Tag: grand opera house york

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More Things To Do in York beyond as the Vikings reveal power-base life skills. Here’s Hutch’s List No. 31, from The York Press

Dr Adam Parker, curator of archaeology at York Museums Trust, holding the Thor’s Hammer Pendant at the Viking North exhibition at the Yorkshire Museum, York

VIKING treasures, street art moved indoors, Fringe comedy previews and Ryedale Festival’s classical lustre bring out the summer smiles in Charles Hutchinson.

Museum launch of the week: Viking North, Yorkshire Museum, York

VIKING North is filled with magnificent objects, many unseen for generations and others that have never been on public display, adding up to “the best collection of Viking finds to be shown outside London” as these Viking treasures reveal the North’s power base, wealth and skills.

Telling the story of the Viking Age in the North of England from AD866 to 1066, the exhibition is underpinned by new archaeological research and cutting-edge technology and features objects from Yorkshire Museum’s own collection, the Vale of York hoard, co-owned with the British Museum, and specially loaned national and regional items, including from the Viking Army Camp at Aldwark, North Yorkshire.

Sea, Swell, Scribe: Jo Walton, Ruth King and Nicky Kippax combine in Pyramid Gallery’s exhibition of paintings, pottery and poetry

Exhibition launch of the week: Sea, Swell, Scribe, Jo Walton, Ruth King and Nicky Kippax, Pyramid Gallery, Stonegate, York, from today, 11am, to August 31, open 10am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday

WHAT happens when you let a poet loose in an art gallery with a piece of charcoal? If the juxtaposition of sumptuous curvy and pointy pots against a backdrop of textured metallic atmospheric paintings is inspiring her, then she will scribble words and phrases all over the plinths

York artist Jo Walton, from Rogues Atelier, potter Ruth King, from the Craft Potters Association, and poet Nicky Kippax, from Bluebird Bakery, combine in a show planned and organised by Pyramid  gallery manager Fiona Macfarlane and curated by Walton. Kippax has written Eksphratic verse in response to the paintings and pots.

Street artist Al Murphy in his Naughty Corner at VandalFest at 2, Low Ousegate, York

Street art takeover of the summer: Vandals At Work present VandalFest, today and tomorrow, July 18 to 20 and July 25 to 27, 11am to 6pm

VANDALS At Work reunite with youth homelessness charity Safe and Sound Homes (SASH) for VandalFest, the immersive street art takeover of a disused office block at 2 Low Ousegate, York, with a 2025 theme of the playful, cheeky, witty and mischievous.

The stripped-out interior provides four floors of blank canvas for bold, site-specific “intervention” that cover walls, floors and ceilings, complemented by live DJ sets.  Among more than 30 artists from the UK and beyond are Bristol graffiti pioneer Inkie, subversive stencilist Dotmasters, inflatable prankster Filthy Luker, master of optical illusions Chu, rooftop renegade Rowdy and York’s own Sharon McDonagh, Lincoln Lightfoot and Boxxhead. Entry is free, with a suggested £3 donation to SASH. Visitors can support the cause by buying limited-edition artworks and merchandise.

Ryedale Festival artist in residence and soprano Claire Booth

Festival of the week; Ryedale Festival 2025, until July 27

THIS North Yorkshire festival of delights will be led off by 2025’s artists in residence, saxophonist Jess Gillam, soprano Claire Booth and viola player Timothy Ridout, along with Quatuor Mosaiques, VOCES8 and composer Eric Whitacre.

Pianists Sir Stephen Hough and Dame Imogen Cooper, organist Thomas Trotter, Arcangelo, York countertenor Iestyn Davies and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic’s festival debut are further highlights. Jazz, folk and literature weave into the programme too: reeds player Pete Long and vocalist Sara Oschlag salute Duke Ellington; Barnsley’s Kate Rusby showcases her new album, When They All Looked Up, and Dame Harriet Walter channels Jane Austen’s wit in Pride And Prejudice. Full details and tickets at: ryedalefestival.com. Box office: 01751 475777.

McFly: Heading to the Scarborough seaside today

Coastal gig of the week: McFly, TK Maxx Presents Scarborough Open Air Theatre, today; gates open at 6pm

MCFLY’S Tom Fletcher, Danny Jones, Dougie Poynter and Harry Judd head to the Yorkshire coast to perform 5 Colours In Her Hair, Obviously, All About You, You’ve Got A Friend, I’ll Be OK, Star Girl, Don’t Stop Me Now, Obviously et al. Twin Atlantic and Devon complete the bill. Box office: scarboroughopenairtheatre.com.

Josie Long: Opening Theatre@41’s week of Edinburgh Fringe previews and comedy nights. Picture: Matt Crockett

Comedy event of the week: Halfway To Edinburgh, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, July 13 to 19

A WEEK of Edinburgh Fringe previews and comedy nights takes over Theatre@41, Monkgate, kicking off with comedian, writer, podcaster and filmmaker Josie Long’s Work In Progress on July 13 at 2pm, followed by two Mark Watson selections, Sam Nicoresti and Lulu Popplewell’s Fresh For The Fringe double bill at 7.30pm.

Molly McGuinness and Phil Ellis are in preview mode on July 14 (8pm); Nina Gilligan discusses memory loss, health anxiety and goldfish-related trauma in Goldfish on July 16 (8pm), and Hayley Ellis navigates middle age in Silly Mare (Work in Progress) on July 17 (8pm). Susan Riddell and Kate Dolan, on July 18 (7.30pm), and Barmby Moor surrealist Rob Auton and Chloe Petts, on July 19 (7.30pm), round off the festival previews. Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.

Georgi Mottram: Classical BRIT Award nominee performing at Voices United concert in aid of St Leonard’s Hospice

Charity event of the week: Ian Stroughair presents Voices United: Rubies For Our Angel, Grand Opera House, York, July 18, 7.30pm

YORK cabaret artiste and West End musical actor Ian Stroughair co-hosts this fundraiser to mark St Leonard’s Hospice’s 40th anniversary with radio presenters Joanita Musisi and Laura Castle, introducing a night of musical theatre and rock and pop classics.

On the bill will be Stroughair in Velma Celli drag diva regalia; York singer Jessica Steel and guitarist Stuart Allan; York musical theatre actress Joanne Theaker; retro party band Jonny And The Dunebugs; The Voice UK 2024 semi-finalist Lois Morgan Gay and West End classical singer Georgi Mottram. Box office: https://shorturl.at/G3qhV or atgtickets.com/york.

Dance is SO embracing: Dancefloor double act Anton & Giovanni reunite for Together Again at York Barbican

Dance show of the week: Anton Du Beke and Giovanni Pernice in Together Again, York Barbican, July 18, 7.30pm

STRICTLY Come Dancing alumni Anton Du Beke and Giovanni Pernice promise “more fun, more dance, more song and even more entertainment than ever before” in the terpsichorean double act’s new show Together Again, full of breathtaking routines, stunning choreography and a seamless blend of Ballroom, Latin and musical theatre. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.

The Wedding Present’s David Gedge, right, walking in Leeds with Reception writer-director Matt Aston

Gig announcement of the week: An Evening of Conversation and Music with David Gedge from The Wedding Present, Rise@Bluebird Bakery, Acomb Road, Acomb, York, July 20, 8pm, doors 7pm

DAVID Gedge, long-time leader of The Wedding Present, discusses his “semi-legendary” Leeds indie band’s 40-year-career and his life in the music industry, in conversation with Amanda Cook. York writer/director Matt Aston join him too on the eve of rehearsals for Reception – The Wedding Present Musical, ahead of its premiere at Slung Low, The Warehouse, Holbeck, Leeds, from August 22 to September 6.  

