Hi, yeah s’me, keeping up the Song of the Day feature like dedication was as word I know the definition of!
No excuses not to, I mean I am of the generation when Roy Castle clasped his trumpet weekly, ready for the signing off of “Record Breakers.” No, it’s not a euthanasim, Google it whippersnappers.
Might also explain my fondness for brass. Brass is class, and a vital element of ska. Yep, four tunes in and I couldn’t resist sharing some ska with you.
It’s a commonly misguided notion that ska is a retrospective cult here in England. It tends to convey a bygone era of Two-Tone records, boots and braces.
Yet today, while said stereotype has a grounding, ska is an international phenomenon, particularly in South America. I did write a piece about this region’s love for ska, and how it’s roots out of Jamaica bare a different tale from our own.
To show you how fresh it can be elsewhere in the world, and it’s not a reminiscence for a
load of overweight balding pensioners as perceived in the UK, here’s all-female bar one Mexican band, Girls Go Ska, who I’m secretly in love with, (so secret they don’t even know themselves….until they use Google translate!) doing an instrumental jam.
Girls and ska; what’s not to like? Have a lovely rest of your day. Very good. Carry on….
- Devizes; Full of Scummy Mummies!
Guys out on “the pull” on Thursday in Devizes were cut short. The Scummy Mummies were back in town, and you’ve never heard so many Prosecco corks popping from the Corn Exchange. It sounded like machine-gun fire in there, aimed directly at testosterone….
Chicks and honeys, as far as the eye could see, and the odd quivering fellow, likely dragged in by their wives; a Devizes Arts Festival sell-out. The Scummy Mummies made their debut here four years ago. Their outrageous family-related routine adapts to follow the personal timelines of their own marriage and motherhood, with teenage parenting and divorce added source material for their latest offering, Hot Mess. But they also reminisced on the thirteen years they’ve been together after meeting on the comedy circuits; it shows.
I meant in professionalism, not physically; I’ll leave the self-body-shaming gags to this dynamic comedy duo. They excel in it, but extrovert their comical bombardments too, onto their kids, partners and the audience, taking no prisoners as they fill the stage with madcap frenzy. At its baseline this show is 60% self-deprecating standup, 40% the ultimate hen party. There’s a complete comedy package, brazenly embellishing standup with sketches, Powerpoint presentations, parodied pop songs to suit the narrative, and more costume changes than Sabrina Carpenter gigging in Harvey Nichols.
I’m here breaking my Scummy Mummies cherry, by default attacking this from a male point of view, but….erm, (collective noun I believe is a gaggle) a gaggle of ladies knew what was coming, were prepped with tipples and charged funny bones. They were out for the funniest ladies’ night ever, for this is an Ab Fab afterparty, uncut French & Saunders but with a Jo Brand twist, a comedy duo who take Cyndi Lauper’s hit biblically.
From the contents of a laundry basket stratigraphically examined and retested for scale, to a particularly amusing mum’s Mastermind sketch, subjects ranged from “fingering” to the PTA Whatsapp group, but all done without taste; unless middle-aged women in catsuits simulating sexual positions with their husbands whilst admiring images on slippers is your definition of taste. But any more on that would be a spoiler, if it doesn’t spoil itself.
As a geezer, you’d be forgiven for assuming this sounds excruciating, and this was certainly my pre-concern too. For if such a format was performed by anyone other than comedy geniuses, I’d still be of that opinion, but it wasn’t. This duo have the timing of The Greenwich Time Ball, are improv masters, and unless you were a subject on Louis Theroux’s Manosphere, wherever your testosterone balance lies, you cannot escape the simple fact that the Scummy Mummies are absolutely and undeniably hilarious.
They bounce off each other, literally, but also figuratively akin to Ronnies Barker and Corbett. To suggest they’re competency is on a similar pedestal would be exaggeration, but, dammit, they should be sitting above Michael McIntyre, and thoroughly deserve their own TV show.
Men are going to be verbally assaulted here, you just know, but only with a feather duster rather than an all-out carpet bombing against patriarchy; in fact the word was only mentioned once. This is not a feminist march, and there is no political campaign with The Scummy Mummies, only astute social observational humour. And the bottom line is, with no bars held, they’ve perfected it. The menopause medley was sidesplitting, ‘Ann Scummers’ delighted, the audience participation was paramount throughout, but precedence held at the finale, the result of the ‘confessions,’ was a gem of comic sagacity.
Their entire show didn’t come up for air, is written with comedy erudition, and the gag about men in grey boxers had me contemplating if the notion was understandable in their presence, given I nearly wet myself laughing at these two exceptionally funny women!
