"A Day's
Work"
A musical drama by Mick Ryan with an award winning
cast
Saturday
26th November 2016
"A Day's Work" is a musical drama written by
well-known scriptwriter, composer and singer Mick Ryan from
Bournemouth. The show and songs tell the story of a group of
lifelong friends who, on the eve of The Great War, gather to discuss
the impending conflict. The group of friends comprise farm
labourers and performers in the small rural village's Mummers' play
and they consider if they will leave their traditions behind them
and answer the call to arms. They also wonder what awaits
them as the fighting moves remorselessly towards the Battle of the
Somme.
The award winning and multi-talented cast of "A Day's Work" perform
specially composed songs and the show has been well received at
Arts Centres, Theatres and major arts festivals across the
country. The cast for the show in Ashford comprises Heather
Bradford, Paul Downes, Pete Morton, Matt Quinn, Ciaran Algar, Greg
Russell and Mick Ryan.
Tenterden Folk Festival has partnered with Revelation to put this
show on at Ashford's 350 seater town centre venue, St. Mary the
Virgin Church on Saturday 26th November 2016. This major
event arts and musical event also commemorate the Great War and is
sponsored by Ashford Borough Council.
As the nation's custodian of Remembrance, the Royal British Legion
is calling on all communities across the UK to take the time out
from our daily lives to honour those who fell 100 years ago. A Days
Work in Ashford gives you this opportunity and is suitable for
people of all ages and all back grounds.
Tickets are now available priced at only ?14.00 (on the door
?17.00) for Adults and ?5.00 for accompanied under 16s (on the door
?8.00). Doors open at 7.00 and the show starts at 7.45 p.m.
Tickets are available from Revelation and Tenterden Folk Festival.
Bar available in venue.
Buy
online direct from Revelation Ashford
Buy
online from Tenterden Folk Festival via Music Glue
Tickets are also available from the Tourist Information Office at
Ashford Gateway Plus.
For other information contact the venue or email info_at_tenterdenfolkfestival_dot_org_dot_uk
The
Cast
Heather
Bradford
Heather Bradford is a lovely singer and 'deliverer' of a
song. Heather has performed with the folk-jazz quartet 'Albatross Pie',
and the acoustic folk band 'No
Reported Incidents', She has sung in duos with
guitarist and singer-song writer Julian Longden, and with
singer and raconteuse Stephanie
Cox. She was also a member of the acclaimed harmony
trio 'Hen
Party'. Her performances in Mick Ryan's 'The
Navvy's Wife' received great reviews ('outstanding', 'Mashtub'
magazine).
Paul Downes
Paul spent his youth playing classical guitar, rugby, soccer and
cricket. He played a solo recital in Westminster Abbey at the
age of sixteen and subsequently took up folk music. From the
age of 12, Paul's best friend was Steve Knightley;
then at 16, they met Phil
Beer. Paul spent a few years touring as Downes
and Beer, all around Europe and the UK, playing sessions on
hundreds of albums, four records of their own and two solo sets for
Paul. They met Bill
Zorn and formed the now legendary Arizona Smoke Revue.
Paul was asked to stand in on a Joyce Gang's first
ever gig.
Pete Morton
Pete's latest albums include "The Land of Time" and a collection
of his most requested songs entitled "?Game of Life" on which he is
accompanied by the Chester based folk group, Full House.
Songs included are ?Another Train', ?Shepherds song',
?Disobedience', ?Related to me', ?Shores of Italy', ?The Luckiest
Man', ?Corruption Country', ?Bigger than life', ?Battle of
Trafalgar', ?Further', ?Listening to my boots', ?Two Brothers', 'Sock
on the line', ?When we sing together' and ?Seven billion
eccentrics'. The Guardian described Pete's albums as "NOT
ONLY IMPRESSIVE. BUT A REVELATION'.
Matt Quinn
Matt is a singer and musician from Sussex and has focused his solo
repertoire on traditional songs and tunes that have been collected
in that county. He will charm and entrance you with his
delivery of traditional songs that range from epic ballads to comic
songs to hearty chorus songs. His repertoire will sometimes
be unaccompanied, but mostly accompanied with melodeon and duet
concertina. Matt went through the Newcastle Folk Degree and
is also a member of The
Dovetail Trio.
