John Atkin: Conducting the York Beethoven Project orchestra on Saturday, the largest ever to perform at the Josepoh Rowntree Theatre
AFTER the success of Symphonies No. 1 and No. 2, the York Beethoven Project is going even bigger for No. 3 in Eb Major Op 55: Eroica in An Evening of Revolutionary Music tomorrow at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York.
“The project is a year old and in that time we have accommodated 84 musicians, averaging 54 at each event, with 40 this weekend: the largest ever orchestra at the Rowntree Theatre,” says organiser John Atkin.
“In fact, No. 3 is so popular that we’ll also be holding a one-day Eroica workshop for another 50 musicians on September 28 at St Barnabas Church, York, to accommodate those who could not fit onto the Rowntree Theatre stage.”
Devised and managed by White Rose Theatre, Saturday’s concert will be the third in the series of nine, performing Beethoven’s symphonies in order, and will be the first one to be open to the public.
In addition, the White Rose Singers will be joined by conductor Atkin’s musical theatre band to present revolutionary musical theatre songs from Les Miserables, West Side Story, Carousel, James Robert Brown and more.
Looking ahead, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4 in Bb Major Op 60 will be performed on February 8 2025 at York Music Education, Millthorpe School main hall, York; Symphony No. 5 in C minor Op 67, June 28 2025, at St Mary the Virgin, Hemingbrough, and Symphony No. 6 in F Major Op 68 (Pastorale), September 27 2025, venue to be confirmed.
These will all be one-day Come and Play workshops with a performance from 4pm. Music will be distributed electronically in advance. Registration will open six months in advance. “If you would like to play with us in the future, please get in touch by emailing yorkbeethovenproject@gmail.com,” says John.
Saturday’s programme
Act One: Somewhere (from West Side Story; Bernstein and Sondheim), Company/Cathy Atkin; You’ll Never Walk Alone (from Carousel; Rogers & Hammerstein), Company; Symphony No. 3 in Eb Major Op 55 (Eroica; Beethoven), York Beethoven Project Orchestra.
Act Two: Willkommen (from Cabaret; Kandor and Ebb), Company/Pascha; A New World (from Songs for a New World; Jason Robert Brown), Emma Dickinson, Robert Davies, Alexa Chaplin, Richard Bayton, Company; Take Me To The World (from Evening Primrose; Sondheim), Neil Wood; Send In The Clowns (from A Little Night Music; Sondheim), Robert Davies; He’s My Boy (from Everybody’s Talking About Jamie; Sells & McRae), Emma Dickinson; The Boy From (from The Mad Show; Rogers & Hammerstein), Pascha Turnbull; Hopelessly Devoted to You (from Grease; Jacobs & Casey), Alexa Chaplin; Say No To This (from Hamilton; Miranda), Claire Ainsworth and Matthew Ainsworth; Why? (from Tick, Tick… Boom!; Larson), Richard Bayton, and Les Miserable Medley, Company.
Sopranos: Rachel Anderson, Helen Barugh, Emma Dickinson, Liz Gardner and Joy Warner. Altos: Claire Ainsworth, Cathy Atkin, Alexa Chaplin, Emily Rockliff and Pascha Turnbull. Tenors: Matthew Ainsworth and Richard Bayton. Basses: Robert Davies, Anthony Gardner and Neil Wood.
Saturday’s orchestra
First Violins: Louise Watson (leader), Jane Halnan, Susan Hibbert, Anna Howard, Sally Kingsley, John List, Robert Morris and Helen Taylor. Second violins: Nigel Ball, Nicola Dawson, Sue Lawrence, Tanya Pawson, Gordon Taylor, Dorothy Wilson and Emily Wilson. Violas: Joanna Ainsley, Elizabeth Inglis, Amanda Kirby, Francis Loftus, Mary Luker and Sarah Reece.
Cellos: Jenny Fortmann, Michael Lindsay, Margaret Moorhouse and Judith Spindler. Double bass: Rosie Morris and Christian Topman. Flutes: Clare Haskell and Julie Harris. Oboes: John Hayward and Rosie Lynch. Clarinets: Morgan Hollis and Jonathan Sage. Bassoons: Deborah Welch and Simon Whalley. Horns: Oliver Balm, Janette Norris, Mike Palako and Mike Reeder. Trumpets: Andrew Dalby, Cameron McArthur and Paul McArthur. Timpani: Tony Norris.
