Sarah Beth Briggs: New album celebrates the notion that small is beautiful. Picture: Marci Stuchlikova
YORK international concert pianist Sarah Beth Briggs is to release her new album, Small Treasures, on AVIE Records (AV2771) on October 24.
“The recording celebrates the notion that small is beautiful and great and familiar miniatures contrast with some very fine lesser-known gems,” says Sarah.
The disc is bookended with two of the greatest sets of miniatures ever written, Robert Schumann’s Woodland Scenes and Brahms’ Piano Pieces op 119, although, given how her international career was launched by winning the Mozart Competition in Salzburg, it seemed fitting for Sarah to end with a tiny, 90-second gem by Mozart – effectively providing an encore.
Along the musical journey, there are delightful miniatures by two female composers, Robert Schumann’s wife, Clara and 20th century French composer Germaine Tailleferre. (Tailleferre’s compatriot Francis Poulenc’s evocative Novelettes are included too.)
Alongside the musical treasures on the recording, the cover photo features Sarah’s own small treasure, with whom she spends as much of her free time as possible, her cocker spaniel, Animé (or Ani), pictured alongside natural small treasures in the floral form of bluebells from Yorkshire woodlands.
While two pre-release tracks are available already on Spotify, the full release will be available from October 24 on CD and via all the standard digital platforms.
Sarah Beth Briggs’s album cover artwork for Small Treasures
“There is something for everyone in this album, from the committed classical music lover to those who are just interested in giving classical music a try,” says Sarah. “With no track lasting more than seven minutes and many hovering around two to three minutes, I really hope the variety of moods and emotions will capture the imaginations of listeners of all ages and tastes.
“Small can be beautiful and serene, fun, virtuoso or perhaps reckless and eccentric. Have a listen and let me know what appeals to you!”
Sarah’s schedule over the coming weeks takes her the length and breadth of the country, from Scotland to Surrey, but closer to home she will be performing one set of these Small Treasures (the Brahms Piano Pieces op 119) at St Paul’s Hall, University of Huddersfield, Queensgate, Huddersfield, on December 1 for the Huddersfield Music Society.
Her 7.30pm programme also will feature Mozart’s Fantasy in D minor, K397; Schubert’s Sonata in A major, D664; Debussy’s Suite Bergamasque; Hans Gál’s Three Preludes Op. 65 (1944) and Mendelssohn’s Variations Sérieuses.Box office: huddersfield-music-society.org.uk.
PianistSarah Beth Briggs at Wyastone recording studio, Monmouth, Wales. Picture: Fritz Curzon
Sarah Beth Briggs: back story
YORK classical pianist began her professional career at 11 years old. Gained early recognition as youngest finalist in BBC Young Musician of the Year competition and later won International Mozart Competition in Salzburg.
Performed as soloist with leading UK orchestras, such as Royal Philharmonic and Hallé. Appeared at prestigious venues, including London’s South Bank Centre.
Experienced educator, teaching at University of York and offering masterclasses internationally. Her recordings, featuring works by Britten, Haydn and more, have received widespread praise.
Anna Soden: No bum deal, bum steer or bum’s rush, for that would be a bummer at tonight’s hour of comedy, It Comes Out You Bum, at The Old Paint Shop
FROM royal history re-told to Dickens’ ghost stories, magical monsters to banjo brilliance, Charles Hutchinson delights in October’s diversity.
Homecoming of the week: Anna Soden, It Comes Out Your Bum, The Old Paint Shop, York Theatre Royal Studio, tonight, 8pm
NOW based in Brighton but very much shaped in York, comedian, actor, writer, TikTok sensation and award-nominated Theatre Royal pantomime cow in Jack And The Beanstalk, Anna Soden delivers her debut hour of madcap comedy, full of brainwaves, songs, revenge and talking out your ass. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.
Robin Simpson: Monster storyteller and York Theatre Royal pantomime dame, performing at Rise@Bluebird Bakery
Spooky entertainment of the week: Robin Simpson’s Magic, Monsters And Mayhem!, Rise at Bluebird Bakery, Acomb, York, Sunday, doors 4pm
YORK Theatre Royal pantomime dame Robin Simpson – soon to give his Nurse Nellie in Sleeping Beauty this winter – celebrates witches, wizards, ghosts and goblins in his storytelling show.
“The audience is in charge in this interactive performance, ideal for fans of spooky stories and silly songs,” says Robin. “The show is perfect for Years 5 and upwards, but smaller siblings and their grown-ups are very welcome too.” Tickets: bluebirdbakery.co.uk/rise.
Out for revenge: Henry VIII’s wives turn the tables in SIX The Musical, returning to the Grand Opera House, York, from Tuesday. Picture: Pamela Raith
Recommended but sold-out already: SIX The Musical, Grand Opera House, York, October 14 to 18; Tuesday & Thursday, 8pm; Wednesday & Friday, 6pm and 8.30pm; Saturday, 4pm and 8pm
FROM Tudor queens to pop princesses, the six wives of Henry VIII take to the mic to tell their tales, remixing 500 years of historical heartbreak into an 80-minute celebration of 21st century girl power. Think you know the rhyme? Think again. Divorced. Beheaded. LIVE!
Lucy Moss and Toby Marlow’s hit show is making its third visit to York, but it’s third time unlucky if you haven’t booked yet. Like Anne Boleyn’s head, every seat has gone.
Eddi Reader: Performing with her full band at The Citadel
Seven-year itch of the week: Hurricane Promotions presents Eddi Reader, The Citadel, York City Church, Gillygate, York, October 15, 7.30pm
EDDI Reader, the Glasgow-born singer who fronted Fairground Attraction, topping the charts with Perfect, also has ten solo albums, three BRIT awards and an MBE for Outstanding Contributions to the Arts to her name.
Straddling differing musical styles and making them her own, from the traditional to the contemporary, and interpreting the songs of Robert Burns to boot, she brings romanticism to her joyful performances, this time with her full band in her first show in York for seven years. Eilidh Patterson supports. Box office: ticketsource.co.uk.
