Epsom audiences will be the first to see a new immersive adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice when an Ashtead-based theatre company launches the show at Labyrinth on Saturday 17 October.

Best Life Productions will present a preview of Pride & Prejudice – The Hoedown Edition at 2pm, ahead of a planned tour of venues across Surrey, London and Kent.

The production transports Lizzie Bennet, Mr Darcy and the Bennet family to a 1930s frontier saloon, combining Austen’s romance with line dancing, audience participation and a wedding disco finale.

Rather than watching from rows of seats facing a stage, audiences will find the story unfolding around them. Guests can enjoy a drink, learn some simple line-dancing steps and become part of the action.

Producer Claire Zuurbier said choosing Epsom for the first public performance reflected the company’s local roots.

“As a local company, it felt right that our home audience should be the first to experience this new show. Before we take Pride & Prejudice – The Hoedown Edition further afield, we wanted to share it with the community that has supported our work from the beginning.”

The company hopes the combination of Austen’s characters and country dancing will offer audiences a different kind of theatre experience, with opportunities to meet and interact with fellow guests.

“Most theatre is face-forward,” said Zuurbier. “You sit in your seat, watch the action and go home. We wanted to create something more visceral. Something that surrounds you, includes you and helps people connect with each other.”

She added: “In a world where so much of life happens through screens, we think there is huge value in gathering people together in the same room to laugh, dance and experience something collectively. This show is designed to leave your worries at the door. For a few hours, it’s simply about joy, connection and having unapologetically good fun.”

Charlotte Farrer will play Lizzie Bennet alongside Filippo Brozzo as Mr Darcy. Amaya Clarke takes the roles of Lydia Bennet and Mr Collins, while Ata Dirilgen plays Wickham and Mrs Bennet. Eleanor Bayford appears as Annie Penrose and Joseph Burdge as Fitzwilliam Allen, with both also serving as swings.

Friends, couples, book clubs and family groups are encouraged to attend, and solo visitors are also welcome. The performance ends with a wedding disco, inviting the audience to join the celebrations.

“We aren’t just retelling Pride & Prejudice,” said Zuurbier. “We’re creating an occasion. The aim is for audiences to walk out smiling, having met new people, danced a little, laughed a lot and remembered how much fun live experiences can be.”

Pride & Prejudice – The Hoedown Edition previews at Labyrinth, Epsom, at 2pm on Saturday 17 October 2026.

Tickets and further information are available from Best Life Productions.

Lionel Blackman

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The photo is by Simon Vail Photographer and were taken at an advertising shoot where the people featured are friends of Best Life Productions and the show’s creative team.

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Do you know a young singer or instrumentalist who deserves to be heard? Epsom Rotary Club is inviting entries for the local round of the Rotary Young Musician Competition 2026/27.

Returning to Epsom College for the twelth consecutive year, the competition offers young performers an opportunity to share their talent, gain experience on a public stage and receive feedback from professional judges.

There are two categories: Solo Instrumental and Solo Vocal. The competition welcomes amateur young musicians aged 17 or under on 31 August 2026, with classical and modern musical styles welcome.

This year’s local round will take place on Monday 16th November and will be judged by two distinguished musicians:

Natalia Zadorhizna, a graduate of the Glière Kyiv Municipal Academy of Music, is a piano teacher, performer and accompanist.

Dr Graham Jones MBE is the former Senior Director of Music for the Household Division, bringing extensive experience of musical performance and leadership.

Successful entrants selected at the local round can progress through district and cluster finals, with the national final scheduled for Saturday 24 April 2027.

Whether your passion is singing, piano, strings, woodwind, brass or another instrument, this is an opportunity to work towards a performance goal and celebrate your musical achievements.

Parents, schools, music teachers and youth organisations across Epsom, Ewell and the surrounding area are encouraged to spread the word and help young musicians take part.

For local entry details and enquiries, contact Lionel Blackman, Epsom Rotary Club’s local round organiser, at epsommusicsoc@gmail.com.

Full competition guidelines and the 2026/27 information pack are available on the official Rotary Young Musician webpage.

Bring your talent to the stage — we would love to hear from you.

Epsom Rotary

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Photo from the 2024 competition. Instrumental winner Satomi Brocklebank with Mayor of Epsom and Ewell Steve Bridger

Epsom guitarist Nigel Price returned to a sold-out Epsom Jazz Club on Thursday (24 September) with his organ trio, just a week after the same line-up sold out Ronnie Scott’s in London.

For Price, who has lived in Epsom for 48 years, the concert at the Comrades Club in The Parade was a home-town celebration as well as the opening night of the club’s autumn season. He was joined by Ross Stanley on Hammond organ and Joel Barford on drums.

