Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Natasha Bedingfield : A brace of London pop acts bound for York Racecourse
SOPHIE Ellis-Bextor and a special guest appearance by Natasha Bedingfield will form the dancefloor-filling double bill for the York Racecourse Music Showcase Weekend on July 25.
At the only evening meeting of the Knavesmire racing calendar, they each will play a set after the seven-race sporting action.
Kitchen Disco queen Ellis-Bextor, 45, will draw on her five top ten albums and eight top ten singles from a pop career now stretching beyond 25 years. Expect Murder On The Dancefloor, Take Me Home, Get Over You, Heartbreak (Make Me A Dancer) and latest single Freedom Of The Night.
After featuring in the epic final scene of Emerald Fennell’s November 2023 dark comedy Saltburn, Ellis’s 2001 hit Murder On The Dancefloor enjoyed a resurgence, charting at number two for a second time in the UK Singles Chart and at number 58 in the Billboard Top 100, while reaching more than 11 billion global streams across all streaming and social platforms.
Sophie Ellis-Bextor: Last played York in December 2023 on her Christmas Kitchen Disco tour at York Barbican.
Natasha Bedingfield, 43, has sold more than ten million albums and received multiple award nominations, including a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Her 2004 hit Unwritten re-entered the UK Top 20 last years and was inducted into the Spotify Billions Club.
Bedingfield also made the top ten with Single, the chart-topping These Words, I Wanna Have Your Babies, Soulmate and Alibi (The Other Girl Version) with Ella Henderson and Rudimental last year.
Racing and music fans can take advantage of a range of deals on General Admission, meaning entrance to the main Grandstand and Paddock enclosure starts at £40 per person for a group of six. As well as free car parking, there are no booking fees. To book, visit yorkracecourse.co.uk.
On the track, the seven thoroughbred contests will include the Listed EBF Lyric Stakes, worth £70,000 in prize money.
Ronan Keating: Boyzone singer to play solo show at York Racecourse on July 26
Post-racing on the next day (July 26), Ronan Keating will take to the Music Showcase Weekend stage. Earlier in the season, on a new race day on Saturday, June 28, Olly Murs will perform.
James Brennan, head of marketing and sponsorship, says: “A summer evening on the Knavesmire is all about having fun and enjoying yourself, and you can’t get better sounds of the summer than those performed by Sophie and Natasha. I’m looking forward to an event that music and racing fans will remember with real fondness.”
Please note, these race days are integrated racing and music events and admission is not available on a “concert only” basis. At each meeting, the gates will be closed at the time of the last race.
Olly Murs: On track for York Racecourse on June 28
Ian Weichardt, Christie Peto, centre, and Evie Jones rehearse Hospital Doors under the watchful eye of writer-director Matt Harper-Hardcastle. Picture: James Drury
NEXT Door But One’s new production, Hospital Doors, shines light on the lived experience of disabled, LGBTQ+ and unpaid carer communities in York in next week’s premiere at Theatre@41, Monkgate, York.
On joining Arts Council England’s Investment Programme in 2023, the York community arts collective set an ambition of creating a new play that intertwined the real-life stories of three of their long-standing community collaborators.
Since then, chief executive officer and artistic director Matt Harper-Hardcastle has been running workshops with disabled, LGBTQ+ and unpaid carer groups to produce a script that explores the uniqueness and commonalities from across these identities.
After 18 months of development, Hospital Doors will meet an audience for the first time from March 12 to 15 in a limited series of public performances at Theatre@41.
“I cannot wait to share Hospital Doors,” says Matt. “It really feels like a flagship production for Next Door But One.
“It epitomises our whole ethos and approach to creating theatre; putting the community first, involving them from day one and staging exciting and compelling stories which amplify often overlooked or unheard voices.”
As well as Hospital Doors being an artistic ambition for Next Door But One, the show is a personal investment for Matt. “My own identity has an affinity to all three community groups, so to be able to bring my full self into this process and align my own lived experience with that of all the participants involved has been a really special one. And I think it has made the script even more compelling and relatable,” he says.
Evie Jones, left, and Christie Peto will make their Next Door But One debut in Hospital Doors at Theatre@41, Monkgate. Picture: James Drury
Matt’s play follows three estranged siblings who are thrown together for the first time in years when their dad falls ill. Peppered with the humour of family life, Hospital Doors offers a window into intersecting conversations about disability, sexuality, illness and care, all held within the same, chaotic family frame.
This intimate show, set in fleeting, transient places – in corridors, over garden walls, on phone calls – is stacked with questions and reflections of modern family dynamics, and the joy that can be found in the mundane efforts we all make to understand those we love.
Hospital Doors promises to be visually striking, with set and costume design by Stella Backman and Hull-based team Jessie Addinall and Amelia Hawkes contributing an ambitious lighting, video and creative caption design.
Producer Joshua Goodman says: “The team we have formed to create Hospital Doors are bringing so much skill and passion to the production that we are certain we can bring a memorable experience to our audiences, but the final performance isn’t where this all ends.”
The one-act play will be followed by a Playback Theatre performance on several dates, when the audience will be encouraged to stay on to share their own stories inspired by the play. These will then be improvised by a team of specialised performers and musicians.
“We know that a lot of our audiences appreciate time and opportunity to reflect on what they have just watched, and this will facilitate that,” says Joshua. “It will also help us to better understand our work and what resonates with people, which will only benefit the future of our work and ensure any developments remain informed by our community.”
Hospital Doors writer-director and Next Door But One chief executive officer and artistic director Matt Harper-Hardcastle
Here, writer-director Matt Harper-Hardcastle discusses Hospital Doors with CharlesHutchPress.
What did the research and development (R&D) for this play involve over 18 months, Matt?
“We started by asking three of our community groups – disabled adults, LGBTQ+ young adults and unpaid carers – what a play that was representative of them would look like.
“From there we ran workshops on characterisation, creative writing and improvisation to shape the narrative, with every workshop focused on what they wanted Hospital Doors to say.”
How did you turn that research into a play?
“It was a purposefully gradual process, which started with an exchange of stories from across the different communities to find common ground, leading to an anthology of stories, poems, mood boards, Venn diagrams, pictures and transcriptions that I then formed into some initial scenes.
“These scenes went back to the groups who ‘red penned’ them or improvised around them to create more detail. This back-and-forth process went all the way through 2023 until we produced a rehearsed reading for all our community members to come to, provide feedback on and ‘sign off’, as it were.”
How have your own experiences influenced your writing of this play?
