Page 75 - Town & Around - December

Tel: 01485 540620 email: editor@townandaround.net Town & Around December 2022 75
“It is pure escapism” said Evette Price, CGD’s Creative Director….
Go Nautical! … at North Creake “it will make you cry with laughter. The audience should certainly leave
By Philip Yorke with a big smile on their faces and perhaps singing some of the
memorable songs of the play”, she added.
This latest production follows on from the very successful Robin
veryone’s talking about it! The local award-winning drama Hood Panto staged by the players in 2019. This latest play is a delight to
company’s production; Jason and the Argonauts. It’s by CDG - watch and is perfect fun for all age groups. It definitely does credit to
Ethe Creakes Drama Group. the 30 year record of the drama group’s productions at North Creake.
A leading part is played by young Bethany Wisken, who takes on one
of the major roles in the play as Medea. Bethany has been with the
players for several years now and is currently doing her GCSE Drama.
She is really blossoming as an actress and plays her key role alongside
her mum, Sally, who plays Jason himself.

The troupe are staging their first production since 2019 and it promises
to be a huge success. It is a truly “feel-good” play about the famous
nautical adventures of Jason and his Argonauts.
The many trials faced by Jason and his crew… the crashing of waves
on rocks, a fiery sea serpent and an army of cawing ‘man-birds’ are all
cleverly created to great effect by the use of humour, imagination and Congratulations to the QEH Clinical Team of the year Winners.
simple puppetry. West Norfolk Breast Care Unit.
“The unit has worked tirelessly to ensure that waiting times have
The Art of Christmas been met and that patients have been treated with care and dignity
at all times. All the staff in the unit go above and beyond to
Lesley Nadel achieve a high level of care.”
hristmas is an ancient custom, started probably around the 1st The Nativity and Adoration of the Shepherds, is a famous example and
century BC, during the European Iron Age. Midwinter recognised as one of the artist’s masterpieces. The donors of the portrait
Cfestivities by the Germanic Pagans to mark the winter solstice are also depicted in the altarpiece, kneeling to one side.
became known as ‘Yuletide’. Celebrations in December have continued The painting of Nativity scenes developed with speed during the
for centuries in many countries and religions, and somewhere amongst Renaissance period, from earlier depictions of the subject showing choirs
all the modern celebrations with friends and family, of presents, of angels and an array of richly dressed characters, to a much darker
extravagant food and drink, some take the time to remember the birth theme. Much of the change can be attributed to artists such as
of Jesus. Caravaggio and the use of light and dark in his compositions. His
The Christmas tradition depicting the birth of Jesus Christ has been Adoration of the Shepherds, 1609, portrays a more realistic scene of a
frequently painted throughout the history of art. The predominance of very tired looking Mary, cradling her baby child, with haggard looking
the Roman Catholic faith in the 14th century, particularly in southern men transfixed by the ecstasy of the scene before them. The lighting is
Europe, resulted in many paintings of the Nativity scene. Church murals dim and whilst the manger is a simple, lowly setting, somehow the
and altarpieces were favoured places. The altarpiece in the Sassetti painting has a feeling of love and humility.
Chapel in Florence, painted in 1485 by Domenico Ghirlandaio, depicting By the 17th century artists throughout Europe continued generally to
paint realistic Nativity scenes in classical settings with humanlike
characters. However, social and cultural changes were emerging that
would see a move towards separating religious or spiritual concerns from
the traditional Christmas themes. During the 19th century celebrating
Christmas with family became important and paintings were more likely
to depict domestic scenes. People no longer just wanted to look at Old
Masters’ paintings. Paintings depicting snow-filled landscapes (Caspar
David Friedrich, Winter Landscape with Church, 1811) and families
dancing merrily around a candlelit Christmas tree (Viggo Johansen,
Glade Jul, 1819) were favoured. Charles Dickens’ famous literary work,
A Christmas Carol, resulted in the joyous family-oriented scene by John
Leech’s Mr Fezziwig’s Ball, 1843. On the other hand, some artists have
depicted the sadness and loneliness of Christmas. Edvard Munch’s
Christmas in the Brothel, 1903-1904, is thought to convey the sadness
of those with no one to turn to who seek paid company.
Christmas is a time to celebrate traditions and ceremonies. The Arts
Society Northwest Norfolk December lecture is light-hearted and
explores some well-known ones such as carol services, concerts, and
changing the guard at Buckingham Palace and Windsor. How do the
Chelsea Pensioners prepare and celebrate their festive season? All will
be revealed, so come along and feel wrapped in a blanket of Christmas
loveliness, and share a mince pie with us. Monday 12th December 2022
at 2pm. If you are not yet a member and would like to come, contact
our Membership Secretary on 07825 216009.