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August 29, 2024September 10, 2024

Resurgent London City Ballet returns to York Theatre Royal after 30 years with Cira Robinson in role of Eve on Sept 6 & 7

*Cira Robinson in rehearsal for her role as Eve in London City Ballet’s Resurgence*

LONDON City Ballet is touring again after a 30-year break, returning York Theatre Royal next Friday and Saturday on the aptly named Resurgence tour.

Heading to York as part of Theatre Royal chief executive Paul Crewes’s drive to bring more dance to the city, the revived touring company will present works by acclaimed British choreographers, under the direction of artistic director Christopher Marney, former principal dancer at New Adventures and director of the Joffrey Ballet Studio Company of Chicago.

After Kenneth MacMillan’s 1972 one-act ballet Ballade, unseen in Europe for more than 50 years, Ashley Page’s Larina Waltz on its 30th anniversary, and the premiere of Arielle Smith’s Five Dances, the programme will close with Marney’s full company work Eve, premiered at Sadler’s Wells in 2022.

Taking the lead role in Eve will be Cira (pronounced Cheera) Robinson, the former Ballet Black luminary, who has renewed creative acquaintance with Marney after he choreographed her Lady Macbeth in Fabula Collective’s Human Dancing in 2020 at the New National Theatre in Tokyo and first appearing as Eve in the 2022 premiere.

“Chris let me know, maybe at the end of 2022, that he had the idea of creating a small company to play small-scale theatres, touring with just a couple of chairs and some lights, which is pretty much all you need, and it’s important to go to these theatres because not everyone can afford to go to London or Birmingham,” she says.

Marney spent two years rebuilding London City Ballet with insights from its early pioneers, selecting works for the 2024 international tour that pays homage to the company’s roots in the form of rarely seen archival footage.

“The work is child-friendly too, and everyone likes a bit of nostalgia, don’t they. York Theatre Royal is the perfect place for that.”

Cira speaks from experience, having performed there regularly with Ballet Black since 2012. “It’s like a third home to me,” she says. “I love the Theatre Royal and the city has such a historic feel, a quaint villagey feel. I don’t know if the stage is raked any more…”

…Be assured, Cira, that notoriously steep rake has gone! She smiles at that revelation but is always happy to adapt to whatever a stage demands. “For this tour, there are only 12 of us in the company touring to smaller theatres, and you just get on with it. As long as there are dressing rooms, toilets and wings, we’re ready to go!”

Describing the role of Eve, Cira draws breath, then says: “Wow! OK, OK, she’s the first woman in the world and basically this dance tells that story. She’s in this world that’s completely new, seeing birds and nature for the first time, and she’s obviously innocent.

“When she sees the Serpent, she experiences this feeling, I would say lust. The way Chris has choreographed it, one dancer (Arthur Wille) switches between the Serpent and the Man, which adds another layer.

“Like the touch of a hand. ‘What is this,’ she thinks. ‘Is it right? Is it wrong? What is it doing to me?’. There’s a battle going on between innocence and intrigue.”

Cira thrives on working with Marney. “Chris is great because he knows what he wants but is open to the dancer’s artistry after building the first floor, especially with new pieces. In my dancing I try to be as honest as possible. I judge that honesty on how aware I am of things around me, taking Cira away and diving into the character of Eve, feeling like I’m in this world as the only woman on stage, the only woman in the world.”

Auditioned by Ballet Black in 2007, Cira left the United States for the United Kingdom in 2008, beginning a long association with the London company until retiring in December 2022, taking up the post of director of Yorkshire Ballet Seminars, who bring hundreds of young ballet students to Yorkshire each summer.

Now she returns to the stage for London City Ballet’s renaissance. “I’ve danced since I was eight. My first love of dancing was definitely its sense of expression without words. I already expressed myself enough in words, but now I could do it with joy without having to say anything,” she says.

“I always had a sense of rhythm and movement, and you learn that at the beginning it’s about repetition. I still teach at junior school, where they’ll say, ‘I want to do gymnastics’ or ‘I want to play football, but once they get past that, they find that repetition is vital – and it still is.

“I just fell in love with dancing, with my teacher saying, ‘you moved your arm beautifully’. I thought, ‘if I can do that, maybe I can get praise for more movement’.

“Dancing is a love affair for me and it’s been the most constant thing in my life.”

London City Ballet, Resurgence, York Theatre Royal, September 6, 7.30pm, and September 7, 2.30pm and 7.30pm. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.

Copyright of The Press, York

Making her pointe: Additional questions for Cira Robinson

What are your recollections of arriving in London to join Ballet Black?

“I auditioned in 2007, and that was the first time I got my passport. Prior to that I danced with Dance Theatre of Harlem, surrounded by dancers of colour.

“When I came here to dance with Ballet Black, I knew they catered for black and brown dancers, when there was a lack of opportunity for those dancers elsewhere. Cassa Pancho [company founder and artistic director] made a point of that.

“I had this safety of Ballet Black having people who looked like me, and I realised how important the representation of colour was, and that has grown since then.”

How did you come to work with Freed of London on creating the first brown and bronze pointe shoe for the celebrated shoemakers?

“There is the skill of ‘pancaking’, to make a pointe shoe match your skin colour, and even white dancers have to do this. I had to do it for many years, and it was something passed down as a ritual, where you’re putting make-up foundation on the pointe-shoe satin.

“You apply it in a thin layer, making the shoe softer, and while the colour would look great, after a rehearsal or two, the shoes would start to dye, and those shoes are not cheap to replace.

“I’m a Freed of London shoe wearer and have been for years. There were these swatches of fabric, and I asked, ‘could I have a pointe shoe made of that?’, and though the initial reaction was they didn’t think it was possible, I went round six or eight fabric shops, and I could only find dark or light colours, but my friend said, ‘let’s try two more’, and in the next one I found the perfect colours.”

“The next day I went into Ballet Black and told Cassa Pancho about it, who said, ‘that’s great, but you shouldn’t be doing that. I’ll do it’!”

And so, Freed of London’s brown and bronze point shoes were born. “It’s been great. Lessening the time to prepare a show, and the feedback has been phenomenal.

“That’s the thing. Once someone starts something, it forces everyone to get into gear because dancers come in many shapes and colours.”

How do you retain your physical condition through all these years of dancing?

“It’s sheer will, but there are going to be injuries, there are going to be niggles, because it’s unnatural turning out our legs, and with that, our bones and muscles take a beating. As much asdancing is my force for existing, there needs to be time for balancing the things you do.

“I’ve had shin splints and stress fractures, and with dancers our pain threshold is a bit different. We can take more pain, but sometimes you have to say, ‘hold on, I need a break, so I can come back stronger’.”

