Category: Festivals

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More Things To Do in York and beyond when festivals flow and love bites. Here’s Hutch’s List No. 21, from The York Press

Who’s who and what’s what at York Pride 2026 at Knavesmire

FESTIVALS full of Pride, ideas and comedy are the headline acts in Charles Hutchinson’s selection of culture in colourful bloom as May turns to June.

Putting the unity into community, love and equality: York Pride 2026, Knavesmire York, today, 11am to 7.30pm

THE 90-munite York Pride parade sets off from Parliament Street to Knavesmire at 12 noon for a full day of Pride, protest, visibility, music, cabaret, family entertainment and community celebration.

The main stage line-up features Nadine Coyle, Joe McElderry, Urban Cookie Collective, Nicki French, Michael Marouli, Roxanne Cooper, Sweet Like Sabrina, Heavenly Bodies, Jordan Smart, DJ Rory Hoy and York Stage’s cast of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie. For full festival details, go to: yorkpride.org.uk. Entry is free.

Alexander McCall Smith: Discussing his books at York Festival of Ideas on June 7 at 6.30pm in Room PZA/103 in the Piazza Building, Campus East, University of York. Picture: Alexander McCall Smith Portraits

Festival of the fortnight: York Festival of Ideas, Place & Space, today until June 12

YORK Festival of Ideas 2026 explores Place and Space in more than 200 mostly free in-person and online events designed to educate, entertain and inspire. 

Led by the University of York, the event features world-class speakers (such as Nicola Sturgeon, Clive Myrie, Dame Kelly Holmes, Alexander McCall Smith, Sally Wainwright and Sian Williams), performances, exhibitions, tours, family-friendly activities, a Michael Morpurgo celebration day and much more, with topics ranging from archaeology to art, history to health, politics to psychology, football to Manchester’s Music Soul. For the full programme, go to:  yorkfestivalofideas.com.

Kiri Pritchard-McLean: Hosting the finale to Pocklington Arts Centre one-day Comedy Festival today

Comedy event of the week: Pocklington Comedy Festival, today, from 1pm

POCKLINGTON Arts Centre’s Comedy Festival opens with Seeta Wrightson’s work-in-progress (WIP) Fringe Preview of Middling at 1pm, followed by Out Of The Box at 2pm and Brennan Reece’s WIP Fringe Preview of New Jokes at 2.45pm.

Marcel Lucont presents Les Enfants Terribles – A Game Show For Awful Children at 4pm. Then come Tom Neenan’s WIP Fringe Preview at 4.30pm; Sarah Roberts’ WIP Fringe Preview at 6.15pm and the Mixed Bill finale at 8pm, bringing together Lou Wall, Marcel Lucont, Tal Davies, Pravanya Pillay and Raj Poojara, hosted by Kiri Pritchard-McLean. Box office: 01759 301547 or pocklingtonartscentre.co.uk.

“You sit here,” says Pierre Novellie, who will be standing over there at Theatre@41, Monkgate

Novellie idea of the week: Pierre Novellie, You Sit Here, I’ll Stand There, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, today, 5pm, tickets available, and 8pm, sold out

IT’S  time for Pierre Novellie to do stand-up! It’s time for you to watch! “Why not just embrace that, for God’s sake?” he ask on his return to Theatre@41, Monkgate. “All earthly glories fade!

Novellie is co-host of the Frank Skinner, Budpod and Button Boys podcasts and has been seen and heard on World’s Most Dangerous Roads (Dave), The Mash Report (BBC2), Stand Up Central (Comedy Central), The Now Show and The News Quiz (BBC Radio 4). Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.

The ELO Experience: Celebrating 50 years of Jeff Lynne songs at York Barbican

Tribute gig of the week: The ELO Experience, York Barbican, tonight, 7.30pm

IN 2025 Jeff Lynne’s ELO performed their last live shows on the Over & Out Tour. Now tribute act The ELO Experience are mounting their own 20th anniversary tour with a set of greatest hits and album gems spanning more than 50 years of Lynne’s music.

Between 1972 and 1986, ELO achieved more combined UK and US Top 40 hits than any other band, including 10538 Overture, Evil Woman, Living Thing, The Diary Of Horace Wimp, Don’t Bring Me Down and Mr Blue Sky. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.

Molly Whitehouse and Dan Poppitt in rehearsal for Black Sheep Theatre Productions’ premiere of Love At First Bite

Premiere of the week: Black Sheep Theatre Productions in Love At First Bite, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, June 4 to 6, 7.30pm plus 2.30pm Saturday matinee

JOSH Woodgate directs Dan Poppitt and Molly Whitehouse’s seductive new work Love At First Bite, wherein dating can be hell, but what if one of them were a creature of the night?” What happens when Alan and Minnie meet at a speed-dating night? A spark flickers. Dates follow. Laughter lingers.

“Yet beneath the rhythms of a familiar rom-com, something waits in the dark,” say Poppitt and Whitehouse, who play the lovers in York company Black Sheep’s premiere. “One of them is a vampire – but the secret shifts. Each night, the actors trade fangs and the audience is left to wonder who is hunter, who is prey.” Blending sharp-fanged wit with a brush of gothic shadow, their play toys with romance, rewrites folklore and invites audiences to consider what it means to love…and to hunger! Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.

Charlotte Hanna-Williams, left, Jamie-Rose Monk, Seán Carey, Holly Sumpton and Christian Andrews in SplitLip’s Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical. Picture: Matt Crockett

Musical of the week: SplitLip in Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical, Grand Opera House, York, June 2 to 6, 7.30pm plus 2.30pm Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday matinees

THE year is 1943 and we are losing the war but, luckily, we can gamble all our futures on a stolen corpse. Singin’ In The Rain meets Strangers On A Train in SplitLip’s Operation Mincemeat, the Olivier and Tony award-winning musical take on the unbelievable true story of the twisted secret mission that won us the Second World War.

Bursting at the seams with chaos beyond invention, the question is: how did a dead body, a fake love letter and MI5 operative Ian Fleming come together to wrong-foot Hitler? Let  Christian Andrews, Holly Sumpton, Seán Carey, Charlotte Hanna-Williams and latest recruit Jamie-Rose Monk tell the tale. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.

Sofia Romano in Silver Stage’s murder mystery Club Mistero, on tour at Helmsley Arts Centre

Immersive murder mystery of the week: Silver Stage & Solent University presents Club Mistero, Helmsley Arts Centre, June 5, 7.30pm

LOSE yourself inside the dazzling but dangerous Club Mistero in 1920s’ New York City, where a flighty barman, outspoken diva, secretive showgirl, neglected wife and an owner with eyes on every corner all become suspects when someone is, seemingly, nowhere to be found. Clutch your pearls, ol’ sport, murder is afoot.

In the heart of a speakeasy, surrounded by deception and secrets, a web of betrayal, revenge and power is spun, whereupon tensions rise as the line between friend and foe is blurred, but who will survive the night? Silver Stage’s Evelyn Foy, George Mclean, Niamh Boyle, Sofia Romano and Borna Vitlov will keep you guessing to the very end. Box office: 01439 771700 or helmsleyarts.co.uk.

Navigators Art’s poster for On Location, on show at City Screen Picturehouse from June 7

Exhibition launch of the week: Navigators Art presents On Location, York Festival of Ideas, City Screen Picturehouse, York, June 7 to July 3, from 10.30am each day

ON Location, a free art exhibition of some of York’s finest visual artists, explores ideas of place and space, venturing widely beyond conventional landscapes. Open every day in the cafe and upstairs gallery from 10.30am, the show will be launched officially on June 8 from 6pm to 8.30pm in the gallery (free admission, no booking required, all welcome). 

