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August 1, 2026August 6, 2026

More Things To Do in York and beyond. Hutch’s List No. 31, from The York Press

The poster for York River Art Market’s 11th summer season. Illustration: Elliot Harrison (@York360)

YORK River Art Market’s return, Shakespeare sonnets on the tennis court, party bands at the double and a very happy comedian catch Charles Hutchinson’s eye as August arrives.

Open-air art event of the month: York River Art Market, Dame Judi Dench Walk, York, August 1 & 2, August 8 & 9 and August 15 & 16, 10am to 5.30pm

YORK River Art Market returns for its 11th year from today, bringing more than 30 artists from multiple disciplines each day to the Ouse riverside over three August weekends of free art and design market stalls.

Described as York’s answer to the Left Bank in Paris, the event is now run by Caroline Turner, a professional potter and ceramics teacher at Clay Space York, in Walmgate, after founder and director Charlotte Dawson stepped down to focus on her teaching role as award leader for York College’s BA (Hons) 3D creative practice course.

Liz Garland, left, and Meriel Scholfield in rehearsal for the Stephen Joseph Theatre production of Handbagged. Picture: Tony Bartholomew

Political drama of the week: Handbagged, Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, until August 29

MOIRA Buffini’s 2014 Olivier Award-winning play imagines what happened behind closed palace doors when two of the 20th century’s most powerful women, Queen Elizabeth II and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, locked handbags. Meeting once a week for 11 years, one believed there was no such thing as society; the other committed her life to serving it.

Spanning 1979 to 1990, Handbagged asks if The Queen and the Iron Lady ever found common ground or did their stiff upper lips reign supreme? Hannah Tyrrell-Pinder directs the SJT cast of Pandora Clifford, Liz Garland, Alexandra Mathie, Deven Modha, Simon Darwen and Meriel Scholfield. Box office: 01723 370541 or sjt.uk.com.

Mike Skinner of The Streets: Performing A Grand Don’t Come For Free in full at Scarborough Open Air Theatre tonight

Coastal gigs of the week: Scarborough Open Air Theatre presents The Streets, A Grand Don’t Come For Free, today; Sex Pistols featuring Frank Carter, Sunday, gates 6pm

FOR the first time, The Streets’ Mike Skinner is performing his landmark 2004 album A Grand Don’t Come For Free in full on tour. One of the most influential British records of the 21st century, the multi-platinum-selling chart topper delivered era-defining singles Dry Your Eyes, Fit But You Know It and Blinded By The Lights while taking a cinematic journey through the love, loss, chaos, heartbreak, hope and raw emotion of everyday life with poetic wit and honesty.

Original Sex Pistols members Steve Jones, Paul Cook and Glen Matlock are joined by vocalist Frank Turner on Sunday to mark “50 years of chaos and celebration” since the punk iconoclasts’ brace of Summer 1976 gigs at Manchester’s Lesser Free Trade Hall. The Stranglers and The Undertones are special guests. Box office: scarboroughopenairtheatre.com.

Maggie Wakeling: Singing ABBA hits aplenty at York Minster tonight

Candlelit concert of the week: Ignite Concerts presents The Music of ABBA, York Minster, tonight, 7.30pm

VOCALIST Maggie Wakeling, from Channel 4’s Your Song and last summer’s Greatest Shows at York Minster, unites with a band and The Ebor Quartet string ensemble to perform the Seventies and Eighties’ hits of ABBA.

Host Alistair Griffin will be inviting the audience to sing along to Dancing Queen, Waterloo, Mamma Mia, The Winner Takes It All et al at this concert by candlelight. Box office: 07966 959427 or https://igniteconcertsyork.com/events/the-music-of-abba-at-york-minster/.

Paul Smith: Radiating comic warmth twice in a week at York Barbican

York comedy gigs of the week: Hot Water Comedy Club presents Paul Smith, Happy, York Barbican, today and August 5, 7.30pm

PAUL Smith, resident MC and compere of Liverpool’s Hot Water Comedy Club, is heading to York for two nights in his biggest, boldest tour show, Happy: fearless stand-up at full throttle, brimful of observations, true stories and audience interaction. Pulling tales from real life, Smith finds joy in the chaos, laughter in the everyday and comedy in absolutely everything. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.

Oscar Langford, left, and James Robert Ball in rehearsal for York Shakespeare Project’s Summer Sonnets: What The Deuce? at Holy Trinity Churchyard. Picture: John Saunders

New balls please: York Shakespeare Project presents 2026 Summer Sonnets: What The Deuce?, Holy Trinity Churchyard, Goodramgate, York, August 7 to 15, except August 11, 6pm & 7.30pm, plus 4.30pm Saturday shows

SUMMER at the Goodramgate Lawn Tennis Club finds four doubles teams competing for the chance to play in a Wimbledon amateur tournament, whereupon partnerships and rivalries lead to sabotage and break point. Who has the advantage? Who is at fault? Will the score be love?

Expect further tennis puns aplenty as Rosy Rowley directs Stuart Green’s script that asks a new collection of ten characters to play out this new sporting and unsporting situation where each finds a way to share a Shakespeare sonnet. Taking part will be James Robert Ball, Oscar Langford, Helen Clarke, Sarah McKeagney, Stuart Lindsay, Alexa Williams, Jamie McKeller, Alan Sharp, Christine Bramwell and Effie Warboys. Box office: https://tickets.41monkgate.co.uk/

New York Brass Band’s James Lancaster: Knees-up with Hyde Family Jam at York Barbican

Mash-up of the week: The Crescent presents New York Brass Band & Hyde Family Jam, York Barbican, August 7, 8pm

TWO of York’s biggest, bounciest musical party troupes collide at York Barbican for a co-headline show with a difference. Promoter Joe Coates has decided the four-piece Hyde Family Jam will be on stage first, followed by an eight-piece line up of New York Brass Band, each playing a 40-minute set before rampant folk-rock meets New Orleans brass head on in a collaborative finale of these street urchins’ biggest hits. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.

A wedding dress on display at St Helen’s Church

Wonderful wedding dress exhibition of the week: St Helen’s Church, Sheriff Hutton, near York, August 8 and 9, 11am to 3pm

STEP back in time for a spectacular display of wedding dresses from every decade since the 1920s at St Helen’s Church. Stroll through a century of wedding style with elegant “going away” outfits,mother-of-the-bride ensembles and men’s morning suits, as well as shoes, hats, bouquets and treasured keepsakes.

“Last year’s exhibition was atremendous success,” says Jill Donaldson Hodges. “Visitors were captivated by the changing styles, the intricate design and the delicate fabrics that have shaped wedding fashion for over a century. So why not come along and take a trip down memory lane, or get some ideas for an upcoming event?” Admission is free. The Bluebell Cafe will be open on both days, serving homemade cakes and refreshments.