Conductor: John Atkin.
Musical Theatre Band:
Keyboards: John Atkin, Nigel Ball, Gill Boler; reeds: Morgan Hollis, Jonathan Sage; trumpet: Cameron McArthur; trombone: Martin Farmery; guitars: Paul McArthur; bass: Christian Topman; percussion: Andy Jennings.
White Rose Theatre presents York Beethoven Project, An Evening of Revolutionary Music, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, September 14, 7.30pm. Box office: 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.
Lord Of The Dance: “Aiming to leave the audience spellbound” at York Barbican
THE summer festival season enters the final furlong with the focus turning to the new season ahead, as Charles Hutchinson highlights.
Dance show of the week: Michael Flatley’s Lord Of The Dance, York Barbican, today, 2.30pm and 7.45pm; tomorrow, 7.45pm
IN the words of Lord Of The Dance impresario Michael Flatley: “Our 2024 tour promises to be an extraordinary journey that will take audiences to the next level once again.
“In 2024, this extraordinary experience for fans will feature new staging, fresh choreography, new costumes, cutting-edge technology, and special effects lighting. It’s a celebration of a lifetime of standing ovations and we aim to leave the audience spellbound.” Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.
Living History Weekend: The past comes alive at Eden Camp today and tomorrow
Family fun day out of the week: Living History Weekend at Eden Camp Modern History Museum, Edenhouse Road, Old Malton, today and tomorrow, 10am to 5pm
STEP back in time to be immersed in history at Eden Camp, where the past comes alive with re-enactors around every corner, from captivating displays to engaging talks and activities galore. You can meet with medics; try your hand at authentic ration recipes; explore the intricate details of a Sherman tank and groove to live music in the engine shed. Dressing up in 1940s’ fashion is encouraged. Tickets: edencamp.digitickets.co.uk/tickets.
The Last Dinner Party: Playing Leeds Festival’s main stage at 2.20pm tomorrow. Picture: Leeds Festival website
Festival of the week: Leeds Festival, Bramham Park, near Leeds, today and tomorrow
AFTER “Mother Nature played her part”, Storm Lilian has put paid to the BBC Radio 1 stage and the new The Aux stage, but The Chevron stage is expected to reopen today.
Blink 182 and Gerry Cinnamon top today’s bill at Leeds Festival, when Two Door Cinema Club and The Prodigy. Tomorrow has Fred Again and Lana Del Rey on headline duty, backed up by Raye, Fontaines DC, Bleachers and The Last Dinner Party. Look out too for Sonny Fodera and Barry Can’t Swim. Box office: leedsfestival.com/tickets.
Lana Del Rey: Playing the main stage at Leeds Festival tomorrow at 7.30pm. Picture: Leeds Festival website
York gig of the week: New York Brass Band, Big Summer Party, The Crescent, York, tonight, doors 7.30pm
YORK’S top brass come together for an evening of big, bangin’, brassy tunes at The Crescent, featuring a line-up of percussion, saxophone, trumpets, trombones, guitar and sousaphone.
Taking inspiration from contemporary New Orleans musicians, the New York Brass Band will be in party mood after festivals appearances at Glastonbury and Latitude. Box office: thecrescentyork.com.
New York Brass Band: Big, bangin’, brassy tunes at The Crescent tonight
Coastal gig of the week: Becky Hill, Scarborough Open Air Theatre, August 29, gates 6pm
BRIT Award-winning Becky Hillis a pop powerhouse with a reputation as a pioneer in electronic music, not least in her collaborations in the dance-pop genre with everyone from David Guetta to Little Simz over the past decade.
Hill has written or performed on 17 UK Top 40 singles, including five top ten singles and a number one, amassing more than four billion streams on Spotify. Box office: scarboroughopenairtheatre.com.
Steve Cassidy: Playing with his band and friends at the JoRo Theatre
New amid the familiar: Steve Cassidy Band & Friends, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, September 1, 7.30pm
YORK’S Steve Cassidy Band return to their favourite venue, where three-time New Faces winner, singer, guitarist and songwriter Cassidy is joined by John Lewis on lead guitar, Mick Hull on bass guitar, ukulele and guitar, Brian Thompson on drums and George Hall on keyboards.
