Zena Edwards, Queen of the Spoken Word

When: Saturday 14 February
Where: Green Man Lane Cafe, Singapore Road, W13 OEP

Performance starts at 7.30pm
Tickets: £8 available on the door (Concessions £6; Green Man Lane residents £4)
There’s an amazing opportunity to see Zena Edwards, Queen of the Spoken Word, when she performs at Green Man Lane Cafe on Saturday. “She’s a poet of consummate skill who effortlessly melds hip-hop grooves with a worldly Afro-centric wisdom.”

Zena is supported by Larry Bartley, one of the most sought after bass players on the London jazz scene with an identifiable sound that announces his presence.
The evening won’t be complete without you. If you are a poet and would like to share your work, or just want to read your favourite poem. You are warmly invited to join Zena and her friends on Saturday 14 February for an amazing evening of poetry and music.
Here’s just one video example of Zena’s work
Learn More about Zena here: http://openealing.com/2014/11/04/spoken-word-saturdays-2/

Why don’t you treat yourself and book pre-performance dinner at Coco Labelle? Chef Elisabeth Brown and her team bring you the freshest flavours in a delightful fusion of Mauritian, Caribbean and European food. Doors open at 6pm. Please email OPEN to make a reservation.

We look forward to seeing you

Launching ‘The Story So Far’
Do you want to find out about the amazing arts and culture in Ealing? Then why not come along to the launch of The Story So Far on Saturday 31 January? It will be a fun-filled, jam-packed day of arts, music, dance, crafts, and storytelling.

Funded by Arts Council England the project is the first of its kind and will be bringing together and connecting the many creative organisations and individuals in Ealing under the umbrella of The Story So Far. It is a partnership between Ealing Council, Cultural Community Solutions Libraries, Acton Arts Forum and the local arts sector, and will link arts and literary venues and activities from one end of Ealing to the other.

The first of two launch events will be taking place at the Dominion Centre and Library in Southall on Saturday 31st January from 11am. The second will be at Acton Library, in the Everyone Active Acton Centre, on Saturday 7th February from 11am. Both events are free and everyone is welcome (no tickets required).

Rachel Pepper, project co-ordinator, said: “The launches promise to be a great way to start The Story So Far, bringing literary, visual and performing arts together in the two new library spaces. There has already been a great deal of interest in the project and these events will give a flavour of what is to follow.” (Acton Arts Forum)

The day will kick off with explosive beats from Dhol2Dhol Indian dhol drummers; mesmerising performances from The Refügees Sufi-Jazz musicians; and a special appearance from WAPPY Young Poets who recently worked with Benjamin Zephaniah. There will also be showcases from Stories in the Street; Ealing Chinese Mandarin School performance; Society Dance, Shavanarthanalayan Indian dance; Afghan Academy performance; Pitshanger Poets; Kathakali Dancers youth dancers; Constellations poetry and Vishvam Tabla.

As well as the amazing performances for you to watch and enjoy you can also explore your creative side at a variety of taster sessions and workshops, including playwriting with OPEN Ealing, postcard making with Gunnersbury Museum, ARK’s Arabic calligraphy, weaving and tapestry with Aruna Reddy, badge making, ‘Anthropomorphic: when humans go wild’ taster and more.

Join popular storyteller and musician Richard Neville, who will bring the library alive with his passionate storytelling for children and their families. Meet the friendly library staff who can sign you up to the library today for free, you can even choose out of a variety of magical illustrative library cards by Jackie Morris to take away with you.

There will be lots of stalls where you can find out more and get involved with some of Ealing’s arts and cultural activities. Some of the artists and arts organisations taking part include the ARK, Pitshanger Pop Up, University of West London creative arts, Ealing Autumn Festival, 40:20 Art Group, I Goddess Creation, Pitshanger Poets & book sales, Carl Gabriel carnival art, W3 gallery, Westside Radio, W5 productions, Zaid art, A&A Photography, Acton Muslim Walks, South Acton Imagination Library, artist & film maker Alison Lumb and APPLE arts.

There will be a programme of activities, events, workshops and performances from February with something for everyone. Check The Story So Far website, Facebook, and Twitter pages and sign up for the newsletter for the latest updates, or email ssf@actonartsforum.org

We welcome you to join us for a whole day of fun, free arts activities for all!

OPEN Events, Classes and Lectures for 2015
For all enquiries, please email info@openealing.com. Or visit our website www.openealing.com for more information.

