Category: Theatre

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REVIEW: The Secret Garden The Musical, York Theatre Royal, until April 4 ****

Catrin Mai Edwards’ Martha, left, Estella Evans’ Mary Lennox and Dexter Pulling’s Colin in York Theatre Royal’s production of The Secret Garden The Musical. Picture: Marc Brenner

THIS production marks two homecomings: the return of the 1991 Broadway musical to its Yorkshire moorland roots in Frances Hodgson Burnett’s 1911 children’s novel, together with John Doyle’s re-acquaintance with York Theatre Royal after 29 years.

The Scotsman had put actor-musician shows at the heart of his York artistic directorship from 1993 to 1997 before going on to win Tony Awards on Broadway when transferring the artform to the United States.

Now, when his cast members fold away the dust sheets at Misselthwaite Manor, they are not only reviving Hodgson’s story but the actor-musician template too, one where all the players are omnipresent on stage, instruments in hand, rather than garden tools, always on the move as if on a merry-go-round.

Doyle and co-scenic designer David L Arsenault further enhance the sense of a ghost story or memory play by populating the stage with trunks and suitcases, in part to reflect 11-year-old orphan Mary Lennox’s arrival at her uncle’s haunted house from India, where her parents have died from cholera.

Haunting presence: Joanna Hickman’s Lily with Henry Jenkinson’s Archibald Craven. left, and Andre Refig’s Neville in The Secret Garden The Musical. Picture: Marc Brenner

Visually, although the moors are depicted on the base of the drapes, the walled garden of the title remains a secret. We never see its regeneration in the form of flowers or foliage; instead seeds are pulled out of trunks or petals fall from above.

The large key, discovered by  Mary (Estella Evans, sharing the role with Poppy Jason), must unlock our imagination to create the mysterious yet now magical garden, dormant since the death of Lily (Joanna Hickman), whose fall from a tree had induced her son Colin’s birth, her life curtailed in childbirth.

Marsha Norman and Carly’s sister Lucy Simon’s musical condenses Hodgson’s story into 90 unbroken minutes, and in doing so turns the spotlight rather more on the struggling adults than young Mary’s own spiritual growth, nurtured in tandem with her rejuvenation of bed-ridden Colin (Dexter Pulling, splitting performances with Cristian Buttaci).

The lack of garden matches that shift in focus: we see plenty of the Theatre Royal’s bare black-painted bricks and stone walls, an austere backdrop that adds to the claustrophobia of omnipresent loss that Mary’s uncle Archibald (Henry Jenkinson) imposes on all around him in the grip of grief that leaves him listless and unable to carry out any functions.

His equally stultifying younger brother, doctor Neville (Andre Refig), feels burdened with the need to step in, overseeing Colin’s highly restrictive treatment, ordering Mary to attend school and assuming control in the face of Archibald’s incapacity.  In song too, they have a heft reminiscent of opera, and Jenkinson, in particular, sings with devastating impact.

John Doyle’s cast on the set design of cloths, trunks, suitcases and mosaic flooring in Misselthwaite Manor. Picture: Marc Brenner

Floating between both worlds is Hickman’s Lily, who moves in dream-like slow motion by comparison with all around, adding to her ghostly presence. Her singing is sublime throughout, and her performance is the embodiment of Doyle’s belief in the power of actor-musicianship to lift the music-making from underneath (in an orchestra pit) to within the performer.

Hickman, the outstanding performer here, becomes one with her cello, inseparable and heartbreaking – even more so than Jenkinson when at the piano – and this is the apotheosis of Doyle’s performance style and indeed the personification of musical supervisor Catherine Jayes’ gorgeous, deeply moving orchestrations.

The need for light amid the grave shade finds reward in Mary’s relationships with the caring Martha (Catrin Mai Edwards), gardener Ben (Steve Simmonds), young Dickon (Elliot Mackenzie), and especially in her sparring with spoilt, initially insufferable Colin that brings much needed humour.

Mary’s bewilderment at the Yorkshire accent elicits the loudest laugh, and more of this Them and Us banter would have been welcome, whereas the clash is more often one of wills, whether with Ann Marcuson’s teacher Mrs Winthrop or Refig’s Neville.

Elizabeth Marsh, on her return to York Theatre Royal, in the role of Mrs Medlock. Picture: Marc Brenner

Returning to the Theatre Royal, where she had been part of Doyle’s company for his first York actor-musician show, Moll Flanders, Elizabeth Marsh serves a dual role, primarily as stern head housekeeper Mrs Wedlock  but also as a symbolic robin, guardian of the “secret” guardian, whose perky presence is represented by constant chirping on flute or whistle: a lovely, uplifting touch.

There is something of an (Indian) elephant in the room. Not so much Dickon being played by an adult (the kindly MacKenzie  in roll-up jeans and braces), nor Hickman’s Lily wearing white boots in the Dr Martens style, because artistic licence, directorial whim and costume designer Gabrielle Dalton’s mood board  must be allowed to play their part.

More so, why is Mary Lennox in modern clothes with a rucksack on her back (rather than the Indian clothing of the book at the start)? Is this to play to the school groups on GCSE study duty; is Mary reading a book and then stepping into the story? Is it to make  Mary even more of an outsider, the alien arriving in Yorkshire? The book she carries is a photo album of relatives, so that rules that theory out; the other explanations go down cul-de-sacs too.

It was a diverting talking point afterwards in the foyer and no suggestion has satisfied your reviewer’s curiosity yet. Further answers on a proverbial postcard are welcome.

York Theatre Royal presents The Secret Garden The Musical, until April 4, 7.30pm (except Sundays and Mondays), plus 2pm, March 26 and April 2; 2.30pm, March  28 and April 4; 6.30pm, tonight and March 30. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.

Joanna Hickman’s Lily and Dexter Pulling’s Colin in a scene from The Secret Garden The Musical. In the background are Steve Simmonds’ Ben and Elizabeth Marsh’s Mrs Medlock. Picture: Marc Brenner

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REVIEW: Celestine Dubruel’s verdict on Murder Trial Tonight IV: Death Of A Landlord, York Barbican, March 22

Tigerslane Studios’ cast for Murder Trial Tonight IV, Death Of A Landlord

I WAS really looking forward to this show—perhaps more accurately, this re-trial of a real-life court case—and it didn’t disappoint.

From the moment we entered, Sunday afternoon’s sold-out audience was cast as the jury in the trial of reclusive tenant Tre Bennet, accused of the brutal stabbing of his landlord, Victor Sloane. The only eyewitness: Sloane’s young daughter.

Presented under the direction of Gareth Watts, the stage was starkly arranged as a courtroom, complete with witness box, dock and judge’s bench, while the prosecution and defence occupied opposite sides as a cast of 11 played out Steve Cummings’ script.

When we were asked to stand for the judge’s entrance, the theatrical illusion snapped seamlessly into something far more immersive: participation.

The prosecution’s opening statement was commanding, laying out what initially seemed like a compelling case. Witness statements, months of unpaid rent, and a description of a Black man in a yellow jacket—identified by the child—combined with blood found on the defendant’s door, all pointed toward Tre.

We were also told that he suffered from schizophrenia, a detail framed to suggest a potential for violent outbursts. Add to this a recent confrontation between Tre and the landlord involving his mother, and the prosecution’s narrative appeared convincing. At this stage, the outlook for Tre Bennet felt bleak.

However, the defence lawyer methodically dismantled this certainty. The yellow jacket, central to the eyewitness account, was shown to be outdated—photographic evidence taken years earlier, with the garment long since discarded. The blood on the door was given a far more mundane explanation: an accidental injury sustained by the landlord while carrying out repairs. Gradually, the cracks in the prosecution’s case began to widen.

