Operatic tunes up for Fiddler on the Roof

* Members of the cast of Fiddler on the Roof. Picture by Barrie Potter.

For the first time in 36 years Llangollen Operatic Society is to present the stage version of big screen blockbuster Fiddler on the Roof later this month.

The society last put on the show back in 1983 to great acclaim and a completely new cast bring it back to Llangollen Town Hall from April 30-May 4.  

The Bock, Harnick and Stein classic is set in the early 20th century in a Jewish village in Russia and their centuries old traditions which the village milkman Reb Tevye is determined to hold on to.  

But change is coming and it is difficult to ignore it.

The show features a host of memorable songs, including the show stopper If I Were a Rich Man, Sunrise Sunset and Tradition.

A strong cast is headed by Bill Hughes taking on the role of Tevye.

He comes to Fiddler fresh from his role with the society playing likeable cockney rogue Doolittle in their production of My Fair Lady last year.

There are many new faces in the line up with some coming from as far away as Colwyn Bay to take on key roles.  

A number of talented young performers are also joining the cast from the society's junior section, the Young 'Uns, who recently presented a smash-hit version of Grease in Llangollen.  

Producer Helen Belton said: "We welcome them to Fiddler because they are tomorrow's leads, chorus, producers, directors."

  

Musical director for the show is Leigh Mason who holds the same role with the famous Fron Male Voice Choir.

Director is Alison Ravenscroft and choreographer is Pamela Williams.

* Tickets for Fiddler on the Roof are now available online at www.ticketsource.co.uk/llangollenoperaticsociety as well as at the following Llangollen establishments - Jades, Llangollen Oggie and Fine Foods and Gwyn the Butcher.

Llangollen Railway bridges the gap at Corwen

* The work in progress looking across the area towards Corwen.

In the course of a four-day exercise beginning on April 15, a team of Llangollen Railway's Corwen Project volunteers helped local contractor Arwel Dolben with infilling the gap in the railway embankment. 

This has long been seen as the major obstruction in completing the railway line through to the new Corwen terminus.

Many tonnes of infill material have been recovered from the old Ruthin branch embankment and brought round by the dumper loads to the site of the gap.

The infill has required careful layering and rolling to provide a firm base as the level was brought up by 10 feet in places across the width of the former trackbed.

At the end on the first phase of the exercise project manager Richard Dixon-Gough said:

" May I, on behalf of the project team and Llangollen Railway, express my thanks and gratitude to all who have worked so hard over some long days and taken on the physical effort to achieve so much this week.
 "With the support of our contractors we have literally moved mountains and the first phase of the exercise has been virtually completed. Without the input from everyone involved this would not have happened."

The cost of the exercise was met through the Infill the Gap appeal for donations which has raised over £10,000 from supporters and well wishers, with £500 coming from a charity raffle organised by Corwen townsfolk.

Completion of the final phase of the project will continue after Easter. When complete new track will be laid to connect the existing railhead with the loop line in the platform area.

Happy Easter to all readers!

Town welcomes Nicaraguan visitor

* David McKnight of Llangollen, who organised the event, 

with Johnny Hodgson and Ben Gregory.

Llangollen is renowned for welcoming the world to these shores, and the town once again proved to be an international diplomatic hub as it hosted a highly respected former Nicaraguan government official.

Johnny Hodgson, who was appointed chairman of the Bluefields Commission on the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua and is a former elected official in his region, was a guest speaker at a Wales Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign event in the town.

Thirty years after his first visit to Wales Johnny revisited the country to talk about how life had improved on the Nicaraguan Caribbean Coast over the last decade, and the impact of last year's violence on his country.

The Nicaraguan Caribbean Coast is a multicultural and multilingual region with its own autonomous government. Johnny drew comparisons between his region of Nicaragua and Wales.

Ben Gregory of the Wales Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign said: "We were extremely glad to welcome Johnny back to Wales. This is his fifth visit to Wales over the last 30 years. 

"He talked about the things that have changed recently - investment in infrastructure, with new roads, and electricity and water being provided to a greater number of people. But he also talked about the challenge posed by reconciliation after last years violence."

* Anybody interested in the Wales-Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign can find more information at http://www.nicaraguasc.org.uk 

Council honoured for creation of Centenary Square

Llangollen Civic Society has presented the Town Council with an award in recognition of its foresight in completing the project to build the new Centenary Square. Town Mayor Cllr John Haddy and Deputy Mayor Cllr Isobel Richards are shown receiving the award from the society's chairman Mel Lawrence on behalf of the council. Picture by Peter Jones.

Chapel tearoom serves up successful first year

* Ken Skates AM with owner Sally Roberts, right, and employees Eliza, Abbie and Toni.

A derelict chapel brought back to life with the help of the Welsh Government has celebrated a successful first year as a popular tearoom.

