Most people have heard of Union Chapel because of a band or artist that has performed there but Union Chapel is also a working church, it is also host to the Margins Project launched in 1995 in direct response to those entrenched in poverty and crisis asking for help and shelter in Islington, one of the poorest boroughs in the country. Food, clothing and at times, emergency accommodation are provided by the Margins Project team, as well as practical support to help people break out of the cycle of despair and rebuild their lives. A Sunday ‘Drop‐in Service’ with up to 160 people coming every week to access services including a hot meal, showers, laundry facilities, warm clean clothing, toiletries and a haircutting service, alongside workshops and classes, enable people to move forward in a practical and positive way. In support of this work, between October 18th and 22nd, the Union Chapel will host it’s fourth annual campaign of exciting events with ALL proceeds going to the project:
‘Marginalised’ is a fantastically entertaining and engaging annual festival of events with music, art, comedy, talks, childrens workshops and discussions – all celebrating the breadth and the best of arts events at the Union Chapel. For the artists taking part, it’s an opportunity to present a unique one‐off event in an incredibly atmospheric venue. Some previous artists have chosen to work with the themes of marginalisation and homelessness. Some have incorporated visual elements. The brief is open. This year, the programme will build on the artistic legacy of past Marginalised festivals that have featured performances by Max Richter, Michael Nyman, David McAlmont, Gavin Bryars, UNKLE & Heritage Orchestra and the North Sea Radio Orchestra.
First events now on sale for the fourth annual Marginalised campaign 18th – 22nd October 2011. All proceeds will go to the Margins Project
Tues. 18th October – 5×15 Tickets
Five speakers, fifteen minutes each. True stories of passion, obsession and adventure recounted live with just two rules: no scripts and only fifteen minutes each.
• John Bird – on twenty years of the Big Issue
• Franny Armstrong – on her work as inspirational film maker and environmental activist
• Daisy Goodwin – on her passion for poetry
• Patrick and Henry Cockburn – on Henry’s demons and living with schizophrenia
Thurs. 20th October – David Lean’s Classic 1948 film ‘Oliver Twist’ Tickets
Marginalised 2011 presents a special screening of the 1948 David Lean classic ‘Oliver Twist’
Based on the Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist is about an orphan boy who runs away from a workhouse and meets a pickpocket on the streets of London. Oliver is taken in by the pickpocket and he joins a household of young boys who are trained to steal for their master. This version of Oliver Twist is topped by Alec Guinness’s masterly performance of arch-thug Fagin. Restaurant and bar open from 6.30pm
Fri. 21st October Tickets
Live performance of the ‘Midnight Cowboy’ soundtrack
Arranged and performed by Stephen Ellis with the Space Marching Band
As soon as you hear those first memorable descending notes of the harmonica theme you’re immediately transported back into the 1969 film Midnight Cowboy. But the soundtrack is perhaps also best most known for the pop success of Harry Nilsson’s rendition of Fred Neil’s ‘Everybody’s Talkin’, which has been covered by over 100 different artists. The soundtrack also featured the widely disparate sounds of B.J. Thomas, Elephant’s Memory, and even early Warren Zevon all drawn together masterfully by John Barry’s elegant title track and a further handful of cues. Barry’s offerings seem to have had the most far-reaching impact on modern music – Faith No More notably covered and championed the main title track.
Stephen Ellis is the singer and songwriter for London band REVERE, who transport Barry’s plaintiff sound into their frequent use of reed organs and melodicas to contribute to something both mournful and universally epic. In honour of John Barry’s sad passing earlier this year, Stephen has set himself the not too small task of bringing this particular soundtrack to life on the Union Chapel stage. It is an arena Ellis is all too familiar with having played sell-out shows here with REVERE and his other musical interest Gabby Young & Other Animals twice before. This evening’s performance will be arranged for and performed by a special expanded ensemble including members of REVERE alongside some specially chosen guests. The performance will also include in addition homage to some of John Barry’s other great film music.
The ensemble features members of Revere, Age of Not Believing Orchestra, Magic Lantern, The Unrecorded, Jess Bryant, The Howling Dog Choir, Strangled Brass and other special guests.
John Barry was a hugely influential English film score composer who died earlier this year at the age of 77. He is best known for composing 11 James Bond soundtracks and over a career spanning almost 50 years, Barry received numerous awards for his work, including five Academy Awards; two for Born Free, and one each for The Lion in Winter (for which he also won a BAFTA Award), Out of Africa and Dances with Wolves (for which he also won a Grammy Award) and Somewhere in Time (1980) (Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Original Score – Motion Picture).
Links
http://www.unionchapel.org.uk/pages/margins.html