Expect a few special guests throughout an entertaining night of rock, country and instrumental music, plus new pieces prepared specifically for this concert. Box office: 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.
Robyn Hitchcock: Heading for The Crescent next month
Art rocker returns: Robyn Hitchcock, The Crescent, York, September 1, 7.30pm
IN a career spanning six decades, Robyn Hitchcock remains a one-of-a-kind artist: surrealist rock’n’roller, acoustic troubadour, poet, painter and writer.
From The Soft Boys’ art-rock and The Egyptians’ Dadaist pop to such solo masterpieces as 1984’s I Often Dream Of Trains and 1990’s Eye, Hitchcock has crafted songs with recurring references to marine life, obsolete electric transport, ghosts and cheese. Tickets for this seated show are on sale at thecrescentyork.com.
Olivia Graham: Performing in the style of the Celtic bards of old at Theatre@41, Monkgate, York. Picture: Richard Gatecliffe
Come, all ye old souls and dreamers: Olivia Graham, An Evening In Avalon, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, September 6, 7.30pm
CELTIC folk musician Olivia Graham delivers a spellbinding evening of enchanting music, woven through the tales of Morgan Le Fay and other legendary figures from across the British Isles.
Performed in the style of the Celtic bards of old, An Evening In Avalon embarks on a magical journey through Ancient Ireland, Dark Age Britain and even the elusive shores of mystical Avalon itself. Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.
Snake Davis: On his own at Helmsley Arts Centre
Saxophone solo: Snake Davis, Helmsley Arts Centre, September 6, 7.30pm
ONCE a member of York jazz and soul band Zoot And The Roots, saxophonist Snake Davis will be on his own in this informal acoustic evening of music and chat in two parts. Not really on his own, he clarifies, because in Part One he will have his musical instrument family with him: myriad saxophones plus flutes, whistles, steel handpan, didgeridoo and the Japanese Shakuhachi. Questions are encouraged.
In Part Two, the focus is on My Greatest Hits, highlighting Snake’s work as sax hired gun to the stars, adding Olly Murs and Shania Twain to the list this year after sax solos forTake That, M-People, Lisa Stansfield and The Office theme tune. Playing the songs in context, he will tell the stories behind them. Box office: 01439 771700 or helmsleyarts.co.uk.
There’s no bursting Andy Parsons’ balloon: Comedian will be in “Bafflingly Optimistic” mood at Joseph Rowntree Theatre in October
Comedy gig announcement of the week: Andy Parsons: Bafflingly Optimistic, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, October 11
DESPITE everything that Great Britain has had to face in recent years, Mock The Week lynchpin, Stacktivist Action Group podcaster and comedian Andy Parsons has found cause to be optimistic.
“I think there are reasons to be hopeful,” says Parsons, 55. “It’s not a depressing show. The positive side is the pandemic is over, we are statistically more united as a nation than it might seem. And despite what you’ve heard, comics are not being cancelled.” Box office: 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.
The Magic Of Terry Pratchett: Marc Burrows discusses the Discworld author at Pocklington Arts Centre
THE summer festival season enters the final furlong with the focus turning to the new season ahead, as Charles Hutchinson highlights.
Discworld comes to Pock: Marc Burrows, The Magic Of Terry Pratchett, Pocklington Arts Centre, October 17, 7.30pm
AUTHOR, comedian and super-fan Marc Burrows bases his Edinburgh Fringe hit lecture The Magic Of Terry Pratchett on his Locus Award-winning biography, officially endorsed by the author’s estate, to mark the 40th anniversary of the Discworld books.
Taking a journey through the life and work of Sir Terry Pratchett OBE, he explores his influence, impact, wit and wisdom, from Pratchett’s days as a school librarian, through his time as a trainee journalist, to his untimely death from Alzheimer’s in 2015. Box office: 01759 301547 or pocklingtonartscentre.co.uk.
So 90’s: Disco party time at Milton Rooms, Malton
Disco world comes to Malton: So 90’s with DJ Matt Vinyl and the So 90’s Dancers, Milton Rooms, Malton, August 30, 8pm
FROM S Club to Spice Girls, Backstreet Boys to Robbie Williams, Cascada to Gala, the best 1990s’ pop, dance, cheese and Ibiza club anthems are celebrated in this disco party with visual effects, live choreographed performances, DJs and interactive competitions and giveaways. Box office: 01653 696240 or themiltonrooms.com.
