The General

This is the first in what will hopefully be a monthly series of silent movies with live piano accompaniment. It's the live music that makes that difference - watch a silent movie with no music at all and it's a surprisingly drab affair.

Mike Hatchard has a passion to restore the art of movie accompaniment, a profession that was lost almost entirely with the advent of the 'talkies'. A fascinating art that requires improvisatory skills and razor sharp reaction and which, in the hands of the right practitioner, always evokes a rapturous reception. Mike is not a purist - his music draws on more contemporary sources to produce scores that modern audiences can relate to easily rather than relying on twenties pastiche.

Mike is a much sought after professional musician with an impeccable pedigree (check out his website at mikehatchardjazz.my.canva.site/

People are welcome to bring their own refreshment to this event and if there's an appetite for it Mike might continue to play after the film has finished!