“They have really shaped the writing. As a gay, disabled man who shared caring responsibilities for my mum before she died, everything that was shared with me in the research & development I felt an affinity and empathy towards.
“It’s very rare that as a writer you get to bring so many facets of your identity into one script, so I’ve not only relished in the process, but also felt a great sense of responsibility.”
At the heart of NDB1’s mission is working with the community, with this production being the epitome of that work. Is that why you call it your “flagship show”?
“Absolutely. When we joined Arts Council England’s Investment Programme, one of our artistic ambitions was to look at how we could tighter braid the participation and performance strands of our work together; how we could work with our communities to create performances that then shared their experiences with wider audiences.
“It all connects – and Hospital Doors is a really thorough and public display of our commitment to this.”
Aside from filmmakers Mike Leigh and Ken Loach, it is hard to think of British writer-directors who would address these subjects so directly: disability, sexuality, illness & care and death. How come you discuss all four in one play?
“It can sometimes feel quite blinkered to make a show that is only about one subject or one identity, because in truth we don’t exist as a silo. A show about disability would naturally bring in conversations of relationships, as it would care, and so rather than ignoring that we looked at it intentionally.
Ian Weichardt and Evie Jones in rehearsal for Next Door But One’s Hospital Doors. Picture: James Drury
“And in doing so, by placing these seemingly very different identities side by side, actually what it does is amplify them all and support a richer discourse in the very complex commonalities between them.
“Put it simply, our work exists to bring people together and that’s what we are hoping to do via this approach with Hospital Doors.”
Are all the cast – Christie Peto, Ian Weichardt and Evie Jones – new to Next Door But One?
“Yes – which is great, as we love working with new artists! We put a lot of effort into casting for this show, not only because we needed to form a trio of siblings, but also we really wanted to be as authentic as possible to our communities and therefore we sought actors who had a shared lived experience with our communities and therefore the characters.
“All three actors care very much about the play and what we are trying to achieve, but also have a wicked sense of humour which is making rehearsals very fun indeed. Ian is originally from York, Christie is from Leeds and Evie is a University of York alumnus.”
What strikes you as the best benefit of performing in the black box space of the John Cooper Studio at Theatre@41, Monkgate?
“We held our rehearsed reading there in 2023, so it feels like we are coming full circle, but also it’s the intimacy of the space, which we really wanted for Hospital Doors. We want the stories, the characters, the words and the emotions to be almost tangible to our audiences.”
What part will the set and video design, lighting, creative captions and sound design play in the show?
“We are condensing huge topics and hundreds of stories into a one act three-hander, so the design helps to bring in the epic scale of that mission! All of the design helps to paint the wider world of the play, show us the characters’ pasts, bring life to their memories and help us understand how much they are revealing or concealing.
“The creative captioning not only increases access to the performance, but also puts the important stuff front and centre – the words and stories handed to us by our community.”
What happens next to Hospital Doors? Maybe a full tour?
“This is definitely not the end of Hospital Doors. We could R&D it forever, but we needed to decide when to put down the pen and share it with an audience. That is now. What we learn from this, what we find resonates with or speaks to our audiences, will shape another future iteration that will then tour.”
What do Playback Theatre performances involve? When will they take place in the York premiere run?
“Playback Theatre will be our Act 2. Audiences who have watched Hospital Doors will be invited to stay and share their own stories, inspired by the play, and then watch them spontaneously performed by a team of actors.
“Our actors care very much about the play and what we are trying to achieve, but also have a wicked sense of humour which is making rehearsals very fun indeed,” says writer-director Matt Harper-Hardcastle of Evie Jones, left, Christie Peto, right, and Ian Weichardt. Picture: James Drury
“This aims to give our audiences more time to reflect on what they have watched, connect with the play more and also understand what others have in common with it too.
“Also hearing the stores that Hospital Doors evokes in our audiences will help us understand the real moments of resonance and therefore how we should develop the play in the future. Playback Theatre will accompany all performances except the Thursday matinee and Saturday evening.”
How has NDB1 progressed in the company’s nine years? What fills you with the most pride?
“A lot has changed since we started; we’ve grown in size, in reach, in skill, in profile, in impact, but what has stayed the same is our values of what we do and why we do it. Even in the toughest of times these haven’t faltered and have always been our driving force. So I’m really proud of that.
“There are too many moments to think of that I’m most proud of, but I always have an anecdote from a recent project in my back pocket that I like to share that I think epitomises our work.
“The one I’m currently sharing a lot is from a carer who attended our Arts and Loss workshops. She recently lost her partner and was heavily in the throes of grief. At her first workshop, she cried a lot but wanted to stay, safe in the space we had created.
“Slowly she started to share her story. She then started using her experience to offer advice to others. She enjoyed being creative with new friends. At the end of the project, she gave me a hug and whispered ‘this is the happiest I’ve been all year’.
“It’s those moments – and there are many more like it – which are priceless, get me up in the morning and make me immensely proud of what NDB1 does.”
Next Door But One presents Hospital Doors at Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, March 12 to 15. Performances:7.30pm, except March 13, 7pm; 2pm matinees, March 13 and 15. Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.
Hospital Doors cast and creative team:
Actors: Christie Peto, Ian Weichardt, Evie Jones
Writer and director: Matthew Harper-Hardcastle
Designer: Stella Backman
Video, lighting and creative captions designers: Amelia Hawkes and Jessie Addinall
Sound designer and composer: Lara Jones
Company and stage manager: Jane Williamson
Next Door But One: the back story
OVER the past nine years, York community arts collective Next Door But One has been creating touring productions inspired by the lived experience of the communities from across their arts participation programme.
This has included Operation Hummingbird’s exploration of themes of bereavement and care; The Firework-Maker’s Daughter, created in partnership with neurodivergent young people and their families, and their most recent tour, She Was Walking Home, shaped from the real-life testimonies of 33 women living, working and studying in York.
Next Door But One’s poster for Hospital Doors, next week’s production at Theatre@41, Monkgate, York
Festival commission: BBC New Generation artist and mezzo soprano Helen Charlston will perform new Anna Disley-Simpson work with theorbo player Toby Carr in In Heaven & Hell…Yours To Choose on July 9 at Merchant Adventurers’ Hall, York, at 6.30pm. Picture: Julien Gazeau
HEAVEN & Hell will be the theme of the 2025 York Early Music Festival, a summer fiesta of 19 concerts in eight days featuring international artists from July 4 to 11.
