Tag: Acomb Explore Library

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English Touring Opera bring What Dreams May Come and The Capulets And The Montagues to York Theatre Royal

English Touring Opera rehearsing a scene from Bellini’s Italian opera The Capulets And The Montagues. Picture: Craig Fuller

ENGLISH Touring Opera return to York Theatre Royal today and tomorrow with two exciting new Shakespeare-themed productions.

What Dreams May Come makes its debut in the Studio tonight at 7.45pm and tomorrow at 2.30pm before Bellini’s The Capulets And The Montagues is performed for only night only in the main house tomorrow at 7.30pm, preceded by a pre-show talk at 6.30pm. Both operas will be performed in their original language with English surtitles. 

What Dreams May Come is a new studio piece that draws on hundreds of years of music inspired by and adapted from Shakespeare’s plays and poetry to depict the joys and sorrows of a long life, well lived.

Mixing puppetry with music by composers including Purcell, Finzi, Amy Beach and Britten, performed by a chamber ensemble, this 80-minute production explores the timeless appeal of Shakespeare’s words and characters for composers and audiences throughout history.

Singers include soprano Alys Mererid Roberts, mezzo-soprano Emily Hodkinson, tenor Tamsanqa Tylor Lemani and baritone Samuel Pantcheff.

Samuel Pantcheff, Tamsanqa Tylor Lemani, Alys Mererid Roberts  and Emily Hodkinson  in the rehearsal room for What Dreams May Come. Picture: Craig Fuller

The piece is devised and directed by Valentina Ceschi, whose past work for English Touring Opera (ETO) includes the 2023 production of Rossini’s Il Viaggio a Reims, children’s opera The Great Stink and the film for families The Firebird. Erika Gundesen conducts from the piano.  

The Capulets And The Montagues, Bellini’s gritty re-working of Romeo And Juliet, remains a fresh, vital take on a well-loved story, bringing the warring families’ emotional and political struggle to life with devastating power. Remarkably, the work was composed by Bellini in only six weeks.

Soprano Jessica Cale, a First Prize winner of the Kathleen Ferrier Awards and audience prize winner at the London Handel Festival International Singing Competition, sings the role of Giulietta.

She plays opposite mezzo-soprano Samantha Price, a regular performer with the Royal Opera and English National Opera, as Romeo.

Brenton Spiteri, who last performed with ETO in Manon Lescaut and The Rake’s Progress last spring, stars as Tebaldo, with Timothy Nelson as Capello and Masimba Ushe as Lorenzo.

The poster for English Touring Opera’s The Capulets And The Montagues

Eloise Lally, who directed ETO’s 2023 production of Lucrezia Borgia, is the director, while conductor, pianist and Le Balcon founder member Alphonse Cemin conducts in his debut season with ETO.

ETO director Robin Norton-Hale says: “This spring ETO celebrates the enduring power and relevance of the works of William Shakespeare with a season featuring one of the landmark operas of the 19th century alongside new works that draw inspiration from his themes and characters to create something entirely fresh and original.

“Bellini’s The Capulets And The Montagues puts a new spin on one of Shakespeare’s best-loved stories and is a classic of bel canto repertoire, with a dramatic contrast of sumptuous music and destructive violence.

“What Dreams May Come combines puppetry and song in an intimate exploration of life, love and death, set to new orchestrations of music inspired by the works of Shakespeare. It is a season that will showcase the best of ETO: wonderful storytelling and exceptional musicality.” 

Tickets are on sale on 01904 623568 or at yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.

Casts and production teams:

English Touring Opera rehearsing What Dreams May Come, a new production featuring depictions of grief, death and palliative care. Picture Craig Fuller

What Dreams May Come   

Soprano – Alys Mererid Roberts   
Mezzo-soprano – Emily Hodkinson  
Tenor – Tamsanqa Tylor Lemani   
Baritone – Samuel Pantcheff   

Director – Valentina Ceschi  
Conductor/piano – Erika Gundesen  
Puppetry designer – Matt Hutchinson  

English Touring Opera cast members in rehearsal for The Capulets And The Montagues. Picture: Craig Fuller

The Capulets And The Montagues   

Giulietta – Jessica Cale   
Romeo – Samantha Price   
Tebaldo – Brenton Spiteri  
Capello – Timothy Nelson   
Lorenzo – Masimba Ushe   
Ensemble – Daniel Gray Bell   
Ensemble – Harry Grigg   
Ensemble – Tamsanqa Tylor Lemani   
Ensemble – Samuel Pantcheff   
Ensemble – John Ieuan Jones   
Ensemble – Wonsick Oh   

Director – Eloise Lally   
Conductor – Alphonse Cemin   
Designer – Lily Arnold   
Lighting Designer – Peter Harrison   
Répétiteur – Nicholas Bosworth   
Fight Director – Kaitlin Howard   
Movement Director – Carmine De Amicis  

English Touring Opera’s poster for What Dreams May Come

English Touring Opera: the back story

TOURED live productions and education and community projects to more towns and cities than any other UK opera company since 1979

At the heart of the company ethos is “making exceptional artistic experiences available and accessible to everyone”.