All classes and events listed will be hosted at: Green Man Lane Cafe, West Ealing, Singapore Road W13 0EP.

“OPEN Music” workshops for you and your child…
Acclaimed local musician Keith Waithe is running a series of musical workshops for you and your child, culminating in a special one-off concert. Come along and enjoy a truly family activity.
It is a 10 week course; ideal for your children aged between 7 and 11 years old; and starts on Thursday 15 January 2015.
Make Thursday afternoons between 3.45 and 5.15pm in the Green Man Lane Café a date with your child.
Each session costs parents £10, children are FREE! (Green Man Lane residents pay £5 and other concessions £6). If you pay for the whole course in advance, one session is free of charge.
Places are limited to 15 so please book early.
For enquiries and to book please email OPEN. We’ll take a break for half term (16 – 20 Feb). The Café is situated opposite the mosque and next to the surface car park in Singapore Road
Keith is an award winning flautist, composer, teacher and expert proponent of a vocal ‘gymnastics’ system. He is the founder and leader of the Macusi Players – a world music jazz band that blends rhythms from the Caribbean, South America, Asia and Africa.

Playwriting Workshops
Do you want to know how to create a play and write your own script?
Wally Sewell, OPEN’s Playwright in Residence, leads this course which is open to anyone interested in writing plays, at any stage in their creative development, including beginners.
When: Tuesday 3 February 2015
Where: Green Man Lane Café
7-9 pm
£10 per session (discounted prices for signing up for the whole course in advance). Special concessions for Green Man Lane residents (£5). Other concessions for unemployed/OAPs/students (£6).
(Please bring some proof of identity and address when you come to the class.)
Workshops will consist of exercises and discussions, writers being encouraged to bring in ongoing work (if you have any) to be read and discussed by the group.
Participants will work towards writing a short play to be staged by professional actors (script in hand) in a showcase evening.
Wally Sewell is an independent artist-programmer, as well as a writer. He is a member of Actors & Writers London and has been working with OPEN since 2011.
Digital Photography Workshop
Rod Morris – Award winning Photographer and Film maker has devised a course for you to gain a practical understanding of the workings of your DSLR camera so you have the confidence to work creatively and fluently.
When: Thursday 5 February 2015 for 10 weeks
Where: Green Man Lane Café
7-9 pm
£10 per session (discounted prices for signing up for the whole course in advance). Special concessions for Green Man Lane residents (£5). Other concessions for unemployed/OAPs/students (£6).
(Please bring some proof of identity and address when you come to the class.)
Course topics include Shooting in RAW V JPGS Colour temperature and white balance Noise: Low light photography ISO settings Metering modes Aperture and shutter speed functions Depth of Field Exposure – Exposure compensation
The course culminates in an exhibition showing your work taken during the course.
Rod Morris is an award winning photographer and film maker currently engaged in projects at home and abroad including ‘Faces’; ‘City of Ghosts’ and ‘Runaway’. He is based in London and is represented by Millenium images and Getty. www.rodmorris.co.uk

History of Modern Art Lectures
Are you interested in modern art and want to have a better understanding of it?
Nick Pearson, contemporary artist and art college lecturer, returns to OPEN with his entertaining and informative series of History of Modern Art Lectures
When: Wednesday 11 February 2015
Where: Green Man Lane Café
7-9 pm
£10 per session (discounted prices for signing up for the whole course in advance). Special concessions for Green Man Lane residents (£5). Other concessions for unemployed/OAPs/students (£6).
(Please bring some proof of identity and address when you come to the class.)
An introduction to the historical development of modern art in the western world. The course begins with Romanticism and Realism in the late 1800s and continues through the major movements of western 20th-century art up to the ‘Young British Artists’ of re-cent years. This is a full module of the kind you would do at art college, but is jargon-free, accessible and applicable to anyone with an interest in modern art, at any level of knowledge or experience. There are notes (but no homework!) and the level at which you learn is entirely up to you.

