Author: Wansteadium

It’s mid-way through the Wanstead Fringe, and it’s already clear that more people are taking part in events than ever before.

Many events – including the legendary Kinema – have been sold out, and there are just a few days left to make the most of the occasion with extra added Indian Summer.

On Tuesday, there’s music at the Wanstead Tap with Luna Blaze and the Recoupes, while Wednesday will be the busiest night of the week with a chance to meet the artists involved in the Art Trail, a cult pop quiz at the Wanstead Tap, a discussion on the nature of suburban life including local author John Rogers and the Guardian’s Hugh Muir, an evening photo walk with Geoff Wilkinson (now sold out), and the most intriguing event of the week – Scent and Scandal at the Duke.

There are more events on Thursday (see here) and this is all before the traditional high point of the Fringe, Friday’s Comedy Night which this year will be at Eton Manor and has Terry Alderton headlining. Get tickets soon before this sells out too.

More restaurants have joined in with Wanstead Restaurant Week, meaning there are now eight places that you can get discounts if you take your Wanstead Fringe programme in with you. (If you don’t have a programme, download the Wanstead Fringe app for iOS and Android and take that instead.)

Meanwhile here are some more views of the Fringe so far…

On show at the Devonsbrook bathroom showroom on Hermon Hill.

Wanstead will be affected by the proposed changes to parliamentary boundaries, but not in the way one might have expected.

It will, assuming the proposals from the Boundary Commission are enacted, change from being part of Leyton and Wanstead and instead become part of a new Leytonstone and Wanstead constituency which will also contain Wood Street bits of Walthamstow. Leyton will become part of the Walthamstow constituency.

But the recommendations are different from those made by the Boundary Commission in 2011, which we reported here, which would have meant a return to the old days of a Wanstead and Woodford constituency.

There’s been speculation about what the proposed changes will mean for Labour MPs who say they would be particularly affected by them. Whether John Cryer would attempt to seek selection for Walthamstow because of the Leyton part (and thus be up against Stella Creasy) or aim for Leytonstone and Wanstead (which would probably be a harder seat to win) is yet to be seen. In a statement on his website he said he was disappointed by the proposals, adding that they were not set in stone and that the public consultation would run until December.
The consultation is available online here.

Despite the rainy start the Wanstead Fringe got going on Saturday by sheltering under awnings, gazebos and umbrellas, including the fantastic human brass section Jonny Holliday, above, who played at the Duke Street party. And there’s a good forecast – actually a very good forecast – for the rest of the week, so fingers are crossed for the many events yet to come.

On Sunday children will be shown the secrets of comics and cartoons (in a now sold-out event), and on Monday there’s Jingle Bop, Musical Memories and a demonstration by Fabien from Nice Croissant and Kevin from Wanstead Fish.

Some of the other highlights from this week include a bring-your-own poem session, Scent and Scandal on Wednesday evening and the always popular Wanstead Fringe Comedy Night on Friday. Full details are at the Wanstead Fringe site.

But here are some of the scenes from the start of the Fringe.

 

[tweet id=”773841148762845184″ cards=”false”]

Lady Catherine, the wronged heroine of Wanstead, much abused by her slob of a husband, William Pole-Tylney Long-Wellesley, died heartbroken on this day in 1825. (The book The Angel and the Cad is highly recommended.)

A suitable chance, perhaps, to look back at this triumphant mock trial of William Pole-Tylney Long-Wellesley which was staged at last year’s Wanstead Fringe. In case you don’t know, the Wanstead Fringe 2016 starts on Saturday.

(Users of iPhones should tap here.)

No further takers for this challenge to find a great trivia titbit linking Wanstead to the Great Fire.

This is the answer we were after, as illustrated by the Pepysdiary.com website:

Yes, Pepys buried his parmesan and wine while in the company of Sir William Penn, who later lived in Wanstead where he died. He was the father of William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, who was brought up here. Trivial, admittedly, but then great trivia is.