ETO reaches 40,000 people per year with full theatre-based productions, specially commissioned operas for infants, children, families and young people with special educational needs, a series of creative workshops for people living with dementia and their carers, opera-making workshops in secondary schools, and song writing workshops in Alternative Provision settings designed to benefit young people’s mental health. 

English Touring Opera complete climate change trilogy with The Vanishing Forest on March 2 return to Acomb Explore Library

English Touring Opera in rehearsal for The Vanishing Forest, part three of a climate change trilogy of new operas. Picture: Julian Guidera

SOMETHING magical this way comes for families at Acomb Explore Library, Front Street, Acomb, York, on Sunday (2/3/2025).

English Touring Opera present their family-friendly production of The Vanishing Forest, an enchanting adventure that blends Shakespeare, music and an environmental message.

“If you remember the mischievous Puck from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, you’re in for a treat,” promise ETO. “This brand-new opera picks up after the events of Shakespeare’s comedy, and things aren’t looking too good in the forest. The trees are being chopped down, and with them, the magic of the land is fading away. Puck knows it’s time to act – but he can’t do it alone!”

Enter Cassie and Mylas, the children of Duke Theseus and Queen Hippolyta, who team up with Puck to save the forest before it is too late. Along the way, expect songs, puppetry, spells, mystical flowers and a story that will entertain and inspire young audiences while tackling the pressing issue of deforestation.

This musical adventure is the third and final instalment in English Touring Opera’s climate change trilogy, following The Wish Gatherer, winner of the Best Opera prize at the 2024 YAMAwards,  and The Great Stink.

English Touring Opera’s poster for The Vanishing Forest

Written by Jonathan Ainscough, composed by Michael Betteridge and directed by Victoria Briggs, The Vanishing Forest is ideal for children aged seven to 11, the performance being designed to make opera accessible, fun and absorbing for younger audiences.

“Whether you’re a Shakespeare buff or completely new to the world of opera, this show is a wonderful way to introduce children to the magic of storytelling through music,” say ETO.

“So, if you’re looking for a magical way to spend a Sunday morning with the family, why not step into The Vanishing Forest? Expect laughter, adventure and some Shakespearean sparkle – just what everyone needs!”

“Previous performances by English Touring Opera at Acomb Explore have really wowed audiences and given children their first experience of professional opera in a very approachable and accessible way,” says Explore York executive assistant Gillian Holmes. “The latest performance is coming up very soon and there are still a few tickets left!”

English Touring Opera in The Vanishing Forest, Acomb Explore Library, Front Street, Acomb, York, March 2, 11am. Tickets: tickettailor.com/events/exploreyorklibrariesandarchives/1516069.

EXPLORE York Libraries and Archives is committed to making the arts accessible to all, so if the ticket price is a barrier, don’t worry. Free places are available: pop into your local library or email acomb@exploreyork.org.uk to find out more.

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What’s On in Ryedale, York and beyond. Hutch’s List No. 8, from Gazette & Herald

Director Joanne Lister in rehearsal for Art with 1812 Theatre Company cast members Ivan Limon and Mike Martin. Picture: Paddy Chambers

WHEN art meets theatre, a hit play leads off Charles Hutchinson’s picks for a week where prompt booking is advised for a host of here today, gone tomorrow events.

Ryedale theatre show of the week: 1812 Theatre Company in Art, Helmsley Arts Centre, tonight to Saturday, 7.30pm

JOANNE Lister is not only making her 1812 Theatre Company directorial debut but also, in the late absence of her husband John Lister, she will take over the role of Marc with script in hand in Yasmina Reza’s 1994 French comedy, Art.

Translated by Christopher Hampton, the play asks: can a friendship between three close friends – Marc, Serge (Ivan Limon) and Yvan (Mike Martin) – survive when one of them does something completely unexpected? Box office: 01439 771700 or helmsleyarts.co.uk.

Leeds poet Antony Dunn

Poetry event of the week: Rise Up!, A Celebration of Poetry and the Spoken Word, Rise @Bluebird Bakery, Acomb Road, Acomb, York tonight, doors 7.30pm; performance 8.30pm to 10pm

LEEDS writer and People Powered Press poet-in-residence Antony Dunn, Yorkshire-born poet, mezzo-soprano  and theatre-maker Lisa J Coates and York St John University Fine Art coarse leader and poet Nathan Walker take part in Rise Up!.

Hosted by Bluebird Bakery boss and poet Nicky Kippax and Elizabeth Chadwick Pywell, the evening has three open-mic slots too. The next Rise Up! bill on April 30 will feature poets Rachel Long, Ioney Smallhorne and Minal Sukumar. Tickets update: last few left at eventbrite.co.uk.

Something wicked but educative this way comes: Dickens Theatre Company in Macbeth at Grand Opera House, York

GCSE study aid of the week: Dickens Theatre Company, Revision On Tour: Macbeth, Grand Opera House, York, today, 1pm with post-show Q&A

THE infamous Porter acts as narrator for an ensemble of six actors to create a cauldron of characters as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth make their perilous descent towards Hell in Shakespeare’s bloodiest tragedy, adapted and directed by Ryan Philpott, with music by Paul Higgs.

Set against a back-drop of wars, witchery and treasonous plotting, Dickens Theatre Company aim to “entertain and educate to the bitter end” while highlighting how “the Scottish play” remains ominously relevant in the 21st century. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.

