Here’s something which – unusually – is being added to the Fringe schedule. It’s the much loved fringe acoustic night, with the best of local singer-songwriters and performers, upstairs in the Bull on Friday night. It’s being put on as ever by Ali Macqueen, above, who – you might remember – has had a pretty eventful couple of years, musically).
Details below.
Redbridge Council has decided to postpone this Sunday’s Wanstead Festival, following the announcement that the Queen’s funeral will be taking place the next day.
It has not yet announced a new date for the festival but is hoping to find an alternative in the next few weeks.
Most Wanstead Fringe events are going ahead, including Saturday’s Jumble Trail. However the decision has been taken to cancel Sunday night’s comedy night with Jeff Innocent.
Fringe comedy impresario Jon Fentiman said: “Good live comedy is normally great, life affirming entertainment. However, putting on a comedy night on the eve of the Queen’s funeral just doesn’t feel right.
“It has been a difficult decision, but I have decided to cancel this Sunday’s Wanstead Fringe Comedy Night at Eton Manor Rugby Club. I sincerely apologise to all those people who have purchased tickets. They will receive a full refund or alternatively may exchange their purchased tickets for the Wanstead Fringe Comedy Night at Eton Manor on the following Sunday, 25th September, which will be going ahead as planned, with Mark Simmons headlining.”
Ticket holders will be contacted directly.
Thursday night’s visit from Costa Book Award-winning poet Hannah Lowe, who was scheduled to speak at Wanstead Library as part of Wanstead Book Festival, has also been postponed. Again, ticket holders will be contacted directly.
A vigil on Christchurch Green on Monday evening was attended by hundreds of people paying their respects to the Queen.
Tonight crowds of hundreds of local people gathered in Wanstead to pay tribute to Her Majesty The Queen in our second Redbridge vigil.
— Redbridge Council (@RedbridgeLive) September 12, 2022
We are holding two further vigils in Goodmayes and Ilford – for more details please visit https://t.co/1OU7iwGevs pic.twitter.com/Xq3vQ1oLHY
Incredibly moving vigil for Her Majesty The Queen tonight in Wanstead.
— Jas Athwal (@Jas_Athwal) September 12, 2022
Thank you to all our speakers and to our neighbours who came out in their hundreds to pay their respects to our Queen. pic.twitter.com/Up7DBc4Tu1
As the Wanstead Fringe goes into a rather unusual week, it feels fitting that poetry is on the agenda.
On Wednesday evening at City Place Coffee there will be a Spoken Word Night – a fantastically creative mix of poets, performers, improvisers and spoken word artists. When the Fringe held a similar event last year attendees were delighted by being able to hear raw talent so close-up. Tickets can be booked below.
One of the nation’s most celebrated poets, Hannah Lowe, who won last year’s Costa Book Award, will be at Wanstead Library on Thursday evening speaking about her poems and her time time teaching in Redbridge and elsewhere. It’s a very rare opportunity to meet and hear from Hannah, and poetry lovers are strongly encouraged to book tickets now. This event has now been postponed.
The Wanstead Kinema proved once again its habit for creating a magical atmosphere, as families gathered in the church garden at Christ Church on Saturday. The programme began with a montage of images of the late Queen.
On Sunday a Climate picnic on Christchurch Green heard talks and insights into what more people could do to help the environment and climate, including (a subject close to Wansteadium’s heart) what can be done to make gardens more hospitable to hedgehogs.
Karen Myers, who spoke at the event, prepared some handouts on helping hedgehogs and biodiverse gardening, which are available here.
A vigil in memory of the late Queen will be held on Christchurch Green on Monday evening at 6pm. There is also a book of condolence inside Wanstead Library.
