Author: Tricia Beddow

by Tricia Beddow

Get Fishing, Ladies Day – with King William IV Angling Society

I was all ready for a tranquil day by the lake and not even the weather was going to mess it up.

Most of August was a washout. Activity days were planned only to be cancelled at the last minute. Not all of them though. Fortunately, fish like it wet.

Last Saturday was Get Fishing, Ladies Day at Boggart Hole Clough and I was booked in. The Clough is blessed with a boating lake, alas no boats, and a fishing lake, with lots of fish. The lakes sit side by side separated by a promenade and a café, aka The Lakeside Café.

My coach for the session stepped forward with a smile and introduced herself as Emma. She went through the basics of preparing the rod, showing me how to attach the bait and keep the ‘float’ in the right place ready for a curious fish to be tempted. I settled in.

There were several other participants being shown what to do nearby. The rain kept coming but no-one seemed to mind. The cafe generously kept us supplied with hot drinks and food and we sat quietly, waiting and listening to the sounds around us, chatting now and then.

It wasn’t long before there was a stir of activity as someone felt a ‘tug’ on their line. “A fish! I’ve got one.” They shouted. Coaches were ready with a net and helped bring it in. Then a quick photo shoot of the lucky angler with their ‘catch’ before it was placed gently back in the water to carry on its day.

  • A fish

I loved the atmosphere. It was friendly, exciting and the setting was lovely.

In the afternoon, I got the chance to chat to coach, Duncan Mottershead. I’d met him before at another event called ‘Spring into Fishing’ and asked him why do one just for ladies.

“The Society has approximately 70 members but only 5 are women” he told me. “We want to show that angling is accessible to anyone; male, female, young and old alike.”

Apparently, Emma Jenks was from the Angling Trust and had come along to help out just for the day. She was a Ladies England International.

  • Coaches Emma Jenks and Julia Mottershead (with face paint!)

“We have several coaches who volunteer their time and expertise. They’re fully qualified and we ensure all permits, fishing regulations, including health and safety etc., are adhered to. On Saturdays there’s always someone around to help beginners.”

I’m an avid follower of the TV programme ‘Mortimer and Whitehouse Gone Fishing’. It ticks a lot of boxes. The relationship between the two comedians is delightful; it’s interesting, funny and informative. The filming is inspired and the settings are serenely beautiful.

  • sdr

Boggart Hole Clough fishing lake is ‘up there’ too. I’d taken for granted how pretty it was but Duncan explained it takes a lot of careful planning, hard work and maintenance. The water is carefully monitored and, of course, the fish have to be kept stocked up and healthy.

  • We weren’t the only ones fishing that day

I was impressed. I’d had a lovely morning, tried something new and would encourage anyone, including any woman, to give it a go.  The day was topped off with a goody bag, compliments of Lakeside Community CIC, full of brilliant stuff. The ladies did themselves proud.

I didn’t catch a fish, in case you were wondering. Never mind. I’ll get one next time!

To find out more about King William IV Angling Club and future events just click here. They have a juniors section on Facebook too.

The Lakeside Cafe are on Facebook. You can find out more about the Lakeside CIC by clicking here and keep up to date with what’s going on in Boggart Hole Clough.

Fishing can provide both mental and physical health benefits. The angling club supports initiatives such as Tackling Minds and Fishing for Life (for people with breast cancer) as well as many other organisations.

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by Tricia Beddow

North West Theatre Arts Company – Hairspray

They couldn’t have timed it better. NWTAC’s production of Hairspray started on 20th July just one day after Covid restrictions were lifted and it was a sell-out. Moston’s very own theatre at maximum capacity for the first time in 18 months.

For those who haven’t seen the film, Hairspray is set in Baltimore during the early 60’s where schoolgirl Tracy Turnblad dreams of dancing on The Corny Collins TV show. School doesn’t fit in with her plans so, along with her friend Penny Pingleton, she teams up with fellow African American students when they get put in detention. Together, they oust the reigning prima donna from the TV show along with her domineering mother and win the day.

Hairspray is a light-hearted, fun-filled musical with an underlying theme promoting tolerance and integration.

It also happens to be one of my daughter’s favourite films. She knows it inside out; every scene, every song, every dance move. So I was a bit nervous when I took her and the rest of my family to see the show.

Would NWTAC’s version measure up to the award winning film starring the likes of John Travolta, Zac Efron and Michelle Pfeifer?

Answer: they smashed it!

The casting was inspired. Annabelle Cooke bounced out of bed as Tracy with a bright and energetic ‘Good Morning Baltimore’. She was pitch perfect and I knew straight away we were in for a treat.