All hail The Devizes Arts Festival, it’s looking like another successful year. This was a hysterical button to press, seemingly loved by everyone in attendance. But there’s plenty more to come, all the way until, and including, Sunday 14th June. You’d be doing yourself a favour to find details HERE and pick up some tickets.
- SoP Live at Swindon’s Castle with St Fian
by Ben Naimor
I have been pestered that I would love St Fian. They have played at my local venue in Devizes before, but I had not managed to catch them, until now…..
What I had not been warned about, was that this fantastic duo would present me with among the finest female voices I’ve ever had the pleasure of hearing. Enchanting and emotive vocals, of the kind that have you transfixed; there is no question of whether I will see them again!
This is a band who happily embrace wonderful small-room venues like this, rubbing shoulders as it does on their summer tour listings with some decent size festivals; truly adaptive and passionate artists, and wonderful humans. I was very glad to get a quick chat too, post-gig.
The distinctive voice and musicianship of this duo have a fresh and exciting edge, but built on the solid ground of true folk. I think my favourite original song of a mixed set of originals and covers, a song called Paperboat, an original ode to all life’s tribulations, a reminder to live life rather than wish it away. Given we were informed the duo are a nurse and mental health worker, respectively, perhaps this is why singing with poise and compassion about such things comes so readily and enjoyably.
We shouldn’t overlook the confident and relaxed picking of the fine musician on guitar and bouzouki, a cross between a banjo and mandolin. Despite the strange name it’s gentle tones suit Ian’s gentle picking, and seems more than ready for when it’s time for Irish songs or shanty.
Loving the shruti box too, reputedly costing a week’s pocket money! But again, a true folk instrument that adds a little underlying mystery to the sound, on a couple of songs.
I’ve not been inspired to review or delight in word, so much recently, but my heart was opened; that’s about me, not any of the wonderful music I’ve enjoyed, but worthy I think of mentioning, is that the moment Steph began to sing, my shoulders relaxed and I felt this was something I had to try and convey and applaud in print.
The duo are creeping towards an all-original set, and by their own admission enjoy doing some covers, as they fill their original songbook with new material. So, the second set had a few covers in, but you have not seen these covers done so proud before; it takes a joyous confidence and incredible voice to do justice to some songs so familiar to so many. Don’t Think Twice by Dylan , for instance, sung with a lingering harmonious quality that appeared to literally hang on every lyric.
A couple of covers of Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood, it takes a confident singer to carry off Stevie, and to do so that a life long fan like me is enthralled. Another one which would be ambitious for most, I’ve certainly witnessed some less than adequate attempts over the years was The Cranberries’ Zombie, with the comment that this will let metal fan Ian rock out! Then, smashes it again, the most incredible thing to do; such choices for powerful and very well known songs, but with this being a duo, an intimacy and powerful delivery of verse that knocks yer socks off.
So, as you might have guessed, I was very impressed; real genuinely wonderful humans, giving us unforgettable moments in local small-room spaces is what our scenes are all about. Thank you as ever to Ed and the Castle, as well as Steph and Ian for a superb gig.
SoP-Live are Swindon-based music promoters, and run The Thursday Night Music Club at The Castle. There’s a whole list of great stuff lined up this year you can check out on socials for Sop Live, and St Fian have the socials too so, we can make sure we catch them down the line.
There’s a whole EP and an album in the works; I can’t wait, I’ve a feeling it will be a popular play in the soundtrack to my life.
- REVIEW – Devizes Arts Festival– “Behind The Lens – My Life in Wildlife Film-Making & Photography” with Nick Upton @ Assembly Room (Thursday 4th June 2026)
It’s Not As Easy As It Looks
by Andy Fawthrop
The Devizes Arts Festival continued on a very wet Market Day this Thursday, and continues to throw up some real little gems. Here was another piece of interesting and imaginative programming from the committee…..
If you’ve ever watched a David Attenborough wildlife programme, or read about some of the campaigns of the RSPB, or the National Trust, or marvelled at the wildlife photography in the National Geographic, or even Wiltshire Life, there’s a reasonable chance that at some point Nick Upton was working behind the scenes on one of those projects. His work, which he showed us many examples of during his talk, and the well-stocked merch desk in the foyer, were great examples of the skill of this man.
