· Thursday 20 February Ladies in Lavender [Maggie Smith and Judi Dench]

· Friday 21 February Public Holiday

· Thursday 27 February Singin’ in the Rain

Friday 28 February Concert: Bradley Dube, Akin Chariga

Subscriptions were due on 1 February and a notice about renewals has been sent!

CONCERTS

The concert on 28 February is the first in what is intended to be a monthly series of concerts covering all genres.

Michael Brownlee Walker (piano) should be with us later in the year and we also hope for a return visit from Klara Ana Rosa (violin).

We plan that there will also be Milupi Imbula (piano) and Amy Macy (cello) & Jeanette Micklem (piano) as well as a string quartet from Vienna,

a return visit from the Phoenix Choir, a Belgian jazz duo, a choir evening and more!

THURSDAY 20 FEBRUARY AT 6.30 P.M. LADIES IN LAVENDER

Carriages: 8.35 p.m.

Written and directed by Charles Dance, Ladies in Lavender, stars Maggie Smith and Judi Dench as two sisters who find their lives changed by a young man, who has been washed ashore and badly injured. Upon taking him in, the two women discover his true origins and old sibling rivalries, jealousies and unfulfilled dreams are rekindled.

Dance has had the great good fortune to cast two legendary British actresses, and thus Ladies in Lavender gets elevated to the rare-treat category. [Seattle Times]
A funny, civilized little romantic drama in which Smith co-stars with the equally estimable Judi Dench. [Washington Post].
A fascinating and involving chamber piece for two superb actresses. [Atlanta Journal]
Brilliantly subtle performances of stunning skill and beauty. These women are anything but simple and their scope is as broad as the ocean outside their home. [Movie Mom]

A pleasure from start to finish. [Los Angeles Times]
Ladies in Lavender, carefully written and superbly directed by the actor Charles Dance, is a film of unusual elegance and artistry. [Observer]
Phenomenally acted, exquisitely scored, and ultimately moving. [BBC.com]
Watching seasoned British actresses Judi Dench and Maggie Smith work together is visual and verbal poetry in motion. [San Antonio Express-News]

Ladies in Lavender had its UK premiere on 8 November 2004, as the 58th Royal Film Performance.

Admission: $3.00 [free to Film members]

]

THURSDAY 27 FEBRUARY AT 6.30 P.M. SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN

Carriages: 8.30 p.m.

Singin’ in the Rain will hopefully still be appropriate when it’s shown! It hardly needs an introduction though, curiously enough, was only a modest hit when it was first released. Today, of course, it is often regarded as the greatest musical film ever, in fact one of the greatest films ever made. And, with its stunning musical numbers, amazing dancing, excellent acting and an enjoyable plot to hold everything together, it surely deserves that reputation.

To put it bluntly, this is one of the funniest films ever made. [MovieFreak]
There are those films in life that simply always put a smile on one’s face. Singin’ in the Rain is one of the best. [The Independent]

The unstoppable joy of the musical numbers, especially with O’Connor, is what never fails to seduce – perhaps especially in Moses Supposes. [The Guardian]
If you’ve never seen it and don’t, you’re bonkers. [Time Out]

Is Singin’ in the Rain the finest movie musical of them all? There are none better in my book. [The Times]
It’s a unique work of art crafted for the screen by a studio (MGM) at its height. [Radio Times]

Singin’ in the Rain is to me the Hollywood movie which has most nearly achieved perfection. [Los Angeles Free Press]
Fifty years later, it’s still a delight with everybody working at the top of his or her game. [Dallas Morning News]

Admission: $3.00 [free to Film Carpet & Music members]

FRIDAY 28 FEBRUARY AT 6.30 P.M. CONCERT

BRADLEY DUBE (PIANO), AKIN CHARIGA (TENOR)

The first in the monthly series of live concerts will be given by two former or current Academy students are whose previous performances will be remembered, Bradley Dube (piano) and Akin Chariga (tenor).

Bradley plays music by Chopin, Liszt, Prokofiev and Rachmaninov including well-known pieces such as the Chopin Funeral March and Prokofiev’s Dance of the Knights.

Accompanied by Tich Makalisa, Akin will sing a selection of songs and arias including ‘Alma del core’ by Caldara, ‘What is man?’ by Purcell, ‘Il Pescatore’ by Donizetti and ‘Ah, lève-toi, soleil’ from Gounod’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’.

Admission: $5.00 – no advance booking [free to Music members]

MARCH [provisional]

· Thursday 6 March Military Wives [released 6 March 2020]

· Friday 7 March Concert: Music by Maurice Ravel who was born on 7 March 1875

· Thursday 13 March Erin Brockovich [released 17 March 2000]

· Friday 14 March Bizet: Carmen [first performed on 3 March 1875 – and Bizet died on 3 June 1875]

· Thursday 20 March Downton Abbey: A New Era [Maggie Smith]

· Friday 21 March Aschenbrödel [postponed from 7 February]

· Thursday 27 March The Madness of King George [released 24 March 1995]

· Friday 28 March Gilbert & Sullivan: Trial By Jury / HMS Pinafore [‘Trial by Jury’ was first performed on 25 March 1875]