The Sixteen, the Tallis Scholars and Academy of Ancient Music will be taking part, as will French orchestral ensemble Le Consort, led by rising-star violinist Théotime Langlois de Swarte, in their York debut with an “exceptional rendition of exceptional of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons – but not quite as you know it”.
The festival will intertwine three very different themes: firstly, the music of Renaissance composer Orlando Gibbons, opening with viol consort Fretwork (Friday, July 4); secondly, the genius of the Baroque, focusing on Vivaldi’s Four Seasons (Sunday, July 6).
Thirdly, the strand that lends itself to the 2025 title: a reflection on Man’s fall from grace – from Heaven to Hell – in biblical times with YEMF artistic advisor and BBC New Generation artist Helen Charlston and her fellow Gramophone Award-winner, lutenist and theorbo player Toby Carr (Wednesday, July 9) in the medieval Guildhall of the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall.
Fretwork: Viol consort will open York Early Music Festival with Renaissance music of Orlando Gibbons in My Days: Songs and Fantasias with mezzo soprano Helen Charlston on July 4 at 7.30pm at Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall, University of York
The Tallis Scholars (Saturday, July 5) and The Sixteen (Monday, July 7) will share their programmes in the glorious surroundings of York Minster; the Spanish ensemble Cantoria (Tuesday, July 8) will present a sizzling array of ensaladas and villancicos in their A La Fiesta programme and Swiss- based medievalists Sollazzo (Thursday, July 10) will return to York for the first time since winning a prestigious Diapason d’Or award.
Thefestival will finish with a flourish in the company of the Academy of Ancient Music and their leader, violinist Bojan Čičić (Friday, July 11) in a celebration of Bach’s violin concertos.
York Early Music Festival continues to support emerging musicians with invitations to two 2024 York Early Music Festival Young Artists Competition winners, Ayres Extemporae and Ensemble Bastion.
Once again, the festival will showcase a variety of York’s beautiful historic buildings, such as the Minster, the medieval Merchant Adventurers’ Hall and the intriguing hidden architectural gem Bedern Hall.
The Sixteen: Returning to York Minster to present Angel Of Peace on July 7at 7.30pm
In an open call for the York Early Music Festival Special Commission, NCEM Young Composers Award alumni were invited to respond to the Heaven & Hell theme by writing a piece to be performed by Charlston and Carr as part of their In Heaven & Hell…Yours To Choose programme featuring Purcell, Strozzi, Monteverdi, Charpentier and Humfrey works on July 9.
Anna Disley-Simpson has been awarded the commission from a competitive field of 24 applications for her piece Heaven Or Hell, for which she will collaborate with librettist Olivia Bell, drawing inspiration from Kurt Weill. Expect her composition to be “deliberately subversive and unexpected in several ways,” Anna promises.
Supported by the Hinrichsen Foundation and an anonymous donor, Anna will receive a commission fee of £2,000, plus travel and accommodation expenses within the United Kingdom to attend a workshop with the musicians in London and the York premiere.
Looking forward to the July event, festival director Dr Delma Tomlin says: “We are thrilled to welcome friends old and new to what promises to be a fantastic celebration of music from an outstanding array of artists.
Le Consort: French orchestral ensemble will make York Early Music Festival debut on July 6, performing Vivaldi’s Four Seasons at Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall, University of York, at 7.30pm
“Celebrating over 500 years of music from across Europe, we are particularly delighted to be able to welcome ensembles from France, Switzerland, Poland, Spain and the Netherlands to our wonderful city. We look forward to welcoming visitors and residents alike to eight wonderful days of music-making.”
The full programme and booking details can be found at ncem.co.uk/whats-on/yemf/. Bookings also can be made on 01904 658338, via boxoffice@ncem.co.uk and in person at the NCEM, Margaret’s Church, Walmgate, York.
York Early Music Festival: the back story
ESTABLISHED in 1977, the festival is designed to celebrate York’s myriad of medieval churches, guildhalls and historic houses through historically informed music-making of the highest international standard.
The annual event is the “jewel in the crown” of the National Centre for Early Music’s annual programme, enjoyed by York residents and visitors from all over the UK and across the world.
The Tallis Scholars: Performing Glorious Creatures programme at York Minster on July 5 at 7.30pm. Picture: Hugo Glendinning
Stamford Bridge Community Choir: Using Makaton signing when performing at York Community Choir Festival tonight. Picture: Murray Swain
A CHORUS of song, a play counting the cost of economics and an eye for comedy help to fill Charles Hutchinson’s in-box of entertainment for the week ahead.
Festival of the week: York Community Choir Festival, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, until Saturday, 7.30pm nightly, plus 2.30pm Saturday matinee
MORE than 1,250 singers are performing this week at the JoRo. Tonight features Stagecoach Performing Arts Choir, The Sounds Fun Singers, The Garrowby Singers, In Harmony Ladies Choir and Stamford Bridge Community Choir; tomorrow, Huntington School Choirs; York Military Wives Choir and Heworth Community Choir, and Friday, York Theatre Royal Choir; Eboraca; Some Voices York; Bishopthorpe Community Choir and Harmonia.
The Saturday matinee presents Excel Learning Trust Schools’ Choir, The Rhythm Of Life Singers, The Fairburn Singers and The York Celebration Singers; Saturday evening, York Philharmonic Male Voice Choir, Chechelele, York Sing Space, The Wellbeing Choir and Main Street Sound Ladies Barbershop Chorus. Box office: 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.
Rob Auton: One in the eye for comedy at The Crescent, York, tonight
The eyes have it: Rob Auton: The Eyes Open And Shut Show, Burning Duck Comedy Club at The Crescent, York, tonight, 7.30pm; Leeds City Varieties Music Hall, May 3, 7.30pm
“THE Eyes Open And Shut Show is a show about eyes when they are open and eyes when they are shut,” says surrealist York/Barmby Moor comedian, writer, artist, podcaster and actor Rob Auton. “With this show I wanted to explore what I could do to myself and others with language when eyes are open and shut…thinking about what makes me open my eyes and what makes me shut them.” Box office: York, thecrescentyork.com; Leeds, 0113 243 0808 or leedsheritagetheatres.com.
Queenz: On song in Drag Me To The Disco at the Grand Opera House, York
Drag show of the week: Queenz, Drag Me To The Disco, Grand Opera House, York, tonight, 7.30pm
JOIN the gals for “an electrifying, live vocal, drag-stravaganza, where Dancing Queenz and Disco Dreams collide for the party of a lifetime”, created and produced by David Griego. Flying their rainbow-coloured flag high in the sky, Bella Du-Ball, Dior Montay, Candy Caned, Billie Eyelash and ZeZe Van Cartier serve up sass, singalongs and a message of love, equality and acceptance.
