Your complete February Hertfordshire diary
PUBLISHED: 15:05 30 January 2012 | UPDATED: 20:58 20 February 2013

Charlie and Lola’s Bestest Play
Find out what's on in Hertfordshire in February...
Theatre
2nd Magners Funhouse Comedy night, Rhodes Arts Complex
2nd What is Love Anyway? Comedy with Richard Herring, Harpenden Public Halls
2nd Macbeth, presented by Icarus Theatre Company, Hertford Theatre
2nd Sally Morgan, celebrity psychic, The Alban Arena
2nd-3rd The Good Soul of Szechuan by Bertolt Brecht, Watford Palace Theatre
3rd Way Out West, Laurel and Hardy reincarnated, Old Town Hall, Hemel Hempstead
3rd My Darling Clemmie, the story of Clementine Churchill with Martin Jarvis and Joanna David, Hertford Theatre
4th Comedy Night, Gordon Craig Theatre
4th Falling Man, dance inspired by Richard Drews 9/11 falling man photos, Trestle Arts Base
6th & 7th Macbeth, presented by Icarus Theatre Collective, Gordon Craig Theatre
9th-18th A Breakaway Double Bill, Sofa by Peter Hawes and Bed by Jim Cartwright, Abbey Theatre, St Albans
10th Pulling Faces, topical comedy, Old Town Hall, Hemel Hempstead
11th Comedy Night, Letchworth Arts Centre
15th A Bed Full of Foreigners, Gordon Craig Theatre
16th Sally Morgan, celebrity psychic, Watford Colosseum
17th-25th King Lear, Barn Theatre, Welwyn Garden City
17th-March 3rd, Our Father, Watford Palace Theatre
18th Barry Cryer: Butterfly Brain, Rhodes Arts Complex
18th Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus, Alban Arena
19th Benidorm Live!, Gordon Craig Theatre
20th & 21st Moscow State Circus, Gordon Craig Theatre
21st Lord of the Flies, William Goldings classic, Rhodes Arts Complex
22nd Andrew ONeill: Alternative comedy, Old Town Hall, Hemel Hempstead
22nd Watford Palace Theatre present The Good Soul of Szechuan, Trestle Arts Base, St Albans
23rd Doug Segal I Know What Youre Thinking, Wyllyotts Theatre, Potters Bar
23rd Big Pants and Botox, Hertford Theatre
23rd Tony Stockwell, popular medium. Gordon Craig Theatre
23rd Omid Djalili, Watford Colosseum
23rd Hair Today Gone Tomorrow Paul Daniels, Harpenden Public Halls
24th Chris Addison The Time is now, Again, Alban Arena
24th-March 3rd, Much Ado About Nothing, Abbey Theatre, St Albans
25th Beloved Clara, the story of the relationship between Clara Schumann, Robert Schumann and Johannes Brahms. Hertford Theatre
26th Private Peaceful, Wyllyotts Theatre, Potters Bar
27th Screaming Blue Murder Comedy, Old Town Hall, Hemel Hempstead
27th An Evening with Jimmy Greaves, Harpenden Public Halls
28th Sense & Sensibility presented by Chapterhouse Theatre Company, Radlett Centre
29th Sean Collins and Mike Gunn Still OnThe Road, Gordon Craig Theatre
Music & dance
2nd Big Girls Dont Cry, the iconic sound of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, Radlett Centre
2nd Syd Lawrence Orchestra, Gordon Craig Theatre
3rd Rumours of Fleetwood Mac, Alban Arena
3rd Kathy Setterfield as Dusty Springfield, Gordon Craig Theatre
3rd The Most Romantic Songs in the World, Soprano Bella and Singers in Disguise, Rhodes Arts Complex
3rd Coull String Quartet, works by Haydn, Shostakovich and Beethoven. Benslow Music, Benslow SG4 9RB. 01462 459446
3rd Flanders and Swann Drop Another Hat, two-man musical show recreating Michael Flanders and Donald Swann, Letchworth Arts Centre
