Another great Beauty and the Beast picture

Here's another great cast picture from Beauty and the Beast, performed so brilliantly by Llangollen Operatic Society Young 'Uns.

* Picture courtesy of Barrie Potter. 

Young 'Uns turn in monster of a show

* A scene from the Young 'Uns production of Beauty and the Beast.

A talented cast from Llangollen Operatic Society’s junior section, the Young ‘Uns, turned in a monster of a production of of Disney musical Beauty and the Beast for three nights at the Town Hall, from Thursday-Saturday.

Saturday’s capacity audience was entranced by the fairy tale of the handsome prince turned into a hairy critter with attitude by a vindictive witch, who makes a triumphant return to humanity thanks to the love of a good woman.

The guy with extreme anger management issues, big-time facial hair and a mane of hair like a 70s rock star was superbly played by Wilf Wort who expertly turned snarls to simpers after developing a crush on the Beauty of the title, Belle. She was portrayed with great sensitivity by Jessica Cockburn.

But it wasn’t just the prince who fell victim to the wicked witch’s powers. The old crone also turned the staff at his castle into a range of domestic oddities, including a big talking teapot, a chatty candelabra, a walking wardrobe, a speaking clock and a big feather duster, all of whom can only become human again if their master falls in love.

These animated household objects provided a big slice of the action, a lot of the singing and  a fair bit of the humour of the piece.

They were masterfully interpreted by, respectively, Louise Cielecki and Nathan Lloyd – two Young ‘Uns stalwarts who are consistently brilliant in every role they take on – a sparkling Polly Harrison, a marvellous Meg Howlett and Carys Stallard, who provided plenty of French ooh lah lah. 

Gaston, the creepy egomaniac who fancies Belle himself and therefore does his best to ruin her budding romance with the Beast, was played to perfection by a strutting Nathan Hughes.

He got the most mileage possible out of lines like, “Belle and I would be a perfect match – like my thighs”.

As Maurice, Belle eccentric father, was the extravagantly bewigged Adam Goff, who is always good value for money. 

As usual, the principal cast members received strong backing from a massive number of chorus members ranging from teens to tinies who all put loads of enthusiasm into their roles of whatever size.

Behind the stage was another army of helpers who handled everything from costumes and make-up to choreography and lighting.

Particularly impressive were the sets, created and painted by another large team of back-stage magicians headed up by Emma-Jo Newton, who was also stage manager. The labyrinthine archways of the beast’s castle were particularly realistic looking.

Musical direction of a four-strong live orchestra was under the capable baton of Elen Mair Roberts and the whole show was a credit to co-producers Tess Orton-Jones and Michael Jones and artistic co-directors Deirdre (D) Smith and Bethan Williams.

·        Llangollen Operatic Society’s next production is Anything Goes, at the Town Hall from April 16-20.

Isherwood speaks out for small businesses

North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood has emphasised the importance of access to finance for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Mr Isherwood is concerned that the Federation of Small Businesses states that SMEs in Wales are significantly less optimistic about their business prospects than their counterparts in the rest of the UK – and that 64% have never heard of Welsh Government subsidiary Finance Wales.

Speaking in the Welsh Conservative Debate on ‘A Vision for Welsh Investment: Invest Wales’, he said: “That is why Welsh Conservatives have launched Invest Wales, using Finance Wales funding to regionalise access to finance for Micro, Small and Medium size Business with Welsh HQs - encouraging High Street lending, not just state banking.

“This would complement the UK Government’s Funding for Lending Scheme, operating since last August to incentivise banks and building societies to boost their lending to UK households and non-financial companies.

“As the Bank of England stated last month 'the Funding for Lending Scheme has helped to improve funding conditions for UK firms' and '35 banks and building societies had signed up to the scheme, representing 82% of the stock of lending to the domestic economy'.”

Speaking in the chamber three years ago, Mr Isherwood highlighted the Banking on Essex initiative, to support SMEs, the first municipal banking scheme to be created since 1915, with Santander Bank as 50% partner – thereby taking half the risk and slashing the amount of costly regulation that a new bank would have to comply with, but that an established bank partner would not.

“As the First Minister then agreed, setting up a new bank can be a costly and protracted business if you start it from scratch and using the expertise that is already in the banking sector to develop a social model of banking makes sense.

 

"Banking on Essex subsequently closed, citing a lack of demand from small businesses – but, as the Federation of Small Businesses has stated 'Wales has the highest share of small businesses applying for credit of any UK region or country'."

 

Invest Wales, with an independent board, 50/50 partnership with banks and other financial institutions and a regional branch structure is the prudent model for Wales’ business and banking sectors.

 

"After all, some 8.4% of the economy in Wales is generated by financial services.”