How did the chance to perform with grime star Stormzy on the main stage at Glastonbury emerge?

“Specifically through Ballet Back. Maybe Cassa followed Stormzy on Instagram. The fact that Freed of London’s brown pointe shoes had come out was something to highlight, and Stormzy made a point of wanting to highlight ballet dancers of colour dancing in those shoes and loving it.

“It was over in seconds! I’ve danced in front of big audiences, but this was like nothing I’d experienced before. The crowd went on for miles and miles.”

Describe your experience of playing Lady Macbeth in Japan under the shadow of Covid.

“It came about through Yukiko Tsukamoto. We were friends and she’d started this small performing group [Fabula Collective] and wanted me to perform as Lady Macbeth, with Chris Marney directing.

“That was in 2021. I’d never been to Japan before. We had to quarantine for 14 days, then had five days out for maybe two performances. There were just three of us in the cast, with me playing Lady Macbeth going mad, seeing the dagger before her, seeing all these hands coming out of pockets.

“It was really interesting, showing her quick rise and drastic fall in 20 minutes, and then ultimately dying, giving so much information in that short time in Chris’s choreography.”

How did you feel about leaving Ballet Black?

“It wasn’t a difficult decision because it was something I was preparing for, after 14 years with that company, wanting to step out and explore other opportunities…and that’s when I joined Yorkshire Ballet Seminars.

“I’d come up in teach the summer seminars at Askham Bryan, at the farm – I remember it was smelly! – and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed teaching. It’s not a normal vocational school, it’s a summer intensive, residential seminar where the children are able to run around the fields.

“In 2021, I ended up getting Covid two days before I was due to teach there again, and that year Iain Mackay let me know he was retiring as the director and said I should apply. I didn’t think I was ready to be director and hadn’t thought about leaving Ballet Black yet, but I did go to a couple of meeting, thought I didn’t get the job.

“I thought, ‘OK, I’ll continue my freelance life’ and then one day I was in Derby, and the girl in front of me in the dance class broke her ankle and you think ‘that could have been me’. When I got back to the dressing room, there was a missed call from Iain [Mackay] saying the person they had chosen hadn’t worked out.

“I played it in my mind for 24 hours, thinking about that broken ankle, and I decided I should take the director’s job. My last show with Ballet Black was on December 5 2022 and I started the directorship on the 12^th…but I was also pregnant!

“Retirement. New job. Baby. I’d been learning the ropes and then took maternity leave and started back in August 2023, still picking up skills. All those things I didn’t study for.

“Yorkshire Ballet Seminars have been held at Ashville College, in Harrogate, since 2021 and it’s been an amazing, insightful experience being the director since 2022. It’s not for the faint-hearted but I love what I do as a teacher, and the future of young dancers in this country means a lot to me, being impactful that way, especially with Yorkshire Ballet Seminars. The sessions are serious but the dancers can also be a kid there, finding their individuality.

Cira Robinson: the back story

BORN in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, where she began dancing at the age of eight.

After graduating from the School for Creative and Performing Arts in 2004, she moved to New City as an apprentice with the Dance Theatre of Harlem’s Dancing Through Barriers Ensemble.

After a few months, she became a full member, dancing many works from the DTH repertoire under the guidance of Arthur Mitchell.

In 2008, she joined Ballet Black in London, where she created many roles with numerous choreographers from around the world, such as Liam Scarlett, Richard Alston, Antonia Franceschi, Christopher Hampton, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Christopher Marney and Gregory Maqoma, in her 14 years with the company.

Nominated in 2013 for Outstanding Classical Female at Critics Circle National Dance Awards, then Best Female Dancer nominee in 2021 awards.

In 2017, Cira worked with Freed of London and Ballet Black to create the first brown and bronze pointe shoe for the shoemakers.

In 2019, she danced on Glastonbury Pyramid stage with headline act Stormzy.

Teacher for Ballet Black Junior Ballet School and Yorkshire Ballet Summer Seminars and at open classes throughout UK.

Joined Fabula Collective in 2021 as guest artist in lead role of Lady Macbeth in Human Dancing, choreographed by Christopher Marney at New National Theatre, Tokyo, Japan.

Premiered lead role in Christopher Marney’s Eve at Sadler’s Wells, London, in September 2022. Won award for Best Soloist in Dance Production at Black British Theatre Awards.

Since retiring from Ballet Black in December 2022, Cira has become director of the charitable organisation Yorkshire Ballet Seminars.

In 2024, she returns to the stage as Eve in London City Ballet tour of Resurgence.

August 29, 2024August 29, 2024

Valerie Mather photographs Regia Anglorum for launch of St Aelred’s Pilgrim Trail across North York Moors on Sept 14

Regia Anglorum members Wilfred Somogyi, left, Catherine Stallybrass, Jenny Kell, Michael Stallybrass and Matthew Greatrex on the Saint Aelred’s Pilgrim Trail acros the North York Moors. Picture: Valerie Mather

YORKSHIRE documentary, travel and portrait photographer Valerie Mather will produce a photo essay to mark the September 14 launch of the Saint Aelred’s Pilgrim Trail in the North York Moors.

To promote the launch, Valerie already has photographed the Regia Anglorum mediaeval reenactment group on the new trail in Upper Ryedale and at Rievaulx Abbey in their 12^th century medieval costumes.

She has taken on the trail commission after her Fields, Folds and Farming Life exhibition, capturing the heart of farming on isolated Yorkshire moorland in a year in the life of Bransdale, drew 26,000 visitors to Nunnington Hall, the National Trust country house in Ryedale, last year.

“The trail images were taken at Murton Grange, en route to Rievaulx Abbey and at the abbey itself, with the kind permission of English Heritage,” says Valerie, whose photographs can be seen on the Gallery section of the trail website at saintaelredspilgrimtrail.com.

*Regia Anglorum’s Jenny Kell, in the guise of an Anglo-Saxon pilgrim, on the Saint Aelred’s Pilgrim Trail. Picture: Valerie Mather*

“Regia Anglorum translates as ‘of the English’; their headquarters are in Canterbury, in a nod to Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, and they have members who gather from all over the country and dress in totally authentic costumes and shoes.”

Taking part in the photoshoot were Regia Anglorum members Jenny Kell, Catherine Stallybrass, Michael Stallybrass, Wilfred Somogyi and Matthew Greatrex; English Heritage volunteer Tony Powell; trail planning group members Kate Senior and Anne Stewart and Rievaulx Abbey visitors Louise Southwell and her children Agnes and Jim.

Starting and ending in Helmsley, the 41-mile trail links all the churches in the Benefice of Helmsley and Upper Ryedale, taking walkers, runners, cyclists and horse riders on a scenic pilgrimage through the southwest of the North York Moors National Park.