4th Big Band Night, Phoenix Big Band, in aid of Isabel Hospice, Chancellors School Pine Grove, Hatfield AL9 7BN
4th Hertfordshire Chorus, St Albans Abbey
4th One Night of Queen, Gordon Craig Theatre
4th Magic A Tribute to Queen, Hertford Theatre
4th Beyond the Barricade, West End and Broadway musical hits, Gordon Craig Theatre
4th The Magic of Motown, Rhodes Arts Complex
4th Sounds of Simon, tribute to the music of Simon and Garfunkel, Wyllyotts Theatre, Potters Bar
4th Ian Siegal, blues performer, Old Town Hall, Hemel Hempstead
8th-11th La Vie Parisienne, Offenbachs comic operetta, Wyllyotts Theatre, Potters Bar
7th LOL (lots of love) Proteins six dancers portray the language of life online, Watford Palace Theatre
9th All Star 60s Show, pop classics, Harpenden Public Halls
10th The Baron Nights, the legendary comics of rock, Rhodes Arts Complex
10th Magic of Motown, Watford Colosseum
11th Quattro Correnti Chamber Choir, 20th Anniversary Season, All Saints Church, Hertford
11th & 12th Fusion Dance Centres: 2 Decades of Dance, Gordon Craig Theatre
12th Magical Musical Moments, The Harlow branch of Theatretrain present their 20th anniversary showcase, Rhodes Arts Complex
12th A spectacular Night of Queen, Alban Arena
13th The Billy Fury Show, Gordon Craig Theatre
15th-18th Shushan, musical theatre, Court Theatre, Pendley
16th Sincerely Noel, Noel Cowards songs and verse, Harpenden Public Halls
16th 4 Poofs and Piano Back in Business, Hertford Theatre
17th Mary Coughlan, legendary Irish singer, Harpenden Public Halls
17th Straight No Chaser, Gordon Craig Theatre
18th 19th Fame the Musical, Watersmeet Theatre
18th The Merry Widow presented by Opera della Luna, Hertford Theatre
18th Rhythms of the World with Moishes Bagel & Stuart OConner, Queen Mother Theatre, Hitchin
19th Kathy Setterfield as Dusty Springfield, Alban Arena
19th La Traviata, by Ukrainian National Opera of Kharkiv, Watford Colosseum
19th The Hot Fingers Trio, Wyllyotts Theatre, Potters Bar
19th Streisand: The Main Event, Radlett Centre
22nd An Evening with Lesley Garrett, Wyllyotts Theatre, Potters Bar
22nd The Good Old Days, Gordon Craig Theatre
22nd-25th A Masked Ball, Aylesbury Opera Group, Court Theatre, Pendley
22nd Port Isaacs Fishermans Friends, Alban Arena
23rd Syd Littles Rock n Roll Laughter Show, Wyllyotts Theatre, Potters Bar
23rd Fujita Piano Trio, Radlett Music Club. 01923 859291
23rd-25th Oliver! The Musical, Sandpit Theatre, St Albans
24th Rockin On Heavens Door, Gordon Craig Theatre
24th Buddy Holly A Legend Reborn, Watford Colosseum
24th Back to Broadway The Musical, Wyllyotts Theatre, Potters Bar
24th The Merry Widow, presented by Opera della Luna, Rhodes Arts Complex
25th Hertford Voices Square Dance, Presdales School, Hoe Lane. Entry with ticket only 01992 558004
25th The Bohemians: A Night of Queen, Rhodes Arts Complex
25th All Star 60s Show, pop classics. Wyllyotts Theatre, Potters Bar
25th Grenadier Guards Band, Watford Colosseum
25th 100 years of Jazz, Radlett Centre
25th Gerry Cross the Mersey, Gordon Craig Theatre
26th Jazz Night, Letchworth Arts Centre
26th Joe Brown in Concert, Alban Arena
28th Celtic Dream, Gordon Craig Theatre 01438 894548
Children & family
4th Show Me CBeebies Chris and Pui, Wyllyotts Theatre, Potters Bar
4th The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark, Blunderbus Theatre Company, Watford Palace Theatre
