Category: Festivals

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TakeOver 2025 celebrates disco as York St John University arts students stage festival at York Theatre Royal for five days

Northern Rascals in Sunny Side at York Theatre Royal on Thursday. Picture: Ellywel Photography

FINAL year students from York St John University are taking over York Theatre Royal for five days of creative activities for the whole family with the theme of disco.

As part of TakeOver 2025, students of musical theatre, drama and acting are creating performances within their theatre company, with each show varying so that every day is a different experience. Professional theatre companies are welcomed to the Theatre Royal too.

The disco theme will revel in vibrant colours and funky beats in a celebration of music, movement and talented performers. Audience members will be encouraged to join in on these dazzling disco events by bringing out the sequins and platform shoes.

This is the third year that York St John University has collaborated with York Theatre Royal on the TakeOver festival.

What’s in store on the disco floor?

TODAY

Goldilocks And The Three Bears Workshop: A drama-filled adventure, De Grey House, 2pm to 3.30pm

IN a session inspired by Goldilocks And The Three Bears, this workshop is suitable for five to 11-year-old children, whether they have done a drama workshop or not, and will explore movement and vocalisation to help develop the skills of a performer. Using storytelling and games as a tool for creativity, the children will gain valuable experience in performance-making.

Opening ceremony, York Theatre Royal foyer and patio, 6pm to 8pm

WELCOME to Takeover 2025 with ribbon cutting and music.

Battle Of The Bands, York Theatre Royal Studio, 8.30pm to 10.30pm

EPIC showdown between bands as they battle for victory and the title of TakeOver’s 2025 champions.

WEDNESDAY

Fulford School Show, York Theatre Royal Studio, 10.30am

OVER  the past few weeks, Fulford School students have been exploring different musicals, learning harmonies and studying the work of famous musical theatre choreographers to create a small showcase for friends and family.

Joesph Rowntree School Show, York Theatre Royal Studio, 12.30pm

LED by York St John University students Darcy and Emily, Joseph Rowntree Theatre students sing and dance their way through a medley of songs from Matilda The Musical,showcasing their hard work and abilities. “See you here, revolting children,” they say.

Cabaret, York Theatre Royal lower foyer, 1pm to 2.30pm

PREPARE to be entertained as you dance and sing your way into the afternoon.

She Speaks presents Systematic Reflections, York Theatre Royal main house, 7.30pm

SET in a mental health institution, Systematic Reflections follows five women as they decide to try to escape, but can they do so without being caught?

The show discusses themes surrounding anxiety, depression, eating disorders and more mental health topics. Age guidance: 14 plus. Content guidance: Eating disorders, anxiety, depression and mental health.

Popodyssey: A journey to find a home, a father and our place in this mad, complex world, at York Theatre Royal on Saturday. Picture: Ellywel Photography

As You Dislike It , York Theatre Royal main house, 7:30pm

INSPIRED by Shakespeare’s comedy As You Like It, As You Dislike It explores the values of feminism and relationships through the use of humour and absurdity. Age guidance: 16 plus. Content guidance: Mild graphic language and mild sexual language.

Call Of The Ram presents Totally Royally F*****, York Theatre Royal main house, 7.30pm

WHEN a man of a meagre disposition finds himself down on his luck and in need of a break, outside forces push him to reconcile with his siblings in the hope he can somehow put his life back on track. This musical comedy extravaganza will “leave you feeling totally, royally, satisfied”. Age guidance: 18 plus. Content guidance: Strong language and sexual references.

Matt Price presents Raging Bill, York Theatre Royal Studio, 8pm

STAND-UP comedian Matt Price spent 18 months training to win a trophy to honour the memory of his grandad, Raging Bill Price, after he found boxing trophies in his attic.

The show is not about boxing – there is a lot more to it than that – but you will want to know what happens next. Most amateur fighters have their first fight within a few months, whereas it took Matt a year and a half before he was “ready.”

How and why does a painfully shy 21-year-old man go to a boxing gym and spend so long pursuing a sport for which he has zero talent? Why does he hate Humpty Dumpty but love karaoke?

Raging Bill is a humorous show about getting back up when life has hit you hard. Years later, having been through some ups and downs, Price learns something about himself that you will not forget. “But you will love it,” he promises.

THURSDAY

Play In A Day, York Theatre Royal Billiard Room, 10am to 1pm, free entry

ONE-DAY workshop, offering the chance to learn new skills and make a play in a day.

Free Origami Workshop, York Theatre Royal foyer, 2pm to 3.30pm, free entry, age five plus

ARE you interested in origami-style crafts? Whether you are an origami enthusiast or a complete beginner, everyone is welcome. Join this free session where the workshop hosts will run through some basic designs with step-by-step guidance. Bring your friends too to enjoy a stress-free afternoon and learn a new skill at the same time.

Northern Rascals in Sunny Side, York Theatre Royal main house, 7pm

K is struggling, at 18, living in a world where everyone but himself is rushing full steam ahead. Instead, he is trapped in a small English Everytown; a self-proclaimed “rain-soaked paradise” in the bottom of a Yorkshire valley. A town of two sides: old versus new, indigenous versus gentrified. Still nowhere fits K.

In a last attempt to understand and reconnect, he revisits the pivotal moments of his life but is left paralysed at the prospect of a future in which his voice cannot be heard.

“Where do young men stand in a world that seems to have no place for them,” asks Sunny Side, a raw and powerful portrayal of the modern young male experience, touring in partnership with Andy’s Man Club and informed by the voices of more than 750 young people across the UK.

Combining contemporary dance, theatre and spoken word, this socially urgent work from Northern Rascals explores the pain and loneliness that shape the journey from adolescence to adulthood.

Age guidance: 14 plus. Content guidance: Sunny Side explores sensitive and potentially distressing topics related to mental health, loneliness and societal pressures faced by young people. Haze and flashing light are used.

Clownpocalypse: Tragic, horrifying tale of 4½ clowns trying to stay alive in the zombie apocalypse at York Theatre Royal on Thursday

[insert company name here] presents Clownpocalypse, York Theatre Royal Studio, 7:30pm

RUN.  AHHHH!!!! This is not a show. This is the true, tragic, horrifying tale of 4½ clowns trying to stay alive in the zombie apocalypse with their new (suspiciously green and hungry) friend. 

It just so happens that the only safe place left is the York Theatre Royal Studio…oh no, guess you have to buy a ticket now. Age guidance: 14 plus. Content guidance: Clowns, loud noises, balloons.

Club For Hero’s presents The Face, York Theatre Royal Studio, 7.30pm

COME inside club Elysium! Experience things you never have before through fashion, music, dance and personalities of the club staff and regulars. Follow as stars rise from the darkest depths and see the people that make it happen! The beautifully unconventional are celebrated here. Could Elysium be your paradise? Age guidance: 16 plus. Content guidance: Homophobic language, violence, swearing and mild sexual references.

Daisy Chain presents Under My Skin, York Theatre Royal Studio, 7.30pm

THIS evocative theatre show intertwines Daisy Chain’s original artwork with powerful spoken word and poetry to explore the multifaceted themes of beauty, womanhood and friendship.

Delving deep into what lies beneath the surface, Under My Skin examines the experiences that shape our identities and emotions.

“Together with the audience, we will gaze at the beauty that surrounds us, questioning the routines we adopt to enhance our appearances and the societal influences that drive these choices,” say Daisy Chain cast members Amy Sparke, Sophie Budd, Catherine Dale and Gemma Gudgeon.

This immersive experience invites you to reflect on your own perceptions of beauty and the intricate tapestry of thoughts and feelings that connect us all.

Age guidance: 14 plus. Content guidance: Discussions of womanhood, touching on themes related to body dysmorphia, self-image and anxiety that may be triggering for some audience members.

FRIDAY

 A Tale of Us, York Theatre Royal Studio, from 10am, 12 noon and 3pm

A CELEBRATION of the wonders, joys and challenges of becoming a new parent, blending drama and multi-sensory playtime in a relaxed environment. The experience includes a guided stay-and-play session.