“We hope to revitalise interest in our historic rural and hamlet churches and chapels,” says George Gyte, parochial church council secretary of the Parish of Upper Ryedale. “However, the trail is for people of all faiths and none, who love the opportunity that pilgrimage offers for spiritual experience and well-being, meeting fellow pilgrims and enjoying our beautiful countryside.

*Regia Anglorum member Catherine Stallybrass, in the guise of a nun, climbs a style on the Saint Aelred’s Pilgrim Trail. Picture: Valerie Mather*

“There is something for everyone: those who are up for a challenge, those who seek places of peace, contemplation and prayer, and those want to hike and ‘stand and stare’ whilst absorbing the remarkable sights and sounds of our moors.”

George adds: “We’ve completed this new trail for walkers, runners, horse riders and cyclists, waymarked it and produced a guidebook with a foreword by the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell.

“We’ve also produced a Pilgrim Passport, to be stamped at the end of each stage, and have created a lovely website: https://www.saintaelredspilgrimtrail.com. Our horse riders ‘version was produced for us by Bill Tait – aka ‘the Helmsley Cowboy’ – and the Ryedale Bridleways Group. The one for cyclists is thanks to John Ellison, a local cyclist.”

The trail is named in homage to the celebrated saint, Aelred, Abbot of Rievaulx Abbey from 1147 to 1167. “He was one of the finest of scholars: a writer, spiritual director, poet, preacher, historian, adviser to monarchs, peacemaker and walker,” says George. “His teachings are emblematic of our mission and the renewed interest in pilgrimage.”

*Matthew Greatrex’s young pilgrim and Jenny Kell’s Anglo-Saxon pilgrim, from Regia Anglorum, enjoy a rest on the Saint Aelred’s Pilgrim Trail. Picture: Valerie Mather*

To launch the trail, a Gathering Walk/Ride will be the focus of the Yorkshire Churches Day’s Ride and Stride and Heritage Open Days 2024 celebrations on September 14 to raise funds for the Yorkshire Churches Historic Trust and the renovation and repair of rural and historic churches in the Benefice of Helmsley and Upper Ryedale.

“Anyone is welcome to participate in this Gathering Walk, but if you can get sponsorship for participating in it, we would really appreciate it,” says George. “We are using the Peoples Fundraising website for our event at: https://www.peoplesfundraising.com/fundraising/saintaelredspilgrimtrail-fundraiseryhct.”

The Gathering Walk will start at 8.30am in the pastoral setting of All Saints Church, Hawnby, picking up striders and riders in the moorland villages of Old Byland, Scawton and Cold Kirby before descending the Cleveland Way to Rievaulx Abbey for a celebration service in the abbey nave with the Bilsdale Silver Band at 4pm, followed by a launch reception of fizz and canapés in the abbey café.

Walkers and riders are invited to walk all or part of the 12-mile route that day. “You can join in at several places and walk 12, seven, five or four miles or just a few hundred metres to end at Rievaulx Abbey for our service and reception,” says George. “Please bear in mind this is the North York Moors and so be prepared for all weathers! Walking boots are recommended.”

*Regia Anglorum member Wilfred Somogyi’s young monk crosses the river on the Saint Aelred’s Pilgrim Trail. Picture: Valerie Mather*

The Saint Aelred’s Pilgrim Trail has been supported by the North Yorkshire Moors Association, Helmsley Town Council, North Yorkshire Council, North York Moors National Park, Diocese of York, landowners along the trail and the parochial church councils of the parishes of Helmsley and Upper Ryedale.

Exhibitions are to be mounted in churches on the trail route, with more details to be announced, and the trail organisers are looking into the possibility of exhibiting Valerie’s prints from the photo essay at some of the churches for the heritage festival week.

For more information about Valerie Mather’s photography, head to: www.valeriematherphotography.co.uk or valeriematherphotography on Facebook and Instagram.

Approximate timings for the Gathering Walk/Ride Day, September 14

Walking time of approximately 4 hours 45 minutes to 5 hours.
Leave Hawnby at 8.30am.
Arrive at Old Byland by 10am for drinks and cake.
Leave Old Byland, 10.30am.
Arrive at Scawton, 11.40am.
Leave Scawton, 11.45am.
Arrive at Cold Kirby, 12.45pm. Space in village hall for packed lunches and hot drinks.
Leave Cold Kirby, 1.45pm.
Arrive at Rievaulx by 3pm to 3.15pm. Gather at Rievaulx Methodist Church/Church of Saint Mary the Virgin to process to the Abbey

Service in Rievaulx Abbey nave from 4pm.

*Regia Anglorum member Catherine Stallybrass’s nun is greeted by English Heritage volunteer Tony Powell’s monk at Rievaulx Abbey. Picture: Victoria Mather*

August 28, 2024August 28, 2024

What’s On in Ryedale, York & beyond when Ayckbourn delivers love letter to theatre. Hutch’s List No.31, from Gazette & Herald

*York actress Frances Marshall in rehearsal for Alan Ayckbourn’s 90th play, Show &Tell*. *Picture: Tony Bartholomew*

ALAN Ayckbourn’s 90th play and the Fangfest arts weekend lead Charles Hutchinson’s recommendations for the weeks ahead.

Premiere of the week: Alan Ayckbourn’s Show & Tell, Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, September 5 to October 5

BILL Champion, Paul Kemp, Frances Marshall, Richard Stacey and Olivia Woolhouse will be the cast for the 90th play by Scarborough writer-director Alan Ayckbourn, a love letter to theatre entitled Show & Tell.

In a delightfully dark farce that lifts the lid on the performances we act out on a daily basis, Jack is planning a big party for his wife’s birthday. Pulling out all the stops, he has booked a touring theatre company to perform in the main hall of the family home. Unfortunately, Jack is becoming forgetful in his old age, rendering him unable to remember all the details of the booking.

The Homelight Theatre Company is on its knees, desperately needing a well-paid gig – and Jack’s booking is very well paid. Pinning him down on the details has been tricky, however and something does not feel quite right. Box office: 01723 370541 or sjt.uk.com.

*Allied Air Forces Memorial Day at the Yorkshire Air Museum, pictured in 2023*

We will remember them: Allied Air Forces Memorial Day, Yorkshire Air Museum, Halifax Way, Elvington, near York, Sunday, from 1.45pm

THE Yorkshire Military Marching Band will lead the 1.45pm parade featuring standard bearers from 16 Royal British Legion and RAF Association branches in one of the biggest events in the museum’s calendar.