Next Sunday’s fundraising event concludes with Gedge’s 20-minute acoustic set drawn from The Wedding Present’s cornucopia of arch, romantic yet perennially disappointed songs of love, life’s high hopes and woes, chance and no chance. Box office: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/an-evening-with-david-gedge-from-the-wedding-present-tickets-1472506409309?aff=oddtdtcreator.

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Ian Stroughair confirms line-up for Voices United charity night for St Leonard’s Hospice at Grand Opera House on July 18

Voices United co-organiser and co-host Ian Stroughair in his drag diva guise as Velma Celli

YORK cabaret artiste and West End musical actor Ian Stroughair is to present Voices United: Rubies For Our Angels, at the Grand Opera House, York, on July 18 to mark St Leonard’s Hospice’s ruby anniversary.

You will know international award winner Ian as his alter ego, Velma Celli, the UK’s queen of live vocal drag vocal. He will host the 7.30pm bill in that guise, alongside BBC Radio York presenter Joanita Musisi (whose father passed away at St Leonard’s) and YorkMix Radio Breakfast Show presenter Laura Castle. 

Together they will introduce York’s finest performers and West End stars in a night of musical theatre and rock and pop hits to raise funds for a cause extremely personal to Ian.

The hospice, in Tadcaster Road, York, cared for his mum, Pauline, in her final days of battling cancer. “It was so difficult when my mum was ill, but the staff at the hospice provided a level of care that was above and beyond,” he says. “They gave us the space and freedom to spend those precious last days by Mum’s side in such a warm and supportive environment.”

Georgi Mottram: Classical BRIT Award nominee performing at Voice United next Friday

Taking part will be international and West End classical singer Georgi Mottram; Lois Morgan Gay, from The Voice UK; York blues and soul singer Jessica Steel & guitarist Stuart Allan; York musical theatre actress, singer and theatre tutor Joanne Theaker, performing songs from Calendar Girls, and York retro party band Jonny And The Dunebugs.

“All of the artists and musicians are donating their time and talent for free,” says Ian, who has appeared in West End productions of Chicago, Cats, Fame and Rent. “None of us will be taking a single penny, so as much money as possible will go directly to the hospice. Performers always want to get involved and help because St Leonard’s means so much to so many people.

“It’s a big celebration, honouring all the work that the hospice does.  Expect a fun, upbeat concert with light entertainment featuring all the songs you know and love: favourites from musical theatre, together with rock and pop classics, from David Bowie to Queen and Lady Gaga.

“Jessica and me, with Stuart on acoustic guitar, will be doing Kate Bush and Sinead O’Connor songs and one from Jessica’s Higher Frequencies album, maybe Abba too. ”

Classical BRIT Award nominee Georgi Mottram has performed for royalty, made her London Palladium debut as Nimue in Camelot and topped the iTunes Classical chart with her 2021 debut single Dream Believe.

Lois Morgan Gay: The Voice UK singer will be performing songs from her appearances on the ITV talent show

Lois Morgan Gay was a semi-finalist on the 2024 series of The Voice UK, with a  £100,000 record deal under her belt already from 2022. “I’m thrilled to be part of this concert, raising money for an incredible cause,” she says.

Next Friday’s concert is co-organised by Ian’s close friend Sarah Walker. By a sad coincidence, her father Peter died at the hospice only three weeks before Pauline. Retired policeman Peter was better known as writer Nicholas Rhea, whose Constable series of books were turned into the television series Heartbeat.

Sarah was back at the hospice only a few months later: “What my sister Tricia thought was a stomach bug turned out to be an aggressive form of cancer,” she says. “She died in St Leonard’s five weeks after being diagnosed and just eight months after Dad.”

Ian produced a live-steam kitchen concert in 2020 to support the hospice and he and Sarah always strive to help in any way they can. Ian came up with the idea of a charity show after learning that St Leonard’s receives only a quarter of its annual running costs from the National Health Service. The remaining £6 million has to come from fund-raising.

Jessica Steel: Joining Ian Stroughair on stage at Voices United

Looking forward to next Friday’s event, St Leonard’s community and events manager Sarah Atkinson says: “We’re really excited about the upcoming Voices United evening at the Grand Opera House as we celebrate our 40th anniversary. We’re deeply grateful to everyone involved, those performing, organising and supporting the event.

“The compassionate care we provide at St Leonard’s Hospice is only possible thanks to the incredible generosity of our community, and we very much appreciate the continued support. So book your tickets for a glittering evening of entertainment and join us in celebrating both the talent and spirit that make our work possible.”

Ian concludes: “Tickets prices range from £20 to £50, making this fabulous event affordable for all, and there will be other opportunities to donate on the evening too.”

Box office: https://shorturl.at/G3qhV or atgtickets.com/york. For more information on St Leonard’s Hospice, visit: stleonardshospice.org.uk.

Did you know?

IAN Stroughair takes 90 minutes to apply his make-up – or his “slap” as he calls it – to transform into drag diva Velma Celli.

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What’s On in Ryedale, York and beyond. Hutch’s List No. 30 from Gazette & Herald

Christopher Glynn: Directing the 2025 Ryedale Festival, opening on Friday

RYEDALE Festival heads July’s summer delights, taking in the shipping forecast too, in Charles Hutchinson’s leisure list.

Festival of the week; Ryedale Festival 2025, July 11 to 27

ARTISTIC director Christopher Glynn presents a multitude of festival delights, led off by this year’s artists in residence, saxophonist Jess Gillam, soprano Claire Booth and viola player Timothy Ridout, joined by Quatuor Mosaiques, VOCES8 and composer Eric Whitacre.

The festival also welcomes pianists Sir Stephen Hough and Dame Imogen Cooper and organist Thomas Trotter; Arcangelo in Selby; York countertenor Iestyn Davies; the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic’s festival debut; a revival of long-neglected Tippett works and a new Arthur Bliss orchestration. 

Jazz, folk and literature weave into the programme too: reeds player Pete Long and vocalist Sara Oschlag salute Duke Ellington; Barnsley’s Kate Rusby showcases her new album, When They All Looked Up, and Dame Harriet Walter channels Jane Austen’s wit in Pride And Prejudice. Full details and tickets at: ryedalefestival.com. Box office: 01751 475777.

The ELO Experience, led by Andy Louis, at the Grand Opera House, York, tonight

Tribute gig of the week: The ELO Experience, Grand Opera House, York, tonight, 7.30pm

THE ELO Experience have been bringing the music of Jeff Lynne and The Electric Orchestra to the stage since forming in Hull in 2006, performing 10538 Overture, Evil Woman, Living Thing, The Diary Of Horace Wimp, Don’t Bring Me Down, All Over The World, Mr Blue Sky et al.

Andy Louis fronts this tribute to  a songbook spanning more than 45 years, taking in such albums as A New World Record, Discovery and Out Of The Blue and  2016’s Alone In The Universe. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.

Coastal gigs of the week: TK Maxx presents Scarborough Open Air Theatre, Blossoms, tomorrow; Rag’n’Bone Man, Friday, and McFly, Saturday. Gates open at 6pm

CHART-TOPPING Stockport indie group Blossoms make their Scarborough OAT debut tomorrow, supported by Inhaler and Leeds band Apollo Junction, promoting their August 22 new album What In The World.