The emotional core of the piece came through the testimony of Tre’s mother. Her account—detailing her escape from Sierra Leone to build a life in England with her young son—was deeply affecting.

Through her words, and those of Tre’s music teacher, we were introduced to a very different portrait: a gentle, gifted young man shaped by hardship andsubjected to racist abuse, yet defined by kindness and creativity. Importantly, the defence also challenged assumptions around mental illness, reminding us that the proportion of people with schizophrenia who commit violent crimes is extremely small.

What makes Death Of A Landlord so powerful is its insistence on confronting bias – both within the justice system and within ourselves. The production subtly raises the issue of racial profiling, prompting us to question whether the investigation may have been too quick to focus on a suspect who “fits the bill,” rather than exploring alternative possibilities.

The balance of the case is its greatest strength. Just when you feel certain, a new detail unsettles your confidence. The writing is sharp and meticulously structured, and the performances are so naturalistic that the boundary between theatre and reality all but disappears. As jurors, the weight of responsibility becomes palpable; the fear of reaching the wrong verdict lingers throughout.

Adapted from a true story, Tigerslane Studios’ production culminates in a modern twist: the audience delivers its verdict – guilty or not guilty – via smartphone using a QR code. Only then is the real-life outcome revealed on a large screen.

It’s a striking and sobering conclusion, leaving you not only reflecting on the case, but on your own judgement – and on this occasion, 84 per cent of York’s jury turned out to be wrong in their verdict.

This is immersive theatre at its most thought-provoking: gripping, unsettling, and impossible to forget.

Celestine Dubruel, theatrical judge and jury member

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More Things To Do in York & beyond, as the puns stack up & bakery burlesque teases. Hutch’s List No. 11, from The York Press

Darren Walsh: Puns by the punnet load at Theatre@41, Monkgate, York

A PLETHORA of puns, a dysfunctional American family musical, an alien invasion in film and theatre and a bakery burlesque night confirm variety is the spice of Charles Hutchinson’s arts life.

Comedy show like no other, bar pun: Darren Walsh: Do You Like Puns?, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, tonight, 8pm

WITNESS a pun Goliath in person when Darren Walsh brings his 8ft frame to York for his Do You Like Puns? show. Noted for his Jokes On The Street series on social media, he combines sound effects, videos, one-liners and improvised jokes spun off audience suggestions. “Book now, li is two short,” he says. Think about it. Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.

Pianist David Hammond

Classical concert of the week: York Late Music: David Hammond, Unitarian Chapel, St Saviourgate, York, today, 1pm

PIANIST David Hammond’s recital celebrates Yorkshire and northern composers, brought together in an afternoon programme full of musical storytelling, ranging in mood and imagery from Patrick John Jones’s Eel and the world premiere of James Else’s Kitten’s Prelude, to butterflies, letters and birthday cards in works by Dawn Walters and Nicola LeFanu.

Two further world premieres, a new James Williamson piece, alongside Scarlatti’s Cat’s Fugue, echo the animal thread and electronic elements feature in Jake Adams’s Thirty In Eight, adding a contemporary edge to Hammond’s typically imaginative combination of local voices, strong themes and plenty of character. Tickets: latemusic.org or on the door.

Catrin Mai Edwards’ Martha, left, Estella Evans’ Mary Lennox and Dexter Pulling’s Colin in The Secret Garden The Musical at York Theatre Royal. Picture: Marc Brenner

Actor-musician show of the week: The Secret Garden The Musical, York Theatre Royal, until April 4

TONY Award-winning director John Doyle, artistic director of York Theatre Royal from 1993 to 1997, returns to pastures past in more ways than one to present his actor-musician staging of Lucy Simon and Marsha Norman’s Broadway musical account of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s story of love, loss, healing and hope, set on Yorkshire moorland in 1906.

Newly orphaned, Mary Lennox is sent to live with her widowed uncle at the secluded Misselthwaite Manor, a house in habited by memories and spirits from the past. On discovering her Aunt Lily’s neglected garden, she vows to breathe new life into its mysterious stasis as she learns the restorative magic of nature. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.

The Budapest Café Orchestra: Fronted by Christian Garrick at Helmsley Arts Centre

Snappiest attire of the week: Christian Garrick & The Budapest Café Orchestra, Helmsley Arts Centre, tonight, 7.30pm

CHRISTIAN Garrick (violin, darbuka), Murray Grainger (accordion), Kelly Cantlon (double bass) and Adrian Zolotuhin (guitar, saz, balalaika, domra) team up in this refreshingly unconventional and snappily attired boutique orchestra. Playing gypsy and folk-flavoured music in a unique and surprising way, The Budapest Café Orchestra combine Balkan and Russian traditional music with artful distillations of Romantic masterworks and soaring Gaelic folk anthems.

Established by British composer Garrick in 2009, BCO have 16 albums to their name, marked by an “astonishing soundscape and aural alchemy” characteristic of larger ensembles, evoking Tzigane fiddle maestros, Budapest café life and gypsy campfires. Box office: 01439 771700 or helmsleyarts.co.uk.    

This charming man: Nigel Havers is ready to talk at the Grand Opera House. Picture: Matt Crockett

Laughter, nostalgia and charm equals: Nigel Havers Talking B*ll*cks, Grand Opera House, York, March 23, 7.30pm

LET esteemed actor and self-deprecating raconteur Nigel Havers introduce his touring talk show. “Join me, a stage, and a lifetime of gloriously ridiculous stories to share with you. You’ll get the full Havers experience: charm, wit, and absolutely no running in slow motion.

“Of course, there’ll be behind-the-scenes gossip, tales of triumph (and disaster), moments of sheer madness, and a fair bit of talking b*ll*cks. And just when you think you’ve got me figured out, I might surprise you.” Box office: atgtickets.com/york.

Dale Vaughan, left, Ryan Richardson, Monica Frost, Niamh Rose, Fergus Green and Matthew Warry, at the back, in rehearsal for Pick Me Up Theatre’s Next To Normal

American musical of the week: Pick Me Up Theatre in Next To Normal, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, March 25 to April 4, 7.30pm except March 29 and 30; 2.30pm matinees, March 28 and 29, April 4

ANDREW Isherwood directs York company Pick Me Up Theatre in Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt’s Tony Award-winning musical exploration of family and illness, loss and grief as a suburban American household copes with crisis and mental illness.

Dad is an architect; Mom rushes to pack lunches and pour cereal; their daughter and son are bright, wise-cracking teens but their lives are anything but normal, because Mom has been battling manic depression for 16 years.Next To Normal presents their story with love, sympathy and heart. Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.

Mike Wozniak: Coming off The Bench to perform twice at the Grand Opera House, York

Sit-down stand-up of the week: Mike Wozniak: The Bench, Grand Opera House, York, March 25 and September 12, 7.30pm

THE Bench is the new stand-up tour show from Mike Wozniak, wherein in a story about a bench will be prominent. Previous experience of or strong opinions about benches are not required. Let Wozniak worry about that.

This Oxford-born comedian, writer, actor and former medical doctor portrays Brian in Channel 4 sitcom Man Down, is part of the team that makes Small Scenes for BBC Radio 4 and co-presents the Three Bean Salad podcast with Henry Paker and Benjamin Partridge. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.