Representatives of the RAF will join with counterparts from the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and France in honouring the bravery and sacrifices of the allied air crews who flew from the airfield during the Second World War, many of whom did not survive. The day will climax with a 2.15pm service in the main hangar, under the nose of Halifax Bomber Friday the 13th. Open to museum visitors and invited guests.

*Busted: Concluding the 2024 season at Scarborough Open Air Theatre on Saturday*

Coastal gig of the week: Busted, Scarborough Open Air Theatre, Saturday, gates open at 6pm

BUSTED close Cuffe & Taylor’s summer of outdoor gigs in Scarborough 22 years after first bouncing into the charts with the pop-punk energy of What I Go To School For and a year on from releasing Greatest Hits 2.0, an album of re-recorded hits with guests to mark the reunion of James Bourne, Matt Willis and Charlie Simpson.

Expect number one smashes Crashed The Wedding, Who’s David, Thunderbirds Are Go and You Said No to feature in Saturday’s set list, along with Year 3000, Air Hostess, Sleeping With The Lights On, Loser Kid and Everything I Knew. Support comes from Skinny Living and Soap. Box office: scarboroughopenairtheatre.com/busted.

*William Dalrymple: Reflecting on India’s impact on the ancient world in his Grand Opera House talk*

History talk of the week: William Dalrymple, How Ancient India Transformed the World, Grand Opera House, York, September 2, 7.30pm

HISTORIAN William Dalrymple, co-host of the Empire podcast, tells the story of how, from 250BC to 1200AD, India transformed the world: exporting religion, art, science, medicine and language along a Golden Road that stretched from the Red Sea to the Pacific, creating a vast and profoundly important empire of ideas.

Dalrymple explores how Indian ideas crossed political borders and influenced everything they touched, from the statues in Roman seaports to the Buddhism of Japan, the poetry of China to the mathematics of Baghdad. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.

*Kiri Pritchard-McLean: Tales of a foster parent in her Peacock show at Pocklington Arts Centre*

Comedy gig of the week: Kiri Pritchard-McLean: Peacock, Pocklington Arts Centre, September 5, 8pm

KIRI Pritchard-McLean has had a busy few years, hosting Live At The Apollo, fronting the BBC Radio 4 panel show Best Medicine, co-hosting the All Killa No Filla podcast, starting a comedy school and becoming a foster parent.

After a couple of the eggiest gigs of her career in boardrooms to social workers, a show about being a foster carer has been signed off, wherein she lifts the lid on social workers, first aid training and what not to do when a vicar searches for you on YouTube. Box office: 01759 301547 or pocklingtonartscentre.co.uk.

*Tribute acts at the treble: Coldplay It Again, Stereoconics and Oasis Here Now re-heat the hits at Milton Rooms, Malton*

Tribute gig of the week: Coldplay It Again, Stereoconics and Oasis Here Now, Milton Rooms, Malton, September 7, 7pm

THIS tribute triple bill brings together Coldplay It Again replicating the look, sound and spirit of a Colplay show, Stereoconics’ faithful versions of Stereophonics’ songs and Oasis Here Now’s devotion to the style and swagger of Oasis in their Nineties’ heyday, just as the Gallagher brothers announce their first gigs since 2009 for next summer. Box office: 01653 696240 or themiltonrooms.com.

*Gerry Grant: Demonstrating Raku firing at Fangfoss Pottery*

Festival of the week: Fangfest Festival of Practical Arts, Fangfoss, near York, September 7 and 8. 10am to 4pm

TWENTY-FIVE years on from its inception, the annual Fangfest returns with its celebration of traditional and contemporary art and craft skills as creatives, businesses and charities gather next weekend.

The festival features a flower festival, vintage and veteran cars, archery, Stamford Bridge History Society, music on the green, the Story Craft Theatre Company, a teddy bear trail, produce stalls and free craft activities, as well as 30 working craft exhibitors and workshops in needle felting, wood carving, spinning and embroidery. Entry to Fangfest is free; parking is £2 per vehicle in aid of Friends of St Martins School.

*Bjorn Again: Thanking Abba for the music in York and Hull on their 2025 tour*

Gig announcement of the week: Bjorn Again, York Barbican, September 28 2025, and Connexin Live, Hull, October 29 2025

AFTER festival appearances at Wilderness and Glastonbury this summer, Bjorn Again announce a British and Irish tour from September 26 to November 2 2025, taking in York Barbican on the third night and Connexin Live, Hull.

Founded in 1988 in Melbourne by Australianmusician/manager Rod Stephen, the tribute show carries the endorsement of Abba’s own Agnetha Fältskog. Designed as a tongue-in-cheek, rocked-up, light-hearted ABBA satire, the show is in its 37th year, having seen more than 100 musicians and vocalists and 400 technical crew/support staff contribute to 5,500 performances in 75 countries. Tickets go on sale on Friday at 10am at yorkbarbican.co.uk and connexinlivehull.com.

August 28, 2024August 28, 2024

REVIEW: Martin Dreyer’s verdict on North York Moors Chamber Music Festival, Vienna!, Welburn Manor Marquee, 17/8/24

*Violinist Charlotte Scott. Picture: Matthew Johnson*

THE two Viennese Schools – the classical and the post-romantic – were brought into sharp contrast in this succulent programme, in which works by Mozart and Schubert framed music by the big three of the Second Viennese Schoool, Schoenberg, Berg and Webern.

Charlotte Scott and Joseph Havlat took the stage for Mozart’s two-movement Violin Sonata in E minor, K.304, which he wrote in the wake of his mother’s death. Scott’s perceptive violin has long been a favourite with this audience, whereas Havlat’s piano is a relative newcomer, but they blended sympathetically.

They treated the Allegro’s development section as a clear attempt by the composer to exorcise his grief, its storminess bordering on anger here. The tender, sighing motif in the succeeding trio had great feeling, although the minuet – hardly a dance – was much more fiery.

Webern’s Langsamer Satz (‘slow movement’) in C minor is a student piece for string quartet. With Scott at the helm, the ensemble worked its way urgently to its central unison before a muted elegy and a satisfyingly tender final pianissimo.

In similar vein was Berg’s Adagio, a distillation for trio of the slow movement of his Chamber Concerto. Here Scott’s violin was joined by Matthew Hunt’s clarinet, the two phrasing sensitively while Ariel Lanyi’s piano was intuitive in initiating mood changes.

Webern saw the commercial sense of thinning down Schoenberg’s First Chamber Symphony from the original 15 players to a mere quintet. Here we had the rare chance to hear the version with flute and clarinet alongside piano trio.

Forthrightly led by Alena Baeva’s violin, with Lanyi at the piano, the ensemble delivered clarity and vigour in equal measure, with contrastingly elegant lines in the Adagio before an exciting climax.

