Free party and film show
Saturday 18 December, 2021, Cheltenham Spa Bowling Club, The Green, St George’s Square, Lower High Street, Cheltenham, GL52 6DJ.
The event will start in the afternoon, with a film for all the family, plus refreshments, entertainment, games, etc. It will continue in the evening with a comedy aimed more at parents, grandparents, etc. That can only be shown to over-15s, by order of the council, but then you’ll probably have taken any small children home by then.
Here’s an invitation to download and print. Prizes for the best decorated versions. Open to all. The judges’ decision is final.
The Venue
The Bowling Club is in the lower High Street, just down from Wilkos, on the opposite side of the road. It is slightly hidden behind a redundant public convenience (investment opportunity: see your local councillor for details), but you can’t miss it.
There is one long clubroom, where we will be showing the films, and a smaller bar area when you came in. That will be for talking, socialising and maybe some gentle games, stories and performances. If there is music, it will be acoustic with only necessary amplication. IE, I might plug my Tokai Strat into a tiny little amp so you can hear it, but there won’t be any Marshall Stacks.
The films will be there for people who want to wander in and see them, or you can stay in the bar area. Note to film enthusiasts: the equipment and the venue are far from perfect. This is not an industry event. It’s more like granddad showing you some of his home movies.
Map of Cheltenham
The venue is accessible and easy to find. Best to walk, cycle, etc, but there is plenty of car parking nearby. You’ll probably have to pay: take it up with the council. Don’t be tempted to leave your car in Lidl. Fines.
Cheltenham is accessible by bus and train but the services are not great. If you have a private jet or military/governmental/corporate connections, there are airfields at Staverton (Gloucestershire), Kemble and Fairford. Landing your helicopter on the bowling green is STRICTLY FORBIDDENon pain of a visit from the shade of Zena Morrish (late County President).
Order of events
16:00 GMT: Doors open
16:30 GMT: The Peanut Butter Falcon. US 2019. Comedy-adventure-romance. English with subtitles (probably). Zack Gottsagen, Shia LaBoeuf, Dakota Johnson. A young man with Down’s syndrome (Zack) runs away to try and become a professional wrestler. He teams up with a kind-hearted waster (Shia) who agrees to take him to find his TV wrestling idol, deep in the boondocks. His dutiful, beautiful carer (Dakota) chases after them. Funny, touching, inspiring.
19:30 GMT: That Time of Year. Denmark 2018. Comedy. Danish with very funny subtitles. Paprika Steen is the eldest of three sisters, charged with organising a traditional Christmas at home for her complicated family. Sofie Gråbøl (who won’t thank me for saying she is famous for The Killing, the first of the Scandi-noir sensations) is the second sister, a liberal priest. The third daughter we don’t talk about. Their mother has run off to the South of France to live in an artist’s colony with her women friends. Their father has a new wife, who isn’t coming. Everyone has partners, except those who don’t. Some people have difficult children. And there’s a snowstorm. Fantastic stuff, in the rich comic tradition of the North, where people keep warm by telling each other stories.
22:00 GMT: Time to go home.
Also
There will be cartoons, music, games, jokes, turns: licensing conditions permitting.
Food and drink
There will be free tea, coffee, squash, water and nibbles. If you would like to bring other food and drink to share, please do. The Scandi theme is for fun. If you want to join in, go to Tiger and get a bag of salt pretzels. Otherwise, don’t worry about it.
The premises are licensed for alcohol. There will be a pay bar, run by the Bowling Club and proceeds will go to them.
What’s it all about, Alfred (The Great)?
You’ll have to wait for that.
Zoom!
By popular demand (as if), here’s a Zoom link to my Personal Meeting Room, which is the particular part of the Metaverse (I read stuff) where I will be holding the party. Please feel free to join us. If it works, it works. If it doesn’t, blame our alien overlords.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6086509022
Meeting ID: 608 650 9022