OPEN Events
Playwriting Finale – Tuesday 20 January 2015
The Autumn term of playwriting workshops culminates in a short play created by the course participants on Tuesday 20 January 2015 at 7pm. The short play will be performed by professional actors as a ‘performed reading’.
To get further details and book your seat please email OPEN – info@openealing.com

“6×10” Short Plays
Celebrate the new year in style – an evening at OPEN theatre with the first 6 x 10 performed reading on Saturday 24 January 2015.
You won’t have time for the winter blues with these short plays performed by professional actors and steered by Wally Sewell, OPEN’s Playwright in Residence and Anthony Shrubsall, Artistic Director.
The 6 x 10 format of short plays are per-formed with script in hand creating a fresh, immediate, instinctive theatrical audience experience.
The performance starts at 7.30pm and tickets cost £8. (Tickets for Concessions cost £6 and tickets for Green Man Lane residents cost £4.)
Want to ensure you have a seat? Email OPEN and reserve your place.
For the first time we are delighted to offer pre-performance dinner at the newly opened Green Man Lane café. Coco Labelle is a delightful fusion of Mauritian, Caribbean and European food with a menu designed to tickle your taste buds. Doors open at 6pm.
Places for dining are limited so you must email OPEN to reserve your place and avoid disappointment.
For more information and to reserve your seats please email OPEN – info@openealing.com

The Green Man Lane Café is part of the recent housing development, It is on the corner of Singapore Road nearest the surface car park – opposite Brownlow Road.

Full details on OPEN’s website

 

Saturday 13th December 7.30-10pm

Vivian Dubois and Tom Collins are a dramatic cabaret act like no other. Using song, story and playful anecdote Viv and Tom will guide you through the different worlds they inhabit. One minute you may be in occupied France, serenaded by Edith Piaf, the next, in a dimly lit bar in downtown New Orleans, soaking up the sounds of Fats Domino or Louis Armstrong. Originating at Shaker & Company’s monthly immersive theatrical event ‘Vaudeville Emporium’ in Euston, the vaudevillians will introduce and support the main guest act.

Green Man Lane Cafe, Singapore Road, West Ealing

 

Digital photography exhibition at OPEN

Work on display Monday December 8th – 6-9pm

Students on OPEN Ealing’s Monday evening digital photography class are about to have an opportunity to show off what they’ve been learning. For the last ten weeks a group of enthusiasts have been honing their skills and learning how to get the best out of their digital cameras. And the last Monday session of the autumn run will see them displaying some of their work at the Green Man Lane Café, from 6.00pm on December 8th.

The show, entitled Life in the Queen of the Suburbs,will cover themes such as A Child’s-Eye View, Colours of Ealing, Enduring Ealing and Northfields Noir.

Running the course have been two professional photographers associated with the University of West London, in St. Mary’s Road. Monika Drzewicz has made a name for herself on the British photography scene after arriving in Ealing from her native Poland a few years ago. She has exhibited all over the country, including at Pitzhanger Manor in Ealing, and drew particular attention with her Solitude and Fallen Angels series of quirky studio-based portraits http://www.monide-photography.com . Lauren Rooney began her career in fashion photography, but has now moved on to taking commissions from clients such as carmaker Porsche http://www.misspanther.com/ . Some of their work will be on view too.

Cheddar Deli of Northfield Avenue will be on hand too giving you an opportunity to taste Brent Wilkinson’s recommendation of what cheeses to have this Christmas. If you are a lover of cheese, or a patron of Cheddar Deli, you will be delighted to have an opportunity to taste the selection and discuss the finer points of cheese with Brent.

All are welcome to come along, try some cheese, and perhaps get inspired by the work on display.

Date: Monday 8th December 2014
Time: 6-9pm
Where: Green Man Lane Café, Singapore Road, West Ealing W13 0EP
Admission: Free

Follow @Openealing on Twitter, OPEN (West Ealing Arts) on Facebook.
www.openealing.com

OPEN’s new home  in the Green Man Lane Cafe

 

Having helped set up OPEN Ealing a while back I’m delighted they have found a new home and are ready to open up again.  Here’s their press release:

 

OPEN Ealing is back for the autumn, with a new programme of events, and brand new premises.

OPEN has been bringing the arts to Ealing for the last four years, most recently in a temporary shop on Drayton Bridge Road.

But it’s now based in a brand new cafe space in West Ealing.

It all kicks off on Monday 6^th October, with an 11-week digital photography course. There are also weekly workshops in playwriting, music-making and art history.

 

There’s a full schedule of performances too, on Saturdays from 18^th October, including cabaret, poetry, and the return of OPEN’s famous readings of short plays.

It’s all going to happen at the brand new Green Man Lane Cafe on Singapore Road, W13 0EP – just north of West Ealing Broadway. (Turn in at Iceland, left at the Magistrates’ Court and it’s 150 yards down on the far side of the car park). And more activities will be added as the season progresses.

 

To find out more, visit the website – www.openealing.com, or email info@openealing.com.