But the best was, incredibly, yet to come. Schubert’s Fantasy in C major, D.934 is rightly regarded as an Everest of the violin and piano repertoire, not to be undertaken lightly. Benjamin Baker’s violin was on fire and he played with assuringly few glances at his score.

Vadym Kholodenko recorded this work last year with his regular duo partner Alena Baeva. So we were in the hands of experts: both clearly knew the score in every sense. There was an immediacy here that felt utterly spontaneous, from the teasingly enigmatic opening to the spine-tingling final Presto.

En route, Baker was amazingly fluent, throwing off the variations on Sei Mir Gegrüsst (I Greet You), a song of romantic yearning, with carefree abandon after a gaily dancing czardas: we had eloquent rubato, dazzling pizzicato, breathtakingly accurate moto perpetuo, it was all there.

Kholodenko was with him every step of the way, indeed spurring him on: their relish was intoxicating. They were not afraid to be coolly meditative in the Allegretto before a finale of heart-stopping virtuosity. This was a sensational performance, surely destined to be the highlight of the festival.

Review by Martin Dreyer

August 28, 2024August 28, 2024

REVIEW: Martin Dreyer’s verdict on North York Moors Chamber Music Festival, Towards The Edge, Welburn Manor Marquee, August 16

*The Paddington Trio: North York Moors Chamber Music Festival’s Young Artists for the 2024 festival*

IT is not often the opportunity arises to hear a 19th-century work for the first time, especially one by a composer whose music rarely graces concert platforms.

Juliusz Zarębski, a Pole born in what is now Ukraine, died in 1885 at the age of 31, leaving a host of piano pieces – apart from a piano quintet written in the final months of his terminal battle with tuberculosis.

It was the highlight of this programme, whose backbone was provided by the Paddington Trio, the festival’s Young Artists. The added guests were violinist Benjamin Baker and viola player Max Mandel.

The evening had opened with Liszt piano music and included Shostakovich’s Second Piano Trio. Zarębski’s Piano Quintet in G minor is in the conventional four movements, but in other respects it strays from the norm.

For a start, this is no piano concerto with added strings: the keyboard role is beautifully integrated into the whole. Furthermore, its opening theme is given to the viola and only the second theme taken by the first violin, its long, lyrical lines contrasting well with the viola’s earlier probing. The composer cleverly thinned the texture right down – drawing our attention – before a huge climax at the close of the first movement.

The Adagio’s opening sounds as if improvised before growing increasingly anguished, with folk-like harmonies. Here we heard strings alone more than once. Its three-part shape petered into a quiet ending with cello and piano, gently treated here.

The ensemble was sprightly in the jaunty scherzo before a smooth trio over rippling piano. There were more than a few shades of Dvořák in the finale, with Bohemian themes always close to the surface.

After a quiet interlude, the ebb and flow became quite volatile right up until a closing race for the tape. The ensemble, persuasively led by Baker, seemed to relish this rare opportunity, their lively approach evoking the spirit of the dance.

The Paddingtons were equal to the challenges of Shostakovich’s E minor trio, spearheaded by the tricky harmonics of Patrick Moriarty’s cello at the start. The fugue accelerated neatly and pizzicato was always taut. The group was fully alive to the quirks of the madcap scherzo, with its constant swerving between major and minor keys.

The elegiac Largo reflected the composer’s mood in 1944, in the wake of the tragic siege of Leningrad, but there was a contrasting urgency in the finale, with its elements of gypsy dance. The Paddingtons showed themselves to be a well-knit ensemble, even if occasionally Tuulia Hero’s violin might have been a touch more daring.

The group’s pianist, Stephanie Tang, had given us Liszt’s original version of La lugubre Gondola, written in the aftermath of Wagner’s death in Venice. It is so bare it sounds almost like doodling and Tang’s deliberately harsh tone did nothing to alleviate the composer’s evident grief. But it swayed smoothly enough, in true barcarole fashion.

Review by Martin Dreyer

August 28, 2024August 28, 2024

How might a greener Piccadilly look in a ‘sustainable future’? Find out in this weekend’s exhibition at Spark:York

*Christopher West and his six-year-old son, Edison, who are both participating in Spark: York’s Envisioning A Greener Piccadilly art competition*

SPARK: York is hosting an art exhibition on Saturday and Sunday with a focus on Envisioning A Greener Piccadilly: Ideas For A Sustainable Future in the city centre.

The creative community venue, in Piccadilly, York, asked artists to respond to this theme with the aim of “cultivating community engagement and starting a dialogue about how the neighbourhood can evolve to better serve both the residents of today and future generations”.

This year’s exhibition builds on the success of last year’s competition at Spark, where participants imagined York in 100 years’ time and created a time capsule for the people of York in 2050, aligning with the United Kingdom’s net-zero target.

The time capsule is stored at the University of York’s Borthwick Institute and is registered officially with the Time Capsule Society in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

Spark: York wants to “curate creativity and encourage visionary ideas for a more sustainable central street in York, especially in light of the significant developmental changes under way”. Sixteen artists have submitted work to the 2024 event, showcasing a diverse range of concepts, from lush green spaces teeming with wildlife to socially minded community areas and cutting-edge eco-tech solutions.

*How will Piccadilly look in a greener future?*

Various media will be showcased including watercolour, acrylics, lino print, digital art and mixed-media collages using natural and recycled materials. Submissions were made in two age categories: under 15 and 15+, highlighting collaborative efforts between parents and children, as well as contributions from artists across the region, including Leeds and Tadcaster.

The entries were evaluated carefully by an expert panel of Spark’s resident artists, including Leon François Dumont, Jessica Mallorie and Kat Olsson.

Leon said: “The judging panel were thrilled to see such imaginative entries. The artworks ranged from full street plans for a greener city, to abstract shapes and colours representing the moods and sensations residents might experience in a future Piccadilly, interconnected with nature. We’re excited for York to see them all exhibited together, to start conversations on a green makeover for the city.”

Envisioning A Greener Piccadilly: Ideas For A Sustainable Future, on show at Upstairs SHOW space, Spark: York, Piccadilly York, August 31 and September 1, 12 noon to 10pm. Entry is free and everyone is invited.

August 28, 2024August 28, 2024

Next Door But One receives ‘life-changing’ £20,000 after winning Sky Bet Ebor Festival Community Sweepstake

Next Door But One artistic director Matt Harper-Hardcastle, left, receives the “life-changing” £20,000 cheque from Sky Bet’s Steve Birch after winning the Sky Bet Ebor Festival Community Sweepstake at York Racecourse

MATT Harper-Hardcastle attended York Races for the first time on Saturday and headed home with £20,000…without placing a bet.