Damien O’Kane and Ron Block: Banjovial partnership at the NCEM
Banjo at the double: Damien O’Kane and Ron Block Band, The Banjovial Tour, National Centre for Early Music, York, October 15, 7.30pm
GROUNDBREAKING banjo players Damien O’Kane and Ron Block follow up their Banjophony and Banjophonics albums with this month’s Banjovial and an accompanying tour.
O’Kane, renowned for his work with Barnsley songstress Kate Rusby, is a maestro of Irish traditional music, here expressed on his Irish tenor banjo; Block, a key component of Alison Krauss & Union Station, infuses his signature five-string bluegrass banjo with soulful depth and rhythmic innovation. Together, their styles intertwine in an exhilarating dance of technical mastery. Box office: 01904 658338 or ncem.co.uk.
Francis Rossi: Solo show of song and chat at York Barbican. Picture: Jodiphotography
Hits and titbits aplenty: An Evening of Francis Rossi’s Songs from the Status Quo Songbook and More, York Barbican, October 16, 7.30pm
IN his one-man show, Status Quo frontman Francis Rossi performs signature Quo hits, plus personal favourites and deeper cuts, while telling first-hand backstage tales of appearing more than 100 times on Top Of The Pops, why they went on first at Live Aid, life with Rick Parfitt, notching 57 hits, fellow stars and misadventures across the world. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.
James Swanton: Halloween beckons, so here comes his double bill of Dickens’ ghost stories at York Medical Society. Picture: Jtu Photography
Ghost stories of the week: James Swanton presents The Signal-Man, York Medical Society, Stonegate, York, October 16, 17, 20 to 23, 7pm; October 27 and 28, 5.30pm and 7.30pm
A RED light. A black tunnel. A waving figure. A warning beyond understanding. Here comes the fear that someone, that something, is drawing closer. Gothic York storyteller James Swanton returns to York Medical Society with The Signal-Man, “one of the most powerful ghost stories of all time and certainly the most frightening ever written by Charles Dickens”.
Swanton pairs it with The Trial For Murder, wherein Dickens treats the supernatural with just as much terrifying gravity. Tickets update: all ten performances bar October 21 have sold out. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.
Natnael Dawitin in Shobana Jeyasingh Dance’s We Caliban, on tour at York Theatre Royal. Picture: Foteini Christofilopoulou
Dance show of the week: Shobana Jeyasingh Dance in We Caliban, York Theatre Royal, October 17, 7.30pm (with post-show discussion) and October 18, 2pm and 7.30pm
SHOBANA Jeyasingh turns her sharp creative eye to Shakespeare’s final play The Tempest in a new co-production with Sadler’s Wells. A tale of power lost and regained, the play is the starting point for Jeyasingh’s dramatic and contemporary reckoning, We Caliban.
Written as Europe was taking its first step towards colonialism, The Tempest is Prospero’s story. We Caliban is Caliban’s untold story that started and continued long after Prospero’s brief stay. Performed by eight dancers, complemented by Will Duke’s projections and Thierry Pécou’s music, this impressionistic work draws on present-day parallels and the international and intercultural discourse around colonialism, as well as Jeyasingh’s personal experiences. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.
John Bramwell: Playing solo in Pocklington
As recommended by Cate Blanchett: John Bramwell, Pocklington Arts Centre, October 17, 8pm
HYDE singer, song-spinner and sage John Bramwell, leading light of Mercury Prize nominees I Am Kloot from 1999 to 2014 and screen goddess Cate Blachett’s “favourite songwriter of all time”, has been on a never-ending rolling adventure since his workings away from his cherished Mancunian band.
His sophomore solo album, February 2024’s The Light Fantastic, will be at the heart of his Pocklington one-man show. . “After both my mum and dad died, I started writing these songs to cheer myself up,” Bramwell admits with trademark candour. “The themes are taken from my dreams at the time. Wake up and take whatever impression I had from what I could remember of my dream and write that.” He promises new material and Kloot songs too. Box office: 01759 301547 or pocklingtonartscentre.co.uk.
Velma Celli: York drag diva lighting up Yorktoberfest at York Racecourse. Picture: Sophie Eleanor
Festival of the week: Yorktoberfest, Clocktower Enclosure, York Racecourse, Knavesmire, York, October 18, 1pm to 5pm and 7pm to 11pm; October 24, 7pm to 11pm; October 25, 1pm to 5pm and 7pm to 11pm
MAKING its debut in 2021, Yorktoberfest returns for its fifth anniversary with beer, bratwurst and all things Bavarian. Step inside the giant marquee, fill your stein at the Bavarian Bar with beer from Brew York and grab a bite from the German-inspired Dog Haus food stall.
The Bavarian Strollers oompah band will perform thigh-slapping music and drinking songs; York drag diva Velma Celli will add to the party atmosphere with powerhouse songs and saucy patter. Doors open at 6.30pm and 12.30pm. Tickets: ticketsource.co.uk/yorktoberfest.
In Focus:Charlie Higson and Jim Moir: A Very Short But Epic History Of The Monarchy, York Theatre Royal, Oct 13, 7.30pm
In the frame: Author Charlie Higson and artist Jim Moir discuss royalty and comedy at York Theatre Royal on Monday
36 kings. Five queens. Two comedy legends. Join Charlie Higson and Jim Moir (alias Vic Reeves) for the rip-roaring story of every English ruler since Harold was shot in the eye at the Battle of Hastings.
Higson has always been interested in the story of the fabled English monarchy: from the b*stardly to the benevolent,the brilliant to the brutal. “Far from being a nice, colourful pageant of men and women in funny hats waving to adoring crowds, it’s a story of regicide, fratricide, patricide, uxoricide and mariticide (you might have to look those last two up),” he says.
Launched for the coronation of his namesake King Charles III, Charlie’s podcast Willie, Willie, Harry, Stee takes a deep dive into the murky lives of our monarchs. Now, his new book of the show features illustrations by artist Jim Moir, his compadre in comedy.