Lord Of The Dance: “Aiming to leave the audience spellbound” at York Barbican
Dance show of the week: Michael Flatley’s Lord Of The Dance, York Barbican, today until Sunday, 7.45pm, plus Saturday matinee at 2.30pm
IN the words of Lord Of The Dance impresario Michael Flatley: “Our 2024 tour promises to be an extraordinary journey that will take audiences to the next level once again.
“In 2024, this extraordinary experience for fans will feature new staging, fresh choreography, new costumes, cutting-edge technology, and special effects lighting. It’s a celebration of a lifetime of standing ovations and we aim to leave the audience spellbound.” Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.
Living History Weekend: The past comes alive at Eden Camp this weekend
Family fun day out of the week: Living History Weekend at Eden Camp Modern History Museum, Edenhouse Road, Old Malton, today and tomorrow, 10am to 5pm
STEP back in time to be immersed in history at Eden Camp, where the past comes alive with re-enactors around every corner, from captivating displays to engaging talks and activities galore. You can meet with medics; try your hand at authentic ration recipes; explore the intricate details of a Sherman tank and groove to live music in the engine shed. Dressing up in 1940s’ fashion is encouraged. Tickets: edencamp.digitickets.co.uk/tickets.
Liam Gallagher: Headlining Friday’s bill at Leeds Festival, playing Oasis’s debut album Definitely Maybe in full. Picture: Leeds Festival website
Festival of the week: Leeds Festival, Bramham Park, near Leeds, Friday to Sunday
LIAM Gallagher and Catfish And The Bottlemen headline the first day of Leeds Festival, when 21 Savage, Pendulum, Skrillex, NIA Archives, Beabadoobee and Ashnikoo are further attractions. Blink 182 and Gerry Cinnamon top Saturday’s bill, when Two Door Cinema Club, The Prodigy and Jorja Smith perform too.
Sunday has Fred Again and Lana Del Rey on headline duty, backed up by Raye, Fontaines DC, Bleachers and The Last Dinner Party. Look out too for Sonny Fodera and The Wombats. Box office: leedsfestival.com/tickets.
Lana Del Rey: Playing the Leeds Festival main stage at 7.30pm on Sunday. Picture: Leeds Festival website
York gig of the week: New York Brass Band, Big Summer Party, The Crescent, York, Saturday, doors 7.30pm
YORK’S top brass come together for an evening of big, bangin’, brassy tunes at The Crescent, featuring a seven or eight-piece line-up of percussion, saxophone, trumpets, trombones, guitar and sousaphone.
Taking inspiration from contemporary New Orleans musicians, the New York Brass Band will be in party mood after summer festivals appearances at Glastonbury and Latitude. Box office: thecrescentyork.com.
New York Brass Band: Back home in old York after the summer festival season
Coastal gig of the week: Becky Hill, Scarborough Open Air Theatre, August 29, gates 6pm
BRIT Award-winning Becky Hillis a pop powerhouse with a reputation as a pioneer in electronic music, not least in her collaborations in the dance-pop genre with everyone from David Guetta to Little Simz over the past decade.
Hill has written or performed on 17 UK Top 40 singles, including five top ten singles and a number one, amassing more than four billion streams on Spotify. Box office: scarboroughopenairtheatre.com.
Steve Cassidy: Playing with his band and friends at Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York
New amid the familiar: Steve Cassidy Band & Friends, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, September 1, 7.30pm
YORK’S Steve Cassidy Band return to their favourite venue, where three-time New Faces winner, singer, guitarist and songwriter Cassidy is joined by John Lewis on lead guitar, Mick Hull on bass guitar, ukulele and guitar, Brian Thompson on drums and George Hall on keyboards.
Expect a few special guests throughout an entertaining night of rock, country and instrumental music, plus new pieces prepared specifically for this concert. Box office: 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.
Robyn Hitchcock: Heading to The Crescent, York
Art rocker returns: Robyn Hitchcock, The Crescent, York, September 1, 7.30pm
IN a career spanning six decades, Robyn Hitchcock remains a one-of-a-kind artist: surrealist rock’n’roller, acoustic troubadour, poet, painter and writer.