Price has built a national reputation through decades of performing, recording and touring. His career has taken him from the acid jazz band the Filthy Six to the James Taylor Quartet, while his appearances at Ronnie Scott’s number more than 600. His organ trio won a Parliamentary Jazz Award for Best Ensemble in 2010 and a British Jazz Award for Best Small Group in 2016.

The musicians alongside him have substantial careers of their own. Stanley is an acclaimed jazz pianist as well as an organist who has played with artists including Jim Mullen and Jacqui Dankworth. Barford began playing drums at six, joined the National Youth Jazz Orchestra as a teenager and has since toured and recorded with Price’s trio.

Their London appearance took place on Thursday 17 September. A review of the sold-out Ronnie Scott’s concert praised the close understanding between the three musicians, built through extensive touring together. Seven days later, Epsom audiences had the chance to hear Price and his trio on their own doorstep.

Epsom Jazz Club’s next concert is on 22 October, featuring vocalist Riketté Genesis. Venue Comrades Club, The Parade in the centre of Epsom

Lionel Blackman

(A director of Epsom and Ewell Times and founder of the Epsom Jazz Club. The Club operates under the charity Epsom Music – 1197449. The charity’s next event is the Ukraine Music Evening 3rd October Epsom Methodist Church.)

Image – L to R – Nige Price, Joel Barford and Ross Stanley. Credit Steven McCormick Photography

A proposed attraction celebrating Ali G in Staines has been rejected by councillors after a petition backing the move gained enough signatures to be put forward for debate.

The petition, which was signed by more than 300 residents, called for a temporary landmark to tie in with the Sacha Baron Cohen character’s new film.

Staines famously changed its name to Staines-upon-Thames in 2012, which was widely believed to be linked to negative attention brought by the fictional resident’s 2002 hit film.

But speaking before a Spelthorne Borough Council committee, petition organiser Alex Balkan said: “I’m not asking you tonight to approve an Ali G statue. I’m asking you to explore an opportunity for Staines.”

He added: “Beneath the humour is a serious question about our town centre. Can an association Staines already has, be turned into more visitors, more footfall and more spending?”

Mr Balkan believes an Ali G attraction would bring an economic boost to the town, and cited Manchester’s Bee in the City installation from 2018 as a possible model for inspiration.

However, several councillors on the corporate policy and resources committee were dismayed at the proposal, pointing to the character’s divisive legacy in Staines.

Councillor Howard Williams (Independent Spelthorne Group: Staines) said: “Every resident I have spoken to has given me very clear guidance that they do not support anything that promotes Ali G in this borough.”

He added: “Ali G has consistently belittled every location he’s ever visited. My view on this is it’s a strong – no, no, no.”

The petition also calls on the council to approach actor Sacha Baron Cohen to ask for his support on the potential project – and makes clear that it does not want the statue to be funded by residents’ council tax.

While others praised Mr Balkan for taking time to organise a petition and inspiring the debate, many councillors felt the negative impression of Staines left by the original film made it hard to support an attraction.

However, some members of the committee were a little more positive about the proposals, and took Mr Balkan’s point that Ali G had helped put Staines on the map.

Councillor Darren Clarke (Conservative: Laleham and Shepperton Green) told the committee: “There’s something about a confident person being able to laugh at themselves. 

“And this is a really important thing. If you are confident, you can laugh at yourself.”

He added: “We have a real lack of confidence within Spelthorne, and this young man [Mr Balkan] is looking at ways of how we can build confidence. How can we make the high street a better place to be?”

But ultimately, committee members overwhelmingly voted against pursuing a temporary Ali G attraction as suggested by the petition.

Following the decision, Mr Balkan told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “What’s clear is that no matter how strong the economic case, no matter how many local businesses supported it, none of that mattered to the majority of councillors – Ali G hurt their feelings. 

“Spelthorne Council could not, after over 20 years, take the joke and allow the high street to benefit.”

He added: “I hope we can push something that helps the high street next time which does have the council’s support, and is less controversial. 

“But life is a choice of what is right and what is easy – sometimes doing the right thing will upset people.”

A Spelthorne Borough Council spokesperson said: “The petition was formally received and debated by the committee in line with the established process. 

“After considering the proposal, the committee decided not to support it at this time, recognising the need to focus on other priorities – particularly protecting and delivering essential local services and preparing for the ongoing local government reorganisation.”

James Moules Local Democracy Reporter

Related report:

Staines Ali G fans hope for Massiv support for statue

Rare posters from Ewell Technical College (today’s NESCOT) concerts featuring Nick Drake, Genesis, Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin are among more than 300 pieces of music memorabilia being auctioned from the collection of industry veteran Lindsay Brown.

A remarkable collection chronicling both Ewell’s place in British rock history and one man’s five-decade career in the music industry is to be sold at auction next month.