York Stage’s poster for Raise Your Voice: MTI Broadway Junior Revue at the JoRo

Musical theatre celebration of the week: York Stage presents brings Raise Your Voice: MTI Broadway Junior Revue, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, August 7, 7.30pm, and August 8, 2pm and 4pm

THIS uplifting showcase by the next generation of performers features iconic songs from Broadway Junior favourites, showcased by a talented young York Stage cast ready to sing out and shine as they take centre stage with confidence, courage and nascent star quality. Cue big numbers, heartfelt moments and personality aplenty. Box office: 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.

July 31, 2026August 1, 2026

What’s On in Ryedale, York and beyond. Hutch’s List No. 31, from Gazette & Herald, from July 29 onwards

Christina Bianco’s June Carter Cash and Christopher Ryan Grant’s Johnny Cash in The Ballad Of Johnny & June. Picture: Pamela Raith Photography

JOHNNY and June’s country musical, The Queen and Margaret Thatcher’s handbag clashes, a rare Blueflies gig and The Streets’ masterpiece in full perk up Charles Hutchinson for the week ahead.

Musical of the week: The Ballad Of Johnny & June, The Johnny Cash Musical, Grand Opera House, York, until Saturday, 7.30pm plus 2.30pm matinees on July 29 & 30 and August 1

THIS thrilling musical from Jersey Boys director Des McAnuff celebrates the love, music and mayhem of country music couple Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash. Electrifying chemistry marks the performances of Christopher Ryan Grant’s Johnny and Christina Bianco’s June in a story observed through the eyes of Ryan O’Donnell’s John Carter Cash, their son. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.

Blues gig of the week: Ryedale Blues Club presents The Blueflies, Milton Rooms, Malton, July 30, 8pm

ENDURING and beloved York blues and funk band The Blueflies – Miles Gilderdale, guitar and vocals, Gavin Ewing, bass and co-songwriter, and Paul Stipetic , drums – perform only rarely these days. Expect a night packed with outstanding musicianship, ace songs and the kind of atmosphere that only a combo with 40 years of musical muscle memory can create. Booking in advance is recommended on 01653 696240 or at themiltonrooms.com.

Neil Delamere: If it ain’t broke it, should he fix it at Pocklington Arts Centre? Not the seat, presumably

Tall tales of the week: Neil Delamere, Reinventing The Neil, Pocklington Arts Centre, July 30, 7.30pm

COMEDIC adventurer Neil Delamere returns with a new stand-up show, packed with tall tales and humorous stories. Join The Blame Game panellist and Celebrity Chase contestant as he ponders the eternal question: if it ain’t broke, should he fix it? Box office: 01759 or 301547 or pocklingtonartscentre.co.uk.

Stanley Chow’s poster illustration for The Songs of Joni Mitchell at The Citadel, York

Interpreters of the week: The Songs of Joni Mitchell, with Jesca Hoop & Lail Arad, The Citadel, York, Friday, doors 7pm, show 7.45pm

JESCA Hoop & Lail Arad, acclaimed singer-songwriters in their own right, perform intimate interpretations of their favourite Joni Mitchell songs, accompanied by Richard Sears on piano and special guest Naima Bock. Hoop presented Legend: The Joni Mitchell Story, the award-winning six-part BBC radio documentary and podcast on the Canadian singer-songwriter. Box office: thecrescentyork.com.

Liz Garland, left, and Meriel Scholfield in rehearsal for the Stephen Joseph Theatre production of Handbagged. Picture: Tony Bartholomew

Political drama of the week: Handbagged, Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, Friday to August 29

Four Forty Theatre: Breakneck character changes and mischief-making in A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Shakespeare show of the week: Four Forty Theatre in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, Friday, 7.30pm

FOUR Forty Theatre (or 440 Theatre, as their website uses both names) tackle Shakespeare’s romantic romp of a chaotic comedy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, with their trademark irreverence, wit and theatrical ingenuity, directed by Dominic Gee-Burch, formerly of fellow high-speed Shakespeare humorists Oddsocks Productions.

Lovers are enchanted, fairies feud and a troupe of hapless players rehearse their way into disaster, all in a single moonlit night. Inventive staging, breakneck character changes and playful dismantling of tradition mark out Four Forty Theatre’s mischief-making take on Shakespeare’s best-loved comedy: part affectionate homage, part riotous reinvention. Box office: 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.

Saxophonist Snake Davis and guitarist Gareth Moulton: Best buddies’ bonding session at Helmsley Arts Centre

Duo of the week: Snake Davis with Gareth Moulton, Helmsley Arts Centre, Friday, 7.30pm

THE Snake Davis and Gareth Moulton duo is back on the road, featuring saxophonist-to-the-stars Davis and Manchester-born, Macclesfield-based singer-songwriter and guitarist Moulton, his best buddy, with the promise of new material and a new album.

Davis has performed with Paul McCartney, James Brown, Tina Turner, The Eurythmics and Amy Winehouse and has featured on more than 400 recordings by 60 artists, including Lisa Stansfield’s Change, M-People’s Search For A Hero and Take That’s Million Love Songs. Moulton is lead guitarist with Cutting Crew and “moonlighting” singer and guitarist with Wang Chung and has recorded and toured with Heather Small, Jim Diamond, Paul Young and Go West. Box office: 01439 771700 or helmsleyarts.co.uk.

Mike Skinner of The Streets: Playing A Grand Don’t Come For Free in full at Scarborough Open Air Theatre

Coastal gigs of the week: Scarborough Open Air Theatre presents The Streets, A Grand Don’t Come For Free, Saturday; Sex Pistols featuring Frank Carter, Sunday, gates 6pm

Paul Smith: Radiating comic warmth twice in a week at York Barbican

York comedy gigs of the week: Hot Water Comedy Club presents Paul Smith, Happy, York Barbican, Saturday and August 5, 7.30pm

July 31, 2026July 31, 2026

When The Queen met Mrs Thatcher each week for 11 years, what was said? Let Handbagged imagine the power play at SJT

Hangbagged director Hannah Tyrrell-Pinder working with cast member Simon Darwen. Picture: Tony Bartholomew

THEY met once a week for 11 years. One believed there was no such thing as society. The other committed her life to serving it.

On stage at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, from tonight until August 29, Moira Buffini’s comedy Handbagged imagines what happened behind closed palace doors when two of the world’s most powerful women, Queen Elizabeth II and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, clashed.

Spanning 1979 to 1990, this Olivier Award-winning 2014 play asks if HM The Queen and her PM, the Iron Lady, ever found common ground or did their stiff upper lips reign supreme?