4th & 5th The Little Big Club Live in Concert, Radlett Centre
5th The Velveteen Rabbit, Trestle Arts Base
6th The Snow Play, interactive, Harpenden Public Halls
7th Creepy Crawly Caterpillars, make and paint a colourful caterpillar from everyday items, Natural History Museum, Tring
11th Lee Valley Park Farms, meet the animals, Stubbins Hall Lane, Waltham Abbey
11th Charlie and Lolas Bestest Play, Hertford Theatre
11th & 19th Newborn lambs arrive at Willows Farm Village during February Frolics, Willows Farm Village
12th Family Cycle Ride, three-mile guided cycle ride, 10am, Meet Pindar Car Park, EN8 9AJ
13th & 14th Archer fish accurately squirt their prey with water. Make your own squirting crafty card fish, Natural History Museum, Tring
14th Half Term Play in a Day, Phoenix Theatre School one-day workshop for primary school children to put on a play in just one day. Rhodes Arts Complex
15th Penguins Birds Fastest Swimmers and Deepest Divers, make your own deep-sea diving bird, Natural History Museum, Tring
16th & 17th The Komodo dragon is one of the most feared lizards. Keep out of danger and make your own friendly dragon. Natural History Museum, Tring
16th & 17th Little Princess, I Want to Celebrate! The Kingdom is brimming with excitement as it seems everyone has something to celebrate on a very special day, Alban Arena
17th CBeebie Chris and Pui Live on Stage, Rhodes Arts Complex
17th Alan in Wonderland and the Three Goats Plus, Letchworth Arts Centre
25th Alvin and the Chipmunks Chip-Wrecked, Wyllyotts Theatre, Potters Bar
25th Snail Tails: A Bird in Your Ear, genies in teapots and hat-munching squirrels, Old Town Hall, Hemel Hempstead
26th The Little Big Club Live in Concert, Gordon Craig Theatre
General interest
1st Gardeners Coffee Morning, a tour and tips with Head Gardener Andrew Turvey, Myddelton House Gardens, 10am. 08456 770600
5th Best Western Homestead Court Hotel Wedding Show, Welwyn Garden City, AL7 4LX
6th Time for a Cuppa, Dementia UKs national fundraising day, New Fellowship Hall, Whitwell SG4 8HT
10th Joanna Trollope talks about and signs her new novel, The Soldiers Wife, 7.30pm, Davids Bookshop, Letchworth. Reserve a place: 01462 684631
11th Some Enchanted Evening Ballroom Valentine Dance, Harpenden Public Halls
11th Murder Mystery Dinner, Watford Colosseum
12th Valentines Disco Skate, Lee Valley Ice Centre
12th Antiques and Collectors Fair, Wyllyotts Theatre, Potters Bar
13th Victorian Valentines Card Making Workshop, 11am, Rhodes Arts Complex
16th Saving Species: the Role of Zoos in Species Conservation with Nick Lindsay, 7pm, Natural History Museum, Tring
16th & 23rd Get to Know Your Digital Camera Course, Rhodes Arts Complex
17th Strictly Come Hospice Valentine Special Grand Finale, Watford Colosseum
18th Barn Dance, Harpenden Public Halls
18th Operatic Orpheuses: An illustrated talk by Stephen Pettitt, Benslow Music, Hitchin, SG4 9RB. 01462 459446
22nd Lunchtime Lecture: The Ethnography Collection, from Zulu beadwork to Masai weapons, Rhodes Arts Complex
26th The Stevenage Wedding Fair, Holiday Inn, 11am-4pm
27th Recycled Fashion Show, by pupils of St Christopher School, Letchworth Arts Centre SG5 3EW
Farmers' markets
4th Hatfield, Town Centre, 9am to 1pm
4th Great Amwell, Van Hage Garden Company, 9am to 1pm
5th Royston, Town Hall, 9.30 to 1pm