Rag’N’Bone Man, alias blues, soul and hip-hop singer Rory Graham, cherry-picks from his albums Human, Life By Misadventure and What Do You Believe In? on Friday, with support from Elles Bailey and Kerr Mercer. McFly’s Tom Fletcher, Danny Jones, Dougie Poynter and Harry Judd head to the Yorkshire coast on Saturday when Twin Atlantic and Devon complete the bill. Box office: scarboroughopenairtheatre.com.

Vicki Mason’s Margaret Watson, Beaj Johnson’s Tom Musgrave and Becca Magson’s Emma Watson in 1812 Theatre Company’s production of The Watsons

Play of the week times two: The Watsons, 1812 Theatre Company, Helmsley Arts Centre, today to Saturday, 7.30pm; The Watsons, Black Treacle Theatre, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, today to Saturday, 7.30pm and 2.30pm Saturday matinee

TWO productions of Laura Wade’s The Watsons open on the same night in Helmsley and York.  What happens when the writer loses the plot? Emma Watson is 19 and new in town. She has been cut off by her rich aunt and dumped back in the family home. Emma and her sisters must marry, fast.

One problem: Jane Austen did not finish this story. Who will write Emma’s happy ending now? Step forward Wade, who looks under Austen’s bonnet to ask: what can characters do when their author abandons them? Bridgerton meets Austentatious, Regency flair meets modern twists, as Pauline Noakes directs in Helmsley; Jim Paterson directs in York. Box office: Helmsley, 01439 771700 or helmsleyarts.co.uk; York, 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.

Second Summer Of Love: Emmy Happisburgh’s coming-of-age and midlife- recovery tale at Theatre@41, Monkgate, York

One for the ravers: Contentment Productions in Second Summer Of Love, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, tomorrow, 7.30pm

ORIGINAL raver Louise wonders how she went from Ecstasy-taking idealist to respectable, disillusioned, suburban Surrey mum. Triggered  by her daughter’s anti-drugs homework and at peak mid-life crisis, Louise flashes back to the week’s emotional happenings and the early Nineties’ rave scene.

Writer-performer Emmy Happisburgh’s play addresses the universal themes of coming of age and fulfilling potential while offering a new perspective for conversations on recreational drug use, recovery from addiction and embracing mid-life. Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.

An old story told in a new way: Russell Lucas’s Titanic tale of Edward Dorking in Third Class at Theatre@41, Monkgate. Picture: Steve Ullathorne

Titanic struggle of the week: Russell Lucas in Third Class at Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, July 12, 3pm

EDWARD Dorking was openly gay. On Wednesday, April 10 1912, he set sail for New York on a ticket bought for him by his mother in the hope his American family could put him “right”.

Writer-performer Russell Lucas’s Third Class charts Dorking’s journey from boarding the Titanic to swimming for 30 minutes towards an already full collapsible lifeboat,  and how, on arrival in New York, he toured the vaudeville circuit as an angry campaigner against the injustices of the shipping disaster. Using music, movement, projection and text, Lucas gives a “thrilling new perspective on what feels a familiar tale”, topped off with a Q&A. Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.

Charlie Connelly: Rain later, talk now, as he celebrates the quirks and joys of the shipping forecast at the Milton Rooms, Malton

From Viking to South East Iceland: Charlie Connelly’s Attention All Shipping, Milton Rooms, Malton, July 16, 7.30pm

AS the shipping forecast embarks on its second century, author and broadcaster Charlie Connelly celebrates what he regards as the greatest invention of the modern age. How did a weather forecast for ships capture the hearts of a nation, from salty old sea dog to insomniac landlubber? How is it possible for “rain later” to be “good”? And where on earth is North Utsire?

Delving into the history of the forecast and the extraordinary people who made it, Connelly explains what those curious phrases really mean, assesses its cultural impact and shares rip-roaring adventures from his own extraordinary journey through the 31 sea areas. Box office: 01653 696240 or themiltonrooms.com.

Drummer Tom Townend: Bandleader for Tommy T’s Blue Note Dance Party at Pocklington Arts Centre

Jazz At PAC Presents: Tommy T’s Blue Note Dance Party, Pocklington Arts Centre, July 17, 8pm

HERE come the hippest tunes in a night of Blue Note Records’ coolest cuts: all killer, no filler, with grooves from Horace Silver, Cannonball Adderley, Art Blakey and more, brought to Pocklington by bandleader Tom Townsend, drums, Paul Baxter, double bass, Andrzej Baranek, piano, Tom Sharpe, trumpet, and Kyran Matthews, saxophone. Box office: 01759 301547 or pocklingtonartscentre.co.uk

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Roll up, roll up for the greatest show on Earth as Lee Mead confirmed for Barnum role at Grand Opera House next February

Lee Mead: Leading Barnum as circus showman P.T. Barnum in Bill Kenright Ltd’s touring production

LEE Mead will lead the cast as legendary circus showman, businessman and politician P. T. Barnum in Bill Kenwright Ltd’s tour of Barnum, visiting the Grand Opera House, York, from February 24 to 28 next year.

West End performer and television star Mead, who will turn 44 on July 14, made his breakthrough in winning the BBC One reality show Any Dream Will Do in 2007, going on to star in Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, bringing him to the York theatre in 2010, and later Wicked and Legally Blonde.

Broadway musical Barnum first took the UK by storm at the London Palladium in 1981, when Michael Crawford made theatrical history with a death-defying nightly tightrope walk across the stage.

He would go on to perform the role of the 19th century American showman throughout its West End  run of 655 performances and subsequently on tour from 1984 to 1986. Now Southend-on-Sea actor Mead will step into Barnum’s shoes and onto the tightrope.

Jenny Seagrove, chairperson at Bill Kenwright Ltd, says: “I was captivated when I saw Barnum at the Watermill Theatre last year and knew immediately that this was a show I wanted to bring to audiences across the country.

The tour poster for Barnum, The Circus Musical, bound for the Grand Opera House, York, in February 2026

“Our spectacular new staging will feature an extraordinary ensemble cast of more than 20 actor-musicians playing 150 instruments, acrobats and amazing international circus acts, led by the wonderful Lee Mead playing the title role.”

The touring production will be directed by Jonathan O’Boyle, whose credits include Picture You Dead and The Last Five Years, and choreographed by Oti Mabuse, from Strictly Come Dancing, Dancing On Ice judge duties and I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here.

The musical invites audiences to “step right up and enter the dazzling world of P.T. Barnum, where imagination and ambition know no bounds”. Hand in hand with wife Charity, Barnum finds his life and career twisting and turning as he schemes and dreams his way to headier heights”. 

Come follow the band with the glorious music of multi-award-winner Cy Coleman, Michael Stewart’s lyrics and Mark Bramble’s book in a show that features Join The Circus, Colours Of My Life, Come Follow The Band and Love Makes Such Fools Of Us All.

The creative team includes set and costume designer Lee Newby; lighting designer Jai Morjaria; sound designer Tom Marshall; musical supervisor George Dyer (arrangements and orchestrations); circus director Amy Panter; associate choreographer Matt Nicholson and associate sound designer Nick Lodge.

Tickets for the 7.30pm evening performances and 2.30pm Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday matinees are on sale at atgtickets.com/york.

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REVIEW: Dear Evan Hansen, having good days at Grand Opera House, York, until Saturday *****

Good day…or not? Ryan Kopel’s Evan Hansen in Dear Evan Hansen

DEAR Evan Hansen, today is going to be a good day, and here’s why. “Words Fail” may be Evan’s climactic song in this Nottingham Playhouse touring production of Benji Pasek, Justin Paul and Steven Levenson’s musical, but words will not fail this review’s  praise of the Olivier, Tony and Grammy Best Musical award winner.