Seven presents Void, York Theatre Royal main house, 7.30pm 

WHAT remains when memory fades?  Where does the part of ourselves that has been lost go? What is to become of the body we once lived in? Seven answers these questions in Void. Age guidance: 11 plus. Content guidance: Contains the theme of memory loss, which may be upsetting.

Symfoney presents Off Script, York Theatre Royal main house, 7.30pm

MUSICAL theatre comedy Off Script focuses on the students of Ivison Performing Arts Academy, their teacher, Miss Kelly, and their final show, exploring  their complex relationships with one another, as well as exploiting the flaws of the performing arts industry as a whole. Age guidance: 14 plus. Content guidance: Strong language and adult topics.

The poster for TakeOver 2025 at York Theatre Royal

Ariel Hebditch in Skeleton Out Of The Closet, York Theatre Royal Studio, 8pm

AFTER winning the Women in Comedy Festival’s Best Newcomer Award 2024, Ariel Hebditch is back, reeling from her disappointing job interview with Death. This time, your resident asexual goth takes you through her own personal haunted house.

From werewolves to vampires to the devil herself, Ariel brings you a night of queer joy and the decidedly more-hard-to-come-by gothic joy as your ‘humerus’ entertainer promises you the time of your death.

Stage Fright, York Theatre Royal lower foyer, 9pm, free entry

STEP into the shadows for a chilling, interactive ghost hunt where nothing is what it seems. Guided by paranormal investigators, you will explore a haunted theatre filled with secrets ready to be exposed and scare actors waiting to blur the lines between reality and nightmare. Are you brave enough to face what is lurking backstage?

SATURDAY

Mud Pie Arts presents Beetles and Bees Tales, York Theatre Royal Studio, 11am

WHOSE side will you take when Cora, the crafty cuckoo bumblebee, sneaks her way into Queen Red-tail’s nest? Will you dare to stand up to the Brutus, the invading bark beetle, as he devours every forest in his way? Find out with Mud Pie Arts.

“Together, we will act out these bold tales of bombastic beasties!” says spinner of yarns Jenna Drury. “May half-term is the perfect time to go bug hunting, so come along to learn more. Expect all-join-in storytelling, riddles, games and post-show doodling on an epic scale.”

Jazz Dance Workshop, Billiard Room, York Theatre Royal, 3pm to 4.30pm

THIS beginner’s jazz dance class, Feeling Good, is for anyone aged 30 years and above. The class will entail a warm-up to boost the energy, followed by some basic Jazz technique in smaller groups, travelling from the corner, ending with a short jazz dance to Nina Simone’s Feeling Good.

SEND Disco Youth Session 11-17, York Theatre Royal Studio, 5.30pm to 6.30pm

GROOVE out your best moves at this electrifying disco: a dazzling evening filled with funky beats, vibrant lights and non-stop dancing. Whether you are a disco diva or boogie master, this is the place to let loose and shine.

Put on your best disco attire and prepare for unforgettable fun with friends. Focused on inclusivity and fun, this will be a memorable experience for everyone.

SEND Disco Adult Session 17+, York Theatre Royal Studio, 7pm to 8.30pm

See details above.

Popodyssey, York Theatre Royal main house, 7:30pm

LOVE Island, an inflatable Trojan horse and a thirst trap bot dressed up like a nymph: welcome to this epic storytelling show where ancient Greece collides with modern pop culture in a high-energy reworking of Homer’s Odyssey, told through text and movement.

Popodyssey is a journey to find a home, a father and our place in this mad, complex world of fake lips, telling fake news in deep fake utopias. Age guidance: 14 plus. Content warning: Infrequent swearing; discussion of war and violence; mild/subtle reference to sex, alcohol and drug use.

For more information on the 2025 TakeOver festival, visit: https://www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk/be-part-of-it/children-and-young-people/takeover/. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.

What remains when memory fades? Find out in Seven’s show Void at TakeOver 2025 on Friday

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More Things To Do in York and beyond as wizards and Stars Wars take over. Here Hutch’s List No. 21 from The York Press

The Wizard of York, Dan Wood, sets his spellbinding WizardFest in motion for three magical days. Picture: The Story Of You

NOT only a new festival of wizardry, but Charles Hutchinson has plenty more wizard ideas too for the Bank Holiday weekend and beyond the wand.

Enchanting festival of the week:  WizardFest, waving a wand over York, today to Monday

ORGANISED by The Wizard of York, Dan Wood, York’s first ever festival of wizardry promises 25 activities, events, workshops and fantastical food and drink, featuring  the city’s most magical businesses.

Highlights include Wizard Walk of York walks; a Brick Magic LEGO workshop; screenings of the first three Harry Potter films at City Screen Picturehouse; Professor Kettlestring’s Puzzling World needing  help to defeat dark wizard Mortius Darktrix; The Cat Gallery’s Black Cat Trail and Make It York’s Owl Trail; Monday’s Magical Night Market at Shambles Market and a fancy dress parade between St Helen’s Square and York Minster at 3pm on Monday. Plan your magical itinerary and make bookings at wizardwalkofyork.com/wizardfest.

York Printmakers’ poster for the 2025 Festival of Print

“More than an exhibition” of the week: York Printmakers, Festival of Print, 22 High Petergate, York, until July 20, open every Friday and Saturday, 10am to 5pm, and Sundays, 10am to 4pm

YORK Printmakers celebrate creativity, craft and community in a curated exhibition of original prints, from linocut and etching to screenprint and collagraph, complemented by demonstrations, talks and workshops. Visitors can explore the stories and processes behind each piece and meet the makers behind the art.

“This year’s festival is more than an exhibition,” say the organisers. “It’s an invitation to discover, to ask questions and to support York artists keeping traditional and contemporary printmaking alive.” Entry is free.

Festival Of The Force: The Star Wars convention from another galaxy, here in York

Film convention of the week: Festival Of The Force, York Railway Institute, Queen Street, York, Sunday, 10am to 5pm

MAY the Force be with you for this Star Wars convention, Festival Of The Force, whose mission is to deliver an immersive experience in celebration  of the Star Wars universe while building a strong sense of community among collectors, fans, and cosplayers of all ages. Look out for a galaxy of merchandise, celebrity appearances and fan-led events. Box office: eventbrite.co.uk/e/festival-of-the-force-tickets.

Wanted in York: Julian Clary swaps guns for puns and putdowns in A Fistful Of Clary on Sunday

Camp sight of the week: Julian Clary in A Fistful Of Clary, Grand Opera House, York, Sunday, 7.30pm

JULIAN Clary goes Western as he saddles up for entendres at the double, sure that the men in the audience won’t be able to keep their hands off his Rawhide.

The lucky few will play with him on stage in the Hang‘em Low saloon, but life in the Old West was tough. Not all of Julian’s wild bunch will be around to witness the final shoot-out when he gives himself selflessly at high noon to the last man standing. Tickets update for Clary’s pun fight: still available at atgtickets.com/york.

Sophie Ellis Bextor: Disco nights at York Barbican and York Racecourse

Dancefloor diva at the double: Sophie Ellis Bextor, York Barbican, May 26, Spring Bank Holiday Monday, 7.30pm; York Racecourse Music Showcase Weekend 2025, July 25, after 8.23pm last race  

“IT will be wonderful to bring the disco fun to everyone,” says Sophie Ellis Bextor, lockdown queen of the Kitchen Disco online sessions, as she heads to York twice. Buoyed by Murder On The Dancefloor’s appearance in the final scene of Emerald Fennell’s film Saltburn returning her 2001 smash to number two in the UK charts, she takes to the road with a career-spanning set also featuring  Groovejet (If This Ain’t Love), Take Me Home (A Girl Like Me) and Freedom Of The Night.

The former lead singer of theaudience will be joined by special guest Natasha Bedingfield for the post-racing concert on Knavesmire in July. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk (last few tickets); yorkracecourse.co.uk.

