What’s on this month in Somerset
PUBLISHED: 08:00 03 March 2020 | UPDATED: 15:10 03 April 2020
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Here's Somerset Life's top picks for shows, events and all other kinds of festive fun in March
The government advice regarding COVID-19 on March 16th recommended that we should avoid pubs, clubs, theatres and other such social venues.
This is very likely to impact the events listed here and those printed in our April issue which went to print before this announcement.
We recommend you check the website or social media of the organisers or venue for more details about cancellations, postponements and possible refunds.
We will resume updating this article when the government advice allows events involving large numbers of people to resume again.
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EVENING
4-5 March
Banff Mountain Film Festival
The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour is back for 2020, bringing a new selection of gripping action and adventure films to a wide range of venues, including Bath's Komedia.
The tour features two collections of extraordinary films from the world's best adventure film-makers, with super-human challenges, soulful journeys and spectacular cinematography from the wildest corners of the planet. Tickets are £15 with concessions available at £13.50. Doors open at 6.30pm.
komedia.co.uk
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6 March
Teacups And Tiaras: William Hanson's History Of Etiquette
Author of The Bluffer's Guide To Etiquette and The Bluffer's Guide To Entertaining, writer and etiquette expert William Hanson has been educating and entertaining high society guests and powerful business people for many years. He brings a sense of fun to the world of etiquette, while knowing everything anyone needs to know about which knife and fork to use at dinner and how to bow for The Queen. His show at the McMillan Theatre in Bridgwater begins at 7.30pm. Tickets are £24 or £19 for concessions.
mcmillantheatre.com
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15 March
Paul McKenna
Following the huge success of his sellout tour last year, Paul McKenna takes his new show, Change Your Life, on the road, visiting the Mackinnon Theatre in Bristol's new 1532 Performing Arts Centre. One of the best-selling self-help authors of all times, Paul McKenna has helped millions of people successfully quit smoking, lose weight, overcome insomnia, eliminate stress and increase self-confidence and was recently named by The Sunday Times as one of the world's leading modern gurus alongside Nelson Mandela and the Dalai Lama. Doors open at 7pm. Tickets are £40.
mindbodyspirit.co.uk
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29 March
Darcy Oake
Illusionist and Britain's Got Talent finalist Darcy Oake promises to wow his audience when he takes to the stage at Bristol's Thekla to perform a plethora of breath-taking, logic-bending illusions. For the first time Darcy will perform to an audience that will move around throughout the show, allowing them to get up close and personal to his daring, death-defying and dangerous performance. From 6pm, tickets are £20.
theklabristol.co.uk
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COMEDY
5 March
Mark Steel
The irrepressible Mark Steel is on tour again and heads to The Playhouse, Weston-super-Mare, along the way to deliver an injection of post-Brexit optimism. The stand-up comedian, Reasons To Be Cheerful author and one-time Socialist Worker columnist's new show assures us that, despite the crazy things going on in the world, Every Little Thing's Gonna Be Alright. Show begins at 8pm, tickets are £16.65.
ticketmaster.co.uk
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12 March
Daliso Chaponda
With more than 200 million views on Facebook and Youtube, Daliso Chaponda is undoubtedly the man of the moment. After his hugely successful Fringe Festival appearance, the Malawian-born stand-up and Britain's Got Talent finalist brings his new show on tour, visiting Bath Komedia for a show that is not to be missed. In Blah Blah Blacklist Daliso looks at disgraced blacklisted celebrities and historical figures we're ashamed we once admired and who now have let us down.
komedia.co.uk
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27, 29 March
Pete Firman And The Amazing TBC
Comedian and magician Pete Firman is back with a unique and hilarious new kind of magic show. See him at the Tacchi Morris Arts Centre in Taunton (27 March) or Bristol's Redgrave Theatre (29 March) and witness the first and possibly final performances of The World's Greatest Magical Double Act. Every night Pete will be joined by a different special guest who has no previous conjuring experience, and together they will perform jaw-dropping magic without any rehearsal. What could possibly go wrong? Both shows from 7.30pm, with Taunton tickets priced £17 or £15 for concessions and Bristol tickets £18/£16.
petefirman.co.uk
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MUSIC
3 March
Joanne Shaw Taylor
Celebrated blues-rock artist Joanne Shaw Taylor performs for one night at Komedia Bath as part of her UK tour. As well as playing most recent album Reckless Heart in its entirety, Joanne will allow the fans to curate the remainder of her set for the tour through her website, where they can select the songs they most want the band to play. Limited hospitality tickets are also available, giving the lucky recipients the opportunity to watch the band sound-check as well as meeting Joanne. Doors open 7.30pm, tickets are £29.50.