To explain, Matt is the artistic director and chief executive officer of York community arts collective and charity Next Door But One (NDB1), who won the Sky Bet Ebor Festival Community Sweepstake.

As part of the joint initiative between York Racecourse and Sky Bet, the sweepstake rewards good causes from across Yorkshire in acknowledgement of their hard work within the community. Each shortlisted charity was awarded a £1,000 donation to put towards a project or initiative.

This year, more than 150 entries to the sweepstake were made, leading to a final shortlist of 22, each allocated a runner in the 3.35pm Sky Bet Ebor Handicap from the sweepstake draw.

From a ceremony shown live on TV at the Knavesmire course on Thursday, Matt drew the horse names from one tombola; Pam, from Hull & East Riding Breast Friends, the charities from the other.

Matt turned out to have the magical touch, having drawn Magical Zoe for NDB1. Trained by Henry de Bromhead and ridden by Billy Lee, the hurdler-turned-flat racer lived up to being the favourite in the betting by finishing first past the post, a victory that brought NDB1’s £20,000 grand prize. Second place went to The Clothing Bank with Menfulness taking third, securing £5,000 and £2,000 respectively.

Next Door But One, an award-winning LGBTQ+ and disability-led theatre company, delivers a programme focused on workshops and performances for and with cohorts of the community with disabilities, mental ill health, unpaid carers, women from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and LGBTQ+ individuals.

In the wake of Magical Zoe’s triumph, a delighted Matt said: “This is the first time I’ve ever been to the races, so the fact that we’ve come away with £20,000 for the charity is absolutely amazing. This donation has meant that we’ve already reached our funding target for the year, which will continue to be hugely beneficial into 2025.

Next Door But One’s leadership team: creative engagement manager El Stannage, left, producer Joshua Goodman, artistic director Matt Harper-Hardcastle, associate director Kate Veysey and communications coordinator Anna Johnston

“The donation will be used for our participatory arts programme for marginalised communities. For every £20 invested, we’re able to provide a whole year’s worth of free and inclusive arts engagement for one person, so this means we’re able to make a difference to so many. The whole team would like to thank York Racecourse and Sky Bet for their support. It really is a life-changing amount of money.”

James Brennan, head of marketing and sponsorship at York Racecourse, added: “The Ebor always proves to be a very special event in our racing calendar, and 2024 proved no different as we saw Billy Lee ride to victory.

“Hosting the shortlisted good causes is always a pleasure, and we’re looking forward to following their journeys and seeing how they utilise the valuable donations they receive.”

Michael Shinners, head of sports PR at Sky Betting & Gaming, concluded: “A huge congratulations to Next Door But One, The Clothing Bank and Menfulness for placing in our community sweepstake.

“The Sky Bet Ebor Festival Community Sweepstake is an annual highlight for us, as we learn about all the amazing work that our charities and good causes support across the Yorkshire region. We hope that our donations for all of those shortlisted go a little or a long way in helping them continue their great work.”

The final 22 shortlisted Yorkshire charities, foundations and community groups were:

Active Independence; Beverley Community Lift; BIADS – Barnsley Independent Alzheimer’s and Dementia Support; Day One Trauma Support; Declan John Foundation; Hornsea First Aid Centre; Hull 4 Heroes; Hull and East Riding Breast Friends; Just ‘B’; Menfulness; MySight York; Next Door But One CIC; Noah’s Ark Centre; Norton Hive Library and Community Hub; Overgate Hospice; Rotherham Cancer Care; Sheffield Mencap and Gateway; Sheffield Steelkings Para Ice Hockey Club; The Clothing Bank; Friends of Rowntree Park, York; The Rainbow Centre, Scarborough, and Yorkshire’s Brain Tumour Charity.

James Brennan said: “As with every year, we have seen so many worthwhile entries to the sweepstake. Choosing 22 from this extensive list is never easy but the final runners reflect a diverse group of worthy causes from across the region.

“The Sky Bet Ebor Festival is the highlight of our racing calendar with this initiative an important part of proceedings. We always look forward to hosting the shortlisted contenders and to showcasing the amazing work they all do.”

August 27, 2024August 27, 2024

Fangfest’s celebration of practical arts welcomes 30 exhibitors, workshops, archery, storytelling and a teddy bear trail

*Dave Atkin, of Woodwyrm, at work* *on carving wood*

The festival of practical arts features a flower festival, vintage and veteran cars, archery with Aaron Shooting Archery, Stamford Bridge History Society, music on the green, Story Craft Theatre, a teddy bear trail, produce stalls and free craft activities, as well as 30 working craft exhibitors and workshops.

Among the exhibitors will be Caroline Wagstaff, ceramics and pebble glass; Josh Hemmens, of Whimbrel Designs, photography with a twist; International Feltmakers Association member Liz Riley, of Everything Felt, felting; Lorina Lynne, jewellery; Pete Thomson, of Spirit of the Wood, woodwork; Woodwrym, wood carving and trinket boxes; Shan Williams, woven items; Crafty Alfredo, ceramic mosaics; Laura Thompson, illustrations; Tanja Entwistle, glass; and Rosie Glow, terrazzo homeware, soaps and prints.

*Rosie Glow: Maker of terrazzo homeware and soaps*

Most of the stalls will be in The Orchard of Fangfoss Hall, making the 2024 event more centralised than in past years.

“This year there are more opportunities than ever for visitors to learn a new craft,” says event co-organiser Lyn Grant, of Fangfoss Pottery. “Over the weekend there’ll be a number of workshops, lasting about two hours each, for the public to participate in: needle felting with Brenda Christison, of Felty and Fabulous (10.30am, Saturday); spoon carving with Woodwyrm (11.15am each morning); yarn spinning with Catherine Djimramadji (September 8, 10.30am) and hand embroidery with textile artist Hayley Mills-Styles (September 8, 2pm, upstairs at Fangfoss Pottery).

“Although these are more suitable for older children and adults, there’s a workshop specially geared for children aged five and upwards on the Sunday. Hosted by Thread and Press at 11am to 12.30pm and 2pm to 3.30pm, this is to make and sew a Barn Owl Sock Puppet, decorated and painted.”

A small charge applies for all these workshops, which must be booked in advance. Details can be found on the Fangfest Facebook page.

One of the youngest exhibitors, photographer Josh Hemmens, of Whimbrel Designs, will demonstrate his lensball technique and talk visitors through his editing processes, wherein he transforms his original photographs into images with a modern twist. His work will be available as fine-art giclee prints, framed photographs and greetings cards.

To accompany their selection of replica medieval tiles across the weekend, Tanglebank Tiles will demonstrate designs and techniques in the medieval style. Gerry Grant will demonstrate Raku firing at Fangfoss Pottery; Laura Thompson Design and Illustration, watercolour painting.