6th Tring, Brook Street, 9am to 12pm
6th Great Hormead, Village Hall, 10am to 12.30pm
11th Fowlmere, Village Hall, 9am to noon
11th Hertford, Market Place, 8.30am to 1pm
11th Baldock, High Street, 10am to 2pm
12th St Albans, Market Place, 10am to 4pm
13th Dane End, Memorial Hall, 10.30 to 12.30pm
15th Barnet, Spires Shopping Centre, 8.30am to 3pm
17th Hexton, St Faiths Church Car Park, 1pm to 4pm
18th Ugley, Village Hall, 10am to noon
19th Wheathampstead, East Lane Car Park, 10am to 1pm
19th Hoddesdon, The Clock Tower, 9am to 2pm
20th Letchworth, Leys Square, 9.30am to 1.30pm
20th Sandon Growers Market, Village Hall, 9.30am to noon
20th Tring, Brook Street, 9am to noon
21st Berkhamsted, Town Hall, 10am to 2pm
21st Hertford Heath, Village Hall, 9am to 1pm
23rd Hitchin, Market Square, 8am to 3.30pm
26th Sheering, Village Hall, 9.30am to 12.30pm
27th Little Hadham, Village Hall 9am to noon
27th Aldenham, Aldenham Country Park, 10am to 2pm
28th Woolmer Green, 9am to noon
28th Harpenden, Lower High Street, 10am to 2pm
Have we missed any? If you would like details of your farmers market published please email Petra Hornsby at events@hertfordshirelife.co.uk
Art & exhibitions
2nd-24th Schools Exhibition, annual exhibition of work by the talented Letchworth youngsters, Letchworth Arts Centre
10th Photography4All, Finalists Exhibition, Rhodes Arts Complex
Until 26th After Dark, evening dress from the Roaring 20s to the Psychedelic 70s, Bushey Museum and Art Gallery
Walks & nature
5th A Walk in the Park, a free leisurely paced walk in scenic River Lee Country Park. 10.30am, meet Pindar Car Park EN8 9AJ
8th Nick Baker Weird Creatures, spend an evening with the naturalist and TV presenter, Rhodes Arts Complex
14th An Evening with Chris Packham, an evening with the wildlife TV presenter, Gordon Craig Theatre
14th Wildlife Photography Workshop, bring your camera to Tring Reservoirs to pick up some useful tips with wildlife photographer Jill Pakenham, Natural History Museum, Tring
18th Early Spring Walk, with Head Gardener Andrew Turvey, 11am and 2pm, Myddelton House Gardens EN2 9HG
18th British Iris Society Early Spring Show, noon, Myddelton House Gardens EN2 9HG
Useful contacts
Abbey Theatre, St Albans 01727 857861; Alban Arena, St Albans 01727 844488; Ashridge Estate, Berkhamsted 01441 851227; Barn Theatre, Welwyn Garden City 01707 357117; British Schools Museum, Hitchin 01462 420144; Broxbourne Civic Hall 01992 441946; Court Theatre, Pendley, Tring 01442 823130; First Garden City Heritage Museum 01462 482710; Frogmore Paper Mill, 01442 234600; Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage 01438 363200; Harpenden Public Halls 01582 767525; Hatfield House 01707 287010; Hitchin Museum and Art Gallery 01462 434476; Hopleys, Much Hadham 01279 842509; Knebworth House and Gardens 01438 812661; Letchworth Arts Centre 01462 670788; Market Theatre, Hitchin 01462 433553; Old Town Hall, Hemel Hempstead 01442 228091; Queen Mother Theatre, Hitchin 01462 434875; Radlett Centre 01923 859291; Rhodes Arts Complex, Bishops Stortford 01279 651746; Sandpit Theatre, St Albans 01727 370067; Shenley Park 01923 852629; St Albans Cathedral 01727 860780; Trestle Arts Base, St Albans 01727 850950; Watford Colosseum 0845 075 3993; Watford Palace Theatre 01923 225671; Watersmeet Theatre 01923 711063; Wyllyotts Theatre 01707 645005