The SJT revival is in the hands of director Hannah Tyrrell-Pinder, whose later father, Andrew Pinder, served as the UK’s e-Envoy from 2000 to 2004 under Prime Minister Tony Blair, receiving his CBE from The Queen in 2004.

“He was going to turn it down because of his working-class Yorkshire roots [he was born in Sheffield] and being a dyed-in-the-wool Labour voter – we grew up never watching The Queen’s Christmas message on TV – but everyone else talked him into it because I wanted to go to Buckingham Palace!” recalls Hannah.

“We just got to stand at the back while Dad got his honour from The Queen, with a proper handshake and a bow, but I do remember us being driven through the palace gates, having our photos taken like we were important.”

Hannah has now come into rather closer contact with The Queen, at least theatrically, in being at the helm of Handbagged, with its two versions of Elizabeth II, Meriel Scholfield’s Q, the older monarch, and Liz Garland’s Liz, her younger self, playing opposite Alexandra Mathie’s T and Pandora Clifford’s Mags.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be directingHandbagged at the SJT this summer, working with this brilliant company of actors to bring to life some of the most prominent figures from recent history,” says Hannah.

Pandora Clifford, left, and Alexandra Mathie in the SJT rehearsal room. Picture: Tony Bartholomew

“Presenting Handbagged in the Round is so exciting, engaging in an immediate dialogue with our audience, and bringing them face to face with two of the most powerful women of the 20th century.”

Hannah knew SJT artistic director Paul Robinson in his time in the same post at Theatre503, when she was first starting out as Box Of Tricks’ joint artistic director and co-founder, and had worked with Amy Fisher, now the SJT’s head of producing, at Box Of Tricks (where Amy is a board member).

After talking to Paul about freelance work, he came back with the suggestion of Hannah directing Handbagged in the summer season and liked her ideas on how to stage it. Amy was a useful source too on how to make a play speak to the SJT audience, one steeped in the comedies of Sir Alan Ayckbourn since 1959.

“They’re a lovely audience, where they’re so invested in having a good time and care so much about their theatre and want to have pride in it,” says Hannah.

Ayckbourn’s 92nd play, The Trial Of Romeo Oscar, a futuristic drama exploring what it means to be human in 2194, will open six days after Handbagged concludes its look-back at the recent past.

“I’m surprised that we’ve not seen more versions of Margaret Thatcher on stage because she’s such a fascinating character, and even though The Queen has left us too, we are still caught up in how she represented us,” says Hannah. “Margaret Thatcher had a similar impact on our psyche: for some people, she was the utmost villain; for others, she was a real inspiration.”

Analysing Handbagged’s theatrical style, Hannah says: “The show is very interesting because it is so meta-theatrical and theatrically literate, dipping into the notion of storytelling and the art of telling the truth. They [The Queens and PM] may say ‘I’m not a fan of theatre’, but they both enjoyed theatre, they both loved music and went to musical theatre, and they understood the value of art, so there’s a lot to learn about them that way.

“I don’t think they would have been unhappy about being the subject of a play when language was so important to both of them, given how much they had to communicate with words, and with the gaps in between; the nuances that go with that, when there’s so much in between the lines.”

Liz Garland, left, and Meriel Scholfield in rehearsal for the Stephen Joseph Theatre production of Handbagged. Picture: Tony Bartholomew

In the distinction between politician and monarch, Mrs T could be frank, where The Queen could not. “You can’t fault Margaret Thatcher for her force of vision, when she could have been more collaborative. You don’t have that force now, when politicians try to prevaricate about a subject, where you can’t be certain about what they think,” says Hannah.

“For The Queen, it was a hard role because she repressed so much and had to be in control of what she said.”

Margaret Thatcher’s 1993 book, The Downing Street Years, all 900-plus pages of it, was invaluable to constructing her character in Handbagged. “Whereas The Queen is a much trickier proposition, where we want to know what she was like behind her public appearances, what she was like behind closed doors, because people were so loyal to her, so it’s difficult to get a sense of that voice,” says Hannah,

“But there’s something enjoyable about knowing you can never have the ‘true’ voice but you can bring playfulness and irreverence to it. As a piece of theatre, Handbagged enters a contract with the audience where we suspend disbelief and you’re given licence to say it’s as much about interpretation as it is about what you’re seeing, and with these two women that’s even more enjoyable.”

Hannah grew up in a “very anti-Thatcher household, and not fans of the Royal Family either”, but in working on Handbagged, she has developed “respect for just how much Margaret Thatcher had to deal with the patriarchy – respect for both of them, in fact.”

“It was so much more difficult for them than if they had been men, particularly for Margaret Thatcher, living in a strict religious community, going to church four times on Sundays, as the daughter of a Methodist lay preacher,” she says.

“She had this sharp, sparky brain that she couldn’t use at first, but she kept fighting to use it, and you have to have respect for that, just as I developed an admiration for Denis Thatcher, how they really supported each other in a loving relationship and were an example of a loving marriage that worked. That’s been a realisation for me.”

Handbagged runs at Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, tonight until August 29. Box office: 01723 370541 or sjt.uk.com.

July 31, 2026August 14, 2026

Fancy taking part in Dead Toe Society’s Pigeon Paint Off live art competition at City Screen Picturehouse? Here’s how to enter

The poster for the open call to artists to take part in September 12’s Pigeon Paint Off at City Screen Picturehouse, York

THE Dead Toe Society is extending the deadline to August 7 for applications to participate in the inaugural Pigeon Paint Off live art competition at City Screen Picturehouse, York, on September 12.

“This is an open call for artists. Whatever your style, get applying,” urges event organiser Sam Crick. “We’d love you to be involved.”

Founded by @advocacy_for_pigeons and based in the Calder Valley, the Dead Toe Society combines art and activism in promoting pigeon rights.

“We absolutely adore pigeons, but they’ve become a bird that is despised,” says Sam, who previously ran York Stringfoot Pigeon Rescue. “It’s love or hate with pigeons. There’s no-one that isn’t bothered either way. There are very strong feelings about them – we even get shouted out when we feed them or de-string them.”

In York, 608 pigeons were shot by London North East Railways between January 2025 and April 2026 at York Railway Station, making it the highest among state-managed rail operators, as a safety measure against slippery droppings on platforms.

Only the day before this interview, Sam had taken a wood pigeon to a vet after it had suffered a compound fracture when being kicked. The bird had to be put to sleep.

“In another incident, a pigeon was thrown out of a window of a moving car by children, which is an animal crime, and was reported to us by a lady from The Portal Bookshop in York,” says Sam.

“One of reasons some people hate pigeons in cities is they don’t want to see feral animals in urban spaces. There’s this disconnect, not wanting to allow wildlife to co-exist with us in these spaces.”