Nick let us in on many of the difficulties and challenges in his line of work, and many of them were not related to mere simple technical stuff, such as which lens he might need to use, or about the quality of the light, but more about working in some extremely difficult physical and climactic conditions, extreme weather changes, being attacked by insects such as bees, wasps and hornets (and some bigger stuff too!), having to work with local indigenous people (and I don’t mean folks from TrowVegas or The Sham), but also having to cope with potential diseases, bites, droppings and things that could be considered seriously injurious to health.
We also got an insight into the many tools and techniques required – not just the amazing whizz-bang range of camera goodies, but all the associated non-camera items: drones, hides, tubes, camouflage, hard hats, periscopes, GPS tracking, motion and heat sensors, infra-red equipment and helicopters. And even that lot was never enough to secure great pictures – you still needed a lot of prior research (migration paths, animal behaviour patterns), a massive amount of patience and ability to soak up personal discomfort, and sometimes just a bit of luck.
On top of all that, some creatures apparently have the temerity to be vanishingly rare, or are very camera-shy, live nocturnally, move extremely fast, or are incredibly tiny. How very dare they? Clearly, this is not a job for the faint-hearted.
This talk was a great sweep across Nick’s career over 40 years, and covering over 30 countries, but it illustrated not only the man’s undoubted technical and related skills, but also his obvious passion for nature, especially those projects closer to home in the UK. These included working with hedgehogs, harvest mice, dormice and the re-introduction programmes of cranes, great bustards, otters and beavers.
It’s no wonder he’s won so many photography awards, and had so many pictures published and syndicated in many countries. Packing all that little lot (including hundreds of great photos) into just 55 minutes was no mean feat, so it was quite a fast canter. But Nick really came alive once he was off-script and responding to questions at the end of the session from the packed audience.
A really wonderful, and truly fascinating, topic for a Thursday lunchtime. Great stuff. Well done Nick, and well done DAF for booking him!
Meanwhile the rest of The Devizes Arts Festival continues until the night of Sunday 14th June at various venues around the town. Tickets can be booked at Devizes Books or online at www.devizesartsfestival.org.uk
- Local performer Grace Sheridan to Share Stage With Jason Donovan at Fulltone Festival
A talented local performer from Devizes is set to share the stage with international star Jason Donovan this summer as part of Fulltone Festival ’26. ….
Grace Sheridan, who will appear alongside Jason Donovan during his headline performance with The Fulltone Orchestra, first began performing in local productions in Devizes as a child. Those early experiences inspired her to pursue a career in the performing arts, leading her to drama school where she trained in Musical Theatre.
Since graduating, Grace has enjoyed a growing professional career, appearing in a West End pantomime and touring productions across the UK and internationally.
Alongside her theatre work, Grace regularly performs with Lewes Music Group, taking on featured roles in a variety of live shows celebrating artists and genres including Fleetwood Mac, ABBA, disco classics, acoustic favourites and country music. Her portrayal of Stevie Nicks has become a particular audience favourite.
Jemma and Anthony Brown with Jason Donovan Grace is also a familiar face to Fulltone audiences, having performed at the festival for several years.
Speaking ahead of this year’s event, Grace said, “Fulltone Festival has always been such a special event to be part of, and I’ve loved performing there over the years. To now have the opportunity to sing alongside Jason Donovan is incredibly exciting. He’s such an iconic performer, and I can’t wait to be part of what is going to be an amazing weekend.”
Fulltone Festival ’26 takes place on 11-12 July at Park Farm, Devizes, bringing together orchestral spectaculars, iconic guest artists, tribute acts and live music spanning classical, rock, pop, Motown, dance and more.
Jason Donovan headlines this year’s festival alongside a packed line-up including The Wurzels, Rozalla, Ricardo Afonso, Mark Shaw of Then Jerico, Seriously Collins, Mainly Madness and The Fulltone Orchestra.
Festival Director Jemma Brown said, “Grace is a wonderful example of local talent flourishing on a professional stage. We’ve watched her develop as a performer over the years, and we’re absolutely delighted that she’ll be joining Jason Donovan this summer. It’s fantastic to be able to showcase someone who began performing right here in Devizes and is now building an exciting professional career.”
Fulltone ’26 returns to Park Farm, Devizes on Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 July 2026.
Weekend and day tickets are on sale now, with under-14s attending free when accompanied by a paying adult. Weekend passes offer the best value. Onsite camping and parking available (Friday to Monday).