On Monday, Charlie and Jim will first share stories from their comic collaborations over 30 years, including Shooting Stars, Randell And Hopkirk Deceased and The Smell Of Reeves and Mortimer. Then they will take the plunge into the storied history of this most treasured of institutions. Bloody treachery? Check. Unruly incest? Check. Short parliaments? Check. A couple of Cromwells? Check.
Their rip-roaring journey takes in the Normans, Tudors and Stuarts, not to mention the infamous Blois (how can we forget them?), tin an “utterly engrossing and grossly entertaining primer on who ruled when and why – with never-before-seen illustrations”!
A signed copy of Higson & Moir’s book Willie, Willie, Harry, Stee: An Epically Short History Of Our Kings and Queens (RRP £22) is included when purchasing Band 1 (£55) tickets, available for collection on the night. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.
Courtney Brown: Directing Pickering Musical Society for the first time in My Favourite Things – The Music of Rodgers & Hammerstein. Picture: Robert David Photography
PICKERING Musical Society opens an exciting new chapter in its history when staging My Favourite Things – The Music of Rodgers & Hammerstein at the Kirk Theatre from October 15 to 19.
For the first time, long-time member Courtney Brown takes the reins as director, while society stalwart and theatre manager Luke Arnold steps into the assistant director’s role to support and guide her in this transition.
Next week’s production marks an inspiring milestone for both the society and Courtney. After serving as assistant director for 2024’s sold-out Wonders Of The West End, she moves centre stage creatively, shaping a production that promises to be vibrant, polished and heartfelt .
Courtney is relishing the challenge: “It has been such a joy to step into the director’s role and watch this production grow from the rehearsal room into a fully staged concert,” she says.
Poppy Coulson-Arnold, left, and Ruby Featherstone in My Favourite Things – The Music of Rodgers & Hammerstein. Picture: Robert David Photography
“The cast has been incredibly supportive, and seeing everything come together – the music, the costumes, the choreography – is just magical.
“I feel so grateful to have Luke by my side, offering his experience and encouragement. It’s a true team effort.”
Luke, who has directed many of the society’s productions, has embraced his mentoring role with enthusiasm. “Courtney has a wonderful eye for detail and a real passion for musical theatre,” he says.
“It has been a pleasure to guide her through the process and watch her flourish as a director in her own right. I’m proud of what she and the whole team are achieving. This is going to be a very special show.”
Members of the Pickering Musical Society Junior Chorus with Susan Smithson. Picture: Robert David Photography
Running for six performances, My Favourite Things – The Music of Rodgers & Hammerstein will showcase the very best of Broadway’s most iconic songwriting partnership.
Audiences can expect a glittering selection of much-loved numbers, from the cheeky charm of Honey Bun and the playful fun of The Lonely Goatherd to the rousing barn-dance energy of The Farmer And The Cowman.
Alongside these highlights, the evening will feature songs from Rodgers & Hammerstein’s most famous shows, including The Sound Of Music, Oklahoma!, Carousel, South Pacific, The King And I and more.
The concert brings together the heart, humour and sweeping romance of the golden age of musicals, ensuring there is something for everyone — whether you know every word or are discovering these timeless songs for the very first time.
Will Smithson, left, and Jack Dobson in Pickering Musical Society’s My Favourite Things – The Music of Rodgers & Hammerstein. Picture: Robert David Photography
The company of singers will be accompanied by an orchestra under the baton of Clive Wass, who has reassembled the musicians who wowed audiences at Hello, Dolly! earlier this year.
Adding sparkle and spectacle, dancers from the Sarah Louise Ashworth School of Dance will light up the stage with elegant and vibrant choreography. Their energy and artistry will bring a dynamic, visual flourish to the evening, complementing the glorious Rodgers & Hammerstein score.
The production will feature a minimalistic but striking set, built by the society’s dedicated Saturday morning volunteers, led by Rob Thomas. This clever design provides the perfect canvas for the music and performances to shine, while still delivering visual impact.
The society’s team of skilled technicians will transform the stage with lighting, special effects, and even a spectacular video wall, creating an immersive concert atmosphere.
Verity Roffe in Pickering Musical Society’s My Favourite Things – The Music of Rodgers & Hammerstein. Picture: Robert David Photography
Courtney reflects on the rehearsals: “The first time we put costumes, lights, and music together, everything suddenly came alive,” she says. “It felt like we’d stepped into the Rodgers & Hammerstein musicals themselves. That’s the moment I realised how special this production is going to be.”
Luke adds: “Our society has always been about giving people opportunities, whether it’s new performers on stage, new musicians in the pit, or new directors stepping forward. Seeing Courtney grow into this role has been a privilege, and I know audiences are going to be amazed by what she and the whole team have achieved.”
Pickering Musical Society presents My Favourite Things – The Music of Rodgers & Hammerstein, Kirk Theatre, Pickering, October 15 to 19, 7.30pm plus 2.30pm Saturday matinee.
Tickets update: selling fast. Box office: 01751 474833, kirktheatre.co.uk or in person at Kirk Theatre box office (Tuesdays, 11am to 1pm).
Francis Rossi: Going solo with stories to tell. Picture: Jodiphotography
LET Francis Rossi introduce his solo tour show, bound for York Barbican on October 16.
“The show lifts the lid on a lot of what went on in the world of Status Quo, and I build in plenty of songs along the way – lots of my classic hits, but there are also versions of songs that I haven’t tried in the format before, and I have to say they sound fantastic. There’s a lot to get through so don’t be late!”
Welcome to An Evening of Francis Rossi’s Songs from the Status Quo Songbook and More, a chance to feature personal favourites, deeper cuts and songs never played before in this format and to offer first-hand backstage tales of appearing more than 100 times on Top Of The Pops, why Quo opened Live Aid, life with the late Rick Parfitt, more than 100 singles, 57 top forty hits, fellow rock stars and misadventures across the world.
Raconteur Rossi, now 76, is no stranger to chatter on stage, but this time he is featuring more music.
“I did a talk show, and I got asked to play a song and did two after saying I didn’t want to do them, but it made me think,” he says.