Dickens Theatre Company in Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde, playing the Grand Opera House, York

The other GCSE study aid of the week: Dickens Theatre Company, Revision On Tour: Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde, Grand Opera House, York, tonight, 7pm

WITHIN the thick Fitzrovia fog and dimly lamp-lit streets lurks an evil predator. When Gabriel Utterson learns of the mysterious Mr Hyde, he commits his lawyer’s logic to the proceedings. Believing Hyde to be blackmailing Jekyll, he vows to bring Hyde to task to solve the mystery.

As with Macbeth, Dickens Theatre Company’s cast of six takes on an exciting, educational new stage adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Victorian gothic masterpiece, adapted and directed by Ryan Philpott. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.

Unpacking Nina Simone: Florence Odumosu in Black Is The Color Of My Voice at York Theatre Royal. Picture: Steve Ullathorne

Biographical drama of the week: Black Is The Color Of My Voice, York Theatre Royal, tonight, 7.30pm

WRITTEN and directed by Apphia Campbell, Black Is The Color Of My Voice is inspired by the life of Nina Simone in an evening of storytelling and performances of her most iconic songs by Florence Odumosu.

Campbell’s 70-minute play follows the North Carolina singer and activist as she seeks redemption after the untimely death of her father. She reflects on her journey from piano prodigy destined for a life in the church to jazz vocalist at the forefront of the civil rights movement. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.

Big Wolf Band: Ryedale Blues Club’s blues rock act in Malton tomorrow

Blues rock gig of the week: Ryedale Blues Club presents Big Wolf Band, Milton Rooms, Malton, tomorrow, 8pm

BIG Wolf Band, a formidable blues rock powerhouse formed in Birmingham in 2014 by guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Jonathan Earp and bassist  Mick Jeynes, now perform with Tim Jones on drums, Justin Johnson on guitar, and Robin Fox on keys.  They made the Top Five Best Blues Bands in the UK list at the UK Blues Awards in 2023 and 2024. Box office: 01653 696240 or themiltonrooms.com.

English Touring Opera in rehearsal for The Vanishing Forest, bound for Acomb Explore Library. Picture: Julian Guidera

Climate change drama of the week:  English Touring Opera in The Vanishing Forest, Acomb Explore Library, Front Street, Acomb, York, Sunday, 11am

ENGLISH Touring Opera present an enchanting adventure for seven to 11-year-olds that blends Shakespeare, music and an environmental message.

Jonathan Ainscough and Michael Betteridge’s new opera picks up the threads of A Midsummer Night’s Dream as Cassie and Mylas, Duke Theseus and Queen Hippolyta’s children, team up with Puck to save the forest before it is too late. Expect songs, puppetry, spells, mystical flowers and a story to entertain and inspire while tackling the pressing issue of deforestation. Tickets update: last few available at tickettailor.com.

Diversity: Pouring Soul into their dancing at York Barbican in April 2026

Show announcement of the week: Diversity present Soul, York Barbican, April 20 and 21 2026

BRITAIN’S Got Talent’s 2009 winners, Ashley Banjo’s Southend dance ensemble Diversity, will base next year’s tour around the technological advancements of artificial intelligence, asking what the future holds and what it means to be human within the digital age.

“The future is now,” says Banjo. “Humans have become plugged in and completely connected to a world full of artificial intelligence – a world in which it is hard to distinguish reality from fiction. AI has become so advanced it’s considered a life form of its very own. Is this the next stage in our evolution? What exactly have we created? What makes us human?” His answer: “Soul.” Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.

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More Things To Do in York and beyond, from mind games to life on the wild side. Hutch’s List No. 8, from The York Press

Everything turns green: Flying Ducks Youth Theatre in Shrek The Musical at Joseph Rowntree Theatre

BLINK and you might miss it! Charles Hutchinson urges prompt booking for a host of here today, gone tomorrow events.

Ogre party of the week: Flying Ducks Youth Theatre in Shrek The Musical, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, today, 2pm and 7pm

JENNA Howlett directs York company Flying Ducks’ two casts in today’s performances as they dive into a world where love knows no boundaries, friendships are forged in the most unexpected places and laughter is guaranteed.

Join Shrek, Fiona and Donkey on their journey to find true happiness in this David Lindsay-Abaire and Jeanine Tesori show, replete with catchy songs, quirky characters and a story that turns fairytales upside down. Box office: 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.

Hammonds Band: Top brass at tomorrow afternoon’s concert in aid of York Against Cancer

Fundraiser of the week: York Brass Against Cancer, Grand Opera House, York, tomorrow, 2.30pm

THE fourth York Brass Against Cancer concert to raise funds for York Against Cancer features the Hammonds Band, founded in 1855 by Sir Titus Salt, and the Shepherd Group Brass Band, from York, introduced by BBC presenter David Hoyle. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.

The hand of fate: The Witches in Dickens Theatre Company’s Macbeth at Grand Opera House, York

GCSE study aid of the week: Dickens Theatre Company, Revision On Tour: Macbeth, Grand Opera House, York, February 24 and 25, 7pm; February 26, 1pm with post-show Q&A

THE infamous Porter acts as narrator for an ensemble of six actors to create a cauldron of characters as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth make their perilous descent towards Hell in Shakespeare’s bloodiest tragedy, adapted and directed by Ryan Philpott, with music by Paul Higgs.

