Friday, September 13 was the first day of the 53rd Rye Arts Festival and it got off to a brilliant start with a informative walk and talk with Dr Barry Yates, Neville Grant talking on Shakespeare and Struggle Buggy entertaining the audience with foot tapping songs at the Community Centre.
Saturday, September 15 started with Ryebellion Drummers outside the town hall, always a crowd-pleaser, followed by our special town crier giving his warm and welcoming “Oyez, Oyez, Oyez” and the mayor echoing those sentiments of welcome, too.
The Ukulele Apothecary entertained the crowds not only with music but medical diagnoses, people returning home with smiles on their faces.
The Feasible Ferret Theatre explored with much humour the unbelievable gull problem. The town’s visitors were captivated.
It was an action-packed weekend, especially exciting for children who had interactive events to take part in at Tilling Green. The centre there was buzzing with activity all afternoon and the children just did not want to go home.
Isabel Ryan created her amazing, animated Captain Pugwash workshop much to the delight of both parents, grandparents and children. Lucy MacRae had children queueing to try out the unique form of exercise ‘Dangle’ in which children hung in the air, quite safely, and loved the experience. This was followed by the ever-popular Graham Ellis juggling workshop. Circus skills were really popular and the participants, not always children, went home having learnt new skills.
Ed Peppit told his incredible story of a 3,500 mile cycle-ride to explore the lighthouses around the coast whilst battling MS. He wanted to fulfil the promise he made as a child to himself to visit all the lighthouses and his story was compelling.
The Piatti Quartet have their own article in Rye News, deservedly. So too does ‘Haversham’ which had the audience giving a standing ovation at the end of this remarkable show. Hats off to the directors of the festival for bringing so much culture and pleasure to our doorstep and a big thank you to all the volunteers who make this festival possible.
Image Credits: Kt bruce , Paul Whiteman .