What's On Grown-Ups

The international smash hit ‘Spirit of the Dance’ is one of the most successful shows ever to come out of Ireland and has been seen by more than thirty million people in fifteen countries worldwide.  It returns to Leicester’s De Montfort Hall on Sunday 12th October from 7.30pm. Alive with raw energy, this explosive and powerful show combines breathtaking Irish Dance with dance styles from around the world. Tickets are available from the box office on 0116 233 3113

Autumn has arrived and what better time to celebrate the good old traditional apple. Brock’s Hill Country Park is celebrating Apple Day on Sunday 12th October from 11am to 4pm with a variety of fruit themed events to promote and raise awareness of the various Leicestershire apple varieties. It’s a chance to taste and buy the apples as well as cider, apple juice and honey. Plus you can get expert advice on the apples that may be growing in your garden. There is also an apple juicer so you can bring along apples and take the juice home with you. It should be very ap-peeling!! Contact Helen Gregory on 257 2651 prior to the event or 257 2888 on the weekend of the event.

You’ve seen the film, now see the play as Whetstone Drama Group presents ‘Brassed Off’ at Countesthorpe College from Wednesday 8th through to Saturday 11th October. With rousing music from the Croft Silver Band, this show will have you laughing and crying as it follows the miners band in their quest to be crowned champions at the Royal Albert Hall. For tickets call 277 0311 or 01455 286 522.

Brooksby College is the place to be on Saturday 4th and Sun 5th Oct, from10am - 5pm. Celebrating all that’s great in food from our region, over 200 exhibitors will display their wares along with dance, music, art and celebrity chefs including Anjum Anand, Rachel Green and Clarissa Dickson Wright. 20,000 people are expected to visit so don’t miss out. Tickets cost £7.50 on the day. Call 01664 851111 or visit eastmidlandsfoodfestival.co.uk

The intriguingly titled ‘Sex, Lies and Parchment: the records of Leicester Archdeaconry Court’ is the latest exhibition at the County Record Office on Long Street in Wigston. Opening on Wednesday 8th October, it celebrates the 150th anniversary of the legislation which finally ended the jurisdiction of the church courts over matrimonial matters and the making of wills. It runs until Friday 28th November during usual opening times. Call 289 5896.

What's On Kids

On Sunday 5th October, Brock’s Hill hosts a special family event promoting the work of Leicestershire’s wildlife hospital. There will be stalls and information about the work of this local group. There is also the chance to join them in their important fundraising by joining a sponsored walk around the park. For further details please contact Angela Downham on 07951 285366.

Budding Jack Sparrows and Long John Silvers should walk the plank down to the De Montfort Hall on Saturday 18th October from 11am for an adventurous day of crafts, stories and a film with a pirate theme. The trail will wind its way down New Walk to finish at Phoenix Arts calling in and stopping off at other places on the way. The dress code is pirate themed and there are prizes for the best-dressed adult and child pirate! Cost is £5 with babes in arms going free. Call 233 3113 to book – and don’t forget a packed lunch!

Head down to your local library all through October to take part in the Big Book Bash which is part of the Family Learning Festival. Events include storytelling and ‘Wriggly Readers’ events on the following dates: Wigston Library - Tue 7 Oct, 10-10.45am and Wed 22 Oct, 10.30am-12noon; South Wigston Library - Tue 14 Oct, 10.30-11am and Thurs 23 Oct, 2.30-4pm; Cosby Library - Tue 21 Oct, 3-4.30pm; Countesthorpe Library - Thu 23 Oct, 2.30- 4pm.