Set against a back-drop of wars, witchery and treasonous plotting, Dickens Theatre Company aim to “entertain and educate to the bitter end” while highlighting how “the Scottish play” remains ominously relevant in the 21st century. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.

Yemisi Oyinloye’s Carmen, left, and Hannah Genesius’s Elsa, right, in Tiny Fragments Of Beautiful Light, on tour at Theatre@41, Monkgate. Picture: Victoria Wai

Investigative play of the week: Tiny Fragments Of Beautiful Light, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, February 25

INSPIRED by writer Allison Davies’s diagnosis of autism, Tiny Fragments Of Beautiful Light is a journey of self-discovery wrapped in a celebration of the joy that comes when we live as we truly are.

Hannah Genesius takes the role of Elsa, who does not know why she has never fitted in. Could it be the way she is made? Quirky, kind, clever and funny, but school was always a nightmare, and romance was a mystery – until now. When Elsa meets Carmen (Yemisi Oyinloye), the real journey begins: to find out who she is and why an octopus is  living inside her head? Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.

Dickens Theatre Company in Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde, lurking around the Grand Opera House, York, for two days

The other GCSE study aid of the week: Dickens Theatre Company, Revision On Tour: Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde, Grand Opera House, York, February 25, 1pm, with post-show Q&A; February 26, 7pm

WITHIN the thick Fitzrovia fog and dimly lamp-lit streets lurks an evil predator. When Gabriel Utterson learns of the mysterious Mr Hyde, he commits his lawyer’s logic to the proceedings. Believing Hyde to be blackmailing Jekyll, he vows to bring Hyde to task to solve the mystery.

As with Macbeth, Dickens Theatre Company’s cast of six takes on an exciting, educational new stage adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Victorian gothic masterpiece, adapted and directed by Ryan Philpott. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.

Unpacking Nina Simone: Florence Odumosu in Black Is The Color Of My Voice at York Theatre Royal. Picture: Steve Ullathorne

Biographical drama of the week: Black Is The Color Of My Voice, York Theatre Royal, February 26, 7.30pm

WRITTEN and directed by Apphia Campbell, Black Is The Color Of My Voice is inspired by the life of Nina Simone in an evening of storytelling and performances of her most iconic songs by Florence Odumosu.

Campbell’s 70-minute play follows the North Carolina singer and activist as she seeks redemption after the untimely death of her father. She reflects on her journey from piano prodigy destined for a life in the church to jazz vocalist at the forefront of the civil rights movement. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.

Gordon Buchanan: Wild about wildlife at the Grand Opera House, York

Talk on the wild side: Gordon Buchanan, Lions And Tigers And Bears, Grand Opera House, York, February 27, 7.30pm

FILMMAKER and photographer Gordon Buchanan recounts thrilling encounters with pandas, grizzlies, tigers, jaguars and more as he charts the heart-stopping moments, the mud, sweat, and tears and the tender interactions that have shaped his career. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.

Elvana: When Nirvana meets Elvis Presley at York Barbican

Tribute gig of the week: Elvana: Elvis Fronted Nirvana, March 1, 7pm doors

FROM the bowels of Disgraceland, rock icons of the afterlife are raised from the dead when rock’n’roll meets grunge as Elvis fronts Nirvana to give the band the front man it has been missing since 1994. Elvana tear through Nirvana’s catalogue while splicing in grunge- up sections of the King’s finest moments, culminating in a whopper mash-up of overdrive and old-school rockabilly. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.

English Touring Opera in rehearsal for The Vanishing Forest, bound for Acomb Explore Library. Picture: Julian Guidera

Climate change drama:  English Touring Opera in The Vanishing Forest, Acomb Explore Library, Front Street, Acomb, York, March 2, 11am

ENGLISH Touring Opera present an enchanting adventure for seven to 11-year-olds that blends Shakespeare, music and an environmental message.

Jonathan Ainscough and Michael Betteridge’s new opera picks up the threads of A Midsummer Night’s Dream as Cassie and Mylas, Duke Theseus and Queen Hippolyta’s children, team up with Puck to save the forest before it is too late. Expect songs, puppetry, spells, mystical flowers and a story to entertain and inspire while tackling the pressing issue of deforestation. Tickets update: last few available at tickettailor.com.

Soul searching: Diversity to play York, Hull and Sheffield on 60-show tour of 31 cities and towns in 2026

Show announcement of the week: Diversity present Soul, York Barbican, April 20 and 21 2026

BRITAIN’S Got Talent’s 2009 winners, Ashley Banjo’s Southend dance ensemble Diversity, will base next year’s tour around the technological advancements of artificial intelligence, asking what the future holds and what it means to be human within the digital age.

“The future is now,” says Banjo. “Humans have become plugged in and completely connected to a world full of artificial intelligence – a world in which it is hard to distinguish reality from fiction. AI has become so advanced it’s considered a life form of its very own. Is this the next stage in our evolution? What exactly have we created? What makes us human?” His answer: “Soul.” Also playing: Hull Connexin Hall, March 11; Sheffield City Hall, March 13 and 14 (matinee). Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk; connexinlivehull.com; sheffieldcityhall.co.uk.

