Friday 1 June: Hard Times from Cygnet Theatre Company at 7.30 pm

 Saturday 2 June: Brigitte Beraha with jazz combo at 8.00 pm

  Sunday 3 June: Lets All Go to the Music Hall! at 7.30 pm

The Marine Theatre has developed a reputation for some of the most interesting and varied evenings of entertainment in Dorset – and this weekend is a fine example!

On Friday 1st June at 7.30 Cygnet Theatre is presenting Stephen Jeffreys’ adaptation of Charles Dickens’ Hard Times to the Marine Theatre.  Director Richard Digby Day brings a fresh look to Dickens’ classic in his production of this adaptation for four actors. Preserving all the wide ranging vitality and social critique of Dickens’ novel he creates an exciting piece of theatre. In the harsh atmosphere of Coketown in the 1850s Thomas Gradgrind’s belief in the importance of facts over feelings is tested when his daughter embarks on a loveless marriage to his friend and his son is involved in a financial scandal. Cygnet has established itself as one of the leading theatre schools in Britain and their talented students and varied productions at the Marine Theatre confirm this perspective of their work. Tickets are £7 for adults and £5 for under 16s from Lyme’s Tourist Information Centre 01297 442138.

Brigitte Beraha is probably a new name to many music lovers in Lyme but a name they will remember after seeing her and her jazz musicians perform on Saturday 2 June at 8pm. Click here to listen to Brigitte.  Dame Cleo Lane & John Dankworth CBE have said of her “If sheer talent were the only ingredient for success in music, Brigitte would already be up there with the stars. She has a tremendous future to explore, one which we’ll be watching with great expectations.’’  Accompanied by Joe Auckland on trumpet and fugelhorn and Ivo Neam on piano she will be performing melodic contemporary Jazz with world and Latin flavours. They will bring their exciting interpretations to a series of classic numbers as well as new music penned by Brigitte herself; from “Love For Sale” by Cole Porter to “I didn’t know what time it was “from the Rogers and Hart songbook the audience will be carried away by her intelligence and innovation as well as the sheer musicality of it all.  “Her debut album is impressive, as one would expect from someone who’s well and truly paid her dues.’’ Humphrey Lyttelton sang her praises after hearing her. This will be an evening to remember in Lyme, a new sort of entertainment, the best of new jazz musicians bringing fabulous classics to our little “theatre with a view”. Lyme TIC has tickets at £9 and the show kicks off at 8.00pm.

On Sunday night the theatre will be full of fun, frolics and melodrama; musical favourites and fancy frocks when The Old Bull and Bush Company of Artists visit from Seaton with their “Lets All go to the  Music Hall!” entertainment. Fundraising for The Children’s Bagpuss Wing of Hospice of Hope Romania the evening should be a roaring success, as well as a worthy one. Tickets from Lyme TIC at £7; the Chairman will call the audience to order at 7.30 pm.