The countdown has begun to the launch of Leicester’s brand new and long awaited theatre, the aptly named Curve. In the heart of the city’s new cultural quarter, Curve has now announced the first shows to be staged in its inaugural season. ‘Simply Cinderella’ is a brand new musical, directed and choreographed by acclaimed dancer Adam Cooper and receives its world premiere in Leicester between 4th December and 24th January. Oscar winning actress Juliette Binoche is co-creator of ‘In-I’, an exciting new production of dance theatre which runs from 5th - 7th February. Star of TV’s Hustle, State of Play and currently in Mutual Friends, Marc Warren appears in the macabre horror ‘The Pillowman’ from 5th February to the 7th March. And a brand new multi-lingual version of Shakespeare’s ‘As You Like It’ follows from 26th February to 28th March. Leicester Theatre Trust’s Artistic Director Paul Kerryson says the versatile programme is a taste of things to come at Curve. “This first season aims to play to the strengths of this unique theatre with a body of work that puts the classical and contemporary side by side. I am delighted to welcome some of the country’s finest creative talent to Leicester to deliver our first in house season of work.” Bookings at www.curveonline.co.uk or call  242 3595.

THE SUNFLOWER'S GUIDE TO WHAT'S ON AT THE CINEMA

88 Minutes: Al Pacino stars as Dr. Jack Gramm, he's a college professor who moonlights as a forensic psychiatrist for the FBI. When Gramm receives a death threat claiming he has only 88 minutes to live, he must use all his skills and training to narrow down the possible suspects, who include a disgruntled student, a jilted former lover, and a serial killer who is already on death row, before his time runs out. The clock is ticking away for this action packed thriller which will have you on the edge of your seat. Release date: October 3. Certificate: 15

Taken: Liam Neeson stars in another action packed - thrill a minute movie, this time as a usually calm and collected former CIA agent called Bryan. He will stop at absolutely nothing to find his daughter who has been abducted by a fearsome character. In this 'every minute counts' race against time, Bryan begins to expertly piece together all of the clues that he brings together, eventually they will take him to the darkness of Paris's underworld but will he get there in time. Release date: Now Showing. Certificate: 15

Death Race: Is a dark movie that is set in the future where the world is hungry for extreme sports and where reality competitions have grown into reality TV bloodlust. Reknown British actor Jason Statham stars in the remake of this extraordinary and most extreme racing competition movie where the contestants are all murderous prisoners. It sounds almost as stressful as driving during the rush hour on the M1….. Release date: Now Showing. Certificate: 15

The Active Arts team are very much looking forward to the visit of Eleanor Turner and Rowena Calvert on Friday October 3rd. The talented duo will be performing a concert of works for the Harp and Cello in the Village Hall Countesthorpe, at 7.30.  Eleanor and Rowena received excellent reviews including one from the Devon Echo which says they ‘excel in sensitivity and beauty of tone’. Tickets are available by phoning 2776259 prices £8 and £6 for concessions. More details www.activearts.org.uk . Also coming soon is Rob Gee on October 9th and Sid Kipper on December 19th. There's another chance to see the Craft Market at Countesthorpe college on the 1st of November and The Mellstock Band returns on the 21st of November.

Halloween is approaching and there are plenty of events around the county which are guaranteed to send a shiver up your spine. Celebrations start early on Monday 20th for the little ones with A Horrid Halloween in the Haunted Hall at the Guildhall from 11am until 3pm then on Friday 24th with Halloween Horrors at Belgrave Hall from 11am until 4pm. Both events will include quizzes, storytelling, face painting and much more. The cost is £1.70 for activities. Then on Monday 27th from 7pm until 9.30pm, you can discover the tragic tale of Robert Richardson – the ghostly engineer – who died at the Abbey Pumping Station in 1890. The evening includes guided lamplight tours of the pumps and engines, which will be in steam. Tickets cost £2.50 and accompanied children go free. On All Hallows Eve itself, head to the atmospheric setting of The Guildhall where from 7.30pm you can sit by the open fire and enjoy spine chilling tales from storytellers. Tickets cost £7.50 or £6 for concessions. Or have fun at the Adams Family Halloween Homicide Murder Mystery Night at the Regency Hotel, London Road in Leicester. Call 0116 270 9634 for more details – if you dare…………