Pasek and Paul were the Oscar-gilded composers of The Greatest Showman and La La Land, and nine years since its premiere, director Adam Penford re-imagines this similarly impactful work through a contemporary lens.

He does so with an “exciting mix of musical theatre legends and rising stars”: his stellar company being led by Ryan Kopel (from Newsies) as Evan Hansen, Lauren Conroy (Into The Woods)as Zoe Murphy, although she was absent on press night,  and West End luminary Alice Fearn (Wicked, Come From Away) as Evan’s mum, Heidi.

Kopel’s Evan is a friendless, bullied, 17-year-old American high school senior struggling with social anxiety and depression, who would like nothing more than to fit in and befriend Zoe Murphy (Tuesday understudy Lara Beth-Sas). Especially with his mother Heidi (Fearn) always being too busy with her nursing work and legal studies to see him,  and his father long absent.

Evan’s therapist (the never-seen Dr Sherman) asks him to write letters to himself – the Dear Evan Hansen letters of the title – as a therapeutic exercise to explore his feelings and boost his positivity when courage and words desert him in the presence of others.

“Dear Evan Hansen, today is going to be a good day, and here’s why,” each letter should start. Except that for Evan, they either don’t start at all or when one finally does, today is going to be anything but a good day. That letter is snatched off him by fellow friendless school outsider, Zoe’s brother, Connor (Will Forgrave, understudying Killian Thomas Lefevre), Dear Evan Hansen’s riff on Heathers’ JD.

It will be the last words Connor ever reads, spoiler alert. When Connor’s parents (Helen Anker’s Cynthia and Richard Hurst’s baseball-loving American jock Larry) assume it to be his suicide note, Evan tries to explain otherwise, but words fail him, and so, trouble this way lies…

…And lies and lies again as the lies pile up, a form of self-preservation that utilises the writing skills of Puck-like family friend Jared Keinman’s (Tom Dickerson) to concoct past text messages from the outsiders’ “secret friendship”, along with the relentless drive of social media “ambulance chaser” Alana Beck (Vivian Panka) to set up a fundraising appeal to reopen the orchard where the two teens met.

In doing so, he deceives Connor’s parents and Zoe, as she starts to warm to him. The thing is, it’s not that simple. Yes, he is lying, but he is doing so to comfort them, to make them feel better, to build a full picture that puts the destructive, nihilistic Connor in a better light.

You should find yourself at Dear Evan Hansen this week

The other thing is, it’s not that simple either, because suddenly he has Zoe where he always wanted her to be, with him.  Dilemma, dilemma, dilemma! What would you have done in these circumstances?

Evan has an angel on one shoulder, but the heavier tug of the devil on the other, so how much does everything come down to him, or are Jared and Alana complicit too by seeing an opportunity to further their own popularity? Could the pre-occupied Heidi have done more to guide him?

Pasek and Paul’s wonderful songs and Leversen’s witty, sharp, probing dialogue addresses Evan’s rising predicament with admirable complexity. Not only his mother will tell him he is not a bad lad; chances are you will feel that way too, and the compassion that ultimately prevails does not seem unreasonable. Kindness wins out here; you wish it would more often in a world in such a rotten state.

Recalling Joshua Jenkins’s remarkable performance as neuro-divergent schoolboy Christopher Boone in the National Theatre’s The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time – although Christopher was incapable of lying – Ryan Kopel gives the outstanding lead performance of the year in a touring musical. So much pent-up energy, so much inner turmoil, expressed in movement, expression, vocal mannerisms and angelic, pure singing voice.

Beth-Sas’s Zoe is part rose, part thorn; Fearn brings West End star quality to Heidi, especially in her devastating showdown with Evan and her rendition of So Big/So Small, but Forgrave’s Connor could be darker (to match LeFevre’s haunting, gothic presence at Leeds Grand Theatre last November).

Dickerson amuses as scene-stealing prankster Jared, while Panka’s Alana is as persistent as a bee trying to escape from a window. You absolutely connect with Anker and Hurst’s struggling parents too.

Michael Bradley’s band are on top form, especially the beautiful strings, in a score of powerful, emotive, melodic song after song from the heart, topped by Waving Through A Window and You Will Be Found.

Top marks too to Penford’s exhilarating, emotionally-layered direction; Carrie-Anne Ingrouille’s brisk, punchy choreography to rival her work in SIX The Musical;  Morgan Large’s set (and costume) design, with its use of sliding, see-through doors, and the state-of-the-art video design by Ravi Deepres, complemented by Tom Marshall’s cacophonous sound design.

Do not miss this Generation Z musical with far wider appeal.

Dear Evan Hansen, today is going to be a good day, and here’s why. You are going to book tickets NOW for a 7.30pm evening performance, tonight until Saturday, or 2.30pm matinee on Friday or Saturday. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.

‘Together we can help shape a future where young men feel empowered, understood and supported,’ says Menfulness chief exec Jack Woodhams as York charity visits GOH

Menfulness team members meet the Dear Evan Hansen cast, including Ryan Kopel (Evan Hansen), centre, on the Grand Opera House stage

THIS week’s run of Dear Evan Hansen at the Grand Opera House offers opportunities to discuss often stigmatised issues such as mental health, loneliness and identity, especially among young people.

On Tuesday, the theatre’s nominated charity, Menfulness, visited the Cumberland Street venue, being on hand for members of the audience to talk with if they had any questions.  

Dear Evan Hansen tells the story of a teenager with a social anxiety disorder that inhibits his ability to connect with his peers. The York wellbeing and suicide prevention charity, dedicated to supporting men’s mental health, is campaigning to support young men as they navigate adulthood in the complex world of 2025. 

The charity has received numerous requests to deliver workshops focusing on masculinity, choices and the challenges faced by this age group.

Menfulness chief executive officer Jack Woodhams says: “We believe we can make a significant and lasting impact through tailored workshops and reflective journals. These new projects will be co-produced with young men, ensuring their voices and experiences shape the content. 

The Menfulness team with Grand Opera House venue director Josh Brown, second from left, theatre manager Kat Moir and University of York research fellow Emma Standley, who is helping to co-ordinate the campaign

“The sessions will be designed to be delivered in school settings, fostering open conversation, emotional awareness and positive decision making.  Together we can help shape a future where young men feel empowered, understood and supported.”

Grand Opera House venue director Josh Brown says: “We’re really proud to support Menfulness as our nominated charity for 2025, and Dear Evan Hansen is a fitting collaboration for raising awareness of the important work they do.  

“Dear Evan Hansen is about mental health struggles in the modern world, and the importance of community and support to finding self-acceptance; work that Menfulness recognises and does great work to help people with. 

“QR codes will be around the building, which visitors can scan to find out more about Menfulness, access support, or kindly donate. Mental health charities such as Menfulness are very much needed in the world, and we are delighted to help spread the word of the fantastic work they do.”

Dear Evan Hansen  is a poignant coming-of-age story with themes of social anxiety, loneliness and grief, but also connection, support, self-acceptance and, above all, hope. Menfulness promotes support for young people, highlighting the message that they are not alone. A message that  Evan ultimately comes to understand when he tells himself: Today is going to be a good day, because today at least you’re you. And that’s enough.”.

Menfulness team with Josh Brown (Venue Director), Kat Moir (Theatre Manager) and Emma Standley (Research Fellow at the University of York who is helping to co-ordinate the campaign)

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Why each day is going to be a good day for Alice Fearn in Dear Evan Hansen in York

Alice Fearn’s Heidi Hansen in Dear Evan Hansen, on tour at Grand Opera House, York. Picture: Marc Brenner

THE wait is almost over to Dear Evan Hansen, the Olivier, Tony and Grammy award winner for best musical, to arrive at the letter Y for York.

