Music and Drama Double Bill at Christ The Saviour

Unique performance marking work of French composer

The Mayor will bring the curtain down on Ealing Autumn Festival’s Magna Carta theme when a unique double-bill of music and drama is staged.

Magna Carta turns 500 was the theme of last year’s festival and in an event held over an evening consisting of a reading of Jessica Duchen’s A Walk Through the End of Time followed by a performance of Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time is being staged.

The event is being held by the festival in collaboration with The Friends of Christ the Saviour at the church in Ealing Broadway on Saturday, March 5 and Ealing Mayor, Councillor Harbhajan Kaur Dheer will be guest of honour.

Messiaen’s chamber music was written and first performed in the prisoner of war camp Stalag Vill-A in Gorlitz, Germany in 1941 and will be taken on by well-known Ealing performers Colin Bradbury (clarinet); Richard George (violin); Adrian Bradbury (cello) and Gillian Spragg (piano).

The quartet has a distinguished musical background and Colin Bradbury has been principal clarinet of the BBC Symphony Orchestra and recently played the part of retired clarinetist Olly Fisher in ‘Quartet’ directed by Dustin Hoffman.

Gillian Spragg has had an eclectic musical career and is artistic director of Ealing Autumn Festival, which she instigated in 2012.

Actors Caroline Dooley and David Webb will perform a rehearsed reading of A Walk Through the End of Time, a one-act play by Jessica Duchen.

Festival artistic director Gillian Spragg said: “ It was a great honour when the deputy mayor opened the festival last June, and it is very fitting that the Mayor should bring events to a close by attending the evening of music and drama on March 5.

“Money raised from the evening will go to The Friends of Christ the Saviour to help preserve the heritage of this beautiful church.”

The evening starts at 7pm and tickets are available on the door. For further information visit www.ealingautumnfestival.co.uk or visit www.eventbrite.co.uk

22nd Feb 2016