Sally Roberts and Carl Pottenger took on the ambitious project to convert the former Bryn Seion Chapel on Station Road, Trevor, into the Pontcysyllte Chapel Tearoom.

The business launched in February 2018 after a £30,000 Welsh Government grant and was officially opened by Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Sport last June.

Sally recently gave Clwyd South AM Ken Skates a tour of the premises.

He said: “The place looks stunning – Sally and Carl have done an amazing job. They employed a number of highly skilled local craftsmen at the outset and have even matched the woodwork to the original pulpit, which has been preserved as a key centrepiece.”

Mr Skates added: “The area has seen hugely increased visitor numbers since the aqueduct was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tourism is a key driver of the local economy here in Clwyd South and businesses like this are vital in terms of offering quality and choice.

“The tearoom offers a wide range of homemade produce from local suppliers, which helps give such a unique local business a unique local flavour. I’m proud that the Welsh Government was able to help the business get up and running and I hope to see it continue to go from strength to strength.”

Phase two of the project is now under way, with the transformation of the remainder of the building into five bedrooms which will see the tearooms expand to offer bed and breakfast.

Competent Scooby is a bit of a rough rider

* The new Subaru XV.

... and the cab.

Subaru XV road test by Steve Rogers

My old pal Elwyn posted on Facebook... "I must be getting old. Had a lift in a top of the range Subaru. It may well have been a NASA spacecraft for all I knew."

Ex-journo is Elwyn so he has a way with words. He drives his trusty but ageing Land Rover Freelander so Subaru's new compact crossover, the XV, with its futuristic touchscreen facia does have a spaceship look about it.

The conversation took the usual course with test cars and the next question was 'Is it any good'? to which I replied 'yes, but I am disappointed with the harsh ride.'

Hadn't noticed said Elwyn, which was hardly surprising as the XV is smooth enough on well tarred roads.

It got me wondering whether people like me, who drive different cars every week for a living, are too picky. Even my wife, who drives all the test cars, was happy with the Scooby until I mentioned it but conceded the ride was a bit hard after another trip behind the wheel.

The car we had driven before XV was the new Skoda Karoq, another compact SUV and a rival to the Subaru. That is always comfortable whether driving smooth motorways, bumpy B roads or cracked country lanes.

Was I right to put a dampener on Subaru's brightest newcomer? Absolutely. By today's standards the ride is below par, you pick up suspension thump over potholes, feel surface blemishes that should be smoothed over, and put up with more road noise than is the norm.

Some of this will be down to the suspension needs of the permanent four wheel drive system. Most of the new breed of SUVs have an 'on demand' system which is front wheel drive until a computer senses a loss of traction and sends a message to the back wheels to lend a hand. It is a lightweight, more fuel efficient system and useful in slippery conditions but will struggle with some of the tougher jobs the XV can take on.

Subaru has built its foundations on four wheel drive know-how and its sophisticated symmetrical system is the bees knees. You will find the same technology in Forester, Subaru's accomplished go anywhere, tackle anything SUV, so XV comes from good stock.

The compact crossover is a tough old world - Karoq, Toyota CR-V, Mazda CX-3, Honda HR-V are just a handful of the bright new stars so Subaru had to pull out all the stops with XV.

It is roughly the same size as the old model, apart from being a smidgen longer which gives it a smidgen more boot space, and loading has been made easier with a wider opening. Styling is sharp and is a car that will certainly turn more heads than the slightly bland Karoq.

There is nothing much wrong with the handling either which has a grippy, sporty edge to it, no doubt helped by that stiff suspension (sorry to mention that again) and is backed up by a lively 2-litre petrol engine. It is a bit of a screamer with the revs piled on and progresses smoothly through a six speed automatic gearbox. Steering wheel paddle shifters add to the fun if you want to switch to manual changes. There is a new 1.6 litre petrol available in both trim levels which brings the cost of the car down.

Hats off to Subaru for going the extra mile on safety. Its EyeSight system is about as good as it gets and uses two windscreen mounted cameras to distinguish objects whether they be vehicles, motorbikes, cycles or lane markings and will emergency brake the car if the driver fails to react. I've tried it in controlled conditions in a Forester and is highly effective.

XV's safety screen, the off road credentials and generous spec are the trio of features Subaru hopes will drawer punters to the new model. The top SE Premium wants for nothing with full leather, navigation, heated front seats and automatic dipping headlights stand out features in a very long list. Against its rivals the XV is damn good value but in this company it has to be.

Fast facts

XV SE Premium Lineartronic

2-litre petrol; 153bhp

0-62mpg 10.4seccs; 120mph

40.9mpg combined

Emissions: 155g/km.

First year road tax £500

Insurance group 16

Price: £29,060