More than 300 posters, records, autographs, backstage passes and other pieces assembled by Lindsay Brown will go under the hammer at Omega Auctions in Merseyside on Tuesday 15th September.

Mr Brown began his music industry career in 1969 as social secretary at Ewell Technical College – now part of Nescot – where he helped bring emerging and established performers to the college.

The venue hosted concerts by artists including Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Caravan, Taste, Genesis, Nick Drake and Atomic Rooster. Other celebrated acts associated with the college’s musical heyday included Led Zeppelin, King Crimson and Queen.

“It was a thrilling time to be involved in music,” Mr Brown told the Epsom and Ewell Times. “The great artists of the day were available for all to see. Hendrix, The Doors and Led Zeppelin, to name but a few.

“New artists were emerging all the time, some of which were booked to support at Ewell – Genesis, Black Sabbath, King Crimson, Queen and the now legendary Nick Drake.”

Mr Brown said the college became an important stop on the national concert circuit because successive social secretaries and entertainment committee members were adept both at securing major performers and identifying artists with the potential to become stars.

The college was also well placed near venues including the Toby Jug in Tolworth and the Fox Club in Croydon, with London’s music clubs within easy reach.

“Many managers and agents would offer their talent and new signings for support slots at Ewell,” he recalled.

Among the most valuable lots is an exceptionally rare poster advertising an Ewell Technical College concert by Atomic Rooster, Genesis and Nick Drake on 24th January 1970. It is expected to sell for more than £5,000.

Posters featuring Drake are particularly scarce because of his reluctance to perform live. The auction house believes the Ewell poster may be the first example of its kind to reach the open market.

Another lot is a small poster advertising what is described as the final public concert of Drake’s career, held at Ewell Technical College on 25th June 1970. It has an estimated value of more than £2,000.

A red-and-gold poster by artist David Arnott, produced for a college performance by Black Sabbath supporting Caravan, is expected to fetch more than £1,000. An Arnott poster for Deep Purple’s appearance at Ewell Tech on 18th April 1970 is being offered together with a ticket from the concert.

A framed 1968 Ewell Technical College poster originally advertising The Yardbirds is also expected to attract considerable interest. Following changes to the group, the concert instead featured an early incarnation of Led Zeppelin before a reported audience of just 150 people. The poster is estimated to sell for more than £2,000.

Mr Brown retains especially fond memories of concerts by Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and Taste, although he said Caravan – which appeared at Ewell on several occasions – was the venue’s most successful act.

“Seeing a very early King Crimson concert was a real privilege,” he added.

After leaving Ewell Tech, Mr Brown went on to hold senior positions at Red Bus, MAM, Rock Exchange, Polydor and Eagle Rock Entertainment. As managing director of Eagle Rock, he signed The Rolling Stones for visual rights.

Across his career he worked with artists including Kate Bush, Elvis Costello, Barclay James Harvest, Dr Feelgood, 10cc, The Cure, Van Morrison, Björk, Alice Cooper, Queen, Jeff Beck and Simple Minds.

The wider collection reflects those associations. It includes authenticated Beatles autographs expected to fetch more than £3,000; a Fender Telecaster signed by Keith Richards; Rolling Stones autographs including that of Brian Jones; a 1969 Woodstock ticket; and Kate Bush tour posters, clothing, passes and merchandise.

A Queen collection relating to the band’s 1976 Hyde Park concert includes autographs, a framed show flyer and a map of the band’s route formerly owned by their driver. It is valued at more than £3,000.

Also for sale is a three-foot-high poster for the New York Dolls’ first UK performance at the Rainbow Room at Biba in November 1973 – a concert attended by figures who would later help shape British punk.

A 1969 flyer for the Toby Jug Blues Club in Tolworth features Led Zeppelin’s name misspelt and is valued at more than £500.

Although Mr Brown is parting with most of the collection, he has retained six particularly personal pieces. These include a poster from his farewell Caravan show at Ewell in 1970, a set of Rolling Stones autographs, a Kate Bush tour poster, a Barclay James Harvest gold disc and sales plaque, and a poster personally dedicated to him by Jeff Beck.

“It’s sad to see the collection go, but I am thrilled by the continued worldwide interest in Ewell Tech’s heritage, told through its posters, many of which were designed by the Redhill artist David Arnott,” he said.

“Knowing these posters are going to good homes is very gratifying and lets the story continue to survive.”

He believes collectors have an important role in protecting evidence of performances and events which could otherwise disappear from public memory.

“Without people keeping what might seem at the time inconsequential – tickets, stubs, flyers and so on – many of these shows would be completely forgotten in future years.”

The collection, entitled “Time Has Told Me – 50 Years in Music”, will be auctioned by Omega Auctions on Tuesday 15th September, with a public preview on Monday 14th September. The catalogue and bidding details are available from www.omegaauctions.co.uk.

