Category: Theatre

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Gary Oldman’s return to York Theatre Royal stage in Krapp’s Last Tape ‘could not have gone better’, says chief exec Paul Crewes

Gary Oldman and chief executive Paul Crewes survey the York Theatre Royal auditorium on the Slow Horses star’s visit in February 2014. Picture: Gisele Schmidt

GARY Oldman’s “coming home” to York Theatre Royal after 45 years for “the completion of a cycle” in directing, designing and starring in Krapp’s Last Tape could not have gone any better.

More than 18,000 tickets sold for the April 14 to May 17 residency; every performance sold out; 700 bookers from overseas; 60 per cent of the audience attending a Theatre Royal show for the first time; Policeman Sting, Slow Horses co-star Freddie Fox and clothes designer Paul Smith among the Gary Oldmania throng.

Hundreds of minutes spent signing autographs and posing for photos  post-show by the Stage Door after every show bar the matinees; 100 bananas munched on stage, Gary’s chomping progress charted on a banana counter on a dressing-room mirror.

Then add screen star Gary being photographed with Theatre Royal staff in the auditorium on the last Friday; Gary leading a session with York Theatre Royal Youth Theatre members the day before; Gary writing farewell cards to staff; Gary enjoying his visits to Bettys, The Ivy and the Minster Gate Bookshop.

“Gary told me that it was one of the highlights of his career,” says delighted Theatre Royal chief executive Paul Crewes, whose first meeting with Oldman 14 months earlier set in motion Oldman’s first stage appearance since Caryl Churchill’s Serious Money  at the Royal Court Theatre, London,  in 1987.

Gary Oldman in Samuel Beckett’s melancholic monodrama Krapp’s Last Tape on his return to the York Theatre Royal stage after 45 years: a case of two men in their 60s and their memories. Picture: Gisele Schmidt

“They [Gary and his wife Gisele Schmidt] had a wonderful time here and were a joy to have in the building. They loved being in the theatre, they loved being in the city, and we knew we weren’t just selling a name but a very high standard piece of theatre.  ”

Oldman’s career had begun in 1979 in his debut professional season in the Theatre Royal repertory ranks, culminating in  his pantomime appearance as the Cat in Dick Whittington And His Wonderful Cat. He contests dame Berwick Kaler’s recollection that the Cat fainted three times, by the way. “Not true,” he told Crewes.

“It all started with me taking Gary up to the roof when we did a tour of the building in February 2014. That triggered his thought that he should do a show here, and then it took months and months to feed it to fruition, growing from the seed of an idea to what you saw on stage,” says Paul.

Now that the posters, the security team, the Krapp’s Last Tape T-shirts, have gone, Paul reflects: “It was great to work with him over that time – and it was good for the theatre to get people locally, nationally and internationally to come to the Theatre Royal. That can only benefit our profile within the industry, with actors, as we’re not just thinking about projects now, but projects in 2026 and 2027. The more profile we get, the more opportunities will come with that.

The poster artwork for York Theatre Royal’s production of Krapp’s Last Tape starring returnee Gary Oldman

“We also had national coverage of Emma Rice’s company, Wise Children, opening the world premiere of her adaptation of Alfred Hitchcock’s North By Northwest here earlier this year.

“Both Gary and Emma’s teams left here extremely happy with the organisation and the staff, and that’s one of the things we’re most proud of.”

One key decision was to put the quality of audience experience before maximum commercial gain. “We didn’t sell the gallery seating, because we felt that 570 seats was the right amount artistically,” reveals Paul.

“A commercial producer would have sold all the seats, but Gary and I made the decision to forego the gallery so that people could see him on stage as close as they could.”

Gary Oldman in the stalls on his exploratory visit to the York Theatre Royal in 2024. Picture: Gisele Schmidt

Krapp’s Last Tape attracted 33 reviews at the last count, from The New York Times to Tatler, but Oldman restricted himself to only one newspaper interview. “Part of that was retaining the mystery of it all, through the play saying why he was here, rather than telling people all about why he was here. He wanted to concentrate on the work, and he took it all very seriously,” says Paul.

That included Oldman working his way through the potassium overload of more bananas than a Grand Slam-chasing tennis player.  “The way Gary talked about it psychologically is that he would go out for a meal and have no puddings, so the bananas were like his dessert,” says Paul.

Just as Oldman was meticulous in his preparation, so was the Theatre Royal. “We spent a lot of time on the planning. Lots of nuances had to be really thought through, and I don’t think it could have gone any better: looking after Gary, looking after the audiences; working out how to bring a global film star to York Theatre Royal,” says Paul. “He enjoyed it, we enjoyed it, everyone enjoyed it – and we had the boost of selling out before opening the run.”

