The Rose Presents Forces Sweethearts, Chinesewise, Suggs

The Rose will present a variety of one-night shows over the summer, with something for everyone.

Peter and the Wolf
Bank Holiday Mon 2 May 3pm
In this version, Chamberhouse Winds have five players: flute, clarinet, bassoon, horn and oboe, showcasing the key parts of the work with a narrator to bring you a more intimate experience. Perfect for a family concert, there will be other popular pieces and a chance to try out the instruments and meet The Players afterwards! Recommended for ages 5+. Tickets £8 - £10

Music & Comedy Night in aid of the Mayor's Charity
Sun 8 May 7pm
An evening of comedy and terrific music talent in aid of the Mayor's Charity with the likes of Tara London (Winner of Best Female Solo Artist at The Peoples Music Award 2010) Aaron Norton, Rachel Rabin, (both are well-known local singer and songwriters) Trephena Thomas (in the final 50 for The Retail Trust) and more. The comedy compere for the night is Kate Smurthwaite. Tickets £10

Forces Sweethearts
Tue 10 May 2pm
Wowing audiences since 1995 with their unique brand of music and song, Beryl, Carolyn and Jenny are our three sweethearts who bring you a 2-hour show with all your favourite songs from the great female vocalists who so helped raise morale during the wartime Forties.
Favourites include Vera Lynn, Gracie Fields, Marlene Dietrich, Carmen Miranda, Anne Shelton and many more. Tickets £8 - £11

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Sat 14 May 7.30pm
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra returns after their previous sell-out at the Rose to present another evening of classical favourites. Beginning with Rossini's sparkling Italian Girl in Algiers Overture, talented young violinist Irmina Trynkos joins the Orchestra to perform Tchaikovsky's much-loved Violin Concerto, which bursts with infectious melody and stunning virtuosity. Elgar's magnificent ‘Enigma' Variations completes the programme, ever-fresh and mysterious with the stirring, nationalistic Nimrod at its heart. Tickets £12 - £32

Private Peaceful
Sun 15 May 5pm
Private Peaceful relives the life of Private Tommo Peaceful, a young First World War soldier awaiting the firing squad at dawn.

During the night he looks back at his short but joyful past growing up in rural Devon: his exciting first days at school; the accident in the forest that killed his father; his adventures with Molly, the love of his life; and the battles and injustices of war that brought him to the front line.
Winner of the Blue Peter Book of the Year, Private Peaceful is by the third Children's Laureate, Michael Morpurgo. Tickets £8 - £12

Pam Ayres
Sun 22 May 5pm
Following her sell-out performance in 2008, Pam Ayres returns to the Rose with material from her bestselling books, Surgically Enhanced, With These Hands and The Works, along with new poems and stories. Tickets £10 - £22.50

Lionel Shriver
Wed 25 May 1pm
Lionel Shriver found fame with her Orange Prize-winning novel We Need to Talk About Kevin. Her 9th novel So Much For That is a tense study of the US healthcare system and offers the same forensic analysis of situations and relationships. In the US it was nominated for the prestigious National Book Award. This is Shriver's first visit to the Kingston Readers' Festival; she will talk about what draws her to such difficult subjects and the new book. Chaired by Alison Baverstock of Kingston University. Tickets £8

The Comedy Store
Sun 24 Apr 7.30pm, Sun 29 May 7.30pm
The Comedy Store continue their monthly residency at the Rose with the best stand-up from around the globe. Line up to be announced at rosetheatrekingston.org. Tickets £12 - £14

One Man Star Wars
Mon 30 May 7.30pm
Canadian actor Charles Ross spent much of his childhood in a galaxy far, far away, watching Star Wars videos over - and over - and over again.