The Gold brick road leads to York Barbican for Shalamar on their 50th anniversary tour

Gig announcement of the week: Shalamar, The Gold Tour, Celebrating 50 Years, York Barbican, July 2, 7.30pm

FORMED in Los Angeles in 1976, Shalamar became a defining force in late-1970s and 1980s’ R&B, funk and dance music with 18 UK Top 75 hits, 11 Top 40 singles, four Top Ten hits and more than 25 million records sold worldwide.

Body-popping Jeffrey Daniel and Howard Hewett, from the classic 1982 line-up, are joined by Carolyn Griffey, the female lead vocalist since 2001, to perform  A Night To Remember, Take That To The Bank, The Second Time Around, Make That Move, Dead Giveaway, There It Is,  Friends and Dancin’ In The Sheets et al. Special guest will be Gwen Dickey, The Voice of Rose Royce. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.

York Opera cast members for Die Fledermaus: back row, David Hartley, Olivia Turnbull and Stephanie Wong; front row, John Soper and Alexandra Mather. Picture: John Saunders

In Focus: York Opera in Die Fledermaus, York Theatre Royal, June 3 to 6, 7.30pm Wednesday to Friday; 4pm, Saturday

YORK Opera is marking not one but two milestones with John Soper and  Elizabeth Watson’s production of Die Fledermaus next week.

This year is the company’s 60th anniversary and the 40th anniversary of its first appearance at York Theatre Royal: hence the summer production choice of Johann Strauss II’s party opera, wherein lavish host Prince Orlofsky seeks fresh amusement at his New Year’s Eve party. What better place for disguises, deception and revenge served with chilled champagne?

On an earlier occasion, Doctor Falke had been humiliated by his old friend Herr Eisenstein, who persuaded him to dress for a party as a bat [Die Fledermaus]. After much amusement and ridicule, eventually he was abandoned to wander the streets of Vienna.

Falke plots his revenge with a cocktail of hidden secrets, mistaken identities and a splash or two of champagne that leads to a comedy of errors that soon takes flight. Will the bat be revenged?

For an opera deemed the ideal introduction for those new to the genre, the cast includes an exciting mix of singers new to the group and familiar faces, singing an opera full of memorable tunes and comic moments in English. 

Alexandra Mather and Olivia Turnbull will share the role of Rosalinda; likewise, Stephanie Wong and LaLa Marais both will play Adele, after the decision to double cast the lead roles was made in response to the high calibre of talent displayed at the auditions.

The cast also features Molly Raine (Orlofsky); India Ashberry (Ida); Hamish Brown (Eisenstein); Karl Reiff (Alfredo); Ian Thomson-Smith (Falke); Mark Simmonds (Frank); Alex Holland (Dr Blind);Helen Tomlinson (Melanie); Katie Cole (Faustine) and Lilah Payton (Felicity).

Directors Soper and Watson say: “Prince Orlofsky states ‘when you have seen one opera, you have seen them all’. This is definitely not the case with a York Opera production. Our Die Fledermaus bubbles with lively choruses, memorable music and revenge – served chilled – just like flowing champagne.”

They are joined in the production team by conductor Edward Venn. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.

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Community event of the week: York Pride 2026, Knavesmire, York, May 30, 11am to 7.30pm. Who will be performing?

York Pride: Day of Pride, protest, visibility, music, cabaret and family entertainment at Knavesmire tomorrow. Picture: Milner Creative

YORK Pride 2026 celebrates love, equality and community as thousands head to Knavesmire for a day suffused with with music, colour and unity as the LGBT+ rainbow flies proudly across York tomorrow from 11am to 7.30pm.

Free to attend, the festival promises a full day of Pride, protest, visibility, music, cabaret and family entertainment, opening  with the 90-minute Pride parade from Parliament Street at 12 noon. Bring rainbow attire, water, comfortable shoes and sun cream or umbrellas (depending on the Yorkshire weekend weather).

The Main Stage line-up features Girls Aloud’s Nadine Coyle, musical star and pop singer Joe McElderry, Urban Cookie Collective, Nicki French, RuPaul’s Drag Race UK’s Michael Marouli, Roxanne Cooper, Sweet Like Sabrina, Heavenly Bodies, Jordan Smart, DJ Rory Hoy and York Stage’s cast for Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, performing the show’s biggest numbers ahead of the Grand Opera House run from October 16 to 24.

The Main Stage will be hosted by Ash Palmisciano, Mamma Bear and St Sordid Secret, bringing Pride energy, Yorkshire warmth, crowd moments and celebration throughout the day.

The Cabaret Stage returns with a packed line-up of drag, cabaret and queer performance, hosted by Miss Kitty Lee and Crudi Dench. On the bill will be RuPaul’s Drag Race UK’s Victoria Scone, JTG featuring Janice D, Tanya Hyde and Gloria Hole, Luna Hex, Queen Queef, Polly Glamourous, Elle Vosque, Sasha Glam, King Butch, Marigold Addams as Jane McDonald, Pembo, Robynne Ryske, Reese Wetherspoon, Ferne Ando and Mark Anthony.

Crudi Dench: Hosting Cabaret Stage at York Pride tomorrow and presenting Someone Help Her! in The Basement tonight

Crudi Dench, by the way, also will be presenting her “almost finished” debut solo show, Someone Help Her!, in her “ancestral homeland” of York in The Basement at City Screen Picturehouse tonight (29/5/2026) at 8pm.

Ring, ring, who is it? Drag comedian, West End writer, delusional icon and “all-round cheeky Northern piglet” Crudi Dench, of course, who will be taping the pilot episode for her new TV show, Someone Help Her! and needs the assistance of surprise celebrity guests in the audience (you) to help those phoning in.

Chaos ensues in this long-awaited, chaotic debut hour from the star and writer of award-winning, sell-out Edinburgh Fringe shows Drag Queens vs Zombies and Drag Queens vs Vampires. Expect stand-up comedy, audience interaction and a fabulous telephone that Crudi will pick up bravely without receiving a text beforehand. Box office: https://www.outsavvy.com/event/34931/crudi-dench-someone-help-her-york.

Across the festival site, York Pride 2026 will feature three stages, a dedicated dance tent, two bars, 100 stalls and food & drink traders, charities, community groups, sponsor spaces, an expanded Family Area and the UK’s largest one-day funfair, plus the proud hosting of York Trans Pride.

Who’s who and what’s what at York Pride 2026

The Family Area will bring family-friendly entertainment, activities, performances and creative spaces for children, young people and families, making York Pride a celebration for all ages.

York Pride is free to attend, a policy only made possible by donations, sponsorship, fundraising, traders, volunteers and community support. Every donation and every purchase from the festival’s official shop helps keep Pride free and protects the future of the event.

Explore the website at https://www.yorkpride.org.uk/to find out more about the Pride Parade, accessibility, volunteering, trading, sponsorship, donating, shopping, travel information, performers and everything planned for York Pride 2026.

Follow @yorkpride for the latest announcements and updates.

DRAGGING It Out, York Pride’s Official Closing Party, will be held at Impossible York’s Wonderbar on Sunday from 5pm to 10pm, starring Janice D and Tanya Hyde and featuring fabulous entertainment, delicious food, games and giveaways. Tickets cost £20 at https://www.yorkpride.org.uk/product/dragging-it-out-york-pride-official-closing-party/.