Poet, mezzo-soprano, theatre-maker and photographer Lisa J Coates: Picture: lisajcoates.co.uk

In Focus: Rise Up!: A Celebration of Poetry and the Spoken Word, Rise @Bluebird Bakery, Acomb Road, Acomb, York, Feb 26

LEEDS poet Antony Dunn, Yorkshire-born Lisa J Coates and York St John University Fine Art course leader Nathan Walker take part in Rise Up! on Wednesday when doors open at 7.30pm for the trio of poetry performances from 8.30pm to 10pm.

Hosted by Bluebird Bakery boss and poet Nicky Kippax and Elizabeth Chadwick Pywell, the evening has three open-mic slots up for grabs. Email rise@bluebirdbakery.co.uk/rise to apply.

The next Rise Up! on April 30 will feature poets Rachel Long, Ioney Smallhorne and Minal Sukumar.

Antony Dunn: Poet in Residence at People Powered Press. Picture: Sara Teresa

Antony Dunn 

PUBLISHED four collections of poems: Pilots And Navigators, Flying Fish, Bugs and Take This One to Bed (Valley Press). Winner of Newdigate Prize and Eric Gregory Award. Regular tutor for The Poetry School and Arvon Foundation. Worked on translation projects with poets from Holland, Hungary, China and Israel.

Has served as Poet in Residence at University of York, Ilkley Literature Festival and People Powered Press. Artistic director of Bridlington Poetry Festival from 2012 until 2018. For more details, go to: www.antonydunn.org.

Lisa J Coates

YORKSHIRE-BORN  multi-disciplinary artist, working as musician, writer and opera director. Poetry published in Southbank Poetry Magazine, Northern Gravy, York Literary Review, Bad Lilies, and Anthropocene. Undertaken commissions for Risky Cities, and Hull Maritime. Mentored by Helen Mort. Awarded DYCP (Developing Your Creative Practice) funding by Arts Council England in 2023 to develop her writing for the stage.

Classically trained mezzo-soprano, with distinction in PG Artist Diploma from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance and MA in Vocal Performance from University of York. Performed internationally on stage and in concert, recorded for Naxos, Delphian, Boreas and Touch labels and appeared on television and radio.

Nathan Walker

 ARTIST and writer from West Cumbria. Works across and between performance art and poetry, exploring the body and the page as sites for vocal exploration and manipulation of sound and speech. Their scores and poetry have been published in books, magazines and journals, including  100 Queer Poems anthology, edited by Mary Jean Chan & Andrew McMillan (Vintage, 2022), Prototype Anthology 5 (UK), Tripwire (USA) and Pamenar Magazine Online (UK).

First collection of poetry, Skirting, was published by Broken Sleep Books in 2024. Published two books of language-based artworks: Condensations (uniform Books) & Action Score Generator (If P Then Q). Course lead for Fine Art at York St John University, lecturing in .

Tickets update: last few left at eventbrite.co.uk. More details at bluebirdbakery.co.uk/rise.

Nathan Walker: First poetry collection, Skirting, was published last year

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English Touring Opera complete climate change trilogy with The Vanishing Forest on March 2 return to Acomb Explore Library

English Touring Opera in rehearsal for The Vanishing Forest, part three of a climate change trilogy of new operas. Picture: Julian Guidera

SOMETHING magical this way comes for families at Acomb Explore Library, Front Street, Acomb, York, on March 2.

English Touring Opera return to York to present their family-friendly production of The Vanishing Forest, an enchanting adventure that blends Shakespeare, music and an environmental message.

“If you remember the mischievous Puck from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, you’re in for a treat,” promise ETO. “This brand-new opera picks up after the events of Shakespeare’s comedy, and things aren’t looking too good in the forest. The trees are being chopped down, and with them, the magic of the land is fading away. Puck knows it’s time to act – but he can’t do it alone!”

Enter Cassie and Mylas, the children of Duke Theseus and Queen Hippolyta, who team up with Puck to save the forest before it is too late. Along the way, expect songs, puppetry, spells, mystical flowers and a story that will entertain and inspire young audiences while tackling the pressing issue of deforestation.

This musical adventure is the third and final instalment in English Touring Opera’s climate change trilogy, following The Wish Gatherer, winner of the Best Opera prize at the 2024 YAMAwards,  and The Great Stink.

Written by Jonathan Ainscough, composed by Michael Betteridge and directed by Victoria Briggs, The Vanishing Forest is ideal for children aged seven to 11, the performance being designed to make opera accessible, fun and absorbing for younger audiences.

English Touring Opera’s poster for The Vanishing Forest

“Whether you’re a Shakespeare buff or completely new to the world of opera, this show is a wonderful way to introduce children to the magic of storytelling through music,” say ETO.

“So, if you’re looking for a magical way to spend a Sunday morning with the family, why not step into The Vanishing Forest? Expect laughter, adventure and some Shakespearean sparkle – just what everyone needs!”

