Matthew Kelly, left, and David Yelland in The Habit Of Art. Picture: Helen Maybanks
YORK Theatre Royal’s co-production of Alan Bennett’s comedy The Habit Of Art with the Original Theatre Company is heading to New York as part of the Brits Off Broadway festival.
Premiered in York in September 2018, Philip Franks’s show starring Matthew Kelly will be one of eight productions featured in 59E59 Theaters’ annual celebration of theatre from the UK.
Franks’s
production begins its
second British tour in March ahead of the American dates from May 29 to June 28
in one of 59E59 Theaters’ three off-Broadway spaces, having first toured Britain
in Autumn 2018.
The Habit Of Art director Philip Franks
Leeds playwright Bennett’s 2009 play imagines a meeting between friends and collaborators W.H. Auden, the York-born poet, and composer Benjamin Britten. Most of the original cast are in the latest production, including Kelly, David Yelland and Yorkshire actor Benjamin Chandler, who made his York Theatre Royal debut in the 2018 company.
Kelly says: “I’ve done Brits on
Broadway before in [Hull playwright] Richard Bean’s play Toast, which is very
different to The Habit Of Art. But Americans are going to love Alan Bennett
because they think they’re going to see something very British.”
John Wark, left, and Ben Chandler in The Habit Of Art. Picture: Helen Maybanks
Director Franks adds: “New York is the
most wonderful city but there’s a huge challenge because it’s such an English
play. I hope very much audiences will respond.”
The 2020 production of The Habit Of Art is produced by the Original Theatre Company and Anthology with Peter Stickney and York Theatre Royal.
Franks last directed in York in Summer 2019 when his Shakespeare’s Rose Theatre production of The Tempest ran at the Elizabethan pop-up theatre on the Castle car park.
REVIEW: Crongton Knights, Pilot Theatre, York Theatre Royal,
until Saturday. Box office: 01904 623568 or at yorktheatreroyal.co.uk
EVER since Lord Of The Flies, York Theatre Royal resident
company Pilot Theatre have made theatre that speaks directly to young
audiences.
Now, Pilot are in the second year of a four-year creative
partnership with Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre, Derby Theatre and the Theatre
Royal, their reach spreading ever wider.
Last year’s gripping adaptation of Malorie Blackman’s radical Noughts & Crosses is followed up by another topical story, Emteaz Hussain’s stage account of Crongton Knights, a young adult novel by Brixton Bard Alex Wheatle, a London writer of Jamaican parentage.
Co-directed by Corey Campbell, artistic director of Strictly Arts Theatre Company, and Pilot artistic director Esther Richardson, it is a play with music, not a musical, but has the punch of West Side Story, the exhilarating beatbox and vocal score by Conrad Murray setting the story’s pulsating rhythm.
The Crongton Knights of the title are the self-styled
Magnificent Six, caught up at a young age in the gangland turf wars of the
Crongton Estate, divided into “North Crong” and “South Crong”, their homestead.
Into the dangerous Notre Dame estate they venture on a teen
quest, a mission to rescue the mobile phone of Venetia (Aimee Powell, the
show’s best singer), in the possession of her ex-boyfriend with incriminating
photographs she needs to erase.
Leading them is big-hearted McKay (Olisa Odele); alongside are
Jonah (Khai Shaw), Bit (Zak Douglas), Saira (Nigar Yeva) and, along for the
ride, and desperate to be their lookout, Bushkid (Kate Donnachie), on her bike.
What follows is a story of “lessons learned the hard way” at
the hands of those more experienced, more streetwise, more ruthless, more desperate,
as represented by Simi Egbejumi-David’s ensemble roles.
In Wheatle’s words, the Magnificent Six must “confront debt,
poverty, blackmail, loss, fear, the trauma of a flight from a foreign land and
the omnipresent threat of gangland violence”, but the tone is not suffocatingly
grim. Even in a world stacked against teens, there is hope; there is
positivity; above all there is the bond of friendship.
