Category: Music

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The frocks & shocks of The Rocky Horror Show return to Grand Opera House with Stephen Webb as Dr Frank N Furter

Stephen Webb’s Dr Frank N Furter in The Rocky Horror Show. Picture: David Freeman

STEPHEN Webb leads the cast as lascivious Dr Frank N Furter in The Rocky Horror Show’s latest return to the Grand Opera House, York, from July 20 to 25

Directed by Christopher Luscombe, Richard O’Brien’s outré musical tells the story of Brad and his fiancée Janet, two squeaky-clean American college sweethearts, who meet Dr Frank N Furter by chance when their car breaks down outside his creepy Transylvanian castle while on their way to visit their favourite professor.

Cue an adventure they will never forget, full of fun, frolics, frocks and frivolity, bursting with timeless songs and outrageous outfits as O’Brien combines science-fiction, horror, comedy and music while encouraging audience participation. Those audiences, by the way, need no encouragement to dress up in the most outrageous fancy dress.

The Narrator’s role will be played by actress, stand-up comedian, cabaret act, writer, drama lecturer, singer and television presenter Jackie Clune, who played Mrs Lamb in the BBC sitcom Motherland.

She will be joined by James Bisp as Brad; Haley Flaherty as Janet; Ryan Carter-Wilson as Riff Raff; Laura Bird as Magenta/Usherette; Daisy Steere as Columbia; Morgan Jackson as Rocky and Edward Bullingham as Eddie/Dr Scott.

Completing the cast are Phantoms Jesse Chidera, Nathan Zach Johnson, Tyla Dee Nurden and Bethany Amber Perrins, plus on-stage swing/dance captain David Peter-Brown and on-stage swing/assistant dance captain Lucy Aiston.

Producer Howard Panter says: “This new cast brings an extraordinary energy and freshness to our legendary show. The thrilling mix of talent will continue to delight audiences across the country. The Rocky Horror Show is a guaranteed party night after night – it’s fierce, fearless and not to be missed!”

Stephen Webb’s Frank N Furter in doctor’s garb, centre, with fellow principals in The Rocky Horror Show. Picture: David Freeman

Here Stephen Webb discusses career ambitions, the challenges of playing sweet transvestite Dr Frank N Furter,  his favourite costume and the Rock Horror phenomenon .

Was there a moment when you realised you wanted to be a professional performer?  

“I was obsessed with John Travolta in Grease. I went to watch it in London when it first opened. I was obsessed. I thought, ‘I need to be in theatre’. That changed it for me really. I used to watch the film all the time.”

How did you react when you learned you would be playing Dr Frank-N-Furter?

“Well, I couldn’t believe it first of all. When I originally wanted to audition for Rocky, I thought I’d be up for Brad and then they said, ‘No, we want to see you for Frank’. When I got it, I was ecstatic! I couldn’t believe that I got this role. But in the next moment, I was really anxious because it’s such an iconic role. I just want to live up to the legacy.”

How do you bring your own twist to the role while honouring the legacy of past performances?

“I remember that Christopher Luscombe, the director, said, ‘We don’t want you to do an impersonation of Tim Curry, we want to see your version’, which actually settled me.

“I portray Frank using an American accent, instead of an English accent. Obviously, Frank’s costume is quite feminine,so I do inject an element of masculinity into my performance. My take on it is a little bit rough around the edges. The audience has mixed feelings about Frank, which I love. He is a lovable psychopath!

“Because the character was written during the ‘70s Glam Rock era, I take inspiration from David Bowie, T. Rex and Queen. But I always find something new every performance, which makes playing this role so exciting.”

What is your favourite part of performing as Frank each night?

“There are two moments. One is my entrance. I’m not on stage for the first 20 minutes and the audience are waiting for Frank to come on. There’s a big drum beat before I enter and I’ve got this big old cloak on.

“I walk down centre stage and sing ‘Sweet Transvestite’, whip off my cloak and reveal my crazy costume. The audience goes absolutely berserk for it. It doesn’t matter if I’ve had the worst day in the world – it goes away as soon as I’m on that stage.

“Another special moment for me is when you see the vulnerable side of Frank. It’s like he’s taken off his mask and you’re seeing the true side of him.”

Do you have a favourite audience interaction or reaction so far?

“There are loads of shouts throughout the show. The audience are very much part of the show; they are almost another character. I’ve heard pretty much all of them now, so they don’t tend to catch me out. When I’m talking to Rocky, when he first comes out, there are a few shouts that are quite rude, and I love them! I think they’re really funny.”

James Bisp’s Brad and Haley Flaherty’s Jane in The Rocky Horror Show. Picture: David Freeman

What is the most challenging part of playing Frank, either physically or emotionally?

“It’s not wearing the heels – I absolutely love wearing those – it’s actually wearing the black corset because it doesn’t give. Singing and dancing in a corset means I must make sure that I eat and drink enough at the right time before doing the show, otherwise I struggle throughout the show.”

Do you have a favourite outfit on stage?

“My finale red sequin corset. I absolutely love it. It really fits me like a glove – and it changes colour. If you push it up, it goes black, if you push it down, it goes red.”

If you could keep one piece of Frank’s wardrobe for yourself, what would it be?

“I do a few scenes with a leather jacket with tassels on it. I’m a motorcyclist so would love to steal it and ride my bike wearing it!”

The Rocky Horror Show has been pushing boundaries for more than five decades. Why do audiences keep coming back after all these years?

“It’s a show that celebrates what it means to be different, to follow your dreams, like the song ‘Don’t Dream It, Be It’. There are amazing songs; I don’t think you could ever get bored with the ‘Time Warp’ or ‘Sweet Transvestite’! It’s got a lot of heart, it’s extremely funny, and it allows people to be part of it. There’s no other show like it.”

Do you have any pre-show rituals before stepping into Frank’s heels?

“I don’t really have any pre-show rituals but I do love make-up. Before Rocky Horror, I never liked using make-up, now I absolutely love it. As soon as I start putting the make-up and wig on, it transforms me, like I’ve got an alter ego!”

Finally, what do you hope audiences will take away from experiencing The Rocky Horror Show?

“I think everyone who comes will have fun. It’s unique, liberating, funny, fierce and sexy. It’s a brilliant night out where everyone can be who they want to be. It’s one great big party!”

The Rocky Horror Show, Grand Opera House, York, July 20 to 25, Monday to Thursday, 8pm; Friday & Saturday, 5pm and 8.30pm. Box office: atgtickets.com/york. Content warning: Rude parts. Age guidance: 12 plus.

The Rocky Horror Show: the history bit

BEGAN life in 1973 in front of an audience of 63 people in the Royal Court’s Theatre Upstairs, in Chelsea, London. Transferred to Chelsea Classic Cinema, then King’s Road Theatre, 1973 to 1979, and Comedy Theatre in the West End, 1979-80.

The Rocky Horror Show has enjoyed the longest continuous run of a contemporary
musical anywhere in the world, being watched by 35 million people in more than 30 countries and translated into 20 languages.

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REVIEW: Martin Dreyer’s verdict on Opera North in The Sound Of Music, Leeds Grand Theatre, until August 1

Katie Bird’s Maria in Opera North’s The Sound Of Music

IF your memories of The Sound Of Music come with the emotional baggage of the 1965 film starring Julie Andrews, you will be more than pleasantly surprised by this reconstituted stage version.

Miss Andrews was a huge talent and the film proved a blockbuster, but its sugar-rush has been supplanted in this Nikolai Foster production (revived here by Ollie Khurshid) by a great deal more substance, political, emotional and geographical.

First seen in Leicester’s Curve Theatre last November, it now has the benefit of a full-size (40-piece) professional orchestra and chorus. Operatic purists may recoil to learn that all the singers are miked – which certainly helps the children’s voices – but they will get over it.

Two numbers cut from the film are restored, How Can Love Survive? and No Way To Stop It. Both refer candidly to the Nazi backdrop. This musical has a serious side that the film version all but ignored.

When a messenger boy in uniform arrives with a telegram “from Berlin” and bellows a Nazi ‘Heil!’ salute, you can almost hear the audience gasp. It recalls the Anschluss (Germany’s annexation of Austria in 1938).

The message commands Captain von Trapp to join the German navy, which he is naturally loath to do. So it has a decisive effect – and gives us chilling context.