1968 – 1971 Ewell Tech. Gig List – click here

Julie Kapsalis, CEO of NESCOT, responded to this story and told the Epsom and Ewell Times: “Music continues to be an important part of Nescot. The Entitled Sons played a gig at the college last year and Bazil Meade ran a masterclass on gospel music. Our music department also trains young people to enter the sector and this year they showcased their talents on the community stage at The Epsom Derby Festival. We now have a DJ club and college bands who regularly perform at college and external venues.”

Lionel Blackman

Epsom and Ewell acknowledges with thanks the main contributions and research undertaken by Faye Blaylock of www.jvpublicity.com for this article

Photo: The band Barclay James Harvest with Lindsay Brown: Left to right: Wooly Wolstenholme, John Lees, Lindsay Brown, Les Holroyd, Mel Pritchard

Related report:

When the Rolling Stones rolled into Epsom — twice

Looking for a summer holiday family day out? Discover the magic of Ukraine in Epsom

Families looking for something different to do this summer holiday are invited to Epsom Picturehouse on Monday 24 August for an afternoon of Ukrainian music, crafts and film, marking Ukrainian Independence Day.

From 4.30pm, visitors can enjoy live Ukrainian music and meet Ukrainian craft makers displaying their work at the cinema, before a short introduction and a 5pm screening of Mavka: The Forest Song. Every culture has stories that bring families together. Inspired by Ukrainian mythology and folklore, Mavka: The Forest Song brings one of those stories to the big screen through a colourful animated adventure. Rooted in Ukrainian culture, its themes of love, belonging, courage and protecting the natural world have helped the film connect with audiences far beyond Ukraine.

With the event falling during the school summer holidays, it’s a great day out for families looking for something a little different. Children’s tickets at Epsom Picturehouse are just £3 throughout the summer, with adult tickets from £9.99, while the music and crafts before the screening add even more to the afternoon.

The film will be shown in English, making it as inclusive as possible and giving families from across the community the chance to enjoy the story and discover Ukrainian culture together.

Joe Stroud, Marketing Manager at Epsom Picturehouse, said:

“Every culture has stories that bring families together, and Mavka is a brilliant example of that. It’s rooted in Ukrainian folklore, but its themes of love, belonging, courage and protecting the natural world are universal. It’s colourful, funny and visually spectacular too, so you don’t need to know anything about Ukrainian folklore to fall in love with it. That makes it a perfect film for celebrating Ukrainian culture while bringing the whole community together.”

Organised with Surrey Stands with Ukraine, with support from Epsom & Ewell Refugee Network, the event is open to everyone and will bring together Epsom’s Ukrainian and wider local community for a colourful, family-friendly celebration.

The celebration takes place at Epsom Picturehouse, Derby Square, Epsom, on Monday 24 August 2026, with Ukrainian music and crafts from 4.30pm and Mavka: The Forest Song at 5pm.

Opera will be coming to Surrey this summer as the touring company Wild Arts presents Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro in Guildford and at Titsey Place.

The production visits the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford on Friday 7 August before returning to the county for a performance at Titsey Place, near Oxted, on Sunday 6 September.

Titsey Place will also host An Evening of Opera on Saturday 5 September, combining well-known operatic arias with songs from classic musicals.

Founded in 2022, Wild Arts takes opera and classical music to theatres, country houses, gardens and other distinctive venues around the UK. Its productions favour intimate staging, imaginative costumes and close engagement between performers and audiences rather than large sets and heavy touring equipment.

The company also supports singers, musicians and theatre practitioners at the beginning of their professional careers through its Emerging Artist Programme.

Its new production of The Marriage of Figaro marks the directorial debut of international opera singer Danielle de Niese. Orlando Jopling conducts the ten-player Wild Arts Ensemble, with the opera performed in English in a new translation by de Niese and Jopling.

Mozart’s comedy follows Figaro and Susanna on the morning of their wedding, when they discover that their employer, Count Almaviva, has designs on the bride-to-be.

A day of disguises, misunderstandings and plotting follows as servants attempt to outwit their master and ensure that the wedding goes ahead. Among the opera’s best-known musical moments are its fizzing overture, the Countess’s aria “Dove sono” and the jubilant finale.

The cast includes Jack Sandison as Figaro for the Guildford performance, Ellie Neate as Susanna, Timothy Nelson as Count Almaviva and Elinor Rolfe Johnson as Countess Almaviva. Matt Siveter takes over the role of Figaro for the September performances.

They are joined by Abbie Ward as Cherubino, Olivia Ray as Marcellina, Timothy Dawkins as Bartolo and Antonio, William Searle as Don Basilio and Don Curzio, and Eleanor O’Driscoll as Barbarina.