Gorillaz: Bringing The Mountain to Leeds next Wednesday

Yorkshire gig of the week: Gorillaz, supported by Trueno, Leeds First Direct Bank Arena, March 25, 7.30pm; doors 6pm

DAMON Albarn and Jamie Hewlett’s BRIT and Grammy-winning British band showcase their chart-topping ninth studio album  in Leeds after two warm-up shows at Bradford Live. Spanning 15 songs that embody the collaborative Gorillaz ethos, The Mountain creates a “playlist for a party on the border between this world and whatever happens next, exploring the journey of life and the thrill of existence”. Box office: gorillaz.com. 

Bonnie Baddoo, Gareth Cassidy, Amy Dunn and Morgan Bailey in Imitating The Dog’s War Of The Worlds. Picture: Ed Waring

All’s Wells that ends in the worst nightmares of the week: Imitating The Dog in War Of The Worlds, Leeds Playhouse, March 25 to 28, 7.45pm plus 2pm Thursday and 2.30pm Saturday matinees

FOUR performers enter the stage and construct an epic road movie before your eyes in Imitating The Dog’s re-invention of H G Wells’s apocalyptic tale of alien invasion and the unfolding destruction of everything we hold dear as extraterrestrial life-forms land from the skies.

Using miniature environments, model worlds, camera tricks and projection, the ever-audacious Leeds company mixes the live and the recorded, the animate and the inanimate to ask “What would you do if order broke down? What would you do to survive? How far would you go to protect your own?” Box office: 0113 213 7700 or leedsplayhouse.org.uk

Vitamin String Quartet: Eroding boundaries between classical, dance, hip-hop and pop at Grand Opera House, York

Billie Eilish, Bridgerton & Beyond concert of the week: Vitamin String Quartet, Grand Opera House, York, March 27, 7.30pm

ERASING  the boundaries between classical, dance, hip-hop and pop, Vitamin String Quartet perform renditions of everything from Billie Eilish to BTS, Taylor Swift to The Weeknd and Danny Elfman to Daft Punk. Formed in 1999, this Los Angeles group comprises Tom Lea, viola, Wynton Grant and Rachel Grace, violins, and Derek Stein, cello. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.

Freida Nipples: Baps & Buns burlesque on board a baguette at Rise@Bluebird Bakery

Cabaret of the week: Freida Nipples presents Baps & Buns Burlesque, Rise@Bluebird Bakery, Acomb, York, March 27, 8pm, doors 7pm

YORK’S queen of burlesque, Freida Nipples, swaps teas for tease as she turns the bakery cafe into a cabaret joint for a night of fun, frolics and freedom of expression in all shapes and sizes.

On the fabulously zesty menu will be Donna Divine, Ezme Pump, Callum Robshaw and Freida herself, hosted by Harvey Rose. Box office: bluebirdbakery.co.uk/rise.

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REVIEW: Rowntree Players in The Importance Of Being Earnest, going Wilder at Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York ***

Jorja Cartwright’s Algernon Moncrieff, in Ernest mode, right, woos Katie Shaw’s Cecily Cardew in Rowntree Players’ The Importance Of Being Earnest. All pictures: Jamie McKeller

LIKE the best cucumber sandwiches, Oscar Wilde’s “trivial comedy for serious people” can be sliced in different ways, but always with the crusts, not the upper crust, removed.

The dust has not long settled on Stephen Fry’s Lady Bracknell in the National Theatre production at the Noel Coward Theatre, a role David Suchet had played on the London stage a decade earlier.

Cross-dressing comedy duo Hinge & Bracket went Wilde in 1977, as did satirical duo Lip Service in 2001, when the late Maggie Fox and Sue Ryding set the Victorian comedy of manners in the 1950s.

In 2015, Nigel Havers’s Algernon Moncrieff and Martin Jarvis’s John Worthing teamed up with Siân Phillips’s Lady Bracknell for the Bunbury Company of Players’ “golden-oldies” version, playing the Grand Opera House on tour that November.

Lizzie Lawton’s yearning Jack Worthing and Bethan Olliver’s enamoured Gwendolen Fairfax in Rowntree Players’ The Importance Of Being Earnest

In September 2022, Denzel Westley-Sanderson sassy co-production for English Touring Theatre, Leeds Playhouse and Rose Theatre, Kingston, “melded Wilde’s wit with chart-toppers, shade and contemporary references”.

Setting Oscar’s satire of dysfunctional families, class, gender and sexuality in Black Victorian high society, he cast Daniel Jacob, alias drag queen Vinegar Strokes, as Lady Bracknell and added to the gender fluidity with Dr Chasuble being played by Anita Reynolds, bonding in a lesbian relationship with Joanne Henry’s Miss Prism.

All this is by way of introduction to Hannah Shaw’s LGBTQ+ exploration of gay playwright  Wilde’s comedy for Rowntree Players, where she introduces new young players to the company too. This re-invention is not far-fetched, by the way, as a quick search reveals that “Importance” is “widely interpreted by critics and scholars as having a significant queer subtext, acting as a ‘gay play’ encoded for contemporary audiences”.

To further quote “AI Thinking”, “while the plot revolves around heterosexual romances, it is celebrated for its camp style, irony and subtle references to same-sex desire, often termed ‘Bunburying’.”

Checking the diary: Katie Shaw’s Cecily Cardew, left, and Bethan Olliver’s Gwendolen Fairfax

And there’s more: ‘Bunburying’ is “a code for leading a secret life to pursue forbidden, potentially gay, sexual activity”; the name “Earnest” was “a late-Victorian euphemism for a homosexual or queer man”; the play is “a foundational work of queer literature”.

Until now, your reviewer has been in Wilde’s “serious people” mode, but Hall’s light and bright production is very much in the spirit of “trivial comedy”, having as much fun and games as possible by going Wilder in the country, even when stretched to Wilde’s original four-act, three-hour version, reconstructed by Vyvyan Holland, at the request of the Rowntree Players committee.

From Stephanie Cullingford  & Hannah Shaw’s costumes, all vintage lines yet modern too, to Nathan Kirby’s classical instrumental arrangements of pop  nuggets such as Abba’s I Do, I Do, I Do and Sabrina Carpenter’s Nonsense, Shaw’s show straddles Wilde’s dapper past and today’s dandy designs.

Algernon’s London abode is dominated by heavy curtains, complemented by an old lamp shade, a timeless hat stand and modern sofas. Max Palmer’s butler, Lane, is thoroughly modern in attire, but old school in demeanour.

Jorja Cartwright’s Algernon Moncrieff, in the guise of Ernest, evoking Gentleman Jack in The Importance Of Being Earnest

Jorja Cartwright’s Miss Algernon Moncrieff, in tassled boots, dark trousers and waistcoat, is working her way through the cucumber sandwiches, awaiting effervescent, financially reckless bachelor friend Jack Worthing (Leeds Conservatoire graduate Lizzie Lawton (they/them)). Therein lies Shaw’s gender exploration and LGBTQ+ integration into Wilde’s mannered comedy.

Both must lead double lives, Algernon inventing an ever-ailing friend Bunbury to escape dull duties; Jack engineering a fictional younger brother, Ernest, to facilitate his partying in London and wooing of Gwendolen Fairfax (Leeds Conservatoire third-year student Bethan Ollivier), rebellious daughter of Lady Bracknell.

Lady Bracknell has always been a snob, a stickler for social niceties, a dragon snorting disdain, but here, as played with burning acidity by Jeanette Hambridge, she becomes a social climber, a successful businesswoman, in Shaw’s vision,  working her way up from nothing to be the breadwinner for the stay-at-home Lord Bracknell, never shedding her London accent  in her rise up the ladder.

In this guise, she is more cynical, on occasion sarcastic, her manner perma-frosty, putting a more poisonous sting into Wilde’s waspish wit.