Pilot’s press release talked of a madcap adventure, and Simon Kenny’s graffiti-painted, rainbow-coloured, scaffolded set design plays to that spirit, especially when garage lock-up doors open up to show the Magnificent Six running in slow motion. Imagine a cartoon crossed with the black comedy drama of Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting.
Not all the dialogue is as clear as it could be, and nor is the story’s passage, but the highly energised performances, especially by Odele and Powell, are terrific, and special praise goes to Dale Mathurin for stepping into the role of Nesta with only two hot-housed days of rehearsals.
Richard G Jones’s lighting and Adam P McCready’s sound
design are important too, both complementing the urban wasteland of troubled
teens trying to find their place when so much is barren.
In the swing of it: Crooners celebrates the golden age of song and dance
CROONERS, a rip-roaring comedy music
show with a splendiferous injection of big band swing, charms its way into the
Grand Opera House, York, on March 6, at 7.30pm.
On a mission to bring old-school
variety back to the theatre with a “quintessentially British twist to the genre
symbolised by the crooner”, this new collaboration bonds comedy writer and
performer Roman Marek with the outrageous ten-piece swing combo The Mini Big
Band.
“I’m asong-and-dance man,” says Marek. “I was brought up on the music of the super-cool crooners, but also on the quintessentially English stage humour of Morecambe and Wise, Bruce Forsyth and Max Bygraves.”
Crooners revels in the songs of the Rat Pack’s Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr, together with Tony Bennett, Bobby Darin and Britain’s very own crooner, Matt Monro.
“We have a set listofmaterial never before heard in a theatre production,” says Marek. Tickets for this “truly British swingin’ affair” are on sale on 0844 871 3024 or at atgtickets.com/york.
A scene from Seeds at Leeds Playhouse. All pictures: Wasi Daniju
TWO mothers united in sorrow, unable to escape the tragedy of
knife crime, try to protect their sons, one in life, one in death, in Mel Pennant’s
new play, Seeds, at Leeds Playhouse.
Running in the Bramall Rock Void until Saturday, it tells the
stories of those who fight to keep their children safe from the world they grow
up in, when knife-crime offences in England and Wales have reached a record
high and hate crimes have more than doubled over a seven-year period.
Shortlisted for the Alfred Fagon Award, Seeds is
billed as “a courageous play that looks at difficult subjects of racism,
violence, death and grief. It describes a hate crime and uses the N word, all
of which may be a trigger for people who have suffered as result of the above
and may be difficult for some audience members”.
The setting is Michael Thomas’s
birthday, when his cake sits in his mother’s living room, its candles burning
undisturbed. Jackie wants to clear her conscience, while Evelyn has a big
speech to deliver on the 15th anniversary of Michael’s fatal stabbing. Are some
things better left unsaid?
Seeds is presented by Tiata Fahodzi
and Wrested Veil in association with Leeds Playhouse, Soho Theatre and Tara
Finney Productions.
Here, first, writer Mel Pennant and, then, director Anastasia Osei-Kuffour discuss the play.
“Rollercoaster, awkward, emotional”: Mel Pennant’s play Seeds
How would you describe the play, Mel?
“Two mums, either side of a racist murder, come together and explore what happened to their sons 15 years earlier. They go to places no-one else would take them to and,, in doing so, come to an agreed truth which is life changing for both of them.”
How would you sum up Seeds in three words?
“Rollercoaster, awkward, emotional.”
What inspired you to write the play?
“In writing the play, I was conscious that we rarely hear, in any depth, the stories of the families of people involved in tragedies and yet as a society we often judge them.
“I wanted to explore those stories through two mothers on either side of such an event and, in doing so, interrogate the very essence of motherhood.
“Those two women have a conversation that couldn’t happen without the other: they can face the depth of their despair and longing, how they define themselves in a space that is becoming even more limiting.”