Craig Colley, alias Billie Eyelash, says: “Drag queens really do come in all shapes and sizes, but if you want to see some hilarious, stupidly talented, beautiful and of course humble ones, Queenz really is the show for you.” Age guidance: 14 plus. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.
Gorka Marquez and Karen Hauer: Dancing on Speakeasy terms at York Barbican tomorrow
Dance spectacular of the week: Karen Hauer and Gorka Marquez, Speakeasy, York Barbican, tomorrow, 7.30pm
STRICTLY Come Dancing professionals Karen Hauer and Gorka Marquez follow up Firedance with new show Speakeasy on their biggest tour so far. Expect exhilarating live music and breathtaking choreography as they unlock the door to an undercover world of elegance and iconic dance flavours.
From the clandestine New York Speakeasy to the sultry Havana dance floors and from the burlesque cabaret clubs of the mid-1900s to the glittering mirror balls of Studio 54, this “delicious dance experience” serves up Mamba, Salsa, Charleston, Foxtrot and Samba moves. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.
Joe Sellman-Leava, left, and Dylan Howells in It’s The Economy, Stupid! at Helmsley Arts Centre. Picture: Duncan McGlynn
Fringe show of the week: Worklight Theatre in It’s The Economy, Stupid!, Helmsley Arts Centre, Friday,7.30pm
NAMED after the phrase coined by James Carville, strategist for Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign, It’s the Economy, Stupid! employs storytelling to uncover the true cost of low financial literacy in a world ruled by money.
Directed by Katharina Reinthaller, this 60-minute Edinburgh Fringe hit tells the true story of a family caught up in the 1990s’ recession, losing home and livelihood under the economic conditions that led the world from post-war boom to housing and cost-of-living crises. Using an old board game, bags, boxes, projection mapping and a sprinkle of magic, writer Joe Sellman-Leava and Dylan Howells explore how macroeconomic forces can win elections and why the force that dominates personal lives is so complicated. Box office: 01439 771700 or helmsleyarts.co.uk.
Greg Brice: Blues guitarist to play Milton Rooms, Malton
Blues gig of the week: Greg Brice, Milton Rooms, Malton, Friday, 8pm
BACK when Greg Brice played the pubs, clubs and bars of the West Midlands, he would find even tough audiences hanging on to his every word within a few bars. His intricate fingerstyle guitar and strident electric slide connected in the raw and immediate way that only proper roots music can. Now, in blues and Americana clubs alike, his songwriting is capturing people’s imagination. Box office: 01653 696240 or themiltonrooms.com.
Edwina Hayes: Heading from Beverley to Malton on Sunday night
Singer-songwriter of the week: An Evening With Edwina Hayes, Milton Rooms, Malton, Sunday, 7.30pm
EAST Riding musician Edwina Hayes brings together English folk, Americana and the northern singer-songwriter tradition to create her own sound. She has toured with Jools Holland, Van Morrison, Loudon Wainwright III and the late Nanci Griffith, who covered her song Pour Me A Drink and once called her “the sweetest voice in England”. She last released an album, Ruby Rose, in 2021. Box office: 01653 696240 or themiltonrooms.com.
Artwork by Rosebay, on show at Helmsley Arts Centre from today
Exhibition of the week: Rosebay, Helmsley Arts Centre, today to May 2
YORK Open Studios 2021 and Ryedale Open Studios 2023 artist Rosebay uses marker pens filled with acrylic paint as the quickest and most direct way to fill big canvasses that celebrate the unsung corners of the natural and built world. “The bark of a tree, a patch of rock, the place where weeds spring out of a crack in the pavement: all have their own magic and all are worthy of attention,” she says.
“Drawing on elements of Pop Art, graffiti art and cartography, sometimes my paintings home in on a tiny area and turn it into a whole landscape; sometimes I step back and take in a larger scene, often weaving together images I have seen as I walk.” Rosebay will be very happy to discuss her paintings when visiting the arts centre on March 16 and 30.
Jason Donovan: Doin’ fine in 2025 at York Barbican on Saturday night
AUSTRALIAN singer and actor Jason Donovan takes an “incredible ride” through 35 years in music, theatre, film and television in his Doin’ Fine 25 Tour, playing York Barbican on Saturday.
His long-awaited sequel to Doin’ Fine 90 features Jason’s most beloved songs from his stage shows, Joseph And The Technicolor Dreamcoat, Priscilla Queen Of The Desert, The Rocky Horror Show and Grease, alongside nods to his TV times in Neighbours and Strictly Come Dancing and his biggest pop hits, Especially For You, Too Many Broken Hearts, Any Dream Will Do and Sealed With A Kiss.
Last seen in York in fishnets and face paint as Dr Frank N Further in Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show at the Grand Opera House in October 2024, here he discusses his new tour show.
Is it harder going on tour at 56 than when you were in your twenties, Jason?
“There’s a bit more physio these days and a lot more stretching. There’s even a bit of steam and inhaler just to keep the vocal cords pretty!”
It must be a great feeling to be going on the road again to sing these songs?
“I love creating my own show. I guess the difference with this and what I do in theatre is that I’m sort of the boss. For me, if I was to just rely on my own shows and those pop songs as my only bread and butter, I probably wouldn’t enjoy it as much.
“But because I get these gaps, and because I do a lot of theatre work, I get the opportunity to exercise those songs every four or five years and not get tired of them.”
Although this is the “Doin’ Fine 25 Tour”, 35 years have passed since your original Doin’ Fine shows. Are you nostalgic?
“When I listen to my own records, I get a little bit scientific about them, like was that vocal good or not good? But doing that 1990 world tour was important to me, because it was a matter of proving to myself and my audience that I was in this for the long term.”
Jason Donovan as Dr Frank N Furter, the “sweet transvestite from transsexual Transylvania”, in The Rocky Horror Show, on tour at the Grand Opera House, York, last October
What can fans expect from the tour? Aside from the hits, will there be deeper album cuts too?
“That’s always a tug of war, because you’ve got to try and deliver what people want, but educate as well. It’s about trying to find that balance between what the crowd wants and what you want creatively. You want a show that engages with an audience and doesn’t put them to sleep as well.”
Apart from your own hits, will you be performing songs from musicals you have appeared in?
“I do Rocky Horror songs, because they work really well in my shows. There are a couple ofsongs from Priscilla Queen Of The Desert that my audience loves and some covers too. Idid Don’t Leave Me This Way years ago – that’s always gone down well. My act is anunusual one, but there’s an audience out there that seems to want to listen to what I’ve gotto say and what I’ve got to sing.”
