Isle of Arts Festival goers can feast themselves on some brilliant entertainment and have some great nosh into the bargain.
Jazz singer Val Wiseman joins the Leon Simmonds Trio to provide the music at our Sunday lunchtime Jazz Brunch on 22 April. As if that isn’t enough to make your Sunday, you also have the option of adding a light, but oh so tasty, brunch, organised by Robert Thompson, Ventnor’s own Michelin-starred Chef.
Val will be taking a tour of the singers who inspire her, featuring songs made famous by Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Peggy Lee, Anita O’ Day and Sarah Vaughan.
She has worked with many top jazz names in the country, including Humphrey Littleton, Digby Fairweather and Brian Dee, and in 2011 was the winner of the coveted British Jazz Award for best vocalist. Val will be accompanied by the Island’s own top quality jazz trio of Leon Simmons on bass, Dave Smith on piano and Ken Black on drums.
Best produce the Island has to offer
Robert Thompson was inspired to cook by his brother Patrick at 10 years of age. Now 29, he has won nearly every cooking accolade going.
He is responsible for the superb food served at both The Hamborough in Ventnor and the Pond Cafe in Bonchurch. Robert is rightly famous for his use of the best produce the Island has to offer, and we are delighted that he has offered to prepare the food for this event.
Nearly naked chef
Continuing the culinary theme to Sunday’s line-up, in the afternoon you can tuck in as a guest of Hardeep Singh Kohli.
The celebrated broadcaster, raconteur, writer and cook combines comedy with inventive cuisine in a wonderfully funny, laid back afternoon’s entertainment.
Just think Ready Steady Cook, but with great cooking (Hardeep was a finalist on the first series of Celebrity Masterchef), and swirl in the funny anecdotes, all delivered by Glaswegian Hardeep in his own unique, articulate and utterly charming way.
Having debuted at the Edinburgh Fringe, where the show played to sell-out audiences, this is an extended, two-course version of The Nearly Naked Chef, combining more of Hardeep’s winning talents and recipes.
Win free t-shirt
On an entirely different culinary challenge, across the festival weekend, ale connoisseurs can collect stamps in their Isle of Arts programme at selected outlets every time they have a pint, or bottle, of Island Ales.
Once they have accrued four stamps, from three different outlets, they will receive a free Isle of Arts t-shirt.
Participating outlets include the Festival Marquee Bar, The Spyglass Inn, Besty & Spinky’s at Ocean Blue Quay, Perks, The Volunteer Inn, Ventnor Towers and The Bonchurch Inn. T-shirts can be collected throughout the festival from our HQ in Pier Street.
Garlic anybody?
Come and enjoy the screening of the original Dracula movie – Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror in St Catherine’s Church on Friday 20 April.
This 1922 silent classic was the first of many cinematic outings for Stoker’s vampire Count, but it is still widely considered to be one of the very best.
Starring Max Schreck as Count Orlok and directed by FW Murnau, Nosferatu is a taut psychological insight into the inner nature of man. To enhance the on-screen tensions, our film presentation will be accompanied by live music from pianist Mick Smith. If you think a black and white silent movie lacks suspense, think again.
A glass of wine is included in the ticket price and a selection of garlicky nibbles, courtesy of the Island’s own Garlic Farm, will help to keep any vampires at bay.
Book your tickets now
Tickets for all Isle of Arts festival events can be purchased from www.artsisle.org or via our telephone hotline 01983 862 596 (open Monday-Friday, 10am – 4pm) or from Seasons, 10 High Street, Ventnor.
Friday 20 April
21.30 – 23.00 Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror St. Catherine’s Church £10 including a glass of wine and complementary garlic canapes
Sunday 22 April
11.30 – 13.30 Jazz Brunch Festival Marquee £15, including brunch or £5 for music-only seats
14.30 – 16.30 The Nearly Naked Chef Festival Marquee £15.
Please support Isle of Arts Festival – by them and other companies sponsoring features and taking advertising, they enable you to continue to read VentnorBlog for free – Ed