Why is it important we discuss knife crime from the perspective of mothers?
“Because it’s families, parents, mothers who are left with the aftermath. When the headlines are over, they are the ones who deal with the reality. I wanted to explore that reality.”
What do
you want audiences to take away from Seeds?
“I hope audiences see my play as the beginning of a conversation. I hope that it enables audiences to see and engage with the complexities and layers of the issues discussed.”
“Tense, emotive, shattering”: director Anastasia Osei-Kuffour’s summary of Seeds
How would
you describe the play, Anastasia?
“Seeds is a tense drama where two mothers fight for their sons, bargaining with each other to get what they desperately need and, in the process, bare their souls, leaving them both changed by the encounter.”
How would
you sum up Seeds in three words?
“Tense, emotive, shattering.”
What initially drew you to the play?
“Its subject matter. It explores racism and motherhood in a way that really resonates with me: placing racism in the context of families, how the ‘seeds’ of racism can grow in families, ‘take root’ and have horrifically dangerous consequences – a point that I feel is so important to highlight.
“It also considers how far a mother would go to protect her son. Having reached an age where I’m thinking about having children, I worry a lot about how safe the world is, whether I can keep my children safe when I bring them into this world, I think about what I would do to protect them.”
Why is it
important we discuss knife crime from the perspective of mothers?
“They are left dealing with the shattering aftermath for years and years after; they bring life into the world only to see it cut down. There’s a need to highlight these people so that, as a society, we can think more about how we support them to survive the deepest of tragedies.”
What do
you want audiences to take away from Seeds?
“I want to inspire greater awareness of the ‘seeds’
of racism in families in the hope they can be rooted out before they cause disaster.
“I believe
people can change and grow. People with racist views – if they would allow
themselves to see it – can change and help to change others if they choose to
take a stand.
“I want
people to see the play as a warning that we all need to take xenophobia
seriously and act to stamp it out. Discourse-challenging racist and xenophobic
rhetoric and events, like this play which allows people from diverse
backgrounds to be in the same space to face these issues, will help and play a
part in creating change.”
Seeds, Bramall Rock Void, Leeds Playhouse, until Saturday, 8pm plus 2.15pm Thursday, and 2.45pm, Saturday. Box office: 0113 213 7700 or at leedsplayhouse.org.uk. Age guidance: 14 plus.
Review: Michael Ball and Alfie Boe, Back Together, Leeds First Direct Arena, February 25
INDEPENDENTLY, Michael Ball and Alfie Boe are two of the biggest entertainment draws. Together they are a phenomenon.
Three mega-selling albums, imaginatively named Together (2016), Together Again (2017) and Back Together (2019), have established the pair as the UK’s absolute best-selling act of physical CDs.
Regulars of the Leeds First Direct Arena, Messrs Ball and Boe are just so comfortable in their complimentary talents and know exactly how to pick a set list that will enthral their very loyal audience.
Almost predictably, kicking off with a rousing version of The Greatest Show, from the Hugh Jackman film soundtrack, Ball and Boe present consummate covers of famous duets I Knew You Were Waiting For Me (Aretha Franklin and George Michael) and Something’s Gotten Hold Of My Heart (Marc Almond and Gene Pitney).
Other well-chosen covers include Army (The Shires), Labi Siffre’s (Something Inside) So Strong and, most convincingly, John Farnham’s anthem You’re The Voice.
Individually, Ball covered Anthem from Benny, Bjorn and Tim Rice’s Chess while Boe stole the show with his emotive cover of Snow Patrol’s Run, which gave the audience a chance to wave phone torches in the air. What fun!
Of course, Michael and Alfie had to showcase the very best of musical theatre, including Sunrise, Sunset (Fiddler On The Roof) and surprisingly Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again (Christine’s solo from The Phantom Of The Opera).