“Now doing this new show, it feels like starting again, and there’s a joy in it that I never expected – and I still don’t know what it is, except the intimacy.
“It can over-run, but I don’t mind because the more I’m on there, I so enjoy myself, whereas with Quo, you get up there and do the songs; once it starts it has a certain momentum and has to reach a finale at a certain time.
“But with this show’s audience, I can joke about them and with them, take the mick out of them and me, and if I get on to religion you can hear the breath being drawn in, or if I talk about ‘wokeism’, like saying ‘if I refer to you as ladies and gentlemen, some will be offended’, I get a cheer!”
Status Quo and Rossi himself are still going strong. “Sheer luck,” he says. “Very, very lucky. I think anyone that survives in this business, I don’t know how we do it. It must be an X factor, the way we’re still performing.
“What is it about this band that we were so lucky…and I’m still waffling after all these years! Obviously the tunes are quite good, though there’s a certain amount of ego you have to have, or you could disappear up your derriere.
“I know the tunes are quite simple, but I allude to classical music or Italian arias. Most of them are three chords. It’s still a fantastic melody and the fact you can get something so likeable out of that, whether three, four or five chords, I still love that.”
A new Rossi record is in the pipeline. “I’m going to record with Hannah Rickard. I’ve already done We Talk Too Much with her – she was on the acoustic tour with Quo. I’ve something coming out in January to be recorded with her,” says Francis.
“We’re going to write a bunch of songs together – I’ve got a studio in the garden with a new roof being put on it.”
As trim as ever in jeans, “I still exercise every day,” he says. “I now do those chair exercise, I do crunchies too, and I’ve stepped up the swimming. Everything to keep me alive. I’ll be the fittest thing in a box!”
Why jeans, Francis? “We started wearing jeans in Quo as a fight-back. I was a Mod, which is why I still wear a tie, but when I was told we couldn’t still be Carnaby Street, we rebelled against that by wearing jeans – and it meant we didn’t have to wear stage clothes, so it worked!” he says.
An Evening With Francis Rossi, York Barbican, October 16, 7pm doors. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.Also playing Bridlington Spa, October 11, 7.30pm, and Sheffield City Hall Memorial Hall, November 5, 7.30pm. Box office: Bridlington, bridspa.com;Sheffield, sheffieldcityhall.co.uk.
Did you know?
FRANCIS Rossi will be playing mostly his Acoustasonic guitar at An Evening With Francis Rossi shows. “It’s basically a Telecaster but is more compatible with a show of this nature – it still has the ring and sound of a Tele.”
Tom Smith takes his seat at Stockton on the Forest Village Hall. Picture: Carl Letman
A RARE chance to see a bona-fide star up close. Tom Smith is a lynchpin of Editors, a band who rose stealthily and swiftly in the Noughties and have endured, despite personnel changes and a blander direction.
It was no surprise that the village hall was full to bursting; more startling to this neutral was the warmth and volume of the welcome. Smith and his Editors accomplice Nick Willes (keyboards and guitars) got the full red-carpet treatment.
The 20-strong, 75-minute set was both a showcase for his new solo album There Is Nothing In The Dark That Isn’t There In The Light (to be released December 5) and acoustic renditions of Editors’ favourites.
Without the splenetic, U2-esque guitars or synths, older tunes sat on an equal footing with the brand new ones. Smith wisely drew most from the first two albums, including Munich, Blood and the standout Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors, the encore.
Tom Smith on stage with Editors’ accomplice Nick Willes at Stockton on the Forest Village Hall. Picture: Carl Letman
The crowd was lively and ready to enjoy themselves. In truth they probably gave Smith an easy ride, since some of his new solo songs were unremarkable.
With only two on stage, the focus was firmly on Smith and his great voice. His powerful baritone was wonderful, lifting anything it touched.
He has a distinctive way of leaning in, tucking his neck down into his left shoulder as he plays. To see him leaning into the words too, treating them tenderly and not over-singing was a treat.
Tom Smith: “Distinctive way of leaning in, tucking his neck down into his left shoulder as he plays“. Picture: Carl Letman
Smith might have been dressed like everyman, but he was anything but. Not for him much in the way of banter or small talk – the room was his anyway – rather an evening where the songs did the heavy lifting.
Nor did Smith have anything new to say on matters of the heart (although you could argue who does). His place-based songs, Northern Line and Lights Of New York City, were better, and could (almost) have been written by Tom Waits.
Recast for the moment as a big-voiced crooner, the crowd lapped it up. The Weight Of The World was enhanced by the sound of Friday night beer cans opening in unison – drawing a wry Smith smile. Endings Are Breaking My Heart was memorable, and as we scattered into Storm Amy after the standing ovation, we felt the same, only in a good way.
Review by Paul Rhodes
Tom Smith was presented by Off The Beaten Track and The Crescent, York, at Stockton on the Forest Village Hall.
THIS was an all-English evening and the first this year to include a singer. James Gilchrist lent his eloquent tenor to songs by the first great song-writer John Dowland and by Rubbra and Leighton, alongside instrumental works by Bliss and Britten.
It was a smart idea to include the two Dowland songs upon which Britten based his Lachrymae variations. Both were given in ‘consort’ versions, with a string quartet mimicking the sound of viols. It was certainly satisfactory, although we hardly felt the dance rhythms on which they were built.
What madethem a success, however, was Gilchrist’s intensity, allied to excellent diction. A sole example was his spine-tingling sforzando twice on ‘hell’ in the final verse of ‘Flow my tears’. ‘If my complaints’ was the very essence of melancholy, Dowland’s forte.
Britten wrote his Lachrymae, subtitled ‘Reflections on a song of John Dowland’, in 1950 for viola and piano. But this was his Op 48a, that tiny ‘a’ indicating the version he wrote 26 years later for viola and small string orchestra. It was a treat to hear it in this format, which turns the work into a virtual concerto. Simone Gramaglia was the thoughtful soloist, partnered by a star-studded octet.
Essentially this is a theme and variations in reverse, with Dowland’s ‘Flow my tears’ emerging radiantly at its close after a tortuous journey. Gramaglia led from the front, invigorating his posse with his rhythmic verve and insights.
