“Father Help Me Acknowledge You” featuring Lucy Stimpson- Maynard recorded and produced by John Hodgkinson

You may remember that we had intended and Easter production of Risen! The Musical at the Titchfield Festival Theatre’s Arden Theatre – in the end we had to withdraw, not least because Fareham Borough Council placed an injunction on the Arden which had to close while waiting appeal Blog February 1st Risen! The Musical – The Arden Theatre Saga – Part One | Risen – Well the outcome was heard yesterday and it was heartbreaking news for the Titchfield Festival Theatre and all its supporters.
The Southern Daily Echo reported:
Director Kevin Fraser said: “I am clearly broken hearted at the decision from the Planning Inspectorate. The country will lose one of its greatest community arts assets and Shakespeare must be turning in his grave!
“In light of this decision, I will speak to our Trustees and fully evaluate the outcome before commenting further.”
He urged audiences to support Made in Dagenham, which takes to the stage next month, and could be the last show in the venue, in St Margaret’s Lane, which has been besieged with parking problems.
The community theatre made a last-ditch attempt to save the space with an appeal to the highest planning decision making body.
It said it already had permission for the work to create the Arden theatre space but FBC disagreed, saying it was only to be used as storage.
In November 2023, the council served an enforcement order to close the charity’s largest theatre space.
Speaking after the Planning Inspectorate decision, Cllr Joanne Burton, Fareham Borough and Hampshire County Councillor for Sarisbury and Fareham’s Executive Member for Health and Public Protection, said: “It is regrettable that the company carried out these works without planning consent and in doing so they let down their many users and patrons as well as costing Fareham Borough Council taxpayers a significant sum of money to bring about compliance with planning law. The same laws which apply to everyone else.”
On a brighter note this week’s blog includes two videos from the Paris Olympics. German shot putter Yemisi Ogunleye who broke into worship after winning gold at Paris 2024.
Also, Kate Shortman and Isabelle Thorpe winning silver in the artistic swimming. I could have chosen hundreds of clips displaying awesome skill from the Olympians, but not being blessed with much swimming ability myself, I really was in awe of what these two performed in the water.

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