Jon Mills’s cast for Miles Salter’s short play One Step Beyond, premiering at the Black Swan Inn next week

Premiere of the week: Yortk Settlement Community Players presents Miles Salter’s One Step Beyond, Black Swan Inn, Peasholme Green, York, May 26 to 28, 7.30pm

STEVE and Kerry have been married a long time. Steve’s vinyl collection may tear them apart. Luckily they have a counsellor…and Steve’s friend Boring Ryan on hand to help them out. It must be love, love, love. Jon Mills directs Stuart Green, Pamela Gourlay, Liz Quinlan, Chris Meadley and Jess Murray in York writer Miles Salter’s short play for YSCP’s Direct Approach project. Tickets to enter this House of Fun:  £5, pay on the door, cash or card.

Victoria Delaney, left, and Clare Halliday in rehearsal for York Actors Collective’s production of Tiger Country at Theatre@41, Monkgate

Hospital drama of the week: York Actors Collective in Tiger Country, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, May 27 to 31, 7.30pm, Tuesday to Friday; 2.30pm and 6pm, Saturday

NINA Raine’s doctors-and-nurses drama, last performed at Hampstead Theatre, London, in 2014, is revived by Angie Millard’s company York Actors Collective.

This fast-paced play considers doctors’ dilemmas as a range of clinical and ethical issues come under the spotlight in a busy hospital. Professionalism and prejudice, turbulent staff romances, ambition and failure collide as Raine depicts an overburdened health service and the dedicated individuals that keep it going. Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.

Nick Mohammed’s alter-ego, Mr Swallow, in Show Pony, cantering into the Grand Opera House next week and in the autumn. Picture: Matt Crockett

Comedy gig of the week: Nick Mohammed Is Mr Swallow in Show Pony, Grand Opera House, York, May 28 and October 23, 7.30pm

COMEDIAN, writer, Ted Lasso regular and Taskmaster loser Nick Mohammed transforms into his alter-ego, Mr Swallow in Show Pony, a new show that will “cover everything from not having his own sitcom to not having his own sitcom… and everything in between (critical race theory). As per – expect magic, music and a whole load of brand-new mistakes”.  Box office: atgtickets.com/york.

Sir Tim Rice: Mulling over a life in musicals at the Grand Opera House, York

Musical knight of the week: Sir Tim Rice, My Life In Musicals – I Know Him So Well, Grand Opera House, York, May 29,7.30pm

LYRICIST supreme Sir Tim Rice reflects on his illustrious career at the heart of musical theatre, sharing anecdotes behind the songs, both the hits and the misses, complemented by stories of his life and live performances by leading West End singers and musicians, led by musical director Duncan Waugh. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.

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More Things To Do in York and beyond Gary Oldman’s exit stage left, minus bananas. Hutch’s List No. 20, from The York Press

Bull: “Reverse headlining” Sunday’s bill at the By The Blue Bridge Festival on the Arts Barge

First published on May 17 2025

AS the Arts Barge launches a new season and Mikron head to an allotment, Charles Hutchinson welcomes signs of the summer season ahead.

Festival of the week: By The Blue Bridge, Arts Barge, Foss Basin, York, today (17/5/2025) and tomorrow

BULL bassist, illustrator and designer Kai West and Rowan & Friends curator and frontman Rowan Evans launch the Arts Barge’s 2025 season with the By The Blue Bridge festival of music and art.

Today features free workshops from 11am to 2pm, including Water Poetry with Becca Drake, Digital Plotting with Des Clarke and a Sound Workshop led by a collective from the Hague. Musical acts from 3pm will be Sinead Una, Rowan & Friends, Captain Starlet, Gaia Blandina, Slagroom, Des Clarke, Gabriella Hunzinger and The Rattlers.

Sunday’s theme is “Folky and Weird”, kicking off with an open-mic session from 12 noon to 2pm, followed by “reverse headliners” Bull at 4pm, plus Oli, We Are Hannah, Mugwort, Kirk, Big Rain In The Morning, The Caterpillars and headliners Milkweed. Box office https://wegottickets.com/f/13779/.

Bella Gaffney: The Magpies’ folk musician plays solo at Rise@Bluebird Bakery tonight. Picture: Esme Mai

Folk gig of the week: Bella Gaffney, Rise@Bluebird Bakery, Acomb, York, tonight (17/5/2025), 7.30pm

FOLK troubadour and guitarist Bella Gaffney, one third of The Magpies, weaves together original compositions and traditional tunes from British folk and Americana traditions, as heard on her 2023 album Reflections. Support act Jake Robinson sings soulful interpretations of folk classics and jazz-inspired originals. Box office: eventbrite.com/e/bella-gaffney.

This summer, The Magpies will be hosting their annual festival at Sutton Park, Sutton on the Forest, near York, on August 8 and 9. Tickets are on sale at themagpiesfestival.co.uk.

Mikron Theatre Company actor-musicians Georgina Liley, left, James McLean, Robert Took and Catherine Warnock in Operation Beach Hut, on tour at Scarcroft Allotments, York, on Sunday. Picture: Robling Photography

Outdoor entertainment of the week: Mikron Theatre Company in Operation Beach Hut, Scarcroft Allotments, Scarcroft Road, York, Sunday (18/5/2025), 2pm

HARVEY Badger’s Operation Beach Hut whisks Sunday afternoon’s audience away to the golden sands of Fiddling-On-Sea for the annual Best Beach Hut competition as stressed-out city dweller seeks solace by the sea. As the competition day draws closer, the history of the seaside floats to the surface, washing up a host of characters and stories from centuries gone by. Soon Holly realises far more is at stake than a prize for best beach hut.

Marianne McNamara’s cast of four actor-musicians, Georgina Liley, Robert Took, Catherine Warnock and returnee James McLean, combine Marsden company Mikron’s theatrical trademarks of storytelling, original songs and live music with the guarantee of a whale of a time. No tickets required; a pay-what –you-feel collection will be taken post-show.

Harry Hill: New Bits & Greatest Hits shake up the Grand Opera House on Sunday fun day

Get on board the laughter train: Harry Hill, New Bits & Greatest Hits, Grand Opera House, York, Sunday (18/5/2025), 7.30pm

JOIN Harry Hill on his on his Diamond Jubilee lap of honour in celebration of 60 glorious years of fun, laughter and low-level disruption. Marvel as he offers new insights into the hot topics of the day from the culture wars to the origins of Tiramisu.

Guffaw with delight as big-collared Harry delves into his back catalogue, using his patented Old Bit Randomiser tom reactivate old favourites. Look out for son Gary, Stouffer The Cat, the Badger Parade with guest appearances from The Knitted Character and Abu Hamster, plus the chance for one lucky audience member to join Harry in a double act. Box office: for returns only, atgtickets.com/york.

Nikita Kuzmin: From Strictly Come Dancing star to Cinderella-style dance drama of star-crossed lovers in Midnight Dancer

Dance drama of the week: Nikita Kuzmin in Midnight Dancer, Grand Opera House, York, May 20, 7.30pm

STRICTLY Come Dancing’s Ukrainian star dancer and choreographer Nikita Kuzmin leaps into York in his debut British and Irish solo tour: “a fairytale ball like no other and a night full of music, sequins, and world- class dancing”.

A company of dancers and West End singer Rebecca Lisewski join him in a classic romance story as two star-crossed lovers meet only to be torn apart in this modern-day Cinderella dance drama. Will they reunite at the masked ball, or will real life put an end to their fairytale fantasy? Box office: atgtickets.com/york.

Sisters doing it for themselves: Hayley Bamford’s Deloris Van Cartier, centre, leading the nuns in song in Sister Act: A Divine Musical Comedy

Nun better musical of the week: York Musical Theatre Company in Sister Act: A Divine Musical Company, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, May 21 to 24, 7.30pm plus 2.30pm Saturday matinee

KATHRYN Addison directs York Musical Theatre Company in Alan Menken’s American musical with Hayley Bamford in the sassy role of “novice nun” Deloris Van Cartier.

When club singer Deloris witnesses nightclub owner Curtis Jackson (Zander Fick), commit murder, the police hide her in a convent, where she meets the Mother Superior (Kirstin Grififths) and an ensemble of 22 nuns. Cue multiple upbeat numbers as friendships grow and the convent is saved from financial ruin. Hallelujah!  Box office: 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.