The result is One-Man Star Wars Trilogy, where he single-handedly plays all the characters, sings the music, flies the ships, fights the battles and condenses the plot into just sixty minutes! Whether you're a committed Star Wars fan or simply want to enjoy a fast-paced, side-splitting evening that's out of this world, make sure you don't miss it! Tickets £12 - £16

Chinesewise Variety Show
Tues 31 May 4pm
A specially selected spectacular presentation which celebrates the achievement of all enthusiasts in Chinese culture including demonstrations by professional guests from China. The unique programme will have a wide appeal to families. It is organised by the well-established Kingston-based Chinesewise School, together with other community groups, supported by the local council and the Chinese Embassy.

Programme includes Chinese folk dances, martial arts, music, choir, drama, poetry recital, story-telling, Beijing Opera and Cantonese Opera excerpts, and exclusive guest performance. Tickets £6.80 - £15

Live SUGGS
Wed 1 Jun 7.30pm
Who is Suggs? It's a good question. And one he's keen on knowing the answer to himself: he recently turned fifty; his daughters have grown up and left home, and his cat has just died. These recent life-shattering events have made Suggs look back at his life and re-evaluate his childhood.

‘Live Suggs' is his first solo show, a stand up memoir, that hands the audience an access-all-areas pass to the backstage windmills of the Madness front man's mind, as he attempts to unravel the unsolved mysteries of his life, while going in search of the father he never knew.

On his way he takes the audience on the emotional rollercoaster of his incredible thirty-year career, with occasional musical accompaniment and pointless interjections from his loyal pianist-cum-manservant.

For this show, Suggs will be appearing in front of a rather more intimate audience, but the show will capture in witty memoir the same humour, spirit and genial madness that make him and his band so enticing, live. Tickets £15 - £25. Suggs is available for interview.

Penguin Cafe
Fri 3 Jun 7.30pm
Penguin Cafe's music has infiltrated daily life from films like Napoleon Dynamite to countless theme tunes, and they've played festivals from Bestival and The Big Chill to the Royal Albert Hall as part of the BBC Proms. Their sound is at once familiar and new, combining acoustic power and a beguiling, feisty charm. Their album A Matter of Life... will be released in early 2011. Tickets £18 - £20

Jimmy Tarbuck
Sat 4 Jun 7.30pm
Kingston based Tarby is at his best in front of a live audience and, during his visit to the Rose, he will be sharing anecdotes, demonstrating his quickfire wit and thoroughly entertaining the audience in a show which promises comedy for grown-ups rather than adult comedy. Tickets £18 - £22.50 Jimmy Tarbuck is available for interview.

Richard Cohen interviews Lady Antonia Fraser
Mon 6 Jun 7.30pm
Author of Marie Antoinette discusses her writing followed by a Q&A and a book signing. Tickets £6

Carnival Vibes in Kingston
Sat 11 Jun 7pm
Get into the groove as bands, singers and dancers representing diverse communities and cultures from around the globe, come together, for one night only, at this special fundraising event.This fundraising event will be organised by Kingston Race and Equalities Council. Tickets £15

Richard Durrant
Fri 17 Jun 7.30pm
A musical voyage with the guitar whisperer, who returns after his sell-out performance with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. He takes us first to Paraguay then to Spain and beyond. We hear Debussy, JS Bach on the humble ukulele and the story of the earliest surviving guitar by CF Martin told with a musical twist. A prismatic musical voyage with visuals by several British animators & painters. Spellbinding. Tickets £10 - £12

Twickenham Choral Society
Sun 19 Jun 7pm
The 120-strong choir will be joined by four internationally acclaimed soloists - Orla Boylan (soprano), Hetna Regitze Bruun (mezzo- soprano), Ulrik Andersson (tenor) and Richard Wiegold (bass). Christopher Herrick - the choir's conductor and world-renowned concert organist - will direct the choir and the Brandenburg Sinfonia, a top-ranking London orchestra. With extra trumpets and resounding drums this concert is not to be missed. Tickets £15 - £20

Time to talk with Gyles Brandreth
Mon 13 Jun 5.30pm
Artistic Director Stephen Unwin chats to Gyles Brandreth; writer, broadcaster and former MP. His acclaimed Victorian detective stories are being published in twenty-one countries around the world. Tickets £5