Wild Arts describes the production as an evening of “sparkling tunes, tangled romances and razor-sharp wit”, staged with bold costumes, inventive props and an emphasis on pace and storytelling.

The company’s second Surrey offering, An Evening of Opera, is intended to provide an accessible introduction to the art form as well as an entertaining programme for established opera enthusiasts.

Devised and directed by Guido Martin-Brandis, the semi-staged production follows four singers through a 75-minute story of intrigue, jealousy, comedy and love, accompanied by a string quintet.

The programme brings together music by Handel, Mozart, Puccini, Rossini and other leading opera composers alongside songs by Irving Berlin, Leonard Bernstein, Rodgers and Hammerstein and Noël Coward.

Selections include the Flower Duet from Delibes’ Lakmé, the overture to Rossini’s William Tell, “Anything You Can Do” from Annie Get Your Gun, “On the Street Where You Live” from My Fair Lady and “Make Our Garden Grow” from Candide.

The Surrey performances are:

The Marriage of Figaro
Friday 7 August – Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Millbrook, Guildford GU1 3UX

An Evening of Opera
Saturday 5 September – Titsey Place, Oxted, Surrey

The Marriage of Figaro
Sunday 6 September – Titsey Place, Oxted, Surrey

Further information and booking links are available from the Wild Arts website and its dedicated Marriage of Figaro page. Tickets for the Guildford performance are available through the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre.

Lionel Blackman Photo: Marriage of Figaro scene courtesy Wild Arts

Before the stadium tours, private jets and worldwide fame, five young rhythm-and-blues musicians performed on a temporary floor laid over the swimming pool at Epsom Baths Hall. More than six decades later, as the Rolling Stones celebrate another chart-topping album, local history reveals that the band visited Epsom not once, but twice.

The Rolling Stones have returned to the top of the British album chart with Foreign Tongues, released on 10 July. It is the band’s 25th studio album and their 15th to reach number one in the UK—putting them level with the Beatles and one behind record-holder Robbie Williams.

That remarkable longevity offers an opportunity to look back to two winter Saturday nights in Epsom, when Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts were still climbing towards stardom.

A swimming pool became a concert hall

Epsom Municipal Baths opened in East Street on 15 March 1939. The £65,000 complex had been designed from the outset to serve two very different purposes: swimming during the warmer months and public entertainment during the winter.

Its main pool was 100 feet long and 35 feet wide, with galleries seating 412 people. For dances, concerts, boxing and theatrical performances, a moveable maple floor supported by tubular scaffolding was erected over the water. A stage, lighting system, microphone and record turntable completed the transformation. The converted hall was licensed to accommodate as many as 1,396 people for music, dancing and public meetings.

It must have produced an unusual atmosphere: a rock-and-roll audience gathered on boards above the drained or concealed pool, surrounded by tiled walls, diving boards and the acoustics of a municipal swimming bath.

After the Second World War, the Baths Hall became one of Epsom’s principal social venues, hosting dances, boxing, orchestral performances and visiting entertainers. The Epsom and Ewell History Explorer describes the Rolling Stones’ 1963 engagement as a sold-out highlight for which the band received a fee of £60.

Saturday 14 December 1963

The best-documented Stones appearance took place on Saturday 14 December 1963.

“Star Rhythm Blues Time with the Rolling Stones”

The publicity picked out the band’s two records, Come On and I Wanna Be Your Man, and advertised an appearance by supporting group The Presidents, described as “that ever popular attraction”. Dancing and music were scheduled from 8pm until 11.30pm. Tickets cost five shillings and sixpence in advance or six shillings and sixpence at the door, with reduced rates offered for parties.

The instruction to “get your tickets early and avoid disappointment” proved well judged if the History Explorer’s record of a sell-out is correct.

A surviving business trail also corroborates the engagement. Christie’s has catalogued an Eric Easton Ltd performance contract for the Rolling Stones at Epsom Baths Hall among a collection of early Stones agreements covering venues in and around London during late 1963. Eric Easton was then managing the group with Andrew Loog Oldham.

The Epsom booking came at a fascinating point in the band’s ascent. They were no longer an unknown club act, but neither had they become the international institution familiar today.

On the chart dated 11 December 1963, three days before the concert, I Wanna Be Your Man stood at number 16. It moved to number 15 the following week and eventually reached number 12. Their self-titled debut album had not yet appeared; it would enter the albums chart in April 1964 and spend 12 weeks at number one.

Thus, Epsom caught the Stones in the narrow interval between their first taste of chart success and their transformation into one of Britain’s biggest bands.

Back again four weeks later

Concert chronologies reveal something overlooked in the familiar local account: the Rolling Stones returned to Epsom Baths only four weeks later, on Saturday 11 January 1964.