Full details and tickets: www.fto.org.uk/events
- A Devizes Arts Festival Lunchtime Recital with Fábio Fernandes
Andy’s topping the leaderboard for Devizes Arts Festival reviews; if I pull my socks up and attend a lunchtime recital at least I’ve chalked my name on it. Classical guitar at St Andrews Church, how bad could it be? Just a handful of tea drinkers coughing over some amateur strumming?! I should know the Devizes Arts Festival better than that by now……
What I, and a full house got was precisely the opposite. London-based Portuguese classical guitar and lutenist scholar and tutor, Fábio Fernandes is a virtuoso. He came to Devizes to educate as well as entertain, and he did both delightfully.
His penultimate of seven was by Frank Ridge, and the finale, a sunny-side-of-the-street piece, one of many his fellow classical guitar enthusiast David Russell wrote for him for the album he was promoting. But, like Doctor Who with an acoustic guitar, both of these contemporary compositions were inspired by the centuries of English guitar music we had joyfully trekked through in the past hour, to which Fábio held the crowd spellbound.
Coming clean, what I know about English Baroque composers can be written on the back of a matchbox, but if I attend lots of gigs where the guitar is a given, thanks to Fábio I’m enlightened with a genre of yore which introduced our country to the instrument by Europeans. Fábio provided a medley of four 17th century Henry Purcell transcriptions as an opening, and wowed the audience with his intricate skill. From the tragic opera Dido and Aeneas, to an eloquent dance and my particular favourite section, a Shakespearean underscore called The Fairy Queen, these pieces were short, but in them you could hear the influence of everything which followed.
I found myself contemplating waltz, nineteenth century English folk dances, or twangs of bluegrass in this music, predating 1940’s Appalachia by a country mile. Even playful notes on the offbeat, which, as a reggae fanatic, shocked me, and so many experimental elements pop has caused us to take for granted now. From the romantic delicacies of 19th century salon music to the militantacy of William Walton in the following era, and onto scores by Benjamin Britten, we moved through time with the grace of the gods, and each chapter with a full and fascinating explanation.
I’m forever impressed with the quality at Devizes Arts Festival, but generally I’m nocturnal, and due to work commitments I rely on, and am grateful for, Andy and Ian to provide our feedback on daytime events. Please forgive me for so wrongly assuming during the daytime this level of quality lessens off. Quite clearly it doesn’t, and neither does the attraction or diversity on offer. Fábio Fernandes was as impressive and entertaining as something more contemporary, and being it had a little history lesson thrown in for good measure, it was inspiring too.
The Devizes Arts Festival runs until Saturday 13th June, with lots more going on.
I loved this, and was surprised I did. It was only a lunchtime recital, dammit! Someone look after my cucumber and haslet sandwiches, I’m going for more of this!
- Pride Where Pride is Needed
Pride month finds me wondering if Pride events are actually needed more in our smaller market towns where awareness and acceptance is perhaps lesser than in larger towns where diversity is tolerated more, but Prides are already established. Then I ponder deeper, if that’s even an accurate statement, and if it is, why many small town Prides seem to barely bathe a little toe in the water, or fizzle out after they do…..
From Bronski Beat’s poignant Small-Town Boy video to Little Britain’s ‘only gay in the village’ running joke, culturally there’s always been a consensus that anyone LGBTQ+ could fair a better life, even safer, in an urban environment. Ergo, while Prides may thrive in cities, in the sticks it’s harder to organise them effectively.
Add to this the economic downturn causing an increasing risk for any free event, the terrible notion with a rise of far-right philosophy infiltrating our councils, with negative tendencies towards Pride, pushing through permissions and gaining support for Prides might sadly lessen, particularly in sparsely populated areas with a minority of LGBTQ+.
While Pride in Bath is relatively new, and like Swindon Pride, happens in August, Salisbury’ Pride has events every weekend in June with a family gathering at Sloan Park on the 6th and Juneteenth on the 20th at The Bell Tower Green. However, Swindon Pride began promoting their events in June, this year seeing an inclusive virtual walking challenge. Pride is changing everywhere and offering alternatives to a carnival-style event.
Influenced perhaps by former mayor Declan Baseley, Chippenham holds very elaborate Prides, this year over the 13th-14th June weekend. But Nathan of Trowbridge Pride explained they were forced to reduce theirs to bingo evenings and pop up stalls. “We are in need of new volunteers to help bring our planned full sized festival to our town park,” he said.
My concerns for rural Prides stemmed from a Facebook post on a Marlborough group, gauging interest for a Pride there. Well, Pewsey held a Pride for a few years, but a spokesperson for it told me it’s now reduced from a “full day” to a drag cabaret night, which is on 12th September.