From The Soft Boys’ art-rock and The Egyptians’ Dadaist pop to such solo masterpieces as 1984’s I Often Dream Of Trains and 1990’s Eye, Hitchcock has crafted songs with recurring references to marine life, obsolete electric transport, ghosts and cheese. Tickets for this seated show are on sale at thecrescentyork.com.
Olivia Graham: Performing in the style of the Celtic bards of old at Theatre@41, Monkgate, York. Picture: Richard Gatecliffe
Come, all ye old souls and dreamers: Olivia Graham, An Evening In Avalon, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, September 6, 7.30pm
CELTIC folk musician Olivia Graham delivers a spellbinding evening of enchanting music, woven through the tales of Morgan Le Fay and other legendary figures from across the British Isles.
Performed in the style of the Celtic bards of old, An Evening In Avalon embarks on a magical journey through Ancient Ireland, Dark Age Britain and even the elusive shores of mystical Avalon itself. Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.
Two pictures, but only one Snake Davis, playing alone at Helmsleyt Arts Centre
Saxophone solo: Snake Davis, Helmsley Arts Centre, September 6, 7.30pm
SAXOPHONIST Snake Davis will be on his own in this informal acoustic evening of music and chat in two parts. Not really on his own, he clarifies, because in Part One he will have his musical instrument family with him: myriad saxophones plus flutes, whistles, steel handpan, didgeridoo and the Japanese Shakuhachi. Relaxed and intimate, questions are encouraged.
In Part Two, the focus is on My Greatest Hits, highlighting his work as sax hired gun to the stars, adding Olly Murs and Shania Twain to the list this year after sax solos in Take That’s Million Love Songs, M-People’s Moving On Up and Search For The Hero, Lisa Stansfield’s Change and The Office theme tune. Playing them in context, he will tell the stories behind them. Box office: 01439 771700 or helmsleyarts.co.uk.
There’s no bursting Andy Parsons’ balloon: Comedian will be “Bafflingly Optimistic” at JoRo Theatre this autumn
Comedy gig announcement of the week: Andy Parsons: Bafflingly Optimistic, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, October 11
DESPITE everything that Great Britain has had to face in recent years, Mock The Week lynchpin, Stacktivist Action Group podcaster and comedian Andy Parsons has found cause to be optimistic.
“I think there are reasons to be hopeful,” says Parsons, 55. “It’s not a depressing show. The positive side is the pandemic is over, we are statistically more united as a nation than it might seem. And despite what you’ve heard, comics are not being cancelled.” Box office: 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.
Spreading her wings: Elle Wootton in The 13-Storey Treehouse at Grand Opera House, York. Picture: James D Morgan
SHAKESPEARE sonnets, a treehouse with bowling alley and sea monster, The Magpies’ music festival and a thrilling children’s workshop will keep the summer diary busy, advises Charles Hutchinson.
Family show of the week: The 13-Storey Treehouse, Grand Opera House, York, today and tomorrow, 1pm and 5pm
ADAPTED by Richard Tulloch (The Book Of Everything, Bananas In Pyjamas), this one-hour play for children aged six to 12 brings Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton’s story to stage life with a seriously funny cast and a treehouse replete with a bowling alley, a secret underground laboratory, self-making beds and a marshmallow machine.
Expect magical moments of theatrical wizardry and a truckload of imagination from the cast of Elle Wootton, Edwin Beats and Ryan Dulieu when Andy and Terry forget to write their debut play. Where will they find flying cats, a mermaid, a sea monster, an invasion of monkeys and a giant gorilla? Find out this weekend. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.
Maurice Crichton’s Callum, the director, and Alexandra Logan’s Lily, the upstart actress, exchange words in the dress rehearsal for York Shakespeare Project’s Summer Sonnets in the Holy Trinity churchyard, in Goodramgate, York. Picture: John Saunders
Wedding invitation of the week: York Shakespeare Project, Summer Sonnets, Holy Trinity churchyard, Goodramgate, York, today to August 17, except August 12, 6pm and 7.30pm plus 4.30pm today and next Saturday
AUDIENCES are invited to a secret wedding at Holy Trinity, where they will meet the church’s most famous couple – Anne “Gentleman Jack” Lister and Ann Walker – while enjoying a complimentary drink.