Gary Oldman, front centre, and York Theatre Royal staff gather in the stalls on the last Friday of his Krapp’s Last Tape residency. Picture: Charlie Kirkpatrick

Even then, you could not be sure that a production would be deemed an artistic success. “That’s the joy and the risk of theatre. The interpretation that Gary brought to the play was really well thought through. Locating it in an attic, it was clear where Krapp was and why he was there.

“Normally Samuel Beckett’s play is not so naturalistic. Often it has just a desk and a few items, but here it was an attic, as full of clutter as memories. Edward Beckett, Beckett’s nephew, came to see it in the first week or two and was very positive – and he’s seen a lot of them!”

As for the future, Paul says: “For me, it’s only ever about ambition, and you’re never going to be successful with all the shows you do, but you have to be ambitious in what you want to present.

“We have to make theatre as exciting as we can. Having Gary here was like winning the lottery, but what we have to do is keep the momentum going. Everything we do has to have the same energy and enthusiasm. We want all the work we are producing to be of a standard that’s recognised nationally and potentially internationally too.”

What happened when Gary Oldman met York Theatre Royal Youth Theatre

Gary Oldman meets members of York Theatre Royal Youth Theatre on May 15. Picture: Millie Stephens

ASPIRING actors from York Theatre Royal Youth Theatre enjoyed a special visit from Gary Oldman in the last week of his Krapp’s Last Tape residency.

The young performers, aged 11 to 18, had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity on May 15 to meet the Academy Award-winning actor, hear him discuss his acting experiences and ask him questions about his career.

Oldman started his professional career at York Theatre Royal in 1979 and returned 45 years later to support British regional theatre by performing in Samuel  Beckett’s monodrama from April 14 to May 17.

When reflecting on his decision to go back to York Theatre Royal, Oldman said: “Without a local theatre, young people will never get the chance to see theatre. And we need young people if theatre is to thrive.

Gary Oldman at his session with York Theatre Royal Youth Theatre. Picture: Millie Stephens

“I hope this production of Krapp’s Last Tape whets the appetite, giving those new to the theatre a completely revelatory experience. And who knows? It may encourage them to visit the theatre again. And again. They may even invite a friend. And hopefully a devoted theatregoer or two will emerge.”

Sophie Jade Howell, head of York Theatre Royal Youth Theatre, said: “Meeting Gary Oldman was such a wonderful opportunity for the young people in our youth theatre. They were absolutely delighted to have this chance to hear such interesting insights and behind- the-scenes stories from an iconic actor who has so much experience. Everyone had such a brilliant afternoon and left feeling so inspired.”

York Theatre Royal Youth Theatre offers opportunities for young performers aged five to 19 to take part in fun weekly drama sessions. Aiming to improve confidence and develop performance and team-building skills, the sessions are run both at York Theatre Royal and venues around the city.

The summer term is running now. Autumn details will be announced on York Theatre Royal’s social media channels and newsletter over the coming months. Find out more information at: https://www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk/be-part-of-it/children-and-young-people/youth-theatre/.

Gary Oldman giving advice at his meeting with York Theatre Royal Youth Theatre members. Picture: Millie Stephens

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REVIEW: York Actors Collective, Tiger Country, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York ****

Medical matters: Mick Liversidge, left, and Chris Pomfrett in discussion in York Actors Collective’s Tiger Country

TIGER Country is drama on the cutting edge, taking its title from the term used by a surgeon when conducting an operation near a major blood vessel.

Hospital dramas are two a penny on TV, whether made in the UK or imported from the USA and beyond. They are, however, a lesser spotted breed of theatre: York Actors Collective director Angie Millard could recall Peter Nicholls’s 1969 black comedy The National Health, but nothing since.

It would be too much of a stretch to include the 1997 musical version of Jekyll & Hyde or Dr Frank N Furter in Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Director Angie Millard and stage manager Em Peattie

What’s more, Nina Raine’s focus falls on the doctors and nurses, rather than the patients, whose stories tend to be front and centre in the TV shows.

Premiered at the Hampstead Theatre in 2011, and last performed at the same London theatre in 2014, Tiger Country receives its belated York premiere this week, reaffirming Millard’s knack for reactivating works that may otherwise have escaped our attention,  in her desire to bring more political, thought-provoking theatre to the York stage.

After Joe Orton’s Entertaining Mr Sloane, Alexander Zeldin’s slice of agitprop Beyond Caring and Millard’s adaptation of J M Barrie’s rediscovered 1920 supernatural drama Mary Rose, now Millard matches Raine’s meticulous research in her theatrical representation of operations and procedures.