While Calne have maintained theirs, and it’s this weekend, I cannot find anything on one in Melksham, and though Devizes held a few in previous years, due to the operation now running with one solo person, Oberan told me large-scale events are on hold. It’s great to note, though, this saddening trend is bucking on the canal, as boater community Floaty Boaty offers a Pride Parade & Picnic at The Bradford-on-Avon Wharf on June 20th.
Motivation might also be a factor for Pride’s decline. It must be disheartening to arduously labour over an event where the attraction for it is in the minority and organisers worry it cannot escape its niche. Whilst heterosexuals with an open mind might feel welcome at a Pride, I consider they’re lesser living rurally, compared to those who really need to reconsider their views on the matter. The numerous social media reactions to our article on if Wiltshire Council should fly the Pride flag suggested there’s many locally who do.
Comments flooded in on it, either airing views that they shouldn’t, generally using reasoning that whilst they’ve nothing against homosexuality, it’s not for councils to condone it, and counter arguments accusing them of homophobia. In fairness, aside from the irrelevant but expected patriotic flagwaving comments, in some suggestions where they didn’t want “their face rubbed in it,” conveys they’re either unaware of their ingrained homophobia, or they have the necks of giraffes, for how else could you rub someone’s face into a flag atop of County Hall?!
But our Pewsey Pride spokesperson provided a surprising alternative, saying “I have actually found that some of the gay community in our village are the ones who oppose it the most. They say they don’t need a “day” or “event” to celebrate who they are, and they just want to integrate into the community.”
If Pride is subjective, even for the LGBTQ+ community, and, I feel, in many circumstances it’s doubtful some leopards can change their spots, it is also clear many wish to celebrate the progress made, and being it’s taken the best part of 500 years to move from hanging gays, through imprisonment and from post illegality riddicle and hate, to an era where no one bats an eyelid to see same sex parnters on a TV game show, but social media holds a smoking gun for a gradual regression, I think it’s worthy of celebration. But, we know progress can often be slower in rural areas.
Does this make Prides in rural areas even more essential than urban areas? Or would it be better for those in rural areas to put their efforts and resources into assisting in larger towns’ established Prides, or forming collectives to host Prides each year in a different town within their group?
“I think combining prides is a great idea,” our spokesperson for Pewsey Pride agreed, “as it’s really hard to maintain our biggest issue; we are only a small village and finding the funding/sponsorship is really hard. We can’t put on events without it.” Although they praised a partnership with Pewsey Carnival, “they help with liability insurance, etc, which can get frowned upon, that we aren’t solely a Pride event, but we couldn’t do it without their help.”
For encouraging other organisations to assist, especially those with a majority of straight members, a starting point could be to confirm Pride is inclusive, express the reasons for having Pride, and if any take precedence over the others. The conflicting two intentions must surely be: is Pride’s celebratory element paramount above raising awareness and attempts to cause heterosexuals to think differently? The former might cause criticism that it’s not inclusive for all, even though it is, and this, shamefully, answers the latter.
For heterosexuals, if attending a Pride allows them to walk in another’s shoes, it’s surely valid. Being straight, pondering all this found me reflecting personally, recalling a time that I did experience something akin to what it might feel like to be gay in a tight community complete with homophobes; the impact of isolation when I moved from suburban Essex to a Wiltshire village at thirteen. I was not made to feel welcome by many, because I was different. Culturally I was an outsider, and often treated with mistrust or ridicule, even threatened.
It may have been only a taster, not nearly as serious as issues gays have to deal with daily. Being I’ve integrated, I could shrug it off as tribal immaturity, call it water under the bridge, but in consideration, if it continued till this day, I must suppose it would affect me psychologically.
As (mostly) adults, urbanites might bellow out homophobic abuses unperturbed, as it’s a built up area you’re less likely to be known, whereas country folk in smaller communities might be more selective in mannerisms, to their face, but hold deeper and darker negative values bottled up and only exhausted privately between those likeminded.
Then I wonder if talking behind your back is possibly more upsetting, humiliating and damaging than someone throwing abuse directly at you? Either way, it’s why we need Pride, and we need Pride, in some format, be that wellbeing seminars and community building workshops rather than an all out carnival, in our rural areas equally, if not more.
- Devizes Arts Festival Reviews: Steve Tuffin’s Have-A-Go Workshop on Memoir-Writing, Anthony Horowitz – “A Life In Murder”, and Becky Grey’s “How I Became A Ghost Writer”
It’s All In The Writing
Andy Fawthrop
The Devizes Arts Festival is now in its 40th year and, as ever, seems to be in robust health. Marking the anniversary with 30 wide-ranging events across two weeks in several venues in and around the town, here’s yet another example of D-Town continuing to punch well above its weight in the area of the Arts…..