Eva Carty played Penny Pingleton perfectly while Jonny Molyneux had Tracy’s mum Edna Turnblad down to a tee. Jonny mustn’t have been available when they cast the film so they settled for John Travolta instead! He and his stage husband Gareth Maudsley have comedy timing in their bones.

James Burke followed in the footsteps of Zac Efron playing Tracy’s heart throb. He has a voice that just oozes confidence and rose to the challenge. Meanwhile, Penny’s love interest, Owen Omoruyi-Garci as Seaweed Stubbs, danced his way into her heart while his sister Little Inez (aka Elim Ghebrehiwet) sang her way into ours.

The TV ensemble was led by Anthony Horricks who carried off Corny Collins with professional smoothness. He and the station manager Velma Von Tussle (played by Melissa Grimes) and her daughter Amber (Kate Bannister) were superb.

In the West End, Marisha Wallace as Motormouth Maybelle was described as a show-stopper when she sang ‘I know where I’ve been’. I can only say that NWTAC’s Toyin Lawal, with her wonderful voice and elegance, was equally mesmerising.

Dance routines and songs just kept coming. Not once did anyone’s American accent falter. The full cast of 37 young actors and actresses who train at the North West Stage School did themselves, Beth Singh (Musical Director) and Katie Gough (Choreographer), Prab and the rest of the production team proud. It is such an elaborate show, packed with entertainment, humour and joy.

The past year and a half have challenged everyone but for this company to come through it all and produce a show as good as this is awesome.

My daughter, the whole of my family, loved it!

For all things NWTAC including future shows, professional theatrical training, their fantastic theatre summer school for anyone age 4+, Gap year theatre course, venue/set/costume hire and much, much more just follow them on Facebook and/or on their website where you can sign up to join the mailing list.

by Tricia Beddow

Get ready ’cause here they come… North West Theatre Arts Company is back!

The doors of NWTAC‘s theatre on Lightbowne Road, Moston, reopened to the public last week to a full on music and dance show – ‘The Sound and Soul of Hitsville, Motown.’

Tickets were limited for safe distancing so you had to be quick off the mark to secure a booking. Those lucky enough to get a seat were treated to a wonderful, warm welcome and a superb performance full of music, cheer, dance and sheer Motown magic.

The full company kicked off the show with ‘Get Ready’; a song written by Smokey Robinson that became a hit for the Temptations in the 1960’s. It was neatly followed by a variety of solo performances, duets and group numbers.

Who doesn’t love a bit of Motown? Timeless hits such as Walk on By, Under the Boardwalk and Heatwave followed one after the other. Pheobe Sutherland had Tracks of My Tears nailed while Anthony Horricks and ‘the boys’ rendition of My Girl was perfect. We had our socks blown off as Act One concluded with the full company gathering to deliver an impressive rendition of Edwin Starr’s ‘War’.

There was a short interval, a chance to replenish our drinks and indulge an ice-cream then we were soon into Act Two. Owen Maudsley sang a great Mustang Sally, Jade Hamer and the girls gave us I Say a Little Prayer, James Burke and Eva Carty sang Endless Love beautifully and Poppy Evans treated us to I Want You Back. There were many more hits and individual performances but before long the full company gathered on stage for the finale with Lean on Me, followed by Dancing in the Street and We Are Family.

A light, witty narrative threaded through the vocals telling the ‘story’ of Motown, including it’s early beginnings in 1950’s Detroit, the international appeal and events that inspired some of the music. I’d no idea that ‘War’ was originally a protest song by Edwin Starr about the Vietnam conflict sending a message that is, sadly, still relevant today.

As ever, the production team put together a seamless show, directed by Prab Singh with Bethany Singh as the Musical Director, Katie Gough the choreographer, Tempany Windsor took on lighting and Weronika Czerwinska managed the sound.

While we’ve all been busy with the challenges presented by the covid crisis, I am truly grateful that NWTAC have been quietly getting on with the business of preparing a show that was ‘ready to go’ as soon as restrictions were relaxed.

If you missed out this time there are plenty more productions in the pipe-line and you won’t have long to wait. Tickets are now on sale for Puss in Boots running during half-term starting on Friday 28th May and the Broadway musical ‘Hairspray’ is scheduled for the 20th to 24th July. Also, keep an eye out for ‘Lights Up – an evening of musical entertainment’ running from the 15th to 19th June.

Book early is all I can say.

To keep up to date with everything NWTAC, including how to book, follow them on Facebook or check out their website here. The box office number is: 0161 207 1617.

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