When bold low strings (built on Will Duerden’s double bass) grew urgent, he soared high above, then asserting his authority in the cadenza. His tremolo led into a rushing passage before the calm dénouement.
In a sense we had also been in the Elizabethan era with Rubbra’s Two Sonnets by William Alabaster (1567-1640). These involved the viola of Simone van der Giessen, along with Gilchrist and the piano of Anna Tilbrook.
They were intense and prayerful, with tenor and viola blending especially well. In ‘Upon the Crucifix’ the pleading was mellowed by more positive thoughts, whereas the quite deliberate tempo of ‘On the Reed of Our Lord’s Passion’, with insistently dissonant viola and piano, underlined the agitation involved in Christian belief. Gilchrist’s delivery was a model of dramatic perplexity.
Gilchrist and Tilbrook also presented two movements from Kenneth Leighton’s cantata Earth, Sweet Earth. ‘Prelude’ sets a passage from Ruskin’s autobiography as a dreamscape, finishing high on a pianissimo falsetto. Gilchrist took it in his stride.
The icy terrain of ‘Contemplation’ by Hopkins grew ever more intense, and demanded particular accuracy from Tilbrook. She delivered in spades.
This left Bliss’s Clarinet Quintet, with Matthew Hunt in the leading role. Benjamin Baker led the strings, with the support of Emma Parker, Simone van der Giessen and Rebecca Gilliver. There was a lovely flow to the dialogue at the start, contrasting strongly with the taut, staccato excitement of the Allegro molto which melted into a contemplative mood.
The Adagietto had an elegiac aroma, progressing into a sighing romanticism. The finale was a real caper, leavened by syncopation right from the start. But there was still room for Hunt’s trademark cantabile before an exciting coda. The strings had kept close order with the clarinet, making their presence felt whenever possible. Teamwork was the order the evening.
Abigail McHale as Investigator with members of the Opera North Youth Company in Judith Weir’s The Secret Of The Black Spider. Picture: James Glossop
OPERA North opened its new season with the UK premiere of Judith Weir’s comic thriller in the version first seen at Staatsoper Hamburg in 2008 as Das Geheimnis der schwarzen Spinne.
It features orchestration expanded by Benjamin Gordon from the original 1984 score, which was simply The Black Spider.
It was a bold move by the company to put its youth branch front and centre – and it worked astoundingly well. Weir’s own libretto interweaves two tales, primarily a 19th century novella by the Swiss writer and pastor Jeremias Gotthelf, set in the late 15th century, but also a 1983 report in The Times about excavations at Wawel Cathedral in Kraków.
Ross Ramgobin as Count Heinrich with members of the Opera North Youth Company. Picture: James Glossop
Both stories involve mysterious spiders thought to be lethal. Weir runs them in parallel by inserting five modern interludes, staged as a documentary, into two acts built around the mediaeval fairy-tale.
So we began with journalists interviewing an archaeologist about excavations of King Casimir IV’s tomb in Kraków. By the end we had learnt from a pathologist that a spider had emerged from inside the tomb, followed by the unexplained deaths of several excavators.
Back in 1492, the despotic Count Heinrich’s villagers in the Carpathian mountains are unable to plant a shady grove for his mountain-top castle, but take up the Green Man’s offer to help out. In return, he demands marriage to Christina, who pretends to jilt her fiancé Carl.
Daniel Wright as The Green Man with members of the Opera North Youth Company. Picture: James Glossop
Marrying him anyway, she is punished with a painful hand, from which emerges a plague-bearing spider that crawls inside the Count’s helmet. Driven mad and insensible with drink, he rides to his death. Christina eventually captures the rampaging spider in a trumpet and persuades the sculptors to bury it in the tomb they are preparing for the recently-deceased Casimir IV.
The two stories thus coalesce: cue general rejoicing in the mountains, while a modern-day investigator deduces that “there is a rational answer to everything”.
The score calls for two professional singers. Ross Ramgobin brought a commanding baritone to Heinrich, cleverly blending menace with mirth, while Pasquale Orchard’s vivid soprano allied to her background in dance made for a lively Christina.
Akele Obiang as Caspa. Picture: James Glossop
A variety of cameos were spread throughout the Opera North Youth Chorus and taken with enthusiasm and aplomb. Special mention must go to Daniel Wright who doubled as the Green Man and as a priest attempting to point a final moral, Jeannot Gantier-Hudson as Carl and Akele Obiang as Christina’s visiting cousin Caspa; all three contributed important solos.
Weir’s music, always with tonality not far from the surface, has an irrepressible momentum, which combines tellingly with the wry humour that underlies much of the libretto. It even spoofs operatic conventions. A spider motif dominates the latter stages, and she convincingly interpolates ‘Now thank we all our God’ into the celebrations.
Nicholas Shaw kept a firm hand on the tiller, steering the chamber-sized Opera North Youth Orchestra through tricky rhythmic waters and easily keeping his singers afloat. Chorus discipline under Rosie Kat’s direction was superb, even when tested by the imaginary spider’s rapid reappearances amongst the crowd.
Jeannot Gantier-Houston as Carl, Pasquale Orchard as Christina and Akele Obiang as Caspain The Secret Of The Black Spider. Picture: James Glossop
Zara Mansouri’s set and costumes conjured both period and topography, with Jake Wiltshire’s flexible lighting adding to the mystery but without gloom.
It should be unnecessary to mention that this was the company’s first main-stage opera by a female composer.
All the creative team was at pains to point out that much of the production’s subtlety originated with the performers themselves. It highlighted the vital importance of the whole undertaking: educational outreach is one thing, but putting young performers before the general public quite another. It also offered as powerful a guarantee as can be imagined of the company’s future health.
Review by Martin Dreyer
The Opera North Youth Company in The Secret Of The Black Spider. Picture: James Glossop
The Old Paint Shop, pictured on its inaugural night on October 5 2024, returns to York Theatre Royal Studio tomorrow
THIS autumn, York Theatre Royal Studio is being transformed once again into cabaret club The Old Paint Shop for a season of comedy, live music, burlesque and more, featuring Paint Shop favourites and exciting new acts.
