This weekend
Fri 12 - Sun 14 Oct 2018
THEATRE: Dangerous Corner, Abbey Theatre, St Albans, Fri 12 – Tues 16 Oct
This JB Priestley drama still resonates today as a group of friends having dinner begin to reveal themselves and the machinations of their relationships. The genius of Priestley’s writing doesn’t date as here he explores how much truth we can take in our private lives. Go with your friends if you dare!
ART: Henry Moore Exhibition: Out of the Block, Perry Green, now until Sun 28 Oct
This is the last month of this fascinating exhibition exploring how Henry Moore carved his sublime sculptures out of a whole block of stone or wood. He continually returned to this method for most of his career, despite periods modelling with clay, plaster and casting in bronze, and you can see the stunning results in this thematic display.
FOOD FESTIVAL: Hertford Food and Drink Festival, Fri 12 – Sun 14 Oct
Hertford is hosting its annual festival with farmers and charter markets, live cookery demonstrations, free tasters and celeb chefs in town plus on the Sunday, it expands into Hertford castle for its Beer and World Food Festival.
EXHIBITION: What’s on in the Woods, Natural History Museum, Tring, until Sun 14 Oct
Last chance this week to take your kids to this fun exhibition exploring outdoor and indoor woodland spaces. They can uncover what’s hiding nearby, hone their nature detective skills and play.
EARLY HALLOWEEN, various dates, various locations
If you want to get your spooky thrills before the big night, Fright Nights at Thorpe Park opened on Fri 5 Oct. Read Muddy Surrey’s review here. Family-friendly farm and play centre Mead Open Farm transforms itself by night into The Howl for twelve nights from 6 Oct of over 15s and adult-only Halloween horror with 5 mazes, street food, live music and a bar. The Harry Potter Warner Bros Studios Great Hall is currently decorated with over 100 floating pumpkins, as seen in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, along with a table laden with a Halloween feast of red apples, pumpkins and cauldrons of lollipops. Kids can also delve into the sinister world of the Dark Arts from now until Nov 10.
SCREENING: The Importance of Being Earnest, Berkhamsted Arts Centre, Sat 13 Oct
A new production of one of the funniest plays in English, Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, will be broadcast live to the cinema in the Berkamsted Arts Centre from the Vaudeville Theatre in London’s West End. A fresh take on Wilde’s classic, adapted by Michael Fentiman and with a superb cast, has had the critics in raptures.
WALK: Guide Dogs Fest Fun Day, Hatfield House, Sat Oct 13
Walk with your dog (or without) round the beautiful grounds of Hatfield House and watch guide dog demos and enter your dog in their fun dog show.
FURTHER AFIELD
FAMILY FUN: World Conker Championships, Southwick, Northants, Sun 14 Oct
Watch the experts as they battle it out to see who is the best at playing conkers in the world! It’s a big event with a kids’ conker competition, stalls, guide dog displays, bumper cars, climbing wall, food offerings, a tea and cake tent, Morris dancers, juggling workshops, a ukuleke band and praise be, a bar.
THEATRE: The Wider Earth, The Natural History Museum, London, now until Sun 30 Dec
Exciting news – there’s a theatre now open in the Jerwood Gallery at the Natural History Museum for the European premiere of award-winning drama The Wider Earth, a play about the young Charles Darwin. Puppets, an original score and cinematic animations make this theatrical event a great draw for kids plus they’ll learn a helluva lot in the process.