komedia.co.uk
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12 March
Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman
This popular husband and wife duo celebrate 25 years of making music together and visit Bridgwater Arts Centre on their On Reflection Tour. Twice winners of Best Duo BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, Kathryn and Sean have long established themselves as one of the UK folk scene's most rewardingly enduring partnerships. The couple will revisit and reinterpret songs which span their career from the early days of folk supergroup Equation to their current release Personae. The show begins at 8pm, tickets are £15.
bridgwaterartscentre.co.uk
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19 March
The Lightning Seeds
Liverpudlian band the Lightning Seeds will performing their seminal album Jollification on a six-date UK tour, including the O2 Academy in Bristol. The tour follows the 25th anniversary reissue of the album, which originally sold more than 900,000 copies and received critical acclaim. The show begins at 7pm with tickets £28.50.
gigsandtours.com
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THEATRE
Until 21 March
Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?
David Mercatali returns to Tobacco Factory Theatres to direct Edward Albee's landmark black comedy. By turns brilliantly funny and utterly devastating, Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf tells the tale of two professors and their wives apparently living the American Dream. Following an invitation after a college campus party, George and Martha realise they have a captive audience for their toxic domestic games. As dawn approaches, there is only one way this party can end. And whether they like it or not, everyone must play their part. Tickets from £12, evening performances at 7.30pm with Thursday and Saturday matinees at 2pm. Recommended for ages 14 and over.
tobaccofactorytheatres.com
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5, 13, 26 March
Charity Theatre Trips to Bristol Hippodrome
There are fantastic theatre coach trip deals available for productions at The Bristol Hippodrome this month, including Matthew Bourne's The Red Shoes on 5 March, the Welsh National Opera's new production of Carmen on 13 March and The King & I on 26 March. The coach goes from Curry Rivel, Langport, Somerton, then Street/Wells or Keinton Mandeville/Shepton Mallet depending on bookings. All profits donated to charity.
theatretrips.webeden.co.uk
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16-21 March
We Will Rock You
Featuring 24 of Queen's biggest hits and Ben Elton's hilarious comedy writing, We Will Rock You brings the scale and spectacle that marked the band's legendary live performances to The Bristol Hippodrome. The show has seen unprecedented success in theatres and arenas around the world (reaching more than 15 million theatregoers in 17 countries since 2002) and features Queen's greatest hits, including We Are The Champions, Radio Ga Ga, Bohemian Rhapsody, and, of course, We Will Rock You. Performances start at 7.30pm (with Wednesday and Saturday matinees at 2.30pm), tickets from £38.90.
atgtickets.com
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DAYTIME
Until 21 March
Small Worlds Exhibition
ACEArts welcomes Jan Niedojadlo's 'podule' sculptures back to the gallery in Somerton in March. Jan first exhibited at ACEArts in 2017, and returns with the students of Imagine, Learn & Create in South Petherton and their exhibition Small Worlds. The podules created quite a stir when they were last shown, and this year's creations, produced by talented artists with learning disabilities, promises to do the same. The exhibition is open from Tuesday to Saturday, 10am-5pm, and entrance is free.
acearts.co.uk
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2-21 March
By Invitation: A Silver Celebration Exhibition
Ilminster Arts Centre celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, and marks the occasion with an exhibition by some of the artists who have contributed to its success. Running for three weeks, the exhibition will feature work in a variety of styles by a host of well-known local artists including Jenny Barron, Leo Davey, Diane Burnell, John Payne and Linda Hampson. The gallery is open Monday to Friday 9.30am-4.30pm and Saturday 9.30am-2.30pm. Entrance is free.
themeetinghouse.org.uk
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6-8 March
Bath Decorative Antiques Fair
After more than 30 successful years at The Pavilion, Bath Decorative Antiques Fair - a regional event which enjoys an international audience and a unique atmosphere - still occupies a premier position in the decorative antiques trade's calendar. The queue on opening day is legendary, so early arrival is advised. This year the
fair's theme is 'Garden as Gallery', with some 50 exhibitors showing antiques and art to adorn the home and garden. Open 11am-5pm (11am-4pm on Sunday 8 March). Apply online for free tickets of pay £5 on the door.
bathdecorativeantiquesfair.co.uk
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7 March
The Arts Society Sedgemoor Talk
'SS Great Britain from launch to relaunch' is the theme of the Arts Society Sedgemoor's March lecture and meeting. Taking place at the 37 Club in Puriton at 2.15pm, Ian Caskie will give a fascinating illustrated talk on one of Bristol's most popular tourist attractions, the SS Great Britain, which was first launched almost 180 years ago. Visitors are welcome and tickets cost £8.
theartssocietysedgemoor.org.uk
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22 March
Rare Plants Fair
The historic gardens of the Bishop's Palace at Wells will host another Rare Plant Fair this month to inspire novice or experienced gardeners alike.