Seating will be cabaret club style and unreserved, offering an intimate theatrical experience where audience members are encouraged to grab a drink at the bar, sit back, relax and enjoy the show.
Evolution Of Fishermen: Opening new season tomorrow. Picture: Luke Ryan Photography
Evolution Of Fishermen, October 9, 8pm
EVOLUTION Of Fishermen are a contemporary folk band, brought together by a mutual love of storytelling, harmony and original folk songs. Since forming in 2021, they have played Green Note, O2 Academy Islington, Old Blue Last in London and The Crescent in York, plus festival appearances at Wilderness, Deershed, Gate To Southwell, LOOP fest & Sam Lee’s The NEST stage at Medicine Festival.
Nun better than Freida Nipples in the company of The Exhibitionists. Picture: Fake Trash Studio
Freida Nipples presents The Exhibitionists, October 10, 8pm
JOIN York’s international award-winning burlesque artiste Freida Nipples as she welcomes some of her favourite and most fabulous performance artists from across the UK. From burlesque to drag and beyond, be sure to expect the unexpected.
Anna Soden: Talking out of her ass in brain wave of a debut comedy show
Anna Soden: It Comes Out Your Bum, October 11, 8pm
ANNA Soden’s brain is a bum. “Come see all the nice things that come out of it,” says the York-raised, Brighton-based comedian, actor and award-nominated York Theatre Royal pantomime cow.
It Comes Out Your Bum is Anna’s madcap debut comedy hour, full of songs, revenge and talking out your ass. This 2025 Komedia New Comedian semi-finalist has featured on Absolute Radio, iHeart Radio and BBC Upload and attracted more than 11million views on TikTok/Instagram.
Fool(ish) Improv: Talking cobblers
Fool(ish) Improv: Cobbled Together, October 11, 8pm
FOOL(ISH) are delighted to deliver a new kind of improv gig as they return to York Theatre Royal. Inspired by York’s most famous street [Shambles], Cobbled Together is a show where the audience brings its own stories and memories of York to pave the way for some freshly ground comedy.
“All things local are about to get a little bit more ludicrous” say Fool(ish). “Join us for a spontaneous and ‘shambolic’ comedy where everything is made up… apart from the bits that happen to be true!”
Kiki Deville: Amusing tales to heartfelt confessions. Picture: Veronica Vee Marx
An Evening with Kiki Deville, October 17, 8pm
COMBINING a big voice, big humour and an even bigger heart, award-winning cabaret diva Kiki DeVille presents a dazzling night of storytelling, sharp wit and unforgettable moments.
From amusing tales to heartfelt confessions, Kiki serves it all, seasoned with her signature sass and a splash of vintage glam. Expect wonderful songs, side-splitting stories and perhaps a visit from glamorous guests along the way.
The Jazzville Quartet’s singer Raquel Alvaro
The Jazzville Quartet, October 18, 8pm
JOIN York jazz combo The Jazzville Quartet for a joyful celebration of Latin favourites (some sung in the original Portuguese), swing classics and haunting jazz ballads, led fabulous Portuguese jazz songbird Raquel Alvaro.
Accompanying Raquel will be piano maestro, arranger and composer Alec Robinson, saxophone legend Jon Taylor and double bass player Tim Murgatroyd.
Queer Spaces: Imagining a better world through a queer lens
Queer Spaces: Climate Pride, October 22, 7pm
THIS one-off night of sparkling new stories imagines a better world through a queer lens. Written and performed by York LGBTQIA artists trying out new work for the first time, Queer Spaces is presented by Roots in association with York Theatre Royal and the Stephen Joseph Theatre.
Pianist Karl Mullen: Everything from Chopin to Oasis, via Led Zeppelin and Les Dawson
Karl Mullen, October 23, 8pm
KARL Mullen is a familiar sight to York visitors as the busker with an upright piano playing outside York Minster, jazz fixture at The Phoenix Inn, in George Street, and Pub Piano Champion at the Leeds Piano Competition.
Mullen has a huge repertoire and specialises in virtuosic arrangements of material from The Great American Songbook, classic pop and rock, boogie-woogie and blues. Expect a highly entertaining mix of everything from Chopin to Oasis, via Led Zeppelin and Les Dawson, delivered with a large dose of humour and stories.
Jazz singer and pianist Nicki Allan
The Nicki Allan Quartet, October 24, 8pm
LEEDS jazz outfit The Nicki Allan Quartet are headed by jazz singer and pianist Nicki Allan, whose vocal style blends wholesome blues sound with soulful jazz and a hint of R&B. Together, the quartet plays a lively and varied set of up-tempo music with a fresh, modern sound interwoven with bold improvisation, scat and a deliciously driving feel.
The Isolation Creations: Hosting The Haunted Haus Of Games
The Haunted Haus Of Games with The Isolation Creations, October 25, 8pm
EYES down for a full Haus of spooky shenanigans as drag queen comedians The Isolation Creations return to York Theatre Royal with their Halloween show, full of ghosts and ghoulies!
Join Jamie Honeybourne and Alan Gibbons for an evening of bingo, laughter, games, surprises and cheesy prizes. “Dress in your best spooky fancy dress and you might go home with a trick and a treat,” they say.
Tickets for The Old Paint Shop are on sale on 01904 623568 or at yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.
York musician Joshua Burnell in the woods. Picture: Frances Sladen
JOSHUA Burnell makes retro folk-pop-rock for the modern world.
Next up for the York keyboard player, guitarist, singer and songwriter – and teacher and cafe pianist to boot – is a sold-out gig with his full band at Rise@Bluebird Bakery, Acomb, on Saturday night.
Joining Joshua (piano, Hammond organ, guitar and vocals) in the bakery will be Nathan Greaves (electric guitar), Ed Simpson (drums), Olly Whitehouse (bass), Kat Hurdley (violin) and, hopefully, Frances Sladen (vocals).