*Story Craft Theatre’s Cassie Vallance, left, and Janet Bruce: Making their Fangfest debut*

Story Craft Theatre are taking part in Fangfest for the first time. York theatre-makers Cassie Vallance and Janet Bruce will perform a magical and adventurous story for two to eight-year-olds featuring music, games and puppetry on both days at 2.30pm in the Fangfoss Hall orchard. Admission is free.

On the Teddy Bear Trail, visitors and trail finders will be asked to find the nine letters attached to some of the teddies, rearrange them to form a word and collect a prize at the finish point.

On the Sunday morning, at 11.30am, Haigha Lore will be enchanting The Orchard with Anglo-Saxon storytelling, songs, music, poems and ritual, using Anglo-Saxon, Middle English and modern English to weave together poems and extracts from the 5th to the 13th century to re-imagine the lost world of the dark ages in Tales of the Kings.

Look out for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, with a chance to meet the team and watch some of the dogs in training.

More information on the festival, including exhibitors, timings of activities and workshops, can be found on facebook/fangfest or on Instagram, fangfestfestival.

Fangfest Festival of Practical Arts, Fangfoss, ten miles east of York, September 7 and 8, 10am to 4pm. Entry is free; parking is £2 per vehicle in aid of Friends of St Martin’s Primary School, Fangfoss.

August 24, 2024August 24, 2024

More Things To Do in York and beyond as comedy turns ‘bafflingly optimistic’. Hutch’s List No. 35, from The Press, York

*Lord Of The Dance: “Aiming to leave the audience spellbound” at York Barbican*

THE summer festival season enters the final furlong with the focus turning to the new season ahead, as Charles Hutchinson highlights.

Dance show of the week: Michael Flatley’s Lord Of The Dance, York Barbican, today, 2.30pm and 7.45pm; tomorrow, 7.45pm

IN the words of Lord Of The Dance impresario Michael Flatley: “Our 2024 tour promises to be an extraordinary journey that will take audiences to the next level once again.

“In 2024, this extraordinary experience for fans will feature new staging, fresh choreography, new costumes, cutting-edge technology, and special effects lighting. It’s a celebration of a lifetime of standing ovations and we aim to leave the audience spellbound.” Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.

*Living History Weekend: The past comes alive at Eden Camp today and tomorrow*

Family fun day out of the week: Living History Weekend at Eden Camp Modern History Museum, Edenhouse Road, Old Malton, today and tomorrow, 10am to 5pm

STEP back in time to be immersed in history at Eden Camp, where the past comes alive with re-enactors around every corner, from captivating displays to engaging talks and activities galore. You can meet with medics; try your hand at authentic ration recipes; explore the intricate details of a Sherman tank and groove to live music in the engine shed. Dressing up in 1940s’ fashion is encouraged. Tickets: edencamp.digitickets.co.uk/tickets.

*The Last Dinner Party: Playing Leeds Festival’s main stage at 2.20pm tomorrow*. *Picture: Leeds Festival website*

Festival of the week: Leeds Festival, Bramham Park, near Leeds, today and tomorrow

AFTER “Mother Nature played her part”, Storm Lilian has put paid to the BBC Radio 1 stage and the new The Aux stage, but The Chevron stage is expected to reopen today.

Blink 182 and Gerry Cinnamon top today’s bill at Leeds Festival, when Two Door Cinema Club and The Prodigy. Tomorrow has Fred Again and Lana Del Rey on headline duty, backed up by Raye, Fontaines DC, Bleachers and The Last Dinner Party. Look out too for Sonny Fodera and Barry Can’t Swim. Box office: leedsfestival.com/tickets.

*Lana Del Rey: Playing the main stage at Leeds Festival tomorrow at 7.30pm*. *Picture: Leeds Festival website*

York gig of the week: New York Brass Band, Big Summer Party, The Crescent, York, tonight, doors 7.30pm

YORK’S top brass come together for an evening of big, bangin’, brassy tunes at The Crescent, featuring a line-up of percussion, saxophone, trumpets, trombones, guitar and sousaphone.

Taking inspiration from contemporary New Orleans musicians, the New York Brass Band will be in party mood after festivals appearances at Glastonbury and Latitude. Box office: thecrescentyork.com.

*New York Brass Band: Big, bangin’, brassy tunes at The Crescent tonight*

Coastal gig of the week: Becky Hill, Scarborough Open Air Theatre, August 29, gates 6pm

BRIT Award-winning Becky Hillis a pop powerhouse with a reputation as a pioneer in electronic music, not least in her collaborations in the dance-pop genre with everyone from David Guetta to Little Simz over the past decade.

Hill has written or performed on 17 UK Top 40 singles, including five top ten singles and a number one, amassing more than four billion streams on Spotify. Box office: scarboroughopenairtheatre.com.

*Steve Cassidy: Playing with his band and friends at the JoRo Theatre*

New amid the familiar: Steve Cassidy Band & Friends, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, September 1, 7.30pm

YORK’S Steve Cassidy Band return to their favourite venue, where three-time New Faces winner, singer, guitarist and songwriter Cassidy is joined by John Lewis on lead guitar, Mick Hull on bass guitar, ukulele and guitar, Brian Thompson on drums and George Hall on keyboards.

Expect a few special guests throughout an entertaining night of rock, country and instrumental music, plus new pieces prepared specifically for this concert. Box office: 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.

*Robyn Hitchcock: Heading for The Crescent next month*

Art rocker returns: Robyn Hitchcock, The Crescent, York, September 1, 7.30pm

IN a career spanning six decades, Robyn Hitchcock remains a one-of-a-kind artist: surrealist rock’n’roller, acoustic troubadour, poet, painter and writer.

From The Soft Boys’ art-rock and The Egyptians’ Dadaist pop to such solo masterpieces as 1984’s I Often Dream Of Trains and 1990’s Eye, Hitchcock has crafted songs with recurring references to marine life, obsolete electric transport, ghosts and cheese. Tickets for this seated show are on sale at thecrescentyork.com.

*Olivia Graham: Performing in the style of the Celtic bards of old at Theatre@41, Monkgate, York. Picture: Richard Gatecliffe*

Come, all ye old souls and dreamers: Olivia Graham, An Evening In Avalon, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, September 6, 7.30pm

CELTIC folk musician Olivia Graham delivers a spellbinding evening of enchanting music, woven through the tales of Morgan Le Fay and other legendary figures from across the British Isles.

Performed in the style of the Celtic bards of old, An Evening In Avalon embarks on a magical journey through Ancient Ireland, Dark Age Britain and even the elusive shores of mystical Avalon itself. Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.

