News: The Flavel is Such a Success - Every Town Wants One!

"Let everyone know how lucky they are to have you!" was the message delivered to the Flavel community arts and education centre recently by visitors from Crediton.

Three officers from Crediton came to the Flavel for a fact-finding session last week. They represented a group hoping to create a similar facility to the Flavel Centre in Crediton, and were led by Arts Centre Director, Rosemary Stephenson; they met with David Chapman (Flavel Trust Chair) and Christine Freeman (Flavel Treasurer).

The visitors had done their homework, and had collected facts and figures from five other similar venues, but the Flavel was top of their poll and the model they wished to imitate. So, the Flavel is not only a fantastic asset to Dartmouth, but it is also model that other Devon towns aspire to and hope to emulate.

"To my certain knowledge, this is the sixth Devon town to send a group to learn from the Flavel experience," said David Chapman. "Every town in Devon seems to want a Flavel! The key factors they like are the independent charitable trust, which belongs directly to the people of Dartmouth and surrounding villages; the purpose-built centre; the financial model ---and, of course, our great volunteers! Centres like those in Honiton and Teignmouth and many more owe a good deal to information gleaned from our present general manager, Sid Davies, and from former and present staff and trustees," he said.

The Crediton group-leader, Rosemary Stephenson, said they will continue to keep in touch with the Flavel, as they develop their scheme. "It was a really useful and inspiring visit," she said. "There are so many lessons to be learnt from how you created and run your very successful centre."

News: New May- Aug 2016 Programme!

The new-look programme has arrived!

After months of planning, organising, designing and proofing, the new look Flavel programme is here! Designed to be a fresh look, easier to read, and more accessible, we are delighted with it. The marketing team worked with a new design company, Wonder, who specialise in Arts marketing, to create something to fit in with our unique position as an Arts Centre in Dartmouth.  With a newspaper feel, the font has changed to make it easier to read, and we have put events into genres rather than date order. There is still a diary page for those that like to see a timeline of events though. The paper is the same grade as newspaper, which encourages customers to pick it up and have a look, and is bang on trend across arts centres nationwide. They are even producing it on the more expensive paper for the same price, for which we are very grateful.

Have a look and let us know what you think!  We would love to hear from you…

Interview: Bookends

Bookends - Dan Haynes and Pete Richards - talk about their music and their show 'Through the Years' ahead of their performance at the Flavel on 7th May. 

Could you tell me briefly about your musical backgrounds?

Dan:My passion for music began when I was 10 years old and my father made me a toy guitar which I religiously pretended to play until I was bought a real one a year later. Learning the songs of my favourite artists I honed my guitar playing skills which were further enhanced by the discovery of the fingerpicking style of Paul Simon. 

Pete: grew up with a musical family (his Mother a music teacher) and often harmonised with his brothers who both sang and played guitar. With his Father being a Simon & Garfunkel fan it was inevitable that Pete eventually discovered their music and captivating harmonies. 

How did you get together to form Bookends?

Pete and myself met in the first year of secondary school and we quickly became close friends. We would regularly share musical tastes and started learning the songs of our favourite artists but it was the music of Simon & Garfunkel which seemed to immediately sound natural and we discovered our voices blended together as well as the famous duo's. 

What drew you to the songs of Simon and Garfunkel?
The music of Simon & Garfunkel naturally lent itself to two voices and a guitar, just how Pete and myself were playing songs. There is no other music quite like Simon & Garfunkel's and the songs are timeless. 

This music is all about wonderful harmonies - is it difficult to sustain that throughout a show?
From the very first Simon & Garfunkel song we learnt we immediately enjoyed replicating the impeccable timing and diction of their harmonies, something which comes naturally to us. We react so quickly to each other on stage it can sometimes feel like we're reading each others minds! 

Your shows are clearly very successful - do you perform other types of music as a duo or as solo artists?
We don't perform any other music as a duo, although in the past we have performed some original music and some of other artists but nothing ever sounded quite as good as when we sang Simon & Garfunkel (often pointed out by our friends and family). I do write and occasionally perform my own songs and I also have an album of original music which I sell after our shows!

To find out more and to book tickets click here: http://theflavel.org.uk/TheFlavel.dll/WhatsOn?Programme=2657134

Comedy Festival - Rik Mayall Tribute with Surprise Guests

The Rik Mayall Tribute was an evening full of surprises!

From the start there was a great atmosphere: Prosecco was served as the audience entered, and there was an air of anticipation as everyone chatted before taking their seats.

They were not to be disappointed - surprise guests, the actor Nigel Planer and film director Peter Richardson, came on to do a short comic turn before introducing a film of clips showing classic Rik Mayall comedy, which had been compiled by Peter Richardson. It was wonderful to see all Rik's characters jump out from the screen.

Later, Nigel Planer performed a great sketch about the art of acting, and Rik's daughter, Bonnie, talked about Rik as a father. The guitarist, Jeff Beck played Danny Boy, as Rik was proud of his Irish roots. All in all, it was a moving, but also a fun evening. Rik would probably have approved of that.

This is what members of the audience had to say:

A bitter-sweet evening...                           It brought back so many memories for me...

It was a fabulous tribute to a truly unique character... 

                                  It was great that Rik's family were in the audience

I loved Rik Mayall - I think I always fancied him!

Guest reviewer: Spotlight

Spotlight is an insightful film based on the true story of how journalists uncovered the scandal of child abuse in the Catholic Church 

This is not a fast moving film - it has a steady pace that reflects the dogged determination of investigative journalism.
It is based on the true story of how journalists at the Boston Globe uncovered the scandal of child abuse in the Catholic Church in Boston, and the wall of silence that surrounded it.
Michael Keaton plays veteran reporter Walter “Robby” Robinson, working alongside hot-tempered Mike Rezendes, played by Mark Ruffalo, and Sacha Pfeiffer, played by Rachel McAdams.
The film has real insights to offer: the cast powerfully convey the journalists’ horror at realising the abuse stretches back decades or even centuries and also how abuse is as much about power as sex. A powerful story. 

Flavel News: Coffee Couture Opens at the Flavel!

You may have noticed the coffee beans appearing on the café window and wondered what was coming…yes Coffee Couture has opened at the Flavel! 

We now have a new vibrant coffee shop, where people can meet and sample the excellent produce on offer. 

The cafe will be serving delicious coffees, teas, cakes and light meals every day, and will also be opening on certain evenings, and to coincide with live events at the Flavel.

In the evening, they will be offering ‘Graze at Couture’, a ‘grazing’ menu with small portions of dishes from different cuisines, which could include Moroccan tagines, Thai curries etc. Dishes will cost between £4.00 and £7.00 each, and a group of four would typically choose three dishes to share.

Friends of the Flavel will be offered a gold loyalty card, which entitles them to 10% off hot drinks, in exchange for a small donation to one of the charities that the company supports.

Come along and give Coffee Couture a try!