Culture quiz of the year

Dec 29 2008 by Sam Wonfor, The Journal

Click here to enter the quiz of the year

Scrooge Schmooge... we’ve got goodwill and generosity in abundance says Sam Wonfor as she invites you to partake in the Culture Quiz, 2008.

FATHER Christmas may have packed away his sleigh for another year, but that doesn’t mean that the treats are finished just yet.

Yes, that’s right Culture fans... it’s the moment you’ve been waiting for throughout the festivities... the end-of-year Culture Quiz is upon us once again and (although I do say so myself) we’ve rather outdone ourselves on the prizes front this year.

For the uninitiated, each year The Journal Culture desk gives you the chance to win one of three jam-packed goody bags, which will get your year off to a thoroughly cultural start.

Courtesy of us, each bag contains an eclectic mixture of books, CDs, DVDs and anything else we find in our cupboard during our annual clear-out of all the lovely things we’ve been sent during the year.

A smattering of highlights from the box of tricks we’ve assembled are CDs by Russell Watson, Lesley Garrett and The Feeling, comedy DVDs from Bobby Pattinson and the Sunday for Sammy crew; The Owen Brannigan Story DVD which sees present day opera star Graeme Danby tell the story of his yesteryear counterpart and too many books to mention.

But here’s the best bit... courtesy of our many friends across the region’s venues and cultural organisations, we’ve got an embarrassment of ticket riches for your 2009 pleasure. Check this out:

Our friends at Newcastle Theatre Royal have given us a pair of tickets for three great shows. Loot (which is on a pre-West End run at the venue from Feb 2-7), on February 2; Gethsemane, a new play by David Hare, on March 10; and the Rambert Dance Company, which is bringing a brand new programme to the venue on March 25.

Those good people at Sunderland Empire Theatre have given us three pairs of tickets to the opening night performance of smash hit musical, Cabaret on January 26 (the show runs until January 31).

Pals at our namesake, The Journal Tyne Theatre have been more than generous too. We’ve got three pairs of tickets to see former X Factor finalist Andy Abraham on February 8 (Andy himself has also donated three signed copies of his CD, Even If, too) and three pairs of tickets for Lennon the Legend – a Tribute to John Lennon on February 14.

The National Trust have come up trumps with three pairs of free entry tickets to National Trust properties which are valid until the end of 2009.

The box office at Gala Theatre Durham haven’t let us down either.

They’ve donated a pair of tickets for Harold Pinter’s Betrayal on February 25 (it runs from Feb 24-28) and two pairs of tickets for the Comedy Store night on March 8.

And last but about as far away from least as you could get, The Sage Gateshead have given us a pair of tickets for a trio of shows in February.

Former Hot Chocolate frontman Errol Brown on his Farewell Tour plus guests on the 6th; a Paul Lewis Recital (pieces by Schubert and Beethoven) as part of their International Piano Series on the 17th; and folk-rock singer Jonatha Brooke on the 22nd.

Now come on... you can’t say fairer than that.

All you have to do to enter and be in with a chance of winning one of the three goody bags is click here and answer as many of the 60 questions (there are five relating to each month of 2008), as possible, and send them to us (when you get to the end of the quiz, there will be a form to fill in), together with your name, age, address (inc postcode), daytime telephone number, and email. Entries must arrive by Wednesday, January 14, 2009. The first three correct entries drawn at random on Friday, January 16, 2009 will receive the prizes as offered. Winners will be contacted directly within 48 hours of the draw and details will be updated monthly at www.journallive.co.uk/winners. Standard Trinity Mirror plc rules apply, available at www.journallive.co.uk/legal. Competition open to residents within the circulation area of The Journal. A full postcode list and footprint of the circulation area can be found at www.journallive.co.uk/legal or available from Freepost NEA1676, Promotions, Groat Market, Newcastle, NE1 1BR. The Editor’s decision is final.