Warm and sunny start to Sunday April 17 making it a pleasure to cycle to Rye Harbour where the Sailing Club hosted a ‘boat jumble’. While I love sailing, a boat is out of my league but the various tables had really interesting items, though many unidentifiable to me and my friend.
However, there was a general stall with an eclectic ‘non’ boat jumble on which we were able to find clothes and toys worthy of our pennies.
As the sun went down, my next visit was to beautiful Lamb House to be entertained by a group of actors: “Henry James (1943-1916) A Celebration – Readings and Music”. As usual at these readings, every seat in the hall was taken, and the audience was not disappointed. The readings were interspersed with extracts from “In Search of Henry James at Rye”, by Simon Fleet.
Jonathan Broadbent, Henry Goodman, Miriam Margolyes, Carrie Quinlan, Andy Rush and Geoffrey Streatfield rendered the readings with great aplomb, seriousness and dry humour which allowed Henry James to come alive. Henry Goodman’s portrayal as an old loyal servant was very convincing as was Miriam Margolyes’ role as a young, spoilt American boy.
The readings were extracts from ‘Daisy Miller’ (1879), ‘The Tragic Muse’ (1890), ‘The Bostonians’ (1886) and ‘The Ambassadors’ (1903). They were selected and edited by Professor Philip Horne and Robert Hastie. Music was composed, arranged and played by Bobby Delaney.
I would encourage anyone who has not been privy to events at Lamb House to put the following into the diary:
‘The Tempest’ – Shakespeare, Lamb House, in the garden: late July/August, date to be announced.
‘A Christmas Evening’ – Lamb House, in the hall: mid December, date to be confirmed.
Leaving the cultural gem in Lamb House, the evening was still young and the music of “Passthecat” at the Ypres was too good to miss. Fantastic musicians, Steve Rivington, Colin Gibson on base guitar and Liam Genockey on drums filled the space with their different genres of music, (blues, African and ukulele sounds). Some of the audience couldn’t resist the dance floor.
If anyone loves this kind of music look on their website for the next gig, well worth it.
Photos: Danielle Tournes, Patrick Rogers and Heidi Foster