Michael Taylor’s set is exemplary. A nursery slope of the mountains around Salzburg, which are seen in the background – instantly paralleled by Maria’s “the hills are alive” at the start – has an angled path running down across the stage.

 In the final scene, the nine members of the Trapp family, now refugees, are silhouetted against the night sky as they escape through the mountains to the New World. We understand at once: history never really changes.

Edward Bennett: Playing Captain von Trapp in Opera North’s The Sound Of Music

When he needs to be in the abbey with the nuns, he lowers a great pointed ecclesiastical window-frame. In the castle, there are grand doors instead.

Needless to say, the musical side of the evening is stunning. Katie Bird makes Maria her own, conflicted over her true calling, firm in her principles, but tender with the children. ‘Do-Re-Mi’ is charming and ‘My Favourite Things’ is life-loving. She gives us all sides of a truly appealing character.

Edward Bennett is an actor rather than a singer, but his baritone is perfectly adequate for the role of Captain von Trapp, as in his duet with Maria, ‘Something Good’, and in Edelweiss’ with the family.

There is one truly glorious piece of singing from Katherine Broderick as Mother Abbess: she gives us full Wagnerian splendour in ‘Climb Ev’ry Mountain’ at the end of each act, soaring above the tumult.

The seven children – all are double-cast (this was the ‘Drop’ group) – sing with great conviction and clarity and they move with impressive discipline.

Amy Freston delivers a nicely haughty Baroness Elsa, whom the Captain discards for Maria, while other members of the pro-Nazi camp are neatly defined by Nicholas Butterfield as Max and Kamil Bien as Rolf. A variety of colourful cameos come from other members of the Opera North chorus, notably as nuns.

Ebony Molina’s choreography avoids traditional ‘song-and-dance’ routines in favour of more restrained and more engagingly lifelike dance. Oliver Rundell conducts with panache and his orchestra takes to the idiom like ducks to water, bursting with rhythmic pizzazz. The big choral numbers are thrilling.

This may not be The Sound Of Music as you imagined it, but it rings absolutely true. You dare not miss it.

Opera North in The Sound Of Music, Leeds Grand Theatre, until August 1. Box office: 0113 223 3600 or operanorth.co.uk.

Review by Martin Dreyer

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The Lyons Mouth win main prize at York International Young Artists Competition 2026. Who were the other award winners?

The Lyons Mouth

THE Lyons Mouth scooped two prizes in a home victory at the York International Young Artists Competition 2026 at the National Centre for Early Music on July 11.

The vocal ensemble of sopranos Ailsa Campbell and Elspeth Piggott, alto Ellie Stamp, tenors James Botcher and Jacob Ewens and bass Thomas Lowen, all University of York alumni, were awarded the main prize of a professional recording contract from Linn Records, a £1,000 cash prize, a future paid engagement with the York Early Music Festival and recording opportunities with BBC Radio 3.

In addition, The Lyons Mouth won the Friends of York Early Music Festival award, a cash prize of £500, while Tra Noi and Ossian’s Dream shared the cash prizes of £1,000, endowed by the EUBO Development Trust, for the Most Promising Young Artist/s specialising in the Baroque repertoire.

Lagrime won the Cambridge Music Prize, which includes a paid performance at Cambridge Early Music, and a new award, the Jury Prize, was awarded to gamba player Bianca Cucini, who performed with Tra Noi (bass viola da gamba, quinton) and I Mastricelli. (bass and  soprano viola da gamba).

The 2026 finalists were: I Mastricelli (Netherlands); Il Parrasio (Netherlands); Lagrime (Switzerland); La Mandorle (France); Nari Baroque Ensemble (Israel); Ossian’s Dream (Switzerland;) Quarterino (Switzerland); The Lyons Mouth (UK) and Tra Noi (Switzerland).

During the two days before the competition, each ensemble presented an informal recital at the NCEM, at St Margaret’s Church, Walmgate, with the aim of giving the musicians the opportunity to adapt to the performance space and to familiarise with the festival audience members in advance of the final.

These groups were selected from a pool of 56 ensembles from across the world and were judged by an international jury of Paul Agnew (Les Arts Florissants); Anna Danilevskaia (Sollazzo Ensemble); Kati Debretzeni (English Baroque Soloists), Veerle Declerk (Concertgebouw, Bruges) and Philip Hobbs (Linn Records).

The 2026 competition was presented by master of ceremonies Steven Devine, harpsichordist, fortepianist, conductor and director of orchestral, choral and opera repertoire and former York Early Music Festival artistic advisor.

Main prize winner The Lyons Mouth is a dynamic vocal consort founded in 2024 by singers who studied at the University of York. Inspired by their experiences performing in the Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall, they created an ensemble devoted to vivid musical storytelling, crafting emotionally immersive performances that draw audiences into the dramatic heart of the repertoire.

In the final, the consort performed Victoria’s Secret: Claudio Monteverdi’s Svogava con le stele; Raffaella Aleotti’s Vidi speciosam; Monteverdi’s Sì, ch’io vorrei morire, Sigismondo d’India’s Dispietata pietate and Tomás Luis de Victoria’s Vadam et circuibo civitatem.

At the end of the competition, judging panel chair Philip Hobbs, from Linn Records, said: “I am always amazed and astonished at how this competition re-imagines and re-invents itself year after year, ensuring that early music has an exciting future and will continue to captivate audiences all over the world.

“Linn Records is very proud to continue this important relationship with the York Early Music Festival and I would like to congratulate the nine ensembles who took part in this fabulous day of music.”

Steven Devine said: “There were two things that, for me, really stood out about this year’s competition.  The sheer range of music was the first thing: almost 200 years of music was being performed by historically informed performers but with a sense of musicianship and virtuosity that was jaw-dropping. 

“They wore their scholarship lightly and at the service of their raw talent.  In addition, the supportive atmosphere between the groups and their enjoyment of each other’s work was wonderful to watch.  Definitely one of the highpoints of my musical experiences.”

Festival director and NCEM director Dr Delma Tomlin said: “The competition provided an amazing finale to our 50th edition, proving that early music can truly transport us Beyond Borders. The musicianship today was of the highest calibre and our nine ensembles gave us a range of exquisite music, spanning 400 years. As always, it was a pleasure to welcome the young artists to York and help them on their journeys to future success.

“I would also like to say a huge thank-you to our panel of judges for their hard work and support, to Steven Devine for his expertise and invaluable help and, of course, to our friends and supporters BBC Radio 3.”

The Lyons Mouth said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to have received not one but two prizes in this year’s competition. To have done it in our home city of York makes this moment feel even more special!

“It was a real treat to meet so many fantastic musicians in the competition, and inspiring to watch them perform. We’d love to say a huge thank-you to the Friends for choosing us for their award: as an ensemble who values the audience’s experience above all, this was really meaningful for us.

“We’re excited to record with Linn Records and to return to the festival next year. This whole experience feels like an amazing next step and we can’t wait to see where it takes us.”

 The competition provided a spectacular finale to the nine-day festival, where old friends and new connected through concerts, recitals and workshops staged in historic venues around the city.

The recitals from this year’s final are available to watch on demand on the NCEM’s ncem.co.uk website and YouTube channel and edited highlights will be shared on BBC Radio 3’s Early Music Show on Sunday, August 30 at 5pm.

The nine ensembles taking part were:

I Mastricelli: An early music ensemble founded in 2023 at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague. Its name evokes the “mastricelli”, talented young musicians who assisted the great maestri of the Neapolitan conservatories. Featuring cello, viola da gamba and other bass instruments of the violin and viol families, I Mastricelli explores the expressive depth and resonance of the bass register, the foundation of Baroque sound.

Il Parrasio: The name Il Parrasio is derived from “Il Bosco Parrasio”, the hilly grove of trees overlooking the city of Rome where, every summer, the great and varied artistic minds of the Arcadian Poets met to discuss strategies for influencing all facets of Italian art culture away from the overindulgence of the high baroque and towards a return to more simple and natural styles.The ensemble focuses on the vibrant and expressive styles of the Venetian repertoire.

La Mandorle: La Mandorle (meaning almond in Italian) is a family affair, seeking to bring baroque music closer to the audience and to promote research into repertoire, with a particular taste for the French treasures of the 17th and 18th centuries. La Mandorle was awarded First Prize and Audience Prize at the International Haendel Competition in Göttingen in May 2025 and has been supported since 2024 by Sustainable-Eeemerging.

