Musical treats and plenty of drama at Warwick’s Bridge House

Ruth is a founding member of the internationally-renowned The Wailin’ Jennys, has performed in sold-out venues around the world and made numerous critically-acclaimed albums. She will take the stage on Friday (January 13).

A very different musical treat follows when the Bridge House hosts Opera Warwick’s Hansel & Gretel on Friday January 20 and Saturday January 21. Humperdinck’s magical fairy tale opera is brought up to date and set in the Roma Gypsy community in this new translation, written in collaboration with Kit Hesketh-Harvey and featuring schoolchildren from the area.

A touch of Paris nightlife will arrive at the venue when Eve Loiseau sings the songs of Edith Piaf, with accompaniment from Fiona Barrow on the violin and Edward Jay on the accordion on Saturday February 18.

A dramatic rise saw Piaf go from Paris street urchin to becoming a star of international renown and France’s most popular singer of the 1940s and 50s.

But her life was anything but ‘La vie en rose’. Towards the end, ravaged by pain and injury, she turned to drugs to find comfort and solace.

As the 50th anniversary of her death approaches, this celebration of her songs, which include La Vie en Rose, Non Je ne Regrette Rien and Sous le Ciel de Paris, comes from a company whose credentials include Kneehigh Theatre and Canteve Vocale.

Also coming up at the Bridge House is Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor by Oddsocks, Baby Boomers by Scratch Built Productions and Proteus Theatre, Warwick School productions of Harold Pinter’s The Birthday Party and Adrian Jarvis’ Elephand Man and family music sessions run by Leamington Music.

The box office is now open for all these events or tickets can be booked online. Call 776438.