Karen Keeley, Sarah Smallbone and Jane Chinnery have all been selected to dance at the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics.

The girls, all members of the Tip-Toe stage school have been dancing for years but this is the culmination of the hours of practice and application.

On a snowy night in South Ockendon, YT popped down to rehearsals to interview the three dancers.

Worse still the Priest who is marrying them the next day has been dragged along on the stag do with them and he is now flat on the pavement blind drunk looking at the doll and Mark and convinced he’s been sent to Hell! Then the police arrive and arrest Mark! That’s just the end of Act One and we haven’t even had the wedding ceremony yet let alone the reception! That’s when the families have to get along with each other and who invited the Priest and gave him a full bottle to drink from?

Add to that an increasingly drunk Grandad who can’t keep his mouth shut about Mark’s mum’s former love life and who also seems to know her a bit too well himself, rampant snobbery and the blow up adult size rubber doll that talks (“Ooooh you are a big boy!”) and you have the brilliantly funny play ‘Fur Coat and no Knickers’ by Mike Harding (known as The Rochdale Cowboy). When someone made the first sign that said, ‘Just Married’ they never knew how well it would apply to Mark and Deidre with ‘Just’ being the operative word!

The last time Courts performed this play it proved to be one of the most popular plays they had ever produced so tickets are already going fast. To book your tickets please call the box office on 08453 005264 for Fur Coat and No Knickers, Feb 9th -11th 2012 at the Thameside Theatre Grays. Tickets are already selling fast so get yours as soon as you can.

Playing their own brand of rock, blues and Americana the guys are known as the UK’s leading interpreters of Jimi Hendrix and ZZ Top, they are at the Thameside Theatre in Grays on Friday, 27 January, at 7.45pm.

After 4,500 gigs together this guitar bass-and-drums combo know their stuff.

Bob Harris said “They are fabulous. One of Britain’s very best live bands.”

Tickets are £15. Students, National Health Service workers, and unwaged can get in for £13. Under 16s are £10 available from the Thameside Theatre, Orsett Road, Grays, RM17 5DX or by calling 0845 300 5264

You can find out more about the Hamsters at www.thehamsters.co.uk

Using original documents, photographs and accounts, and applying modern forensic technique he has developed a fascinating theory as to the true identity of Jack.

Tickets are £10 which includes tea and biscuits at the interval.

In 2003 using all his knowledge and expertise he decided to re-investigate these horrific murders and the mystery surrounding this fearsome killer. Unlike other researchers he was able to re-investigate the murders through the eyes of a modern day Detective using all his knowledge and expertise. He was able to pursue new lines of enquiry never used before which resulted in a new suspect emerging.

His long and protracted enquiry took him from the hallowed hall of Buckingham Palace, the home of her Majesty Queen Elizabeth to Canada, Central America, Europe, and finally to the USA where the identity of Jack The Ripper would finally be revealed and the fate that befell him.

It has up until now been generally accepted that the killer only killed five women between August and November 1888 in Whitechapel. It is also suggested that the killer after murdering two of the victims Catherine Eddowes and Annie Chapman removed vital organs from their bodies whilst at the crime scene. However his enquiry would subsequently dispel both of these accepted facts.

His investigation revealed two other unsolved murders of women in Whitechapel in 1889 and 1891. In addition to two further murders of women in London as far back as 1863 and 1872, all of whom were killed in Ripper like fashion, all of which remain unsolved. In addition he also uncovered a number of similar unsolved Ripper like murders of women between 1891-1894 in Germany and The USA.

Former William Edwards student, Paul, 25 went down a storm with the Dutch fans and has attracted over 80,000 followers on Twitter!.

Amongst the songs, Paul sang last night was the Leo Sayer hit: “Thunder In Your Heart” for the millions of Dutch viewers.

Paul was sent messages of good luck at assemblies on friday by both his primary school, Stifford Clays and his senior school, William Edwards.

There are now plans for a CD and tour.

This week, we see Skitz from Chafford Hundred.

The first number has a swingbeat feel to it whilst the second number is defintely 103bpm.

Parental advisory etc.

YolanDa’s debut album will surely see her cult reputation brought to the fore. April Showers, May Flowers is a beautifully sculpted record that touches lightly on jazz and soul and R&B, each track bestowed with the kind of lyrical insight – on love, on life – that suggests its author is something of a poet, too.

It is an album of effortless unfurling grace and impeccable soulful poise, featuring eight saxophone tracks and for the first time two vocal tracks (Bitter Sweet and Without You) on which YolanDa showcases her beautiful voice.

Yolanda plays the Thameside Theatre on 25th: £18/£12(under 16) Tel: 01375 382 555

The next Your Voice Event will be held on Thursday 23 February 2012 at the Thameside Theatre in Grays and will include a Justin Bieber tribute. Open auditions for this event are taking place on Saturday 28 January 2012 between 10.00am and 1.00pm at the Thameside Theatre, Orsett Road, Grays. All performers will be asked to sing a ‘Verse and Chorus’ from one of their favourite songs – backing tracks may be used if necessary. The successful singers will then take to the stage on 23 February at the Thameside Theatre.