Greg Russell and Ciaran Algar
Greg and Ciaran perform together as Greg Russell and Ciaran Algar
as well as having there other solo careers. Soon after
meeting in 2011 the duo were signed to Fellside Records and in July
2012 released their debut album, The Queen's Lover. Numerous
tours followed as the duo developed and honed their stage craft,
becoming one of the most sought after young acts on the English
Folk Scene. In January 2013, the pair picked up the BBC Radio
2 Young Folk award. Following the award win, Russell and
Algar toured the country in April and, after completing school and
University Exams in May, began touring again at the beginning of
June - a schedule which saw them play venues and festivals such as
Cambridge Folk Festival and Fairport's Cropredy Convention as well
as appearing live on Mark Radcliffe's BBC Radio 2 Folk Show.
After recording their second album in the November of 2013, again
with Fellside, Russell and Algar received the Horizon Award for
Best breakthrough act at the 2014 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.
The second album, The Call, was then released in July
receiving 5 Stars in fRoots.
Mick
Ryan.
Mick is well known on the folk scene as a fine singer of
traditional and original songs. "Folk Roots"
described him as 'definitely the most underrated singer in the
country.' Having written both comic and serious material for
the very popular band "Crows"
in the 1980's, he has since written for radio and a series of highly
successful folk musicals: 'A Tollpuddle Man' (with Graham Moore);
'A Day's Work' ; 'The Voyage'; 'Tanks for the Memory' and,
recently, 'The Navvy's Wife.. The reviews say it all: 'Mick
Ryan's words and music are superb' ("Folk on Tap");
'wonderful songs' ("South Tipp Today"). His
duo with Paul Downes has been similarly well received: 'Positively
oozes skill and professionalism' ("Folk North West");
'The singing, as we have come to expect from Mick Ryan, utterly
superb' ("Shreds and Patches"). In this new duo Mick
is joined by the consummately skilled and expressive Paul Downes.
REVIEW
QUOTES - 'A DAY'S WORK'
'..a very moving performance, where the impact of the well written
and impeccably sung songs combined to create something VERY
SPECIAL' ('LIVING TRADITION')
'Another magnificent album from the pen of Mick Ryan. ABSOLUTELY
FABULOUS' - ('ALBION AND BEYOND', Little Rock Arkansaw.)
'Is there room for another World War One album? Yes, if it is as
POWERFUL AND DIRECT as 'A Day's Work' ' ('BRIGHT YOUNG FOLK')
'Every artist involved shines?A FANTASTIC ALBUM' (Paul Radcliffe
'EFDSS')
'..A FANTASTICALLY MOVING PIECE OF WORK' (Ian Croft 'R2')
'ANOTHER CLASSIC. A SUPER ALBUM' (Derek Gifford 'FOLK NORTH WEST')
Historic
note:
#Somme100
The Battle of the Somme, fought in northern France, was one of the
bloodiest of World War One. For five months from 1st
July 2016, the British and French armies engaged the Germans in a
brutal battle of attrition on a 15-mile front. The aims of
the battle were to relieve the French Army fighting at Verdun and
to weaken the German Army. However, the Allies were unable to
break through German lines. In total, there were over one
million dead and wounded on all sides.)
Note to Editors:
Photo
& interview opportunities:
For images, further information or to request
interviews, photo opportunities or access to the event please
contact Alan Castle alan_at_tenterdenfolkfestival_dot_org_dot_uk
Revelation is Ashford's music and arts venue, delivered by the St
Mary's Arts Trust. It is a unique and unusual collaboration of
heritage and the arts, based in St Mary's Church. The church
holds considerable historical and architectural significance, with
first reference made to it in the Domesday Book in 1086. This
historical gem has welcomed communities and culture with the
opening of Revelation. Since our inception in 2011, we have worked
hard to establish a centre of excellence for the arts in the town.
We now aim to be a beacon for the arts, to which Ashford's growing
community can come together and experience high quality performance
and exhibition.
Known for programming high profile bands and international artists,
Revelation is diversifying its roster of arts events to harness its
incredibly unique space. This includes evening talks and lectures
(Curiosity Club) amongst film screenings, theatre, and multimedia
performances, such as Black Dog - exploring the work of surrealist
War painter Paul Nash, and commemorative theatre show with
integrated music, ?A Day's Work'.
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