Sri Lanka-born actor and nursing care assistant Madusha Fernando in Tiger Country

She calls them “mimes”, but they have the feel of authenticity, albeit making allowance for being in a theatre, not a hospital theatre.

Millard has drilled into her cast the need for speed at all times, on entries and exits, to match the hectic day in a life of a hospital for her “most challenging production” to date.

Drawing on her extensive research observing daily practice in hospitals in London, West Sussex, Staffordshire and Oxford,  and her interviews with candid doctors, Raine favours quick scenes, in keeping with TV and film editing.

Glove story: Victoria Delaney, left, and Clare Halliday in Tiger Country

In turn, Millard uses hospital signs, and sometimes video footage, to denote a change from  A & E to the Doctors’ Mess to the Consultant’s Room with the minimum fuss on an open-plan set where beds, a desk, mess chairs, a wheelchair and a CPR dummy are whizzed on and off.

All human life (and death) is here amid the badinage and the bandages. As Millard observes in her programme note, “what shines through is the humanity needed to be an NHS worker in today’s world”, one she she updated to post-Covid times. Humanity is shown in both a good and a bad light, not least in the machinations of the NHS, where medics and surgeons argue over procedure and protocol, to the detriment of patients.

Victoria Delaney’s consultant, uncompromising and demanding in a male-dominated  environment, stands out. Friction sparks in the mess, especially between Laurence O’Reilly’s cynical medic and Xandra Logan’s restless trainee doctor, whereas Chris Pomfrett’s unflappable consultant always suggests a good night’s sleep is the solution to any problem.

The impatience of being earnest: Xandra Logan’s trainee doctor, anxious to learn on the job in Tiger Country

Lucinda Rennison, Mick Liversidge and Clare Halliday multi-role play with impressive diversity, and Madusha Fernando brings humour when most needed.

Teamwork is everything in the play and performance alike, but with individual will having a huge impact too, both positive and negative. When Delaney’s consultant has to inform Liversidge’s cancer patient that he is dying, a chill stillness takes over Theatre@41. Theatre at its most powerful, when even medicine is powerless to change life’s path.

York Actors Collective in Tiger Country, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, until May 31. 7.30pm tonight, Thursday and Friday; 2.30pm and 6pm, Saturday. Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.

York artist Karen Winship’s painting from the Tiger Country programme cover, painted for her series of Covid portraits in 2020

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REVIEW: The Direct Approach, York Settlement Community Players, One Step Beyond, Black Swan Inn, York ****

Going One Step Beyond: left to right, Liz Quinlan, Chris Meadley, Stuart Green, director Jon Mills, Jess Murray and Pamela Gourlay

THE Direct Approach is York Settlement Community Players’ scheme to support first-time or emerging directors, but in this case it is giving a boost to the writer too.

Jon Mills steps into the director’s chair after making his mark already as a filmmaker, script writer, theatrical prop and set designer and producer of promo videos for YSCP shows.

Likewise, fellow polymath Miles Salter adds play writing to his skills as a poet, songwriter, band frontman, journalist, podcaster and festival director.

One Step Beyond has its roots in Salter’s application for a York Theatre Royal commission for its Love Bites showcase of York creative talent when lockdown was lifted. His monologue, It Must Be Love, was rejected but central character Steve re-emerges in a 45-minute play – it just had to be 45 or 33 – that again takes its title from a Madness hit.

Steve (Stuart Green) goes nuts for the Nutty Boys, still the nuttiest sound around, collecting rarities obsessively, but this could be the vinyl countdown for his marriage to Kerry (Pamela Gourlay), who is doing her nut. Welcome to the house of no fun. The Madness and the maddening.

Married in 1999, the couple is in a rut of routine, now that the children have flown the nest. Steve does pretty much what he likes: she doesn’t like what he does. He feels the same, because each day she packs him off to work with the same sandwiches; every night, she lines up two crackers, little chunks of cheese and a dab of pickle for his final nibble before bed. Steve sees this metronomic behaviour as being controlling. Kerry carries on regardless.

Steve likes to go to record fairs and meet up at the pub with his steady Eddie of a friend, Boring Ryan (Chris Meadley), so named because he is, well, boring.

Taking his next step: One Step Beyond writer Miles Salter

Except that maybe he isn’t because he is full of facts that he is wont to drop into the conversation in the quiet moments. Such as?  Did you know that the elephant is the mammal that requires the least sleep? You’ll sleep better for knowing that one.

