Page 7 - HGS Suburb News 150 - Summer 2022
P. 7
S U B U R B
CULTURE
The June Masque
COLIN GREGORY Good Hampstead
Garden Suburb Trust, so
ocal resident Dani Solomon the elves and fairies can
recently submitted some continue to dwell
L fascinating photos of the happily in the woods and
1913 June Masque. A drama group fields among the new
was one of the first societies to be houses. It was written by
established in the new Suburb and Paul Jewitt, an English
the presentation of plays began in teacher at William Ellis
Photos supplied from the collection of the Hampstead Garden Suburb Archives Trust
1908. The earliest performance of School, who lived in
which we have any record is The Temple Fortune Lane. Pageants in Gazette’s critic noted that after a children – girls played flowers and St George was staged in 1914 –
Masque of Fairthorpe performed 1911 and 1912 were followed by conflict between the Winds, the boys played mushrooms, who the with St George riding in on a real
on the ‘old pageant ground’ near the June Masque in 1913, also Sun emerges to be opposed by a critic thought played their parts in horse – but then World War I put
where the Free Church Hall now written by Paul Jewitt. The Barometer – “a dismal individual a “whimsical wayward fashion.” paid to further pageants until in
stands. The Masque of Fairthorpe characters included the Sun, wrapped in a dressing gown” – but After the show the performers 1920 the drama group built their
was an allegory about the founding Summer Winds, Flora marshalling the Sun sends him packing so the passed through the Suburb in own open air theatre in Little
of the Suburb, where the wicked her flowers and several inhabitants can enjoy their revels. procession, carrying lanterns. A Wood where they have performed
Jerry Builder is defeated by the mushrooms. The Pall Mall Many of the performers were pageant based on the legend of ever since.
Echo Ensemble world
premiere of Babel
SHELLEY-ANNE SALISBURY
he Suburb’s multi-talented Noah Max treated Suburb residents to
the first live performance of his latest oeuvre, Babel. The free Noah Max (4th from left) and the Echo Ensemble (Photo: Shelley-Anne Salisbury)
Tevent was held at Fellowship House as a thank you from Noah and
the Ensemble for its kindness and support in making the Ensemble’s
musical activities possible during the pandemic.
The Ensemble played Glière, Handel, Rózsa and Beethoven before XUL Architecture is an 33 Belsize Lane
presenting Noah’s Babel. A powerful piece, inspired, says Noah, by the imaginative architecture London NW3 5AS
canonical Biblical text, retelling the story of Babel using an open score practice inspired by +44 (0)20 7431 9014 Chartered Practice
to allow fluidity and greater interpretation by the musicians. It was natural light xularchitecture.co.uk
certainly impactful, even unsettling, and the audience discussed their
myriad thoughts afterwards with Noah and the rest of the Ensemble
over a glass of bubbly in the courtyard of Fellowship House. A delightful
evening and one to remember as Noah’s career ascends ever higher.
ACS appoints new
Director of Music
DIANE LANGLEBEN
lison Smart Fisher, professional singer, choral director and music
teacher, has taken up the baton to conduct Alyth Choral Society
A (ACS). Alison studied at Cambridge University, the Royal Northern
College of Music and Trinity College of Music. She has enjoyed a most
successful career both as a solo performer and conducting choirs. Until
recently, she sang with the BBC Singers.
Since its inception in 1983, ACS has performed not only in North-
West London, but also at such illustrious venues as the Royal Festival
Hall, Barbican, St John’s Smith Square, St Martin-in-the-Fields and St
Paul’s Cathedral. ACS has also sung at venues in Germany, the
Netherlands, France and the North of England.
The choir’s main repertoire comprises choral works with Old
Testament themes, as well as non-religious music. In April ACS
celebrated the Queen’s 70th jubilee year with a concert including songs
from the four home nations of the United Kingdom.
The next choral work will be a
performance of Handel’s stunning
oratorio, Jephtha on 3 July. At the end
of the year, 11 December, the choir
will perform Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas.
Alyth Choral Society is based at
the North Western Reform Synagogue
in Alyth Gardens, Temple Fortune.
The choir welcomes new members of
any denomination (or none) who enjoy
choral singing.
Further information can be found
Alison Smart Fisher
at: alythchoralsociety.wordpress.com.
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