Glasbury based choir, The Village Quire, present their brand new show, Songs for Silas, inspired by H.E.Bates’s My Uncle Silas stories, on Saturday, September 22 at 7.30 pm, at St Mary’s Church, New Radnor.

H.E.Bates’s Uncle Silas was born in the ‘hungry ‘forties’, that is to say the 1840s. The serpent was still heard in church galleries across the land and Stevenson’s Rocket had only recently puffed its laborious way along a short length of track, when Silas took his first steps as a toddler. Yet at the end of his life, the eerie electronic sounds of the Theremin and the ondes Martenot were beginning to find their way into concert music and the prototype of the Gloster Meteor took its maiden flight, powered by jet engines designed by Frank Whittle.

Silas lived in a small, thatched cottage near a pine wood with a sun-steeped garden, riotous with flowers and gooseberry bushes, and a Maiden’s Blush rose over the door. A lover of drink, food, the ladies and good company, he was not ashamed to wear a huge and flamboyant buttonhole, told lies, got the better of his fellow-men whenever the chance offered itself, used a scythe like an angel, was a wonderful gardener, took the local lord’s pheasants, and yet succeeded in remaining an honest, genuine and loveable character. Silas had all the natural gifts of a fine story-teller in the oral tradition. The Quire's Songs for Silas are inspired by his stories.

The new songs and arrangements written by Dave Newell draw from the Village Quire's rich traditions of folk-harmony singing and West Gallery music plus a few more ‘scrunchy’ harmonies when occasion demands. They will be joined by actor, Janine Sharp, who will be telling some of Silas’ tales ... some taller than others!

For tickets, call Michael Capstick on 01544 350411 / 350352.