Switch way now? Thomas Frere and Cal Stockbridge in Clap Trap Theatre’s Switcheroo, the play told two ways, as comedy, then in serious mode. Picture: Jay Sillence

Role-swapping play of the week: Clap Trap Theatre in Switcheroo, York Theatre Royal Studio, May 22 to 24, 7.45pm and 2.30pm Saturday matinee. Post-show discussion, May 23. Also Hemsley Arts Centre, May 31, 7.30pm

TOM Needham’s play Switcheroo is based on the simple premise that “it’s not what you say, it’s the way that you say it”. Presented by Ryedale company Clap Trap Theatre, the story follows three siblings who, when it comes to scattering their mother’s ashes, are hit with a bombshell revelation that turns their world upside down.

The first act is a full-blown, larger-than-life comedy, whereupon the actors swap characters to repeat it as a serious drama. Paul Birch directs a cast of Thomas Frere (Alex/Sam), Clap Trap co-founder Cal Stockbridge (Sam/Pat) and Dominic Goodwin (Pat/Alex). Box office: York, 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk; Helmsley, 01439 771700 or helmsleyarts.co.uk.

Paul Chowdhry: On tour in Englandia at York Barbican on Friday

Comedy gig of the week: Paul Chowdhry, Englandia, York Barbican, May 23, 7.30pm

PAUL Chowdhry, the most successful British Indian stand-up comedian in British history, heads to York on his 41-date itinerary. “After more than a quarter of a century and half my

life on comedy stages, it’s time for my biggest tour ever,” says The Paul Chowdhry PudCast podcaster. “I hope to see you there. If not, I’ll be in massive debt and doing benefit gigs for the foreseeable future.” To help Chowdhry avoid that scenario, book tickets at yorkbarbican.co.uk.

Neigh sayer: Elf Lyons horsing around at Theatre@41, Monkgate

Horse show of the year: Elf Lyons: Horses, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, May 23, 8pm

WELCOME to the first ever comedy show performed entirely by a horse. Made by award-winning comedian, clown, theatre practitioner and teacher Elf Lyons, performed by Treacle. Horse box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk

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Magic awaits as The Wizard of York promotes city’s first WizardFest from May 24 to 26. What’s in store? Ask Dan Wood

Magic ahead: The Wizard of York, alias Dan Wood, raises his wand to conjure WizardFest, York’s first festival of wizardry. Picture: The Story Of You

THE Wizard of York has waved his magic wand over the upcoming Spring Bank Holiday to conjure up the city’s first WizardFest.

Programmed by Dan Wood, owner of The Wizard Walk of York, the May half-term festival will feature a spellbinding range of activities, events, workshops and fantastical food and drink.

Little Vikings are co-hosting the May 24 to 26 event with support from Make It York.  Maps can be collected from the Visit York Centre or from festival sponsors Loopy Scoops, The Cat Gallery, Totally Awesome Toys and The Society of Alchemists.

Alternatively, a full list of events and booking links can be found at wizardwalkofyork.com/wizardfest to plan your magical itinerary. Prompt booking is recommended.

“One of my favourite moments on The Wizard Walk is when visitors new to the city first turn down Minster Gates and see the Minster in all its magnificent glory,” says The Wizard of York, Dan Wood. Picture: The Story Of You

Here Dan Wood discusses wizardry, walks and the magic of York with CharlesHutchPress.

What gave you the idea to run a Wizard Fest in York, Dan?

“I’ve been running The Wizard Walk of York for more than three years now, and in that short time I’d already collaborated with lots of businesses doing magical things in the city. We’d enjoyed other York festivals as a family, and thought it was high time we really celebrated York’s magical side with a city-wide family festival of fun!

“I’d previously helped create festivals during my role as creative manager of Alton Towers – including ScareFest for Halloween and JingleFest over Christmas – so it’s nice to don this hat once again.

“My wife Bev is stage managing the festival, and we have a whole team of marshals (in hi-vis wiz jackets) involved. It’s quite the undertaking, but also very exciting and the first of many to come.”

You have brought plenty of partners on board, wide ranging too. How important is that support?

“We’ve been absolutely blown away by the support from local businesses. I’ve approached companies with some fairly unusual and outlandish ideas, and they’ve almost always said ‘yes, we can do that!’.

“The goal has always been to bring together small businesses, to really champion and shout about great independent organisations in the city. Almost all WizardFest partners are indies, except for LUSH, who are providing magical bath bomb making sessions with Avocado Events.

“We have a new exclusive Black Cat Quest with the Cat Gallery, Beastly Burgers in the shape of a monster from Baby Boy’s Burger at SPARK:York, Dragon Sundaes at Loopy Scoops and lots more. Professor Kettlestring’s have a new Cursed event, where visitors can find the witches and wizards around the attraction to lift the spell, and there are all kinds of workshops, tours and trails. Wizard fans can even catch the first three Harry Potter films at City Screen.

“Many businesses have donated prizes too, whether for my recent Name A Dragon contest for the free Fancy Dress Parade on the final day. Many are offering discounts for anyone dressed up as a witch or wizard too, so be sure to dress to impress.

“We’ve partnered with Little Vikings, York’s leading guide to what’s on for families across the city. Loopy Scoops, The Cat Gallery, Totally Awesome Toys and The Society of Alchemists are sponsoring the event. Make it York are also supporting it with the Owl Trail and Magical Night Market.”

What first drew you to wizardry, Dan?

“I started magic as a young child but discovered wizardry later in life when, like so many others, I got swept up in the Harry Potter phenomenon. In fact, long before becoming The Wizard of York, I was hired as a wizard at a bookshop whilst living in London, for the launch of the fifth book.

“When I moved to York, wizardry was one of many themed parties I offered as The Magic Hatter. My Halloween shows at Piglets Adventure Farm became wizard-themed rather than spooky or scary. The National Railway Museum later booked me to perform walkaround magic as a wizard when they had the Oulton Hall, aka Hogwarts Express. Who’d have thought I’d now be York’s own full-time wandering Wizard?!”

Dan Wood in his magical Easter bonnet circa 1992

When did you first do a magic/wizard show?

“My magical journey first started with a Paul Daniels Magic set one Christmas. I liked it, not a lot! I was fascinated with how the tricks worked and the reactions they got from friends and family.

“My first magic show was at the tender age of seven, in a cardboard top hat and my dad’s oversized wedding jacket. A young entrepreneur, I’d charge friends ten pence to watch shows in our back garden. No photos or video unfortunately as this was long before smartphones, but I wonder if I’m still doing any of the same jokes…

“I did manage to find a photo of me in a magical Easter bonnet top hat though, circa 1992, and it’s funny to think I later became The Magic Hatter and made a career in magic!”

Who inspired your love of wizardry?

“I’ve always been intrigued by wizardry, and find it elevates magic from just magic shop props to something a little more theatrical. The eagle-eyed may recognise that my first Wizard of York outfit – complete with dark red cloak and hat – is actually more inspired by Pratchett’s Rincewind than Potter!

“I grew up watching and reading The Lord Of The Rings, and then the Harry Potter series too. Along with Mrs Wizard, I’m heading to London this summer to see Cursed Child for our 40th birthday celebrations, which I hear is full of magic, illusions and stage trickery. It should be right up my alley.

“For the Wizard Walk though, and for WizardFest, I feel we’ve put our own stamp on wizardry and created something unique. It’s ideal for Harry Potter fans, but no knowledge of the wizarding world is needed.”

What makes York such a magical city?

“Quite simply, York is magic. The cobbled streets, winding alleys and crooked buildings could be lifted from the pages of any fantasy novel. It’s the people who really make it though; whether the enthusiastic and excited families who join my tours, or the shop owners who are always up for a friendly chat and to throw ideas around.

“Some locals will say that it’s becoming a theme park, but I don’t think wizardry detracts from the history or beauty of York. I love York’s rich and diverse history, and there are some fantastic historical tours, activities and museums. Some will want to explore York’s history – which is still very much available and accessible – and others will want to focus on magical family fun, or ideally a bit of both!”