Will you have a guest vocalist for the Especially For You duet or will you pipe in Kylie Minogue’s original vocal?
“I normally have a backing singer that I do it with, but that’s an interesting idea. But I’m a little bit conscious that records like that, whilst they’re defining moments, you also don’t want to be defined as just Kylie and Jason. There are a lot of other moments to what I do and what I’ve done. You’ve got to pay reasonable respect to that, but not saturate.”
Will you be performing the Neighbours theme?
“When I used to do these personal appearances in the early 2000s I’d sing the Home And Away theme, but I’m a bit like that. People would say, ‘That’s Home And Away, that’s not Neighbours!’, and I’d go, ‘Exactly’! But more recently, when Neighbours was rebooted on Amazon, the producers asked if I wanted to re-record the song and I turned it down.
“I did have a think about it, but I thought going back to appear in what we thought was the last episode [in 2022] was enough done. It’s a great song, but does it work in a show? It’s a bit twee.”
You last released a studio album, Sign Of Your Love, in 2012. Do you have plans to record again?
“I do. The problem is, it takes a lot of energy and the market is very different now. You’ve got to dream big, I get that. I’m definitely not lazy, but I just feel that maybe my time is better spent on stuff that engages a little bit more. Like playing to full houses with Rocky Horror – what more could I want?”
Jason Donovan, Doin’ Fine 25, York Barbican, March 8, 7.30pm. Tickets update: Still available at yorkbarbican.co.uk.
Richard Hawley: Made in Sheffield, played in York. Picture: Dean Chalkley
SHEFFIELD singer-songwriter Richard Hawley is the latest addition to Futuresound Group’s second summer of Live At York Museum Gardens concerts, confirmed for July 5.
Hawley, 58, will be marking the 20th anniversary of Coles Corner by performing his Mercury Music Prize-nominated 2005 album in full for the first time with a string section, alongside a selection of favourites from his 11 albums, from 2001’s Late Night Final to 2024’s In This City They Call You Love.
Hawley will be joined by 2024 Mercury Music Prize-winning Leeds band English Teacher and England-based New Jersey songwriter and multi-instrumentalist BC Camplight. Gates will open at 5pm. The show poster offers the promise of “More To Be Announced”. Watch this space.
Leeds band English Teacher
York exclusive postcode presale (YO1, YO24, YO30, YO31 and YO32) will go on sale from 10am on Thursday (6/3/2025) at futuresound.seetickets.com/event/richard-hawley/york-museum-gardens/3237716?pre=postcode. General sale tickets will be available from 10am on Friday (7/3/2025) at https://futuresound.seetickets.com/event/richard-hawley/york-museum-gardens/3237716.
Hawley’s open-air York gig will coincide with the 20th anniversary re-issue of Coles Corner, available on Parlophone/Rhino from July 4 on Half-Speed master black vinyl, housed in a gatefold sleeve, 2CD deluxe edition, featuring B-sides and previously unreleased acoustic tracks, and limited-edition bundles. To pre-order, go to http://lnk.to/RichardHawleyCC20
Leeds-based promoters Futuresound Group already have announced Elbow, Ripon-born, London-based singer-songwriter Billie Marten and Robin Hood’s Bay folk luminary Eliza Carthy & The Restitution for July 3 (SOLD OUT) and Nile Rodgers & CHIC and Jalen Ngonda for July 4 (tickets: seetickets.com/event/nile-rodgers-chic/york-museum-gardens/3257099).
New Jersey singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist BC Camplight
Coles Corner was former Longpigs and Pulp guitarist Hawley’s third studio album and his first for Mute Records. Recorded in Sheffield’s Yellow Arch Studios and co-produced with his long-time bassist Colin Elliot and Mike Timm, it featured Shez Sheridan (guitars), Jon Trier (keyboards), Jonny Wood (upright bass) and Andy Cook (drums).
Inspired by Hawley’s love of vintage 1940s and 1950s’ chamber pop, country, blues and rock’n’roll, they conjured a set of intimate love songs full of nostalgia, regret, sadness and a bittersweet atmosphere that bore witness to Hawley’s abiding love and passion for his home city of Sheffield.
Nowhere is this better exemplified than on title track Coles Corner, named after a former Sheffield department store where couples met, its romance captured in sweeping strings and swooning chorus on a universal paean to the loneliness of the city at night.
Futuresound Group’s poster for Richard Hawley’s Live At York Museum Gardens concert on July 5
Beautiful balladry in Born Under A Bad Sign and Darlin’ Wait For Me rubbed shoulders with Hawley’s love of country and early rock’n’roll in Hotel Room, I Sleep Alone and Just Like The Rain.
The most epic number was The Ocean, to this day a fan favourite in concert. Written on a family holiday in the shadow of Cornwall’s Minack Theatre (with a video later filmed at the same location), the recording featured one of Richard’s best baritone vocals.
The vinyl and CD1 track listing will be: Coles Corner; Just Like The Rain; Hotel Room; Darlin’ Wait For Me; The Ocean; Born Under A Bad Sign; I Sleep Alone; Tonight; (Wading Through) The Waters Of My Time; Who’s Gonna Shoe Your Pretty Little Feet? and Last Orders.
Richard Hawley in Coles Corner days in 2005. Picture: Joe Dilworth
The second CD of single versions, B-sides and acoustic versions comprises: The Ocean – Single Version; Just Like The Rain – Single Version; Born Under A Bad Sign – Single Version; Hotel Room – Single Version; Long Black Veil; Room With A View; I’m Absolutely Hank Marvin; Dark Road; Kelham Island; Some Candy Talking; Young And Beautiful; I’m Just Here To Get My Baby Out Of Jail; Can You Hear The Rain Love?; Coles Corner – Acoustic Version; Hotel Room – Acoustic Version; Darlin’ Wait For Me – Acoustic Version; I Sleep Alone – Live at Sheffield City Hall and A Bird Never Flew On One Wing.
Tickets will go on sale on March 14 for further performances of Coles Corner with a string section at Boston Gliderdrome, September 5; Portmeirion Village, Wales, September 6; Blackpool Tower Ballroom, September 12; Margate Dreamland, October 3, Worthing Assembly Hall, October 4, and Weston-super-Mare Grand Pier, October 10. Box office: seetickets.com.