Expect hooky melodies drenched in warm, retro-synth textures, reverbing guitars, lush harmonies and words that make you think. Imagine The War On Drugs meets Peter Gabriel-era Genesis as 1970s’ glam makes peace with psychedelia.
Through his intricately crafted lyrics, Joshua creates a multiverse of settings, from apocalyptic love songs to re-imagined fairy tales, and introduces otherworldly characters, such as the Glass Knight, resurrected from an old English folk tale to reflect the foibles of today.
“This one’s for fans of Stranger Things, Seventies’ art rock and everything in between,” says Joshua as he answers CharlesHutchPress’s questions ahead of Friday’s gig.
What form will the Rise gig take, Joshua?
“Full band! It’s sold out so should be a great night. We sold out over a year ago so I want to give a huge shout-out to everyone who bought a ticket.”
What is the story behind your decision to revisit your debut album Lend An Ear with an upcoming new audio and book edition?
“In 2013, I recorded an album in a student bedroom with a broken MacBook and a guitar I barely knew how to tune. The songs were strong; the execution wasn’t. I’ve been gradually correcting my mistakes ever since.
“This new album is the story of finishing unfinished business. Of doing something again for the sake of doing it properly. The album contains completely re-arranged and re-imagined versions of the songs, to the standard I’d always intended, now re-recorded partly at Young Thugs Studios [at South Bank Social Club, Ovington Terrace, York] and partly in a cottage in rural Wales.
“At one point last year, everything just got a bit too much and I found myself unable to focus properly. I always loved the mythology of Robert Plant and Jimmy Page hiding away in a cottage in Wales to write Led Zeppelin III, so I decided I should do the same. It was exactly what I needed and most of the album took shape during that time.
“In a quiet rebellion against streaming platforms who have successfully managed to devalue music, I’m releasing this one exclusively on CD. It’ll be heard by fewer people, but if it makes it sustainable, that’s enough for me.
“To make it extra special for those people who do choose to support the project and buy a copy, it will come as a hardback book with the full story behind the album and songs.”
What have you been up to in 2025?
“One of the highlights of my life: my daughter Lyra was born! I’ve become a dad, which is the most beautiful thing but also makes you ask yourself some pretty serious questions.
“I knew I couldn’t sustain teaching and music and be a dad, so I’ve taken a year away from teaching to have a go at supporting my family with music. It’s difficult, but I feel very supported by my friends, family and fans.
“This is also part of the reasoning behind ditching streaming platforms – it seems reckless to release music that way when the stakes are so high.”
Have you ever snuck one of your own songs into your piano playing at Bettys cafe?!
“I actually wrote a song about Bettys – or, rather, a love story that takes place there – so I play that one every time! It’s called The Snow On St Helen’s Square. Lucy and 59 occasionally sneak in there too.”
The long hair has gone… why?!
“I wish there was a more profound explanation… it was for a music video! The song is called 59 and is about the last second in a minute; the last minute in an hour; the moment before something new begins.
“It was released just before Lyra was born and was part of that excitement in the unknown. I wanted it to look quite sharp and Eighties-inspired, and I think the short hair suited it well. Here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMsziLvQ_BI .
“I’m growing it long again now. I’m an elf at heart.”
How has your songwriting changed down the years?
“I would like to think I’ve started to consider why I am writing a song more: what problem will my songs solve or who will they serve? I’ve also learned to arrange my songs better, which is a difficult skill.
“Because I write in the studio a lot of the time, the arrangement can happen simultaneously. It’s about having the foresight to hear what the finished song will sound like, and making choices accordingly. There was a time I used to throw in everything and the kitchen sink – now I only use the kitchen sink if there needs to be a kitchen sink.”
How is the Road to the Royal Albert Hall campaign progressing, as highlighted on your website?
“It’s always been my dream to perform a headline show there, so shall we try to make it happen? We’ll need at least 4,000 people to sign up, and we’ll have to prove we mean business at the venues we play along the way.
“I’ll keep updating on our progress. Emails will go out on the first day of each month. Be sure to check your junk folder!”
Joshua Burnell with full band, Rise@Bluebird Bakery, Acomb Road, Acomb, York, October 11, doors, 7.30pm. SOLD OUT. Also playing Howden Live gig at Shire Hall, Howden, with full band, October 18, 8pm. Tickets still available at howden-live.com.
The album cover artwork for Joshua Burnell’s Lend An Ear
Lend An Ear revisited: the back story
“THIS album will only be heard by a finite group of people,” says Joshua. “I’m starting a small, musical rebellion: the album will not be released on streaming platforms. Instead, this album will be limited to a small number of physical copies, beautifully packaged in a hard-back book because I believe the context and stories are as important as the songs themselves.
“To keep the music coming, this needs to be sustainable. A small number of people will own and hear this music. It will be special for them and more than rewarding enough for me.
“The album contains the re-recorded versions followed by the original versions. I hope you enjoy the depth and lived experience in the music and sense of adventure hidden in each layer of every song.”
Lend An Ear (Revisited) contains:
*Re-recorded version of Joshua Burnell’s debut album
*All tracks from the original 2013 release
*Hardback book(lette!) of extensive sleeve notes and stories behind the songs
*7x ‘deep dive’ posters, breaking down the tracks
*The warm feeling that you supported an independent artist to continue making music!
Lend An Ear can be pre-ordered at https://www.joshuaburnell.co.uk/product-page/lend-an-ear-revisited-cd-book.
Griffonage Theatre: Theatre at the intersection of the madcap and the macabre
IRISH village tales, love’s vicissitudes, folk and ceilidh nights and ghost & goblin storytelling bring autumn cheer to Charles Hutchinson.
Time to discover: Griffonage Theatre in FourTold, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, until Saturday, 7.30pm plus 2.30pm Saturday matinee
YORK devotees of the madcap, the macabre and making the familiar strange and the strange familiar, Griffonage Theatre transport audiences to the quirky rural town of Baile Aighneas – The Town of Dispute – for FourTold, a quartet of comedies by early 20th century Irish playwright Lady Augusta Gregory, never presented together in the UK until now under Northern Irish director Katie Leckey.