The Wizard Of York print, designed by Lincoln Lightfoot in a nod to The Wizard Of Oz

Factually, Harry Potter has no links with York and yet he has become synonymous with Shambles.  Is that good for York and for wizardry in the city?

“The Wizard Walk is not a Harry Potter tour, and I never make the claim that York has anything to do with the franchise. But, of course, the city attracts Potter fans by the thousands, and there are plenty of magical things to do for visiting families.

“There are no tangible links to Harry Potter in York, not even York Railway Station. Many people think that the footbridge was used for shots in the first film, but this was in fact a bridge in Kings Cross that has since been moved to the Watercress Line in Hampshire.

“I still hear tour guides – and tourists – saying that Shambles inspired JK Rowling, or even that Harry Potter was filmed here! Not true in the slightest, but to me this doesn’t make York any less enchanting.

“Perhaps the local link is a rumour that got out of hand, but wizardry is very much here to stay, especially with a new ten-season Harry Potter TV series in the works. For me, York really lends itself to the concept of wizardry and I absolutely love bringing a whirlwind of magical entertainment to the streets.”

What makes York an ideal city for all manner of walking tours:  from ghosts to history to wizardry?

“There really is something for everyone in York, whether visitors want to find out about local history, get spooked on a ghost walk or enjoy magic and comedy. The beauty of any tour in York is that we pass the most spellbinding sights…from the iconic Shambles to York Minster, Clifford’s Tower to  St William’s College.

“One of my favourite moments on The Wizard Walk is when visitors new to the city first turn down Minster Gates with me and see the Minster in all its magnificent glory.”

Which WizardFest events have sold out?

“We’ve added extra tours on the Wizard Walk of York over WizardFest – and throughout half-term  – and some of these filled up well in advance. The Story Craft Theatre workshops,  A Kind Of Magic, are sold out, and there are very limited spaces left on the Brick Magic LEGO workshops at York Medical Society.

“We recommend visitors book for all paid activities as soon as possible, before tickets all…vanish! All booking links are at wizardwalkofyork.com.”

York artist Lincoln Lightfoot with his Wizard of York print

How did York surrealist artist Lincoln Lightfoot become involved in the festival?

“The idea for the Wizard of York print was a real light bulb moment. One day the sun was bouncing off the Shambles cobbles, giving them a yellowish hue. It reminded me of the Yellow  Brick Road from The Wizard Of Oz, and then I thought back to Lincoln’s renowned film prints.

“He had already put King Kong on York Minster, a Kraken in the Ouse and a T-Rex on Shambles – so it wasn’t a stretch to create a Wizard of York/Oz mashup!

“Another ‘full circle’ moment is that I played the Wizard in The Wiz in a high school production many moons ago too…  

“It’s a real ‘pinch me’ moment to be immortalised in a piece of art and I’m thrilled with the piece that he’s conjured up. The print is available from me directly, from Fabrication Crafts, on Stonegate, or Lincoln’s website, lincolnlightfoot.com.

“Lincoln also will have a stall at the Magical Night Market as part of the festival, on Monday evening in Shambles Market between 7.30pm and 10pm.”

What a wizard idea for a festival

What plans are in place for the 2026 festival?

“We are already busily working on plans for WizardFest 2026 and I have spreadsheets…I mean ancient parchment scrolls…full of new ideas and activities,. We’re already accepting applications from new sponsors and collaborators, and looking to build on the partnerships we already have.

“We’re considering a world-record attempt on a huge scale, and we’re talking to various companies about bringing in pop-up events, such as broomstick training, wand duelling and more.

“With 25 activities this year, it’s bigger than we ever expected, but we plan to go even bigger and better next year. Like a great magic trick though, I don’t want to give away the secrets and spoil it, but be sure to keep an eye on my Wizard Walk of York socials for details.

“To get involved, send me an owl of enquiry via wizardwalkofyork.com, where you can also plan your magical itinerary for this coming weekend. Bring on the magic!”

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Question: Can a group of strangers successfully stage a Shakespearean play in a day? Find out at Theatre@41 tomorrow

 

The artwork for Shakespeare’s Speakeasy at York International Shakespeare Festival

“IT’S Shakespeare, but it’s secret”. Can a group of strangers successfully stage a Shakespearean play in a day? 

Shakespeare’s Speakeasy is the place find out as part of York International Shakespeare Festival at Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, tomorrow at 7.30pm (box office, yorkshakes.co.uk).

Directed and produced by Steve Arran, for one night only this production offers an irreverent and entertaining take on one of Bill the Bard’s best-known plays, crammed into only 60 minutes.

“Five  actors are given a script with their lines and cues and must learn it over the course of a month without ever meeting each other,” says Steve. “On the day of performance, the actors meet for the first time and rehearse for six hours before staging a 100 per cent ‘not-all-serious play’ from the canon. 

“But which play will it be? Well, like all good Speakeasy shows, that’s a secret. The only way to find out is to come inside.” 

Like last year’s inaugural York Shakespeare Speakeasy, when he played Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night, one of the actors will be Ian Giles, soon to reveal his Bottom in York Stage’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Grand Opera House, York, from May 6 to 11 (box office, atgtickets.com/york).

Ian Giles’s Bottom in York Stage’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, set on a northern council estate

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What’s On in Ryedale, York and beyond. Hutch’s List No. 18, from Gazette & Herald

Climb every mountain: Rebecca Jackson in the role of Maria in Steve Tearle’s production of The Sound Of Music for NE Theatre York

THE spring weather may be perking up, but Charles Hutchinson still finds reasons aplenty to stay in the dark for cultural satisfaction.

York musical of the week: NE Theatre York in The Sound Of Music, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, until Saturday, 7.30pm plus 2.30pm Saturday matinee

IN its centenary year, members of Strensall Women’s Institute have accepted NE Theatre York creative director Steve Tearle’s invitation to play the abbey nuns in this Rodgers and Hammerstein musical.

The show brings back special memories for Tearle, who played Kurt Von Trapp at the age of 11 in a professional tour in his first role in any show. This time he plays his favourite part, Max Detweiler. Box office: 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.

Cracking the whip: Carrie Hope Fletcher’s Calamity Jane in Calamity Jane, on tour at the Grand Opera House, York. Picture: Mark Senior

Whip-cracking touring musical of the week: Calamity Jane, Grand Opera House, York, until Saturday, 7.30pm plus 2.30pm Thursday and Saturday matinees

WEST End leading lady Carrie Hope Fletcher takes the title role of fearless, gun-slinging Calamity Jane, the biggest mouth in Dakota territory and always up for a fight, in North Yorkshireman Nikolai Foster’s touring production, based on the cherished 1953 Doris Day movie.

When the men of Deadwood fall hard for Chicago stage star Adelaid Adams, Calamity struggles to keep her jealousy holstered. Here come The Deadwood Stage (Whip-Crack-Away), The Black Hills Of Dakota, Just Blew In From The Windy City and Secret Love in this Watermill Theatre production, choreographed by Nick Winston.  Box office: atgtickets.com/york.

Got it taped: Gary Oldman with the reel-to-reel tape machine in Krapp’s Last Tape at York Theatre Royal. Picture: Gisele Schmidt

York theatre event of the year: Gary Oldman in Krapp’s Last Tape, York Theatre Royal, until May 17

OSCAR winner Gary Oldman returns to York Theatre Royal, where he made his professional debut in 1979, to perform Samuel Beckett’s melancholic, tragicomic slice of theatre of the absurd Krapp’s Last Tape in his first stage appearance since 1989.

“York, for me, is the completion of a cycle,” says the Slow Horses leading man. “It is the place ‘where it all began’. York, in a very real sense, for me, is coming home. The combination of York and Krapp’s Last Tape is all the more poignant because it is ‘a play about a man returning to his past of 30 years earlier’.” Tickets update: check availability of returns on 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.