Lagrime: Led by trombonist Maximilien Brisson, Lagrime was formed after the release of the album Scorrete lagrime mie to continue to showcase the vocality of the baroque trombone. From its inclusion in church music-making circa 1500, the trombone has been associated with the voice perhaps more than any other instrument, and Lagrime explores the vocal virtuosity of the baroque trombone in intimate settings.

Nari Baroque Ensemble: Since 2019, the Nari Baroque Ensemble has specialised in performing baroque music on period instruments. Selected as Fabulous Fringe at the Utrecht Early Music Festival 2025 and winners of the main prize at the Göttingen Händel Competition 2024, each of Nari’s performances tells a story by combining original texts with excerpts from cantatas and sonatas.

Ossian’s Dream: This collective of musicians focuses on performing mainly chamber music from the 18th and 19th centuries under historically informed conditions. They are committed to rediscovering and re-enacting salon practices, understanding the salon as a place of artistic freedom, interdisciplinarity and gender issues.

Inspired by the famous painting by Dominique Ingres, the name refers to one of the most fascinating phenomena of the Romantic era, the revival of the mythical figure of Ossian.

Quarterino: These four musicians, who met through the European Union Baroque Orchestra, are preparing various projects in Switzerland, Italy and the Netherlands. Each member ensemble has taken part in ensembles and festivals throughout Europe, including York, Bremen, Utrecht and Urbino. They are also principal continuo players in EUBO 2025.

The Lyons Mouth: Dynamic vocal consort of young professional singers who first met while studying at the University of York under the guidance of Robert Hollingworth, director of the vocal group I Fagiolini.

Their early experiences performing in the Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall inspired them to create an ensemble that would bring audiences into the dramatic and emotional heart of vocal music. Its members already sing with the BBC Singers; I Fagiolini; The Swingles; Voces8; Tenebrae; Dunedin Consort and The Norwegian Soloistchoir.

Tra Noi: Tra Noi is characterised by lively communication, both with each other and with theaudience. The ensemble was formed in 2023 and already has won the 2023 ‘Wiener Konzerthauspreis’ of the H.I.F.-Biber Competition; the 2023 Biagio Marini Competition Audience Prize; the 2024 Göttingen Handel Competition; first prize at the 2024 Concours International de musique ancienne du Val de Loire; third prize at the 2024 International Van Wassenaer Competition, as a duo formation, and first prize, audience prize and Gamba Gesellschaft Prize at the 2025  Orlando Lasso competition in Landshut, Germany.

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REVIEW: Steve Crowther’s verdict on Helen Charlston, Paul Agnew & Sergio Bucheli, A Gentle Air, York Early Music Festival 2026, Merchant Taylors’ Hall, York, July 9

Mezzo-soprano Helen Charlston performing by candlelight at Merchant Taylors’ Hall, York. Picture: Ben Pugh

A GENTLE  Air was an exploration of the 17th-century French air de cour, centred on the songs of Honoré d’Ambruys and Sébastien Le Camus.

The programme opened with d’Ambruys’ Le doux silence de nos bois, a pastoral love song in which nature provides a peaceful refuge for lovers. You could almost feel the audience melt – and I’m not referencing the extreme temperature – as mezzo-soprano Helen Charlston sang the opening delicate stanza:

“The soft silence of our woods

is now broken only by the songs

of the birds that Love gathers here.”

Her tone was rich, the delivery expressive and nuanced, mirroring the underlying tenderness of the poetry.

Self-pity replaces pastoral serenity in Le Camus’ Je veux me plaindre:

“I would complain

of your harshness,

and what do I have to fear

would constrain me,

since I am dying?”

Tenor Paul Agnew embraced its emotional extremes, milking the expressive dissonances while balancing speech-like declamation with genuine lyricism.

The dialogue between the two singers deepened in the paired Lambert settings. Charlston’s Ombre de mon amant, a lament to the ghost of a dead lover, was sung with extraordinary stillness and beauty of tone, her expressive ornamentation intensifying the emotional restraint of the music.

Agnew’s response, Vos mépris chaque jour, remained rooted in the wounded dignity of a steadfast love confronted by apparent cruelty. The way he deftly negotiated the subtle harmonic shifts mirrored the text’s shifting emotions, while the contrast between the two voices reinforced the sense that the programme was unfolding as a continuing dramatic exchange rather than a succession of isolated airs.

Tenor Paul Agnew and theorbo player Sergio Bucheli at Merchant Taylors’ Hall. Picture: Ben Pugh

Throughout these exchanges, Sergio Bucheli’s theorbo acted as more than accompaniment, binding the individual airs into a coherent emotional narrative.

Alas, as they might have said, his moment to shine as solo performer was compromised. The change of instrument to the more delicate lute was cut short with one of the strings snapping whilst tuning – presumably a casualty of the heat?

Nevertheless, I really did enjoy his performance of Robert de Visée’s Suite in D minor. The fuller, richer sonority of the theorbo and graceful delivery suited the melancholic atmosphere of the programme thus far.

Marc-Antoine Charpentier took the programme into more introspective territory with Tristes déserts, sombre retraites. Agnew sang it with a real sense of pathos. The poignant suspensions and intensity gave the performance genuinely psychological depth.

Of the three Charpentier airs, the chaconne, Sans frayeur dans ce bois, proved the most moving. Bucheli’s gently recurring ground bass provided an emotional anchor, allowing Charlston’s elegant vocal line to unfold with increasing expressive freedom. The ornamentation was beautifully judged.

I wasn’t entirely convinced by Bucheli’s Shakespeare quotation (“I can suck melancholy out of a song, as a weasel sucks eggs”) but his account of de Visée’s Suite in G major was very persuasive. I should confess that I haven’t heard any of his music before, but the rich resonance of the theorbo, refined ornamentation and elegant dance rhythms in Bucheli’s performance made for a very rewarding listen.

The festival described the programme as being “inspired by the poetry of love”, inviting listeners into the delicate world of the French air de cour. Taken as a whole, A Gentle Air could be heard as one extended love duet.

Rather than presenting a succession of solo airs, the programme unfolded as a dialogue between two complementary voices. Helen Charlston and Paul Agnew frequently answered, echoed and completed one another.

Theorbo player Sergio Bucheli playing at July 9’s A Gentle Air concert. Picture: Ben Pugh

Their shared emotional journey traced  the stages of a relationship: desire, anticipation, tenderness, jealousy, complaint, separation and reconciliation, giving the programme an emotional continuity that transcended the individual songs.

Bucheli’s theorbo became more than an accompanying instrument. It bridged the emotional worlds between the two singers, almost assuming the role of an unseen narrator or confidant.

Fittingly, the final song of the programme – Jean-Philippe Rameau’s Je vous revois – resolved their emotional journey. After so many songs of longing, rejection, jealousy, solitude and, yes, melancholy, this was one of the programme’s few unequivocal moments of fulfilment:

“I see you once more, everything yields

to the utter delight

of meeting once again the object of

one’s love.”

The song was sung with elegance, poise and beautifully shaped phrasing. In the line “everything yields to the utter delight…” came emotional release.

The success of this dramatic conception rested not only on the repertoire but also on the performers themselves. Agnew and Charlston brought contrasting yet wholly complementary strengths, creating a partnership of balance, musical empathy and emotional conviction.

Helen Charlston has completed her three-year tenure as an artistic advisor to the York Early Music Festival, and this specially curated concert was a fitting and memorable way to sign off.

Review by Steve Crowther

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

Eliza Carthy: Performing with The Restitution at Ryedale Festival

A MYTHICAL tale of a goddess, a near-future re-spinning of the selkie myth, an Arthurian quest of a lifetime, a bothersome briefcase in a love story and  a nostalgia trip to variety’s golden days keep Charles Hutchinson  entertained.

Folk gig of the week: Eliza Carthy and The Restitution, Ryedale Festival, Selby Abbey, tonight, 7pm

FLAMBOYANT Robin Hood’s Bay fiddler and singer Eliza Carthy continues to re-imagine traditional music with fiery imagination and fearless individuality. The daughter of Martin Carthy and Norma Waterson, she grew up immersed in the folk world, and here she performs with her powerhouse touring band in one of Yorkshire’s most atmospheric and beautiful settings. For the full festival programme and tickets, go to: ryedalefestival.com.