Salter’s play has a stock of such minutiae, coupled with an observant eye that he brings to his poetry too with a humorous flourish that had him worrying that maybe One Step Beyond is too much of a nod to John Godber’s combative northern plays and Nick Hornby’s culturally savvy southern  books. Yes, he shares their ear for fractious dialogue and eye for telling detail, but Salter’s humour is his own.

Boring Ryan, for example, is a collector of trouser presses, forever advocating their value and recommending their purchase to all and sundry. Cue a Baggy Trousers gag that is beautifully timed.

Steve is essentially contented; Kerry, discontented, because he is contented. She is sharper of mind, unfulfilled, bored, and, truth be told, Steve would annoy any partner.

This can go only one way: off to the marriage guidance counsellor they trudge, Steve more reluctantly, but at least he turns up.  Counsellor Marcia (Liz Quinlan) emerges as the one-woman Greek chorus of the piece, stepping out of scenes to break down the fourth wall in candid direct address. She’s a realist, but one drawn to the bright side of the road like Van Morrison.

Some of Salter’s best writing comes from this ostensibly dispassionate observer, whose role is to steer discussion, to keep order, to ensure equal say, but not to judge (but passes her thoughts on to the audience instead). He wrote the part initially for a Marcus, not a Marcia, but it wholly suits being played by Quinlan – a boon for smart casting by Mills.

Faced by such negativity, like batteries connected the wrong way, Marcia seeks to find a way for Steve and Kerry to re-energise the lost spark, only for them to explode. Comedy on a tightrope, always better that way, when something is at stake.

The poster artwork for York Settlement Community Players’ One Step Beyond

Time for a time out, a re-set. Kerry takes up pottery, the cue for a lovely, calming cameo in stripes, polka dots and headband by Jess Murray’s ceramics tutor Jen, “exuding warmth – like a Zen hot water bottle,” as Salter put it in his character profile. Steve, meanwhile, writes a poem: the cue for another dip into Madness.

Salter manages that trick of making the dislikeable and unreasonable – selfish nerd Steve, overbearing Kerry – very watchable in Green and Quinlan’s  performances, and as can be the case with writers, there is something of him in each of the characters, even the Zen Jen.

Ultimately, the Marcia/Marcus and Zen Jen in him win out, encouraging us to do exactly what the title says: go that One Step Beyond, as he applies the writer’s principles of “Make’em laugh (plentifully); make’em cry (not so much here); make’em wait (for that closing pay-off line).

Mills’s direction is suitably playful, not least in his use of cartoon imagery on a screen that depicts a row of houses for domestic scenes and the football scores on rotation on the pub telly.

I could say it would be madness to miss One Step Beyond, but given that all three performances have sold out, let’s say you will be mad at yourself for not booking earlier if you have missed out on a ticket.

York Settlement Community Players present One Step Beyond, The Wolfe Room, Black Swan Inn, Peasholme Green, York, tonight, 7.30pm, SOLD OUT.

The next Direct Approach plays will be in September at the Black Swan Inn. More details to follow.

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

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

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

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

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

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

What’s in store on the disco floor?

TODAY

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

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

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

WELCOME to Takeover 2025 with ribbon cutting and music.

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

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

WEDNESDAY

Fulford School Show, York Theatre Royal Studio, 10.30am

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

THURSDAY

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

FRIDAY

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

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

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

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

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

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

The poster for TakeOver 2025 at York Theatre Royal

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

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

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

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

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

SATURDAY

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

See details above.

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

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

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

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

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

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York Actors Collective play doctors and nurses in Nina Raine’s hospital drama Tiger Country at Theatre@41 from tomorrow

Victoria Delaney, left, and Clare Halliday in a scene from York Actors Collective’s production of Tiger Country

NINA Raine’s hospital drama Tiger Country derives its title from a term used in surgery. When operating near a big blood vessel, a surgeon is in dangerous territory and might warn the team: “Careful, you’re approaching tiger country”.

Premiered at a sold-out Hampstead Theatre in 2011, this meticulously researched play was last staged in its revival at the London theatre in 2014. Now, Angie Millard gives it a contemporary, post-Covid setting in its York premiere by her York Actors Collective (YAC) company, with advice from a couple of medics to update it.

“I read a lot of plays to find something that’s suitable for YAC to stage. I don’t do potboilers. I do plays that interest me. If I’m going to make theatre as a hobby, I’m not doing soap opera material! After reading Tiger Country I thought, ‘wow, I must do this play’. It’s so different from anything I’ve done before,” says Angie, who has undergone hospital surgery herself recently.