Whilst there are lots of big, headlining events (see link below to DAF’s website), there’s lots of other more intimate, and interactive, things going on too. Because it’s not just big bricks you need to build a wall, it’s the quality of the mortar to bond those bricks into something really solid. The theme, if there is one, of many of these smaller events is about getting involved or “have a go”. Well Devizine, as you lovely people well know, is always up for a bit of a challenge, so I thought I’d pitch in to three literary-type events this week. Being no stranger to the publishing world myself, I decided that, apart from listening to one of the UK’s most prolific fiction and screen writers, I’d cast an eye over two things I’ve previously had a go at myself – memoir-writing, and ghost-writing. What could possibly go wrong? You never know – I might actually learn something.
First up on Monday was Bath Spa’s Steve Tuffin, who led a very practical class on how to go about writing a personal memoir, or indeed how to approach any form of creative writing. Surrounded by some wonderful sepia-tinted historical photos on the walls of the Cheese Hall (plenty of subject-matter there), Steve led an engaging session. In what could have been a dry, dusty and boring subject (rather like my good self), Steve presented a very lively, interesting and, yes, absorbing couple of hours. Apart from some great tips, techniques and tools, there was plenty of good discussion and three different short practical writing exercises.
One of the interesting debates, especially in the light of modern politics and celebrity “voices”, concerned the cross-shading between factual/ absolute “truth” and the personal/ relative viewpoint of “my truth”. The stories weaved by Trump and his cohorts, Raynor Winn’s “The Salt Path” and the Harry/ Meghan psycho-drama, are all evidence enough that “memoir” and “memory” can often be poles apart, thus melding the different worlds of fact and fiction.
Steve cantered through a number of techniques (starting small, finding your voice, controlling the speed, being brave, reading out loud, finding a way in etc), but the key lesson that came out time and time again was the need to “postpone perfection”: get what you want to say down on the page as quickly as possible, then re-draft (many times), edit, and polish. Clearly a technique that we at Devizine have already (ahem) been practising for many years!
Later on Monday evening, the venue switched to much larger Corn Exchange, where a lively audience of about three hundred turned out on a rainy night to hear Becky Grey interview the prolific and versatile author and screen-writer Anthony Horowitz. Responsible for writing scripts for Midsomer Murders, Foyle’s War, as well as the Alex Rider teen spy series, two modern Sherlock Holmes novels and three James Bond continuation novels, Horowitz is no stranger to hard work and all the tricks and tools of fiction writing.
Becky didn’t have to work too hard to get the man talking: Horowitz proved to be a loquacious and captivating raconteur. He had plenty of anecdotes and examples to give, peppering his replies with humour and witty asides. Having known he wanted to be an author since the age of ten, discovering that he had both the right skills and a vivid imagination, he was soon set upon the career which has now made him famous. Declaring himself a great fan of Agatha Christie and her skill at plotting, by planting the clues to the “solution” but without giving away the answer before the very last twist, and deliberately laying false trails, Horowitz showed himself to be entirely engaged in, and engrossed by, the techniques of the popular fiction-writer.
His line on the use of AI was that it was a useful, but a clearly limited tool, to be employed with care and discretion, and to understand its limits. He said that he used AI simply as a research assistant, a search engine to fill in the gaps, simply to save time on researching factual background information, but never to do any actual “writing” that could end up in any of his books or scripts.
And that knotty subject that had emerged during the earlier session in the afternoon, the frequent non-alignment between “my truth” and factual reality, came up again for some more analysis. The Trumpian world-view, together with a brief commentary of the recent Sturgeon/ Murrell embezzlement fandango were subjected to some light-hearted, but laser-sharp, critique.
Horowitz revealed that he had no set daily “routine” for his writing, that he was useless at reading his own work (for audiobooks), that “cosy crime” was a misnomer (because murder is too horrible to ever be cosy), that he can’t write poetry or romance (his wife had told him that he could never write about a subject that he had no experience of), and that over his career he had systematically killed off every single character who had ever been nasty to him (well, their fictional personas at least!).
After the 45-minute session, Becky opened the floor to audience Q&A for twenty minutes, after which there was plenty of action out front at the book-signing session. Overall, a very entertaining and engaging evening from an author at the top of his game.