Richard Hawley’s album cover artwork for 2005’s Coles Corner, photographed outside the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough
Enthusiastic performer: Jackie Cox’s Florence Foster Jenkins poses for the camera in full regalia in the rehearsal room for Rowntree Players’ production of Glorious!
COVER your ears! Here comes Glorious! The True Story Of Florence Foster Jenkins, The Worst Singer In The World, as told by Peter Quilter in his play with music, to be staged by Rowntree Players from March 13 to 15 at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York.
Billed as a “joyous and heart-warming comedy”, this 2005 play is based on the life of 1940s’ New York socialite Florence Foster Jenkins, who had a passion for singing but a voice for disaster, nevertheless defying her far-from-perfect pitch to perform enthusiastically to bemused audiences.
Considered by many to be “the worst singer in the world” and “the First Lady of the sliding scale”, Florence gave charity private recitals to fans, such as Cole Porter, sang at extravagant balls, made bizarre recordings and revelled in a legendary, triumphant sold-out performance at New York’s Carnegie Hall at the age of 76.
Neil Foster’s Cosme McMoon, left, Jackie Cox’s Florence Foster Jenkins and Mike Hickman’s St Clair in Rowntree Players’ Glorious!
Soprano Florence warbled and screeched her way through her performances, where audiences greeted her with derisive laughter, but this delusional and joyously happy woman paid little attention to her critics, instead surrounding herself with a circle of devoted friends who were almost as eccentric as she was.
Presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals, Quilter’s play is a story of friends who embrace their delusions and have the courage to follow their dreams, no matter what.
Director Martyn Hunter has assembled a cast of Jackie Cox as Florence Foster Jenkins; Neil Foster, Cosme McMoon; Jeanette Hunter, Dorothy; Mike Hickman, St Clair; Chris Higgins, Mrs Verrinderr-Gedge, and Moira Tate, Maria.
Mike Hickman in rehearsal for his role as St Clair
Martyn is joined in the production team by production and technical manager Graham Smith and marketing and costumes team Sara Howlett and Leni Ella.
Rowntree Players present Glorious! The True Story Of Florence Foster Jenkins, The Worst Singer In The World, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, March 13 to 15, 7.30pm plus 2.30pm Saturday matinee.Box office: 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.
Did you know?
GLORIOUS received its West End premiere at the Duchess Theatre, London, on November 3, 2005, directed by Alan Strachan with Hull actress Maureen Lipman in the role of Florence Foster Jenkins.
Chris Higgins’s Mrs Verrinderr-Gedge, Jeanette Hunter’s Dorothy and Moira Tate’s Maria in a poster for Rowntree Players’ production of Glorious!
Kieran White (1961-2025) playing at his favourite busking pitch by St Michael le Belfrey
THE funeral of York composer, busker, solo and band pianist, piano teacher, York St John University tutor and Buster Keaton aficionado Kieran White will be held on Tuesday, March 18 at 1pm at English Martyrs RC Church, Dalton Terrace, York.
On behalf of Kieran’s widow, Kate, everybody is invited to attend an open-mic celebration at the Waggon & Horses pub, in Lawrence Street, where tributes of music, songs, piano pieces and more besides can be played and shared by anyone who would like to do so in his memory. A piano will be on site.
“If you are unable to attend the church service, please do come down to the pub to say thank you for the music to Kieran,” says Louisa Jane Yasmin Starr, who played in a duo and the band White Starrs with Kieran, alongside Kate White on saxophone.
At English Martyrs, parking is limited; the nearest public car park is at Nunnery Lane. It is requested that only family flowers are arranged; the burial at York Cemetery will be private.
Something to be Smug about: Smug Roberts tops Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club bill today
A CHORUS of song, a clash of operas and an eye for comedy fill Charles Hutchinson’s in-box of entertainment for the week ahead.
Extremely rare chance to see Channel 4 legend: Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club presents Smug Roberts, Russell Arathoon, Oliver Bowler and MC Tony Vino, The Basement, City Screen Picturehouse, York, today, doors 3.30pm for 4pm start
BACK in the day, today’s headline act, Manchester humorist and radio presenter Smug Roberts, released the novelty anthem Meat Pie, Sausage Roll (Come on England, Gi’s A Goal) as Grandad Roberts. Three years earlier, he was discovered by Caroline Aherne when playing his first gig. He has since starred in That Peter Kay Thing, Cold Feet, Phoenix Nights, 24 Hour Party People and Buried.
“Smug is one the great unsung heroes of stand-up comedy and one of comedy’s best-kept secrets,” says promoter Damion Larkin. “His act is a joy to behold. A true superstar, he’s arguably the only non-famous genius among his North West contemporaries, and he’s not very often around in town, so make sure you grab this chance to see him.” Box office: lolcomedyclubs.co.uk.
Opera International in Madama Butterfly, on tour from Ukraine at the Grand Opera House, York
Opera dilemma of the day: Either…Senbla presents Opera International’s tour of Ukrainian Opera & Ballet Theatre Kyivin Madama Butterfly, Grand Opera House, York, tonight, 7.30pm.
BACK by overwhelming public demand, Opera International director Ellen Kent directs Ukrainian Opera & Ballet Theatre Kyiv in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, the heart-breaking story of the beautiful young Japanese girl who falls in love with an American naval lieutenant.
Expect international soloists, full chorus and orchestra and exquisite sets, including a spectacular Japanese garden and fabulous costume, not least antique wedding kimonos from Japan. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.
English Touring Opera in rehearsal for The Capulets And The Montagues, playing York Theatre Royal tonight. Picture: Craig Fuller
Or…English Touring Opera in What Dreams May Come, York Theatre Royal Studio, today, 2.30pm; The Capulets And The Montagues, York Theatre Royal, tonight, 7.30pm
ENGLISH Touring Opera return to York Theatre Royal with a brace of Shakespeare-inspired new productions. Mixing puppetry with works by Purcell, Finzi, Amy Beach and Britten, performed by a chamber ensemble, What Dreams May Come draws on hundreds of years of music inspired by and adapted from Shakespeare’s plays and poetry to depict the joys and sorrows of a long life well lived.
The Capulets And The Montagues, Bellini’s gritty re-working of Romeo And Juliet, brings the warring families’ emotional and political struggle to life with devastating power. Soprano Jessica Cale sings the role of Giulietta opposite mezzo-soprano Samantha Price as Romeo. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.