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Sam Meredith to premiere York Fanfare at York Early Music Festival’s 50th anniversary

[hanse] Pfeyfferey: York Early Music Festival 2026 artists in residence. Picture: Vasilisa Gorbacheva

YORK Early Music Festival is to mark its 50th year in July with a spectacular new commission, the majestic York Fanfare, Flourish At 50, to be played several times during the opening weekend.

To create the fanfare, the festival joined forces with West Yorkshire composer Sam Meredith and the all-female German ensemble [hanse] Pfeyffery – it translate as [town] pipes – to create this magnificent piece of music.

Wakefield- born composer and multi-instrumentalist Meredith, who now lives in London, was a finalist in the 2023 NCEM Young Composers Award.

He was chosen from a strong line up of applicants, all alumni from the composers award, to be this year’s Commission Composer for the York Early Music Festival.

“We put out a call to all 100 of our award alumni, inviting bids from these composers,” says festival director Delma Tomlin. “[hanse] Pfeyffery then had conversations with selected composers and settled on Sam.”

Last year, Meredith completed his MA in Opera-Making and Writing at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. His work has been performed at the Barbican, London, and the annual Bauhaus Festival, London, under the tutelage of John Harle, who has commissioned him to write pieces for big band, large ensemble and most recently a duet for saxophone and piano. 

Meredith has sung and toured with the Idrisi Ensemble and was proud to appear in the choir for Alan Bennett’s 2025 film The Choral, filmed in Saltaire, West Yorkshire, directed by Nicholas Hytner.

The Yorkshire Fanfare will be performed by this year’s festival artists in residence, [hanse] Pfeyffery, a Renaissance wind band that specialises in improvised and rediscovered music from around 1500 played on shawms, cornetto, dulcian, slide trumpet and trombone.

The ensemble of Hannah Geisel, shawm, Lilli Pätzold, cornett, and Alexandra Mikheeva, slide trumpet and trombone, were finalists in the 2024 York International Young Artists Competition when they won the Cambridge Early Music Prize.

Composer Sam Meredith

The York Fanfare will open this year’s festival on Friday, July 3, played on the grass outside the Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall, University of York, at 6.20pm before the opening concert by I Fagiolini, and then be performed outside the West Door of York Minster before The Sixteen’s concert on Saturday, July 4 at 6.45pm, 7pm and 7.15pm.

The last chance to catch [hanse] Pfeyffery playing the fanfare will come on BBC Radio 3’s The Early Music Show, broadcast live from the NCEM, St Margaret’s Church, Walmgate, on Sunday, July 5 at 5pm.

[hanse] Pfeyffery also will perform Serenade for Isabella: The Casanatense Chansonnier at the York Early Music Friends Coffee Concert, a morning of music, conversation and coffee at the NCEM on July 4 from 10.30am to 11.30am.

Hosted by the Friends and open to everyone, the concert features works from the Casanatense Chansonnier, written as a wedding gift for Isabella d’Este in Ferrara in 1492, but also serving as a repertoire book for her piffari, or court wind-players.

[hanse] Pfeyffery will perform works from the Chansonnier based on vocal originals by Dufay, Agricola and Josquin, alongside instrumentally conceived pieces from Southern Germany, reflecting the powerful cultural exchanges that occurred at the Italian courts, creating a new secular repertory that would become widely popular across Europe.

York Fanfare composer Sam Meredith says: “In this piece, I wanted to emulate the rousing and awe-inducing nature of a traditional fanfare, while also creating a sense of playfulness, joy and celebration, more in the spirit of folk and dance music.

“The often syncopated landscape that emerged, first during the compositional process and then through working with [hanse] Pfeyfferey, is hopefully an exciting and an energetic tribute to the National Centre for Early Music, who commissioned this fanfare to introduce the 50th Early Music Festival in York.”

Dr Christopher Fox, who has been involved in selecting and mentoring the young composers for the NCEM Award since 2011, says: “Every year I am amazed at the imagination and skill of the composers who create music for the award scheme. The workshop day, at which eight young composers develop their work with a professional ensemble, is always very exciting.

“It’s also been a delight to see so many of the NCEM composers, such as Sam Meredith, go on to make a name for themselves. The NCEM alumni are a fantastic bank of compositional talent.”

For the full festival programme and tickets, visit ncem.co.uk/whats-on/yemf.

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More Things To Do in and around York when wizards wander and Romans rise. Here’s Hutch’s List No. 20, from The York Press

The Wizard of York (Dan Wood): Presenting the second WizardFest in York city centre. Picture: The Story Of You

FROM WizardFest to the Wizard of Prog, Roman festivities to musical & poetic nature lovers, Charles Hutchinson picks his hot spots for the Bank Holiday weekend and beyond.

Magical event of the week: WizardFest, York, today until Monday

WIZARDFEST, York’s official Festival of Wizardry, waves its magic wand over the Spring Bank Holiday weekend as The Wizard of York conjures up spellbinding events, tours, trails, workshops, shows and fantastical food and drink.

Wizardry fans can book for the Wizard Walk of York, Brick Magic LEGO workshop, Wizard Family Rave, Giant Bubble Show or Wicked at City Screen Picturehouse.  Expect owl appearances, dragons and the new Wizard Activity Zone on Parliament Street with wand making, face painting and more. Dress to impress for the free fancy dress parade from St Helen’s Square on Monday at 3p.m A digital map and full list of events with booking links can be found at wizardwalkofyork.com/wizardfest.

The Roman Camp in York Museum Gardens, part of the Eboracum Roman Festival in York. Picture: Gareth Buddo

Festival highlight of the week: Living History, Crafts and Combat, Eboracum Roman Festival, York, today and tomorrow

THIS weekend showcases the best of Eboracum with live performances, creative storytelling and historical demonstrations alongside fun family activities, insightful talks and opportunities to dive into archaeology in York.

At the Living History Camp in York Museum Gardens, discover how the Romans lived by talking to the legions in their camp and watch demonstrations of weaving, carpentry, pottery and blacksmithing. Check out military demonstrations and formations with Ermine Street Guard or join York Museum Trust’s Garden Team for a guided tour of the Edible Garden today. Look out too for artillery demonstrations and the Kids Barbaric Battle. For full festival details, visit: yorkshiremuseum.org.uk/eboracum-roman-festival-2026.

Live baking on stage: Ellen Carnazza’s TV cook in crisis Petronella Parfait in Badapple Theatre Company’s Crumbs. Picture: Karl Andre

Bake-off of the week: Badapple Theatre Company in Crumbs, York Theatre Royal Studio, today, 2pm and 7.45pm

DISGRACED TV baking celebrity Petronella Parfait is out of a job and out of her depth, trying to reinvent herself in the cut-throat world of social influencers. Can she keep the lights on – and the oven – as her live comeback show descends into devilishly delicious disaster? 

Expect big laughs, bold flavours, live bread making and a tasty treat for the audience at the end of Kate Bramley’s play as Green Hammerton’s Badapple Theatre returns to the Theatre Royal Studio, where solo performer Ellen Carnazza plays multiple roles. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.

The Upbeat Beatles: Celebrating the Fab Four from the Cavern to Abbey Road at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre

Tribute gig of the week: Joseph Wilson Productions presents The Upbeat Beatles, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, tomorrow, 7.30pm

THE Upbeat Beatles travel the Fab Four’s long and winding road from the early Cavern days through Beatlemania and Shea Stadium, New York City, to Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and  Abbey Road, with narrative and full multi-media presentation. Box office: 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.