Sam continues: “Pigeons are some of the most misunderstood animals in the world and we think it’s time that changed. That’s why it’s important to draw attention to their maltreatment. So we’ve created Pigeon Paint Off, our pigeon-themed live art competition and accompanying exhibition that celebrates the wonderful pigeon and gives these amazing birds the appreciation they deserve.

“So get ready for the very first Pigeon Paint Off, a live art competition celebrating pigeons! Watch talented artists bring original works to life, each one inspired by our feathered friends, in two rounds of two-hour paint-offs with talks taking place either side of that.

“You’ll also have the opportunity to purchase the artwork created during the competition, with proceeds supporting Columba Sanctuary and Advocacy for Pigeons, as well as the artists themselves.”

Alongside the main event, visitors can explore a curated exhibition featuring additional artworks by the participating artists. “Running from 11am till late, the day will be filled with live music, talks, stalls and plenty of creative energy in this fantastic riverside venue, City Screen Picturehouse,” says Sam.

“You’ll also be able to learn more about why pigeons are suffering, the issues they are facing, why they need our support and how you can help advocate for their wellbeing”

Tickets will be released shortly and will be limited, so keep an eye out and be ready to secure yours for this special event! Watch this space for more details.

The poster for September 12’s Pigeon Paint Off live art competition at City Screen Picturehouse, York

To apply to participate, email the following information to Sam at deadtoesociety@outlook.com:

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself/artist bio in a maximum of 300 words.

2. Include examples of work.

3. Share links to any social media platforms/website showcasing your work.

4. Provide images and details of up to two artworks proposed for exhibition. These do not have the be the final two pieces of artwork submitted; this is to give us an idea of what you may like to submit.

“We ask that all art materials used during the live event are vegan,” says Sam. “If you’re unsure if your art supplies are vegan, please still submit an application. We’re happy to check your whether your materials are suitable. If you have any questions, feel free to email or message me on Instagram.

“We look forward to seeing you at Pigeon Paint Off, a creative fundraising event supporting @columbasanctuary and @advocacy_for_pigeons.”

The Columba Sanctuary aviary is run by City Screen Picturehouse general manager Cath Sharp at Barmby Moor, near York.

“It’s a one-person, not-for-profit pigeon sanctuary created to save the lives of feral, homeless or non-releasable pigeons who would otherwise face euthanasia or a slow death from lack of care,” says Cath, who names her sanctuary after the Latin name for the larger breed of pigeon. “Alongside rescue, we provide compassionate education about the need for pigeon rescue.”

The sanctuary is run entirely by Cath, who helps pigeons and other birds simply for the love of doing it. She does so alongside her busy full-time job through the generous help of donations and volunteers. Please note, the sanctuary is unable to take baby birds that need feeding every few hours.

A triptych of Sharon McDonagh’s pigeon paintings on display at VandalFest at 2 Low Ousegate, York, in July 2025

In addition to pigeons, Cath’s aviary houses nine crows, a rook, two jays, named Jay-Z and Jam Master, and a blackbird called Spike.

Looking forward to playing host to the Pigeon Paint Off at City Screen, she says: “It will bring people from all over the country to take part in the paint-off, which will be followed by the exhibition running for three weeks.”

York’s premier pigeon artist, Sharon McDonagh, alias spAm, will not be able to take part in the Pigeon Paint Off on account of her own commitment that day, when artworks from the RARE Collective’s PaintJam at AcombFest in July will be auctioned off at an event hosted at the Carlton Tavern, in Acomb Road, in aid of SASH, York (Safe and Sound Homes).

“But I will be doing another Columba Sanctuary pigeon art raffle at some point this year,” says Sharon. “Pigeons remind me of my Dad. I’ve loved pigeons since being a kid, so he built me a huge pigeon loft down garden so I could rescue pigeons. My first one, Joey, had a broken wing and lived with my rabbits.

“They’re the underdogs and were once held in high esteem but now they’re deemed as ‘vermin’ and treated really badly, which I find so upsetting and a tragedy after they did so much for us back in the day.

“They’re very affectionate and love human contact. They’re such a cool bird…and always make me smile.”

What is the Dead Toe Society?

“DEAD Toe Society is an arts and activism initiative I founded that uses creative projects and community engagement to challenge harmful attitudes towards non-human animals,” says Sam Crick. “My main focus is on changing public perceptions on pigeons and promoting coexistence in our shared urban spaces.”

Why is it called the Dead Toe Society? “The reason I got into pigeons was that I saw an injured pigeon in my my lunch break one day, and I could see that the bird had something around its feet,” says Sam.

“It took a month to ‘catch’ the bird, after I studied a video on YouTube on how to catch them, and then a toe dropped off in my hand, hence the Dead Toe Society. There’ve been many injured pigeon toes that have dropped off in my lap since then.”

Sam is organising the National Pigeon Advocacy’s International Pigeon Advocacy Conference at Derby Conference Centre on October 10 & 11. “We’ll have the whole venue to ourselves; there’ll be vegan catering, lots of guest speakers, and I’ll be doing an art creative project,” she says. Tickets are on sale at nationalpigeonadvocacyassociation.co.uk.

Pigeon merchandise will be sold at the two-day conference, including clothes, gifts and cards from Little Green Pigeon (littlegreenpigeon.co.uk).

“It’s about teaching people to be kind and considerate, and hopefully being kind to pigeons can filter out into caring about other things too,” says Sam.

A good starting point would be to visit helpwildlife.co.uk, where a registry of bird rehab & rescue centres and sanctuaries can be found, giving a list of who to contact.

Did you know?

ON her wedding day, Sam Crick walked back down the aisle to Lieutenant Pigeon’s 1972’s four-week chart topper, Mouldy Old Dough, the second biggest-selling single of that year.

“I was dressed in grey and there were pigeon ornaments on the cake and on the tables, as well as naturally moulted feathers in my bouquet,” says Sam, who has two pigeon tattoos. “I also wore a pigeon necklace that Cath [Sharp] gave me.”

July 30, 2026July 31, 2026

Lail Arad and Jesca Hoop celebrate Joni Mitchell’s songs at The Citadel tomorrow

Lail Arad: Singer, songwriter and Joni Mitchell “super-fan” since childhood

THE Songs of Joni Mitchell “celebrates one of the greatest songwriters of all time, through the unique voices of the artists she continues to inspire”.

Step forward London-born singer and writer Lail Arad and California-raised, Manchester-based singer-songwriter Jesca Hoop, who will be joined at The Citadel, in Gillygate, York tomorrow (FRIDAY) by regular pianist Richard Sears and a special guest, former Goat Goal band member and folk singer Naima Bock, in only her second performance with Arad and Hoop.

