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The Review - MUSIC - classical & jazz with JOEL TAYLOR
Published: 10 May 2007

Andrea Hess

Poetry feast at festival

PREVIEW: HAMPSTEAD AND HIGHGATE FESTIVAL

ACTRESS Eleanor Bron will be reading the works of Highgate poet Sir John Betjeman on Sunday as part of the Hampstead and Highgate Festival.
Organised by community music group the Glenilla Arts Foundation, Ms Bron will be joined by actor Malcolm Sinclair and leading classical musicians. They will be performing a selection of Betjeman’s works, accompanied by music written by Jim Parker.
Cellist Andrea Hess became a director of the arts foundation nearly 20 years ago. She has performed all over the world and written scores for the Royal National Theatre and The Royal Shakespeare Company.
She had seen many concerts at her local church in Glenilla Road, but was often left perturbed by the hit and miss nature of the programme. She said: “You never knew what was going to be on – it could be either agony for ecstacy, so I took it on.”
Ms Hess said the foundation’s concerts gave top professionals the chance to try out new works and younger musicians a stage to develop their technique.
The Betjeman show was originally recorded by the poet with Jim Parker as a collaborative work. Among the poems are many with Camden themes, including Business Girls and Summoned By Bells.
Ms Hess has performed the show before, with Joanna Lumley reading the poetry. This time she approached Eleanor Bron, who was in The Beatles film Help! and Two For The Road with Tom Finney and Audrey Hepburn.
Ms Bron was allegedly the inspiration behind the Beatles song Eleanor Rigby. More recently she has appeared in a range of television shows including Absolutely Fabulous.
Ms Bron said: “I was keen to do it because I’m a great admirer of Jim Parker. When I heard he was doing this I leapt at the chance.”
Highlights of this year’s festival include an appearance by jazz vocalist Cleveland Watkiss performing on Saturday night at Hampstead Town Hall, and on the same evening the Highgate Choral Society appear at St Joseph’s, Highgate Hill.
Children’s Fun with London Reeds will be hosting two events at Lauderdale House on Saturday morning, giving children the chance to explore wind instruments.
On Tuesday there is a celebration of another poet, WH Auden, at the Highgate Literary and Scientific Institute in Pond Square. Soprano Allegra Giagu will be joined by accompanist Wendy Hiscocks performing his poems set to by music by Samuel Barber and Benjamin Britten, including his Cabaret Songs.

* A Musical Matinee Celebrating John Betjeman is at 3pm on Sunday in The Christian Community Church, 34, Glenilla Road, Belsize Park. Tickets available at the door £5.

* An Auden Celebration is at 8pm on Tuesday at the Highgate Literary and Scientific Institute. Tickets £15, or £12 to members.020 8341 0500.
Full Festival details at www.hamandhighfest.co.uk

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