James Hollingsworth at Garden of Awen

Matt Sage & Barney on celloKevan launches his new collection at the Garden of Awen: The Thorny RoseWayland performs at the Garden

Garden of Awen

 

An enchanting evening of the finest grassroots performance poetry, storytelling, monologue, song, acoustic music, dance and other Arcadian delights, featuring Awen authors & special guests.

 

 

Garden of Awen takes places on the First Sunday of the Month at Chapel Arts Centre, central Bath.

 

Each month there is a seasonal theme.

 

Welcome to the Garden...

 

'...a mixture of risk taking, traditional folk and some quite charming eccentricity. Exactly what you might expect from a show of this kind, including the continous element of surprise that began to conjure the atmosphere of a big top, with Kevan Manwaring the Byronic ringmaster holding the reins of a disarmingly eclectic array of talents.'

Tasty review of Garden of Awen: The Thorny Rose, 7th Feb '10

 

Chapel Arts Centre, Bath, saw another fabulous evening of poetry, storytelling, music & drama, as Garden of Awen bloomed once more - this month exploring The Thorny Rose of love. There were fantastic sets from Matt Sage, Saravian, Widsith & Deor, Wayland the Skald, Jack Dean and Awen's very own Kevan Manwaring.
 
The set was especially designed for the event by a Bath Spa Theatre student and the whole evening was produced by Svanur Gisli Thorkelsson's Icepax Productions.
 
Bulletin Editor South West described it in her blog:
 
...The event was beautifully decorated and the venue a really nice one. Unlike many religious buildings converted to other uses, it had intimacy and wasn't draughty. The stage area was quite high, and a nice size. Black and a few white circular bistro tables with upholstered chairs filled the rest of the space, with a bar at the back. Candles were lit on the tables which made play of the mirror-like surfaces, and the house lights were globes on the walls above, shedding a soft indirect glow.
 
The stage was a vision in red panels which glowed with the lighting rig changes, adorned in red roses for the love theme, with bird cages like Cocteau-style aerial scribbles, all surreal and hanging at different heights behind which were remarkably effective. The evening was excellent with a good turn out, great turns from the likes of Kevan Manwaring (of Awen) who was launching his latest book of poetry, and Saravian a very fine singer/songwriter who sang hauntingly of the theme. The lighting turned the backdrop from crimson to magenta, darkened the background to make everything vivid... Our own couple of sets seemed to go down well, and we had brought plenty of red fabric and pink organza for the theme!
 
 
http://bulletin-editor.blogspot.com/2010/02/days-out-of-time.html

 

 

'I wanted to congratulate you on the stylish new venture at Chapel Arts last Sunday. You paid attention to detail which made for a production that had pizzazz ! Atmosphere and drama, quality and flair. Plus a relaxed clubbable feeling.'

Verona, Bath

 

'a creative way of celebrating the wheel of the year within an environment that is urban and interested in the fine arts. Well done! Karola Muller, journalist, Bonn

 

 

 Anthony Nanson at Garden of AwenDavid Metcalfe at Garden of Awen

'Bath's Chapel Arts Centre was atmospherically transformed by rural backdrops, flower poems, candles and laser lights ... the aim each month will be high quality diversity of spoken word and music. Great to see such an atmospheric venue join the local network of alternative entertainment...'

Crysse Morrison, writer, Frome

 

'Something different from the post-modernist cul-de-sac'

Jay Ramsay, poet, Stroud

Next Garden of Awen:

 

Sunday 7th March,

7.30pm doors, 8.00pm start

Live Arts Cafe,

downstairs at Chapel Arts Centre, Bath

 

Garden of Awen: The Green Fuse

 

The Green Fuse

Exploring the theme of Spring, with a fecund explosion of 'green shoots' talent - special guests and select floor spots (arrive before 8pm to get a slot - 3 mins - limited spaces).

 

Featuring:

The Children - sublime folk from London

The Children - sublime folk

Dawn Gorman - Words & Ears (Bradford-on-Avon poet)

Chloe of the Midnight Storytellers

Chloe of the Midnight Storytellers

& you!

 

Book/CD stall    Licensed bar/Cafe

 

7.30pm door, 8.00pm start

 

***Price £5 on door***

 

Chapel Arts Centre,

St James Memorial Chapel,

Lower Borough Walls, Bath BA1 1QR

www.chapelarts.org  

 


 

Garden in your Ear

 

Garden of Awen is on My Space - listen to tracks from Awen artistes and more: http://www.myspace.com/gardenofawen

 

 

SaravianPaul Francis, le troubadourMaster Duncan - 13th Bard of Bath

Kirsty Hartsiotis - storyteller at Garden of Awen

Garden of Awen: Lighting the Darkness 6 Dec 2009Garden of Awen: The Thorny Rose