Stamford Bridge Community Choir: Performing at York Community Choir Festival on March 5. Picture: Murray Swain
Festival of the week: York Community Choir Festival, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, tomorrow until March 8, 7.30pm nightly, except 6pm tomorrow, plus 2.30pm Saturday matinee
A FESTIVAL that began in 2016 with only 11 choirs now comprises eight concerts showcasing up to five choirs per night. More than 1,250 singers, including school groups and choirs from Harrogate, Selby and Malton as well as York, will perform diverse music styles from pop to classical.
Among the choirs will be Stamford Bridge Community Choir, who will use Makaton signing in their March 5 performance. Full details of all the choirs and their programmes can be found at josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk/whats-on/all-shows/york-community-choir-festival. Box office: 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.
Visible Women company members Caroline Greenwood, left, Linda Fletcher, Helen Wilson and Marie Louise Feeley: Two evenings of monologues for York International Women’s Week
York International Women’s Week (March 3 to 9): Lyrics Of Life by Visible Women, Black Swan Inn, Peasholme Green, York, March 4 and 5, 7.30pm to 9.15pm
VISIBLE Women, a group of “mature female performers” from York, present both well-known and lesser-known monologues over two evenings.
“We met last year in York Settlement Community Players’ production of Terence Rattigan’s Separate Tables, which had good parts for older women,” says York theatre group member Helen Wilson. “But as most playwrights are male, plays tend to be male dominated, so here we are doing our own thing!
“There are still not enough plays giving women of our age a platform. As Visible Women, we want to redress the balance. Let’s move this forward. Come along for an evening of entertainment for a good cause.”
Material by Alan Bennett, Joyce Grenfell and York playwright Sara Murphy, winner of the first Script Factor in York, will feature. Box office: email basicbafmaw@gmail.com or pay on the door. Proceeds from ticket sales (£7 each) will be donated to York Women’s Counselling (yorkwomenscounselling.org).
Rob Auton: One in the eye for comedy at The Crescent, York, on March 5
The eyes have it: Rob Auton: The Eyes Open And Shut Show, Burning Duck Comedy Club at The Crescent, York, March 5, 7.30pm; Leeds City Varieties Music Hall, May 3, 7.30pm
“THE Eyes Open And Shut Show is a show about eyes when they are open and eyes when they are shut,” says surrealist York/Barmby Moor comedian, writer, artist, podcaster and actor Rob Auton. “With this show I wanted to explore what I could do to myself and others with language when eyes are open and shut…thinking about what makes me open my eyes and what makes me shut them.” Box office: York, thecrescentyork.com; Leeds, 0113 243 0808 or leedsheritagetheatres.com.
Fíonna Hewitt-Twamley in Myra’s Story, a tragic tale of a middle-aged homeless alcoholic struggling to survive on the streets of Dublin, on tour at the Grand Opera House, York
Charity support of the week: Fíonna Hewitt-Twamley in Myra’s Story, Grand Opera House, York, March 4, 7.30pm
DIRECT from the West End, Irish playwright Brian Foster’s four-time Edinburgh Fringe hit, Myra’s Story, tells the turbulent, tragic tale of a middle-aged homeless alcoholic struggling to survive on the streets of Dublin as she begs from passers-by on Ha’penny Bridge.
Performed by Fíonna Hewitt-Twamley, this show will benefit Restore, the York charity that provides accommodation and support to those who would otherwise be homeless. The charity will be on hand to collect donations. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.
Queenz: On song in Drag Me To The Disco at the Grand Opera House, York
Drag show of the week: Queenz, Drag Me To The Disco, Grand Opera House, York, March 5, 7.30pm
JOIN the gals for “an electrifying, live vocal, drag-stravaganza, where Dancing Queenz and Disco Dreams collide for the party of a lifetime”, created and produced by David Griego. Flying their rainbow-coloured flag high in the sky, Bella Du-Ball, Dior Montay, Candy Caned, Billie Eyelash and ZeZe Van Cartier serve up sass, singalongs and a message of love, equality and acceptance.
Craig Colley, alias Billie Eyelash, says: “Drag queens really do come in all shapes and sizes, but if you want to see some hilarious, stupidly talented, beautiful and of course humble ones, Queenz really is the show for you.” Age guidance: 14 plus. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.
Gorka Marquez and Karen Hauer: On Speakeasy terms at York Barbican
Dance spectacular of the week: Karen Hauer and Gorka Marquez, Speakeasy, York Barbican, March 6, 7.30pm
STRICTLY Come Dancing professionals Karen Hauer and Gorka Marquez follow up Firedance with new show Speakeasy on their biggest tour so far. Expect exhilarating live music and breathtaking choreography as they unlock the door to an undercover world of elegance and iconic dance flavours.
From the clandestine New York Speakeasy to the sultry Havana dance floors and from the burlesque cabaret clubs of the mid-1900s to the glittering mirror balls of Studio 54, this “delicious dance experience” serves up Mamba, Salsa, Charleston, Foxtrot and Samba moves. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.Also taking to the Yorkshire dance floor at Hull City Hall, March 5; Sheffield City Hall, March 9, and Bradford St George’s Hall, March 15.
In Focus: York Late Music presents Trifarious: Roger Marsh At 75, today, 1pm; Elysian Singers, Arvo PärtAt 90, today, 7.30pm, both at Unitarian Chapel, St Saviourgate, York
Trifarious: Marking Roger Marsh At 75 with this afternoon’s concert
YORK Late Music celebrates the music of Roger Marsh, a major contributor to the music and academic life during his time as Professor of Music at the University of York (1989 – 2019).
The programme includes works by Luciano Berio and Toru Takemitsu, who both have had a strong influence on his music, alongside pieces by two of his former students, Tom Armstrong and David Power.
Roger is coming over from France to hear this Roger Marsh At 75 concert.
Programme: Roger Marsh: Ferry Music; Tom Armstrong: The Chief Inspector Of Holes; David Power: Six De Chirico Miniatures – first performance; Toru Takemitsu: A Bird Came Down The Walk; Luciano Berio: Wasserklavier; Luciano Berio: Erdenklavier, and Roger Marsh: Easy Steps.
Here are Roger’s programme notes for the two works:
Ferry Music (1988) – for clarinet, piano and cello. This trio is composed around material originally invented for a music theatre piece Love On The Rocks – a piece concerning the mythical Charon, who poled the dead across the river into Hades.
The piece is in five short movements, and the ferry takes approximately eight minutes to complete the crossing. For today’s performance the cello part has been rewritten for viola by Tom Armstrong.
Easy Steps (1987) – for solo piano. The title Easy Steps may be misleading. For the performer there is nothing easy aboutthis piece, some passages requiring a level of virtuosity which the Associated Board mayfind difficult to quantify.