“Previous performances by English Touring Opera at Acomb Explore have really wowed audiences and given children their first experience of professional opera in a very approachable and accessible way,” says Explore York executive assistant Gillian Holmes. “The latest performance is coming up very soon and there are still a few tickets left!”

English Touring Opera in The Vanishing Forest, Acomb Explore Library, Front Street, Acomb, York, March 2, 11am. Tickets: tickettailor.com/events/exploreyorklibrariesandarchives/1516069.

Explore York Libraries and Archives is committed to making the arts accessible to all, so if the ticket price is a barrier, don’t worry. Free places are available: pop into your local library or email acomb@exploreyork.org.uk to find out more.

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Art Of Protest Projects wants to hear your views on creating Front Street community mural and street bench refurbishment

“We are passionate about getting the community involved,” says Art Of Protest Projects founder and creative director Jeff Clark

ART Of Protest (AOP) has been awarded a UK Shared Prosperity Fund grant by City of York Council to create a more vibrant, people-friendly, accessible space for all in Front Street, Acomb.

The grant will go towards installing a community mural and eight benches as part of a wider regeneration of Front Street.

Art Of Protest Projects, a social impact enterprise founded in 2016 and based in York, engages communities in place-making and public art, with its team of professional creatives, artists and storytellers having delivered a series of projects in York and beyond so far.

Many of the team reside in Acomb, making the latest project close to their hearts, and already AOP is proactive within the Acomb community, presenting their flagship creative learning workshops at York High School and Inspire Academy.

Founder and creative director Jeff Clark says: “We want to deliver something that the Acomb community can be proud of for decades to come. It’s not just about creating art, it’s about listening to the views of the people.”

Councillor Katie Lomas, City of York Council Executive Member with responsibility for Finance and Major Projects, says: “It is great to see the Front Street project taking another step forward and this is a very exciting part of the transformation. So far, we have seen new seating and planters installed, upgraded public toilets, improved Blue Badge parking and removed a significant number of bollards.

“We are looking forward to working closely with artists at Art Of Protest Projects to introduce public art to the area, which 68 per cent of respondents supported during our consultation last spring. We will continue listening to the community and get to the heart of what residents would like to see.

“It is vital that the local community is involved and helps to shape these designs, which will be part of Front Street for years to come, so I’d encourage everyone who lives or spends time in Acomb to share your thoughts. I would also like to thank everyone for their patience while work is ongoing in the area, and I look forward to seeing more of these improvements take shape as the project progresses.”

Jeff adds: “AOP aims to creatively engage and impassion individuals of all capabilities and backgrounds to build local capacity and skills. We believe that art is a common and universal language where people of all ages, creeds and beliefs can meet, engage and connect.”

AOP has tight deadlines set by UK Shared Prosperity Fund to complete the installation by the end of March, preceded by a series of open consultation events running during the last week of January and the first week of February.

Art Of Protest’s poster invitation to mural and benches engagement sessions in Acomb

Spray paint mural engagement sessions will be held at Acomb Explore Library on January 27, 5pm to 7pm, The Place, Acomb, January 28, 4pm to 5.30pm, and Gateway Centre, Acomb, February 3, 5pm to 7pm. Paint-a-pot benches engagement sessions will take place at The Place on January 29, 3.30pm to 4.30pm, and Acomb Explore Library on January 31, 10am to 12 noon.  

Jeff says:  “We want to build on the community consultations that have already taken place, listening to the views to celebrate Acomb’s heritage, to be bright, fun and inviting.”

For the mural consultations, he explains: “We are arranging a series of workshops at local schools, as well as creative spray paint workshops where participants can take away their own piece of art home and inspire the design brief for the mural. The mural will be a community totem, carefully crafted and shaped by community input”.

For the bench consultations, Jeff says: “Accessibility is really important and there is also an opportunity to signpost the local community to our green spaces and celebrate local flora. The bench engagement sessions will be an opportunity to chat about what you want to see, as well as paint your own plant pot to take away a seedling or plant.

“The curators’ responsibility is to capture as many Acomb residents’ voices and project them into one shared vision. We love the local area and want to create a legacy piece that celebrates all the local green spaces as well as Acomb’s connection to the oak trees.”

You can book for the engagement events at eventbrite.co.uk/o/art-of-protest-projects-40881047083 or by emailing workshops.aopprojects@gmail.com.

AOP is arranging drop-in sessions on Front Street with everyone welcome at The Place on January 30, 10am to 12 noon, Bluebird Bakery, February 1, 3pm to 5pm, and Gateway Centre, February 4, 2.30pm to 4.30pm.

A key aspect of the project is the Street Art Academy, delivered in partnership with The Place with its ethos to create, collaborate and increase curiosity, confidence and capability. This structured programme will up-skill and create cultural capital and legacy by providing career pathways in the creative industries.

In addition, a talent development opportunity will become available for participants to shadow the creation of the mural.

“We are passionate about getting the community involved,” says Jeff. “What’s really unique about the programme is the Street Art Academy focused on skills development and capacity building. 

“AOP would love to hear from the local community and will be arranging a celebration event following the installation of the mural and benches with details to follow. If you have any queries, please get in touch with workshop.aopprojects@gmail.com.”

