The Nutcracker comes to Hurst early this Christmas at Danny House

Regular performers in Hurst, This is My Theatre, the Sussex based theatre group, will be performing their new show The Nutcracker and the Mouse King at the end of the month. Following their successful runs of previous Christmas shows, A Christmas Carol, and The Snow Queen, the quartet will be at Danny House on 20th November.

It is nearly Christmas and Maria and her brother Frederick can hardly wait to tear open their presents. But an early gift from their Godfather of a beautiful, wooden nutcracker soldier to Maria was hardly what she had expected. Little does Maria know that this small wooden figure was once a real child, not much older than herself, turned to wood for daring to cross the evil Mouse-King. But just before midnight, when the magic of Christmas is strongest, Maria’s beloved nutcracker comes to life in order to march into battle and fulfil a deadly mission! Can Maria help the Nutcracker to defeat the horrid Mouse King and break the curse once and for all?

Associate artistic director Ethan Taylor said: “We are really excited to be continuing our winter tradition of magical, family-friendly theatre in historic places and atmospheric spaces. Our brand-new adaptation of E.T.A Hoffman’s much-loved story - packed with music, merriment and plenty of Christmas magic - will be sure to warm hearts and spread joy this festive season!”

For tickets and more information go to www.thisismytheatre.com/hurstpierpoint

Danny House's part in WWI history

Danny House, Hurstpierpoint - where Lloyd George signed the Armistice agreement in 1918

By Michèle Copeland

Danny - we all hear the name or references to it, but how many of us have been to Danny House?

Danny is an impressive and stunning country home of the first Elizabethan age, nestled at the bottom of the South Downs at Wolstonbury Hill, south of Hurstpierpoint. It has stood the passage of time - some seven centuries - as the home of the Campion family, who played major parts in the area’s domestic and imperial history in their time, as well as housing leaders of our nation, at difficult times.

One of those most recent events was in 1918, when Prime Minister Lloyd George stayed there alongside his wife and his secretary Miss Stevenson - his reputedly ailing mistress. Danny House and its village was chosen not only to become a temporary office of the War Cabinet, between July and November 1918, but David Lloyd George’s country home.

“He effectively lived there with his family, the newspaper barons of the time, and war leaders for several months,” says Richard Burrows, today’s owner of Danny House.

[Taken from a full article published in August 2018's Hurst Life magazine]

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“I would really love to re-enact The 1918 Lloyd George Garden Party, to celebrate the Armistice centenary of 1918. It would really be great if people could attend this event in period costume of the 1920s, with dancers or dancing groups to lead the way,” he says.

The famous Alex Mendham 11 piece orchestra (who have played to royalty all over the world) and the Hot Rhythm Orchestra (who headline the Goodwood Revival) will be present, as well as the well-known vintage Harris funfair and WWI re-enactors. Enjoy Pimms and tea on the lawn and mingle with actors dressed like celebrities of the time, such as Lloyd George, Bonar Law, and Arthur Balfour – we can all re-enact history!

The 1918 Lloyd George Garden Party is on 2nd September 2018. It will open at 2pm and finish at 6pm. 

Ticket prices are £5 a head and £20 for a family ticket and can be bought via the Hurst Festival website. 

Big Band VE Day Dance

reMEmber, the Hurstpierpoint/Hassocks based charity which helps people who have ME (Myalgic Encephalopathy, also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) has events taking place this month.
     A VE Day Anniversary Dance takes place at Danny House, Saturday 9th May 7.30pm. Dance or listen to the Glenn Miller Big Band Sound with Michael Gverny, Jo Kimber and Helen Bartlett. Sponsored by Mishon Mackay. Tickets £20 (includes light supper) from Mishon Mackay or the Mint House. Or by post from reMEmber.
     Then, later in the month, the ME Awareness Conference is on at Martlets Hall, Burgess Hill, Saturday 30th May at 2pm. Key speakers are Dr Charles Shepherd (medical adviser to the ME Association), Dr Clare McDermott on research and her work with severely affected patients, and Sue Luscombe, dietician, on irritable bowel syndrome and helpful diets. Tickets £3 available from reMEmber.
     reMEmber has always operated from Hurstpierpoint and our focus has always been on local adults and children who have the disease. However, we immediately attracted interest from patients all over Sussex and beyond.

Also available on page 26.