The second appearance is listed in detailed Stones performance records as an “extracurricular gig”—a separate engagement fitted around the band’s first major tour of 1964. Their schedule at the time was punishing. They performed two shows at Walthamstow’s Granada Theatre on 10 January, played Epsom the following evening, and then gave two more shows at the Granada in Tooting on 12 January.

They were recording at the same relentless pace. On 10 January—the day before returning to Epsom—the band worked at Regent Sound Studios on Honest I Do, I’m a King Bee and an early version of Not Fade Away, before travelling to Walthamstow for the evening performances.

Their chart fortunes were still improving. I Wanna Be Your Man was at number 15 during the week of the second Epsom appearance and rose to its number 12 peak on the chart dated 15 January.

Contemporary touring accounts estimate that the Stones travelled more than 5,000 miles during this period, playing clubs, colleges, ballrooms, cinemas and halls across Britain. The Epsom concert was one of several additional ballroom engagements squeezed between the formal package-tour performances.

No dependable set list has yet emerged for either Epsom show. The December poster establishes that Come On and I Wanna Be Your Man were central to the promotion, while the band’s contemporary touring repertoire included blues, rhythm-and-blues and Chuck Berry numbers. It would, however, be unsafe to present any reconstructed list as the exact programme heard at Epsom.

Before the world knew their names

The contrast with the present could hardly be greater.

In December 1963, the Stones were travelling from town to town, earning comparatively modest appearance fees and promoting two singles. Their audience in Epsom paid a few shillings to see them in a converted public swimming bath.

Within months, their first album would displace the Beatles’ With the Beatles at the top of the UK chart. Their first British number-one single, It’s All Over Now, followed in the summer of 1964. The tours, television appearances and scenes of mass excitement then spread far beyond Britain.

Yet the five musicians who appeared in Epsom were already the classic early Stones: Jagger at the microphone, Richards and Jones on guitars, Wyman on bass and Watts behind the drums. Brian Jones and Charlie Watts are no longer alive, while Mick Jagger and Keith Richards—then barely out of their teens—remain at the centre of a band topping the album chart in 2026.

The hall has gone, but the night remains

Epsom Baths Hall continued to host entertainment after the Stones, including a performance by Genesis in 1972. Its popularity eventually declined as alternative venues opened and leisure habits changed. The hall closed in 1989; the original baths complex was demolished in 2001 and replaced by the present Rainbow Leisure Centre.

Nothing visible at the modern centre readily tells visitors that one of the most famous bands in the world once performed there—twice—on a wooden floor constructed above the municipal pool.

What is still missing are the human memories: who queued at the Baths Hall box office, who danced at the front, what the band sounded like through the hall’s public-address system, and whether anyone kept a ticket, photograph or autograph.

Epsom and Ewell Times would be delighted to hear from readers who attended either concert—or whose parents, relatives or friends remembered the Rolling Stones’ two visits to Epsom Baths.

Epsom and Ewell History Explorer is the definitive guide to all things historical and more. Run by dedicated volunteers.

Epsom Playhouse remains one of the regions premier venues for tribute bands including rock-and-roll.

Epsom Jazz Club

brings live top-flight jazz bands to the centre of Epsom. Next season starting 24th September.

Lionel Blackman

The Epsom and Ewell Town-Twinning Association has presented its annual Cyril Frazer Awards, sharing a total of £500 between three local recipients.

The awards went to Nescot’s Performing Arts Department, the Epsom and Ewell Refugee Network, and musical theatre student Julian Jackson.

Nescot received support towards its French-style cabaret production project. The Refugee Network was awarded funding towards the cost of a professional musician for the Ukrainian ladies’ Renaissance Choir.

Julian, who studies at Laines Theatre Arts, received an award to assist with his continuing musical theatre studies.

Association chairman Nigel Collin said: “We were really impressed by the quality of these entries and the committee decided that none of them deserved to miss out.

“So I am delighted that we are able to support all three and wish them well with their respective endeavours.”

The Cyril Frazer Award was established by the Twinning Association in memory of Cyril Frazer, who died in 2016.

Mr Frazer was Mayor of Epsom and Ewell when the borough was first twinned with Chantilly in 1995 and was a founding member of the association.

Alongside his commitment to twinning, he had a strong interest in singing and was a keen member of the Epsom Male Voice Choir.

Those interests are reflected in the award criteria. The annual £500 fund is available to individuals and groups within the borough, with applications assessed against criteria including whether applicants live or study locally; meet a particular need, including one connected with mental or physical health; benefit young people; have cultural or educational value; relate to music or performing arts; further links with Chantilly; or support an important twinning or community event.

The prizes were presented at the Twinning Association’s annual general meeting at Epsom Town Hall on June 23 by the Mayor of Epsom and Ewell and the association’s honorary president, Cllr Lucie McIntyre.