Nobody puts Baby’s poster in the corner: Dirty Dancing In Concert at York Barbican

Film event of the week: Dirty Dancing In Concert, York Barbican, May 28, 7.30pm

RELIVE the film that stole the hearts of generations with this live-to-screen concert event featuring Emile Ardolino’s 1987 American romantic drama projected in full, accompanied by a live band and singers performing every song from the soundtrack. 

Feel the romance, rhythm and emotion as the love story of Baby and Johnny (Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze) comes to life on a full-size cinema screen. A dance-along encore party follows the final scene. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk

John McCusker: Leading his trio at the NCEM on Friday

Recommended but sold out already: John McCusker Trio, York Festival of Ideas, National Centre for Early Music, York, May 29, 7.30pm

SCOTTISH violinist John McCusker is joined by virtuoso multi-instrumentalist and singer Sam Kelly and flute, whistle and guitar player Toby Shaer in his trio to perform a thrilling combination of instrumental dexterity, heartfelt songs and live energy. Their fusion of original compositions, traditional melodies and contemporary folk bursts with innovation, joy and soul. Box office for returns only: 01904 658338 or ncem.co.uk.

The Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox poster for the The Future Is Vintage tour, visiting York Barbican on Friday

Retro gig of the week: Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox, The Future Is Vintage Tour 2026, York Barbican, May 29, doors 7pm

SCOTT Bradlee’s troupe of singers, dancers and instrumentalists perform a new show in signature time-twisting style, putting a retro spin on everything from Seventies’ rock classics and Britpop hits to the latest chart toppers and movie and video game soundtracks. 

“We’re humbly presenting our own unique vision of a spectacular future; one that is built upon the timeless musical genres of the past and the authentically human spirit of creativity that inspired them,” says founder and arranger Bradlee, who invites you to dress in your vintage best for the full time-travel experience. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.

Ben Moor on his ‘Three Thing Day’. Picture: Andy Lane, Barbican, London, January 11 2025

Oddball storytelling of the week: Ben Moor, A Three Thing Day, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, January 29, 7.30pm

A STORYTELLER for 30 years and counting, Ben Moor has a show opening later, but first he has a family meeting, and before that there’s a funeral. A single day can encompass the past, present and future; friends, family and strangers; the ridiculous, the moving and the inspirational. Like life.

Surreal and ‘melancomic’, Moor’s2025 Edinburgh Fringe hit is crammed with one-liners and observations, alongside beautiful and poetic digressions. Under discussion will be good gullibility, dolphin infestations, snacks and unreliable phones. Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.

Mike Amber: Performing Joni Mitchell’s Woodstock songs with Lola-Mae at The Basement next Saturday

Nature lovers of the week: Navigators Art presents Back To The Garden, York Festival of Ideas, The Basement, City Screen Picturehouse, York, May 30, 7.30pm, doors 7pm

NAVIGATORS Art has invited York performers to celebrate and explore the York Festival of Ideas theme of Place and Space with a focus on the peaceful, wild, mythical, inspirational green worlds of gardens.

Original words and music features alongside well-loved works by familiar names in the company of storyteller Lara McClure; Mike Amber & Lola-Mae, taking on Joni Mitchell’s Woodstock; poet and novelist Janet Dean; performance poet Carrieanne Vivianette and alt folk band Sofa Sofa, whose songs are rooted in nature and people, woods, weather, long walks, short thoughts, longing and love. Box office: ticketsource.com/navigators-art-performance or on the door.

Rick Wakeman: Performing with English Rock Ensemble in The Wizard of Prog show at York Barbican next March

Gig announcement of the week: Rick Wakeman, The Wizard of Prog, Ultimate Highlights Concert Tour with English Rock Ensemble, York Barbican, March 11 2027

KEYBOARD player extraordinaire Rick Wakeman, who turned 77 on May 18, will be reuniting with the English Rock Ensemble to focus on a broad sweep across Wakeman’s classic back catalogue, including extracts from epic concept albums Journey To The Centre Of The Earth and The Myths & Legends Of King Arthur & The Knights Of The Round Table, Yes material and surprises.

The band line-up reunites from 2025’s Return Of The Caped Crusader Part 2 tour: Wakeman, Jesse Smith (lead vocals), Adam Wakeman (keyboard, guitars and vocals), Dave Colquhoun (guitars and vocals), Lee Pomeroy (bass and vocals), Adam Falkner (drums) and backing vocalists Sara Davey, Jo Goldsmith-Eteson and Jo Marshall. Tickets go on sale on May 29 at 10am at yorkbarbican.co.uk/whats-on/rick-27.

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REVIEW: Steve Crowther’s verdict on York Chamber Music Festival Launch Concert, Tim Lowe and Stephen Gutman, National Centre for Early Music, York, May 15

York Chamber Music Festival director and cellist Tim Lowe

THE recital was billed as the Festival Launch Concert – Gems of the Romantic Cello, but as the York Chamber Music Festival itself does not begin until September, I’m not entirely sure the description quite worked.

In truth, it felt more like a “taster” concert: a glimpse of what audiences might expect from this well-established and prestigious event later in the year.

That idea of a “taster” could — just — be applied to the opening work in the programme, Beethoven’s 12 Variations on “See The Conqu’ring Hero Comes”, WoO 45, for cello and piano, written when Beethoven was only 26 years old.

To be sure, he had already published significant works around this period — the Piano Trios, Op.1, the Piano Sonatas, Op.2, and his first two piano concertos — but it was as a virtuoso pianist that he initially established himself in Vienna. That background is reflected in the unusually substantial piano part.

The theme itself is based on the famous chorus from Handel’s Judas Maccabaeus, a composer Beethoven greatly admired. I really enjoyed the way the performers projected the reshaping of this famous ceremonial tune through the work’s changing moods and textures.

At first, the short movements came across as decorative, but from Variation 3 onwards the interplay became far more engaging. Here, cellist Tim Lowe’s agile playing danced around the melody while pianist Stephen Gutman’s accompaniment shimmered in the background.

The expressive cello line in Variation 5 felt almost operatic, while the witty exchanges and unexpected accentuation of Variation 7 were great fun. Even more thrilling were the technical fireworks of Variation 11. Indeed, it was the sheer exuberance of the performance that proved so enjoyable.

If describing the Beethoven as a “taster” work might be a slight stretch, it certainly applies to Richard Strauss’s Cello Sonata in F major, Op.6. Strauss began writing the work at the age of only 17 — an age when most young men are taking their first tentative steps into adulthood via their local pub.

The opening Allegro con brio was full of energy and passion. The roles of both players are very much equal, and Lowe and Gutman clearly relished the challenges. What struck me most was the orchestral nature of the writing: thick textures and an expansive Romantic atmosphere, especially in the development section.

Like the opening movement, the closing Finale: Allegro vivo featured exhilarating quickfire exchanges and extended virtuoso passages, particularly for the cello. The exhilarating dash to the finish line was genuinely thrilling.

Pianist Stephen Gutman

Yet it was the warm intimacy of the central Andante ma non troppo that left the strongest impression. Here, Lowe’s melodic playing glowed, amplified and sustained by Gutman’s tender support. But the partnership was very much one of equals, and the two players complemented each other superbly.

Camille Saint-Saëns’s Cello Sonata No.1 in C minor, Op.32 (1872), is surely one of the great Romantic works for cello and piano. The performers instinctively projected the dark, turbulent character of the opening Allegro. Lowe’s playing possessed the necessary dramatic nobility, while Gutman’s piano drove the music forward with urgency and weight.