Andy Bell: New songs, solo favourites and Erasure hits at York Barbican tonight

York gig of the week: Andy Bell, Ten Crowns Tour, York Barbican, tonight, 7.30pm

ERASURE singer Andy Bell opens his tour at York Barbican on the eve of Friday’s release of his third solo album, Ten Crowns, ten tracks of  dazzling, joyous pop, produced and polished in Nashville, inspired by the dancefloor and gospel, available on vinyl, CD (standard and 2CD versions), gold cassette and digitally via Crown Recordings.

Bell’s set combines new compositions with favourites from his solo catalogue and Erasure hits aplenty. His band features his principal Ten Crowns collaborator and co-writer, Grammy-winning American producer Dave Audé, who opens tomorrow’s show with a DJ set. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.

Guitar Legends: Terrific riffs galore at Milton Rooms, Malton

Tribute show of the week: Guitar Legends, Milton Rooms, Malton, Friday, 8pm,

GUITAR Legends celebrates the music of iconic guitarists such as Eric Clapton, Prince, Gary Moore, Mark Knopfler and Jimi Hendrix.

Through a blend of live music, visuals and anecdotes, the show takes a journey through rock history, showcasing tenor vocal prowess and guitar virtuosity. Box office: 01653 696240 or themiltonrooms.com.

Learlike: Greensleeved tell Shakespeare’s tragedy of King Lear from the distaff side at York International Shakespeare Festival

Festival of the week: York International Shakespeare Festival presents Greensleeved in Learlike, York St John University Creative Centre Auditorium, Saturday, 2pm

GREENSLEEVED, a female-led pan-European ensemble, premiere their show Learlike in York, presenting Shakespeare’s tragedy of King Lear but this time told by his daughters. These tyrant-children are newly in power but old in their ability for manipulation and deceit. Or are they? Even in the most corrupt homes the roots of resistance grow deep.

Greensleeved comprises performers who met at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland: Amber Frances (Belgium), Ariela Nazar-Rosen (Poland/USA), Lucy Doig (Scotland), Julia Vredenberg (Norway) and Cecilia Thoden van Velzen (Netherlands). For the full programme to May 4 and tickets, head to: yorkshakes.co.uk.

Rob Auton: Any eyeful tower of ocular comedy at Leeds City Varieties Music Hall

The eyes have it:  Rob Auton: The Eyes Open And Shut Show, Leeds City Varieties Music Hall, Saturday, 7.30pm

“THE Eyes Open And Shut Show is a show about eyes when they are open and eyes when they are shut,” says surrealist Barmby Moor/York comedian, writer, artist, podcaster and actor Rob Auton. “With this show I wanted to explore what I could do to myself and others with language when eyes are open and shut…thinking about what makes me open my eyes and what makes me shut them.” Box office: 0113 243 0808 or leedsheritagetheatres.com.

Scouting For Girls: Heading for York and Leeds in 2026

Gig announcement of the week: Scouting For Girls, York Barbican, March 17 and Leeds O2 Academy, March 24 2026

LONDON trio Scouting For Girls will accompany the 2026 release of a new studio album with a 22-date tour that takes in York Barbican and Leeds O2 Academy next March. General ticket sales open at 10am on Friday  at yorkbarbican.co.uk and academymusicgroup.com.

Roy Stride, vocals, piano and guitar, Greg Churchouse, bass guitar, and James Rowlands, drums, last payed York Barbican in October 2021. Next year’s shows will mark the 15th anniversary of their Everybody Wants To Be On TV album too.

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Alexander Wright has a new idea for a Hamlet Show. You can question him at York International Shakespeare Festival

Alexander Flanagan Wright: Questions, questions and more questions about Hamlet

ALEXANDER Flanagan Wright has an idea for a show. Not Hamlet exactly, but a version that asks all the big questions in Hamlet, not only To Be Or Not To Be, at York International Shakespeare Festival tonight, tomorrow and Wednesday.

“I’ve got an idea for a version of Hamlet,” says Alex, storyteller, playwright, dream-weaver of words, director and leading light of The Flanagan Collective, one half of Wright & Grainger and co-founder of Theatre at The Mill, Stillington, near York.

“It’s a gathering, a conversation and a collective reading. We’ll have some tea and some biscuits (I’ll provide those), we’ll read some of Shakespeare’s play together, and we’ll have a good chat.”

There’s more than that, of course, he promises. “It’s deeper than that. It’s about us being somewhere together, here and now; it’s about us grappling with our existential place in the world; it’s about us seeing how words give rise to ideas and definitions about ourselves; it’s about feeling isolated when we’re in the middle of many people. It’s about us all doing something together, whilst bits of the world are tearing us apart.

“And, like I’ve already said, it’s about having a cup of tea. It’s a new show, a new gathering, a new idea. And I’d like to invite you to come and be a part of it.”  

To be or not to be at Rise@Bluebird Bakery, Acomb, York, tonight at 8.30pm, or York St John University Creative Centre Auditorium, tomorrow at 10am, or Micklegate Social, Micklegate, York, on Wednesday, 7.30pm, you decide. To book, head to yorkshakes.co.uk. Running time: up to 90 minutes.

Full interview will run from tomorrow.

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More Things To Do in York and beyond when theatre goes on trial. Here’s Hutch’s List No. 18, from The York Press

Gary Oldman in the York Theatre Royal auditorium, where his production of Krapp’s Last Tape is in its second week. Picture: Gisele Schmidt

FANCY serving on a jury in a true crime thriller? Find out how in Charles Hutchinson’s guide to going out.

York theatre event of the year: Gary Oldman in Krapp’s Last Tape, York Theatre Royal, until May 17

OSCAR winner Gary Oldman returns to York Theatre Royal, where he made his professional debut in 1979,  to perform Samuel Beckett’s melancholic, tragicomic slice of theatre of the absurd Krapp’s Last Tape in his first stage appearance since 1989.

“York, for me, is the completion of a cycle,” says the Slow Horses leading man. “It is the place ‘where it all began’. York, in a very real sense, for me, is coming home. The combination of York and Krapp’s Last Tape is all the more poignant because it is ‘a play about a man returning to his past of 30 years earlier’.” Tickets update: check availability of returns on 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.

James Bond Concert Spectacular: Celebrating the music of the long-running film series. Picture: Bryan Marshall

Film music event of the week James Bond Concert Spectacular, Grand Opera House, York, Sunday, 7.30pm

CAROLINE Bliss, who played Moneypenny in The Living Daylightsand Licence To Kill, will be the compere for Q The Music’s James Bond Concert Spectacular, sharing anecdotes from her film appearances.  

Focusing not only on Bond theme songs, such as Goldfinger, Diamonds Are Forever, Live And Let Die and Nobody Does It Better, the show also pays homage to the complete canon, covering chase music, incidental cues and suites from across the series. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.

You are the jury: Murder Trial Tonight III, in court at York Barbican on Tuesday

Courtroom drama  of the week: Tigerslane Studios presents Murder Trial Tonight III – The Doorstep Case, York Barbican, April 29, 7pm

“THIS isn’t just a theatre play; it’s a social experiment,” says Murder Trial Tonight’s West End director, Graham Watts. “We aim to challenge perceptions and engage our audience in a way that goes beyond traditional theatre.”

Welcome to Tigerslane Studios’third season of  Murder Trial Tonight – The Doorstep Case, wherein storytellers, technicians and performers break down the fourth wall and bring true-crime stories to life. The show begins on screen, giving the backdrop to the case, followed by a live murder trial, with the audience as the jury. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.

Carrie Hope Fletcher: Shooting from the hip and lip in Calamity Jane at the Grand Opera House, York

Whip-cracking musical of the week: Calamity Jane, Grand Opera House, York, April 29 to May 3, 7.30pm and 2.30pm Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday matinees

WEST End leading lady Carrie Hope Fletcher takes the title role of fearless, gun-slinging Calamity Jane, the biggest mouth in Dakota territory and always up for a fight, in North Yorkshireman Nikolai Foster’s touring production, based on the cherished 1953 Doris Day movie.

When the men of Deadwood fall hard for Chicago stage star Adelaid Adams, Calamity struggles to keep her jealousy holstered. Here come The Deadwood Stage (Whip-Crack-Away), The Black Hills Of Dakota, Just Blew In From The Windy City and Secret Love in this Watermill Theatre production, choreographed by Nick Winston with musical supervision by Olivier, Grammy and Tony Award winner Catherine Jayes. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.

