Rye's Kino cinema, which provided free fun activities (pictured above) for children and parents last weekend, will be showing films about jazz and musicians and hosting at least one musical event on its terrace this coming weekend (during the Jazz Festival) - and it has a steady stream of one-off events (including live drama, ballet and opera) as well as hosting a number of talks during the Rye Arts Festival.
Add in the bar and food, and you have a multi-purpose centre which is making its mark in Rye. However it is not all "heavy culture" and last weekend the children were watching Grease and Finding Nemo, while during this long weekend's Jazz Festival there are four films - Ray on Friday is about Ray Charles, Bayou Maharaja is about New Orleans legend James Booker (on Thursday and Saturday), The Sound After The Storm on Sunday is about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and Dream Girls on Monday is about the Supremes.
But other events at the Kino include live drama such as RSC's "Othello" this Wednesday, August 26; The Rugby World Cup and live questions and answers with leading players (September 1); the Rocky Horror Show live" (September 17); Roger Water's The Wall about Pink Floyd (September 29); Donmar Warehouse's production of Coriolanus (September 24) and the ballet Romeo and Juliet from the Royal Opera House (September 2).
And, if that were not enough, the Kino stages four talks during the Rye Arts Festival - a discussion about film-maker Derek Jarman on September 13, artist in residence Charlie Cobb talking about faking Mr Turner (September 14), local artist Dave McKean talking about directing The Gospel of Us (September 18) and an evening of words and music (September 27) from the plays of John Fletcher (who lived next door to the Kino).
- Kino information - 01797 226293
- Jazz Festival information
- Arts Festival information, or visit the box office at Phillips & Stubbs, 47 Cinque Ports Street 9:30am-12:30pm Monday-Saturday.
Photo: Ray Prewer
