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KIRKDALE BOOKSHOP IN SYDENHAM
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Christmas Carol reading @ Kirkdale Bookshop by Cllr Chris Best.

Local Councillor Chris Best with the actors...

CHRISTMAS 2009

We held our special Christmas event on Friday December 4th between 4pm and 9pm, not knowing quite what to expect. As we were offering 10% off everything in the shop and readings from Dickens' Christmas Carol, it was difficult to know how to organise it. On the night, however, it was great fun, with four fantastic actors performing amongst the customers in the shop. The book was divided into six episodes, interrupting the Christmas shopping every 15 minutes.

With the mulled wine and the mince pies and a special lucky dip for the children, I think everyone came away feeling a little bit more Christmassy!

(But we forgot to take any pictures!)

 

Sydenham Arts Festival

3rd-12th July 2008

The very first Sydenham Arts Festival took place in July. Click on the link below to visit the festival's website.

www.sydenhamartsfestival.com

 Children enjoying Sue Eves and puppet friend, reading from her new picture book

The Quiet Woman and the Noisy Dog

on Saturday 28th February, as part of our World Book Day celebrations.

 Published by Andersen Press @ £10.99 

Sue Eves and "Woofy"

outside Kirkdale Bookshop.  

........................................................ 

 

 Kirkdale Bookshop was 42 on

Saturday 18th October 2008 

To celebrate the shop's birthday on Saturday 18th October 2008, members of the Writers' Group read stories, plays and poems from their anthology 42: Life, The Universe and Everything to an audience of more than sixty loyal customers. Moving about the shop promenade style, the audience were treated to stories about vampire commuters and man-eating crocodiles, as well as plays featuring gun-toting teenagers and time-travelling soldiers. The evening was a great success and will be followed by publication of the anthology in December.

  

An Evening with Paul Kieve

November 2008

To coincide with the launch of Paul's book Hocus Pocus in paperback, the author gave an illustrated talk on the history of magic and performed some startling illusions. Paul is a world-renowned illusionist and magic consultant in the West End. Recently he was physical magic consultant to Daniel Radcliffe and the Harry Potter films.

 Hocus Pocus by Paul Kieve (Bloomsbury pbk £6.99) Signed copies in stock!

 

 Look Out Stripy Horse!

Special Stripy Storytime

 

 Award winning local children's authors Jim Helmore and Karen Wall visited the shop to read their latest children's book, Look Out Stripy Horse! on Saturday 27th September. Over twenty children dressed in stripy clothes joined in the fun and Jim and Karen signed copies for over an hour. 

 

A Midsummer Night's Dream

staged in the Dolphin Garden by

Jonathan Kaufman and Spontaneous Productions

(formerly Kirkdale Bookshop Theatre Company)

Sara McAuley as Moth

Karl Edrik as Bottom, GB as The Wall and Dan Crowley as Flute

(photographs by Ann Pownall)

see link below

www.sydenhamarts.com

 

The Dictator's Wife

One-off one woman play by Mohammed Hanif

2nd August 2008

Nimra Bucha, wife of Mohammed Hanif as The Dictator's Wife

 On Saturday 2nd August Hanif's play The Dictator's Wife was premiered at Kirkdale Bookshop for a one-off, Edinburgh preview performance. Performed by Hanif's wife Nimra Bucha, the play was a comic look at the private life of the sixth most powerful man in the world. Up to forty customers crammed into the front of the shop, enduring sweltering temperatures, to enjoy a thoroughly entertaining evening.

 

Egyptian Mask Workshop

August 2008

Children enjoyed making Anubis masks in Juliet Desailly's workshop

 

 

Independent Booksellers' Week

1st - 8th July 2008

Author Mohammed Hanif

LOCAL AUTHOR MAKES

BOOKER PRIZE LONGLIST!

Sydenham-based author, Mohammed Hanif has been longlisted by the judges of the Man Booker Prize 2008 for his novel A Case of Exploding Mangoes. Hanif read from and signed copies of his novel as part of our celebrations for Independent Booksellers' Week in July. 

 

Hanif signs copies of his book A Case of Exploding Mangoes

Author Michael Hodges signs copies of his book AK47: The People's Gun

Jad Adams signs copies of his book Hideous Absinthe

Jad Adams and Geraldine Cox trying a drop of 'the green fairy'

Jonathan serving up a feast on Sydenham Beach

A game of catch on the beach

Geraldine's grand-daughter Chloe busy making sandcastles on Sydenham Beach

Vegetables - Caribbean stylee!

Turning the Pages

Theatrical evening October 2007

Fiona Alderton and Will Davies as Alice Liddell and Lewis Carroll

Will Birch and Fiona Whitelaw in Pageturners

Debbie Garvey and Paul Fagan as Mother & Father Bear

Martin Plews, Orlaine McDonald and Will Birch in TeenReads by Will Davies

Fiona Whitelaw as Jane Rochester (nee Eyre) and Fiona Alderton as Elizabeth Darcy (nee Bennet) in Reader I Married Him by Jane Wiley

Harry Potter Midnight Party

A real Nimbus 2000 (as used in the movie!) and its reluctant rider

Strange things happen at midnight!

Last Ever Midnight Harry Potter Party window

First in the queue!

An expectant queue waiting for midnight...

Another view of the queue...

Last Ever Harry Potter Party window display

Witching hour

 

40th Birthday Party

Kirkdale Bookshop celebrated its 40th birthday in October 2006 with a big party for its loyal customers

 

Father Christmas visit

The man himself

Santa and a couple of his elves?

Esmerelda the Elf lends a hand

Are those eyebrows for real?

First in the queue!

Sydenham Winter Festival

Altogether now!

Hallowe'en

Hallowe'en was a real scream...

24 Hour Reading Challenge

As part of Get London Reading customers and staff took turns reading aloud the whole of Peter Ackroyd's London: The Biography, during one 24-hour period in March 2006.

Andrew Flynn kicks off proceedings at 9am on Saturday

Words words words...

Geraldine reaches Chapter 49 at 1am in the morning!

So many volunteers, so little time...

 

Dalek Visit 2005

To celebrate its 39th birthday the shop was visited by a Dalek, as used in the original television series

The Doctor's 11th incarnation?

Exterminate!

Help! Earthling children!

 Lewisham Business Awards 2005

The Mayor pays a visit to the winner of Lewisham Business Awards Best Customer Service 2005

The Gruffalo Visit

 

A new friend

A hug for the Gruffalo

 Chrissie Gittins book signing