Hot from their historic engagement for Les Miserables – The Staged Concert, overjoyed fans were treated to Stars, Bring Him Home and One Day More, which felt as if this was the climax of last night’s concert.
This was not the case as the orchestra and choir then launched into a Lion King Medley and a trio of Queen songs, two very fine Freddie Mercury songs, Who Wants to Live Forever and The Show Must Go On, and one of Freddie’s off moments, Friends Will Be Friends. Never mind.
An encore of Paul Anka’s My Way would have kept the audience happy. However, the surprise of the evening was the Grease Mega Mix: Grease, Greased Lightnin’, You’re The One That I Want and We Go Together. Everyone left elated!
Super troupers Bjorn Again say thank you for Abba’s music
BJORN Again can pick a host
of Abba winners when rounding off the day’s racing at York Racecourse on June
27.
First up, Money, Money,
Money will be The Name Of The Game as the runners and riders invite you to Take
A Chance On Me and The Winner Takes It All (along with other winning bets too,
before pedants start writing in) from the seven-race afternoon card on Summer
Music Saturday.
Next, the long-running Abba tribute act will take to the stage,
notching up another addition to a list of 7,000 shows in 100 countries since
forming in Melbourne in 1988 en route to Bjorn
Ulvaeus saying the Aussie doppelgangers single-handedly initiated the super-Swedes’
revival.
Bjorn Again’s post-racing set
will be preceded earlier in the afternoon by Abba karaoke singing and a Silent
Abba Disco.
Prizes will be awarded in the 1970s’ Fancy Dress Contest, for which racegoers are invited to create a stylish look from such fashion favourites as flares, platform boots, 1970s’ jackets and kipper ties. Look out for the “selfie stations”, on hand to help share the good times with the wider world.
On the Knavesmire track, £150,000 will be won over the seven races. Tickets for the racing and music double bill are on sale from £25 (for an advance booked group of six), with no booking fees and no parking charges. Under 18s will be admitted free of charge with an accompanying adult.
James Brennan, head of marketing and sponsorship at York Racecourse, says: “We wanted to offer people the chance to have fun, we hope in the sun, and what better way than in celebrating all things Abba.
“You only have to remember how popular the Mamma Mia films and Mamma Mia The Party have been to understand the affection across the country for the famous Swedish quartet. Obviously, they aren’t able to join us, but the rave reviews for Bjorn Again demonstrate the show is a great performance.”
Brennan continues: “There’s a lot of choice for music events around Yorkshire this summer, so we think this offers something different, a little more relaxed and at a more affordable price.
“Of course, we have the additional excitement of Pussycat Dolls and Rick Astley set for late-July, so a little bit of ABBA fun seems a great way to kick off our music events.”
The York Racecourse Music Showcase Weekend will bring the re-formed Pussycat Dolls to Knavesmire for the July 24 evening race meeting, followed by Newton-le-Willows crooner Rick Astley at the July 25 afternoon card.
Tickets can be booked at yorkracecourse.co.uk and on 01904 620911.
Upon The Stair: playing Harrogate Theatre from tonight
HARROGATE Theatre is teaming up with Adam Z Robinson to co-produce his Gothic terror tales Upon The Stair.
Traditional storytelling, live music and fully integrated British Sign Language (BSL) combine to bring three macabre ghost stories to life at Harrogate Theatre tonight until Saturday.
In The Cry Of The
Bubák, a haunted man flees to a health facility to escape his past, only to have
it catch up with him in a most horrifying way.
In Mirrorman, a family moves to an old house on the edge of town and discovers that the previous owner may not have left after all.
In The Xylotheque, a
librarian visits the estate of a doctor with a nefarious reputation and comes
face to face with his diabolical practices.
Each tale is scripted by writer/performer Robinson, who was supported by
Harrogate Theatre previously when presenting his ghostly tales from The Book Of
Darkness & Light.
