringe of singer, guitarist, songwriter and actor Wilko Johnson who is particularly
associated with the pub rock/rhythm and blues band Dr Feelgood in the 1970s. He
will appear at the Pavilion on Wednesday July 19.
* Singer, songwriter,
and multi-instrumentalist Seth Lakeman on Thursday July 20.
* Kasai Masai, who specialise
in vintage grooves from their native Congo, on Friday July 21.
* Band Pres Llareggub Brass
Band, who evoke the flavours of New Orleans marching bands, Bronx-inspired hip
hop and Welsh language pop music, on Saturday July 22.
* The anniversary
finale concert comes when folk group 9Bach present an audio visual spectacular
at Valle Crucis Abbey on Sunday July 23.
Apart from the
concerts a Soul Train will run on Llangollen Railway and a Fringe jazz boat
will set sail along the Llangollen Canal.
Also planned are
drama in town pubs, a storytelling café,
a performance by local dramatist Peter Read, famous for his portrayal of
Dylan Thomas, and an art competition based at Plas Newydd echoing the Fringe 2017
theme of Legends.
Llangollen’s New
Dot community cinema group has teamed up with the Fringe for a special
screening of the 80s film Sing Street on Thursday July 13.
For a limited
period only Earlybird festival tickets are on sale, offering £160-£180 worth of
concert admissions for £70.
* For more Fringe information and tickets, go
to: http://www.llangollenfringe.co.uk
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