Plenty of highlights remain as Petworth Festival enters second week

Artistic director Stewart Collins talks you through some of the events coming up.

The Manfreds, 7.30pm Thursday, July 20, Petworth House Stable Yard: “The first of three headline concerts in the fabulous environment that is the Petworth House Stable Yard. Following in the footsteps of great evenings that have featured Georgie Fame and The Blues Band we welcome one of the iconic bands of their era, The Manfreds, headed up as ever by the irrepressible Paul Jones, still in magnificent form many years on from their chart-topping life in the 60s and 70s.”

Shakatak, 7.30pm, Friday, July 21, Petworth House Stable Yard: “Shakatak enjoys an incredible status both as a cracking set of musicians as well as a fizzing live band. Major hit-makers from the 80s, the band has retained its reputation for hugely entertaining evenings, bringing to Petworth songs you will remember from over the years such as Night Birds and Down on the Street.”

Alice in Wonderland, 11am, Saturday, July 22, Coultershaw Heritage Site: “Four hugely engaging performers bring Lewis Carroll’s classic tale to life around the atmospheric mill pond. Following the sheer delight that was last year’s promenade production of Wind in the Willows, we welcome back Wild Immersive Theatre for their latest production – Alice in Wonderland.”

Jazz in the Stables, 6pm, Saturday, July 22, Petworth House Stable Yard: “The ever-popular extended evening in the wonderful atmosphere of this most special of venues. Pulses will doubtless be set racing as the Jive Aces take to the stage, their high energy, pumping jazz being enough to excite the most placid of feet and mild of temperaments. An evening that never lets you down.”

Aaron Akugbo (trumpet) and John Kitchen (organ), 7.30pm, Sunday, July 23, St Mary’s Church, Petworth: “An exciting addition to the roll of the country’s fast rising young musicians, the Nigerian-Scottish Aaron Azunda Akugbo is poised for a future as a leading exponent of his instrument – the trumpet. Citing Louis Armstrong amongst his biggest musical inspirations, Aaron is a charismatic performer with an abundance of natural humour.”

Laura van der Heijden (cello) with Jâms Coleman (piano), 7.30pm, Tuesday, July 25: “Another former BBC Young Musician of the Year, cellist Laura van der Heijden, takes to the St Mary’s stage in a programme featuring the cello-sonata-that-is-pretty-much-a-double-concerto, Rachmaninov’s immense Sonata in G Minor. A piece that contains all the passion and drama found in his famous 2nd Piano Concerto and 2nd Symphony, this salute to the composer’s 150th anniversary is complemented by the richly contrasting sound worlds of Debussy, Lili Boulanger, and the highly expressive work with an unforgettable first movement that is Pejacevic’s Cello Sonata.”​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ ​​​​

petworthfestival.org.uk