Arad and Hoop will perform intimate interpretations of their favourite Joni Mitchell songs as the guest list adds Bock and Kay to such past participants as This Is The Kit’s Kate Stables, cult singer-songwriter Vashti Bunyan, Poet Laureate Simon Armitage at Shepherd’s Bush, Irish singer and composer Lisa Hannigan in Dublin, David Bowie band member (1995 to 2004) Gail Ann Dorsey in Paris, Scottish folk and dream-pop singer-songwriter Rachel Sermanni, BRIT Award winner Emile Sande and American singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Sam Amidon.

“It started as an idea to mark Joni’s 80th birthday with what was going to be a one-off celebration at the Roundhouse [on April 18] in 2024,” recalls curator Lail Arad. “Then I was asked to take it on tour. Jesca [Hoop] was one of the first musicians I approached, and now we work together to take it on tour.”

Jesca, by the way, already had presented Legend: The Joni Mitchell Story, her award-winning six-part BBC Radio 4 documentary and podcast about Joni’s life, in November 2023.

Two sold-out tours are now being followed in 2026 by a series of “very special shows” and festival apperances. “When you start, you’re not thinking you’re going to take it further, but it’s rolled on organically, and we’re still surprised but we shouldn’t be because what could go wrong with Joni Mitchell’s songs?” says Lail.

Jesca Hoop: The Songs of Joni Mitchell co-organiser and presenter of Legend: The Joni Mitchell Story documentary and podcast

“Jesca and I are both super-fans. I’m one of many in my generation [Lail is 42] who were brought up on Joni’s music, as my parents were fans, and I can’t remember ever not being surrounded by her songs. Then I reclaimed her for myself from the age of 11. That’s when I performed one of her songs for the first time – it was Big Yellow Taxi – at my school in London.”

Lail would go on to pick Mitchell’s highest-charting UK single – number 11 in August 1970 – for her lead vocal on 2025’s The Songs of Joni Mitchell Vol. 1 EP, where Hoop took the lead on Morning Morgantown, Kate Stables did so on A Case Of You and the trio united in harmony for Raised On Robbery. “It was very interesting to go back to Big Yellow Taxi after 30 years because I do it very differently now,” she says.

“Whether you are 11 or 21, or 42 now, the fact that Joni did something so new, writing such personal songs, giving so much of herself, even though that is common now, draws you to her songs. She opened up, she was giving, and there was something that was so vulnerable about her songwriting, but it’s also full of humour and irony.

“It’s such exceptional writing, and that’s why every generation has claimed her. Joni is an A-plus all-rounder, outstanding as a songwriter, singer, arranger and instrumentalist – she’s a fantastic pianist as well as guitarist.

“If anyone needs a reminder of how new she was [in the Sixties and Seventies], male songwriters around her were very worried for her about how open she was, but in turning herself outwards, that resonated with other people, though people around her were shocked, maybe jealous too.”

Lail recalls the footage from Martin Scorsese’s documentary of Joni performing an in-progress version of Coyote at Gordon Lightfoot;s house, with Bob Dylan and The Byrds’ Roger McGuinn in the audience, during Dylan’s 1975 Rolling Thunder Revue tour, inspired by her whirlwind affair with playwright Sam Shepard.

The poster for The Songs Of Joni Mitchell, Friday’s concert at The Citadel, York

“You can see in that moment how everyone’s jaw was dropping because she’s just so good, and it’s said that Dylan wrote Blood On The Tracks [his 1975 marital break-up album] after hearing Joni’s Blue.”

Lail has been delighted by the ever-expanding list of guest performers at the Songs of Joni Mitchell concerts. “People don’t want to say ‘No’ to the opportunity, thinking ‘Can I take on this daunting challenge?’, but then saying ‘Yes’,” she says.

“No-one needs to hear Joni done in her way, as that can’t be bettered, but the idea is to strip back songs to do their own rendition, to bring something new to it, and because the songwriting is so good, it’s a real joy to see how the songs work when they’re broken down.

“We have a fantastic pianist in Richard Sears, rather than a house band as we worried that would put the artist in the position of being like a frontman. In my case, my guitar playing is limited, compared to Joni’s, but sometimes that’s a plus because it’s nice to figure out how to present a song yourself.”

Some Joni songs have been retained ever since the Roundhose debut, “but we like to bring new songs into the set to keep it fresh”. “Sometimes we switch the singer, and the guests always have new Joni songs too, so there’s a growing pool of songs and artists,” says Lail.

“Recently I’ve fallen in love with For Free, and I love hearing ones that I haven’t done being sung by other artists who join us.”

The Songs of Joni Mitchell, with Jesca Hoop, Lail Arad, Richard Sears and Naima Bock, The Citadel, Gillygate, York, tomorrow (31/7/2026), doors 7pm for 7.45pm start. Box office: https://www.seetickets.com/event/the-songs-of-joni-mitchell/the-citadel/3605104.

July 29, 2026July 29, 2026

REVIEW: The Ballad Of Johnny & June, The Johnny Cash Musical, Grand Opera House, York, until Saturday ****

Christopher Ryan Grant’s Johnny Cash and Christina Bianco’s June Carter Cash duetting in The Ballad Of Johnny & June, on fire at Grand Opera House, York, this week. Picture: Pamela Raith Photography

ONE comment stood out in Drama Desk Award nominee Christina Bianco’s interview with CharlesHutchPress ahead of her return to York to play June Carter Cash in The Ballad Of Johnny & June.

“The film [James Mangold’s 2005 biopic Walk The Line] is only about 60 per cent accurate, whereas it’s so special that this show comes from the family,” she said.

The Johnny Cash Musical is directed and co-authored by Jersey Boys director (in tandem with Robert Cary), but the key voice belongs to Johnny and June’s only son, story consultant John Carter Cash, whose books Anchored In Love: An Intimate Portrait of June Carter Cash and House of Cash: The Legacies of My Father, Johnny Cash, inform the script so richly.

What’s more, Ryan O’Donnell’s John Carter Cash narrates the musical, breaking down the fourth wall to engage in informal, home-spun conversation with the Stallls, full of homilies on the thorn pricks of love and marriage as he reflects on the truths behind “country music’s greatest romance”.

After sold-out seasons at La Jolla Playhouse, San Diego, California, and the Citadel Theatre, Edmonton, Canada, Christopher Ryan Grant has crossed the Big Pond to play Johnny Cash on tour, joined by UK-based New Yorker Bianco, whose acting, singing and impersonating skills were last seen in York as the multi-voiced LV in Jim Cartwright’s tragic-comedy The Rise Of Little Voice at the Theatre Royal in July 2022.

Not that she delivers an impersonation of June here. “I feel a great responsibility to present her as accurately as possible, without doing an impression,” she told CharlesHutchPress. Her performance is all the more truthful for focusing on emotional depth, her June in full bloom in the face of Johnny’s hurricane, while her singing grows ever stronger, the more the show progresses.