*Snake Davis: On his own at Helmsley Arts Centre*

Saxophone solo: Snake Davis, Helmsley Arts Centre, September 6, 7.30pm

ONCE a member of York jazz and soul band Zoot And The Roots, saxophonist Snake Davis will be on his own in this informal acoustic evening of music and chat in two parts. Not really on his own, he clarifies, because in Part One he will have his musical instrument family with him: myriad saxophones plus flutes, whistles, steel handpan, didgeridoo and the Japanese Shakuhachi. Questions are encouraged.

In Part Two, the focus is on My Greatest Hits, highlighting Snake’s work as sax hired gun to the stars, adding Olly Murs and Shania Twain to the list this year after sax solos forTake That, M-People, Lisa Stansfield and The Office theme tune. Playing the songs in context, he will tell the stories behind them. Box office: 01439 771700 or helmsleyarts.co.uk.

*There’s no bursting Andy Parsons’ balloon: Comedian will be in “Bafflingly Optimistic” mood at Joseph Rowntree Theatre in October*

Comedy gig announcement of the week: Andy Parsons: Bafflingly Optimistic, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, October 11

DESPITE everything that Great Britain has had to face in recent years, Mock The Week lynchpin, Stacktivist Action Group podcaster and comedian Andy Parsons has found cause to be optimistic.

“I think there are reasons to be hopeful,” says Parsons, 55. “It’s not a depressing show. The positive side is the pandemic is over, we are statistically more united as a nation than it might seem. And despite what you’ve heard, comics are not being cancelled.” Box office: 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.

August 23, 2024August 23, 2024

Next Door But One takes next steps to help creative talent with The Producing Hub

HOT off winning two York Enterprise Awards, Next Door But One is launching The Producing Hub to expand its provision of professional development for creative talents in the city.

Over the past year, the York community arts collective has supported 68 performing arts professionals to nurture their skills and achieve career goals through a series of workshops, one-to-one mentoring and by providing micro-commissions for new work, such as the Yorkshire Trios showcase at York Theatre Royal Studio in late-March.

“Seventy-five per cent have started a new project or developed an existing one; 68 per cent have applied for and secured new jobs or commissions; 50 per cent have applied for funding for their work, and have showcased that work too,” says Next Door But One (NDB1) chief executive officer and artistic director Matt Harper-Hardcastle.

“As one participant described their involvement: ‘The biggest impact from engaging in NDB1’s professional development is how much confidence I’ve gained. I’ve since secured further professional work, I have less imposter syndrome and feel like I belong in this industry.

“The experience of working with NDB1 made me feel validated that I have the skill to pursue acting professionally, and what my USP [unique selling point] is in the industry. I’m able to effectively communicate what I can offer the industry and NDB1 has been instrumental in helping me understand this’.”

*James Lewis-Knight, artistic director of Clown Space, recipients of Next Door But One support for professional development*

Matt reflects: “We’ve always said that NDB1 is a place where creatives can hang their hat. Being a freelance artist can often feel very lonely, isolating and a bit discombobulating,” he says. “We saw this acutely during Covid. As the world started to open up again following the pandemic, we had an influx of local creatives getting in touch for advice.

“Sixty-seven per cent had had a large proportion of their work cancelled; 50 per cent had struggled to secure the same amount of work since; 42 per cent had considered leaving the industry and their chosen career altogether, and 58 per cent have felt a significant disconnection from the industry as a whole. Local freelancers are the lifeblood of NDB1’s work, so we knew we had to do something about it.”

Since those shockwaves of 2021, NDB1 has provided 28 micro-commissions to writers, directors and actors, run three programmes of professional development workshops, a full year’s coaching for emerging companies and countless one-to-ones with York artists to provide bespoke advice and signposting.

“Now we are launching our most ambitious and robust programme of support for creatives through The Producing Hub Next Door But One,” says Matt. “‘It’s a way to pull together and formalise all the responsive support we’ve been providing into something we can really shout about and invite more people into.”

Firstly, backed by funding from City of York Council (through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund) and Arts Council England, over the next year NDB1 will provide producing support for Thunk-It Theatre’s next tour of New Girl and for the company development of Clown Space, the York company run by professional clown James Lewis-Knight and Emily Chattle that specialises in teaching clowning, full mask and physical theatre.

“Clown Space are at a point where they need support with their creative business plans, vision values and funding mechanisms,” says Matt.

*Creative 1:1s. Seed Funding.Seminars. Next Door But One has help and advice on hand for York arts talents*

Thunk-It Theatre artistic director Becky Lennon says: “We are thrilled to be joining The Producing Hub. We’ve been lucky to be supported by NDB1 since we first began in 2020 and are excited to be co-producing our now Arts Council England-funded production, New Girl, this autumn with the wonderful support from the NDB1 Team.

“The Producing Hub is a great way for us to learn how to produce our own work in a supported professional set-up. We cannot wait to see how we develop with the amazing backing from the team.”

Secondly, in partnership with York Theatre Royal, NDB1’s Opening Doors will return from November 2024 to provide a series of free professional development workshops built from the needs expressed by York creatives.

“We’re also really excited to take our informal one-to-one surgeries and the ‘cuppa catch-ups’ we regularly have with creatives to provide regular opportunities for creatives to sit with members of the NDB1 team and get the advice they need,” says Matt.

NDB1 associate director Kate Veysey adds: “I think it’s down to our approachability, but we regularly have creatives getting in touch to ask our advice on new projects, to look over applications and even just to be a friendly face to artists who are new to the city.

*Thunk-It Theatre in New Girl: Receiving Next Door But One support for next tour*

“We really see the value in these quick, responsive interventions and happily go offering space, support and coffee, but as a small team ourselves we were reaching capacity.

“From September, however, NDB1 will be offering bookable slots around the city, for York creatives to set the agenda and receive the headspace of our leadership team on whatever is needed.”

This 1:1 service has been made possible with a grant from YOR4Good, partnering with the University of York’s School of Arts and Creative Technologies, and with the support of Explore York library service and Theatre@41, Monkgate.

Kate continues: “We’re excited by this as we can offer seed funding to support creatives to overcome particular barriers to their desired career progression. This could be affording fees for training courses, hiring space to have a table-read of a new script or even covering access costs to take up new opportunities.”

In addition, a casting call is open until September for NDB1’s May 2025 production of How To Be A Kid. “We’ll be casting from new graduates from the past two years, who’ll do a three-week rehearsal process, incorporating professional training as part of a touring production, with advice on, for example, acquiring professional headshots and talking to casting agents,” says Matt.

To stay up to date with these opportunities and to learn how to engage NDB1’s services, creatives are advised to sign up to the mailing list and fill out Expression of Interest forms, available via the website: nextdoorbutone.co.uk.