Rye Arts Festival offers riotous fun and world-class music

The 48th annual Rye Arts Festival (September 14-28) offers an exciting menu of world-class performers and talkers who have been signed up to entertain audiences.
Bumper BlytonBumper Blyton
Bumper Blyton

A festival spokesperson said: “On Saturday, September 21 (7.30pm), St Mary’s Church in Rye will ring to the rafters to the wonderful voices of the fabulous Pink Singers.

“Formed way back in 1983 in London, The Pink Singers are Europe’s longest-established LGBT+ choir, and they bring energy, musicianship, dance moves and fun to the stage. They want to party, and you will want to party! Their programme is called ‘Divas Through the Decades’ and they will sing some of the greats of popular music – Shirley Bassey, Barbra Streisand, Kylie Minogue, Judy Garland, Diana Ross and Ella Fitzgerald. This show promises to be one of the most fun events of the festival so don’t miss it.

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“And the Pink Singers are also throwing in a free workshop ahead of the concert. Their message to the Rye public is simply come along and join in between 3pm and 4pm. Children are more than welcome too. You will sing some songs and learn some dance moves.

“For more fun, the festival’s drama programme includes the riotous Enid Blyton parody improvised show ‘Bumper Blyton’, which comes to Rye fresh from a sell-out run at Edinburgh Fringe Festival. You will be in danger of splitting your shorts laughing at 4pm on Sunday, September 15.

“On a more serious note, the ‘world’s finest baritone’ Roderick Williams will be singing lieder songs by Schubert at 7.30pm on Friday, September 27. Roderick has been on BBC Radio 4 for the past four weeks with a series called A Singer’s Guide to Britain, in which he has explored the whole history of singing in Britain, looking at folk music.

“On Monday, September 23 (7pm), Sir Max Hastings will be talking at The Milligan Theatre. His new book, Chastise: the Dambusters Story, 1943, will be quite literally hot off the press, since it was published on September 5.

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“On Friday, September 20, Rye Community Centre will host The Wave Pictures. This three-piece band can be loosely categorised as indie, but they are prolific, diverse and well-established on the music scene.”

Tickets and information on 50 world-class events, including folk, world and classical music, are available online a www.ryeartsfestival.org.uk.

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