The subtitle may be The Johnny Cash Musical, but McAnuff and Cary’s show gives equal time to Johnny and June, even if Ryan’s swarthy, black-eyed Johnny is the last to arrive on stage, the Man in Black held back for maximum impact.

Grant looks the part, physically imposing, moving with a swagger, crystallised in the way he holds his guitar, and then there is that deep-as-a-well Arkansas voice: the rolling thunder of his basso profundo, suited equally to warmth, flirting, righteous fire and darkness in songs that address sorrow, fickle morality and redemption with room for humour too (typified by A Boy Named Sue).

As many as 33 songs feature, some sung by O’Donnell’s affable John in storytelling mode, others by characters denoted as Man and Woman 1, 2 and 3, playing wives, husbands, members of Cash’s Tennessee Three and more besides. Anne Marie Wojna is particularly striking as Johnny’s wife Vivian, who inspired I Walk The Line, rooted in his vow not to stray or consume pills.

As O’Donnell’s narrator reveals, those vows were broken. Cash is drawn to pills & alcohol, as much as to June, although the veracity of how they first met is played out three ways by the show’s end, because Johnny and June may be unreliable witnesses, and so John Carter Cash lets us play judge and jury.

This warts’n’all musical, like Jersey Boys before it, features such career landmarks as Ring Of Fire (with Johnny challenging June’s claim of writing his biggest hit), his Folsom Prison and San Quentin concerts, his television specials and his late-career revival with Trent Reznor’s Hurt.

There is no mention of the cotton farmers’ son’s four years in the American Air Force, nor of producer Rick Rubin’s key contribution to his American Recordings late renaissance, but the tragic death of his brother and Sam Phillips’ early influence at Sun Records do feature, while the typeface on the list of locations and city names above Robert Brill’s wood-dominated set design mirrors the American Recordings album covers.

Throughout, the ‘ballad’ of Johnny & June plays out as a love affair that damaged but fed each other, as son John asks June to admit to her prescription drug habit in later years and Grant’s Johnny has to address his demons, encapsulated in his soul-baring rendition of Hurt.

Connagh Tonkinson’s band is terrific throughout, especially Morgan Rees’s trumpet, while Byron Easley’s delightfully diverse choreography, Sarafina Bush’s costumes, Peter Fitzgerald’s sound design and Sean Nieuwenhuis’s projections all add to the sound and fury signifying everything in the volatile yet boundless love of Johnny and June.

The Ballad Of Johnny & June runs at Grand Opera House, York, until Saturday, 7.30pm plus 2.30pm Thursday and Saturday matinees. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.

July 28, 2026July 30, 2026

Felipe Castelblanco and DIVA win Aesthetica Art Prize at York Art Gallery

A still from 2026 Aesthetica Art Prize main prize winner Felipe Castelblanco’s three-channel video and sound work Tunda: A Quantic Plant and the Devil’s Breath

FELIPE Castelblanco is the £10,000 Main Prize winner of the 2026 Aesthetica Art Prize at York Art Gallery with his 2025 three-channel video and sound work Tunda: A Quantic Plant and the Devil’s Breath.

The £1,000 Emerging Prize went to DIVA’s three-channel video and sound work Memoria 2020: When Memories Are No Longer Enough, produced in 2025 with the support of the Department of Art History and Film Studies at the University of Montreal and the Graduate Film Programme at Howard University.

Castelblanco is a multidisciplinary artist, researcher and filmmaker who works at the intersection of participatory, film and media art. Tunda: A Quantic Plant and the Devil’s Breath explores the entangled histories of plants and colonial extraction, depicting an Indigenous man thrust from the Colombian Amazon to the Swiss Alps, drifting between vision and reality.

Landing in a remote museum’s herbarium, he encounters botanical artefacts relating to the Brugmansia plant. This plant is a powerful teacher for Kamnënstá Indigenous healers in Colombia’s Andean-Amazon region. Among these communities, it is believed to possess the ability to cross boundaries of time and space. The work combines science, ethnomedicine and ecology, encouraging us to question how we see things.

Memoria 2020: When Memories Are No Longer Enough reflects on DIVA’s identity as a Black French woman in New Orleans through the lens of another diasporic experience: a Mardi Gras Indian Queen.

The Aesthetica Art Prize exhibition on show at York Art Gallery. Picture: Jim Poyner

The Mardi Gras Indian tradition is believed to originate from encounters between Native and Black communities in the late 19th century. The Queen’s voice introduces the traditions and history of this African American cultural practice, rooted in community resilience and resistance. The work explores how artistic archives, cultural memory and testimony shape belonging across diasporic histories.

Both winners are featured in the Aesthetica Art Prize 2026: States of Becoming exhibition, running at York Art Gallery until November 15 2026.

The exhibition showcases 20 shortlisted artists whose work addresses urgent global themes, including health and wellbeing and the environment in the modern age; the impact of emerging technologies on perception; our changing relationship with the world and to nature past and present; memory as something continually reconstructed and identity, migration and belonging.

Moved this year from the ground floor to the first floor, this annual showcase presents the work of contemporary artists around the globe, working across a range of media, including digital media arts, while supporting York’s status as a UNESCO Media Arts City and bolstering the creative industries within this historic city.

DIVA’s three-channel video and sound work Memoria 2020: When Memories Are No Longer Enough

Aesthetica director Cherie Federico says: “Now marking its 20th anniversary, the Aesthetica Art Prize stands as an international platform for contemporary art, amplifying voices that shape and challenge the cultural conditions of the present day.

“Over two decades it has evolved into a space where artistic practice is not only exhibited but also activated, supporting careers, fostering global dialogue and championing work that responds directly to the urgencies of now.

“This is art with purpose: work that operates as a force of disruption and recalibration, unsettling fixed ways of seeing and opening up new ways of understanding a world in flux.”

The selected artists engage directly with the defining pressures of contemporary life, from accelerating technologies that reshape perception and truth, to the legacies of colonial histories and their ongoing impact on identity and belonging, and ecological systems under strain, says Cherie.

Kazuaki Koseki’s Golden Forest (2020) on show at York Art Gallery

“Across these works, memory is not fixed but porous and unstable, continuously rewritten through image, material and experience. Photography, film and installation move beyond documentation into active states of becoming, where meaning is constructed, unsettled and reformed,” she continues.

“Rather than resolving uncertainty, the Prize holds space for it – creating a platform where contemporary art reflects, resists and redefines the present.”

Of the winners, she says: “The Aesthetica Art Prize has grown into an international platform for contemporary art, creating opportunities for artists at pivotal stages in their careers and connecting their work with new audiences.