Adam Z Robinson’s Shivers
Through Robinson working with deaf consultants and linguists Adam Bassett and Brian Duffy, his latest script has been developed
and translated into British Sign Language and Visual Vernacular, making Upon The Stair accessible
for d/Deaf audiences without the need of an interpreter on stage.
Performed by deaf actor and dancer Raffie Julien, the show is billed as “a
truly remarkable gothic performance like never witnessed before”, featuring a
live violin score composed and played by Chloe Hayward.
After two national tours of his first show, The Book Of Darkness & Light, and 30-plus dates for his follow-up, Shivers – both performed in Harrogate Theatre’s Studio – Robinson returns with his “most exciting, ambitious and gripping production yet”, directed by Edinburgh Fringe First Award winner Dick Bonham.
Upon The Stair is a co-production with Harrogate
Theatres, Square Chapel Arts Centre, Halifax, and producers LittleMight; the
two venues providing support, space and creative input to produce the show.
Robinson’s play premiered at Square Chapel on January
11 and has since played Salisbury Theatre from January 16 to 18. More dates
will be announced soon for Autumn 2020.
Upon The Stair, Harrogate Theatre, February 25 to 29, 7.30pm nightly and
2.30pm Saturday matinee. Box office: 01423 502116 or at harrogatetheatre.co.uk
Katherine Jenkins: from The Masked Singer’s Octopus to a cinematic new album and 2021 tour
KATHERINE Jenkins, the biggest-selling classical artist of the
century, will return to York Barbican on February 5 next year.
The Welsh mezzo-soprano, 39, will be showcasing her 14th
studio album, Cinema Paradiso, set for release on Decca Reecords on April 17
this spring.
Tickets go on sale on Friday (February 28) at 10am on 0203 356 5441, at yorkbarbican.co.uk or in person from the Barbican box office.
Sharing its name with Giuseppe Tornatore’s 1988 Italian film, Cinema Paradiso is a collection of “unforgettable songs from some of the world’s best-loved movie moments”, such as Moon River, from Breakfast At Tiffany’s; Pinocchio’sWhen You Wish Upon A Star; a duet of Tonight, from West Side Story, with Welsh singer and actor Luke Evans, plus themes from Schindler’s List, The Lord Of The Rings and Dances With Wolves.
“I’ve always loved movie soundtracks,” says Katherine, who turns 40 on June 29. “I wanted to create an iconic movie moment with this record: all the best film musical themes that we know and love, all together on one album.
“The last few albums I’ve made have been inspired by what’s happening in
my own world. This one, in particular, was inspired by the things that were
going on around me. Having played my first movie role last year, it felt like a
natural transition for me.”
The poster for Katherine Jenkins’ 2021 tour
Katherine’s endeavours in the world of film have been a huge inspiration
in the making of Cinema Paradiso, especially her role in the upcoming Minamata,
directed by her husband, Andrew Levitas.
Katherine not only makes her film debut, performing alongside Johnny Depp
and Bill Nighy, but also she co-wrote the title track with Eminem’s right-hand
woman, Skylar Grey, and performed on the film score written by Sakamoto, the
Academy Award-winning singer, songwriter, record producer, activist and actor.
Minamata will be released later this year, having received its world premiere at this month’s Berlin International Film Festival with Katherine in attendance, amid glowing reviews from the film industry and fans alike.
Returning to discussing the album tracks, Katherine says: “West Side Story has always been up there for me in
terms of musical films. Somewhere has been specially recorded for this album –
minus the Octopus mask [from the ITV series The Masked Singer] and I’m thrilled
to have Luke Evans join me on Tonight. I loved seeing some of his TV
performances last year and it was great fun to create an all-Welsh version of
the duet!”
Another pick for Cinema Paradiso, I’ll Never Love Again, from A Star Is Born, has been released as a single, going straight to the top of the iTunes Classical Chart.