Encounter the bustling market and all its gossip in Spreading The News; the restaurant where newspaper editors wine, dine and mix up their Coats; the post office, where the splendid Hyacinth Halvey has sent word he is coming to town, and the bus stop where strangers such as The Bogie Men can quickly become friends! Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.
Joe Layton and Hannah Sinclair Robinson in Frantic Assembly’s Lost Atoms at York Theatre Royal. Picture: Scott Graham
Relationship drama of the week: Frantic Assembly in Lost Atoms, York Theatre Royal, until Saturday, 7.30pm plus 2pm Thursday and 2.30pm Saturday matinees
FRANTIC Assembly follow up York Theatre Royal visits of Othello and Metamorphosis with their 30th anniversary production, a two-hander memory play by Anna Jordan, directed by physical theatre specialist Scott Graham.
Joe Layton and Hannah Sinclair Robinson play Robbie and Jess, whose chance meeting, disastrous dates and extraordinary transformative love is the stuff of fairy tales. Or is it? Lost Atoms is a wild ride through a life-changing relationship, or Robbie and Jess’s clashing recollections as they relive the beats of connection, the moments of loss, but are their stories the same and can their memories be trusted? Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.
Lightning Seeds’ Ian Broudie: Pure entertainment at York Barbican
Oh, lucky you gig of the week: Lightning Seeds, Tomorrow’s Here Today, 35 Years Greatest Hits Tour, York Barbican, tomorrow, 8pm
NOW in his 36th year of leading Liverpool’s Lightning Seeds, Ian Broudie heads to York on his extended Tomorrow’s Here Today tour. Cue Pure, The Life Of Riley, Change, Lucky You, Sense, All I Want, Sugar Coated Iceberg, You Showed Me, Emily Smiles, Three Lions et al. Casino support. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.
Jack Fry’s Quasimodo and Ayana Beatrice Poblete’s Esmerelda in Black Sheep Theatre Productions’ The Hunchback Of Notre Dame
Musical of the week: Black Sheep Theatre Productions in The Hunchback Of Notre Dame, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, October 10, 11 and 14 to 18, 7.30pm and 2.30pm Saturday matinees
BLACK Sheep Theatre Productions bring a cast of five leads, seven ensemble actors and a 23-strong choir to the York company’s larger-than-life staging of Alan Menken & Stephen Schwartz’s musical rooted in Disney’s 1996 musical film and Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel.
Combining powerful themes of love, acceptance and the nature of good and evil with a sweeping score, Matthew Peter Clare’s show will be “like nothing you’ve seen before”. Box office: 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.
Alex Mitchell: Headlining the Funny Fridays comedy bill at Patch at Bonding Warehouse, York
Comedy gig of the week: Funny Fridays, Patch at Bonding Warehouse, Terry Avenue, York, Friday, 7.30pm
BRITAIN’S Got Talent star Alex Mitchell headlines October’s Funny Fridays bill at Patch, hosted by promoter and comedy turn Katie Lingo. On the bill too will be Pheebs Stephenson, Jacob Kohn, Lorna Green and Jimmy Johnson.
“As this year’s event falls on World Mental Health Day, we’re raising money for Samaritans with bucket collections, ticket proceeds and a raffle. I’m a volunteer at the York branch and see first-hand the incredible work they do.” Tickets: eventbrite.co.uk or on the door.
Suthering’s Julu Irvine and and Heg Brignall: Playing Helmsley Arts Centre
Folk gig of the week: Suthering, Helmsley Arts Centre, Friday, 7.30pm
ADVOCATES for the LGBTQ+ community and for the rights of women and other marginalised people, Tavistock folk duo Suthering’s Julu Irvine and and Heg Brignall weave harmonies through their original songs, paired with gentle guitar and emotive piano arrangements.
Known for their chemistry, storytelling and humour on stage, they intertwine their messages about the state of our climate, social conscience, the importance of community and connecting with nature, while championing female characters, creating new narratives for women and unearthing the female heroines of the folk tradition, as heard on their second album, 2024’s Leave A Light On. Box office: 01439 771700 or helmsleyarts.co.uk.
Ceilidh of the week: Jackhare Ceilidh Band, Milton Rooms, Malton, Saturday, 7.30pm
RYEDALE Dog Rescue presents the Jackhare Ceilidh Band in an evening of traditional English dance music this weekend. Doors open at 7pm and the Studio Bar will be open. Tickets must be pre-booked by emailing fundraising@ryedaledogrescue.org.uk, phoning 01653 697548, texting 07843 971973 or messaging on the Ryedale Dog Rescue Facebook page.
Robin Simpson: Storyteller and York Theatre Royal pantomime dame
Spooky entertainment of the week: Robin Simpson’s Magic, Monsters And Mayhem!, Rise at Bluebird Bakery, Acomb, York, October 12, doors 4pm
YORK Theatre Royal pantomime dame Robin Simpson – soon to give his Nurse Nellie in Sleeping Beauty this winter – celebrates witches, wizards, ghosts and goblins in his storytelling show.
“The audience is in charge in this interactive performance, ideal for fans of spooky stories and silly songs,” says Robin. “The show is perfect for Years 5 and upwards, but smaller siblings and their grown-ups are very welcome too.” Tickets: bluebirdbakery.co.uk/rise.
Beverley Knight: Stories and songs at York Barbican. Picture: Lewis Shaw
Concert announcement of the week: Beverly Knight, Born To Perform, York Barbican, June 20 2026
QUEEN of British soul Beverley Knight will share stories from her life on stage, as well as performing her biggest hits, musical theatre favourites and cherished songs that have inspired her.
“I’m excited to get back on the road but with a different kind of show that folk are used to with me,” says Wolverhampton-born Beverley, 52. “Born To Perform is me taking you on a journey through my life on both music and theatre stages, using my memories and of course my songs. I’m stripping back my sound so the audience can lean in a little closer and really hear my soul.” Tickets go on sale on Friday at 10am at https://www.yorkbarbican.co.uk/whats-on/beverley-knight-2026.