Lizzie Lawton’s Jack Worthing checking the military records for the importance of being Ernest

Olliver’s Gwendolen has all the trappings and airs of a posh education, bursting with over-excitement at the mention of the name “Ernest”, even growling playfully; all part of turning Wilde wilder. Likewise, Lawton, so dextrous both vocally and physically, so joyously energetic, so top of the fops, has a tendency to take exaggerated movement into clowning territory.

By contrast, Jorja Cartwright, arriving on the York scene via Greater Manchester, favours a less gaudy acting style, a flick of a leg here, an elegant clamber over a sofa there. Miss Algernon Moncrieff  becomes Mr Ernest when wooing Jack’s ward, Cecily Cardew (Londoner Katie Shaw) in country matters behind Jack’s back, by now in tassled boots, white trousers and a brocade waistcoat, blond locks in a ponytail.

If you are picking up Gentleman Jack/ Ann Lister vibes, then Cullingford and Shaw’s work is done here. Cartwright is outstanding, her voice playful, her movement just right, even when talking while filling her face with muffins.

Katie Shaw’s Cecily Cardew writing her latest gushing diary entry

Katie Shaw’s diary-keeping Cecily is to the spoilt-ingenue manner born, behind the pretty frills, and her spat over tea and cake with Olliver’s Gwendolen is a comedic high point as they climb ever higher on chairs to assert their claims to each being betrothed to Ernest Worthing.

Palmer’s brace of long-suffering butlers, Lane and not-so-Merriman, adds cameo dry humour, while the slow-burning romance of Wayne Osguthorpe’s bookish Reverend Canon Chasuble  and Rebecca Thomson’s moral novel-writing tutor Miss Prism warms pleasingly in the background, played in a lower key to match Hambridge’s underwhelmed Lady Bracknell.

Under the Shaw touch, The Importance Of Being Earnest bends willingly to the gender agenda, bringing fresh fun and freedom to Wilde’s Victorian social satire, but Lady Bracknells of yore would surely give short shrift to this nouvelle-riche arriviste, more snotty than snooty.

Rowntree Players, The Importance Of Being Earnest, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, 2pm and 7.30pm today (21/3/2026). Box  office for “last few tickets”: 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.

Jorja Cartwright’s Algernon Moncrieff makes a hasty exit. You will not be seeking to do likewise, even though Rowntree Players’ four-act The Importance Of Being Earnest runs to three hours

NEWFLASH 23/03/2026

HANNAH Shaw will direct Rowntree Players’ production of Marc Camoletti’s French farce Boeing Boeing in Beverley Cross’s English adaptation at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, from July 23 to 25.

In Paris, in 1960, Bernard, a successful architect living abroad, reckons he can juggle his three flight attendant fiancées with ease. All it demands is a question of timing and a little help from his trusted housekeeper, who reluctantly plays “romantic air traffic controller”. Tickets are on sale on 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.

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We need to talk about Nigel before Havers heads to Grand Opera House on Monday to reflect on five decades of stage & screen

Ready to talk: Nigel Havers heads to the Grand Opera House on Monday

LET Nigel Havers, veteran actor, host of BBC One auction show The Bidding Room and self-deprecating raconteur, explain why he will be “Talking B*ll*cks” at the Grand Opera House, York, on March 23.

“Well, I loved my first tour – and I think the audiences did too – so here we go again! Join me, a stage, and a lifetime of gloriously ridiculous stories to share with you. You’ll get the full Havers experience: charm, wit, and absolutely no running in slow motion,” he says.

“I’ll be taking you on a thoroughly entertaining trot through five decades in showbiz. From my early days as a fresh-faced drama school hopeful, to the highs and lows of a career that’s seen me in everything from Chariots Of Fire and Empire Of The Sun to Don’t Wait Up and some rather marvellous West End plays – and more than my fair share of [London] Palladium pantos.”

Anything else, Nigel? “Of course, there’ll be behind-the-scenes gossip, tales of triumph (and disaster), moments of sheer madness, and a fair bit of talking b*ll*cks. And just when you think you’ve got me figured out, I might surprise you,” he teases.

“Let’s just say there’s a taste of my very first acting role and a little showcase of one of my off-stage talents – I’ll leave you guessing. So, come along for a night of laughter, nostalgia, and, dare I say, charm. It’s going to be a lot of fun – I promise.”

To put flesh on these bones, Nigel delayed lunch with his wife Georgiana Bronfman for a quick chat – more hors d’oeuvres than main course – with CharlesHutchPress. Having “talked b*ll*cks on the road last year, he has decided to tour again, split into spring and autumn itineraries.

“I did 12 dates and it was such fun, as it’s the first time I’ve been on stage without having to learn lines,” he says. “I can just walk on stage and ‘talk b*ll*cks’. I just go wherever my mind takes me.

“Because I haven’t got a script, I feel very free. I feel great. Whereas if you’ve got a script, you think, ‘Oh my God, what if I forget that bit?’ I don’t have any worries about that anymore. I can’t dry because I can just go on to another anecdote.”

He keeps the show to a tight 90 minutes. “It’s 45 minutes, an interval, than another 45 minutes, and no audience questions,” says Nigel, now 73.

“I can’t think of anything better than doing this show. It’s more fun than I’ve ever had!” says Nigel Havers ahead of his York visit. Picture: Matt Crockett

“I come offstage on a high. I have a dry martini, and then go out to dinner with my missus, which is great. It’s a really wonderful evening. And then I’m on to the next town. It’s fantastic. I can’t think of anything better than doing this show. It’s more fun than I’ve ever had!”

Nigel will be reflecting on a five-decade career that has taken in everything from The Charmer to Passage To India, Benidorm to Coronation Street, Yasmina Reza’s Art to the “golden oldies” version of Oscar Wilde’s “trivial comedy for serious people”, The Importance Of Being Earnest, that he brought to the Grand Opera House with Martin Jarvis as John Worthing to his Algernon Moncrieff in Lucy Bailey’s touring production for the Bunbury Company of Players in November 2015.

“Martin and I had done it at the National Theatre 30 years before, and I said, ‘maybe we should do it again’. Martin wasn’t sure at first, but when I further explored why I wanted to re-visit it, he agreed,” he recalls.

Explaining his working practice, Nigel says: “I’ve always been a ‘letter-box’ actor. When a script comes through the letter box, I’ll think, ‘I’ll do that…”

Or not? “I don’t think I’ve ever turned anything down. At least, I can’t remember doing that. You learn by doing things, and as a young actor, a lot of my contemporaries would say ‘I don’t do that’, but I’d say ‘yes’,” says Nigel.

“I used to walk around the BBC at White City, when no-one would check who you were, and you could meet all the producers and end up being cast.”

Unlike the typical 9 to 5 career, actors spend great parts of their life being “someone else”, whether on screen or stage or in the rehearsal. Nigel disagrees, however. “You’re still playing roles all day [in other jobs] because we all do that – and acting takes that further, but it’s a job and it feels like that.

Nigel Havers in the role of Algernon Moncrieff in the Bunbury Company of Players’ production of The Importance Of Being Earnest, on tour at the Grand Opera House, York, in November 2015. Picture: Tristram Kenton

“My wife doesn’t think it’s a serious job – because you can make it look easy. But it’s like watching tennis and thinking, ‘I could do that’. In reality, anyone who makes it look easy is good at it.”

Nigel is a fixture in the London Palladium pantomime, the biggest show of the year each winter in London. “It’s second nature now,” he says. “I play myself mostly. Last year I was the Keeper of the Privy [in Sleeping Beauty]. There was no plot! I was just abused by Julian [Clary], as everyone in the show is. I’m just his foil!” He will be back for more Clary putdowns next Christmas in his 20th consecutive year in pantomime.