I’ll Never Love Again also kick-started Katherine’s journey on The
Masked Singer in the guise of The Octopus, en route to finishing third. “My job
can be quite serious at times, but I have a four-year-old daughter who
absolutely loves Blue Planet, so I created ‘The Octopus’ character for her,”
she says.
“The hope with this album is that each song conjures up an iconic image from cinema,” says Katherine Jenkins
“Her favourite colours are pink and purple with sparkles and I thought
it would be something to allow her to understand more about what mummy does. I
can’t think of a better reason to do the show”.
Katherine adds: “The hope with this album
is that each song conjures up an iconic image from cinema. A Star Is Born is
quite a recent film, but the scene where Lady Gaga sings I’ll Never Love Again
is so touching and memorable that it felt completely right to include it as one
of my favourite movie musical moments.
“In a bid to disguise my voice on The Masked Singer, I chose songs that weren’t the norm for me, and so this track is a happy experiment for me, and after Ken [judge Ken Jeong] said it was the performance of the season, I felt it deserved a place on the album.”
In 2017, Katherine was crowned the number one-selling Classical Music Artist of the Last 25 Years by Classic FM and she made chart history in 2018 when Guiding Light became her 13th UK classical number one album.
Katherine last performed at York Barbican in May 2019, having previously
sung there in February 2012 and February 2015.
Photographer Chin We at the launch of her Ife Nkili exhibition of Nigerian portraiture, running at Micklegate Social and Fossgate Social, York. Pictures: Mike Stubbs
PHOTOGRAPHY and dance artist Chin We is the first beneficiary of Foto/Grafic At The Social, a new bi-monthly, dual-venue initiative for emerging talent in York.
“At Fossgate Social, we’ve been supporting local artists for five years with monthly exhibitions, but we’d like to up our game and include our sister venue, the Micklegate Social,” says bar owner, general manager and urban designer Sarah Lakin.
“To this end, we’re developing a programme of exhibitions of original artwork for display and sale.”
Explaining her reasoning, Sarah says: “We live in a society drenched in imagery, but where can we find social spaces to connect and discuss what images are relevant and why?
Two of Chin We’s Nigerian portraits at Micklegate Social, York
“There is no dedicated photographic gallery in York since Impressions moved to Bradford in 2007, but we hope to plug that gap with artwork that is strong and meaningful covering graphics, photography, print and electronic art.”
Noting how Micklegate is at present playing host to Chin We’s photos at Micklegate Social, Lesley Birch’s Marks & Moments at Partisan and Jonny Hannah’s Songs For Darktown Lovers at FortyFive Vinyl Café, Sarah continues: “As York develops its contemporary visual art scene, the Social hopes to feed that cultural ecology, helping to raise the bar – pun intended – and encourage cutting-edge contemporary work that explores new narratives, forms and politics.”
First into the spotlight is Chin We, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, who was born in Manchester and spent her formative years in Nsukka, eastern Nigeria, and her adolescence in London, where she started her photography through a lifestyle blog.
“I found a creative outlet to share candid conversations on pop culture, art, fashion, travel, food, sex and lifestyle,” she says. “As the photography requests and referrals grew, I knew straightaway that my passion was photography. That was when I learnt that documentary photography was my calling and leapt fully into documentary photography in January 2018.”
The launch night of Chin We’s exhibition at Micklegate Social
Chin We is “fascinated by portraiture, capturing people’s essence and visual storytelling”, leading to her work exploring themes of identity, culture, representation and heritage.
At Fossgate Social and Micklegate Social, this is represented by her Ife Nkili photographs, Ife Nkili being a phrase from the Igbo tribe in Nigeria that means “Come and see; come and see beauty”.
Her series of portraits was captured during Chin We’s journey through Nigeria in West Africa; they speak to ideas of representation and identity through their unequivocal depiction of her sitters, spanning northern, south-western and south-eastern Nigeria.
Chin We’s photographic style is described as “direct, raw and unique in its all-embracing sweep, from different walks of life and social circles” as she documents her fellow men and women.