Megan Drury in Wright & Grainger’s SELENE at Theatre@41, Monkgate, York

Radical myth revamp of the week: Wright & Grainger and Theatre@41 present Megan Drury in SELENE, Halfway To Edinburgh Season, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, tonight, 7pm, and tomorrow, 8.30pm

AUSTRALIAN actor Megan Drury stars in Easingwold duo Phil Grainger and Alexander Flanagan Wright’s tale of the goddess and the dark side of the moon in a radical explosion of an ancient myth.

A young girl watches the moon landings on repeat. A teenager makes a list of all the things they are not. A young adult starts to discover who they are. Expect a story addressing the light sides of us, the dark sides of us, the things orbiting around us as we grow up and not least the wild stuff inside us. Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.

The Three Inch Fools: Epic tale of Arthurian adventure and medieval mayhem at Helmsley Walled Garden

Outdoor theatre show of the week: The Three Inch Fools in King Arthur And The Holy Fail, Helmsley Walled Garden, tomorrow, 7pm

FOUNDED by Cumbrian brothers James and Stephen Hyde, The Three Inch Fools present an epic tale of Arthurian adventure and medieval mayhem, set in a land of daring quests, dashing knights and endless jousting.

Waiting in the wings is a would-be hero, by the name of Arthur, but when Camelot is rocked to its core by a tragic – and frankly improbable – incident involving a large table of an undisclosed shape, Arthur is thrust into the quest of a lifetime, Destiny awaits, chivalry calls and the quest to end all quests begins. Bring chairs, blankets and cushions. Picnics welcome. Box office: 01439 771700 or helmsleyarts.co.uk.

Rowan Armitt-Brewster’s introverted Thomas and Lennie Longworth’s equally shy Daisy in A Brief Case Of Crazy

Silent love story of the week: Skedaddle Theatre & Shoddy Theatre present A Brief Case Of Crazy, York Theatre Royal Studio, tomorrow to Saturday, 7pm plus 2pm Saturday matinee

INSPIRED by the timeless genius of Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Mr Bean,Rowan Armitt-Brewster, Samuel Cunningham and Lennie Longworth’s physical comedy A Brief Case Of Crazy is a silent love story with a very loud heart, told through slick choreography, mime, clowning and puppetry.

Meet Thomas, an awkward, introverted office worker with a quiet crush on his equally shy colleague, Daisy. His quest for love must contend with a boisterous boss named Simon and a rather bothersome briefcase that drags an awkward introvert into extraordinary events. Will his quest for love fail? Or will he discover that what’s on the inside counts most? Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk. Age guidance: Five upwards.

Hannah Davies & Jack Woods: Re-imagining selkie myth in a not-too-distant future

Dystopian vision of the week: Hannah Davies & Jack Woods in The Ballad of Blea Wyke, Helmsley Arts Centre, Friday, 7.30pm

IN North Yorkshire writer and storyteller Hannah Davies and musician Jack Woods’ dystopian re-imagining of the selkie myth in a not-too-distant future, a young woman wants to see the sea. A stranger stands on a cliff. The last grey seal swims towards the shore. 

On her 18th birthday, tough care-leaver Cerys breaks the city’s lockdown and travels to the coastal cliffs that birthed her, the crumbling landscape drawing her back to her mythic past. Cue a haunting interweaving of story, music, poetry and song. Box office: Helmsley, 01439 771700 or helmsleyarts.co.uk.

Dominic Goodwin in a triptych of his myriad roles in Twice Nightly

Recalling variety’s golden days: Pyramus and Thisbe Productions present Dominic Goodwin in Twice Nightly, Friargate Theatre, York, Friday and Saturday, 7.30pm

RYEDALE writer, performer and pantomime dame Dominic Goodwin is touring his first one-man comedy show, directed by York director and actor Thomas Frere.

Twice Nightly follows the story of struggling comedian Freddie Francis in 1956 as the final curtain hovers over variety. Many acts of the time are highlighted, including Norman “Over The Garden Wall” Evans (said to be an influence on Les Dawson) Stockton comic Jimmy James, wartime star Robb Wilton and the iconic Max Miller. Box office: York, 01904 655317 or ridinglights.org/friargatetheatre.

Tommy Banks; Turning up the heat at York Theatre Royal

Culinary event of the week:  An Evening with Tommy Banks: Spinning Plates: Live, York Theatre Royal, Friday, 7.30pm

MICHELIN-STARRED chef and entrepreneur Tommy Banks makes the trip from his Oldstead family farm to York Theatre Royal to bring his extraordinary story to the stage for the first and only time. Told across three intersecting timelines – the past 25 years, the defining 12 months and the opening night for his latest pub —each moment teeters on a knife-edge.

Banks runs the Black Swan at Oldstead, Roots York, in Marygate, York, and the Abbey Inn at Byland, as well as co-founding Jeopardy Hospitality, whose first venture is the General Tarleton at Ferrensby, Knaresborough. For one night only, he combines storytelling and immersive cinema to lift the lid on hospitality service at its most intense. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.

CMAT: Songs of identity, grief and beauty standards at Scarborough Open Air Theatre

Coastal gig of the week: CMAT, Scarborough Open Air Theatre, Saturday, gates 6pm

CMAT, alias Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson, burst on to the music scene six years ago with her debut single Another Day (KFC). The Dublin-born, County Meath-raised singer and songwriter has since released three bitingly humorous, emotionally honest albums, 2022’s If My Wife New I’d Be Dead, 2023’s Crazymad, For Me and 2025’s  Mercury Prize-nominated Euro-Country, her exploration of identity, grief and beauty standards, exemplified by Take A Sexy Picture Of Me. Box office: scarboroughopenairtheatre.co.uk.

Danger on T-Rex Mountain in Dinosaur Adventure Live at York Theatre Royal

Children’s show of the week: Dinosaur Adventure Live, Danger On T-Rex Mountain, York Theatre Royal, Saturday,  2.30pm

SIXTY-FIVE million years in the making, Dinosaur Adventure Live brings a fusion of family-friendly storytelling, puppetry, and roarsome science to the stage as the ancient world of dinosaurs crashes back to life for gasps, giggles and occasional jump-scares.

From a shadowy raptor on the loose to baby dinosaurs that you can feed (carefully!), Mike Newman’s show blends humour, thrills and hands-on learning into an interactive stage experience. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.

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Geoff Turner RIP: Tribute to giant gentleman of York theatre world

Geoff Turner in the rehearsal room. Picture: York Light Opera Company

THE funeral of York Light Opera Company president Geoff Turner will be held at York Crematorium, Bishopthorpe Road, York, on July 16 at 1.40pm.

A statement on the York Light Instagram site reads: “Geoff will forever be in our hearts. We know so many of you will want to say goodbye with us, so we’re sharing the details of Geoff’s funeral service.

“The service will be extended to celebrate Geoff’s life, with his last After Show Party at York Racecourse following the service. All are welcome.”

In lieu of flowers, a donation plate will be in place at the crematorium to raise funds for a bench in Geoff’s memory.

Geoff, of South Bank, York, died on June 27, aged 76.  Formerly a civil engineer with British Rail, he was a stalwart musical theatre supporter with York Light Opera Company and NODA, the National Operatic and Dramatic Association, and served as a volunteer with Treasurer’s House, Mansion House and the King’s Trust.

Geoff Turner on volunteer duty at York Mansion House. Picture: York Mansion House

On the day of Geoff’s passing, York Light posted: “Today, York Light lost a wonderful president, and the world lost an incredible man.  We’re heartbroken to announce that our president, Geoff Turner, lost his battle with cancer this morning.

“Having been a dedicated member for years before stepping up to presidency, we all share such fond memories of Geoff. He was always a cheerful presence and a true light in every production. Our thoughts are with his family and friends. He will be sorely missed by all.”

On June 29, York Mansion House posted: “We were all hugely saddened to hear of the death of Geoff Turner, our longest-serving volunteer at the Mansion House.

“Geoff had worked with us for 15 years in a variety of roles, most recently as a room guide, and during his time led tours around the house and even played the Lord Mayor three times in public events.

“His enthusiasm for the Mansion House and for history in general was infectious, and visitors always appreciated his passion, expertise and sense of humour.  We will always be grateful for the contribution he made to the life of the house and will all miss him very much.”

