Next Branch Meeting:

• Next branch meeting is Wednesday, 9th October @ The William de Wessyngton, Washington. 

  Starts 20:00. All branch members welcome

Steamboat Halloween Beer Festival 2013.
From 31st October, until 3rd November.
Friday 1st November is Fancy Dress Night.

25 Real Ales, Suitably chosen to match the theme!


Opening night event (Thursday 31st October):
Erasmus Bottle, aka Dave Walker, local historian and writer.
Entertains audiences across the North East recanting tales via an alternative version of history with a bit of humour:
Opens Steamboat Halloween Fest - £4 per ticket + Buffet

DRACULA TO MAKE APPEARANCE IN SUNDERLAND!

A comedy play based on the Dracula story, which has been invited to be performed at the Whitby Goth Festival, is to have three dates in Sunderland this autumn.

Dracula: Die Laughing which will be performed at the Isis pub (Sunderland and South Tyneside CAMRA branches Pub of the Year 2013) in Silksworth Row, Sunderland city centre, has been penned by South Tyneside playwright Ed Waugh who came up with the idea after a friend returned from the Whitby Goth Festival and was raving about it.

The weekend festival, which is held every April and October, attracts 12,000 people of all ages from all over the world, many of whom dress as Goths but most attend to take in the styles, music and laid-back atmosphere of the event in the North Yorkshire town.

Ed, who with his writing partner Trevor Wood has notched up some of the most successful north east plays in the past decade, explained: “My mate Les went last year and he never stopped talking about it. So I agreed to go with him next year but I felt if we were going it should be with a play. Everyone knows about Dracula being a vampire, and how it was at Whitby that he first came ashore. 

“I felt we could have great fun with Dracula being a bit passed his best and, being pursued by Vampire hunters, takes refuge at the Whitby Goth Festival.

“We spoke to the organisers and they want to include us in the official programme alongside the bands, so we are delighted to be an integral part of the event next April.”

The north east tour will be to fine tune the show but director Gareth Hunter of Ion Productions is promising a cracking evening’s entertainment.

He said: “The script is hilarious. The show will include audience interaction and we initially want to run it at intimate venues in preparation for the Whitby event and a regional tour next year. This is Dracula as never seen before. People will actually feel sympathy for the poor old soul!”

Dracula: Die Laughing, opens at Collingwood College, Durham, on  Tuesday, October 29, and runs at the Magnesia Bank, North Shields (Wednesday 30) and Sunderland Isis pub on Thursday, Friday and Saturday (October 31 and November 1 and 2).

Tickets cost £8 and £5 (unwaged) and are available from the venues or via the Dracula: Die Laughing Facebook site.  The show is open to everyone and suitable for the 14+ age group.

Gareth added: “People are welcome to come in Gothic costume, especially for Halloween on the 31st.” 

Stables beer festival Saturday 14 September

The Stables brewery/pub at Beamish are having their annual beer festival and i was going to run a bus there on Saturday 14th September.  Over 50 beers and plenty of ciders and perry's + live music and food available.

If any one is interested, let me know asap and i will organize.

Lynn D ( email )

More Info.

After our August break the next branch meeting is Tuesday 10th Sept @ The Tram Inn, Market Place, South Shields (was Rosie Malones). Starts 20:00. All branch members welcome.

Next NE CAMRA Regional meeting is Saturday 31st August @ Durham University Students Union, Old Elvet, Durham. {NB This is also the last day of the Durham Beer Festival at the same location.}

The Dark Side of the Half Moon. 

For years a bunch of mates have drunk in their local pub The Half Moon - a traditional fleapit of an English pub. But all is about to change when the landlord, Trevor, decides The Half Moon is to become a trendy café bar. The locals, Jesus an ageing Pink Floyd fan, Harry a journalist and Tommy an allotment holder, are appalled by this and decide to revolt.

Add to the mix the huge tensions between Trevor and his brother Rob, an ex-footballer; something obviously going on between Trevor and Shelagh, the cleaner; Tommy's nephew Stan, who is a few sandwiches short of a picnic; and Trevor's missing wife Maria, and you have a perfect combination of hilarious laughs with more than a hint of mystery.

Written by National TV Comedy Award nominees Brian Walsh & Neil Armstrong, this is a great comedy for one and all, especially if you harbour an affection for the traditional old boozer! 

We are pleased that we can announce the support of Jarrow Brewery for this production.
The brewery is creating a special dark ale (which will be named "Half Moon") which will be available to all real ale pubs.
The brewery is also providing us with a hand pump for the actors to use on stage as well as allowing us to use its various pubs to film a variety of short vignettes where the characters will rant about weekly topics as well as having a real ale recommendation.

From Gareth Hunter of ION Entertainment.