Meanwhile, his talking tour rolls on, where the only bump in the road is the title. “Whenever I go on any TV or radio show, they tell me, ‘Whatever you do, don’t mention the title of the show.’ ‘What? Talking B-?’ ‘Don’t say that!’,” he says.

“You could call b*ll*cks ‘nonsense’. If you talk ‘b*ll*cks’, you can talk to anyone – and ‘b*ll*cks’ isn’t a swear word. Lindsay Hoyle [Speaker of the House of Commons] confirmed that the other day in Parliament.”

Beyond anecdotes, what features in the show? “I do a bit of magic, which always goes wrong. I love doing magic tricks, but I do them really quite badly!” says Nigel. “I also make the perfect dry martini at the end. I drag my wife on stage to help me hand out the glasses to the audience. But I don’t allow her to speak because that would cost me money!”

Nigel’s lunch was calling, but not before one last question. Does he have one particular role he still craves playing? “Absolutely nothing that I haven’t done yet! I never have those ambitions. I just wait for the latter box.”

Nigel Havers: Talking B*ll*cks, Grand Opera House, York, March 23, 7.30pm . Box office: atgtickets.com/york.

Never mind the title! The poster for Nigel Havers’ Talking B*ll*cks tour show

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REVIEW: Claybody Theatre, The Grand Babylon Hotel, Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, then Harrogate Theatre ****

Window of opportunity: Alice Pryor’s Nella Racksole, Thomas Cotran’s Prince Aribert of Posen, centre, and Bill Champion’s Theodore Racksole. Picture: Andrew Billington

CONRAD Nelson. Deborah McAndrew. Bill Champion. All are names familiar to Yorkshire theatre audiences past and present, but what of Arnold Bennett?

He is as much a part of the Potteries as Nelson and McAndrew’s Stoke-on-Trent company Claybody Theatre, but for all his 34 novels, 13 plays, seven volumes of short stories, several self-help books, screenplays and stories for more than 100 newspapers and periodicals, he may be best known for the Omelette Arnold Bennett, the creamy one with gruyere cheese, smoked fish and béchamel sauce, invented in his name by chef Jean Baptiste Virlogeux while he was staying at The Savoy in 1929 to write his 1930 book Imperial Palace.

Bennett loved The Savoy – his second home – and hotel culture at large, a love expressed in his 1902 “rollicking comedy thriller” The Grand Babylon Hotel (based on The Savoy, apparently).

Alice Pryor’s Nella Racksole and Thomas Cotran’s Prince Aribert of Posen take to the water in The Grand Babylon Hotel. Picture: Andrew Billington

Thrice turned into a film, in 1914, 1916 and1920 (in Germany), now it is transformed into a theatrical whirl of a murder mystery drama in the spruce yet madcap style of Patrick Barlow’s reinvention of The 39 Steps, replete with fabulously attired, flamboyant characters, dextrous movement and dance-step interludes, sleight-of-hand role shifts and equally fast costume, accent and location changes on a rising tide of physical comedy and mentally adroit twists and turns.

Co-artistic director Nelson’s touring cast for McAndrew’s wizard, whizzing Jazz Age stage adaptation adds Stephen Joseph Theatre favourite Bill Champion to four players from last autumn’s premiere at the New Vic.

Champion, cigar seemingly forever betwixt his lips, is playing American railroad billionaire Theodore Racksole, whose demanding daughter, Nella (Alice Pryor), wants filleted steak and Bass beer for her birthday treat.

Michael Hugo’s Ticket Collector in The Grand Babylon Hotel. Picture: Andrew Billington

However, as supercilious maitre d’hotel Jules (Michael Hugo) explains, they are not on Italian chef Rocco’s menu at London’s exclusive Grand Babylon Hotel.

Whereupon Theodore buys the chef, the kitchen, the hotel, lock, stock and barrel of unexpected problems. Big mistake?  When Reginald Dimmock (Thomas Cotran) keels over, murder is followed by the kidnapping of Nella.

McAndrew stirs myriad characters into the melting pot, even inventing one, German Nanny Heidi (one of four roles for Shelley Atkinson, including fierce hotel worker Miss Spencer, who may really be Baroness Zerlinski).

Shelley Atkinson’s Nanny Heidi in The Grand Babylon Hotel. Picture: Andrew Billington

Thomas Cotran, who you have seen in Mikron Theatre shows, flits between three roles, the unfortunate Dimmock, the heel-clicking German Prince Aribert of Posen and knife-wielding, moustachioed Italian head chef Rocco, having particular fun with the latter.

They are joined in McAndrew’s trio of “clowns” by Michael Hugo, once a fixture in Northern Broadsides productions, and still as elastic and electric in his comic tomfoolery, stealing scene after scene like acts of daylight “rubbery”.

He plays a sextet of roles, each with a different accent, rhythm of speech, manner of movement, whether the alarming Jules, the dastardly Tom Jackson, the Cockney detective Marshall, the Porter or the hypochondriac Prince Eugen of Posen.

Most amusing of all is his growling French ticket collector, fag in mouth, playing tricks on the audience members when asking them to hold a boarding rope. In Tom Jackson mode, aboard a boat, he even asks “beefy John” from the front row to take over the wheel. You won’t see a comic tour de force to rival Hugo on a Yorkshire stage this year, whether leaping into a basket or being thrown around like a rag doll when Prince Eugen is assumed to be dead.

Lis Evans’s costumes are a playful delight, while her open-plan set design can be adapted for differing venues, letting the cast do the heavy lifting in conveying locations, such as when Champion’s Theodore mimes his journey of discovery through the hotel’s unseen interior, banging his head three times on thin air!

Champion and Pryor play it straight while still playing off the crazed comic energy of Atkinson, Cotran and especially Hugo as Nelson’s direction judges the pacing perfectly, each scene surpassing the last.

James Atherton’s compositions, Daniella Beattie’s lighting and floor projections, Damian Coldwell’s sound design and Beverley Norris-Edmunds’ movement direction and choreography all play their part in making The Grand Babylon Hotel so swish and stylish, topped off by Nick Haverson’s physical comedy direction.

Nelson’s cast uses the assets of the SJT’s in-the-round structure to the max, from Champion delivering monologues from the stairways to the three entry points being in constant use. No doubt, the show will adapt to Harrogate Theatre’s classical proscenium arch next month with equal elan.

Wherever you choose to go to see Champion, Atkinson, Cotran, Pryor and Hugo in particular, book now.

Claybody Theatre in The Grand Babylon Hotel, Stephen Joseph Theatre, until Saturday, 7.30pm plus 2.30pm Saturday matinee; Harrogate Theatre, April 1 to 4, 7.30pm and 2pm Saturday matinee. Box office: Scarborough,01723 370541 or sjt.uk.com; Harrogate, 01423 502116 or harrogatetheatre.co.uk.

Claybody Theatre’s poster for The Grand Babylon Hotel

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Pick Me Up Theatre ponders what is “Next To Normal” in family life at Theatre@41

Family matters: Niamh Rose (Natalie), left, Monica Frost (Diana), Matthew Warry (Gabe) and Dale Vaughan (Dan) in a scene from Next To Normal. Picture: Emma Darbyshire

YORK company Pick Me Up Theatre follows up Christmas hit Anything Goes with Next To Normal’s  intimate exploration of family and illness, loss and grief at Theatre@41, Monkgate, York.

Running from March 25 to April 4, this winner of three 2009 Tony Awards and the 2010 Pulitzer Prize combines book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey with music by Tom Kitt in its musical account of how one suburban household copes with crisis and mental illness.