Tomorrow is going to be a good day, and here’s why,  because composers Pasek & Paul and book writer Steven Levenson’s show opens at the Grand Opera House that night for the last English stretch of a debut UK tour that will end in Edinburgh the following week.

In a story built around suicide and mental health issues, Ryan Kopel’s Evan Hansen is a friendless, bullied, 17-year-old American high school senior struggling with a social anxiety disorder and depression, who wants to fit in and befriend Zoe Murphy. Especially with his mother Heidi always being too busy with her work to see him and his father long absent.

Evan’s therapist asks him to write “Today is going to be a good day, and here’s why” letters to himself as a therapeutic exercise to explore his feelings and boost his positivity when courage and words desert him in the presence of others.

When Zoe’s brother Connor dies, Evan entangles himself in a web of lies, but in doing so, he gains everything he wanted: the chance to belong, but at what cost to others, especially Connor’s parents and Zoe, as his false words comfort them.

 “It gets you talking,” says Alice Fearn, who plays Evan’s mum, in the wake of such landmark roles as Elphaba in Wicked and Captain Beverley Bass in Come From Away. “You think, ‘of course I wouldn’t lie about that’, but then you think there might be an element of  enlightenment why he does. On the one hand, it’s selfish, but on the other, it’s selfless. You come away understanding Evan’s choices; you think of it as a ‘situation error’.”

At the heart of Evan’s deceitful actions is a desire to “belong”. “We all want to belong, to be popular, and for people to like us, which we obviously want as humans,” says Alice. “But also, young people are connecting with who the young characters represent, how they’re all different. That’s what they’re seeing: how they interact with other at school.  They feel seen – and when I did Wicked, I found that as well.

“Sometimes people go to the theatre for a complete escape, but what I think people are enjoying now in Dear Evan Hansen is recognising Evan’s dilemma and particularly that personality trait and the decision he makes. People don’t want to feel alone when they’re finding things hard to deal with – those things that happen to all of us – and now it’s happening on stage.”

Another significant factor in Dear Evan Hansen is the rising influence of social media. “It has such an impact. Now the whole world will find out about something in minutes, not just friends or at school. Now, because things are blown up in huge way on social media, Evan feels the gravity of what’s happening so much more.

“That’s something that mums and dads connect with, how young people say ‘that’s what I’m having to deal with’.”

Alice’s character, the ever-harassed Heidi, faces her own dilemma. “The most important thing, when I read the script for the first time, was realising what she is in Evan’s story. She’s trying to make the most of a difficult situation in her life , making sure they have a comfortable life financially, better than she had in her childhood, thinking ‘how can I improve that for my child?’,” she says.

“But also, as a single parent, that commitment to work is taking time away from being with Evan. So, what you have to do when playing Heidi is show how hard working she is, but how distant she becomes because of that workload – where if you’re not there 24/7, there will be a distance between you. I’ve had single mums come up to me after the show to say ‘that’s my story’.”

Alice has not penned her equivalent of Dear Evan Hansen letters “but though I’m not a journal keeper, as you hit your 40s [Bath-born Alice is 41], a big chunk of your life has gone by, and you think, ‘maybe I should appreciate what is happening to me today’,” she says.

“Whereas in your 20s you never feel you’re going to get old, now, if I’m having a downer day, I try to say, ‘aren’t you lucky to be in this show; call your mum and dad; go out to lunch with friends’. It’s like a version of  ‘today is going to be a good day, and here’s why’.

“Now, in those moments, you find yourself thinking, ‘wow, I’m lucky to be here today’, and I do that more than I did when I was younger. The tiniest thing can make it a good day, rather than a terrible one.”

Alice has treasured her experiences in Dear Evan Hansen. “What I shall keep is what people get from this show. We’ve had a standing ovation after each show because people are so moved by it,” she says.

“The other thing has been working with Ryan Kopel, one of the brightest young talents I’ve ever worked with. We laugh, we cry, we have fun, we test things out. It’s very enjoyable to play opposite him. That’s something I’m incredibly grateful for: I now  have a ‘stage son’ for life.”

Dear Evan Hansen, Grand Opera House, York, June 24 to 28, 7.30pm plus 2.30pm Wednesday, Friday and Saturday matinees. Box office: atgticket.com/york.

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Buttons up for laughs at Grand Opera House as Jimmy Bryant confirmed for Cinderella from December 6 to January 4

Jimmy Bryant: Second signing for Grand Opera House pantomime Cinderella

FROM immersive Peaky Blinders to pantomime pratfalls in York, Jimmy Bryant will be shining as Buttons in Cinderella at the Grand Opera House this winter.

He joins Coronation Street star Lisa George’s Fairy Godmother in the UK Productions cast, bringing his mischief, warmth and comic instincts for the unexpected to his kind-hearted role.

Actor, comic performer and host Jimmy – or James Bryant as his Peaky Blinders: The Rise profile called him when he played Al Capone – has appeared as Herr Kutte in Jack And The Beanstalk (Cheltenham Playhouse); Costard in Love’s Labour’s Lost (Cockpit Theatre); Cockfosters (Southwark Playhouse); the British tour of In The Dead Of The Night  and Dr Who: Time Fracture (BBC/Immersive Everywhere).

Ever the opportunist happy to do “some very odd work”, he has performed with the Australian electronic band Pendulum on tour and even served as a fake vicar at a real wedding: testament to his gift for live performance and irreverent humour.

Bryant also played Donnie in The Immersive Wolf Of Wall Street (Stratton Oakmont Productions) and his film credits include Morris in Pinky! (ESA Films) and Robbed The The Movie, written and directed by Bryant himself.

Lisa George: On wand-waving duty as Fairy Godmother in Cinderella

“Previously I’ve been Velcro and Zips, so now I’m absolutely buzzing to be playing Buttons in Cinderella at the Grand Opera House, York,” says Jimmy. “Expect belly laughs, bad jokes (all mine), and a lot of unrequited love for Cinders.

“Tickets are selling faster than I can zip up my tunic, so what are you waiting for? Grab yours now before they come undone faster than a dodgy popper in a quick change.” 

As with 2024-2025’s Beauty And The Beast, Cinderella will be written by Great British Pantomime Awards Best Script winner Jon Monie, winner, promising comic invention, fast-paced dialogue and affectionate nods to classic panto traditions, from slapstick set-pieces to heart-tugging moments of magic and the transformation scene.

Jimmy Bryant: Actor, comic performer and immersive theatre enthusiast

UK Productions’ pantomimes are marked byWest End-quality visual and musical spectacle, utilising “glittering costumes, high-energy dance routines, intricate lighting design and jaw-dropping stage effects designed to dazzle children and adults alike”.

UK Productions’ producer Martin Dodd says: “We are absolutely delighted to be bringing Cinderella to York this Christmas. At UK Productions, we take pride in staging pantomimes that combine traditional storytelling with top-tier production values, and this year’s show will be one of our most magical yet.

“Jimmy Bryant is a brilliant comic talent with an extraordinary rapport with audiences. He brings warmth, mischief and a huge heart to the role of Buttons. Alongside a first-class creative team and Jon Monie’s award-winning script, Cinderella will be a spectacular, heartfelt and hilarious show that families will talk about long after the curtain comes down.”

Grand Opera House venue director Josh Brown says: “We can’t wait to welcome Jimmy to the Grand Opera House with guaranteed fun in the role of Buttons. It will be another hugely popular musical panto, and we’re looking forward to seeing you all at the ball.” 