“Felipe Castelblanco and DIVA demonstrate the power of art to deepen our understanding of history, identity, ecology and collective memory. Their work invites audiences to engage with urgent questions from fresh perspectives, creating space for reflection, dialogue and new ways of seeing.”

Filip Haglund’s 4 Oceans Installed All Blue on show in the 2026 Aesthetica Art Prize exhibition

Livia Turnbull, curator of contemporary art at York Art Gallery, says: “It is wonderful to be hosting Aesthetica as it celebrates its 20th year. The range of mediums are always an exciting part of the exhibition design, blending the physical and digital into York Art Gallery and recognising how they sit alongside the other contemporary works in our own collection.

“The Prize helps to show the range of artistic diversity within the exhibitions programme and showcases York as a champion of creative arts and media.”

The 20 shortlisted artists on display are: Alexis Pichot; Chrissy Lush; Claudia Behrensen: DIVA (Emerging Prize winner); Edgar Martins; Felipe Castelblanco (Main Prize winner); Filip Haglund; Hope Strickland; Jarrett Murphy; Jeonghan Yun; Katharine Dowson; Kazuaki Koseki; Liza Dracup; Magid Magid; Neil Armstrong; Neville Gabie; Sara Campaci; Teti (Julia Teti); Tommy Goguely and Yasuaki Matsuura.

Some works mesh a combination of the States Of Becoming themes together, such as winner Castelblanco’s Tunda: A Quantic Plant and the Devil’s Breath, while Claudia Behrensen ‘s Sacred Bond follows a similar theme, but instead looks to the future by portraying the link between people and the natural world through powerful imagery of a dystopian world if nature continues to be neglected in favour of artificial entertainment.

Captain Murphy from Hope Strickland’s shortlisted entry for the 2026 Aesthetica Art Prize

Other works from Filip Haglund, Hope Strickland, Jarrett Murphy and Alexis Pichot also navigate themes of the natural world. Pichot and Murphy use photography and prints to capture forests and mountains, while Haglund and Strickland portray their explorations of the ocean and rivers through film.

Kazuaki Koseki captures Himebotaru fireflies, a species unique to Japan, in an illuminated scene highlighting the beauty of the fireflies with the fragility of nature.

DIVA’s Memoria 2020: When Memories Are No Longer Enough and Magid Magid’s Faith Amongst The Ruins look at identity, race and cultural memory in the community, while Edgar Martins’ prints make a poignant comment on mental health in the modern world.

Jeonghan Yun’s Photograph Drawing III encourages discussion about how photography and drawing are defined, directing focus to either the different lenses or the abstract of the overall piece. Contemporary art is a continually fluctuating practice, where works such as Yun’s facilitate how these media are displayed and interpreted.

Arrival, from Chrissy Lush’s Now series, 2024-ongoing, in the Aesthetica Art Prize exhibition

York, as a proud member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, celebrates new and ground-breaking installations that demonstrate the creativity and innovation of contemporary artists.

York’s status as a UNESCO City of Media Arts provides an important cultural foundation for this work, positioning it within a globally connected network of creative cities. This status reinforces the city’s role as a site of exchange where international artistic practice intersects with local cultural infrastructure.

Within this framework, the Aesthetica Art Prize continues to expand its global reach, with artists applying to enter from more than 60 countries and contributing to an increasingly diverse curatorial field.

The exhibition becomes a space where international perspectives converge, producing dialogue that extends beyond geography. Contemporary art is understood here as a shared global language shaped through multiple contexts and voices, creating a dynamic environment where cultural exchange is continuous and evolving.

Tommy Goguely’s Digigrams entry for the 2026 Aesthetica Art Prize

Since its inception in 2007, the Aesthetica Art Prize has become a springboard for some of the most dynamic and groundbreaking artists working today. Thousands of practitioners have been recognised through the Prize, and alumni include internationally acclaimed artists such as Larry Achiampong, Jenn Nkiru, Julia Fullerton-Batten, Liz West, Steve Messam and Squidsoup.

Aesthetica’s magazine, in circulation for more than 20 years and with a total reach of 950,000, has been instrumental in shaping conversations around contemporary culture, championing innovation and amplifying diverse voices globally.

The Aesthetica Art Prize exhibition is part of a wider programme that has seen four other exhibitions open across North Yorkshire at Skipton Town Hall, Scarborough Art Gallery, Woodend Gallery, Scarborough, and Mercer Art Gallery, Harrogate. Find out more at https://artprize.aestheticamagazine.com/northyorkshire/

The Aesthetica Art Prize exhibition runs until November 15, open Wednesdays to Sundays, 10am to 5pm, and is included in general admission. A programme of talks will accompany the exhibition; events will be uploaded throughout the run at https://www.yorkartgallery.org.uk/exhibition/aesthetica-art-prize-2026/.

A visitor stands by DIVA’s Memoria 2020: When Memories Are No Longer Enough, the Emerging Prize winner in the 2026 Aesthetica Art Prize. Picture: York Museums Trust

July 28, 2026July 28, 2026

York Theatre Royal to co-produce Arthur Miller’s Death Of A Salesman in first alliance with Glasgow Citizens Theatre in 2027

The poster image for York Theatre Royal’s co-production of Death Of A Salesman with Glasgow Citizens Theatre. Picture: FEAST

YORK Theatre Royal will present a major new revival of Arthur Miller’s Death Of A Salesman as the centrepiece of the new season.

In a first for the St Leonard’s Place theatre, the production will be co-produced with Glasgow’s Citizens Theatre.

Directed by Citizens Theatre artistic director Dominic Hill, Death Of A Salesman will open at York Theatre Royal on March 2 2027, preceded by previews from February 24, and will run until March 27 before transferring to Glasgow from April 7 to May 1 2027.

Richard Grassie’s image for Emma Rice Company’s revival of Tristant & Yseult

Miller’s heartbreaking story of the pursuit of wealth and popularity remains devastatingly relevant today. After 34 years on the road, Willy Loman returns home exhausted, having sacrificed everything in pursuit of success and recognition. Yet the American Dream seems always just out of reach.

When his career falters and the debts mount, Willy is lost in memories of the past as his family tries desperately to reconcile the man they love with the tragic consequences of his delusions.

In another co-production, York Theatre Royal will continue its creative collaboration with the Emma Rice Company and Nottingham Playhouse in a revival of Kneehigh and Emma Rice’s Tristan & Yseult. Last seen on stage in 2017,the production will be staged at York Theatre Royal from April 6 to 17 as part of a nationwide UK tour.

The artwork for John Godber’s new play This Is The Life, touring York Theatre Royal next January

Paul Crewes, York Theatre Royal’s chief executive officer, says: “We’re very excited about this upcoming season. Most notably, in a first for us, we will be working with our friends at Citizens Theatre in Glasgow on Arthur Miller’s modern classic Death Of A Salesman, directed by the fabulous Dominic Hill. This is a wonderful collaboration with a great theatre.

