That’s Entertainment Ever filled in a form – loan application, insurance quote – and had to define your area of work as ‘Arts & Entertainment’? It’s easy to see why the two might be lumped together, but my concern is whether many problems of perception may be exacerbated by this alliance. For example, arts funding is a highly contentious issue for the general public; whilst we all want fun things to see, we grumble at our taxes funding frivolous events, exhibits and commissioned public artworks when they could be saving the NHS, paying teachers more and improving our motorways. Does aligning arts to entertainment fuel that fire? Does knowledge of the multi-millions pumped into some films make people think all arts projects suffer from more funds than they know what to do with? Similarly, does it incite the view that all art should be entertaining? Theatres, particularly regional reps, many of which used to be the lifeblood of new writing, today struggle to get audiences unless it’s for a known musical, comedy, or film adaptation. I’ve struggled through some gruelling examples of those, actually; and equally many mediocre ‘bright new things’; but I’ve also seen shining gems of new...

Original produced for www.yorkshirecoastgigs.co.uk Gig at Sigma, The Cask, Scarborough, June 2014 In announcing that I’m reviewing The Dead White Doves supported by The Subterranean Gentlemen and Ash Gray & Couch Fire, I can’t help feeling that it sounds like I’m seeing the latest instalment in some sort of darkly-styled Marvel Comics film franchise. Would those Doves come back to life, vanquish the Sub-Gents to their underground lair, and help Ash put out the Couch Fire, all before Thor comes and knocks their heads together? Back to reality with a bump, in the Cask Inn’s bat-cave, Sigma, gig-goers arrive to see this trio of trios playing all original music, something which, sadly, can often be a hard sell these days. Thankfully, there’s a crowd building and much anticipation along with it, for a night of rock and roll at its best. First on is Ash Gray & Couch Fire. Ash has been a regular visitor on the Scarborough scene over the past year or so, the Texan touring the UK and often basing himself here or his other ‘home from home’ in Sheffield, where his drummer and bass player hail from. Kicking off with ‘Bad Man’, their set was...

NOTES: The four horsemen wear all white, as a base colour, with military style boots, accented by specified coloured accessories (the look should be reminiscent of A Clockwork Orange ). Coloured lighting will turn their white outfits to differing colours at times. Each has a wooden hobbyhorse, identical except in colour, which they NEVER put down. They sit on plain black wooden chairs, which are arranged in a diagonal line from front to back across the stage. There is no other set. Costumes and props are key. They do not have to take the same seats every time – no set order. The banter between the four horsemen should be very snappy – they are like friends or siblings who’ve known each other since early years. CHARACTERS: WAR – Red horse, wears a red helmet and carries a red sword FAMINE – Black horse, black weighing scales, large black scarf/cloak PESTILENCE – Wears white, with a white horse, white crown and white bow. DEATH – Pale green horse, pale green waistcoat, pale green sword 1 st MAN – Wearing traditional Colonial East India Company Merchant garb 2 nd MAN – Wearing traditional Colonial East India Company Merchant garb WOMAN...

There was a man, in a town long forgotten, in the north of a country that no longer exists, and west of an island that sank without trace. That man is not in any record books, no history nor legend. No one speaks of him now, but in his time he was a Very Important Man. It is only sad that he is not very well-remembered now because he could teach us all a thing or two. Here is his story. Each day this man would wake up, and he would kiss his wife, for he loved her well. He would rise and look at the sunshine, if it were sunny, and feel thankful for the warmth. If it rained, he would be thankful for the moisture that helped his food to grow. Every day he set off to do his work, happy that he had a purpose and a means to provide for himself and his family. He would help to grow and harvest food, knowing that what he provided helped many others as well as himself. One day this happy man met a man who was very unhappy. The unhappy man no longer had a job because...