The Your Voice Showcase happens three times a year and features approximately 10 acts per show. Previous participants will not be considered for this performance. Application forms are available from the Thurrock Music Services website.

For further information please contact Thurrock Music Services on Tel: 01375 413680/413681 or email music.services@thurrock.gov.uk.

Paul has got to the final stage of the RTL.NL programme “The Voice” and he really seems to have captured the Dutch fans imagination.

Many of the dutch fans like his rasping soul voice, his Bon Jovi-ish image and his stage presence.

Paul has over 85,000 fans on Twitter and his name is on everyone’s (tu)lips in the country.

For the finals, each artist has a single on i-tunes and it is now a competition to see who gets the most downloads.

Paul’s single is the Queen hit: “Don’t Stop Me Now”.

Paul, 25, went to Stifford Clays Infants and Juniors, then up to William Edwards. After that he went to the Collins school for Performing Arts in Romford before treading the boards in shows such as Joseph and We Will Rock You.

Indeed, it was while on tour with We Will Rock You in Holland that he found out about “The Voice” and decided to audition. You have, as they say, to be in it, to win it.

Part of the Essex Summer of Art, which is the umbrella name for the series of art ‘trails’ which take place across the county, the Thurrock Art Trail will run in the borough between 2 and 15 July.

The ‘Open Vision Night’ gave the four featured artists an opportunity to talk about and show their work to the gathered audience. Their work was extremely well received and commented upon for its originality and variety.

The artists are:

· Antonisia Schroder – a Brazilian-born photographer who has studied art for many years (including a BA in Photography) and run a number of exhibitions of her work. She excels in documentary-style and experimental photography and has travelled widely. She brings her travel experiences and her background in psychology into her work

· Lata Upadhyaya – a visual artist who predominantly works in sculpture, completed masters in fine art at MS University in Baroda, India and Slade School of Fine Art, London. She has participated in exhibitions and residencies, both nationally and internationally. Lata’s work is influenced by childhood memories and the contrast between her own experiences in the east and west

· Jane Barry – a founder member of the Dacha Group of artists in Horndon on the Hill who has exhibited intricately sewn textile work in Essex, as well as further afield including Budapest. A current theme she tries to communicate through her work is ‘visual music’

· Michael Murphy – a visual artist who studied fine art at Central Saint Martin’s School of Art. His work looks to construct its own identity through creating a complex association of thoughts and memories in the viewer. Some of his work is also influenced by dreams and the spiritual world.

Plans are also afoot to link the art trail to the visit of the Olympic torch to Grays in July, and there are proposals to link up with a school to offer opportunities for students to contribute to the trail.

The aim of the Essex Summer of Art is that art lovers, families and both residents and visitors will be able to visit each area holding events and follow a ‘trail’ of different artists’ work. In Thurrock, exhibitions will be held in Grays, Purfleet, Tilbury and Horndon on the Hill. Some venues are still to be confirmed but there will definitely be work on display at the Thameside Complex in Grays and the Royal Opera House Production Park in Purfleet.

To stay up to date with developments on the Thurrock Art Trail, visit http://thurrockarttrail.blogspot.com

The evening costs £49 per person and includes a three course meal and half a bottle of wine, as well as the murder mystery.

There is also the option to stay in the hotel overnight and have breakfast for £199, based on two people sharing a double room.

The event starts at 7pm, with the meal at 7.30pm. Call Orsett Hall on 01375 891402.

He has been able to take Thurrock artists to the next level, such as Young Reyes and Mushley but of course he works further afield.

Here is a video for K-Cat.

Following the massive recent collab “Out Of Control” with Donae’o & Mike Delinquent Project, KCAT, pronounced as ‘Cat’, is back with her own solo campaign and it all kicks off with this break filled stomper ‘So Many’ !!

KCAT finally arrives with her eagerly anticipated solo material after delivering as a featured artist for Mike Delinquent, Bashy (‘Fantasy’), and also the Wideboys. Her project is her own creation – She pens her own lyrics, video concepts and has also developed an understanding of music production too. A rarity in the modern music world.

So we wish him well with his plans that include working for Sony and Warner.

Darren is a multi-media artist who has certainly grasped the importance of social media.

Here is “Not Over Yet”.

———————————- Free Downloads ————————————-

Download “I’m Not Breathing” The Album: – http://db.tt/0Xzg1M3M

Download “Two Worlds Collide” The Album: – http://db.tt/nLq3SFgn

————————————— Credits Include ———————————-

Darren Merrion – Singer | Songwriter
Toby Clements – Director

Follow
Twitter.com/DarrenMerrion
Facebook.com/DarrenMerrionFanPage

Thurrock Council’s Portfolio Holder for Communities, Culture and Leisure, Cllr Lynn Worrall, said: “We are delighted with the success of this year’s Pantomime and hope that Panto visitors who may not have been to the Theatre before, return to the many other Shows that are coming to the Thameside in 2012!”

Details of the title and ticket on sale date for the 2012/13 Pantomime will be issued shortly. To receive up-to-date information about the Thameside Theatre including Pantomime, register on the mailing list at www.thurrock.gov.uk/theatre.