Drama Club Remembers Much‑Loved President

Iver Heath Drama Club will dedicate its upcoming summer production to long‑standing member John Williams, who passed away in December 2025 at the age of 67 following his battle with Parkinson’s disease.

John, from Slough, was a committed member of the non‑profit community drama group for around 30 years, appearing in a wide range of plays and pantomimes. He also served as the club’s President for several years until his death.

“John was our club president for several years, so it feels perfectly fitting that we dedicate our summer show to him, in his memory,” said Carol Campling, Treasurer of Iver Heath Drama Club.

The club will perform Return to Hotel Doom, a standalone comedy sequel, on Saturday 13th June.

“John appeared as Major Horseradish in the original Hotel Doom play a decade ago. His kindness offstage and his impeccable comedy timing are fond memories we all treasure,” said Lee Hall, the play’s author and director.

The community is invited to purchase tickets for the two‑act show at www.ticketsource.co.uk/ihdc. During the performance, the club will also be encouraging donations to the Slough, Windsor and Maidenhead branch of Parkinson’s UK via the show’s programme and interval screen. The charity supports people living with Parkinson’s and funds vital research into new treatments.

John’s widow, Mrs Joanna Williams, met her husband at the drama club around 25 years ago when she appeared in the club's shows. Earlier this year, she was invited to take on the role of Club President in his honour.

https://www.ihdc.co.uk/

Art Alert! FRIENDLY BRUTES by Andy Siege

Filmmaker and Author Andy Siege Launches FRIENDLY BRUTES, A Color-Drenched Art Collection to Lighten the Image of Mental Illness

New oil-pastel series uses loud colour and open faces to challenge stigma and invite joy into mental health conversations

Andy Siege, the German-Kenyan director of the award-nominated debut Beti and Amare and author of eleven novels, releases his first fine art collection, FRIENDLY BRUTES now live on Fine Art America: https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/andy-siege

The collection is not about darkness. It is about lightening the visual language we use for mental illness.

Made in oil pastel in 2026, FRIENDLY BRUTES works in a tight, joyful palette of yellow, green, red, pink and blue, outlined in thick, confident black. Faces pile on top of faces. Mouths are open in a yell, a laugh, a yawn. Eyes are squeezed shut not in pain, but in rest. Forms tip into each other like people on a crowded train.

Siege, who publicly identifies as POC, neurologically diverse, and queer, says the series grew directly from his own experience navigating clinical spaces where mental difference is rendered in grayscale.

"I was tired of the poster in the waiting room. Always a head in hands, always blue and gray," Siege says. "My brain is noisy and colourful. Sometimes it screams, sometimes it giggles, often both at once. I wanted pictures that look like that, so someone seeing them might feel less alone, and less pathologised."

FRIENDLY BRUTES deliberately borrows from Art Brut, the tradition of raw, immediate mark-making outside academic art, but reframes it. Instead of using "brut" to mean broken, Siege uses it to mean honest, and pairs it with "friendly" to remove fear.

The approach mirrors themes in his wider practice. Born Andreas Madjid Siege in Nairobi, Kenya in 1985, he is a director and author known for making work on a human scale. His debut feature Beti and Amare (2014), which he directed, wrote, shot, edited and acted in on a €14,000 budget, was nominated for the Golden St. George at the 36th Moscow International Film Festival. 

His second film, Barefoot Rasta (2017), and his books, including the magical-realism novella Don't Let Me Drown, the tragicomic Mohamed In The Stars, and the climate-fiction novel Biopunk: Aristotle released in January 2026, all center characters living with war trauma, grief, neurodivergence and identity pressure without turning them into cautionary tales.

With FRIENDLY BRUTES, Siege brings that same narrative compassion to a single image.

Horden's Story Returns To The Stage As Pits, People And Players Comes Back By Popular Demand

A powerful community production, created from the voices, memories, and experiences of local people, is returning to Horden this month.

Pits, People and Players, produced by Ensemble '84, returns to The Playhouse 11-13th June following a successful run during Horden's 125th anniversary celebrations last year.