Related reports:

Epsom and Ewell Town-Twinning Association presents Cyril Frazer Awards for 2025

Epsom & Ewell’s French racing twin is a favourite

Epsom Choral Society concert – June 20th 2026

The Four Seasons is surely one of the world’s best loved and most widely played pieces of classical music. Written by the great eighteenth century Italian composer and violin virtuoso Antonio Vivaldi, this set of four violin concertos is a purely instrumental piece, so its appearance in Epsom Choral Society’s summer concert, performed to an attentive and enthusiastic audience, merits a little explanation.

What we heard on this warm summer’s evening in Cheam was a new choral re-imagining of Vivaldi’s masterpiece, published last year to coincide with the 300th anniversary of its publication in 1725. Entitled A Season to Sing, it is the work of composer and singer Joanna Forbes L’Estrange and has already been performed over seventy times.

Under the skilled leadership of their conductor, Julian Collings, and accompanied by a terrific quartet of professional string players, Epsom Choral Society sang the piece’s familiar melodies with confidence and spirit. And when required they brought the same confidence and spirit to whistling, whispering, clicking and stamping – which also requires a bit of explanation.

As the name suggests, each of the pieces that comprise The Four Seasons represents a different season and unusually Vivaldi provided for each one a short descriptive poem, possibly of his own creation. The poems are full of vivid imagery appropriate to each time year – buzzing flies, barking dogs, sudden downpours, chattering teeth and so on – which Vivaldi represents faithfully, and brilliantly, in his music. When you add to these instantly recognisable details a string of charming melodies and Vivaldi’s sparkling violin writing it’s easy to see why the piece retains its popularity.

To create A Season to Sing, Joanna Forbes L’Estrange had to graft voice parts on to Vivaldi’s original, along with appropriate texts, and unsurprisingly some sections of the work lend themselves more readily to this approach than others. But as a past Musical Director of the famous Swingle Singers, she knows something about how voices can be used to recreate instrumental music and clearly relished the challenge of translating Vivaldi’s special effects into vocal sounds. The choir certainly gave a committed and full-bodied performance of this interesting new addition to the choral repertoire. 

This was all after the interval. The first half of the concert consisted of two works by the Norwegian-American composer Ola Gjeilo – Dark Night of The Soul and its companion piece Luminous Night of The Soul – along with Morten Lauridsen’s contemporary classic Sure on This Shining Night.

These three pieces suited the choir perfectly, highlighting its precise and powerful singing, and at the same time showcased the skills of their accomplished musical professionals. Julian Collings, a genial and energetic presence on the podium, had put together a programme which would challenge any choral society, but the clarity and sensitivity of his conducting brought out the very best in his singers. The sinuous melodic lines and shimmering harmoniesof Sure on This Shining Night glowed brightly and provided a welcome moment of calm after the driving rhythms of Dark Night.

At times in both Dark and Luminous NightGjeilo relegates the choir to an accompanying role and thrusts the piano onto centre stage. It needs a really good pianist to bring this off and in the choir’s regular pianist Peter Jaekel we had an outstanding one. His fluent, controlled playing made light work of Gjeilo’s tricky piano writing. Those members of the audience unfamiliar with Gjeilo’s music will certainly have had their interest sparked by Epsom Choral Society’s stirring, robust performances of these two works; one lady I spoke to told me she had never heard any of Gjeilo’s music before but intended to search out some recordings as soon as she got home. I’m sure she wasn’t the only audience member to be attracted to this increasingly popular composer’s sound-world.

Thanks are due to Epsom Choral Society for a concert of interesting repertoire and strong performances, with a beautifully designed, informative programme booklet and a free glass of wine in the interval. A delightful way to spend a fine summer evening.

Review by Ian Assersohn

A major new poetry festival is coming to Surrey this summer, as the Surrey Poet Laureateship launches its first annual poetry festival.

Surrey’s Big Poetry Weekend ’26 will take place on Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 August 2026 at the Egham Literary Institute.

The festival has been created by the Surrey Poet Laureateship CIC, a self-funded, volunteer-led organisation founded in 2024. In its first two years, the Laureateship says it has delivered eight free Poetry Hubs across the county, created more than 5,000 engagements with poetry, established more than 20 partnerships and welcomed more than 200 open mic performers to the stage.

Organisers say the new weekend festival will celebrate Surrey’s poets while also bringing nationally recognised contemporary UK poets to the county.

Adam Gary, President of the Surrey Poet Laureateship, said: “When we launched the Surrey Poet Laureateship, people told us poetry was struggling. What we’ve found is the opposite. People are hungry for connection, creativity, and spaces where they can express themselves and be heard.

“Everything we’ve built has been powered by volunteers, belief, and an extraordinary community. Surrey’s Big Poetry Weekend is our biggest leap yet.

