Birthday boy blues

COMEDIAN Richard Herring will be visiting Swindon for a show tonight, to share some thoughts on life aged 50.

The star of Radio 4’s Relativity, Herring certainly deserves a round of applause because he may well be feeling a little weary when he appears on stage at the Wyvern Theatre. He spent all day yesterday telling numerous people on Twitter the date of International Men’s Day - which has become something of a tradition for him every International Women’s Day. Along the way he raised £70,000 and counting for anti-domestic abuse charity Refuge, with an appeal called International When’s International Men’s Day? Day.

He says: “Every International Women’s Day, for a few years now I have gone on Twitter to search for people asking, when’s International Men’s Day? to let them know that that is on November 19. Weirdly most of them only seem to care about this on International Women’s Day and when November 19 comes along they do nothing.”

In his show - called Oh F*** I’m 50!, he explains how he got to the half century (against all odds) and looks at how his life has changed in the last decade - from irresponsible, single kidult, literally fighting his way through a mid-life crisis, to married father who is half-way to the telegram from the Queen.

Following on from Oh F***, I’m 40!, this is the second instalment in Herring’s once-a-decade examination of ageing. The show is recommended for people aged 14 plus and tickets are £21. To book, call 01793 524481 or visit swindontheatres.co.uk.

Thin white duke tribute from Laurence Knight

RELIVE the golden years of pop icon David Bowie at a spectacular tribute show by the Bowie Experience at the Wyvern Theatre tomorrow night.

The concert is billed a must-see for any fans of the thin white duke, featuring hits from across the decades of Bowie’s stellar and singular musical career.

Bowie, who died in 2016, began his musical career in the 1960s and proved an enduring and influential artist over five decades, with hits such as Space Oddity, Star Man and Ashes to Ashes.

The Bowie Experience continues to amaze audiences with its attention to detail. It stars Laurence Knight as Bowie, and he has taken his tribute act around the world, with performances at the official ‘David Bowie Is exhibition at the V&A London, at the Royal Albert Hall.

Laurence, a vocalist, actor and multi-instrumentalist, has also made television appearances on Sky and BBC.

He is joined by musicians Lidia Cascarion Close, Tim Wedlake, Stuart Darling, Paul Gill, Emily Westwood, Darren Jones, James Stead and Charlotte-Elizabeth Talbot.

Tickets are £27.50. To book, call 01793 524481 or visit www.swindontheatres.co.uk.

Writing books for film with Jasper Fforde

JOIN writing superstar Jasper Fforde for a stimulating afternoon workshop at the Richard Jefferies Museum on Saturday afternoon.

Fforde will explore the processes, and the difficulties, of creating books that work for publishers and film-makers as well as their readers. Participants will discuss how to create a believable world and characters, and what makes a book strong enough for readers to want more.

Fforde’s first novel, The Eyre Affair, was the first in a series of books about literary detective,Thursday Next. He has also written two books in the Nursery Crime series, The Big Over Easy and The Fourth Bear, in which DCI Jack Spratt and Sergeant Mary Mary work for the Nursery Crime Division in Reading, investigating crimes within the world of nursery rhymes.

Fforde’s books contain literary allusions and wordplay, tightly scripted plots, and playfulness with the conventions of traditional genres. His works usually contain elements of metafiction, parody and fantasy.

The session, from 2pm till 5pm, costs £25. To book,visit eventbrite.co.uk.