Geoff Turner in full stage regalia. Picture: York Light Opera Company

York’s theatre scene and beyond has paid tribute too in multiple postings on Facebook. Jo Sweeting wrote: “I had the pleasure of sharing the stage with Geoff in countless productions over the years with York Light Opera Company and enjoying his hospitality partying until the early hours at his home during “show week”. Very happy memories. Gone but never forgotten. Rest easy Geoff.”

Musical director Mike Thompson and director and actor John Hall wrote: “When John and I joined York Light for Showboat in the mid ‘70s, Geoff was one of the existing members who made us very welcome. We became friends and used to have regular Sunday lunch dates at each other’s houses, taking it in turns to cook. Geoff, you will be greatly missed by so many people.”

James W Deller described Geoff as “this gentle man and gentleman”. “He has inspired countless people over the years and has been a stalwart of the city’s community for decades,” he wrote. “His music, his love of history and his professional career, not to mention his support to the York civic parties – past and present – are a testament to his commitment and service. He will be much missed.

“I knew him through my parents and I know he will leave an unfillable gap in the city. Rest in peace, Geoff! The curtain falls for the last time. I hope you can still hear the applause!”

York Opera baritone and St Olave’s Church Choir member Clive Goodhead wrote: “I have nothing but the highest admiration for Geoff and will miss him deeply, as will so many people, whose lives he touched so much.

“Geoff was chair of York Light when I had the honour of holding the same position in York Opera. Thanks to Jim Welsman [former York Musical Theatre chairman] , we had occasion, therefore, to work together as far as possible to support and promote the performing arts in and around York, liaising closely with many others, especially those responsible for the various local venues. May he rest in perpetual peace.”

Geoff Turner, second from left: A commanding presence on stage. Picture: York Light Opera Company

Linda Newton wrote: “I’d known Geoff for many years. Our paths crossed so many times because he was involved in so many things, most recently singing with him in York Theatre Royal Choir. I don’t know how he fitted it all in! He lived life to the full and enjoyed every minute. You’ll be sadly missed, Geoff, by many people. RIP to a kind and generous man.”

Actress and singer Catherine Foster wrote: “A lovely man. He was such a wonderful supporter of theatre in York and always so generous with his praise. He made me feel so welcome when I did a show with him and had a lovely warmth about him generally. I will miss seeing him at the theatre. “

Jennifer Cowling wrote: “Geoff was a wonderful actor and a true theatrical buff, a proud and dedicated president of York Light, a superb NODA rep and an all-round great guy. He will be greatly missed by all of us who knew and worked with him.”

Musical director and radio presenter Adam Tomlinson wrote: “Whenever and wherever you met with Geoff, he was always the same, a true gentleman with time, conversation and humour. His passion and enthusiasm for amateur theatre was infectious and very special. He will be greatly missed in this fabulous musical theatre world of ours.”

York singer, Music Night host and Singphonia choir master Don Pears wrote: “Geoff was a loyal star on and off stage, especially for York Light, but also a great support and help to New Earswick Operatic Society, which was greatly appreciated.

“Both Jo [Pears] and I have very fond memories of performing with this giant of a gentleman. He was an excellent NODA representative and supported many other societies in our region. RIP Geoff, so many memories.”

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REVIEW: Super Furry Animals, Live At York Museum Gardens, July 11 ****

Super Furry Animals’ Gruff Rhys in Power Rangers-style helmet and high-viz jacket at Live At York Museum Gardens on Saturday. Picture: Devon Chambers

REASONS to be cheerful, one, two, three, as the summer sounds of the city changed from John Smith’s race day on Knavesmire to Live At York Museum Gardens and onwards to the pubs of York once Saturday night turned into Sunday morning’s Hey Jude.

Kick-off time for day three of Live At York Museum Gardens had been moved forward by 30 minutes to accommodate England’s 10pm quarter-final clash with Leeds-born Erling Harland’s Norway.

They may be Dai-hard Welshmen, but headliners Super Furry Animals didn’t share the attitude of set-closing anthem The Man Don’t Give A **** in switching their exit time to 9.55pm, rather than 10.30pm.

Saturday’s bill boasted five acts, one more than for Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark and Self Esteem’s equally diverse evening line-ups on Thursday and Friday. Three bands from the Land of Song, the Super Furries, fellow seasoned Cardiff combo Los Campesinos! and Pys Melyn, from Pen Llŷn, North Wales, were joined by Nottingham’s Divorce and Buckinghamshire/West London-raised Baxter Dury.

Pys Melyn opening Saturday’s bill at Live At York Museum Gardens. Picture: Devon Chambers

Wistful, harmonious, hazy indie psych-pop five-piece Pys Melyn, whose name translates as ‘Yellow Peas’, took to the stage at 3.55pm, when the day’s temperatures were at their height: weather to turn stressed-out pea pods from green to yellow as the chlorophyll breaks down, as botany boffins would know.

Your reviewer arrived midway through Divorce’s set of confessional indie-folk rock and alt-country songs reminiscent of Mojave 3 and The Broken Family Band, drawn to the fiddle-playing as much as to the double-barrelled duo of bassist Tiger Cohen-Towell and Felix Mackenzie-Barrow alternating lead vocals.

Divorce, by the way, have been living up to their name. On May 12, it was announced that fellow founder members Adam Peter-Smith and Kasper Sandstrom would be leaving the band to “prioritise their personal lives”. Two months later, Saturday’s line-up, showcasing 2025’s debut album Drive To Goldenhammer, looked and sounded happily settled into its new groove.

“Enjoy the rest of the day. Keep drinking water,” advised Mackenzie-Barrow. Messages on the screens to either side of the stage urged the same action: Stay Hydrated, it counselled, highlighting the availability of free water points for re-filling and also of free sun cream in the First Aid tent.

Divorce’s Tiger Cohen-Towell at Live At York Museum Gardens. Picture: Devon Chambers

Such was the roving medical staff’s concern for care in the broiling heat that the sight of your reviewer sitting head bowed, writing notes on a ledge by the Yorkshire Museum walls, attracted the attention of two medics. “Are you OK,” they asked. It spoke volumes of everything about Futuresound and York Museum Trust’s event management being spot-on.

The crowd was yet to peak: the perfect time to take a walk around the site, with its bars and food vendors, First Aid and Wellbeing facilities, multitude of posters for upcoming Futuresound promotions and merchandise stall, offering all manner of Super Furry Animals T-shirts and a lonely brag in the corner, I’m The Sausage Man (which would later form a sizzling high in Baxter Dury’s set).

“Welcome to the rock concert,” announced Los Campesinos! lead singer Gareth David Paisley, drawing attention back to the stage. Billed as “the UK’s first and only emo band”, they specialise in “sleeper hits for weeping dips**ts since 2001”; sleeper hits” in truth that did not awaken memorable hooks on contact with the York air.

Los Campesinos! frontman Gareth David Paisey looks to the skies in his Music Is A Natural High T-shirt at Live At York Museum Gardens. Picture: Devon Chambers

Still favouring emo black attire, albeit in T-shirt and shorts form, they were hard working, earnest, political too in “standing up against the creeping fascism we see around as every day” and Freedom For Palestine banner.

The “Heart Swells” message on their stage backdrop was as much an invocation as the name of their record label, but the songs tended to be laborious, typified by 2008’s We Are Beautiful, We Are  Doomed failing to match the epic promise of its none-more-emo title.

“This is a rare away gig for us,” said Paisley, to the somewhat isolated cheers of Los Campesinos! aficionados, determined to make their presence heard on their big day out, like a non-league club playing at a Premier League big six ground  in the FA Cup third round.

Baxter Dury was in the mood to crack on, his three-piece band taking to the stage two minutes early, to be joined by the front man in yellow shirt and dark suit, strutting like a bull-baiting toreador. Behind him, keyboard player and vocalist Madelaine Hart did much of the melodic heavy-lifting, contrasting with his braggadocio spoken-word outbursts, as he hit you with his rhythm schtick.

Baxter Dury striking a pose in his humorously provocative set at Live At York Museum Gardens. Picture: Devon Chambers

Part-toaster, part-rapper, part jousting court jester, full of jabs and gibes, he was an agent provocateur, like Mark E Smith leading The Fall, or Keith Allen fronting Fat Les’s 1998 World Cup football anthem Vindaloo.