The dialogue between the performers was powerful, while the sudden bursts of lyricism and the virtuosity of the closing passages fully convinced. Much the same could be said of the closing Allegro moderato, this time propelled by an almost relentless rhythmic momentum. Echoes of Beethoven? Maybe.

Once again, however, it was the central Andante tranquillo sostenuto that made the deepest impression. The sheer elegance of the playing was genuinely delightful.

One of the most striking features of the work was the dramatic use of the cello’s lowest string — the C string. The sound Lowe produced was dark and resonant, creating an almost orchestral quality throughout the sonata, and not only in the outer movements. In the Andante, that darker quality softened into warmth — a kind of chocolate-rich intimacy that proved utterly seductive.

This is a typical characteristic of Lowe’s instrument – the cello made by Carolus Tononi in Bologna in 1716 – and it may also explain the occasional blurring of the pitch centre in the higher positions.

The programme closed with Robert Schumann’s Adagio and Allegro, Op.70, surely one of the finest short chamber works of the Romantic era. Originally written in 1849 for horn and piano, it was later rearranged — with Schumann’s blessing — by the cellist Friedrich Grützmacher for cello and piano.

I’m glad he did, because Lowe’s warm cello tone drew out and intensified the yearning quality of the Adagio. Both players shaped the movement beautifully, capturing its introspective character withreal sensitivity.

The pivotal transition to the explosive energy of the Allegro was entirely convincing. Schumann marks the music Rasch und feurig (“Fast and fiery”), and indeed it was.

Lowe’s cello playing displayed a dazzling, heroic character, filled with sweeping runs, dramatic leaps and sharp exchanges with Gutman at the piano. What really elevates the movement, however, is the brief glimpse back towards the earlier tenderness — a fleeting glance over the shoulder before the inevitable drive towards the triumphant conclusion.

I don’t usually like encores. They are almost invariably unnecessary, creating a self-indulgent buffer that obscures the impact of a concert’s true ending. But I really did like this one: Schumann’s Five Pieces in Folk Style (Fünf Stücke im Volkston), Op.102, No.2 (Langsam). A sublime melody, beautifully played, reminding me why I fell in love with Robert Schumann’s music all those years ago.

Review by Steve Crowther

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What’s On in Ryedale, York and beyond. Hutch’s List No. 20, from Gazette & Herald

The full cast in John Cleese’s Fawlty Towers The Play, on tour at the Grand Opera House, York. Picture: Hugo Glendinning

FROM the hotel shenanigans of Fawlty Towers to the uplifting Yorkshire tale of Calendar Girls, Pixies’ 40th anniversary tour to Daniel Sloss’s bitter comic bite, Charles Hutchinson locates cultural hotspots aplenty.  

Don’t mention the war: John Cleese’s Fawlty Towers: The Play, Grand Opera House, York, until Saturday, 7.30pm plus 2.30pm today, tomorrow and Saturday matinees

FIFTY years since John Cleese and Connie Booth’s chaotic hotel sitcom graced British television screens,  Monty Python alumnus Cleese has adapted three vintage Fawlty Towers episodes for a stage play.

Following a sold-out West End season, Caroline Jay Ranger directs the 18-strong tour cast featuring  Danny Byrne’s calamitous Basil Fawlty, Mia Austen’s exasperated wife Sybil, Joanne Clifton’s stoical chamber maid Polly and Paul Nicholas’s bumbling Major. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.

Pixies: Making their York debut after 40 years tonight

Recommended but sold out already: Pixies: Pixies 40, Celebrating 40 Years, York Barbican, tonight, doors 7pm

PIXIES are playing York for the first time in their 40-year career, opening the 13-date British and European leg of the Pixies 40 tour at the Barbican, the only Yorkshire show. Celebrating four decades since their formation in Boston, Massachusetts, the American alt.rock band’s founding members, Black Francis, Joey Santiago and David Lovering, are joined by bassist Emma Richardson. Gans support.

Jerron Paxton: Singing the blues at NCEM tonight

The Crescent and Brudenell Presents present Jerron Paxton, National Centre for Early Music, York, tonight, 8pm

SOUTH Central Los Angeles-born singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jerron Paxton’s lived-in voice and California drawl underpin a stripped-down concoction of blues, ragtime, folk and old-time Black music styles that originated nearly a century ago, as heard on his latest album, Things Done Changed, released on Smithsonian Folkways in 2024.

“I write and sing about the culture I come from. It seems a bit neglected,” says New York-based Paxton, who plays guitar, banjo, piano and violin. As journalist Lynell George expresses in the liner notes: “It’s all there…you’ll discover context and background: the history of people and place and the come-what-may gamble of life-altering journeys.” Box office: 01904 658338 or ncem.co.uk.

Sandy Nicholson, front, left, Katie Melia and Alexa Chaplin in rehearsal for York Musical Theatre Company’s Calendar Girls The Musical

Yorkshire musical of the week: York Musical Theatre Company in Calendar Girls The Musical, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, tonight to Saturday, 7.30pm plus 2.30pm Saturday matinee

KATHRYN Addison directs York Musical Theatre Company in Cheshire childhood friends Gary Barlow and Tim Firth’s musical account of the true story of a Yorkshire group of ordinary Women’s Institute members doing something extraordinary after the death of a much-loved husband.

When they decide to make an artistic nude calendar for a cancer charity, upturning preconceptions is a dangerous business, leading to emotional and personal ramifications that no-one  could anticipate but bringing each woman unexpectedly into flower. Katie Melia’s Chris and Alexa Chaplin’s Annie lead the cast. Box office: 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.

Dan Crawfurd-Porter in the role of Melchior in Inspired By Theatre’s Spring Awakening. Picture: Dan Crawfurd-Porter

American musical of the week: Inspired By Theatre in Spring Awakening, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, tonight to Saturday, 7.30pm plus 2.30pm Saturday matinee

YORK company Inspired By Theatre marks the 20th anniversary of Spring Awakening’s  off-Broadway debut in New York City by staging Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater’s raw, explosive coming-of-age musical in the matching week.

Cutting straight to the heart of youth, desire, repression and rebellion in 1890s’ Germany, Mikhail Lim’s actor-musician production follows a group of young people navigating sex, love and identity in a society that refuses to educate or protect them, drawing on German Expressionism and folkloric imagery to boot. Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.

1812 Theatre Company’s poster for Goodnight Mister Tom at Helmsley Arts Centre

Ryedale play of the week: 1812 Theatre Company in Goodnight Mister Tom, Helmsley Arts Centre, tonight until Saturday, 7.30pm plus 2.30pm Saturday matinee

JULIE Wilson directs Helmsley Arts Centre’s resident troupe, 1812 Theatre Company, in Goodnight Mister Tom. Adapted by David Wood from Michelle Magorian’s novel, the play is set during the Second World War, when  sad, young William Beech is evacuated to the idyllic English countryside and builds a remarkable and moving friendship with the elderly recluse Tom Oakley. All seems perfect until William is devastatingly summoned by his mother back to London. Box office: 01439 771700 or  helmsleyarts.co.uk.