Finally (on Tuesday afternoon), to complete the final layer of this sandwich of literary delights, I turned to BBC Sport’s Becky Grey herself. In an event sponsored by Wadworth, and held in the wonderfully historic surroundings of Devizes Museum, she spoke about how she had started her career in ghost-writing books and newspaper columns for celebrity sports stars. And the answer was – almost by accident. She zig-zagged her way towards it until, like Anthony Horowitz the previous evening, she suddenly discovered that she had a flair for writing, and that her subject-matter (sports and sports-people) was totally engaging. She seems to have never looked back.
Becky talked of the various sports personalities she’d worked with, and took us through the steps and techniques for tackling that kind of work. Interestingly she hit many of the same themes and techniques that Steve Tuffin had mentioned the previous day (including just getting the first draft down on paper, refining and editing, picking out the real story etc). In answer to questions, she also talked about handling the tricky “factual truth” versus “my truth” debate (by challenging, and with a lot of tact!), payment models, red lines, and copyright.
And finally – yes you’ve guessed it – there was a short exercise, another chance to “have a go”. And, of course, a book-signing. Another engaging and interesting session.
So there you have it – three events over two days, vastly different in some ways, but nicely inter-connected in others. And did I learn anything? Ah – that would be telling!
Anyways, onwards and upwards, with still plenty of great stuff to come over the next ten days, both ticketed and free. The Devizes Arts Festival continues until the night of Sunday 14th June at various venues around the town. Tickets can be booked at Devizes Books or online at www.devizesartsfestival.org.uk
- PREVIEW: Bullshot Crummond [*], Rondo Theatre, Larkhall, Bath June 17th – 20th 2026
by Ian Diddams
images by Josie Mae-Ross
If you have been fortunate enough to have experienced the four hander parody version of “The 39 Steps”, “North By Northwest” in similar vein, Michael Palin’s “Ripping Yarns”, “The Comic Strip Presents”, and the likes of the vaguely straight but ridiculously over the top “Dick Barton – Special Agent”, as well as the rah-rah, gung ho exploits of “Biggles” and “Sexton Blake” then there is one show that is a must see coming to the Rondo Theatre, Larkhall very soon.
*Trigger warning – This play contains scenes of utter stupidity.
And if you have never enjoyed such slapstick daftness crossed with ridiculously ardent patriotism, then its about time you jolly well did Sir/Madam! (delete as appropriate)!
(stands back, raises an eyebrow and sucks on pipe, whilst wearing a velvet smoking jacket and silk pajamas).
The evil Otto Van Brunno and the dastardly Lenya are up to no good. Having kidnapped a Professor for their nefarious purposes, it’s up to the dashing Bullshot Crummond to save the day! A riotous parody of 1930s adventure stories and stiff-upper-lip heroics, The Rondo Theatre Company presents Bullshot Crummond by Ron House and Diz White- a fast-paced, gloriously silly send-up of British pulp fiction. Expect moustaches, maniacal villains, damsels in distress, and a lot of quick changes — all delivered with a wink and a perfectly polished accent. Think Indiana Jones meets The 39 Steps meets Blackadder, but with even less sense and a lot more fun. Come and see “toxic masculinity”, femme fatale spies, henchmen, stupid policemen, mobsters, evil foreign johnnies, incredible and seamless special effects, a car chase, a falcon, a deadly tarantula and a phenomenal sword fight, all in under two hours and see if you can spot the multi role acting as masters of disguise bamboozle each other and the audience. Is there no beginning to their talents?
And overall and most importantly, where BRITAIN triumphs over those dashed HUN!!! (leans back, hands on hips, raised eyebrow, smoking a pipe)
The production’s proceeds will help support “Man Down”, a local male mental health charity; Charlotte Howard, director of this magnificent piece of lunacy provided her rationale for choosing this play and this charitable support :
“I’ve loved the film ever since my friend, Milly, introduced it to me 18 years ago and I was thrilled to discover there was a play five years ago. I love how it takes me to a gentle nudge at blind nationalism and the patriarchy!” She went on to add why this play in particular – “Because this is the puerile unadulterated, childish comedy that this world needs right now. It’s worth the ticket price alone to watch Matt Nation as Bullshot wrestle a giant spider. We wanted to do something that was pure fun, a real escape; Bullshot Crummond is completely ridiculous, and that’s exactly the point. But by linking it with Man Down, we’re also acknowledging that some of those old ideas about what it means to ‘be a man’ still linger. If we can make people laugh and support a brilliant cause at the same time, we hope that feels like a good balance.”