“We’re bringing together nationally recognised poets, celebrated Surrey voices, and complete newcomers under one roof because we believe poetry should belong to everyone. We want people to leave inspired, connected, and excited about what poetry can do.”

The weekend programme will include headline performances, talks, panel discussions, workshops and community meet-ups.

Poets appearing at the festival include Len Pennie, Bradley Taylor and Dakota Warren, alongside Surrey poets and emerging voices.

Talks will explore poetry, creativity and literary life, with speakers including Adam Gary, Nia Broomhall and Katie Griffiths. Panel discussions will bring together poets, performers, educators and creatives to consider poetry’s place in modern life.

Topics include Finding Your Voice: Poetry, Wellbeing and Empowerment, looking at how poetry can support wellbeing, self-expression, confidence and resilience.

Another panel, Poetry Without Borders: How Different Voices Shape the Art, will consider how poetry can bridge communities, preserve heritage and create understanding across different backgrounds and lived experiences.

The programme will also include Poetry in the Digital Age: Social Media and the Modern Poet. Guest panellists are expected to include Len Pennie, Bradley Taylor, Adam Gary, Shaniqua Benjamin and others.

Workshops will cover writing, performance, creativity and spoken word. These include a performance workshop led by Bradley Taylor and a poetry for beginners workshop led by Surrey Poet Laureate Adam Gary.

A key feature of Surrey’s Big Poetry Weekend will be its Community Meet-Ups initiative, allowing festivalgoers to help shape the festival experience themselves.

Organisers are inviting attendees to arrange their own gatherings across the weekend, whether focused on Victorian poetry, spoken word, performance technique, niche poetry movements or simply meeting other creative people.

Tori Monks, Vice President of the Surrey Poet Laureateship, said: “One of the things that makes the Laureateship so special is that it welcomes everyone, regardless of their experience with poetry.

“As someone who is new to the poetry world myself, I know how important that sense of openness can be. Our inaugural programme is packed with an incredible line-up of events, performances and voices, offering something to inspire, entertain and engage adults of all ages and backgrounds. We can’t wait to welcome everyone and celebrate poetry together.”

The Surrey Poet Laureateship says the festival is the next stage in two years of community-building, volunteer effort and work to make poetry more accessible.

Despite operating without regular funding, the organisation says it has created free creative opportunities for thousands of people across the county through workshops, outreach projects, open mics, competitions and community partnerships.

Organisers hope Surrey’s Big Poetry Weekend will become an annual fixture in the county’s cultural calendar, attracting nationally recognised poets while continuing to nurture local voices and emerging talent.

Early Bird weekend passes have already sold out. General release day passes are now available.

For more information, visit www.surreypoetlaureateship.org.

The Surrey Poet Laureateship is based at The Literary Institute, 51 High Street, Egham, Surrey, TW20 9EW.

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Visitors to Kensington Gardens were treated to an afternoon of brass music on Sunday 14 June, as the Epsom & Ewell Silver Band performed at the historic Kensington Gardens Bandstand.

The concert, which began at 2.30pm under bright June skies, was part of the Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens Bandstand Concerts, co-organised by The Royal Parks and its Friends groups.

For two hours, the bandstand, a short stroll from Kensington Palace and the Round Pond, became the musical heart of the park. Passers-by, tourists and brass band enthusiasts paused their Sunday afternoon walks to set up deckchairs or gather on the grass, forming an appreciative crowd.

Under the direction of Musical Director Tariq Ahmed, the band delivered a varied programme. The performance reflected the standard that earned the Surrey-based group a strong result at the London and Southern Counties First Section Regional Championships earlier this spring.

The programme included traditional brass band marches, contemporary arrangements of film themes and show tunes, and melodic pieces that showed the band’s balance, precision and warm tone.

The afternoon captured the charm of a British summer in one of London’s best-known green spaces. By the time the final notes sounded at 4.30pm, the band was met with warm applause from an audience reluctant for the music to end.

“Hearing a top-tier silver band like Epsom & Ewell playing in the heart of the Royal Parks is exactly what summer in London is about,” said one local attendee. “The acoustic warmth of the brass floating across the gardens was just spectacular.”

Those who missed the Kensington Gardens performance will have further opportunities to hear the band closer to home this summer.

The band’s annual Summer Concert takes place on Sunday 12 July, from 5pm to 7pm, in the Walled Garden at the Old Moat Garden Centre & Café, Horton Lane, Epsom.

It will also perform at a free community Band in the Park event at Rosebery Park, Epsom, on Sunday 9 August, from 2pm to 4pm.

The Kensington Gardens concert was another reminder of the continuing contribution made by the Epsom & Ewell Silver Band to the local arts scene, whether competing regionally or performing for wider audiences.

For ticket bookings for the Walled Garden concert, or for information about joining the band, visit www.eesb.org.uk.

Steven McCormick