Rather the title has to do with the structure of the piece –alternating sections, horizontally then vertically conceived, increasing in complexity byeasy steps.
Elysian Singers: Celebrating Arvo Pärt At 90 tonight. Picture: Linda Dawson
Elysian Singers: Arvo Pärt At 90
AS the great Estonian composer Arvo Pärt turns 90 this year, the Elysian Singers celebrate his enormous contribution to choral music over the last half century. York Late Music includes two of his most substantial unaccompanied pieces, alongside works by Baltic and American composers who were influenced by him.
Programme: Arvo Pärt: Nunc Dimittis; Ola Gjeilo: Ubi Caritas; Eriks Esenvalds: The Heavens’ Flock; Morten Lauridsen: Madrigali; Eric Whitacre: When David Heard; David Lancaster: Of Trumpets And Angels – first performance, and Arvo Pärt: Seven Magnificat Antiphons
Here is David Lancaster’s programme note for Of Trumpets And Angels:
THIS new is a setting of John Donne’s Holy Sonnett XIII (What if this present were the world’s last night). This text contemplates the possibility of the current moment being the end of the world – something we may have all considered in recent days!
With this in mind, he focuses on the image of Christ crucified, questioning whether or not he should be afraid. He observes Christ’s tears and the blood from his wounds, wondering if such a compassionate figure could ever condemn him to damnation.
In the sestet, Donne seeks to atone for his earlier sins, in particular his love for ‘profane mistresses’, recognising the fallacy of making judgements based on outward appearance alone, and concluding that a beautiful appearance (like that of Christ) is indicative of a compassionate and merciful mindset.
Levellers: Heading to York Barbican in acoustic mode
LEVELLERS play York Barbican on March 9 as the only Yorkshire gig of their 17-date Levellers Collective acoustic tour with a ten-piece line-up.
To coincide with their March travels, the Brighton folk rock and anarcho-punk band will release a new album and DVD, Levellers Collective/Live, via On The Fiddle Recordings on March 7, recorded at London’s Hackney Empire on May 24 2023.
The film captures the spirit of the Levellers “as never seen before”, with 25 cameras being positioned on stage and around the venue to show the musicians close up as they weave a magical musical landscape for the songs, when the regular line-up was complemented by strings, percussion and vocal harmonies from additional members Hannah Moule (cello, vocals), Oli Moule (percussion) and Rae Husbandes (acoustic guitar, dobro, tin whistle, percussion, vocals).
Levellers lead singer Mark Chadwick says: “Previously when we’ve done acoustic shows, it’s just been us, with our own unique timings, but working with other musicians in particular, it’s like ‘OK, you can’t mess up’. So we don’t, we really concentrate.”
Bass player Jeremy “Jez” Cunningham adds: “As a band, we’re particularly pleased to make an acoustic show which is totally different to our electric show. It allows us to flex our musical muscles with stuff that’s really hard to play but really rewarding at the same time. The ying to our electric yang!”
The artwork for the Levellers Collective/Live album and DVD, set for release on March 7
Levellers had been contemplating an acoustic Collective project “for years”, he says. “But we hadn’t really found a way into it, until we thought about using the string section from the Moulettes, who we’ve known for years.
“After playing big-band shows with them, that gave us the idea of doing songs this way. The stripped-back thing has been done to death, but as soon as we found a way to rearrange the songs, we felt it would be re-enlightening for us, as well as for fans.
“We went into the studio with John Leckie and the Moulettes, taking songs back to the vocal line and maybe a drum beat and thinking about ‘what makes this song this song?’.
“The guys from the Moulettes came up with some left-field ideas as they’re not emotionally connected to the songs the way we are, and they’re really good singers too. John Leckie had ideas too, and as soon as we’d done the first one, it was…not easy, but less difficult, to do the rest.”
2018’s We The Collective album, recorded with Leckie, was followed by Together All The Way, recorded with Sean Lakeman in 2023.
Jeremy recalls the experience of re-working the songs as “quite intense”. “Because people are so attached to those songs, not everyone welcomed it at first, but we wanted to test ourselves. It involves going back to a song’s most basic meaning, in the lyrics and the biggest musical part, mostly from the vocal and the songs always have a big hook too.
Levellers: On the road from March 6 to promote Levellers Collective/Live album and DVD
“It can be a different instrument leading the new arrangement, and if a song is strong enough, you can pull it in different directions that stand up against the original. That’s why we chose our heavier songs, so that they would now sound different.”
Jeremy, like Mark, has been part of Levellers since the beginning in 1988. “I remember it all very clearly,” he says. “I met Mark because I was trying to chat up his girlfriend, Jon’s sister [Jon Sevink, now Levellers’ fiddle player]! I wasn’t really getting anywhere! I saw Jeremy arriving, really good looking with a guitar in his hand as he’d just been out busking.
“We got talking and we talked about how we were disillusioned with the Brighton music scene. I said ‘I write tunes’; he said ‘I write tunes’! I knew Charlie [Heather], the drummer, who knew Jon, the fiddle player.”
A band was born, with that quartet at the core to this day. “I think we’re quite easy-going people for a start, and straightaway we said, ‘if we ever make it to any degree, everyone will get paid the same – and that’s what we still do. We only argue over creative decisions.
“I think, as well, that we’re aware we need each other to make the noise we make, with that noise we make being bigger than the sum of its parts.”
“People embrace our lyrics and relate to them, and then the music is great to jump up and down to,” says Levellers bassist Jeremy Cunningham. Picture: Jason Bell
In keeping with bands such as The Pogues and The Alarm, the chemistry between band and audience takes Levellers’ songs to greater heights. “I think the connection is made through the lyrics,” says Jeremy. “People embrace them and relate to them, and then the music is great to jump up and down to –and that’s a deliberate way of doing it for us.
“That’s where you can make the comparison with The Pogues. Shane MacGowan was a great lyricist and audiences bounced around to them even when the lyrics were serious. These are the songs that people feel attached to.”
After throwing ideas around by email and rehearsing at Beautiful Days, outside Exeter, for a week, Levellers will take to the road from March 6 to 25 (tickets from myticket.co.uk and levellers.co.uk).
Jeremy can’t wait for March 9 at York Barbican. “The last time we were in York was in 2023. I really like the Barbican and I really like York,” he says. “I love the history and you can’t beat the Jorvik Viking Centre. I’ve walked the City Walls a couple of times too.”
Levellers Collective: 2025 Acoustic Tour, York Barbican, March 9, doors, 6.30pm. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.