“Bullshot Crummond” is performed at the Rondo Theatre, Larkhall 17th-20th June. Tickets for this brilliantly funny production can be purchased here https://www.ticketsource.com/rondotheatre/bullshot-crummond/e-loqmyj
- “Nothing Rhymes With Orange” at Cursus Festival, May 24th, 2026.
by Ian Diddams
images by Ian Diddams
Though now based out of Bristol, at university studying Music and sharing digs together, NRWO (as they are colloquially known) began life in Devizes School not so very long ago. An early gig in the Corn Exchange in July 2023 saw me, Gail of Devizes, Jemma of FTO and a few mums and dads watch them thrash out a full set, to a large crowd of mid-teens, predominantly female … I was aware I was conspicuously the only adult male in the audience aside from parents and must have looked the biggest perv going so I stood next to Jemma for some credibility!
Fast forward a few years and here I was again watching NRWO but this time at Cursus Festival, at Cranbourne Chase Cider, in the early afternoon as the temperatures reached over 30 degrees Celsius in the shade. The lads still looked young, but now sported some noticeable stubble as befits their advancing years. There were far fewer teenage girls present, and a lot more middle-aged men; I felt less conspicuous as a result which was just as well because Jemma was elsewhere with the FTO in Cheltenham!! However, so much for feeling inconspicuous… the band’s merch merchants – the bassist Sam Briggs’ mum and dad! – identified me on sight. My reputation clearly precedes me… the power of being a Devizine journalist!
Way back then in that Corn Exchange gig the lads were raw, nascent, even naïve in their music. What it maybe lacked in roundedness it more than made up for with huge energy and BIG chords. Here the music has become more mature though still full of energy and noise (that’s a good thing!). Less angst, more controlled youthful arrogance and verve.
The band displayed plenty of indie/rock/punk tropes – leering, leaning, feet on fold back speakers from Elijah, broodingly aloof lead from Fin, insouciance from bassist Sam and shirtless, beanied drumming from Lui – all to add to the excellent delivery of their set.
And speaking of set, oldies but goodies
Shear Water https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsVWELRWUZo
Pedestal https://youtu.be/YXHuk-Po698were provided along with non-online tracks
TGE
Soulgiver
Starlift
The Flowers
Horlix
RedSome of which are on the band’s latest limited release EP – there were at last count seven left in Sound Knowledge (Marlborough) and there’s a reorder of a hundred to come for those that missed out first time around so get your hands on a copy soon! Available then from their merch link on their website.
https://nothingrhymeswithorange.co.uk/merch/
Of course you could do far worse than catch that band as they close out the 2026 Devizes Arts Festival, at the Corn Exchange, Devizes – tickets a bargain at £12 (£10 concessions) on Saturday 13th June at 8p.m. They lads return to their roots to showcase their advances to a home crowd and while their original fan base, like themselves, are now peripatetic it provides a fantastic chance for those to return for the band, and for late comers to NRWO to pick up on this home-grown band doing good.
See ya there! - Make Music This Summer Launches at Wiltshire Music Centre; 19 Days of Musical Activities for Children and Young People
Wiltshire Music Centre is launching the Make Music This Summer programme, a vibrant 19-day programme of musical activities for children, young people and families…..
Designed for ages 0–21 and their parents and carers, it offers a wide range of inspiring, accessible and high-quality experiences throughout the summer holidays. From rock bands and musicals to music production and LEGO stop-frame music videos, Make Music This Summer brings together creative opportunities for all interests and ages, From the 25th July to the 30th August 2026.
Delivered in partnership with local practitioners from across Wiltshire, the
programme offers young people a chance to explore music, creativity and performance in a welcoming and supportive environment. The programme includes three strands: workshops, concerts and screenings, giving
families flexible ways to take part during the holidays.Hands-on workshops invite participants to try new skills, build confidence and
collaborate with others, whether forming a band, taking part in a musical or producing their own tracks.Family-friendly concerts provide an accessible and relaxed introduction to live music, while screenings of popular musicals are paired with interactive singalong sessions led by choir leader Fliss Courage.
“Make Music This Summer is all about opening the doors to music-making and live performance for children, young people and families”, says Cassie Tait, Head of Creative Learning and Community Engagement. “By offering a mix of workshops, concerts and screenings, we hope to inspire creativity, build confidence and create memorable first experiences of music at Wiltshire Music Centre.”
With activities running across 19 days, Make Music This Summer invites families across Wiltshire and beyond to discover, create and enjoy music together. Early booking is recommended.
Kid Carpet & The Noisy Animals: Jack & The Beanstalk (Sort of)
Little Piccolos Sunshine Sessions
Beats & Bars: Make a Track in a Day
devizine.com 