Created from conversations with Horden residents, the show brings together stories shared in community halls, over cups of tea and through generations of local families. It tells the story of a village shaped by coal mining, community spirit and determination.

Blending theatre, storytelling, music and movement, the production explores Horden's past, present and future. It celebrates the humour, friendship, pride and resilience that continue to define the community.

Written by Ensemble '84 and directed by internationally acclaimed theatre-maker Mark Dornford-May, the show features original songs by Tees Valley singer-songwriter Jodie Nicholson and performances from the company's County Durham-based cast.

Mark Dornford-May, Director of Ensemble '84, told That's Books and More: "This show is about the heart of Horden. Every scene, every memory and every moment has its roots in conversations with local people. We've taken the stories, scars and dreams shared with us and created something that is rooted in this community and speaks to something much bigger. 

"At a time when places like Horden are too often defined by what they've lost, this production celebrates the people, pride and resilience that continue to shape its future."

Julia Handelman-Smith, Into the Light Director, told us: "We’re proud Ensemble ‘84 is bringing this remarkable production to life, once again, as part of Into the Light. ‘Pits, People and Players’ is a shining example of how local arts can reflect national conversations, about community, resilience, and the stories we choose to carry forward. It’s a testament to the talent and vision in County Durham, and a powerful reminder of the role the arts play in regeneration, connection, and belonging."

The return of Pits, People and Players follows a triumphant run of The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet at Ensemble '84's new home, The Playhouse.

The production received a string of four and five-star reviews and attracted audiences from across the region. Many people experienced Shakespeare for the first time after national attention focused on Horden when acclaimed actor Sir Ian McKellen officially opened The Playhouse last month.

Sir Ian's visit generated widespread media coverage for Horden and East Durham. During the opening, he declared that he wished he lived in Horden, helping to shine a spotlight on the area's growing cultural ambition.

Now, Ensemble '84 is once again turning its attention to the people and stories of East Durham, bringing Horden's story back to the stage where it belongs.

Pits, People and Players will be performed at The Playhouse, Horden, between 11-13th June. Tickets are available from ensemble84.com/pits-people-players

Listings Information:-

Pits, People and Players

Date: Thursday 11 June 2026 - 13th June 2026

The Playhouse, South Terrace,Horden, Peterlee, SR8 4NQ

Tickets: £16 for all other performances, with optional £10 concessions ‘no questions asked’ and £20 ‘show of additional support’.

Running Time: approx 90 minutes

Age restriction advised: 12+

Box office: ensemble84.com/pits-people-players/ 0191 300 4340

Website: ensemble84.com

Facebook: facebook.com/ensemble84theatre

Instagram: instagram.com/ensemble84

YouTube: youtube.com/ensemble84

The Secret on the Second Shelf

The Secret on the Second Shelf, Jonathan White’s supernatural time-travel adventure for young readers, is now available as an audiobook, narrated by SOVAS Voice Arts Award-winning British narrator David Sweeney-Bear of DSB Audio.

Part ancient conspiracy thriller, part supernatural coming-of-age adventure, The Secret on the Second Shelf has drawn comparisons to The Da Vinci Code for its relentless pace and layered mystery, and to Stranger Things for its dark atmosphere, supernatural menace, and a young protagonist thrust into a world he was never supposed to find.

Set against the atmospheric backdrop of Bonfire Night, the story follows fourteen-year-old Tim Shaw as he is hurled 300 years into the past in a supernatural race to uncover the truth behind his mother’s mysterious disappearance. 

Along the way he must battle the Deceivers, terrifying creatures capable of shifting between human and bird form and unravel a dark secret that holds the key to the survival of mankind itself. With the help of a mysterious golden compass and sixth-former Gemma Bowen, Tim must confront forces far beyond anything an ordinary boy could imagine.

The novel blends fantasy, time travel, history, and horror into a breathless adventure, praised for its vivid world-building and pace.