The fairs offer the widest possible range of plants to visitors, including perennials, shrubs and trees, alpines, bulbs and exotic plants and all of the nursery owners are experts in the plants that they grow so are happy to offer advice on selecting and growing the right plants for your garden. From 10am-4pm, with entry £7, which includes entry to the garden and palace.
rareplantsfair.co.uk
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4-5 March
Banff Mountain Film Festival
The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour is back for 2020, bringing a new selection of gripping action and adventure films to a wide range of venues, including Bath's Komedia.
The tour features two collections of extraordinary films from the world's best adventure film-makers, with super-human challenges, soulful journeys and spectacular cinematography from the wildest corners of the planet. Tickets are £15 with concessions available at £13.50. Doors open at 6.30pm.
komedia.co.uk
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6 March
Teacups And Tiaras: William Hanson's History Of Etiquette
Author of The Bluffer's Guide To Etiquette and The Bluffer's Guide To Entertaining, writer and etiquette expert William Hanson has been educating and entertaining high society guests and powerful business people for many years. He brings a sense of fun to the world of etiquette, while knowing everything anyone needs to know about which knife and fork to use at dinner and how to bow for The Queen. His show at the McMillan Theatre in Bridgwater begins at 7.30pm. Tickets are £24 or £19 for concessions.
mcmillantheatre.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
15 March
Paul McKenna
Following the huge success of his sellout tour last year, Paul McKenna takes his new show, Change Your Life, on the road, visiting the Mackinnon Theatre in Bristol's new 1532 Performing Arts Centre. One of the best-selling self-help authors of all times, Paul McKenna has helped millions of people successfully quit smoking, lose weight, overcome insomnia, eliminate stress and increase self-confidence and was recently named by The Sunday Times as one of the world's leading modern gurus alongside Nelson Mandela and the Dalai Lama. Doors open at 7pm. Tickets are £40.
mindbodyspirit.co.uk
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
29 March
Darcy Oake
Illusionist and Britain's Got Talent finalist Darcy Oake promises to wow his audience when he takes to the stage at Bristol's Thekla to perform a plethora of breath-taking, logic-bending illusions. For the first time Darcy will perform to an audience that will move around throughout the show, allowing them to get up close and personal to his daring, death-defying and dangerous performance. From 6pm, tickets are £20.
theklabristol.co.uk
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMEDY
5 March
Mark Steel
The irrepressible Mark Steel is on tour again and heads to The Playhouse, Weston-super-Mare, along the way to deliver an injection of post-Brexit optimism. The stand-up comedian, Reasons To Be Cheerful author and one-time Socialist Worker columnist's new show assures us that, despite the crazy things going on in the world, Every Little Thing's Gonna Be Alright. Show begins at 8pm, tickets are £16.65.
ticketmaster.co.uk
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 March
Daliso Chaponda
With more than 200 million views on Facebook and Youtube, Daliso Chaponda is undoubtedly the man of the moment. After his hugely successful Fringe Festival appearance, the Malawian-born stand-up and Britain's Got Talent finalist brings his new show on tour, visiting Bath Komedia for a show that is not to be missed. In Blah Blah Blacklist Daliso looks at disgraced blacklisted celebrities and historical figures we're ashamed we once admired and who now have let us down.
komedia.co.uk
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
27, 29 March
Pete Firman And The Amazing TBC
Comedian and magician Pete Firman is back with a unique and hilarious new kind of magic show. See him at the Tacchi Morris Arts Centre in Taunton (27 March) or Bristol's Redgrave Theatre (29 March) and witness the first and possibly final performances of The World's Greatest Magical Double Act. Every night Pete will be joined by a different special guest who has no previous conjuring experience, and together they will perform jaw-dropping magic without any rehearsal. What could possibly go wrong? Both shows from 7.30pm, with Taunton tickets priced £17 or £15 for concessions and Bristol tickets £18/£16.
petefirman.co.uk
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MUSIC
3 March
Joanne Shaw Taylor
Celebrated blues-rock artist Joanne Shaw Taylor performs for one night at Komedia Bath as part of her UK tour. As well as playing most recent album Reckless Heart in its entirety, Joanne will allow the fans to curate the remainder of her set for the tour through her website, where they can select the songs they most want the band to play. Limited hospitality tickets are also available, giving the lucky recipients the opportunity to watch the band sound-check as well as meeting Joanne. Doors open 7.30pm, tickets are £29.50.
komedia.co.uk
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 March
Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman
This popular husband and wife duo celebrate 25 years of making music together and visit Bridgwater Arts Centre on their On Reflection Tour. Twice winners of Best Duo BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, Kathryn and Sean have long established themselves as one of the UK folk scene's most rewardingly enduring partnerships. The couple will revisit and reinterpret songs which span their career from the early days of folk supergroup Equation to their current release Personae. The show begins at 8pm, tickets are £15.
bridgwaterartscentre.co.uk
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
19 March
The Lightning Seeds
Liverpudlian band the Lightning Seeds will performing their seminal album Jollification on a six-date UK tour, including the O2 Academy in Bristol. The tour follows the 25th anniversary reissue of the album, which originally sold more than 900,000 copies and received critical acclaim. The show begins at 7pm with tickets £28.50.
gigsandtours.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THEATRE
Until 21 March
Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?