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More Things To Do in York and beyond from September 21 onwards. Here’s Hutch’s List No. 39, from The Press, York

Kate Hampson in the matriarchal role of Marmee in York Theatre Royal’s production of Little Women. Picture: Charlie Kirkpatrick

GARDEN ghosts, a coming-of-age classic, a political groundbreaker, astronaut insights and an awful aunt stir Charles Hutchinson into action as autumn makes its entry.  

Play opening of the week: Little Women, York Theatre Royal, September 21 to October 12

CREATIVE director Juliet Forster directs York Theatre Royal’s repertory cast in Louisa May Alcott’s coming-of-age story of headstrong Jo March and her sisters Meg, Beth and Amy as they grow up in New England during the American Civil War.

Adapted by Anne-Marie Casey, the production features Freya Parks, from BBC1’s This Town, as Jo, Ainy Medina as Meg, Helen Chong as Amy and York actress Laura Soper as Beth. Kate Hampson returns to the Theatre Royal to play Marmee after leading the community cast in The Coppergate Woman. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.

Steve Wynn: A night of stories and songs at Rise@Bluebird Bakery, Acomb. Picture: Guy Kokken

York gig of the week: Steve Wynn, I Wouldn’t Say It If It Wasn’t True: A Night Of Songs And Stories, Rise@Bluebird Bakery, Acomb, York, September 21, 7.30pm

STEVE Wynn, founder and leader of Californian alt. rock band The Dream Syndicate, promotes his first solo album since 2010, Make It Right (Fire Records), and his new memoir, I Wouldn’t Say It If It Wasn’t True (Jawbone Press), both released on August 30.

Touring the UK solo for the first time in more than ten years, his one-man show blends songs from and inspired by the book with a narrative structure of readings and storytelling. Expect evergreens and rarities from The Dream Syndicate’s catalogue, coupled with illuminating covers and reflective numbers from the new record. Box office: bluebirdbakery.co.uk/rise.

Ghosts In The Garden: Returning for fourth season with more locations and more wire-mesh ghosts. Picture: Gareth Buddo/Andy Little

Installation of the week: Ghosts In The Gardens, haunting York until November 5

GHOSTS In The Gardens returns with 45 ghosts, inspired by York’s past, for visitors to discover in the city’s public gardens and green spaces, with the Bar walls, St Olave’s Church and York Railway Station among the new locations.

Organiser York BID has partnered with design agency Unconventional Design for the fourth year to create the semi-translucent 3D sculptures out of narrow-gauge wire mesh, six of them new for 2024. Pick up the map for this free event from the Visitor Information Centre on Parliament Street and head to https://www.theyorkbid.com/ghosts-in-the-gardens/ for full details

Points Of View, stainless steel, by Tony Cragg, at Castle Howard. Picture: Nick Howard

Last chance to see: Tony Cragg’s Sculptures, Castle Howard, near York, ends September 22

TONY Cragg’s sculptures, the first major exhibition by a leading contemporary artist to be held in the grounds and house at Castle Howard, closes on Sunday after a successful run since May 3 that has seen a 12 per cent rise in visitor numbers since the equivalent period last year.

On show are large-scale bronze sculptures in the gardens plus works in wood, glass sculptures and works on paper, some being displayed for the first time in Great Britain. Opening hours: grounds, 10am to 5pm, last entry 4pm; house, 10am to 3pm. Tickets: 01653 648333 or castlehoward.co.uk.

Making her point: Lauren Robinson as politician Jennie Lee in Mikron Theatre’s premiere of Jennie Lee. Picture: Robling Photography

Political drama of the week: Mikron Theatre Company in Jennie Lee, Clements Hall, Nunthorpe Road, York, September 22, 4pm to 6pm

IN Marsden company Mikron Theatre’s premiere of Jennie Lee, Lindsay Rodden charts the extraordinary life of the radical Scottish politician, Westminster’s youngest MP, so young that, as a woman in 1929, she could not even vote for herself.

Tenacious, bold and rebellious, Lee left her coal-mining family in Scotland and fought with her every breath for the betterment of all lives, for wages, health and housing, and for art and education too, as the first Minister for the Arts and founder of the Open University. She was the wife of NHS founder Nye Bevan, but Jennie is no footnote in someone else’s past. Box office: mikron.org.uk/show/jennie-lee-clements-hall.

Crime novelists Ajay Chowdhury, left, and Luca Veste team up for The Big Read in York and Harrogate on Monday

Book event of the week: Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival presents The Big Read, Acomb Explore Library, York, September 23, 12.30pm to 1.30pm; The Harrogate Inn, Harrogate, September 23, 2.30pm to 3.30pm

THE North’s biggest book club, The Big Read, returns next week with visits to York and Harrogate on the first day, when visitors can meet the festival’s reader-in-residence, Luca Veste, and fellow novelist Ajay Chowdhury, who will discuss Chowdhury’s Sunday Times Crime Book of the Year, The Detective.

More than 1,000 free copies of tech entrepreneur, writer and theatre director Ajay Chowdhury’s 2023 novel from his Detective Kamil Rahman series will be distributed across the participating libraries. Entry is free.

