 Tickets to Gloucester's European Rugby Challenge Cup opener against Edinburgh Rugby on Friday 6th December at Kingsholm are now on general sale. After falling at the final hurdle last season, Gloucester are looking to go one step further and claim a third Challenge Cup trophy this season. First up, the Cherry & Whites come up against Scottish side, Edinburgh, who Gloucester defeated in the final last time they won this competition in 2015. The Edingburgh side will be loaded with some of the biggest names in the game, including Duhan van der Merwe and Emiliano Boffelli, and will be looking to get off to a winning start in front of a packed Kingsholm under the lights with the fans in full voice Elevate your experience with some wonderful hospitality A Friday night under the lights at Kingsholm is something every rugby fan should experience. Choose from one-course or three-course dining options, or perhaps enjoy the exclusivity of a private box with family, friends or work colleagues, all tailored to meet all your needs. Explore the full range of hospitality packages here and upgrade to hospitality here. For all fixtures, ticket information and hospitality, please visit www.gloucesterrugby.co.uk
  After lots of sunshine, thrilling racing and record crowds at The Showcase Meeting, all eyes are now on The November Meeting at Cheltenham Racecourse from Friday 15th - Sunday 17th November. The action-packed three days kick off in style with the wonderful Countryside Day. If you're If you're passionate about racing and the countryside, this day is definitely for you with a Beagle Parade, Misslechalke Gundog Display and Fly Fishing Demonstration all on show before racing gets underway. The showpiece on Saturday is the brilliant Paddy Power Gold Cup where the atmosphere is the best outside of the festival. Local trainers have a good record in the big race and no doubt they will be there trying to win it again! There is live music to enjoy throughout the day and after the last race all over the racecourse, including the Guinness Village, Quevega Bar, Centaur and Champagne Bar. Sunday is all about family entertainment and equally strong racing. In the Family Fun Zone, you will find an action-packed day of face painting, stage shows, walking pet balloons and more. Meet Peppa Pig to celebrate her 20 year anniversary and dance away the final hour of the day with Klub Kidz, as well as the brilliant, new Jockey Gym and a chance to meet Freddie the cheeky pony. On the track, the Shloer Chase and Greatwood Hurdle take centre stage to cap off a fantastic weekend of racing. Don't forget that under 18s go FREE! BUY TICKETS   I decided to take Birdsong with me on holiday this summer. It's a book I read, and loved, a long time ago. I have watched the BBC adaptation starring Eddie Redmayne and saw the stage adaptation 10 years ago, however, my recollection of all the minor details and the trauma of war had faded (probably intentionally) over the years. As I lay on the beach in Greece, the characters came back to life quickly and my hatred for René Azaire and Monsieur Bérard returned as if remembering a bully from school. It has been 30 years since Sebastian Faulks' book was published and is still, arguably, his finest piece of work. It's a story that is cherished by different generations and it was up to Rachel Wagstaff to bring it to life on stage. It's a mesmerising and intense story of love and courage, set both before and during the Great War, and centred around young Englishman Stephen Wraysford (James Esler) and Isabelle Azaire (Charlie Russell), wife of René Azaire who owns the factory in which Stephen is in France to visit. Both Esler and Russell are magnificent throughout. As in the book, the play is set over three acts; pre-war, wartime, and post-war. It wanders ever so slightly from the original story, but never strays from the deep love, horror and camaraderie displayed in the novel.  