 “It’s about doctors, which struck me as interesting, as in so many plays, or if you watch Holby City or Casualty on TV, you empathise with the patients. The last play I could think of that touched on this subject was Peter Nicholls’ black comedy, The Health Health [or Nurse Norton’s Affair] at the National Theatre, and that was decades ago [1969, to be be precise].

Madusha Ferdinando: Sri Lanka-born actor and ward nursing assistant, who will perform in Tiger Country

“Raine’s play sees it from the surgeons’ point of view, drawing attention to the effect the pressures have on the medical staff’s daily life, and I’ve never seen a play that’s done that before. As with the TV dramas, you don’t ‘go home’ with the surgeons and see the impact on their home lives that way, but you hear them talk about it in the mess. You really feel for the medics.”

For research, Oxford-educated theatre director and playwright Raine spent months embedded in an urological surgeon’s surgical team, learning about the mechanics of a hospital and what makes doctors and surgeons tick.

The resulting play considers doctors’ dilemmas as a range of clinical and ethical issues come under the spotlight in a busy hospital. Professionalism and prejudice, turbulent staff romances, ambition and failure collide in a frank account of the dedicated individuals that keep our overburdened health service going.

“It’s hard to direct and to perform because it’s almost cinematic in its style,” says Angie. “Characters will come on, do one quick scene and then they’re off again, so it’s fast-paced dialogue to match what’s happening.”

Mick Liversidge, left, and Chris Pomfrett in rehearsal for York Actors Collective’s York premiere of Tiger Country

In the cast at Theatre@41, Monkgate, from tomorrow are Victoria Delaney, Madusha Ferdinando, Clare Halliday, Mick Liversidge, Xandra Logan, Laurence O’Reilly, Chris Pomfrett and Lucinda Rennison.

“I said I wouldn’t do this play if I couldn’t find actors from different cultures because the NHS is so diverse in its ethnicity. Thankfully I found Madusha Ferdinando through the York Mystery Plays Supporters Trust.

“He was an actor in Sri Lanka before coming here, and then played a king in A Nativity for York. He’s a comic actor at heart, who plays the doctor who’s the joker in our play.

“The rest of the cast is like a rep company of regulars, and they don’t let me down. They know that I only work for eight weeks on each play, where I like the rehearsals to be intense.”

Several cast members work in the health service in various roles – community nurse (Chris Pomfrett), ward nursing assistant (Madusha Ferdinando) and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (Laurence O’Reilly, at Northern General Hospital, Sheffield), all helping to conjure up a credible portrait of hospital life.

On call: Xandra Logan in a scene from Tiger Country

“They’re aware of what it takes to work in the hospital environment, so it’s been handy to have them on board,” says Angie. “Chris, for example, worked with his consultant, who took him through all the procedures he needs to do in the play. We also consulted with a medical advisor and resuscitation officer to help the team learn how to manage procedures.

“They were shown how to mime stitching, draining a lung and general examination techniques. I don’t think anyone realised how tricky it all is. The trick on stage is to get all the ‘mimes’ correct and not do them in a fussy way.”

Angie has paid for a torso and head from the British Heart Foundation. “It’s usually used to teach CPR, and we do have CPR in one scene after a heart attack. We put a wig on the head and it does look quite real as the torso bounces up and down!” she says. “Earlier in rehearsals we had to use a rolled-up duvet!”

Assembling the set has been “fun”. “It features hospital beds and operating tables, which would cost £500 even to hire, so I got beds that are used by massage therapists – I bought two on the internet – and  some tables and chairs that could be used in the NHS or in the mess,” says Angie.

“Whatever we couldn’t manage to get in the way of items, we learnt how to use mime for them, like scalpels or oxygen supplies. You will be watching a dramatic theatrical representation. That’s the point of theatre!”

York Actors Collective in Tiger Country, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, May 27 to 31; tomorrow to Friday, 7.30pm; Saturday,  2.30pm and 6pm. Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.

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How Miles Salter turned Love Bites rejection into debut play One Step Beyond, a story of marriage, midlife and Madness

Ready to go One Step Beyond: left to right, Liz Quinlan, Chris Meadley, Stuart Green, director Jon Mills, Jess Murray and Pamela Gourlay

YORK poet, songwriter, journalist, podcaster and festival director Miles Salter is adding playwriting to his cultural tool bag.

His debut short play, One Step Beyond, will be staged by York Settlement Community Players in a sold-out run at the Black Swan Inn, Peasholme Green, York, from tonight (26/05/2025) to Wednesday.