“I’ve spent much of my life moving between countries, sitting in airports, living out of suitcases, staring out of train windows at unfamiliar landscapes. You find yourself with a lot of time to think. What are we really doing here? What do we leave behind? What secrets does the world keep from us? Tim Shaw’s story grew out of those questions. I wanted to write something that would grip a young reader the way the best stories gripped me as a child: something that made the world feel bigger, stranger and more alive with possibility than it appears. Hearing David bring that world to life in audio is one of the most extraordinary experiences of my writing life, author Jonathan White told That's Books and More.

David Sweeney-Bear is a SOVAS Voice Arts Award-recognised narrator, voice actor, and audio producer, and the founder of DSB Audio. With over 25 years of experience in music production and eight years specialising in audiobook narration, David has produced and narrated over 50 titles for publishers including Audible, HarperCollins, and Pro Audio Voices. An Audible Approved Producer, his work spans fantasy, historical fiction, non-fiction, and adventure, and he is recognised for his exceptional range of character voices, emotional depth, and cinematic production quality.

David told us: “It was an absolute joy to narrate and produce this outstanding supernatural horror mystery by Jonathan White. Jon and I worked closely to get the tone and characters just right, and it was an unusual pleasure to voice a book set in Cambridgeshire, UK, which happens to be where I grew up.

"In ‘The Secret on the Second Shelf’, Jon has written a well-conceived and thrilling story with a plethora of fascinating characters, surprises and thought-provoking narrative. It is rare that a story manages to strike that perfect balance between dread and whimsy, light and shade to deliver a satisfying and absorbing experience for the reader. This is one such story, and I hope that my audio narration and production will deliver that same experience for audiobook listeners.”

The Secret on the Second Shelf is available as an audiobook and in Kindle, paperback, and hardback editions. Listeners and readers can also explore the world of the novel through No Such Thing as Monsters, a short film adapted from the novel, written, produced, and directed by the author and available to watch on YouTube.

You can order your copies here: https://amzn.to/3RRb323

Finchley Filmmaker Returns With Second Psychological Drama Following 30-Million-View Viral Success

London filmmaker Raffaello Degruttola is back with another emotionally charged relationship drama, and this time he’s diving deep into the unsettling world of manipulation, obsession and emotional control.

Following the viral success of his debut feature Transference: A Love Story, which reportedly amassed more than 30 million views worldwide, Degruttola returns with To Love A Narcissist, a raw and psychologically intense look at modern relationships and the blurred line between love and emotional manipulation.

Produced through Degruttola’s London-based production company Contro Vento Films and shot locally in Finchley and across London, the film has already started making waves internationally following its North American digital release on Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video on 19 May 2026 through Freestyle Digital Media.

The success of Transference helped establish Degruttola as a filmmaker with a distinctive voice in psychologically intimate storytelling. That growing reputation has now attracted major industry backing, with Hollywood producer Ted Field, known for films including The Last Samurai and Jumanji, joining the project as Executive Producer alongside actress and filmmaker Sadie Frost.

Critics have already praised To Love A Narcissist for its grounded portrayal of toxic relationships and its emotionally unsettling realism. Early reactions have highlighted the film’s “chillingly honest ending” and its refusal to glamorise emotionally destructive behaviour, something increasingly rare in relationship dramas.

The cast includes Lyndsey Marshal, Stephen Campbell Moore, Andrea Lowe, Nathalie Armin and Sule Rimi, with production credits shared by Bill Bossert, Sadie Kaye and Degruttola himself.

The film also enjoyed its world premiere at the Socially Relevant Film Festival in New York, continuing the rise of locally rooted independent productions finding global audiences.

For fans of emotionally intelligent cinema, character-driven storytelling and psychological drama that lingers long after the credits roll, To Love A Narcissist looks set to become another compelling chapter in Degruttola’s growing film career.

https://controventofilms.com

A Kingsguard Tale: Road to Celestia. A Sky-High Fantasy Adventure Packed With Danger and Magic

Fantasy fans looking for a fast-paced adventure filled with courage, mystery and high-stakes action may want to keep an eye on this thrilling new tale centred around young warrior-in-training Dart Horowitz.