With all of that said, if Birdsong is one of your favourite books, you will need to go with an open mind and to not pick any holes in the story conveyed on the stage. At the start of Act One, we meet John who is trying to find his namesake's grave (yes, we know it was Stephen's granddaughter Elizabeth Benson who was searching for more information about her grandfather in the book), before entering the Azaire household as Stephen arrives. We meet the family, including Jeanne, and Monsieur Bérard who is far less odious on stage, and sometimes even quite funny. Although lots of the build up to Stephen and Isabelle's affair was missing, the steamy encounters and the oppressed nature of Isabelle's abusive marriage was very much portrayed. We are deep into the Great War at the start of Act Two, with the now Lieutenant Wraysford leading his troops into battle. This is where we meet show-stealer Jack Firebrace (Max Bowden) and his closest sapper companion Arthur Shaw whose friendship embodies the harrowing, dark and lonely sense of life underground in the tunnels and trenches. Other standout performances come in the shape of the underaged and shellshocked Tipper, the violin playing and beautiful singing-voiced Brennan and Evans, who brings most of the stories and humour that along with the drinking and prostitutes, would become a necessity during those horrific times. The individual readings of the final letters that were sent home were brought to life by music and incredibly moving. The minimalist stage design, perfectly subtle lighting and occasional seat-shaking explosions helps transport us in some small way to the hell and horror of war, and is no more evident than when we find Jack and Stephen trapped in a tunnel underground, with their shared losses, fight for survival and underlying friendship that makes up the majority of the final act. The play had a lot to live up to and manages to do it brilliantly. This is incredible theatre with truly exceptional performances throughout. It honours the sacrifices and loss of millions of lives, while managing to celebrate the triumph of love and friendship during humanity's darkest years. The Birdsong Tour continues until February 2025 www.birdsongplay.com  Richard Ashcroft is announced as the first headliner for next summer’s Nocturne Live concert series, which returns to the 10,000-capacity UNESCO World Heritage Site of Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire from June 18th - 22nd 2025. Ashcroft will headline on Thursday June 19th 2025 with support from Lightning Seeds and The Zutons. As the mercurial frontman of ‘90s rock band The Verve, Ashcroft carved a reputation as one of his generation’s most iconic performers. The group’s breakthrough album Urban Hymns, which spawned hit singles Bitter Sweet Symphony, Lucky Man, and The Drugs Don’t Work, became one of the defining releases of the ‘90s and remains one of the best-selling albums in UK history. Since The Verve disbanded in 1999, Ashcroft has enjoyed a thriving solo career with the release of seven UK Top Five albums and a string of hit singles including A Song For The Lovers from 2000’s Alone With Everybody, and Break The Night With Colour from 2006’s Keys To The World. Ashcroft has received Ivor Novello Awards for Songwriter of the Year and Outstanding Contribution to British Music.  Support for Richard Ashcroft at Blenheim Palace comes from Lightning Seeds and The Zutons. With lead singer and songwriter Ian Broudie at the helm, Lightning Seeds became one of the most successful acts of the ‘90s thanks to hits including The Life of Riley, Pure, Lucky You and their enduring 1996 smash Three Lions. They perform at Blenheim Palace in celebration of their 35th anniversary. The Zutons are a multi-platinum-selling Liverpool band famed for their smash hit singles Why Won’t You Give Me Your Love? and Valerie - a huge international hit which reached even greater heights when covered by Mark Ronson and Amy Winehouse. The band recently released The Big Decider, their first new album in 16 years which was produced by Nile Rodgers and the band’s original producer Ian Broudie, and charted in the UK Top 10. Nocturne Live transforms Blenheim Palace’s Great Court into a spectacular 10,000-capacity open-air concert venue and since its inception in 2015 has gone on to become one of the UK’s most popular stately home concert experiences. Over the years the series has presented shows from a host of huge international stars including the likes of Lionel Ritchie, Elton John, Kylie Minogue, Nile Rodgers, Lauryn Hill, Noel Gallagher, Gregory Porter, Van Morrison, Tears for Fears, Gladys Knight, Elvis Costello, Simple Minds and Ennio Morricone amongst many others. Nocturne Live 2025 runs from Wednesday June 18th - Sunday June 22nd. nocturnelive.com  With short days and long nights, winter can feel very long for many of us. However, there is lots to enjoy and we think that we have found some of the best things to do (in our humble opinion) in and around the Cotswolds to help get through the next few months, from great sport, music, films and, of course, food, booze and pubs!
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