“Spring 2027 will also see us co-producing again with the Emma Rice Company and Nottingham Playhouse on a revival of Tristan & Yseult. I have such fond memories of originally producing this show with Emma when we were both at Kneehigh alongside Mike Shepherd. I can’t wait for York audiences to have the chance to finally see this production that successfully toured the world for many years.”

Paul continues: “These productions join the line-up of our other produced work already on sale, including our revival of Margaret Atwood’s The Penelopiad later this year with Amelia Bullmore as Penelope, our Youth Theatre production of Wendy And Peter Pan and the highlight of the festive season, our panto Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs.

The Penelopiad: Directed by York Theatre Royal creative director Juliet Forster this autumn

“Our dance programme also continues to be one of the most exciting in the north of England, with the return of London City Ballet, the world premiere of the latest show from Carlos Acosta and the Acosta Danza Company and Ben Duke’s Lost Dog coming to York for the first time. I hope we have given audiences plenty to look forward to with a range of classics, new work and family favourites on our stage.”

Dominic Hill, artistic director of Citizens Theatre, says: “I am delighted to be directing a new production of this brilliant Arthur Miller play that is one of the most influential works of the 20th century.

Lost Dog’s Juliet & Romeo, playing York Theatre Royal on November 20 and 21. Picture: Paul Blakemore

“It could not be more timely in the age of Donald Trump’s politics of greed and toxic masculinity. But Death Of A Salesman is also an ordinary working man’s story, as a family tries to wrestle with living up to expectation and forging their own path. I can’t wait to see the reaction from audiences in York and Glasgow to this new production.”

Other highlights include the UK premiere of Acosta Danza’s Cuban Baroque, in collaboration with York Theatre Royal, running from October 1 to 3. The visiting programme also includes the UK premiere of London City Ballet: Firebird – A Mixed Bill ( co-produced by York Theatre Royal, London City Ballet and Opera De Vichy) on September 18 and 19.

In a new touring production starring Jane Asher and Samantha Womack from November 10 to 14, Daisy Goodwin’s By Royal Appointment tells the story of Queen Elizabeth II’s life behind-the-scenes. Lost Dog’s dance-theatre duet Juliet And Romeo flips the story of Romeo And Juliet on its head, blending dance, comedy and theatre on November 20 and 21.

The poster artwork for By Royal Appointment, booked into York Theatre Royal for November 10 to 14

York Theatre Royal will welcome back a variety of York and Yorkshire companies in the upcoming season in the Studio, including York Actors Collective in The Strongbox (October 28 to 31) and Story Craft Theatre’s festive production of The Enormous Christmas Pudding (December 16 to 24).

Wakefield’s John Godber Company will return with John Godber’s new play, This Is The Life, from January 27 to 30 in the Main House, where York Light Opera Company will perform the Dolly Parton musical, 9 To 5 – The Musical, from February 4 to 13.

For the full programme and tickets, go to: https://www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk/. Box office: 01904 623568.

Acosta Danza in Carlos Acosta’s Cuban Baroque, part of the dance programme at York Theatre Royal. Picture: Johan Persson

July 28, 2026July 28, 2026

Emma Rice Company announces cast for first revival of Tristan & Yseult since 2017. York Theatre Royal awaits next April

Emma Rice: Directing revival of Tristan & Yseult

THE EMMA Rice Company has announced the cast for the 2026-2027 revival of Emma Rice’s Tristan & Yseult, booked into York Theatre Royal for April 6 to 17 next year.

First produced in 2003 and last seen on stage in 2017, now the new production will be co-produced by York Theatre Royal and Nottingham Playhouse and will preview at Theatre Royal, Bath, from September 11.

John Leader and Nandi Bhebhe will lead the cast as Tristan and Yseult, joined by Matthew Churcher (Frocin), Tom Fox(Morholt and Brangian), Jack Heydon(Love Spotter), Stephanie Hockley (Whitehands), Edward Rowe(King Mark) and Nigel Sudarkasa (Love Spotter).

In the band will be Pat Moran, Stu Barker, Harry Miller, Philippa Hogg and, as alternate for the New York run, Mary Johnson.

John Leader: Cast as Tristan in Emma Rice Company’s Tristan & Yseult

Staged originally by Cornish company Kneehigh and Emma Rice, Tristan & Yseult opened in the open air at Restormel Castle in Cornwall and Rufford Abbey in Nottinghamshire. In 2004, it played cliff-side Minack Theatre, in Porthcurno, Cornwall, before being re-imagined as an indoor production for the Cottesloe at the National Theatre in 2005. Now, the new UK tour marks the first time Tristan & Yseulthas been performed to audiences since 2017.

Written by Anna Maria Murphy and Carl Grose and adapted and directed by Rice, the show will be staged by a creative team featuring Stu Barker (composer), Simon Baker (sound designer), Malcolm Rippeth (lighting designer) and Etta Murfitt (choreographer & intimacy coordinator). Bill Mitchelll’s original set and costume design is refreshed by Vicki Mortimer.

One of the most influential theatre productions of the 21st century, Tristan & Yseult’s “poem to love and its madness” is returning for the first time in ten years, offering a rare chance to encounter a modern masterpiece fresh and live on stage.

Visceral, playful and heartbreakingly beautiful, Rice’s internationally celebrated production blends myth, music, movement and storytelling. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.

Nandi Bhebhe: Cast as Yseult in Emma Rice Company’s Tristan & Yseult

July 28, 2026July 28, 2026

1,300 discounted £15 tickets released for upcoming shows as York Theatre Royal launches scheme for age 16 to 30

The Penelopiad: One of the shows in the new free membership scheme for £15 tickets for young theatregoers at York Theatre Royal

YORK Theatre Royal is launching a new free membership scheme for 16 to 30-year-olds to provide the opportunity to enjoy the best seats in the house for only £15.

They can book two tickets (one for themselves, one for a friend or family member of any age) for a variety of Theatre Royal main-house productions.

Shows on offer include such Theatre Royal in-house dramas as Margaret Atwood’s The Penelopiad and Arthur Miller’s Death Of A Salesman; world-class dance performances in London City Ballet’s Firebird and Acosta Danza’s Cuban Baroque; musical offerings from York Light Opera Company, including 9 To 5 The Musical, and much more besides.

16-30 YTR Members also will acquire access to invitations to exclusive membership events and monthly £15 Club newsletters to keep up to date when new shows are added.

For each production included in the discount scheme, 100 £15 tickets will be released, available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Signing up is free and membership can be added at https://www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk/support-us/memberships/16-30/ or via calling the Theatre Royal box office on 01904 623568. More details on the shows can be found on www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk/whats-on/