The Brentwood Buzz

In recent The Brentwood Buzz podcasts we have found there is a talented pool of community theatre players who circle effortlessly around the various groups with a lead role here, a bit part there and occasionally even some directing thrown in.

One of those players is Lindsay Hollingsworth, writer of pantos for The College Players, in which she also acts and sometimes directs, when she's not teaching youngsters to play percussion instruments, or encouraging them to join Brentwood's Orchestras for Young Musicians.

This summer Lindsay is bringing her directing skills to Romford Shakespeare Theatre for its summer show, The Comedy of Errors, which will be performed outside in Hornchurch.

The Brentwood Buzz has been to meet Lindsay to find out why the arts are so important to her.

The dictionary definition of an Essex Girl has been, for some time, a young woman from Essex who is unintelligent, promiscuous and materialistic.

Despite a campaign in recent years to remove this definition, it still sticks, even though you only have to listen to the women who've appeared on The Brentwood Buzz in the last three years to find a bunch of intelligent, feisty women who have no qualms about saying what they want, and getting work done.

Now Blatella Films is producing a documentary - Witchcraft & Stilettos: Redefining The Essex Girl Narrative - for upcoming film festivals, and has been in Brentwood for interviews with some of those Essex Girls and women. The Brentwood Buzz was there to speak to director Natalie Scarsbrook.

Keeping fit, healthy and in shape from childhood to old age is something we all know we should do , even if we ignore good advice at times.

New Zealand born Doctor of Chiropractic, Grayson Nolan, runs The Chiropractic Centre in Brentwood, and Billericay. His passion for the benefits of chiropractic is evident - and probably if we listened to him more, some of us would ache less!

The Brentwood Buzz has been to meet Grayson in his premises in Pilgrims Hatch.

Brentwood Musical Theatre Society is no stranger to The Brentwood Buzz, featuring in S3Ep19 and S1Ep17 as well as a fond mention in the recent chat with actor Stephen Moyer (S4Ep16)

BTMS's next show is Evita at the Brentwood Theatre from 19th to 23rd May, so we've been back to talk to some of the Society's long standing members and find out why being part of this fabulous community theatre group is a real family affair.

https://brentwoodoperaticsociety.co.uk/

Graphic designer and Brentwood mum, Jill Busby, of Hive Art Studios is bringing her artistic skills to the King George's Playing Fields Pavilion on 14th May with a "Sip and Paint" evening.

Wineglasses are some of the smaller items Jill paints, as The Brentwood Buzz discovered when visiting Jill's studio.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/sip-paint-wine-glass-painting-tickets-1984984352633

Brentwood's independent record shop, Hey Joe Music, hosted the Essex leg of comedian Alastair Clark's national tour in which he brings comedy to record shops.

Alastair worked in a record shop for ten years before giving up the glitz, glamour and admin duties of trading vinyl for the glitz, glamour and admin duties of life as a stand-up comedian.

The Brentwood Buzz caught up with him at the end of his gig in Hey Joe's to talk about the tour, his forthcoming Edinburgh show, and collecting comedy records.

International TV, film and theatre actor, Stephen Moyer, was in Brentwood has been to Brentwood for a fundraising event at Brentwood Theatre.

Stephen grew up in Brentwood and started his acting career at St Martin's School and Brentwood Theatre - and he's now the theatre's patron.

Last night's Evening With... hosted by Bill Wells (see S4Ep13 for a chat with Bill and with Stephen's mum, Jean) was a great success. The theatre was packed and there was a huge feeling of pride and fondness for Stephen as he described his early days in theatre and his life now as an actor.

He even had time to talk to The Brentwood Buzz about some of those memories for this episode of Brentwood's celebratory podcast.

It was an early start at Hey Joe Music off Crown Street in Brentwood this morning with record collectors gathering from just before midnight onwards for Record Store Day, and the chance to buy exclusive pressings of some of the world’s finest pop musicians.The Brentwood Buzz joined Marc Sardinha of Hey Joe Music for the early shift and to meet some of the people who are willing to give up a night’s sleep to get the records they want.

The Chicken and Frog Bookshop on Crown Street, run by Natasha Radford, is a good friend to The Brentwood Buzz - there's always something interesting going on and there's a quiet space for podcasts to be recorded too.

But Chicken and Frog is not just a bookshop; it's a safe space which encourages writers, illustrators and content creators to come together to talk about their work and share their experiences.

One of those writers is Amanda Claire from Doddinghurst, a foot health practitioner, mum, bad allotmenteer and self-published author of stories for children. Amanda is joining Natasha and others to talk about writing, publishing and illustrating books on 23rd April, so The Brentwood Buzz has been to meet her to find out why her writing takes precedence over weeding.

Internationally acclaimed actor, director and well-known vampire, Stephen Moyer, is returning to Brentwood - his home town - for a fundraising event for Brentwood Theatre.

Stephen, who is the theatre's first patron, will be interviewed by friend of The Brentwood Buzz, Bill Wells, whose work with pretty much every theatre group in town makes him something of a local legend.

Bill will be talking to Stephen at Brentwood Theatre on Tuesday 21st April at 7.30pm (tickets are £25 and available from the theatre website) but The Brentwood Buzz managed to catch up with him, and Stephen's mum, Jean Wilson, at the Marlborough Theatre Club this week for a bit of a preview.