“It started life as a short monologue several years ago. It’s a bit Nick Hornby meets John Godber. I like the humour in it. All men are a bit nerdy about something. I enjoyed writing it. I think it’s good fun,” says Miles in a aptly short summation. 

One Step Beyond is being directed by Harrogate filmmaker, scriptwriter, prop and set designer and promo video producer Jon Mills in his directorial debut under YSCP’s nurturing project The Direct Approach.

Meet Steve and Kerry: married for a long time, but Steve’s vinyl collection, Madness to the max,  may tear them apart. Luckily they have a counsellor…and Steve’s friend Boring Ryan on hand to help them out. It must be love, love, love.

Steve (played by Stuart Green) is “a man in his 40s or 50s, depending on how many pints he’s had. Content and uncomplicated,” says Miles. “Kerry (Pamela Gourlay) is a woman in her 40s or 50s, depending on how much sleep she’s had. Pin-sharp and unfulfilled.

“Boring Ryan (Chris Meadley), Steve’s friend, is that mate we all have but we’re not sure why. Counsellor Marcia(Liz Quinlan) is a professional listener who can still – just – see the bright side.

“Our fifth character, Jen (Jess Murray), runs a ceramics class. She exudes warmth and calm, like a Zen hot-water bottle.”

Seeds were seen for One Step Beyond in 2021 when invited Miles was among more than 200 York artists who applied for £1,000 love letter commissions to be staged at York Theatre Royal in Love Bites on May 17 – the first day theatres could reopen after lockdown restrictions were first lifted  – and May 18 in a celebration of the creative talent across the city.

“I wrote a ten-minute piece, originally called It Must Be Love, about a bloke talking about his midlife crisis, his wife and his love of Madness, ” he recalls. “Juliet [Theatre Royal creative director Juliet Forster] said ‘close, but no cigar’.”

Hey you! Don’t watch that, watch this! It’s the heavy-heavy-monster sound of a brand new play, Miles Salter’s One Step Beyond

Rejection did not deter him. “Last year I went to one of Settlement’s summer sessions, where I saw a play about two people watching their child in the park and it turns out one is a ghost. Anyway, after that, I started writing It Must Be Love about Steve and Kerry.

“He’s obsessed with Madness; she’s a control freak. Their marriage has lost its spark and energy, and so they go to see a therapist, Marcia, who’s rational and almost like a Greek chorus, connecting the action and saying ‘when are you two going to wake up?’.

“It’s fun, not particularly profound, and it’s very influenced by John Godber’s plays and Nick   Hornby’s writing.

“At first I wondered if I was being a bit unoriginal, but I decided I wasn’t! Everything is influenced by something else, isn’t it. The play has as many laughs as possible in there, and it abides to that thing of not taking yourself too seriously.”

Miles quoutes a  “very good piece of advice” he received. In a nutshell, “Make’em laugh. Make’em cry. Make’em wait.” “Every good writer understands that. When I write, I don’t want it to be too dark or too light. That’s what life is: funny and ridiculous, but also sad and melancholy and beautiful – and that’s what you’ll find in my poetry too.

“Life is a crazy, strange mixture. One moment you’re sad, and then you’ll hear a funny story and you’re laughing your head off. My play reflects that.”

One Step Beyond takes its title from Madness’s 1979 debut album and second hit single, but it also nods to another meaning of that phrase. “One of the things about therapy is that it’s quite a brace thing to do. A lot of people avoid it. Only a relatively small number of men will go to counselling or therapy.

“It occurred to me, that thing of going one step beyond what you think you’re capable of. Be brave, go for it, whereas if we don’t try things, we can get terribly stuck in our little worlds, which is kind of sad. As the therapist says. ‘it’s sad people when people give up, it’s too easy to do that’.”

You could say that writing One Step Beyond was a case of doing exactly that by taking the step beyond after Miles missed out on selection for Love Bites. Once bitten, but not twice shy.

York Settlement Community Players in Miles Salter’s One Step Beyond, Black Swan Inn, Peasholme Green, York, May 26  to 28, 7.30pm. Tickets update: SOLD OUT.

Writer Miles Salter

Miles Salter: the back story

WRITER of poetry, journalism, fiction and songs since 1990, when he first came to York as a student of English Literature and Drama.

His CV includes stints as presenter of The Arts Show on Jorvik Radio and director of York Literature Festival and York Alive festival. Host of York Calling podcast.

Fronts York rock and Americana band  Miles And The Chain Gang.  

Jon Mills: the back story

ORIGINALLYfrom Birmingham. Studied English at University of Leeds before settling in Harrogate.