Crumb of discomfort: Can castigated TV baking celebrity Petronella Parfait (Ellen Carnazza) mount a comeback in Badapple Theatre’s Crumbs? Picture: Karl Andre Photography

Bake-off of the week:  Badapple Theatre Company in Crumbs, York Theatre Royal Studio, today until Saturday, 7,45pm, plus 2.30pm Thursday & Friday and 2pm Saturday matinees

FORMER TV baking celebrity Petronella Parfait is out of a job and out of her depth, trying to reinvent herself in the cut-throat world of social influencers. Can she keep the lights – and the oven – on as her live comeback show descends into delicious disaster? Expect big laughs, bold flavours, live bread making and a tasty treat for the audience at the end of Kate Bramley’s play as Green Hammerton’s Badapple Theatre Company returns to the Theatre Royal Studio. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.

Daniel Sloss: Acidic comedy at York Barbican tomorrow

Snappiest show title of the week gig of the week: Daniel Sloss, Bitter, York Barbican, tomorrow, 8pm

ACERBIC Scottish wit Daniel Sloss likes to keep his titles brief. After Jigsaw, Dark, X, Socio, Hubris, Now and Can’t, Sloss is Bitter in his 13th  tour show, visiting York this weekend after playing 55 countries so far.

He has performed stand-up for more than half of his lifetime, sold out nine New York theatre seasons off-Broadway, appeared on the Conan show ten times on American television, broken Edinburgh Fringe box-office records and published his book Everyone You Hate Is Going To Die (Knopf/Penguin Random House) in 2021. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.

The Wizard of York welcoming one and all to the magical WizardFest in York. Picture: The Story Of You

Magical event of the week: WizardFest, York, May 23 to 25

WIZARDFEST, York’s official Festival of Wizardry, waves its magic wand over the Spring Bank Holiday weekend as The Wizard of York conjures up spellbinding events, tours, trails, workshops, shows and fantastical food and drink.

Wizardry fans can book for the Wizard Walk of York, Brick Magic LEGO workshop, Wizard Family Rave, Giant Bubble Show or Wicked at City Screen Picturehouse.  Expect owl appearances, dragons and the new Wizard Activity Zone on Parliament Street with wand making, face painting and more. Dress to impress for the free fancy dress parade from St Helen’s Square on Monday at 3pm. A digital map and full list of events with booking links can be found at wizardwalkofyork.com/wizardfest.

The Lightning Threads: Playing Ryedale Blues Club at Milton Rooms, Malton

Blues gig of the week: Ryedale Blues Club presents The Lightning Threads, Milton Rooms, Malton, May 28, 8pm

FORMED in 2019, The Lightning Threads are an energetic electronic blues-rock power trio from Sheffield, influenced by The Black Keys, Gary Clark Jr, Cream and The Doors. They feature face-melting guitars, groove-ridden basslines and a multi-instrumentalist drummer simultaneously playing keys. Box office: 01653 696240 or themiltonrooms.com.

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WizardFest brings magic to Spring Bank Holiday weekend as The Wizard of York waves wand over York for three-day spell

The Wizard of York: Conjuring spellbinding events, tours, trails, workshops, shows and fantastical food and drink at WizardFest from May 23 to 25. Picture: The Story Of You

WIZARDFEST, York’s official Festival of Wizardry waves its magic wand over the Spring Bank Holiday weekend as The Wizard of York conjures up spellbinding events, tours, trails, workshops, shows and fantastical food and drink.

Little Vikings are co-hosting, with Make it York supporting the May 23 to 25 event, which coincides with half-term week too.

Festival maps can be collected from the Visit York Visitor Information Centre, in Parliament Street, and from sponsors Loopy Scoops, The Cat Gallery, Baby Boy’s Burgers at SPARK: York and Party Octopus on Parliament Street. A digital map and full list of events with booking links can be found at www.wizardwalkofyork.com/wizardfest.

What a hoot: The Flying Squadron’s owl on broom at WizardFest

Dan Wood, owner of The Wizard Walk of York, says, “WizardFest is back even bigger and better for its second year. There’s a real buzz around the festival with so much going on: magic is what we do, and we’re bringing even more to York this Bank Holiday.”

What lies in store? Wizardry fans can book the award-winning Wizard Walk of York, Brick Magic LEGO workshop, Wizard Family Rave, Giant Bubble Show or Wicked at City Screen Picturehouse.

Expect owl appearances, dragons and the new Wizard Activity Zone on Parliament Street with wand making, face painting and more. Break the Curse at the Puzzling World of Professor Kettlestring, in Merchantgate,  or explore the How To Train Your Dragon School Exhibition at DIG, St Saviourgate.

Wizard Activity Zone: One of the highlights of WizardFest on Parliament Street

Hungry wizards can try a Wizard Ice-Cream at Loopy Scoops, Church Street, The Beastly Burger at SPARK:York, Piccadilly, or Phoenix Fries from The Taylor Made Kitchen, Shambles Market. Look out too for handmade marshmallows with chocolate fondue and smoking bubbles from Florian Poirot – plus his new Magic Macaron – in Shambles.

Visitors are encouraged to dress to impress for the free fancy dress parade from St Helen’s Square on Monday (25/5/2026) at 3pm, looking to match last year’s turnout when hundreds of eager families participated. Prizes are on offer for the best dressed.  too,

Hosted by Make It York, the Magical Night Market returns on Monday evening in Shambles Market, with whimsical characters to meet and greet. More than 30 stalls will be offering themed crafts and street food from 7.30pm to 10pm.

The WizardFest fancy dress parade

Dan concludes: “With a packed map featuring York’s most magical businesses, we can’t wait to welcome so many families to our enchanting city. Bring on the magic!”

Plan your visit at www.wizardwalkofyork.com/wizardfest. Early booking is recommended on all paid activities. Some have sold out already; tickets for others are expected to…vanish!

Follow www.facebook.com/wizardwalkofyork and www.instagram.com/wizardwalkofyork for live updates during the event and prizes to be won from York businesses.

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Kelly Munro-Fawcett takes up venue director’s post at Pocklington Arts Centre

Kelly Munro-Fawcett: Taking up the venue director’s post at Pocklington Arts Centre

KELLY Munro-Fawcett is settling in as Pocklington Arts Centre’s venue director, marking an exciting new chapter for the East Yorkshire cultural hub.

Taking over from Angela Stone, who held the post from October 2022 to January 2026 before returning to her native Scotland, Kelly brings a wealth of experience across performance, producing and creative health.

Beginning her career as an actress, playing such Shakespearean roles as Juliet in Romeo & Juliet and Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, she then founded RedBobble Arts, a socially engaged theatre company known for mounting touring productions and delivering impactful work in communities.

Latterly, she held the role of senior project manager at Hoot Creative Arts, a creative health organisation based at Bates Mill, Huddersfield.

Stepping into the leadership of Pocklington Arts Centre (PAC), Kelly vows to build on the  strong foundations and deep community roots established when the former Ritz Cinema and Penny Arcadia Museum opened as a 200-seat multi-purpose arts and entertainment venue in 2000.

“I’m absolutely delighted to be joining Pocklington Arts Centre,” says Kelly, 42, who lives in Leeds. “Live performance has always been very close to my heart, and this venue is something truly special. It’s not only known for the quality of its artistic programme, but also for the role it plays at the centre of the community.”

PAC combines live music, comedy, theatre and exhibitions with a community programme of creative activities designed to support health and wellbeing.

“What really drew me to this role is the unique balance Pocklington Arts Centre holds,” says Kelly. “It is both a destination for world-class performance and a welcoming civic space shaped by its community. That legacy, developed for over 20 years by Janet Farmer and then Angela Stone, is something I have deep respect for and I’m committed to carrying forward.”