Andrew Isherwood directs Pick Me Up’s cast of Monica Frost, Dale Vaughan, Niamh Rose, Matthew Warry, Fergus Green and Ryan Richardson in the story of architect Dad, Mom rushing  to pack lunches and pour cereal, and their bright, wise-cracking teenage daughter and son.

Outwardly, they appear to be a typical American family, and yet their lives are anything but normal, because the mother has been battling manic depression for 16 years. 

“Next To Normal takes audiences into the minds and hearts of each character, presenting their family’s story of dealing with mental illness with love, sympathy and heart,” says Andrew, who is joined in the production team by musical director James Robert Ball and producer/designer Robert Readman.

“It’s a relatively new work that’s not been done in York before, chosen by Robert [company founder and artistic director Robert Readman], who had this great idea to segue The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time [April 2025], Everybody’s Talking About Jamie [July 2025] and now – after the festive hiatus for Anything Goes – Next To Normal as three musicals that tackle mental health.

Dale Vaughan, front, and Ryan Richardson in rehearsal for Pick Me Up Theatre’s Next To Normal. Picture: Emma Darbyshire

“‘Curious Incident’ was told through the mind of a child [who called himself  a ‘mathematician with some behavioural difficulties’]; ‘Jamie’ was a coming-of-age story of  a teenage drag queen facing bigotry; Next To Normal is told through the parents’ eyes and deals with mental illness and facing a crisis. All three have incredible family  drama at their core, even family dysfunction.”

Monica Frost plays Diana, the mother with a bipolar condition. “Monica has a huge task, but for all of the cast it’s such an emotionally taxing show, where we’ve discussed at length dealing with the grief of loss, processing it, and how it might have exacerbated her bipolar condition,” says Andrew.

He is delighted by the contribution of Dale Vaughan too as husband Dan. “He’s been terrific from the moment he came into the audition, having seen him for the first time in Pick Me Up’s Fun Home last September, when I thought, ‘blimey, where have you been hiding?’!”

Diana is undergoing Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT). “There’s a scene that depicts that,  and because this show can be quite dark, we’re trying to find moments of light too, otherwise it could be  ‘misery porn’,”  says Andrew.

“Thought we don’t show it, there’s a heavy revelation of suicidal tendencies, and because the subject is very complex, we need to handle it with care. The story is told with references to the past, shown through flashbacks, to show how Diana hasn’t addressed the loss of her child before or dealt with her grief.”

Matthew Warry and Niamh Rose in the rehearsal room

In putting the show together in rehearsals, “the way I like to work and the way I’ve worked with musical director James Robert Ball was to give him the show for the first four weeks because the music is such a massive component,” says Andrew.

“So we’ve focused on that first, learning the music and the lyrics, before we started building in the lighting, the costumes, the props, the entries and the exits, getting the skeleton together for the songs, ” says Andrew.

Then he set about “moving the cast around the stage, getting them to move with my interpretation,” he adds. “It’s not choreography of sorts, but if you sit in a chair for too long, it can swallow you up, but by moving them around it helps to tell the story.”

Dialogue between songs is as important as the big numbers. “It’s what the actor James Willstrop calls ‘my detail work’,” says Andrew, who won the Best Direction prize in February’s York Theatre Community Awards for The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time.

Meanwhile, Readman’s set design and Adam Moore’s lighting enable a physical manifestation of Diana’s state of mind, such as stairs representing transition or the use of a box for the ECT treatment as a manifestation of the world closing in on her.

Analysing the title of Next To Normal, Andrew says: “What is our interpretation of ‘normal’ when you have a family trying to function with all the complexities of life? But you also want the audience to leave the theatre feeling uplifted, so if it’s not ‘normal’ , then this life is considered to be ‘next to normal’ for the family. That’s what works for them.”

Pick Me Up Theatre in Next To Normal, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, March 25 to April 4, 7.30pm except March 29 and 30; 2.30pm, March 28 & 29 and April 4. Box office: https://tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.

Pick Me Up Theatre’s poster artwork for Next To Normal

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Are you ready for jury service at Murder Trial Tonight IV at York Barbican on Sunday afternoon as Death Of A Landlord unfolds?

“All rise”: Cathy Walker in her role as the court usher in Murder Trial Tonight Iv: Death Of A Landlord

ALL rise for season four of Tigerslane Studios’ immersive true-crime theatre series, Murder Trial Tonight. Court will be in session at York Barbican for Sunday’s jury-led murder mystery experience at  2.30pm.

After three tours and more than 125,000 audience members serving as jurors, now comes Death Of A Landlord, on tour from February to July, as a fresh case puts you, the audience, in the front row on jury service as a true crime echoes long after the gavel strikes.

Known for blurring the lines between stagecraft and social experiment, Murder Trial Tonight continues to push the boundaries of live courtroom drama and immersive storytelling, under the direction of Graham Watts for a fourth time.

“This isn’t just a show,” says Graham. “It’s a test of our own biases and empathy. It forces you to confront uncomfortable truths about society and our justice system.”

In Death Of A Landlord, wealthy, ruthless landlord Victor Sloane is discovered dead in his office, his young child being the only witness to the crime. Reclusive tenant Tre Bennet, struggling with mental health challenges, is charged with the murder.

Tigerslane Studios’ cast for Murder Trial Tonight IV: Death Of A Landlord

The police claim he had the clearest motive – months of unpaid rent, repeated eviction threats and allegations that Sloane verbally abused his mother – but is Bennet truly the killer or does more lie beneath the surface?

The story begins on screen, giving the audience the backdrop and opening to the true-crime story. Then, the action moves to the stage for the  live murder trial, immersing the audience in a fast-paced courtroom experience.

As jurors, you will hear prosecution and defence counsels argue their case and cross-examine witnesses as critical evidence is brought to the table. Then, by order of the judge, you will deliberate in real time with fellow audience members and deliver your verdict: Guilty or Not Guilty. At the close of the trial, the shocking real-life outcome of the case is revealed on the big screen. The question is, will you be correct in your verdict?

From the West End to regional venues, seasoned theatre-goers to first-time visitors, Murder Trial Tonight sparks debate long after the curtain falls. “These cases follow you home,” says founder and writer Steve Cummings. “Jurors don’t stop dissecting every twist and turn once they leave the courtroom. Hours, or even days, later, whether at the dinner table, in a pub or online, the debates are still raging.”

Among the cast will be Cathy Walker, on her latest return to York, where she took her first steps as a professional actress. “My first job out of drama school was at Riding Lights Theatre Company in 1993,” she recalls. “I worked with the company for two years, touring all these tiny villages in Paul Burbridge’s productions, appearing with the likes of Bridget Foreman [York playwright and university lecturer]. I have such happy memories of being in York.”

Karren Winchester as Her Honour Judge Amanda Livingstone KC in Death Of A Landlord

Cathy’s connections with Yorkshire began in Sheffield, where she studied English Literature and Drama at university. “That set me on the path to becoming an actress,” she says. “The drama department was great, giving us lots of freedom to experiment, which was a wonderful opportunity.”

Cathy was in Tigerslane Studios’ cast for Murder Trial Tonight III – The Doorstep Case too, visiting York Barbican on April 29 2025. “We had a great time there last year, so I’m delighted to be going back,” she says.

“I have the humble role of playing the court usher, but I have more lines to learn than anyone else because I’m also understudying the Judge, the Prosecution lawyer and the detective.

“In my acting life, I’ve been fortunate as an understudy. Within my understudy history, I’ve jumped in to perform alongside Reece Shearsmith and Lee Mack, but last year, when I was understudying the barrister and the judge, I got to do neither of them as the actors were super-healthy and super-conscientious!