Cinderella runs at Grand Opera House, York, from December 6 to January 4 2026. Box office: atgtickets.com/york. Early booking is advised. 



Previously he’s been Velcro and Zips, so now he’s looking forward to the challenge of Buttons!

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More Things To Do in York and beyond as the heat is on for summer entertainment. Hutch’s List No. 27, from The York Press

Out of the woods and into The Basement for Navigators Art’s Making Waves Live!, Sounds Of The Solstice today

BEST Musical multiple award winner Dear Evan Hansen and a Eurovision spoof light Charles Hutchinson’s fire as the June heat rises.

Midsummer festival of the weekend: Navigators Art presents Making Waves Live! Sounds Of The Solstice, The Basement, City Screen Picturehouse, York, today, 4pm to 10pm 

FAVOURITE Navigators Art poets, comedians, singers and bands from the past two years will be complemented new friends in sessions from 4pm to 6.30pm, then 7.30pm to 10pm.

Taking part will be folk song duo Adderstone, poet Becca Drake, comedian Cooper Robson, storyteller Lara McClure, punk/jazz trio Borgia, psychedelic band Soma Crew; Will Martin; Jessica Van Smith; Cai Moriarty & Mason Chetnik, Mike Amber and more. Box office:  bit.ly/nav-events.

The Wild Murphys: Performing One Night In Dublin for one night in York

Irish craic of the week: One Night In Dublin, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, tomorrow, 7.30pm

THE Wild Murphys revel in sing-along Irish classics Galway Girl, I’ll Tell Me Ma, The Irish Rover, Dirty Old Town, Whiskey In The Jar, The Wild Rover, Black Velvet Band and many more in two hours of song and humour.

Songs by The Pogues, The Saw Doctors, The Dubliners, The Fureys, Flogging Molly and The Dropkick Murphys receive the fiddle and accordion treatment. Box office: 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.

Flowers And Friendship Bracelets: Celebrating Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, Miley Cyrus, Chappell Roan and Olivia Rodrigo’s pop power at Grand Opera House

Pop party of the week: Flowers And Friendship Bracelets, Grand Opera House, York, Sunday

FLOWERS And Friendship Bracelets combines music, dance and excitement in “the ultimate pop concert in celebration of the biggest hits from the hottest artistes of the moment”. The songs of Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Miley Cyrus, Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter will climax with a huge pop party finale. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.

Kamaljeet Ahluwalia and Jas Ahluwalia: Absolute Focus programme on santoor and tabla at the NCEM on Sunday evening

Indian classical concert of the week: Kamaljeet Ahluwalia and Jas Ahluwalia, Absolute Focus, National Centre for Early Music, York, Sunday, 6.30pm 

HUSBAND and wife duo Kamaljeet Ahluwalia, on santoor, and Jax Ahluwalia, on tabla, perform their Absolute Focus programme at the NCEM. These former students of  the late Pandit Shivkumar Sharma and Ustaad Tari work on diverse projects, from Netflix, Apple TV+, Amazon and Disney series to live theatre, while introducing Indian classical music to audiences around the world in concerts of meditative introspection and energy-filled heights. Box office: 01904 658338 or ncem.co.uk.

Looking to fit in: Ryan Kopel’s Evan Hansen in Dear Evan Hansen, on tour at Grand Opera House, York

Last chance to see: Dear Evan Hansen, Grand Opera House, York, June 24 to 28, 7.30pm plus 2.30pm Wednesday, Friday and Saturday matinees

THE Grand Opera House will be the last English port of call on the UK tour of Benj Pasek, Justin Paul and Steven Levinson’s Olivier, Tony and Grammy Best Musical award winner.

Dear Evan Hansen tells the story of a teenager with a social anxiety disorder that inhibits his ability to connect with his peers. After the death of fellow student Connor Murphy, Evan (played by Ryan Kopel) entangles himself in an unwieldy fib, claiming he was Connor’s secret best friend. Thrust ever deeper into a web of lies, he gains everything he has ever wanted: a chance to belong. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.

Ione Cummings’ Antonia in York Opera’s The Tales Of Hoffmann. Picture: John Saunders

Opera of the week: York Opera in The Tales Of Hoffmann, York Theatre Royal, June 25 to 28, 7.15pm plus 4pm Saturday matinee

ELIZABETH Watson and John Soper direct York Opera in Jacques Offenbach’s The Tales Of Hoffmann, based on three short stories by German romantic writer E.T.A. Hoffmann.

Tenors Karl Reiff and Hamish Brown perform the title role on alternate nights; Hoffmann’s evil enemies will be played by Ian Thomson- Smith and Mark Simmonds and his love interests will be sung by Stephanie Wong (Olympia), Ione Cummings (Antonia) and Katie Cole (Giulietta). Alexandra Mather takes the role of Hoffmann’s loyal friend, Nicklaus. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.

York Light Opera Company cast members in rehearsal for Neil Wood’s production of Eurobeat: Pride Of Europe

Eurovision celebration of the week: York Light Opera Company in Eurobeat – Pride Of Europe, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, 7.30pm, June 25 to 27 and July 1 to 4; 3pm, June 28 and 29 and July 5

AUSTRALIAN composer, writer and lyricist Craig Christie’s high-octane, electrifying musical Eurobeat: The Pride Of Europe celebrates the vibrant energy and spirit of the continent. Expect non-stop, infectious Eurobeat rhythms, dazzling visuals and a show to leave audiences breathless. 

Prepare to dance and soak up the fun of an annual European song contest where audience participation decides the winner. Neil Wood directs a cast led by Annabel van Griethuysen as hostess Marlene Cabana and Zander Fick as master of protocols Bjorn Bjornson. Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.

Just like hat: Be Amazing Arts Youth Theatre’s guys rehearsing Guys And Dolls for next week’s Joseph Rowntree Theatre run

Burgeoning talent of the week: Be Amazing Arts Youth Theatre in Guys And Dolls, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, June 26 to 28, 7.30pm plus 2.30pm Saturday matinee

MALTON company Be Amazing Arts Youth Theatre heads to York to present Frank Loesser, Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows’ musical fable of Broadway, Guys And Dolls.

Set in Damon Runyon’s mythical New York City, this oddball romantic comedy finds gambler Nathan Detroit seeking the cash to set up the biggest craps game in town while the authorities breathe down his neck. Into the story venture his girlfriend, nightclub performer Adelaide, fellow gambler Sky Masterson and straight-laced missionary Sarah Brown. Box office: 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.

Snow Patrol: More likely sun than snow on return to Yorkshire coastline on Friday

Coastal gig of the week: Snow Patrol, Scarborough Open Air Theatre, June 27; gates open at 6pm

SNOW Patrol visit Scarborough Open Air Theatre on Friday for the first time since July 2021. The Northern Irish-Scottish indie rock band will be led as ever by Gary Lightbody, accompanied by long-time members Nathan Connolly, lead guitar, and Johnny McDaid, piano. Box office: scarboroughopenairtheatre.com.

Danny Lee Grew: Mind-boggling magic at Friargate Theatre, York

Magic show of the week: Danny Lee Grew, 24K Magic, Friargate Theatre, York, June 27, 7.30pm

CLACTON-ON-SEA magician Danny Lee Grew presents his new mind-boggling one-man show of magic, illusion, laughs, gasps and sleight of hand sorcery. 24K Magic showcases the kind of magic usually seen on television, but now live, in the flesh and under the most impossible conditions. Box office: ticketsource.co.uk/ridinglights.