David Mercatali returns to Tobacco Factory Theatres to direct Edward Albee's landmark black comedy. By turns brilliantly funny and utterly devastating, Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf tells the tale of two professors and their wives apparently living the American Dream. Following an invitation after a college campus party, George and Martha realise they have a captive audience for their toxic domestic games. As dawn approaches, there is only one way this party can end. And whether they like it or not, everyone must play their part. Tickets from £12, evening performances at 7.30pm with Thursday and Saturday matinees at 2pm. Recommended for ages 14 and over.
tobaccofactorytheatres.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5, 13, 26 March
Charity Theatre Trips to Bristol Hippodrome
There are fantastic theatre coach trip deals available for productions at The Bristol Hippodrome this month, including Matthew Bourne's The Red Shoes on 5 March, the Welsh National Opera's new production of Carmen on 13 March and The King & I on 26 March. The coach goes from Curry Rivel, Langport, Somerton, then Street/Wells or Keinton Mandeville/Shepton Mallet depending on bookings. All profits donated to charity.
theatretrips.webeden.co.uk
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
16-21 March
We Will Rock You
Featuring 24 of Queen's biggest hits and Ben Elton's hilarious comedy writing, We Will Rock You brings the scale and spectacle that marked the band's legendary live performances to The Bristol Hippodrome. The show has seen unprecedented success in theatres and arenas around the world (reaching more than 15 million theatregoers in 17 countries since 2002) and features Queen's greatest hits, including We Are The Champions, Radio Ga Ga, Bohemian Rhapsody, and, of course, We Will Rock You. Performances start at 7.30pm (with Wednesday and Saturday matinees at 2.30pm), tickets from £38.90.
atgtickets.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DAYTIME
Until 21 March
Small Worlds Exhibition
ACEArts welcomes Jan Niedojadlo's 'podule' sculptures back to the gallery in Somerton in March. Jan first exhibited at ACEArts in 2017, and returns with the students of Imagine, Learn & Create in South Petherton and their exhibition Small Worlds. The podules created quite a stir when they were last shown, and this year's creations, produced by talented artists with learning disabilities, promises to do the same. The exhibition is open from Tuesday to Saturday, 10am-5pm, and entrance is free.
acearts.co.uk
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2-21 March
By Invitation: A Silver Celebration Exhibition
Ilminster Arts Centre celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, and marks the occasion with an exhibition by some of the artists who have contributed to its success. Running for three weeks, the exhibition will feature work in a variety of styles by a host of well-known local artists including Jenny Barron, Leo Davey, Diane Burnell, John Payne and Linda Hampson. The gallery is open Monday to Friday 9.30am-4.30pm and Saturday 9.30am-2.30pm. Entrance is free.
themeetinghouse.org.uk
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6-8 March
Bath Decorative Antiques Fair
After more than 30 successful years at The Pavilion, Bath Decorative Antiques Fair - a regional event which enjoys an international audience and a unique atmosphere - still occupies a premier position in the decorative antiques trade's calendar. The queue on opening day is legendary, so early arrival is advised. This year the
fair's theme is 'Garden as Gallery', with some 50 exhibitors showing antiques and art to adorn the home and garden. Open 11am-5pm (11am-4pm on Sunday 8 March). Apply online for free tickets of pay £5 on the door.
bathdecorativeantiquesfair.co.uk
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7 March
The Arts Society Sedgemoor Talk
'SS Great Britain from launch to relaunch' is the theme of the Arts Society Sedgemoor's March lecture and meeting. Taking place at the 37 Club in Puriton at 2.15pm, Ian Caskie will give a fascinating illustrated talk on one of Bristol's most popular tourist attractions, the SS Great Britain, which was first launched almost 180 years ago. Visitors are welcome and tickets cost £8.
theartssocietysedgemoor.org.uk
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
22 March
Rare Plants Fair
The historic gardens of the Bishop's Palace at Wells will host another Rare Plant Fair this month to inspire novice or experienced gardeners alike.
The fairs offer the widest possible range of plants to visitors, including perennials, shrubs and trees, alpines, bulbs and exotic plants and all of the nursery owners are experts in the plants that they grow so are happy to offer advice on selecting and growing the right plants for your garden. From 10am-4pm, with entry £7, which includes entry to the garden and palace.
rareplantsfair.co.uk
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