No room for between-song niceties, he built momentum the more his coruscating songs leered and jeered, from Return Of The Sharp Heads, through Allbamone, to the stand-out Baxter (these are my friends). Changing a lyric from “Hotel In Brixton” to “Hotel In York” was a typically sharp touch too.

Super Furry Animals had never played York in 33 years together, but on this year’s return to the concert platform after a ten-year hiatus, what better setting could there be to revive Hello Sunshine (Come Into My Life) than in the botanical York Museum Gardens.

The day’s sunshine had mellowed by the time the Cardiff art-rockers opened with the embracing hug of (Drawing) Rings Around The World at 8.25pm, but their songs are marked as much by an orb of warmth as occasional weird edges, the musical style duly altering as often as frontman Gruff Rhys changed guitars.

Super Furry Animals’ Gruff Rhys chewing celery in Receptacle For the Respectable at Live At York Museum Gardens. Picture: Devon Chambers

As with OMD’s set on Thursday, fast-moving video projections accompanied each number, mixing with live footage of Gruff in shades and peaked cap and linear stage lighting in colours to complement each song’s mood and the imagery on screen.

This was an exemplary outdoor gig, stuffed with SFA highs such as Juxtaposed With U, Northern Lites and God! Show Me Magic, and the Welsh-language wonder of Ymaelodi â’r Ymylon.

Then add the humorously quirky visual flourishes, as impactful as in David Byrne’s shows, such as Rhys’s sign board switching from Applause to Louder And Ape Sh*t! or suddenly sporting a high-viz jacket and Power Rangers-style helmet or chewing on a celery in Receptacle For the Respectable in an homage to Paul McCartney’s “vegetable percussion on The Beach Boys’ 1967 curio Vegetables.

How else could they finish than with the magnificent mayhem of The Man Don’t Give A ***, climaxing with a fantastical return to the stage in long-haired furry animal costumes. Something spectacularly blissful for 4 the weekend indeed.

The Man Don’t Give A **** finale to Super Furry Animals’s set at York Museum Gardens, ending at 9.53pm, well in time for England v Norway’s kick-off. Picture: Devon Chambers

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REVIEW: Self Esteem, The Big Moon, Moonchild Sanelly and Joshua Idehen, Live At York Museum Gardens, July 10 ****1/2

Self Esteem, right, performing with her choir at Live At York Museum Gardens on Friday. Picture: Paul Rhodes 

SELF ESTEEM is a pop queen to many and her York Museum Gardens garden party was a special evening. 

Rebecca Lucy Taylor really believes in her material, which appears ripped from within her. Her candid accounts of what it feels like to be a modern woman, powerful but exhausted, desiring and often despairing, have a rare ability to turn individual experience into something universal. We saw that power in full force on Friday, which was thankfully a little cooler than the evening before.

Yet something seemed to be the matter when Taylor first walked on. Dressed in the same devotional costume she wears on her latest album, 2025’s A Complicated Woman, she had been crying and was still holding back sobs as the eight-strong choir began I Do And I Don’t Care. 

We will never know, but Taylor talked a few times of this being a crazy day. She is clearly someone who feels deeply, and her audience responds to that. In a short time, there was a reassuring hand from one of her troupe, who then returned to singing beautifully and dancing with sometimes alarming intensity.

British-Nigerian poet and electronic artist Joshua Idehen opening Friday’s bill at Live At York Museum Gardens. Picture: Paul Rhodes  

Taylor’s latest songs were driven more by message than melody. The voices, choreography and stark group formations made it theatrical, but they also operated like a musical family, and we were drawn in. It really worked, despite the sometimes dim lighting. But at least we had screens this year, positioned sensitively to the sides.

Redemption had already arrived – at least for the few – thanks to opener Joshua Idehen, a British-Nigerian poet and electronic artist whose work combines poetry, house music and messages of hope, resilience and renewal. He turned out to have a masterful command of the crowd. Believing in second chances, he gave us a better chance to engage our shoulders and get off on the right foot. 

Like Self Esteem, his words mattered deeply too, and he brought many of the newcomers to tears. The groove was also important as the extra element to lift half-spoken, half-rapped words. There was something of Gil Scott-Heron in the combination of social observation, humour, poetry and rhythm, but Idehen is very much a man of his own time. His signature song, Mum Does The Washing, has grabbed a wider audience online, and while that number was surprisingly absent, we were also caught up in his world.

South African singer and “future ghetto punk”  Moonchild Sanelly. Picture: Paul Rhodes 

Above all, this was a night about connection. Female friends, mums and daughters, young families gathering around music while spending time close to those we loved. It made for a lovely, all-age atmosphere under a cloudless sky.

It was harder to get close to Moonchild Sanelly, the South African singer and self-styled “future ghetto punk” artist known for mixing electronic pop, dance music and South African rhythms with sexually candid, fiercely independent lyrics. She brought a more confrontational energy. With vivid green hair and a bold stage presence, she was defiant, spiky, frequently taking aim at former partners foolish enough to reject her, as on Demon.

There was plenty of indie-energy in third support act The Big Moon, a Mercury-nominated London indie-rock four-piece whose melodic guitar pop has expanded to take on motherhood, relationships, body change and, on their newest material, hearing loss. This was the only traditional band performance of the night and a clever shift in tone.

Juliette Jackson leading The Big Moon at Live At York Museum Gardens. Picture: Paul Rhodes

Their Museum Gardens set was a fascinating mixture. The songs had strong melodic foundations and choruses, underpinned by particularly impressive bass playing. There was even a singalong to Fatboy Slim’s Praise You.

Headliner Self Esteem was not polished. She said later that costume changes had been missed and her hair had not been done. The audience loved her more for this, not less.

She didn’t forget to make the evening fun and tuneful. Her numbers from Prioritise Pleasure were more danceable and got the crowd moving. Once the opening emotional storm had passed, the performance became looser and more playful. Some of the crowd looked like they were unsure how much they were allowed to enjoy the image-rich 69. She did give a parental warning, but there was no time to look away.

Self Esteem in devotional costume, as worn in the artwork for 2025 album A Complicated Woman, at Live At York Museum Gardens. Picture: Paul Rhodes 

Towards the end of her 90 minutes, Taylor spoke emotionally, not to seek praise, but to say thank you. She was met by a huge wave of applause and support. Like Adele, her troubles were our troubles.

After the nostalgic full house for Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark the night before, Self Esteem was a bolder programming choice by event promoters Futuresound: a younger, messier and more varied bill. The artists selected worked well together – for my money, more fun than, say, three and a half hours of Guns N’Roses. 

This was music for people still working things out, performed by artists willing to open themselves up for us, on a striking, memorable Friday night spent with people we care about. It turns out it’s OK to just be together, the deep blue OK or not.

Review by Paul Rhodes

 Fans watching Self Esteem on a “striking, memorable Friday night spent with people we care about”. Picture: Paul Rhodes

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More Things To Do in York and beyond as music & comedy festival season blooms. Hutch’s List No. 28, from The York Press

Super Furry Animals: Flower power in the botanical gardens at Live At York Museum Gardens. Picture: Ryan Eddleston

NINE comedians on one day in a garden, a mythical tale of a goddess and the dark side of the moon, a near-future re-spinning of the selkie myth and a bothersome briefcase in a love story keep Charles Hutchinson’s head spinning with artistic possibilities.  

Rock gig of the week: Futuresound presents Live At York Museum Gardens, Super Furry Animals, today, gates 4pm

FUTURESOUND’S third season of Live At York Museum Gardens concerts climaxes today with Welsh psychedelic rock band Super Furry Animals’ headline set. On the bill too are  singer-songwriter Baxter Dury, indie-pop septet Los Campesinos!, Nottingham alt-country band Divorce and North Wales psychedelic act Pys Melyn.  Box office: futuresoundgroup.com/york-museum-gardens-events.

The Gesualdo Six: Performing Wishing Tree: A Choral Journey 1 at St Lawrence’s Church, York, on July 14 at 3pm at Ryedale Festival. Picture: Ash Mills

Festival of the week: Ryedale Festival, until July 26

RYEDALE Festival presents 60 events this month in 40 different venues, including Tenebrae, The Gesualdo Six, John Wilson & Sinfonia of London’s An English Summer, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Northern Sinfonia and Opera North.

