Colchester: A feast for theatre fans (From Gazette)

Colchester: A feast for theatre fans

9:00am Wednesday 31st December 2008 in Search By Neil D'Arcy-Jones

IF music be the food of love then your appetite will be well served at Essex University’s Lakeside Theatre.

In recent years the venue has become a hotbed for jazz, with several up-and-coming young bands making appearances, and they have even appointed a jazz legend to be artist in residence there.

But next year the Lakeside has taken it up a notch or two with one of the most sought-after jazz singers in the country, as well as concerts by some of the best jazz acts around.

The stunning Jacqui Dankworth, along with her quintet made up of brother Alec on bass; Malcolm Edmonstone on piano; Chris Allard on guitar and Roy Dodds on drums, begin the must-see season of jazz on January 24 with a special concert performing music from her new album, which draws on all kinds of musical genres such as soul, funk and blues.

Artist in residence John Law is back on February 14, this time with his Art of Sound Trio, which has been receiving massive critical acclaim since releasing their debut album last year.

Other acts to look out for include the Ingrid Laubrock Quartet on March 21, led by BBC Jazz Award winner Ingrid on saxophone, and the Will Collier Septet, who have already made quite a name for themselves on the London circuit.

They will be performing songs from their debut album, Everyone Loves the Will Collier Septet, on February 28.

Of course, if music isn’t your thing the Lakeside have also developed an exciting cutting-edge season of theatre treats as well.

Combining the talented on-campus troupes of thespians with some of the best visiting theatre companies around, there is plenty on offer.

Visiting productions include Anima on February 5, dealing with the world of dreams and the conflict between conscious and subconscious, and New International Encounter’s The End of Everything Ever, which draws on the true stories and accounts of the Kindertransport, in which more than 10,000 children escape to Britain from Nazi Germany.

That takes place on February 20, and will be performed in Czech, German and Norwegian as well as English.

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