Karine Polwart’s poster artwork for her Feather & Ether Tour show at Pocklington Arts Centre

Folk gig of the week: Karine Polwart, Feather & Ether Tour, Pocklington Arts Centre, April 30, 8pm

THIS year marks 25 years since Karine Polwart embraced a full-time career as a Scottish folk singer and 20 years since she scooped three BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards with  her debut solo album Faultlines. 

Her Feather & Ether Tour is a rare chance to enjoy her in intimate, conversational solo performance. Expect a clutch of new songs and wonder tales and an night of curiosity and compassion from Polwart, songwriter, theatre-maker, broadcaster and storyteller, whose work evokes a richness of place, hidden histories, scientific enquiry and folklore. Box office: 01759 301547 or pocklingtonartscentre.co.uk.

Learlike: King Lear re-told from the distaff side in the UK premiere at the York International Shakespeare Festival

Festival of the week: York International Shakespeare Festival presents Greensleeved in Learlike, York St John University Creative Centre Auditorium, May 3, 2pm

GREENSLEEVED, a female-led pan-European ensemble, premiere their show Learlike in York, presenting Shakespeare’s tragedy of King Lear but this time told by his daughters. These tyrant-children are newly in power but old in their ability for manipulation and deceit. Or are they? Even in the most corrupt homes the roots of resistance grow deep.

Greensleeved comprises performers who met at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland: Amber Frances (Belgium), Ariela Nazar-Rosen (Poland/USA), Lucy Doig (Scotland), Julia Vredenberg (Norway) and Cecilia Thoden van Velzen (Netherlands). For the full programme to May 4 and tickets, head to: yorkshakes.co.uk.

Rob Auton: Any eyeful tower of ocular comedy at Leeds City Varieties Music Hall

The eyes have it:  Rob Auton: The Eyes Open And Shut Show, Leeds City Varieties Music Hall, May 3, 7.30pm

“THE Eyes Open And Shut Show is a show about eyes when they are open and eyes when they are shut,” says surrealist York/Barmby Moor comedian, writer, artist, podcaster and actor Rob Auton. “With this show I wanted to explore what I could do to myself and others with language when eyes are open and shut…thinking about what makes me open my eyes and what makes me shut them.” Box office: 0113 243 0808 or leedsheritagetheatres.com.

Scouting For Girls: Heading for York and Leeds in 2026

Gig announcement of the week: Scouting For Girls, York Barbican, March 17 and Leeds O2 Academy, March 24 2026

LONDON trio Scouting For Girls will accompany the 2026 release of a new studio album with a 22-date tour that takes in York Barbican and Leeds O2 Academy next March. Fans who pre-order the Wolfcub Edition at scoutingforgirls.os.fan will receive access to a ticket pre-sale that opens at 10am on April 30. General sales follow from 10am on May 2 at yorkbarbican.co.uk and academymusicgroup.com.

Roy Stride, vocals, piano and guitar, Greg Churchouse, bass guitar, and James Rowlands, drums, last payed York Barbican in October 2021. Next year’s shows will mark the 15th anniversary of their Everybody Wants To Be On TV album too.

In Focus: NE Theatre York in The Sound Of Music, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, April 29 to May 3, 7.30pm plus 2.30pm Saturday

NE Theatre York’s cast for The Sound Of Music at the JoRo

TWO Marias, two Captain Von Trapps, three groups of Von Trapp children and multiple members of Strensall Women’s Institute, plus a dog, add up to NE Theatre York’s production of The Sound Of Music.

In its centenary year, Strensall Women’s Institute has accepted creative director Steve Tearle’s invitation to play the abbey nuns – and sing several big numbers – in the heartwarming Rodgers and Hammerstein musical.

The show brings back special memories for Tearle, who played Kurt Von Trapp at the age of 11 in a professional tour in his first stage role.

NE Theatre York creative director Steve Tearle with his dog Millie Bell

“I’ve always loved this show, and remembering my experience of it always fills me with
joy. Fast forward to 2025 and I get to produce this famous musical and play my personal
favourite part in the show, Max Detweiler,” says Steve, whose dog, Millie Bell, will make an appearance in the canine role of Max’s dog.

Tearle’s cast features newcomers aplenty to the stage. “NE Theatre prides itself on giving
people of all ages the confidence to perform on stage, and this is the perfect
opportunity with more than 20 people who have never performed before,” he says.

NE Theatre York in rehearsal for The Sound Of Music

“We’re producing the show with all the elements that everyone loves but keeping with the
West End trend of scaled-back sets and using lighting effects to highlight the action. The
focus, as always, will be on the talent of the actors on stage and giving everyone a moment
to shine.”

Maia Beatrice and Rebecca Jackson will alternate the role of Maria while Matthew Clarke and Chris Hagyard will do likewise as Captain Von Trapp. NE Theatre stalwart Perri Anne Barley will play Mother Abbess; Ali Butler and Aileen Hall will take turns as Baroness Elsa. Tearle is joined in the production team by musical director Joe Allan.

NE Theatre’s production coincides with a brace of landmarks: the 60th anniversary of Robert Wise’s film starring Julie Andrews as the singing nun and the 90th anniversary of the Joseph Rowntree Theatre.

Rebecca Jackson in the role of Maria in Steve Tearle’s production of The Sound Of Music for NE Theatre York

Quick refresher course: The Sound Of Music is based on the real-life story of the Von Trapp family of singers, one of the world’s best known concert groups in the era immediately preceding the Second World War.

When Maria, a tomboyish postulant at an Austrian abbey, becomes governess to a widowed naval captain’s seven children, she brings a new love of life and music into the home. Among the much-loved songs are My Favourite Things, Climb Every Mountain, Do Re Mi, Sixteen Going On Seventeen, Edelweiss and The Sound of Music.

A number of tickets are being given to charities. Hurry, hurry to secure a seat as April 29, May 1 and May 2 are down to “last few tickets”, availability is limited for April 30 and both May 3 performances have sold out. Box office: 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.

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REVIEW: Martin Dreyer’s verdict on Leeds Song, Roderick Williams & Andrew West, Howard Assembly Room, Leeds, April 6

Baritone Roderick Williams

BRITAIN’S  favourite baritone, the ubiquitous Roderick Williams, brought a typically eclectic programme to the Leeds Song festival under the banner “A touch of the exotic”, with Andrew West as his deft collaborator at the piano.

It involved ten composers from Schubert to Sally Beamish, four of them female. It was right to begin with Schubert: he has always been the yardstick against whom song composers measure themselves. His setting of Goethe’s Kennst du das Land? distils the Romantic poets’ infatuation with Eastern climes. Sure enough, Williams’s quickened pulse at ‘Dahin!’ (it’s there!) captured that excitement.

Even more exotic, as more Debussyan, was Denis Browne’s last song, Walter de la Mare’s Arabia (1914), with its delicate piano and opiate aura, a timely reminder of a great talent snuffed out by war.

Arthur Bliss’s pithy Siege and Rebecca Clarke’s elegy A Dream were but preludes to Amy Woodforde-Finden’s much-loved Kashmiri song, where our duo conjured nostalgia without undue sentimentality.

Duparc’s only two settings of Baudelaire, arguably his best songs, were finely drawn. The shimmering impressionism of L’invitation au Voyage was balanced by his last mélodie, the sonnet La Vie Antérieure, which boiled up into a sensuous climax reflecting the flashing foam. The gradual return of the painful secret in the poetry was complemented by West’s beautifully poised postlude.

Sally Beamish’s Four Songs from Hafez were a commission from Leeds Lieder in 2007; it was good to hear them again. They centre on three birds and a fish as translated from 14th century Persian by Jill Peacock.

Much of the composer’s illustrative talent is found in the piano, birdsong of course but also watery undercurrents of excitement in ‘Fish’ where Williams accentuated Hafez’s “wine of creation”. ‘Hoopoe’, a love letter, had some delicate touches here.

