Listen carefully ... Twenty Club to stage 'Allo 'Allo

* Gordon Kaye in the smash-hit TV version of 'Allo 'Allo.

Listen carefully as I will say zis only once ...

Llangollen Twenty Club are heading back to occupied France during the Second World War for their latest production, 'Allo 'Allo.

This famous farce penned by Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft centres around Café Rene in a small village.

It was a smash-hit TV comedy in the 1980s and is brought to the Town Hall stage from Thursday-Saturday, March 19-21.  

Rene, the café owner, is a likeable but weak man who lusts after all his female staff apart from his long-suffering wife, Edith.  

He hides two British airmen in the café as they await their chance to escape back to Britain.

Centrepiece of the play is a stolen painting, The Fallen Madonna with the Big Boobies, of which there are copies but the genuine one is so well hidden that no-one but Edith knows where it is.

However, the original is much sought after by the occupying Germans and it is because of that the café becomes a hotspot for subterfuge and various goings-on.  

Gestapo man Herr Flick desperately wants it, as does Hitler and there appear to be more than one Hitler doing the rounds - one can count at least four at one point!

Michelle, a smart resistance woman, issues orders to Rene and the bumbling English policeman, Crabtree, tries to keep order and respect.  To no avail.

Characters are all larger than life, from the randy Italian army officer Alberto Bertorelli and the German colonel with a wiglet fetish, to Yvette and Mimi, the two waitresses in the café and the bumbling Leclerc, and from the sinister Herr Otto Flick and his officer "friend" Helga, to the wooden-legged General Schmelling.

Supported by a lively cast of café customers, a capable pianist who links together the scenes and helps herself to the odd tipple, this play is as absurd as only a Croft/Lloyd collaboration can be. 

It is humour at every turn, a little risqué and more than a little non-PC.

Twenty Club promises a stunning set, wonderfully funny characters all very true to the original ones and lots of fast- paced action.

Lenten soup kitchen planned at Holy Cross

Ladies' tomb is blessed during diversity service

* Above and below: Father Lee blesses the tomb of the Ladies of Llangollen.

* Jazz singer Ian Shaw performs diversity-related numbers at the keyboard.

The tomb of the Ladies of Llangollen in St Collen's churchyard was blessed by the vicar during a moving service celebrating diversity this afternoon (Saturday).

The aim of the current LGBT History Month is to celebrate the lives of notable LGBT people, both past and present.

And, according to St Collen's vicar Father Lee Taylor, the town had the famous Ladies of Llangollen, Sarah Ponsonby and Eleanor Butler, who found love and joy in each other.

The special service was one of sacred and secular music, readings and poems.

Special guest was award-winning Welsh jazz singer, presenter and actor Ian Shaw who performed three numbers linked to the diversity theme, including a love story in Welsh and Come in From the Cold by folk singer Joni Mitchell.

Another guest was Chris Elsworth from Plas Newydd, their home, who gave a brief history of the Ladies.

Members of the congregation were than ceremonially anointed by Father Lee.

Later they followed him into the churchyard where he performed the tomb blessing ceremony using traditional incense.

In his sermon Father Lee said: "We should accept, embrace and love those considered to be different.

"In his life Jesus Christ broke down barriers to challenge the status quo. He was a rebel, a revolutionary and we forget that sometimes. He was concerned with raising up marginalised people.

"Being a human being and having solidarity with humans, especially those who from marginalisation, were the things that were important to Him. So I pray that we follow that same pattern and have the same priorities that He did."     

* Congregation members are anointed by Father Lee. 

Collen Players stage third successful music hall show

* The full cast take a bow at the end of the show.

From a jilted bride to a hectoring coconut stall huckster and from a pair of joshing elderly ladies to a cheeky chappy of a chairman.

They were all there is glorious colour and thrilling exuberance as the Collen Players staged their third successful Old Time Music Hall show at Llangollen Community Centre last night (Friday).

The troupe was formed late last year by the St Collen's vicar Father Lee Taylor who has a passion for the roistering genre.

The first two shows were staged during the latter part of 2019, both winning appreciative full-house audiences,

This third outing was no less successful at thrilling with a capacity crowd who sang and cheered along with the action.

As always the re-creation of a late Victorian performance venue was superb but this time enhanced with the addition of rich red backcloth curtain evocative of the era.

As always the show was expertly welded together by Father Lee in the role of verbally dextrous and sometimes naughty chairman.