Astronaut Tim Peake: Exploring the evolution of space travel at York Barbican

Travel show of the week: Tim Peake, Astronauts: The Quest To Explore Space, York Barbican, September 25, 7.30pm

BRITISH astronaut Tim Peake is among only 610 people to have travelled beyond Earth’s orbit. After multiple My Journey To Space tours of his own story, he makes a return voyage to share stories of fellow astronauts as he explores the evolution of space travel.

From the first forays into the vast potential of space in the 1950s and beyond, to the first human missions to Mars, Peake will traverse the final frontier with tales of the experience of space flight, living in weightlessness, the dangers and unexpected moments of humour and the years of training and psychological and physical pressures that an astronaut faces. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.

Neal Foster’s Aunt Alberta and Annie Cordoni’s Stella in Birmingham Stage Company’s Awful Auntie at Grand Opera House, York. Picture: Mark Douet

Children’s show of the week: Birmingham Stage Company in Awful Auntie, Grand Opera House, York, September 26 to 29

CHILDREN’S author David Walliams and Birmingham Stage Company team up for the fourth time. Ater adaptations of Gangsta Granny, Billionaire Boy and Demon Dentist, here comes actor-manager Neal Foster’s stage account of Awful Auntie.

As Stella (Annie Cordoni ) sets off to visit London with her parents, she has no idea her life is in danger. When she wakes up three months later, not everything Aunt Alberta (Foster) tells her turns out to be true. She quickly discovers she is in for the fight of her life against her very own awful Auntie! Suitable for age five upwards. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.

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The Big Read welcomes crime novelists Ajay Chowdhury and Luca Veste to Acomb, Harrogate and Bradford on Monday

Authors Ajay Chowdhury, left, and Luca Veste, right, at the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate. Picture: Andrew Stevens

THE North’s biggest book club, The Big Read, returns from September 23 to 25, travelling to libraries across the North of England. First up will be Acomb Explore Library, Front Street, York, next Monday from 11.30am to 12.30pm.

Produced by Harrogate International Festivals and sponsored by the Inn Collection Group and Vintage Publishing, this free event is part of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival and is designed to celebrate and create awareness of literacy, while paying homage to the legacy of crime fiction’s greatest writers.

Visitors will have the opportunity to meet the festival’s reader-in-residence, Luca Veste, and fellow novelist Ajay Chowdhury, winner of The Sunday Times and The Times Crime Book of the Year, who will travel to seven libraries from Merseyside to Teesside, discussing Chowdhury’s The Detective, as they take the festival on tour. 

More than 1,000 free copies of tech entrepreneur, writer and Rented Space Theatre Company artistic director Ajay Chowdhury’s 2023 novel will be distributed across the participating libraries.

Luca Veste is the author of numerous crime novels, such as You Never Said Goodbye and The Bone Keeper. As well as hosting of the Two Crime Writers And A Microphone podcast and co-founding the Locked In Festival, he plays bass guitar in the band of authors, The Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers.

The cover artwork for Ajay Chowdhury’s novel The Detective

Sharon Canavar, chief executive of Harrogate International Festivals, says: “We know that reading stimulates the brain, reduces stress and helps us relax, and the aim of the Big Read is to bring people together from all walks of life through their shared passion for reading.

“This event is also a brilliant opportunity to raise awareness of local library services, which really are at the heart of our communities.

“The Detective is a cracking read and illustrates the rich variety that can be found in the crime-writing genre, and I’m sure it will encourage readers to explore the rest of Ajay Chowdhury’s books.”

Chowdhury’s latest novel in his Detective Kamil Rahman series, The Spy, was published by Harvill Sacker/Penguin Books in April, preceded by last year’s The Detective, The Cook in 2022 and The Waiter in 2021. First came his children’s novel, Ayesha And The Firefish, in 2016.

“I am both honoured and humbled that The Detective has been selected for this year’s Big Read,” he says. “I’m excited to join Luca on the road and looking forward to meeting readers across the North of England.”

The Harrogate Inn general manager Daniel Marshall, with a copy of The Detective, as staff member Lawrence Rhodes-Ibarra looks on from behind the bar. Picture: Andrew Stevens

Andrew Robson, of The Inn Collection Group, says: “The Big Read is a great way of supporting our libraries and bringing local communities together. Reading is one of life’s great pleasures and books have the ability to inspire us and show the world in a fresh light, which is why it’s a genuine pleasure for us to be involved in such a wonderful and rewarding project.”

Reader-in-residence Luca Veste says: “I’m delighted once again to be able to take the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival on tour with the Big Read. Local libraries are a cornerstone of our communities and have been an important part of my own life from an early age. I’m really looking forward to discussing this brilliant book with crime writing fans new and old.”

Crime novel devotees can head to a choice of seven participating libraries in York, Harrogate, Bradford, Formby (Liverpool), Stockport, Hexham and Stockton-on-Tees (Billingham) to collect a free copy of The Detective and sign up for the North’s biggest book club.

The Big Read 2024 schedule in Yorkshire:

Monday, September 23: Acomb Explore Library, Front Street, Acom, York, 1.30am to 12.30pm. The Harrogate Inn, Ripon Rd, Harrogate, 2.30pm to 3.30pm. Bradford City Library, Centenary Square, Aldermanbury, Bradford, 6.30pm to 7.30pm. Entry is free.

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