“But I love my role as the court usher as I’m the audience’s first experience of ‘being in court’, making them stand up [by saying ‘All rise’], so they laugh at first but then they get nervous as they realise they’re being talked to in a formal way and that they’re in it as the jury.

Guilty or Not Guilty? You decide as jurors in MurderTrial Tonight: Death Of A Landlord

“So it’s a collaborative experience, although in theory people could get a bit ‘harumphy’, objecting to being told what to do, but they take their responsibilities very seriously, knowing that it’s up to them whether the defendant will go down or not.”

Audience members will place their Guilty or Not Guilty vote by QR code, whereupon the audience’s foreperson of the jury will give that verdict to Cathy’s usher, who will reveal whether the verdict was unanimous or by majority. In the denouement, the cast will play out what happened in the real case.

For all the theatricality of Murder Trial Tonight, Cathy notes how audiences treat their involvement with gravitas. “I guess that most of us have known or experienced or read about a case and had a feeling of powerlessness, whereas you can flex your muscles in this courtroom,” she says.

“It really does take audience interaction to a different level, and that’s why people are ‘living’ it, committing to it, coming to every year’s Murder Trial Tonight.

“When I listen in to the deliberations in the interval, it’s fascinating because they’re so involved, and when they’re watching the case unfold you can hear a pin drop. I love this form of theatre, when it’s so immersive.”

Tigerslane Studios presents Murder Trial Tonight IV, Death Of A Landlord, York Barbican, Sunday (22/3/2026), Running time: Two hours 50 minutes, including interval & audience/jury deliberation. Age recommendation: 16 plus. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk and murdertrialtonight.com. Also Hull Connexin Live, tomorrow (20/3/2026), 7.30pm. Box office: connexinlivehull.com.

Newsflash

CATHY Walker will understudy the Detective’s role in Murder Trial Tonight IV: Death Of A Landlord, at Easterbrook Hall, in Dumfries, on April 3 when her mother will be in the 7.30pm audience.

The poster for Murder Trial Tonight IV: Death Of A Landlord

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Michael Flatley’s Lord Of The Dance 30th anniversary tour to play York Barbican, plus Bradford, Hull and Sheffield dates

Michael Flatley’s Lord Of The Dance: Returning to York Barbican in July for the first time since August 2024. Picture: Brian Doherty

THE 30th anniversary tour of Michael Flatley’s Lord Of The Dance will visit York Barbican from July 6 to 8.

Tickets for the 7.45pm performances are on sale at: https://www.yorkbarbican.co.uk/whats-on/lord-of-the-dance-30th-anniversary/.

This 30 Years of Standing Ovations milestone event promises a grand celebration of the revolutionary Irish dance production’s legacy, after captivating more than 60 million fans in 60 countries since its 1996 debut.

The 30 Years of Standing Ovations tour will feature “brand-new choreography, stunning costumes, state-of-the-art special effects and cutting-edge lighting, ensuring that the production continues to push boundaries and deliver an unforgettable experience”. 

Creative manager James Keegan says: “Michael Flatley has taught me that there are no boundaries in the creative space. When he burst onto the scene in the mid-90s, he took traditional Irish dancing to a place nobody had ever dreamed of, and that has been the key to the show’s success.

“Michael often says in rehearsals that we need to push the boundaries as much as we can, and if it’s too far or doesn’t work, we can always pull it back. That mindset is what keeps Lord Of The Dance evolving.”

Michael Flatley

Keegan believes that the core elements of Flatley’s visionary production – choreography, music and storytelling – remain timeless while still evolving. “What made Lord Of The Dance famous 30 years ago is still what makes it work today: 40 of the greatest Irish tap dancers in the world performing in one line in perfect sync. It’s a spectacle that never loses its magic,” he says.

Reflecting on Flatley’s impact, Keegan says: “Professional Irish dancing didn’t really exist until Michael created his shows and added a more entertaining twist to the art form.

“He wasn’t just a dancer; he was a highly tuned athlete who could perform at astonishing levels for a full two-hour show, seven days a week. Today, we see young competitive dancers around the world striving to reach the levels he set.”

But beyond the footwork and the spectacle, Keegan reckons Flatley’s greatest legacy is his ability to inspire. “Michael’s motto has always been, ‘Nothing is impossible.’ He took an already intricate dance form and pushed it even further, breaking records like 38 taps per second and incorporating upper body movements that defied tradition,” he says.

“I’ve seen it time and time again: a dancer who never thought they could be a lead receives Michael’s encouragement, and before long, they are fulfilling their dream on stage.”

For Keegan, one moment stands out above the rest. “In 1997, I was a ten-year-old competitive Irish dancer in Manchester, struggling with the name-callers and the challenges of being a young male dancer,” he says.

Michael Flatley with his Lord Of The Dance dancers

“Then Lord Of The Dance came to town. Watching Michael and the cast that night at the Apollo Theatre changed everything for me. The masculinity, the precision, the energy, it was like nothing I’d ever seen before.

“I met Michael at the stage door, and suddenly, I knew that being an Irish dancer could mean being a superstar. Nineteen years later, I had the honour of sharing his final show with him at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, in 2016. It was a full-circle moment I will never forget.”

As Lord Of The Dance prepares to embark on its 30th anniversary tour, Flatley reflects on the journey. “The magic of Lord Of The Dance lives on in the hearts of our audience, and I am thrilled to bring this iconic show back to the UK in 2026,” he says.

“30 Years of Standing Ovations celebrates the incredible journey we’ve shared with fans over the years. It’s a tribute to the enduring power of dreams, the joy of dance and the unwavering support of our audience. This tour is our way of saying thank you for three decades of unforgettable memories.”

Although Flatley, now 67, retired from performing during his final tour in 2016, he has remained at the helm of Lord Of The Dance, guiding its evolution while preserving its timeless magic.

Now, as the production prepares for its biggest celebration yet, fans can look forward to a breathtaking spectacle that honours the past, embraces the present, and inspires the future of Irish dance.

The 30th anniversary tour will open at Bradford Live from June 11 to 14; further Yorkshire performances will follow at Hull New Theatre, July 22 to 25, and Sheffield City Hall, August 20 to 23. For full tour dates and ticket information, go to lordofthedance.com.

The poster for the 30th anniversary tour of Michael Flatley’s Lord Of The Dance

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What’s On in Ryedale, York and beyond. Hutch’s List No. 11, from Gazette & Herald

Leeds abstract surrealist Nicolas Dixon, front, spotted at the launch of the debut RARE v WET exhibition with WET proprietors James Wall and Ella Williams and RARE Collective organiser Sharon McDonagh

A SURREALIST wine bar exhibition, a comedy thriller in an hotel and Australian children’s games  stir Charles Hutchinson’s interest.  

Exhibition of the week: Nicolas Dixon, RARE v WET, at WET, Micklegate, York, until April 22

YORK  artist and event organiser Sharon McDonagh and DJ/artist Sola launch their RARE v WET series of solo exhibitions in aid of York charity SASH (Safe and Sound Homes) at WET, James Wall and Ella Williams’ indie wine bar and restaurant, with Nicolas Dixon first up.

Leeds abstract surrealist Dixon’s murals and artworks have become landmarks in Leeds, including at Kirkgate Market, Trinity Shopping Centre and the University of Leeds, as well as Leeds United tributes to the 1972 FA Cup Winners at Elland Road and the iconic Bielsa the Redeemer in Wortley. On show is a mixture of new and older work, both prints and originals.