Kelly, who took up her post last month, will be working with a team of dedicated staff and more than 50 volunteers as Pocklington Arts Centre continues to play a vital role in the market town’s cultural and social life.

Looking ahead, her focus will be on sustaining PAC’s high-quality programme while ensuring the venue’s long-term resilience and relevance.

“My priority is to maintain the quality of the programme audiences know and love, while also strengthening the organisation for the future,” she says. “That includes growing audiences, particularly as more families make Pocklington their home, and continuing to expand opportunities for people to engage creatively.

“There’s a real sense of care and commitment here, and I’m looking forward to working with the team, volunteers and the wider community to shape what comes next.”

“My style of working is collaborative,” says Kelly Munro-Fawcett. Picture: Rachael Munro-Fawcett

Kelly is beginning a period of engagement with staff, volunteers and stakeholders as she develops plans for PAC’s future.

Welcoming her to Pocklington, town council deputy clerk Claire Findlay, says: “Having spent time with Kelly, I am confident that she and the wider team will build on past successes and steer our amazing arts centre into a bright and secure future.”

Kelly, who was appointed by the town council after undergoing three interviews, says: “My style of working is collaborative. It’s about partnerships, and the more minds you have on a project, the better the outcome.

“What I’ve been doing in five weeks in post is building up my ideas of what might be needed, and for the direction of travel, but I can’t begin to do that until I’ve met the local community: audience members; participants in the community; Friends of Pocklington Arts Centre, which has 500 members; Pocklington Town Council and those behind Pocklington’s bid to be the first UK Town of Culture in 2028.

“I’m also reaching out to people who’ve come to PAC in the past. It’s about respecting what worked previously, what do they want see more of, because ultimately we’re a creative community hub as well as being an award-winning live venue.”

Discussions have taken place already with the Godber family over staging a fourth Christmas show written by John’s daughter Elizabeth and directed by Jane Thornton, and now formal approval is awaited from PAC’s principal funding body, Pocklington Town Council.

Originally from Birmingham and raised in Nottingham, Kelly moved north to study at Arden School of Theatre, Manchester, graduating with first class honours. “I originally wanted to go to Manchester Metropolitan University – like Julie Walters – but Arden turned out to be great because they trained you not only as an actor but also to have a social conscience, because they taught you that art reflects the country you live in,” she says.

“They also taught us how to make our own theatre, which was an incredible opportunity – and the three founding members of RedBobble all came from Arden when we formed the company in 2011 to focus on live performance, community engagement and neuro-diverse empowerment.”

Kelly draws on her ADHD [Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder] in her working practice. “It gives you the ability to see the bigger picture, like spotting patterns and trends, to bring together people or concepts or a multi-disciplinary arts team,” she says.

“It also helps to make me creative; it gives you empathy, with the ability to put yourself in other people’s shoes and to be super-focused. If I’m passionate about something, I won’t stop; I’ll forget to have lunch.

“Having ADHD makes me really keen to support people to achieve their full potential, and that’s why I’m so passionate about the live shows and community programme at PAC.”

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What’s On in Ryedale, York & beyond. Hutch’s List No. 19, from Gazette & Herald

Cone, by Alison Jagger, on show at WET Bar & Plates, York

FROM street photography to Jack The Ripper investigations, German comedy about the English weather to Canadian naughtiness, Charles Hutchinson highlights all manner of cultural delights ahead.

Photographic show of the week: Alison Jagger, After The Crowds, WET Bar & Plates, Micklegate, York, until June 3

AS a lone traveller and self-confessed free spirit, York street photographer Alison Jagger draws inspiration from the urban landscape, whose vitality she loves to capture with her mobile phone camera.

“There is nothing better than waking up in an unfamiliar city and recording its character, colour and vibrancy through my curious lens,” says Jagger. After The Crowds is the second in RARE Collective’s programme of solo exhibition at James Wall and Ella Williams’ indie wine bar and restaurant in aid of SASH (Safe and Sound Homes), the York youth homelessness charity.

Pink Moors, oil on canvas, by Louise Davies

Exhibition of the week: Louise Davies and Glassmakers, Journey In Colour, Pyramid Gallery, Stonegate, York, until July 4

PAINTINGS and etchings by South East London artist and printmaker Louise Davies are complemented by glass by Allister Malcolm, Madeleine Hughes, Margaret Burke, Charlie Burke and Amelia Burke.

Davies, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers, combines fluid lines and rich colour in vibrant landscape prints and oil paintings. Gallery owner Terry Brett drove to Stourbridge to pick up glass works by Malcolm and his workshop assistant, Hughes. Margaret Burke, son Charlie and his wife, hot glass specialist Amelia, run the hand-blown glass studio E&M Glass at The Old Bakery, Sarn Bridge, Malpas, Cheshire.

Martha Godber’s Jesse North in her new play Jesse North Is Broken. Picture: Ian Hodgson

Solo show of the week: John Godber Company presents Martha Godber in Jesse North Is Broken, York Theatre Royal Studio, tonight, 7.45pm; tomorrow, 2.30pm & 7.45pm

JESSE North, 25, from Hull, is a carer on minimum wage, keeping the elderly alive while trying to live her own messy, chaotic life. Told over one night, writer-performer Martha Godber’s play follows Jesse from care shift to the dance floor, from the late-night kebab to an early-morning call-out as she battles the system that undervalues her and the city that shapes her, all while her ADHD-fuelled thoughts and anxious mind crave order in the chaos.

“Both political and personal, the show shines a light on working-class survival in Britain today – where carers are underpaid, the care system is crumbling and young women are left to piece themselves together in a society that keeps breaking them,” says Martha, whose solo play is directed by Millie Gaston. A post-show discussion follows tonight’s performance. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.

The poster for James Morrison’s 20 Years Of Undiscovered Tour, bound for York Barbican

Anniversary of the week: James Morrison, 20 Years Of Undiscovered, York Barbican, tonight, doors 7pm

UNDISCOVERED was the number one debut album that changed everything for Rugby soul singer-songwriter and guitarist James Morrison (or James Morrison Catchpole to give him his full name). Back then, he was fitting carpets by day, playing open mics by night and driving up and down to London at any spare moment, taking meeting after meeting with multiple record companies.

On his 18-date May and June tour, 2007 British Male Solo Artist BRIT award winner Morrison is playing Undiscovered in its entirety in a set taking in big hits such as You Give Me Something and Wonderful World, fan favourites The Pieces Don’t Fit Anymore and This Boy, rarely performed gems One Last Chance and How Come and highlights from his six-album songbook, topped off by 2025’s Top Five success Fight Another Day. Cordelia supports. Tickets update: limited availability at yorkbarbican.co.uk.

Wehn and where: Henning squeezing every German joke out of the British weather at Grand Opera House, York

York comedy gig of the week: Henning Wehn, Acid Wehn, Grand Opera House, York, tomorrow, 7.30pm

GERMAN Comedy Ambassador Henning Wehn takes an unbiased look at climate change. “It’s a topic sure to delight audiences and no surprise,” he says. “After all, everyone loves talking about the weather. Rain or shine, all will be fine. Or maybe it won’t. Who knows?! Come along. Or else.” Box office: atgtickets.com/york.

The poster for Stephen Morgan’s show An Evening With Jack The Ripper

Reopening the greatest unsolved case in criminal history: Steve Morgan in An Evening With Jack The Ripper, Milton Rooms, Malton, tomorrow, 7.30pm

PRODUCER and broadcaster Steve Morgan conducts Ripper walks through London’s East End, where he retraces the steps of the notorious killer through the Whitechapel streets he stalked in 1888, when a series of women were murdered brutally between August and November.