Taking part too are tenor Mark Padmore and pianist Christopher Glynn, Sheku & Isata Kanneh-Mason, pianist Benjamin Grosvenor, Eliza Carthy and The Restitution, soprano Erika Baikoff, cellist Laura van der Heijden, BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists and Kirkbymoorside Town Brass Band. For the full festival programme and tickets, go to: ryedalefestival.com.

Cutting a dash: Russell Kane’s 7.10pm set will last 25 minutes at York Comedy Festival tomorrow

Comedy event of the week: Futuresound presents York Comedy Festival, Live At York Museum Gardens, York, tomorrow, gates 3pm

TOPICAL comedian Russell Howard (9.30pm) and Geordie surrealist Ross Noble (8.35pm) take top billing at the second open-air York Comedy Festival, promoted by Futuresound.

In tomorrow’s line-up too will be Irish stand-up and podcast sensation Joanne McNally (7.40pm); stand-up and presenter Russell Kane (7.10pm); Big Kick Energy podcaster and comedian Suzi Ruffell (6.15pm); Alex Lowe’s 82-year-old comic creation Barry From Watford (5.45pm); cult stand-up hero and viral sensation Jeff Innocent (4.50pm)  and Britain’s Got Talent finalist Nabil Abdulrashid (4.20pm), all hosted by Jarred Christmas. Box office: yorkcomedyfestival.com.

Megan Drury in Wright & Grainger’s SELENE, part of Theatre@41’s Halfway To Edinburgh Season

Radical myth revamp of the week: Wright & Grainger and Theatre@41 present Megan Drury in SELENE, Halfway To Edinburgh Season, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, July 15, now 7pm; July 16, 8.30pm

AUSTRALIAN actor Megan Drury stars in Easingwold duo Phil Grainger and Alexander Flanagan Wright’s tale of the goddess and the dark side of the moon in a radical explosion of an ancient myth.

A young girl watches the moon landings on repeat. A teenager makes a list of all the things they are not. A young adult starts to discover who they are. Expect a story addressing the light sides of us, the dark sides of us, the things orbiting around us as we grow up and not least the wild stuff inside us. Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.

UPDATE: 13/7/2026

STATEMENT from Team 41: “As you may have noticed the show now partially clashes with England’s World Cup semi-final against Argentina.

“To allow people to catch as much of the match as possible, we’ve moved the start time for Wright & Grainger’s SELENE to 19:00. 

“The show is 70 minutes long, so you’ll hopefully be able to enjoy Wright & Grainger’s SELENE and then see the match from the first Hydration Break.

“There is another performance of SELENE on Thursday at 8.30pm, so if you would prefer to move to that show, send an email to boxoffice@41monkgate.co.uk.” 

Silence is golden: Rowan Armitt-Brewster’s Thomas in A Brief Case Of Crazy at York Theatre Royal Studio

Silent love story of the week: Skedaddle Theatre & Shoddy Theatre present A Brief Case Of Crazy, York Theatre Royal Studio, July 16 to 18, 7pm plus 2pm Saturday matinee

INSPIRED by the timeless genius of Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Mr Bean,Rowan Armitt-Brewster, Samuel Cunningham and Lennie Longworth’s physical comedy A Brief Case Of Crazy is a silent love story with a very loud heart, told through slick choreography, mime, clowning and puppetry.

Meet Thomas, an awkward, introverted office worker with a quiet crush on his equally shy colleague, Daisy. His quest for love must contend with a boisterous boss named Simon and a rather bothersome briefcase that drags an awkward introvert into extraordinary events. Will his quest for love fail? Or will he discover that what’s on the inside counts most? Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk. Age guidance: Five upwards.

Hannah Davies & Jack Woods: Performing The Ballad Of Blea Wyke at Helmsley Arts Centre on July 17. Picture: Matt Jopling

Dystopian vision of the week: Hannah Davies & Jack Woods in The Ballad of Blea Wyke, Helmsley Arts Centre, July 17, 7.30pm

IN North Yorkshire writer and storyteller Hannah Davies and musician Jack Woods’ dystopian re-imagining of the selkie myth in a not-too-distant future, a young woman wants to see the sea. A stranger stands on a cliff. The last grey seal swims towards the shore. 

On her 18th birthday, tough care-leaver Cerys breaks the city’s lockdown and travels to the coastal cliffs that birthed her, the crumbling landscape drawing her back to her mythic past. Cue a haunting interweaving of story, music, poetry and song. Box office: Helmsley, 01439 771700 or helmsleyarts.co.uk.

Dominic Goodwin in a triptych of three of his multiple roles in Twice Nightly at Friargate Theatre

Recalling variety’s golden days: Pyramus and Thisbe Productions present Dominic Goodwin in Twice Nightly, Friargate Theatre, York, July 17 & 18, 7.30pm

RYEDALE writer, performer and pantomime dame Dominic Goodwin is touring his first one-man comedy show, directed by York director and actor Thomas Frere.

Twice Nightly follows the story of struggling comedian Freddie Francis in 1956 as the final curtain hovers over variety. Many acts of the time are highlighted, including Norman “Over The Garden Wall” Evans (said to be an influence on Les Dawson) Stockton comic Jimmy James, wartime star Robb Wilton and the iconic Max Miller. Box office: York, 01904 655317 or ridinglights.org/friargatetheatre.

Turning up the heat: North Yorkshire chef Tommy Banks

Culinary event of the week:  An Evening with Tommy Banks: Spinning Plates: Live, York Theatre Royal, July 17, 7.30pm

MICHELIN-STARRED chef, restaurateur and hospitality leader Tommy Banks makes the trip from his Oldstead family farm to York Theatre Royal to bring his extraordinary story to the stage for the first and only time. Told across three intersecting timelines – the past 25 years, the defining 12 months and the opening night for his latest pub —each moment teeters on a knife-edge.

Banks runs the Black Swan at Oldstead (head chef since June 2013), Roots York, in Marygate, York (since 2018) , and the Abbey Inn at Byland (since 2023), as well as co-founding Jeopardy Hospitality, whose first venture is the General Tarleton at Ferrensby, Knaresborough, in 2025.

His debut cookbook, Roots, was published by Orion in April 2018. He set up the food box business Made In Oldstead in 2020, Banks Brothers canned wine company in 2021, Tommy’s Pie Shop in 2024 and Tommy Banks Hospitality, for large-scale events, stadia catering and corporate hospitality nationwide, in 2025.

In 2019, Banks became resident chef at Lord’s Cricket Ground; in 2022, chef partner of Twickenham Stadium; in 2025, chef partner of Sunderland AFC. A lifelong Sunderland supporter, he now leads the culinary offering at Banks on the Wear and oversees corporate hospitality at the football ground.

Exemplified by the three-acre kitchen garden by the Black Swan, sustainability sits at the heart of everything Banks does. His field-to-fork commitment to responsible growing, foraging and low-impact cooking has been recognised with a Michelin Green Star, while his dedication to nurturing future talent continues through apprenticeship programmes and industry partnerships.

For one night only, he combines storytelling and immersive cinema to lift the lid on hospitality service at its most intense, reflecting on a lifetime of ambition, vulnerability, risk and pressure (cookers). 

Set against a turbulent backdrop, where soaring business rates and crushing VAT force three pubs to close every week, Banks exposes the brutal reality of keeping the doors open while revealing the plate-spinning demands of leadership and what it takes to pursue excellence.

Along the way, discover the community of talent he has built in the once-sleepy village of Oldstead, firmly rooted in camaraderie, resilience and Yorkshire grit. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.

This Is Torture for Sean Walsh: Anxiety levels rising at Harrogate Theatre, York Theatre Royal and the SJT, Scarborough. Picture: Jiksaw

Gig announcement of the week: Sean Walsh, This Is Torture, Harrogate Theatre, October 6, and York Theatre Royal, November 6, Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, April 14 2027

I’M A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! 2022 series survivor Sean Walsh has decided to name his latest stand-up tour show after the phrase he says the most: “This Is Torture”.  The dishevelled Camden comedian will be bringing his signature blend of chaos and charm to Harrogate, York and the newly added Scarborough to put himself through an anxiety filled-hour, as he indeed will on no fewer than 71 occasions on a tour now extended by 37 dates.