In the shadows: Michael Hugo in Claybody Theatre’s The Grand Babylon Hotel. Picture: Andrew Billington

Thriller of the week: Claybody Theatre in The Grand Babylon Hotel, Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, tonight to Saturday, 7.30pm plus 1.30pm Thursday and 2.30pm Saturday matinees; Harrogate Theatre, April 1 to 4, 7.30pm plus 2pm Saturday matinee

CONRAD Nelson directs an ensemble cast of multiple flamboyant characters in a rollicking comedy thriller of rapid-fire character changes, sharp humour and theatrical fun, presented in association with the New Vic Theatre.

In Deborah McAndrew’s  adaptation of Arnold Bennett’s novel, Nella Racksole discovers steak and beer are not on the menu for her birthday treat at the exclusive Grand Babylon Hotel, prompting  her American millionaire father to buy the chef, the kitchen, the entire hotel. Cue  kidnapping and murder. Have Theodore and Nella bitten off more than they can chew? Box office: Scarborough, 01723 370541 or sjt.uk.com; Harrogate, 01423 502116 or harrogatetheatre.co.uk.

Bluey’s Big Play: Australian bean bags, games and cleverness at Grand Opera House, York

Children’s show of the week: Windmill Theatre Co in Bluey’s Big Play, Grand Opera House, York, 10am, tomorrow and Friday; 10am, 1pm and 4pm, Saturday and Sunday

COMBINING puppets and original voices from Ludo Studios’  Emmy Award-winning Australian children’s television series, including Dave McCormack and Melanie Zanetti as Dad and Mum, this theatrical adaptation is based on an original story by Bluey creator Joe Brumm, featuring music by series composer Joff Bush. When Dad wants a bean bag time-out, Bluey and Bingo have other plans as they pull out all the games and cleverness at their disposal. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.

The Brand New Heavies: Acid Jazz joy, funk, love and fancy clothes at York Barbican

York gig of the week: The Brand New Heavies, York Barbican, tomorrow, doors 7pm

EALING Acid Jazz pioneers The Brand New Heavies – Simon Bartholomew, vocals and guitar, Andrew Levy, bass and keyboards, and Angela Ricci, vocals  – mark their 35th anniversary with a 12-date tour that takes in York Barbican as their only Yorkshire destination. Expect  joy, funk, love and fancy clothes. Galliano support. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.

Lizzie Lawton’s Jack Worthing, front, and Jorja Cartwright’s Algernon Moncrieff in Rowntree Players’ The Importance Of Being Earnest

Comedy classic of the week: Rowntree Players in The Importance Of Being Earnest, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, tomorrow to Saturday, 7.30pm plus 2pm Saturday matinee

ROWNTREE Players bring Oscar Wilde’s 1895 farcical comedy of manners to the York stage in the original four-act version reconstructed by Vyvyan Holland, under the direction of Hannah Shaw.

Lizzie Lawton’s Jack Worthing and Jorja Cartwright’s Algernon Moncrieff lead double lives under the false name of “Ernest” to escape social obligations, leading to romantic entanglements and comedic misunderstandings, played out by a cast featuring Jeanette Hambridge’s Lady Bracknell, Bethan Olliver’s Gwendolen Fairfax, Katie Shaw’s Cecily Cardew, Wayne Osguthorpe’s Reverend Canon Chasuble, Rebecca Thomson’s Miss Prism and Max Palmer’s Lane/Merriman. Box office: 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.

Jessica Fostekew: “The silliest of comedy for the scariest of days”in Iconic Breath at Pocklington Arts Centre

Comedy gig of the week: Jessica Fostekew: Iconic Breath, Pocklington Arts Centre, Friday, 8pm

ICONIC Breath, Jessica Fostekew’s most rousing and uplifting show yet, provides the silliest of comedy for the scariest of days as The Guilty Feminist, Hoovering and Contender Ready podcaster discusses tolerance and temperance.

 “I can feel myself becoming an emotional wildebeest right when my world (and the whole world, thanks) demands cool, collected, ultra detached, saint-like kindness and understanding,” says Fostekew, who has hosted two series of Sturdy Girl Club on BBC Radio 4. Box office: 01759 301547 or pocklingtonartscentre.co.uk.

This won’t hurt: Andrew Margerison, Rebecca Vaughan and Gavin Robertson in General Medical Emergency Ward 10

Hospital drama homage of the week: Dyad Productions and Company Gavin Robertson in General Medical Emergency Ward 10, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, Friday, 7.30pm

UNITING for the first time, Dyad Productions and Company Gavin Robertson’s Rebecca Vaughan, Andrew Margerison and the aforementioned Gavin Robertson knit every cliché-ridden doctors-and-nurses TV and film drama into a pacy comedy mash-up spoof that promises to leave you in stitches.

On Dr Ann Fleming’s first day at St David’s, her unfortunately-named mentor, Dr Death, is determined to show her who’s boss. As medical emergencies overload the hapless staff, Dr Fleming must juggle a complicated budding love affair with a kidney and a nosey hospital boss. Not literally, of course. Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.

The Budapest Café Orchestra: Fronted by Christian Garrick at Helmsley Arts Centre

Snappiest attire of the week: Christian Garrick & The Budapest Café Orchestra, National Centre for Early Music, York, Friday, 7.30pm, sold out; Helmsley Arts Centre, Saturday, 7.30pm

CHRISTIAN Garrick (violin, darbuka), Murray Grainger (accordion), Kelly Cantlon (double bass) and Adrian Zolotuhin (guitar, saz, balalaika, domra) team up in this refreshingly unconventional and snappily attired boutique orchestra. Playing gypsy and folk-flavoured music in a unique and surprising way, The Budapest Café Orchestra combine Balkan and Russian traditional music with artful distillations of Romantic masterworks and soaring Gaelic folk anthems.

Established by British composer Garrick in 2009, BCO have 16 albums to their name, marked by an “astonishing soundscape and aural alchemy” characteristic of larger ensembles, evoking Tzigane fiddle maestros, Budapest café life and gypsy campfires. Box office: 01439 771700 or helmsleyarts.co.uk.    

Hope & Social: Unforgettable spectacle, energetic songs and chaotic moments at Milton Rooms, Malton

Ryedale gig of the week: Hope & Social, Milton Rooms, Malton, Saturday, 8pm

LEEDS band Hope & Social’s eight musicians pour their heart and soul into creating exuberant, high-energy tunes in gigs full of pure joy, infectious enthusiasm, unforgettable spectacle and chaotic moments.

Each performance by “Yorkshire’s own E-Street Band” is spiced up with Northern wit and self-deprecating humour as a powerhouse three-piece horn section and intricate five-part harmonies contribute to a massive sound that spans genres, drawing influence from soul, indie, folk, disco and art rock. Box office: 01653 696240 or themiltonrooms.com.

Crosscut Saw’s Alex Eden : Leading his blues band at Milton Rooms, Malton

Blues gig of the week: Ryedale Blues Club presents Crosscut Saw, Milton Rooms, Malton, March 26, 8pm

YORKSHIRE blues trio Crosscut Saw’s Alex Eden (lead singer, guitarist and harmonica player), Richard Ferdinando (drums) and Richard Green (bass) draw inspiration from Magic Sam, RL Burnside, Taj Mahal and Dr John in performances marked by raw energy and unpredictability.

They hold a monthly residency at the Duck & Drake in Leeds, have played the Great British Blues Festival and Tenby Blues Festival, collaborated with TJ Norton, Paddy Wells and The Haggis Horns and worked as a backing band for Jake Walker and King Rollo. Box office: 01653 696240 or themiltonrooms.com.