Strictly pair to star at eisteddfod

The Daily Post is reporting this morning that Strictly Come Dancing couple James and Ola Jordan will add glitz and glamour to the star-studded line-up at this year’s Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod.

Patients evacuated after fire at the Maelor

Breaking news ...

* Wrexham Maelor Hospital where fire broke out late last night.

Twenty-seven patients, including three babies from a special care unit, had to be evacuated when fire broke out at Wrexham Maelor Hospital late last night (Friday).

Four fire appliances were mobilised to the blaze at 11.39pm.

A spokesperson for North Wales Fire & Rescue Service said: "Three crews of firefighters from Wrexham and another crew from Johnstown attended and located a small fire on the ground floor of the hospital which was extinguished using four sets of breathing apparatus and one hose reel jet.

"In all, 27 patients were evacuated after staff raised the alarm on detecting smoke.

"The fire originated on the ground floor in a room located off the outpatient ward which was unoccupied at the time.

"Smoke had travelled up to the first floor of the building affecting mainly two wards, Bromfield Ward and Bonney Ward, resulting in the evacuation of 24 patients. Three infants from an adjacent special care unit were also evacuated as a precaution.

"The infants were returned to special care after the fire was extinguished, whilst the remaining patients will be cared for elsewhere at the hospital for the time being.

"The exact cause of the fire is currently being investigated but it is thought to be accidental."

Llan campaigners lobby Health Minister

* Campaigners, including the Llangollen contingent, gather outside

Lesley Griffiths' Wrexham office. Below left, lobbyists knock on the door.

Llangollen campaigners played a key role in a mass lobby of Wales’ Health Minister Lesley Griffiths against plans to shake-up NHS services in the region.

And Ms Griffiths, who is Assembly Member for Wrexham, was warned by demonstrators she could face electoral problems is she fails to take notice of their case.

The controversial plans by the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board include the axing of Llangollen Cottage Hospital.

Campaign groups across north Wales have been opposing various aspects of the proposals and around 60 of them gathered outside the constituency office of Health Minister Lesley Griffiths in Wrexham on Friday afternoon.

Among them were members of Keep Llangollen Health Services (KLHS) who are incensed that measures to wind down the town’s community hospital have already been unexpectedly put in place – before patients watchdog the Community Health Council is due to finish its examination of the shake-up package on March 1.

Maria Haines of KLHS said of the demo: “Basically I summarised the current situation regarding the proposals in general and Llangollen Hospital in particular, including the fact that I have heard that just this week a Llangollen resident needing the type of care provided by community hospitals has been admitted to Mold Community Hospital instead of Llangollen because it has been decreed that Llangollen is not receiving any new admissions.

“I then read an open message to Lesley Griffiths, which was vociferously endorsed by the assembled throng.”

This is the message she read out:  "Lesley Griffiths, at the last election, the people of Wrexham entrusted you with representing their interests, and the interests of the people of Wales in general, in the Welsh Government. And sufficient people throughout Wales voted Labour for your party to be able to form the Welsh Government, and to appoint you to oversee and safeguard the health of the people of Wales – ALL the people of Wales.

“That includes all the people who live a long way from any of the main hospitals, and all the people for whom forming a bond with a sick baby on the Wirral, or supporting that baby's already-traumatised mother, would involve an impossible journey.

“Please, Lesley Griffiths, fulfil the responsibility you have taken on as Health Minister, by: 

·         calling in these plans,

·         looking at them in detail, and

·         compelling the Health Board to maintain and improve existing services, bearing in mind the real needs of ALL the people who need to use them, rather than withdrawing services now on the vague less-than-promise than we might get something else in the future. 

“We are placing our trust in you – but if you betray that trust, we will not go away. And we will not forget, when the next election comes around.  

“Sixty-five years ago, Aneurin Bevan said that: ‘The NHS will last as long as there are folk left with the faith to fight for it’. 

“Let us assure you, Lesley Griffiths, that there are plenty of people ready to fight for a decent, fit-for-purpose NHS in North Wales – and we are watching very carefully to see whether you are one of us!"

 

* Placards laid outside Lesley Griffiths'

constituency office.

 

Health protesters lobby Minister in Wrexham

The BBC News website is reporting this evening (Friday) that about 80 people staged a rally in Wrexham about health service shake-up plans in north Wales.

The opponents to the plans met outside the office of Health Minister Lesley Griffiths who is the Labour AM for Wrexham.

See the full story at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-east-wales-21389248

A picture accompanying a story on the ITV Wales news website shows someone at the rally holding a "save Llangollen hospital beds" banner: http://www.itv.com/news/wales/update/2013-02-08/health-protest-outside-ministers-wrexham-constituency-office/