Background in film-making and scriptwriting. Now rekindled his interest in theatre, creating props and sets for York Settlement Community Players’ productions of Separate Tables and Picasso At The Lapin Agile, along with York Mystery Plays’ A Creation for York and A Nativity for York.

Produced promo videos for YSCP productions. One Step Beyond marks his directorial debut under YSCP’s Direct Approach scheme.

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

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

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

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

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

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

York Printmakers’ poster for the 2025 Festival of Print

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

First published on May 17 2025

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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REVIEW: Clap Trap Theatre in Switcheroo, York Theatre Royal Studio, tonight and tomorrow, comedy ***, straight ****

Dominic Goodwin’s Pat, left, and Thomas Frere’s Alex in Clap Trap Theatre’s Switcheroo, played comically

SWITCHEROO writer Tom Needham is a BAFTA-nominated North Yorkshire playwright and scriptwriter who lives on a very small farm with, at the last count, three cats, three dogs, six ducks, seven chickens, five pigs, two horses, two turkeys, two llamas and one conure parrot by the name of Pearl.

He has an impressive writing stock too with 100-plus theatre and TV credits: 65 episodes of The Bill over 25 years; episodes of Casualty, EastEnders,  Wycliffe, Dangerfield, Dalziel & Pascoe, Silent Witness and more, plus his own series, Cold Blood and children’s show Retrace.

Needham is in his 13th year of writing for Ryedale company Clap Trap Theatre, Switcheroo being the latest addition to the ghost story The Room Upstairs, The Wrecker, The Rape Queen, Impact and Blindfold.

Rehearsed in Needham and company co-founder Cal Stockbridge’s converted barn near Pickering, shared with a small colony of bats, Switcheroo is heading out on a month-long tour, opening at York Theatre Royal Studio this week and running until June 24.

Directed by Riding Lights Theatre Company artistic director Paul Birch, opening night timer in hand, Switcheroo is spun on a simple premise: “It’s not what you say, it’s the way that you say it”. 

Three squabbling siblings, stuck in the mud of midlife, are confronted by a bombshell revelation in their mother’s will when charged with the task of scattering her ashes.

In keeping with the two faces of theatre, the play is first played out as a rollicking comedy, nudging into farce. Post-interval, the same play, the same dialogue, is replayed seriously seriously by the same actors, but now playing different roles, having done their own switcheroo.

And the way they say it most definitely changes, to the point where you wonder how it could ever have been a comedy in the first place, such is the impact in particular of Dominic Goodwin’s embittered, drunk, wounded Alex, the one who had looked after their mother in her last days.

Cal Stockbridge’s Pat in Switcheroo, played seriously straight

It would be wrong to divulge the plot, but let’s just say it forces Alex, Sam and Pat to confront their past, their relationships, their parental bonds, what is true, what is false, as family secrets bubble to the surface.

Thomas Frere transfers from wild-haired, wild-eyed, heavy-drinking Alex, shirt buttoned erratically, to the uptight, neat, trim, testy Sam, trying to hold things in check. Cal Stockbridge transforms from guarded, glacial Sam to exasperated Pat.

Goodwin, always a larger-than-life presence on stage, all the more so here, changes from the spoilt child of the family to the emotionally bruised Alex, albeit that both his characterisations are marked by self-pity.

Just wondered: could the production do its own switcheroo, where one performance is comedy first, then straight drama post-interval, and the next night would be played vice versa?

Needham answers that question in his programme note: “For a long time, I thought the straight version should go first and then be hammed up in the second, but it just didn’t work that way round.

“The straight version has to be performed second because we learn so much more from it – it contains the pain, the emotion and the truth.”

How right he is, but so too is his observation that Switcheroo is “two completely different plays. And yet, it isn’t.”

Clap Trap Theatre in Switcheroo: A Story Told Twice, York Theatre Royal, tonight, 7.45pm; tomorrow, 2.30pm and 7.45pm, all sold out; Helmsley Arts Centre, May 31, 7.30pm; The Old Dining Room, Thirsk Hall, Thirsk, June 5, doors from 6pm; Georgian Theatre Royal, Richmond, June 6 and 7, 7.30pm; Hutton Rudby Village Hall, June 8, 7.30pm; Askrigg Temperance Village Hall, Leyburn, Wensleydale Community Arts Festival, June 11, 7.30pm; Birdsall House, Birdsall, Malton, June 24 (no details available).

Box office: York, for returns, 01904  623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk; Helmsley, 01439 771700 or helmsleyarts.co.uk; Thirsk, thirskhall.com/events; Richmond, georgiantheatreroyal.savoysystems.co.uk. For Hutton Rudby and Askrigg, go to claptraptheatre.com/2025-tour/. For Birdsall, phone 01944 316000.