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What’s On in Ryedale, York and beyond. Hutch’s List No. 26, from Gazette & Herald

Hannah Davies and Jack Woods: Performing The Ballad Of Blea Wyke at Shakespeare Gallery, Scarborough, on Friday and Saturday. Picture: Matt Jopling

ELECTRONIC music by the sea,  best musical award winner Dear Evan Hansen and a Eurovision spoof light Charles Hutchinson’s fire.

Scarborough Fringe show of the week: Next Door But One and Say Owt present The Ballad Of Blea Wyke, Shakespeare Gallery, St Helen’s Square, Scarborough, Friday and Saturday, 7.30pm

STORYTELLING, poetry and music show The Ballad Of Blea Wyke re-tells the traditional Selkie myth, re-imagined for a not-far-into-the-future dystopian Yorkshire coast by North Yorkshire theatre-maker Hannah Davies and Pascallion musician Jack Woods.

Micro-commissioned by York Theatre Royal as part of the Green Shoots project in May 2022, the show has grown into a 60-minute performance by writer, performer, director and Say Owt associate artist Davies and guitar, mandolin and violin player Woods. Box office: scarboroughfair.uk/events/the-ballad-of-blea-wyke/

Pendulum: Electronic rock at Scarborough Open Air Theatre

Coastal gigs of the week: Pendulum, supported by Normandie, Friday; Basement Jaxx, Saturday, Scarborough Open Air Theatre, gates open at 6pm

FORMED in Perth, Western Australia, in 2002, electronic rock act Pendulum have returned from a self-imposed hiatus with the EPs Elemental and Anima, festival headline shows and now Scarborough. Rob Swire, Gareth McGrillen and Paul Harding’s  drum & bass group released such albums as 2005’s Hold Your Colour, 2008’s In Silico and 2010’s UK chart topper, Immersion, before shifting their focus to their Knife Party project in 2012.

Fellow electronic combo Basement Jaxx play Scarborough this weekend as part of their resumption of live shows after ten years of “DJing around the globe”. “It’ll be great to return to the live stage: to connect to people with life-affirming energy and give people a great time,” says Felix Buxton. Cue house and garage with a punk attitude. Box office: scarboroughopenairtheatre.com.

Raul Kohli: Exploring what it means to be British at Theatre@41, Monkgate, York

York comedy gig of the week: Raul Kohli: Raul Britannia, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, Saturday, 8pm

COMEDIAN and proud Brit Raul Kohli is the son of a Hindu Indian and Sikh Singaporean, raised in Newcastle upon Tyne, where his best friend was a Pakistani Muslim.

Kohli has lived in every corner of this glorious nation and is fascinated by the diversity of these small isles.  Imagine his surprise to hear from politicians and the media that “multiculturalism has failed”: the spark that lit the flame for his exploration of what it means to be British. Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.

Qween UK: They will rock you at Helmsley Arts Centre

Tribute show of the week: Qween UK, Helmsley Arts Centre, Saturday, 7.30pm

QWEEN UK celebrate the works of Freddie Mercury, Brian May, John Deacon and Roger Taylor in a tribute show that encompasses all the “classic” Queen songs, complemented by subtle acoustic arrangements. Box office:  01439 771700 or helmsleyarts.co.uk.    

Ryan Kopel’s Evan Hansen in Dear Evan Hansen: Thrust ever deeper into a web of lies at Grand Opera House, York

Last chance to see: Dear Evan Hansen, Grand Opera House, York, June 24 to 28, 7.30pm and 2.30pm Wednesday, Friday and Saturday matinees

THE Grand Opera House will be the last English port of call on the UK tour of Benj Pasek, Justin Paul and Steven Levinson’s Olivier, Tony and Grammy Best Musical award winner.

Dear Evan Hansen tells the story of a teenager with a social anxiety disorder that inhibits his ability to connect with his peers. After the death of fellow student Connor Murphy, Evan (played by Ryan Kopel) entangles himself in an unwieldy fib, claiming he was Connor’s secret best friend. Thrust ever deeper into a web of lies, he gains everything he has ever wanted: a chance to belong. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.

Alexandra Mather’s Nicklaus in York Opera’s The Tales Of Hoffmann. Picture: John Saunders

Opera of the week: York Opera in The Tales Of Hoffmann, York Theatre Royal, June 25 to 28, 7.15pm plus 4pm Saturday matinee

ELIZABETH Watson and John Soper direct York Opera in Jacques Offenbach’s The Tales Of Hoffmann, based on three short stories by German romantic writer E.T.A Hoffmann.

Tenors Karl Reiff and Hamish Brown perform the title role on alternate nights; Hoffmann’s evil enemies will be played by Ian Thomson- Smith and Mark Simmonds and his love interests will be sung by Stephanie Wong (Olympia), Ione Cummings (Antonia) and Katie Cole (Giulietta). Hoffmann’s loyal friend, Nicklaus, will be performed by Alexandra Mather. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.

York Light Opera Company in rehearsal for Neil Wood’s production of Eurobeat – Pride Of Europe

Eurovision celebration of the week: York Light Opera Company in Eurobeat – Pride Of Europe, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, 7.30pm, June 25 to 27 and July 1 to 4; 3pm, June 28 and 29 and July 5

COMPOSER, writer and lyricist Craig Christie’s high-octane, electrifying musical Eurobeat: The Pride Of Europe celebrates the vibrant energy and spirit of the continent.

Expect non-stop, infectious Eurobeat rhythms, dazzling visuals and a show to leave audiences breathless. Prepare to dance and revel in  the fun of an annual European song contest where audience participation decides the winner. Neil Wood directs a cast led by Annabel van Griethuysen as hostess Marlene Cabana and Zander Fick as master of protocols Bjorn Bjornson. Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.

Guitarist James Oliver: Playing Ryedale Blues Club gig on June 26

Blues gig of the week: Ryedale Blues Club, The James Oliver Band, Milton Rooms, Malton, June 26, 8pm

THE ever busy James Oliver Band play upwards of 300 gigs a year all over Great Britain, Europe and the USA, chalking up 3,000 so far.

Guitarist Oliver, UK Blues Awards Emerging Artist of the Year winner in 2020, has released two studio and three live albums and is working on a new record with legendary producer John Leckie. Box office: 01653 696240 or themiltonrooms.com

Aaron Simmonds: Headlining the Hilarity Bites Comedy Club bill on June 27

Ryedale comedy gig of the week: Hilarity Bites Comedy Club presents Aaron Simmonds, Alex Mitchell and Chris Lumb, Milton Rooms, Malton, June 27, 8pm

AARON Simmonds has been failing to stand up for 32 years. Luckily he is far better at comedy than standing up, offering sharp observations grounded in his disability, but by no means limited by it.  

2024 Britain’s Got Talent finalist Alex Mitchell is an autistic comic with functional neurological disorder (FND), In his Tics Towards Puffection show, he laughs at himself, his neurodivergence, disability and sexuality to reflect on difficult subjects within his own life and wider society. Host Chris Lumb manages and performs in The Discount Comedy Checkout improv group. Box office: 01653 696240 or themiltonrooms.com.

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More Things To Do in York and beyond as the ‘Sheds’ have a day out amid the huts. Hutch’s List No. 26, from The York Press

Shed Seven, huts five: Heading to the Yorkshire coast for the York band’s Scarborough Open Air Theatre debut today

OPEN studios, chocolate tales, dinosaurs and reflections on time make for a typically diverse week ahead in Charles Hutchinson’s diary.

Coastal gig of the week: Shed Seven, Jake Bugg and Cast, Scarborough Open Air Theatre, tonight; gates open at 6pm

THE 2025 season of Cuffe & Taylor concerts in the bracing sea air of Scarborough is under way. After two chart-topping 2024 albums in their 30th anniversary year, York band Shed Seven make their belated Scarborough Open Air Theatre debut tonight, supported by Jake Bugg and Cast. Box office: scarboroughopenairtheatre.com.