Hafez’s wine also featured in Wolf’s Erschaffen und Beleben (Creation and Animation), as answer to a clodhopper’s problems. Williams was well attuned to Goethe’s sense of humour both here and in Wolf’s First Coptic Song.

The Jamaican-born composer Eleanor Alberga’s star has been rising rapidly in recent years. Her early years as a pianist and involvement with dance are both assimilated into The Soul’s Expression (2017), four settings of 19th century female poets. Described as a piano sonata with linking songs, it is through-composed (running without a break).

The songs are wonderfully evocative of nature, with piano interludes that take the place of strings in the original version. After an ecstatic glimpse of heaven in a cornfield, there are two calmer sections involving a gentle breeze at sunset and a shower of rose petals, before the title song, to an Elizabeth Barrett Browning sonnet, delves into more spiritual territory, with the baritone briefly using falsetto against whispering keyboard. It was a touching experience.

More light-hearted, although no less powerful, were Harry Burleigh’s Five songs of Laurence Hope –the pseudonym of Adela Florence Nicolson – which are much influenced by negro spirituals. They include ‘Kashmiri Song’, but using all three of its verses (unlike Woodforde-Finden’s version) and tellingly repeat its ‘Where are you now?’ at the close. There was a glorious climax to ‘Worth while’ and especially strong emotion in the final song, ‘Till I Wake’. Williams and West are a superb duo.

Review by Martin Dreyer

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What’s On in Ryedale, York and beyond. Hutch’s List No. 17, from Gazette & Herald

Gary Oldman in reflective mood in the dressing room as he returns to York Theatre Royal to perform Samuel Beckett’s Krapp’s Last Tape, now into its week of press shows. Picture: Gisele Schmidt

YORK International Shakespeare Festival’s tenth anniversary programme is among Charles Hutchinson’s recommendations as April blossoms.

York theatre event of the year: Gary Oldman in Krapp’s Last Tape, York Theatre Royal, until May 17

OSCAR winner Gary Oldman returns to York Theatre Royal, where he made his professional debut in 1979,  to perform Samuel Beckett’s melancholic, tragicomic slice of theatre of the absurd Krapp’s Last Tape in his first stage appearance since 1987.

“York, for me, is the completion of a cycle,” says the Slow Horses leading man. “It is the place ‘where it all began’. York, in a very real sense, for me, is coming home. The combination of York and Krapp’s Last Tape is all the more poignant because it is ‘a play about a man returning to his past of 30 years earlier’.” Tickets update: check availability of returns and additional seats on 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.

Katy Stephens’ White Witch and Aslan the lion in The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe, on tour at the Grand Opera House, York. Picture: Ellie Kurttz

Touring show of the week: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe, Grand Opera House, York, until Saturday, 7pm plus 2pm Thursday and Saturday matinees

STEP through the wardrobe into the kingdom of Narnia for the most mystical of adventures in a faraway land. Join Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter as they wave goodbye to wartime Britain and say hello to Mr Tumnus, the talking Faun (Alfie Richards), Aslan, the Lion (Stanton Wright), and the coldest, cruellest White Witch (Katy Stephens). 

Directed by Michael Fentiman, this breathtaking stage adaptation brings magical storytelling, bewitching stagecraft and stellar puppets to CS Lewis’s allegorical novel. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.

Philipp Sommer: Delivering his riposte to Shakespeare’s hatchet job on Richard III in Re-Lording Richard 3.0

Festival of the week: York International Shakespeare Festival, until May 4

YORK International Shakespeare Festival is marking its tenth anniversary with a programme incorporating artists from the Netherlands for the first time; Croatia for Marin Drzic Day; Ukrainian artists from Ivano Frankisk and Bulgaria.

Among the highlights will be Berlin actor Philipp Sommer’s riposte to Shakespeare’s hatchet job on York’s own Richard III, Re-Lording Richard 3.0 (tomorrow); Olga Annenko’s Codename Othello (Friday); York company Hoglets Theatre’s A Midsummer Night’s Mischief with Team Titania and Team Oberon (Saturday); Stillington writer/actor/director Alexander Wright’s immersive, existential Hamlet Show (April 28 to 30); Ridiculusmus’s Alas! Poor Yorick (April 29) and the Shakespeare’s Speakeasy play in a day (May 2). For the full programme and tickets, head to: yorkshakes.co.uk.

George Young’s Henry VI in York Shakespeare Project’s Henry VI Parts 1, 2 and 3. Picture: John Saunders

Condensed play of the week: York Shakespeare Project in Henry VI Parts 1, 2 and 3, “I Am Myself Alone”, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, until Saturday, 7.30pm and 2.30pm Saturday matinee

UNIVERSITY of California Santa Barbara theatre professor Irwin Appel, artistic director of Naked Shakes, directs York Shakespeare Project in his condensed, physical theatre version of Shakespeare’s Henry VI trilogy.

A bare space, a crown and a throne meet an ensemble cast in a powerful show of “actor-generated theatricality and transformation”, wherein they tell a cautionary tale of power and greed that charts how a tyrant can rise in a torn and broken society. Box office: yorkshakes.co.uk or tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.

Pip Cook, left, Josie Morley and Keeley Lane in Badapple Theatre Company’s revival of Kate Bramley’s The Thankful Village, playing York Theatre Royal Studio from today

Wartime memorial of the week: Badapple Theatre Company in The Thankful Village, York Theatre Royal Studio, today to Saturday, 7pm plus 2.30pm matinees, today and Saturday

IN a new departure for Green Hammerton touring company Badapple Theatre, writer and artistic director Kate Bramley will be playing a live score for the first time to accompany her poignant First World War comedy-drama The Thankful Village.

A story of hope, humour and humanity is seen through the eyes of three Yorkshire women from the same rural household, below and above stairs. Left behind to cope after their men-folk march off to Flanders, Pip Cook’s Edie, Keeley Lane’s Victoria and Josie Morley’s Nellie each face up to the challenges in their own way as they wait anxiously for news of their loved ones far away. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.

Matt Goss: Tipping his hat to The Hits & More at York Barbican on Friday. Picture: Paul Harris

Pop concert of the week: Matt Goss, The Hits & More, York Barbican, Friday, 8pm

MATT Goss, the Bros pop pin-up-turned-Las Vegas showman, says: “Trust me, what I’ve learnt over the years being on countless stages around the world, this will be your best night of the year.”

Now living in central London after many years of blue skies in America, Goss, 56, will be celebrating all he has achieved in his music career and beyond in a rock’n’roll show, but still with a horn section (featured previously in the Matt Goss Experience show with the MG Big Band and the Royal Philharmonic at York Barbican in April 2023). Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk. 

Comedy gig of the week: Hilarity Bites Comedy Club, Clayton Jones, Dawn Bailey and Chris Brooker, Milton, Rooms, Malton, Friday. 8pm

HEADLINER Clayton Jones,  the 2017 Last Minute Comedy Comedian of the Year winner, covers everyday topics of marriage, children, being mixed race, school life and growing up in London in his observational comedy.

Newly turned 50, affable Dawn Bailey views life as a mum through happy specs and giddy knickers (in her own words). Host Chris Brooker combines infectious energy with original material and inspired improvisation. Box office:  01653 696240 or themiltonrooms.com.

Josienne Clarke: Performing the songs of Sandy Denny with full folk-rock band at Pocklington Arts Centre

Folk gig of the week: Across The Evening Sky: Josienne Clarke Sings The Songs Of Sandy Denny, Pocklington Arts Centre, Friday, 8pm

MELANCHOLIC  singer, songwriter and interpreter of traditional song Josienne Clarke leads a full folk-rock band – guitar, piano, bass and drums – in a new show dedicated to Sandy Denny, whose songs are her “north star – a constant guiding light”.

“If I can take one young fan of mine and introduce them to Sandy, in a context that they can grab hold of,” she says. “If they like my music, they will love Sandy. And that would be the whole concept sorted. To pass it on, so that these songs can go on forever.” Box office: 01759 301547 or pocklingtonartscentre.co.uk.