The Brentwood Buzz

S4Ep16 An Actor’s Life for Stephen Moyer

International TV, film and theatre actor, Stephen Moyer, was in Brentwood last night for a fundraising event at Brentwood Theatre.

Stephen grew up in Brentwood and started his acting career at St Martin’s School and Brentwood Theatre – and he’s now the theatre’s patron.

Last night’s Evening With… hosted by Bill Wells (see S4Ep13 for a chat with Bill and with Stephen’s mum, Jean) was a great success. The theatre was packed and there was a huge feeling of pride and fondness for Stephen as he described his early days in theatre and his life now as an actor.

He even had time to talk to The Brentwood Buzz about some of those memories.

S4Ep15 Record Store Day at Hey Joe Music

It was an early start at Hey Joe Music off Crown Street in Brentwood this morning with record collectors gathering from just before midnight onwards for Record Store Day, and the chance to buy exclusive pressings of some of the world’s finest pop musicians.

The Brentwood Buzz joined Marc Sardinha of Hey Joe Music for the early shift and to meet some of the people who are willing to give up a night’s sleep to get the records they want.

https://heyjoemusic.co.uk/

https://www.recordstoreday.co.uk/

S4Ep14 From Feet To Fiction

The Chicken and Frog Bookshop on Crown Street, run by Natasha Radford, is a good friend to The Brentwood Buzz – there’s always something interesting going on and there’s a quiet space for podcasts to be recorded too.

But Chicken and Frog is not just a bookshop; it’s a safe space which encourages writers, illustrators and content creators to come together to talk about their work and share their experiences.

One of those writers is Amanda Claire from Doddinghurst, a foot health practitioner, mum, bad allotmenteer and self-published author of stories for children. Amanda is joining Natasha and others to talk about writing, publishing and illustrating books on 23rd April, so The Brentwood Buzz has been to meet her to find out why her writing takes precedence over weeding.

Sir Douglas Mole and Allot of Antics is available from the Chicken and Frog Bookshop on Crown Street in Brentwood.

If you would like to take part in any of the events taking place at the Chicken and Frog, you can see what’s going on and book tickets here: https://chickenandfrog.com/events/

S4Ep13 Local Vampire Returns to Brentwood Theatre

Internationally acclaimed actor, director and well-known vampire, Stephen Moyer, is returning to Brentwood – his home town – for a fundraising event for Brentwood Theatre.

Stephen, who is the theatre’s first patron, will be interviewed by friend of The Brentwood Buzz, Bill Wells, whose work with pretty much every theatre group in town makes him something of a local legend.

Bill will be talking to Stephen at Brentwood Theatre on Tuesday 21st April at 7.30pm (tickets are £25 and available from the theatre website) but The Brentwood Buzz managed to catch up with him, and Stephen’s mum, Jean Wilson, at the Marlborough Theatre Club this week for a bit of a preview.

https://brentwood-theatre.co.uk/event/an-evening-with-steven-moyer/

S4Ep12 The Lounge, Ingatestone – How to Succeed in Business On A Whim

In another of The Brentwood Buzz’s series of podcasts featuring businesses within the Brentwood Connected Business Improvement District, we’re back in Ingatestone to meet Julie Bell, one of the family directors of The Lounge in Ingatestone.

The Lounge has been offering tea, coffee, cake and wine to the good people of Ingatestone since 2023. It’s also a safe space for anyone dealing with domestic abuse, trauma or illness. Business is booming but it’s not been a smooth ride for Julie, as this week’s podcast tells.

https://theloungeingatestone.co.uk/

https://www.brentwoodconnected.co.uk/

S4Ep11 Create Yourself Calm Brings Art and Mindfulness to Brentwood

Having had an overview of the activities on offer at King George’s Playing Fields in the last episode of The Brentwood Buzz, this week we’ve returned to focus in on one of the groups which meets at the Pavilion.

Create Yourself Calm is a Community Interest Company which runs sessions in the Borough of Brentwood combining creativity with mindfulness. They are run by three Brentwood women with backgrounds in primary school teaching, HR and counselling who, like so many women we’ve heard from on The Brentwood Buzz, needed to find something to do which fitted in with their personal and caring responsibilities, so they set up their own company.

The Brentwood Buzz has been along to one of the sessions to meet the team and those taking part in the art.

http://www.createyourselfcalm.art

S4Ep10 Keeping Everyone Active at King George’s Playing Fields

King George’s Playing Fields, with its new pavilion, splash park, children’s playground, rugby and football facilities, skatepark and woods is a popular place for people of all ages to visit throughout the year.

The Brentwood Buzz has been to meet Keeley Heasman, who is the General Manager for King George’s Playing Fields for Everyone Active, to hear more about what’s on offer for outside fun and entertainment.

https://www.everyoneactive.com/centre/king-georges-playing-fields/

S4Ep9 Health and Housing – Why Ingatestone is a Great Place to Live

The Brentwood Buzz has been back to Ingatestone this week to meet some of the people who make the village better, by helping residents keep fit and to find homes.

The two might seem like a heady mix, but with Mark Newman running his lettings and property business, Barrington’s, just round the corner on Market Square from his wife, Shelley’s gym – Studio 35 – it’s a combination which works.

With thanks to Studio 35’s manager, Fran for getting in touch with The Brentwood Buzz for a chat, and now please listen to this week’s podcast on why these two businesses find Ingatestone is a great place to live.

https://barringtonsproperty.co.uk/

https://studio35.goleadfunnel.net/ingatestone

S4Ep8 Backstage with Brentwood’s Oldest Theatre Club

The Marlborough Dramatic Club has been putting on plays for the people of Brentwood for one hundred and twenty five years, and members are currently rehearsing their latest production, ‘Kind Hearts and Coronets’ by Roy Horniman.

The Marlborough Dramatic Club meets at Brentwood School and performs in the school’s Memorial Hall. The Brentwood Buzz has been along to rehearsals to find out about the club’s history and to meet up with some of the cast – who, it turns out, are old friends of the podcast.

Kind Hearts and Coronets is on at the Memorial Hall, Brentwood School, on 9th, 10th and 11th April, and you can get tickets by calling 07746 915348 or online at http://www.marlboroughdramaticclub.uk

S4Ep7 Classy Bars and Grassy Cars

Come to Brentwood High Street and you will see the Sugar Hut – formerly the White Hart coaching inn, and then central nightclub venue for the antics of the The Only Way Is Essex cast – and, if you are lucky, a glimpse of a tiny Smart car covered in fake grass.

Strangely enough, both attractions were brought to the town by the same man, Fraser Donaldson, who’s now the Managing Director of Easigrass Essex and Herts, based at the Hunters Chase Garden Centre in Hutton.

Fraser has been telling The Brentwood Buzz how he came to be involved with classy bars and grassy cars.

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