The identity of the killer remains a mystery. Was he a doctor, a sailor, a soldier or some kind of religious zealot intent on ridding the streets of vice? Now Morgan has adapted his walk talk for the stage to explore the Ripper’s motives and investigate how he escaped detection. Box office: 01653 696240 or themiltonrooms.com.

York Chamber Music Festival director and cellist Tim Lowe

Festival launch of the week: Tim Lowe (cello) & Stephen Gutman (piano), Gems Of The Romantic Cello, National Centre for Early Music, York, Friday, 7.30pm

DIRECTOR and cellist Tim Lowe previews the 2026 York Chamber Music Festival (September 11 to 13) in concert with pianist Stephen Gutman in a passionate exploration of expressive and beautiful works from the cello and piano repertoire.

Their programme will be the same as they played at St Mary le Strand, London, last Wednesday: Beethoven’s 12 Variations on See The Conquering Hero Comes from Handel’s Judas Maccabaeus; Saint-Saëns’ Cello Sonata No 1 in C Minor; Richard Strauss’s Cello Sonata in F Major and Schumann’s Adagio and Allegro. Box office: eventbrite.co.uk.

Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman: Hand in hand for folk night at Helmsley Arts Centre

Folk gig of the week: Kathryn Roberts and Seth Lakeman, Helmsley Arts Centre, Friday, 7.30pm

KATHRYN Roberts and Sean Lakeman’s creative bond spans 30 years, from being young trailblazers in 1990s’ folk supergroup Equation to twice being named Best Duo at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. Their live shows are brimful of charm, wit and musical mastery of songs of emotional depth, as captured on 2025’s Another Day At The Circus, their first live concert album. Box office: 01439 771700 or helmsleyarts.co.uk.

Tom Stade: Naughty By Nature mischief-making

Ryedale comedy gig of the week: Tom Stade, Naughty By Nature, Helmsley Arts Centre, Saturday, 8pm

CANADIAN stand-up Tom Stade is back on the road with his 2025 Edinburgh Fringe hit, wherein he playfully dishes out more of his insightful observations in a night of mischievous and uncompromising comedy. His credits include the Have A Word Pod podcast, Channel 4’s Comedy Gala, Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow, The John Bishop Show and Live At The Apollo. Box office: 01439 771700 or helmsleyarts.co.uk.

The poster for Scarborough Theatre Company’s first visit to Kirk Theatre, Pickering, with Joseph & The Technicolor Dreamcoat

Musical of the week: Scarborough Theatre Company in Joseph & The Technicolor Dreamcoat, Kirk Theatre, Pickering, May 22, 7.30pm; May 23, 2.30pm and 7.30pm; May 24, 2.30pm

DIRECTED by Alex Weatherhill, Scarborough Theatre Company will be performing in Pickering for the first time, presenting Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s debut  musical Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat with a combination of unforgettable songs, dazzling costumes and electrifying energy.

Having staged The Addams Family, Kinky Boots, White Christmas and The Wizard Of Oz on the East Coast, now Weatherhill oversees a tale of betrayal, hope and triumph in a story that continues to inspire audiences of all ages, driven by pastiches of many musical styles. Box office: 01751 474833 or kirktheatre.co.uk.

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REVIEW: 1st Zanni Theatre in A Kingdom Jack’d, York International Shakespeare Festival, Merchant Adventurers’ Hall, York, tonight, 7.30pm ***

Seat of power: Rosy Rowley’s Jack Falstaff, the fool mid-stool expunging on the throne. Picture: John Saunders

AMERICAN playwright Scott Bradley plays his Trump card by association in the York International Shakespeare Festival world premiere of A Kingdom Jack’d.

In situ for a month of rehearsals with fellow American Tempest Wisdom’s York company 1st Zanni Theatre, award-winning Iowa playwright, actor, director, producer and university lecturer Bradley asks the question: What if disgraced knight Jack Falstaff had landed on the throne in 1399, instead of serious warrior king Henry IV?

Enter birthday girl Rosy Rowley’s Falstaff – now King John II, no less – with a bibulous burp. Stupid, lecherous, selfish and still as funny as Queen Elizabeth I once found her favourite Shakespeare rogue, Bradley’s rambunctious lush must somehow fund the army, balance the budget and make foreign policy, betwixt naps, plentiful imbibing at the Boar’s Head Inn, Eastcheap, and multiple meals at any excuse.

At full throttle: Oliver James Parkins’ Henry “Hal” Holingbroke in a fight to the death with Katie Leckey’s Harry “Hotspur” Percy in A Kingdom Jack’d. Picture: John Saunders

In Bradley’s satirical spin on Shakespeare’s Henry IV Part I, Falstaff’s government is drunk, his enemies are plotting, the Welsh are rising, even his allies are scheming, and girlfriend Doll Tearsheet (the outstanding Julia Bisby), the smart London harlot, wants in on the action.

Whipped up in two brisk 45-minute halves, book-ended by Jai Rowley’s pastiche period score, A Kingdom Jack’d pumps up the satirical volume with clowning physicality under Wisdom’s direction, while sounding the alarum bells for the consequences of buffoonery in positions of power.

As Wisdom puts it: “Scott has made Falstaff not only unpredictable, but dangerous. He now has institutional power on top of his pre-existing social power, and the thrill of watching the effects of that power unfold is hilarious and sickening in equal measure.”

Ro Trimble’s Lady “Kate” Percy in discussion with Katie Leckey’s Harry “Hotspur” Percy. Picture: John Saunders

In performance, the impact is more scabrously and scatalogically humorous than sickening (unless you are squeamish about the surfeit of swordplay in the Grand Guignol finale as the bodies pile up like uncollected bin bags in Birmingham in Pearl Mollison’s no-holds-barred fight choreography).

Rowley’s Falstaff is lairy, licentious, lewd, flippant as a pancake, and Bradley, Wisdom and Rowley alike revel in the symbolism of Falstaff flagrantly conducting ablutions in full view of all and sundry. By Rowley’s side, Bisby’s nimble Doll is droll and astute with a waspish crack of the quip in her putdowns.

Julia Bisby’s Doll Tearsheet stands over Rosy Rowley’s prone Jack Falstaff. Writer Scott Bradley, second from left, seated, front row, looks on. Picture: John Saunders

In a cast of 12, Wisdom draws both high energy and rhythmic versifying from their cast of 12, all relishing the proximity of the audience to the thrust staging within the timber frames of the history-soaked hall.

Kitted out splendidly in Grae Heidi-Brookes’s hand-made costumes, Oliver James Parkins evokes Charlie Chaplin’s face, floppy hair and impishly disruptive comedy in Henry “Hal” Holingbroke; Jodie Foster is a riot as Lady Quickly and especially the intemperate Owen Glendower; Jimmy Johnson and Katie Leckey maximise the clowning in their head-banging Sir Pistol & Sir Nym double act and Ro Trimble’s impresses equally in the high camp of Edmund Mortimer and the scheming allure of Lady “Kate” Percy.

In a running joke by Bradley, Lou Dunn’s shrunken wallflower John Bolingbroke keeps being forgotten or ignored by everyone on stage, but not by the audience. Elsewhere, not everything is easy to follow in the plot, especially in Act Two, but maybe that is a nod to Shakespeare too by the ever canny, mischievous Bradley.

Box office: yorkshakes.co.uk.