The ever-observant Walsh’s podcasting portfolio takes in co-hosting Oh My Dog! with Jack Dee, where guests discuss their special canine bonds, and What’s Upset You Now?, putting the world to rights in cathartic trips to the pub with Paul McCaffrey. In addition, on Class Clown, he sits down with the boldest rule-breakers in entertainment to explore the personal battles that shaped them.

In 2024, he made his Shakespearean debut as Malvolio in Twelfth Night at Stafford Gatehouse, then played Yvan in a tour of Yasmina Reza’s Art. Tickets: www.seannwalsh.com; Harrogate, 01423 502116 or harrogatetheatre.co.uk; York, 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk; Scarborough,01723 370541 or sjt.uk.com.

In Focus: Navigators Art presents Moss Glow And Shadow Bloom, The Basement, City Screen Picturehouse, York, tonight 7.45pm

York singer Gabriella Hunzinger

YORK arts collective Navigators Art’s final gig before a summer break brings together four Yorkshire performers whose work conjures unique worlds up in a magical programme of electronic, acoustic and vocal sounds, influenced by folk traditions and environmental awareness.

Combining ancient and modern iconography, art, poetry and music, the bill features York singer Gabriella Hunzinger, No Spinoza, previewing forthcoming album Jupiter’s Great Hurricane, Sheffield experimental songwriter Pefkin and Things Found And Made’s lost cinematic folk-tales.

No Spinoza’s Thomas Pearson

GABRIELLA HUNZINGER: Her songs take wisdom from nature’s seasonal cycles and explore connections between ourselves, the earth and what lies beyond our conscious experience. Accompanied by cellist Filipe Massumi and multi-instrumentalist Daniel Webster.


NO SPINOZA: Welcome to the thematic universe of forthcoming album Jupiter’s Great Hurricane, where Thomas Pearson’s songs bridge history and legend, ancient and modern. Featured in session on BBC Introducing.

Pefkin

PEFKIN: Sheffield performing and recording artist. Multi-instrumentalist and experimental songwriter of slowly unfolding psychedelic hymnals, inspired by nature.

THINGS FOUND AND MADE: Lost cinematic folk-tales: imagined histories, half remembered rituals of sound and nature, from York.

Tickets:  https://www.ticketsource.com/navigators-art-performance or on the door.

Things Found And Made

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REVIEW: Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, Summer Of Hits, Live At York Museum Gardens, July 9 ****

Andy McCluskey leading Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark on the first night of Live At York Museum Gardens. All pictures: Devon Chambers

ORCHESTRAL Manoeuvres In The Dark’s Summer Of Hits opened this Summer of Hot’s trio of concerts in Futuresound’s third Live At York Museum Gardens season.

Oh yes, it was hot, absurdly hot, hot enough to bake a pizza on the Yorkshire Museum walls, if you could cook a pizza sideways, as if in a Salvador Dali painting.

There will be no respite for Self Esteem’s Friday bill or today for Super Furry Animals (not a state of fur coverage any would want right now), so come prepared. Spray on Factor 50 sun cream, advises Futuresound project manager Rachel Hill. Look out for the water stations too to top up bottles.

The site lay-out changed from the first festival to the second, when the stage switched architectural backdrop from the Yorkshire Museum to the St Mary’s Abbey ruins, and further changes have come into play for 2026:  a sure sign that Futuresound and York Museums Trust respond positively to suggestions.

Andrew Cushin, in retro football shirt, kicking off day one of Live At York Museum Gardens

Large screens have been placed to either side to enhance the viewing experience (last year, standing at the back, your reviewer struggled to see a head let alone Elbow, before being accommodated most kindly in the Ambulant seated area for Richard Hawley).

The Premium ticket experience has improved vastly too:  separate entry via Exhibition Square; commodious bar (well stocked but no gin, presumably deemed too depressive for a festival) ; Indian and bao bun food vendors; seats and bean bags dotted around the gardens, away from the stage but within hearing range.

The Premium viewing area has expanded too, still by the Yorkshire Museum, still with reserved Ambulant seating, but now with a steeped bank of terracing, like the most spacious football Kop  ever. Out-standing improvement, indeed.

Futuresound make good decisions: first in setting up Live At York Museum Gardens, then adding a Sunday comedy festival, then bettering the festivalgoer’s experience. The Leeds event promoters also pick the headline acts really well, whether home-crowd favourites Shed Seven’s 30th anniversary celebrations and Jack Savoretti in 2024 or Elbow, Hawley and Nile Rodgers & Chic last summer.

China Crisis frontman Gary Daly, dressed for the beach, at Live At York Museum Gardens

In 2026, headliners OMD, Self Esteem and Super Furry Animals each will appeal to a different pop/ rock demographic – Eighties, Gen Z and Nineties respectively – and the supporting bills offer enticement aplenty to arrive well before the 8.30pm last entry.

Andrew Cushin, Newcastle’s latest singer-songwriter protégé, came and went before your reviewer  settled in by the museum wall to see China Crisis lead singer Gary Daly dressed appropriately for the weather: white T-shirt and green shorts (the de rigueur dress code for the men in the crowd too).

The Kirkby synth-poppers would be playing for only 30 minutes, so he would cut “the chat”, said the normally notoriously loquacious Daly after only two songs in the opening ten. Christian, “Jeremy Vine favourite” Arizona Sky, Black Man Ray, Wishful Thinking and King In A Catholic Sky were all reminders of how the Liverpool School of Melody DNA passed through them so delightfully.

We Don’t Need This Fascist Groove Thang T-shirts (without the brackets of the song title) heralded the presence of Heaven 17 devotees in the sold-out crowd. One, called Sumo, had been to 217 gigs (one more than lead singer Glenn Gregory, Glenn revealed, after Sumo turned up for a show in Canada but illness had put paid to the Sheffield electronic pioneers’ appearance).

Heaven 17 fans wearing We Don’t Need This Fascist Groove Thang T-shirts at the front of Friday’s sold-out crowd

Like Daly, Gregory likes to talk, to tell stories, as sharp of tongue as his tailoring in white suit, blue shirt and shades. Keyboardist Martyn Ware favoured sparkling hat and jacket, joined on stage by a drummer and Carrie, Rachel and Florence (keyboards and backing vocals).

We Don’t Need This Fascist Groove Thang, the first song Heaven 17 wrote after Ware and Ian Craig Marsh split from Heaven 17 in 1981, was given a 2026 re-boot, with ‘Trump’ replacing ‘Reagan’ in the lyrics. “We don’t need this Farage groove thang,” Gregory said afterwards, urging support for Count Binface in the Clacton by-election.

Introduced as “Kim Wilde walked down the aisle to this one”, Come Love With Me Come was a particular joy, while the “Giorgio Moroder tribute”,  I’m Your Money, was segued with Donna Summer’s I Feel Love. Gregory and co then went the full cover-version hog on David  Bowie’s Let Dance, rivalled only by the climactic Temptation for impact.

“Enjoy Orchestral Manoeuvres, I know I will,” enthused Gregory, later to be spotted in the crowd doing exactly that. It still wasn’t dark when OMD emerged on stage after a futuristic film projection, and nor would there be any “orchestral manoeuvres”, but all dressed in black (ah, there’s the dark), frontman Andy McCluskey  and keyboardist Paul Humphreys (in specs) were joined by Martin Cooper on keys and saxophone and Stuart Kershaw on drums.

Martyn Ware and Glenn Gregory of Heaven 17: Still playing to win after 45 years together at Live At York Museum Gardens

In this digital age, OMD can replicate their recorded electronic sound to perfection, says McCluskey, although there was still room for him to forget the same words twice in one song, met with an invitation to the audience to jump.

Imagery ran throughout their set on a screen that spanned the whole of the stage, changing for each song, switching between colour and black and white, much in the manner of Public Service Broadcasting’s concerts.

True to their billing, the Summer Of Hits meant playing all, not some of their hits, with the oh-so-familiar standouts of the brace of Joan Of Arcs, Souvenir, Forever Live And Die and Sailing On The Seven Seas,  plenty of peaks, the occasional trough, and a magnificent version of Enola Gay, to the haunting accompaniment of atomic bomb footage.

Walking On The Milky Way was ruefully reflective, if defiant, of the passage of time and what else but Electricity could crackle through the night sky to meet the 10.30pm curfew bang on.

The crowd watching the climax to Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark’s set as darkness descends on Live At York Museum Gardens