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REVIEW: York Musical Theatre Company in Sister Act, A Divine Musical Comedy, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York ****

Hayley Bamford’s Deloris Van Cartier, now hiding as Sister Mary Clarence, centre, in York Musical Theatre Company’s Sister Act, A Divine Musical Comedy. Picture Lucy Baines, Joy Photography

AFTER York Stage Musicals’ York premiere in 2014 and Coronation Street star Sue Cleaver’s Mother Superior and Landi Oshinowo’s Deloris Van Cartier on tour at the Grand Opera House in  2024, Sister Act, A Divine Musical Comedy returns to the city in Kathryn Addison’s hands in 2025.

You can see why companies are making a habit of staging Alan Menken’s Broadway and West End musical spin on Emile Ardolino’s 1992 movie. We know nuns en masse are fun from the film, so full of cheery daftness.

Then add Motown, funk, soul and disco pastiches and even a brief burst of rap by Little Shop Of Horrors’ maestro Menken, lyrics by Glenn Slater and a sassy book by Cheri and Bill Steinkellener, steeped in the original spirit and re-booted with theatrical camp sparkle.

Jack Hooper’s Eddie Souther performing I Could Be That Guy. Picture: Lucy Baines, Joy Photography

It has been the norm for the likes of Alexandra Burke at Leeds Grand Theatre and Cleopatra Rey for York Stage to whoop up the lead role of lounge singer Deloris in the Whoopi Goldberg manner, but the movie part was first offered to Bette Midler.

Step forward Hayley Bamford, and, wham-bam, Bamford still stands out from her fellow wimple wearers, on account of her height, her strut and her soul-filled lung power.

We lose the nods to Richard Roundtree movies, Pam Grier and Shaft, but Addison’s smart production still echoes the American Seventies of Studio 54, Saturday Night Fever and Telly Savalas’s Kojak (although the programme states Act I is set at Christmas 1997 in Philadelphia, New Jersey).

Director Kathryn Addison, right, in rehearsal with Kirsten Griffiths (Mother Superior), right, and Hayley Bamford (Deloris Van Cartier)

Bamford’s Deloris has been placed in protective custody by gun-shy, profusely sweaty cop Eddie Souther (Jack Hooper) after witnessing her cool but cruel mobster lover  Curtis Jackson (Zander Fick) commit murder.

She may sing Take Me To Heaven, but Curtis has taken her closer to hell. Now she must flee from the Mafia’s clutches into the safety and sanctity of the Queen Of Angels convent, whose stained glass frames double as the nightclub decor.

Bamford’s irrepressible Deloris kicks the habits into shape, transferring the sisters’ hapless, off-key singing from doleful into soulful and herself into a divine diva. In doing so, she impresses Monsignor O’Hara (Rob Davies); exasperates the earnest Mother Superior (Kirsten Griffiths, whose singing hits the spectacular heights); re-invigorates the rundown neighbourhood’s church services and coffers, and rekindles the flame in Eddie’s schooldays crush.

Philadelphia mobster Curtis Jackson (Zander Fick, second from left) and his hoodlums, Eddie (Jonathan Wells), TJ (James Dickinson), Pablo (Adam Gill) and Joey (Joe Marucci). Picture: Lucy Baines, Joy Photography

Addison directs with an eye to both individual expression and collective impact, bringing an irreverent edge to the comedy and fabulous flair and fun to the choreography, while musical director John Atkin’s11-strong orchestra are as soulful as James Brown’s band The J.B.’s.

Bamford is feisty, lippy, funny and a natural show leader; Hopper’s amusing Eddie pulls at the heart strings; Eve Clark, in her gap year after A-levels, announces her singing talent as Sister Mary Robert; Fick’s Curtis, with his cigarette-card moustache,  is a matine-idol villain, and Katie Melia, so “super excited to be playing Sister Mary Patrick”, is exactly that in her scene-stealing role.

Look out too for Sandy Nicholson’s Sister Mary Lazarus, rapping in shades, and the bungling badinage of Curtis’s hoodlums, Joe Marucci’s Joey, James Dickinson’s TJ, Adam Gill’s Pablo and Jonathan Wells’s soon-to-be-deadie Eddie. All’s well that ends up Wells, however, as he has three further cameos, topped by a camp flurry as a drag queen.

Sister Act, A Divine Musical Comedy, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, until Saturday, 7.30pm and 2.30pm Saturday matinee. Box office: limited availability on 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.