One of Chin We’s Nigerian portraits
“Some live as Christians, others are Muslims or pagans; some are urban socialites, others provincial farmers, traders, warriors and local chiefs,” says her exhibition briefing. “And, of course, there are queens and kings. These compelling portraits betray intimate expressions and tender exchanges. They invariably bring us closer to this diverse culture through their visual storytelling.”
Chin We’s photography has been published widely and she was featured on CNN as a leading African woman photographer to follow. She was nominated for RPS 100 Heroines by the Royal Photographic Society and won an honourable mention award in the People-Portrait Category in the 2018 International Photography Awards.
Later this year, the British Museum, in London, will present her new exhibition celebrating the presence of Nigerians in the UK, marking 60 years of Nigerian independence from Great Britain.
Welcoming Chin We to York, Sarah says: “Still in her twenties, she is a young woman to watch and we’re privileged she has agreed to exhibit with us.
“Her black-and-white
photographic portraiture is strong and meaningful; the portraits are direct and
challenging, covering topics such as religion, class, work and child brides.
“Through presenting
the work of Chin We, we want to increase the diversity of artists’ work,
locally and further afield, and provide what we can for arts to gain greater
exposure and engagement in a social setting.”
Chin We’s Ife Nkili exhibition runs at Micklegate Social, Micklegate, and Fossgate Social, Fossgate, York, until March 31.
Looking ecstatic to be back at York Barbican: Paul Weller , booked in for November 3
YORK Barbican has a fistful of new shows going on sale on Friday: Modfather Paul Weller, comedians Jason Manford, Joel Dommett and Daniel Sloss and the dance extravaganza Here Come The Boys.
Weller, 61, has sold out his May tour
and will go back out on the road for 19 British and Irish dates in October and
November, playing York on November 3.
Jason Manford: seeking approval at York Barbican next February
Weller will play an acoustic set for
the Teenage Cancer Trust at the Royal Albert Hall, London, on March 25 as a
special guest of The Stereophonics and his new album, On Sunset, will be released
on June 12 on Polydor, his new label.
He performed previously at York Barbican in March 2015 and August 2018 and his last North Yorkshire gig was at Dalby Forest, near Pickering, last June.
Joel Dommett: new show in December
His autumn travels also will take in further
Yorkshire dates at Hull Bonus Arena on November 2 and Bradford St George’s Hall
on November 17.
Jason Manford, who reached the final of ITV’s The Masked Singer this winter, will return to York Barbican in almost a year’s time, on February 17 2021, with his new stand-up show, Like Me.
Expect “observational comedy mixed with comic gold” from the Salford comedian, presenter and actor who chalked up three Barbican performances of his Muddle Class show in October 2018 and March 2019.
Smoke alarm: Daniel Sloss will be full of Hubris on October 3
Rockhampton comedian, actor and
presenter Joel Dommett, host of The Masked Singer, will play York on December 11,
delivering a new show after this 2016 I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here runner-up
brought his Live 2018 tour to the Barbican in February that year.
Scottish comic Daniel Sloss will follow up his X show – taken to 40 countries, including Russia – with his new solo outing, Hubris, booked in for his Barbican bow on October 3.
Here come Michael, Aljaz, Pasha and Sam on June 24
Strictly Come Dancing’s Aljaž Škorjanec sold out his last appearance at York Barbican and will return on June 24, joined in the Here Come The Boys line-up by former Strictly favourite Pasha Kovalev, West End ballet star Sam Salter and NBC World Of Dance champion and Broadway star Michael Dameski, from Australia.
Ballroom, Latin, commercial, contemporary, ballet, acro and tap all will feature in a show where the Boys will perform alongside dancers, gymnasts, tap dancers and more.
Tickets can be booked from 10am on Friday (February 28) at 10am on 0203 356 5441, at yorkbarbican.co.uk or in person from Barbican box office.