Dart has spent his life dreaming of becoming one of the legendary Kingsguard. But the path to honour is far more dangerous than he ever imagined. 

What begins as a simple escort mission quickly spirals into a desperate fight for survival when Dart is tasked with protecting Ava, the last Ancient of the Celestials, on a perilous journey back to her home in the skies.

With dark forces closing in, the pair are relentlessly hunted by a terrifying evil determined to capture Ava at any cost.

 As they cross desolate wastelands, dangerous mountain passes and hostile lands, Dart and Ava are forced to rely on bravery, instinct and each other if they hope to stay alive.

What makes the story especially gripping is the constant sense of uncertainty. Trust is fragile, danger lurks around every corner, and the fate of humanity itself hangs in the balance. The adventure unfolds at a relentless pace, blending magical fantasy elements with edge-of-your-seat action and emotional moments of heroism.

Readers who enjoy epic fantasy quests, powerful ancient beings, fierce enemies and unlikely heroes will find plenty to love here. There are echoes of classic fantasy adventures, but with enough mystery and suspense to keep readers guessing right until the final pages.

At its heart, this is a story about courage under pressure and discovering what kind of hero you truly are when the world begins to fall apart around you. Dart’s transformation from ambitious trainee to determined protector gives the novel an emotional core that balances the larger magical conflict perfectly.

The world-building also adds to the excitement, painting vivid landscapes ranging from bleak wastelands to towering mountain regions, all while hinting at a much larger mythology surrounding the Celestials and the dangers threatening humanity.

For readers of fantasy adventures packed with magic, peril and memorable characters, this sounds like a compelling page-turner that delivers both excitement and heart in equal measure.

Whether you are a long-time fantasy reader or simply looking for an adventurous escape into another world, Dart and Ava’s dangerous journey promises plenty of twists, tension and epic moments along the way.

The book is written by G. F. Allen and is available as a paperback on Amazon USA for $19.99 or Kindle for $4.99, or from Amazon UK at £15.26. To buy form the That's Books and More online bookshop you can visit https://amzn.to/4uAYman

It is part one of a series.

Fáilte, or Welcome! All Classical Radio is here! Ireland's first station dedicated to classical music 24/7

All Classical Radio has officially launched as Ireland’s first radio station dedicated entirely to classical music. 

Designed as a space to focus, unwind, or just pause for a moment, the new radio station offers a calm place for great music.

 Listeners can enjoy a carefully curated mix of classical music, ranging from well-known favourites and film soundtracks to timeless pieces and contemporary works, designed to create a relaxing soundtrack for the day.

Broadcasting from studios in Liffey Valley, Dublin, All Classical Radio is produced by RadioHub, the experienced team behind popular stations including Christmas FM and Rewind Radio and the Exploring Ireland podcast.

"We are so excited to officially welcome everyone to All Classical Radio," Daragh O'Sullivan, Content Director of RadioHub told That's Books and More. 

"All Classical Radio brings Ireland a new, uninterrupted home for classical music 24/7. You can listen online on any device at allclassicalradio.ie, ask your smart speaker to ‘Play All Classical Radio on Alexa’ or listen on DAB+ in Leinster, just press the DAB button on your car radio and find All Classical. 

We’re delighted to share All Classical Radio and see how the music resonates with listeners. I also want to say a massive thank you to all our brilliant suppliers who helped bring this station to life, especially the team at Fáilte DAB for their invaluable support."

The station is currently broadcasting on a 12-month trial licence granted by Coimisiún na Meán. During this introductory year, the focus is on building a compelling case to make All Classical Radio a permanent fixture for music lovers across the country.

How to Listen:

Enjoy a calmer soundtrack for your day, 24/7, whether in the car, at home, or in the workplace:

Online: Listen on any device at allclassicalradio.ie.

Smart Speaker: Just say “Play all Classical Radio Ireland” on Alexa.

Radio: Available on DAB+ in Leinster (Press the DAB button on your car radio and find ‘all Classical’).

Follow All Classical Radio:

Facebook: facebook.com/allClassicalRadio.ie

Instagram: instagram.com/allclassicalradio.ie/