Ric Liptrot: Taking part in North Yorkshire Open Studios at PICA Studios, Grape Lane, York, today and tomorrow

Festival of the week: North Yorkshire Open Studios, today and tomorrow, 10am to 5pm

MORE than 200 artists and makers are taking part in North Yorkshire Open Studios 2025. In and around York, look out for Helen Drye; Emma James; Alex Ash; Dee Thwaite; Veronica Ongara; Rachel Jones; Laura Duval; Karen Winship; Donna Maria Taylor; Di Gomery;  Caroline Utterson; Jacqueline Warrington; Constance Isobel; Jill Tattersall and Adele Karmazyn.

Opening their studios too will be: Mo Nisbet; Robin Groveer-Jacques; Fran Brammer; Rob Burton; Jo Walton; Ric Liptrot; Rae George; Lu Mason; Lisa Power; Lesley Shaw; Katrina Mansfield; Evie Leach; Drawne Up; Sam Jones; Greenthwaite Sculptor (Janie Stevens); Sarah Schiewe Ceramics; Gonzalo Blanco, Gina Bean; Freya Horsley; Graham Jones; Justine Warner; Andrew Bloodworth and Steve Page. Full details can be found at nyos.org.uk.

Theatre Of Connections: Bringing to life the deep roots of chocolate’s story in IxCacao at York Theatre Royal Studio

Chocolate story of the week: Theatre Of Connections, IxCacao, York Theatre Royal Studio, today, 4pm

INSPIRED by the Mayan legend of the Cacao Goddess, IxCacao journeys into an ancient time when the Earth thrived under the care of matriarchs and the rhythm of nature. Movement, song, and storytelling combine in a reclamation of community, pleasure and ancestral knowledge in the face of domination:  a reminder that joy is a revolutionary act and that true abundance is meant for all.

Theatre Of Connections, a York theatre group made up of “individuals from the global majority and people with refugee and asylum-seeker background”, brings to life the deep roots of chocolate’s story to honour the many who have carried its legacy forward. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.

Shepherd Group Brass Band : In concert at Joseph Rowntree Theatre

Brass concert of the week: Shepherd Group Brass Band Spring Concert, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, tonight, 7.30pm

FROM their Brass Roots through to their Championship section, the Shepherd  Group Brass Band presents a mix of all genres of music, culminating in a grand finale when all band members play together on stage. Tickets update: Last few still available on 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.

Robert Lloyd Parry: Telling tales from The Archive Of Dread at Theatre@41, Monkgate

Tales of terror of the week: Robert Lloyd Parry in The Archive Of Dread: Revisited, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, tonight, 7.30pm

IN late 2019, Southport storyteller Robert Lloyd Parry inherited the contents of a flat belonging to a dead man he had never met. The property was full of boxes, stuffed with chilling documents: letters, diaries, newspaper cuttings, notebooks and postcards. Filed in disarray, they all told impossible tales of terror. 

After the stunning revelation of two of these documents in York last year, Lloyd Parry now begs leave to share more items from The Archive Of Dread. Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.

Rock’n’looroll: The Dinosaur That Pooped: The Rock Show at Grand Opera House, York, tomorrow

Children’s show of the week: The Dinosaur That Pooped: A Rock Show, Grand Opera House, York, tomorrow, 12.30pm and 3.30pm 

WHEN Danny and Dino’s favourite rock band announce their last ever concert, they go on a quest to acquire the last two tickets. However, a villainous band manager is lurking, so nothing goes to plan. Will the band perform? Will Danny rock out? Or will Dino’s rumbling tummy save the day?

Adapted from the number one best-selling books by McFly’s Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter, this new 60-minute stage show, directed by Miranda Larson, promises a “poopy good time” for all the family. Cue new songs by Fletcher and Poynter, loads of laughs and “a whole lot of poo”. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.

Singer Jessa Liversidge, left, and her poet sister Andrea Brown: Combining in A Tapestry Of Life at Theatre@41, Monkgate

Life, love and loss: Jessa Liversidge: A Tapestry Of Life, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, tomorrow, 6pm

EASINGWOLD singer, songwriter and community singing workshop champion Jessa Liversidge presents her 60-minute solo musical performance, inspired by Carole King’s album Tapestry.

Such much-loved songs as You’ve Got A Friend, Will You Love Me  Tomorrow?, It’s Too Late, So Far Away, I Feel The Earth Move and Natural Woman will be interspersed with original songs, rooted in the powerful poetry of Jessa’s sister, Andrea Brown, from her Life, Love, Loss collection, reflecting on “life’s big themes of love and friendship and loss, situations and journeys, that every human can identify with”. Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.

Comedian Raul Kohli: Exploring what it means to be British in Raul Britannia at Theatre@41, Monkgate

Comedy gig of the week: Raul Kohli: Raul Britannia, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, June 21, 8pm

COMEDIAN and proud Brit Raul Kohli is the son of a Hindu Indian and Sikh Singaporean, raised in Newcastle upon Tyne, where his best friend was a Pakistani Muslim.

Kohli has lived in every corner of this glorious nation and is fascinated by the diversity of these small isles.  Imagine his surprise to hear from politicians and the media that “multiculturalism has failed”: the spark that lit the flame for his exploration of what it means to be British. Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.

Poet Ian Parks: Performing in About Time Too at St Olave’s, Marygate, York, this evening

In Focus: York Festival of Ideas event of the day: Navigators Art presents About Time Too, St Olave’s, Marygate, York,today, 7pm

ABOUT Time Too rounds off a day of free talks celebrating time. Navigators Art’s evening concert features poetry readings, music and original song settings, including works by York-born poet W H Auden and Nobel Prize winner Seamus Heaney, together with time-related works by York writers and musicians.

Taking part will be Jane Stockdale, from White Sail; poet Ian Parks; electronic musicians  Namke Productions; writer and University of York creative industries academic JT Welsch and poet and novelist Janet Dean Knight. Box office: bit.ly/nav-events.

Meanwhile, the Micklegate Arts Trail is in its final week, ending on Sunday (15/6/2025) with live music at The Falcon and The Hooting Owl at 2pm and 7pm, as well as works by 35 York artists in shops, cafes, pubs and restaurants.

Look out, in particular, for the display of 3D work in Holy Trinity church, curated by Navigators team member Nick Walters.

Navigators Art’s poster for Making Waves Live!, Sounds of the Solstice

In addition, the Making Waves exhibition is extending the Arts Trail into City Screen Picturehouse, Micklegate, where collage artist George Willmore has curated an exhibition by 20 further artists, including new and more familiar York names. The works are on show in the cafe and the first-floor corridor gallery until July 4.

All events are free and the trail and exhibition are open during business and licensing hours.

In the aftermath of the festival, Making Waves Live! Sounds of The Solstice in The Basement at City Screen Picturehouse will showcase some of Navigators Art’s favourite performers from the past two years of live events, complemented new friends, on June 21.

The first session will run from 4pm to 6.30pm; the second will start at 7.30pm after a break. “We’ve lined up a superb range of local poets, comedians, singers and bands in a celebratory midsummer festival,” says Navigators Art co-founder Richard Kitchen.

Taking part will be folk song duo Adderstone, poet Becca Drake, comedian Cooper Robson, storyteller Lara McClure, punk/jazz trio Borgia, psychedelic band Soma Crew and more. For full details and tickets (from Ticket Source), go to:  bit.ly/nav-events.


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