Then talent tumbled upon talent from the likes of Phil Robinson who went cruising down the river and shying at coconuts, Neil Barrett and Dave Lyne with their Cissie and Ada style comedy routine, Jennifer Rose who appeared in both first a second halves with a plethora of sing-along and poignant songs, June Cook bemoaning the fact she'd be jilted at the church and Sue Stokes who gave us a treat with renderings of You Made Me Love You and Danny Boy.

Helping them all along marvellously on the keys was Owen Roberts.

Costumes, all prepared by their wearers, were once again brilliant, as was a delicious traditional music hall supper provided by Fabiano Silva. 

* All pictures by Jeanette Robinson. 

* Phil Robinson during his opening act.

* Neil Barrett and Dave Lyne do their bit of banter.

* Jennifer Rose at the microphone.

* Chairman Father Lee guides the action.

* Sue Stokes rounds off the performances.

Concern raised over quality of county's pothole repairs

* Above and below: large potholes in the carriageway on the town's famous bridge.

Denbighshire County Council has discussed the way it deals with potholes.

At its cabinet meeting last Tuesday when the issue was raised one councillor voiced his concern about the way in which repairs were being carried out.

For the full story, see the Denbighshire Free Press story at: https://www.denbighshirefreepress.co.uk/news/18251653.concern-denbighshire-pothole-repairs-temporary-solution/?fbclid=IwAR0zSvgQ175CVhwAlewIurKcUWtI2_Te48IWuaN9jXCfbcbWXVcpT72lEtM

Concern over potholes on Llangollen bridge

* Concern has been expressed to llanblogger about the size and depth of high-profile potholes in the carriageway on the town's famous bridge.

We have passed the above pictures which show the problem to local county councillor Melvyn Mile who is seeking an answer from county officials.

Museum takes part in history and heritage fair

Llangollen Museum will be taking part in the annual North East Wales Heritage Forum History Fair in Ruthin on Saturday, March 14.

What has become the leading destination for meeting local history and heritage groups will be taking place in Denbighshire Archives at Ruthin Gaol between 11am and 4pm. 

You are invited to come and see a wide range of displays and meet local history and heritage groups from across North East Wales.

Characters from Ruthin Gaol will be giving mini-talks and objects from around the county will be on display. Entry to the event is free and all ages are welcome.

Apart from Llangollen Museum, those taking part will be:

• Denbighshire Archives
• Denbighshire Heritage Service
• Ruthin Gaol
• Flintshire Record Office
• Denbighshire Historical Society
• Glyndwr University History Department
• Northop Heritage Group
• New Glyn Valley Heritage Trust
• North East Wales Heritage Forum
• Ruthin and District Civic Association
• Buckley Society
• Dating Old Welsh Houses
• Cefn Mawr Museum
• Rhyl History Club
• CADVAS (Corwen and Dee Valley Archaeological Society)

 * See the Facebook events page https://www.facebook.com/events/625352554947477/

AM praises progress on Corwen station project

* North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood, right, with project leader Richard Dixon-Gough on the new pedestrian crossing on the newly laid track at Corwen.

North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood has applauded all those involved in a rail project which will boost the economy of the region after revisiting it and seeing first hand the progress that has been made.  

Mr Isherwood visited Llangollen Railway’s major civil engineering project at Corwen Central Station on Friday and was pleased to see that since his last visit, the team of volunteers have moved the project forward massively.

Work completed includes the infilling of a gap in the embankment and the installation of the new track complex over the former void to connect with the station loop line, a notable achievement which completes the ten-miles of line from Llangollen to Corwen.

Commenting after his visit, Mr Isherwood said: “On each visit I am always astounded by what this group of volunteers, with an average age of 68, working on a part-time basis, are able to achieve.

“They were recently awarded a runners up certificate in the Large Group category at the awards ceremony held by the Heritage Railway Association in the face of stiff competition from other railways.

“They are doing a sterling job, in often challenging conditions.  I was impressed to see that they have managed to erect three pairs of restored heritage columns since my last visit in 2018 and prepare for the installation of the final pair which will provide for an eventual canopy around the subway access stairwell. They have also recently installed heritage style lampposts and columns for the new Corwen name board.

“Only with a tour of the site does the size and scale of this project become apparent and I hope that all their efforts will be crowned with success this year when a first train arrives at Corwen.

“The accessibility of the new station to the centre of Corwen and the town's car park will provide the facilities needed to attract more people to the Llangollen Railway and encourage the prospects for local tourism from a wider segment of North Wales.

"My admiration for the project team members, who have tackled all this work over the past five years, grows following every visit I make. Without their dedication none of this would have happened."

Although a date for the opening of the new station is yet to be confirmed, Mr Isherwood was told that only the weather is now holding them back from completing the project.