Linked by Josie Campbell’s script, York Shakespeare Project’s tenth anniversary selection of Shakespeare sonnets will be performed in character by Maurice Crichton; Marie-Louise Feeley; Liam Godfrey; Emily Hansen; Halina Jaroszewska; Alexandra Logan; Sally Mitcham; Grace Scott; Effie Warboys; Helen Wilson and director Tony Froud. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk/show/summer-sonnets/.
Lincoln Lightfoot: Taking part in the York River Art Market today
York’s answer to the Left Bank in Paris: York River Art Market, today and tomorrow; August 17 and 18, 10am to 5pm
ORGANISED by jewellery designer and York College art tutor Charlotte Dawson, York River Art Market sets out its stalls on the Dame Judi Dench Walk riverside for a ninth summer season. Up to 30 artists and makers per day will be exhibiting ceramics, jewellery, paintings, prints, photographs, clothing, candles, T-shirts, shaving products and more. Admission is free.
Castle Howard: “Silence” is golden in the Boar Garden tonight when DJs fill revellers’ headphones with Nineties’ dancefloor nuggets
Hush-hush event of the week: 90s’ Outdoor Silent Disco, Castle Howard, near Malton, today, 7pm to 10pm
CASTLE Howard’s Boar Garden plays host to some of Great Britain’s best 90s’ DJs, spinning pop, R&B and band favourites in a feel-good experience. Revellers can select from three different channels of music while wearing state-of-the-art LED headphones. sets. Valid photographic ID may be requested on entry to this strictly 18-plus event. Box office: eventbrite.co.uk/e/90s-silent-disco-at-castle-howard-tickets-846091200557.
Artist Peter Hicks in his studio, working on his Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal commission
Exhibition of the week: Peter Hicks, Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Garden, near Ripon
PETER Hicks’s summer exhibition, Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal – A Landscape Painter’s Perspective, is being extended to September 15. On show are works painted in response to the John and William Aislabie-designed landscapes at Fountains during Hicks’s 2023 residency.
Commissioned by the National Trust, the Yorkshire landscape artist’s paintings, studies and sketchbooks are on display in Fountains Mill. Hicks specialises in abstract landscapes with acrylic washes on canvas and board, making his own benches and brush handles and using humble, accessible materials. Tickets: nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/yorkshire/fountains-abbey-and-studley-royal-water-garden.
The Magpies: Running their fourth music festival at Sutton Park, near York
Festival of the week: The Magpies Festival, Sutton Park, near York, today
RUN by transatlantic folk band The Magpies, The Magpies Festival is rooted in the trio’s native Yorkshire, where they first met. Now in its fourth year, the 2024 event will be headlined today by Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys at 10pm, preceded by Charm Of Finches, 12 noon, The Often Herd, 2pm, Jesca Hoop, 4pm, The Magpies, 6pm, and Nati (formerly known as Nati Dreddd), 8pm.
The poster for the Three Day Thriller workshop for children at Helmsley Arts Centre
Children’s activity of the week: The Three Day Thriller, Helmsley Arts Centre, August 12 to 14, 10am to 2pm. CANCELLED
BUCKLE up for this improvising and devising workshop for 11 to 16-year-olds, designed to look at different theatre and performance techniques to make a new story in the thriller genre. The focus will be on character, plot and staging to create excitement, mystery and suspense, keeping audiences on the edge of their seats. At the end of day three, the work explored will be shared with family and friends. Places on the £75 workshop can be booked on 01439 771700 or at helmsleyarts.co.uk.
Robert Gammon: Playing at Dementia Friendly Tea Concert at St Chad’s Church, York
Dementia Friendly Tea Concert: Robert Gammon, piano, St Chad’s Church, Campleshon Road, York, August 15, 2.30pm
PIANIST Robert Gammon returns to St Chad’s to perform Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in F sharp Minor from the Well Tempered Clavier Book 2, Schumann’s Kinderszenen and two Chopin Polonaises. As usual, 45 minutes of music will be followed by tea and homemade cakes in the church hall.
“This relaxed event is ideal for people who may not feel comfortable at a formal classical concert, so we do not mind if the audience wants to talk or move about,” says organiser Alison Gammon. Seating is unreserved; no admission charge, but donations are welcome.
Elkie Brooks: Heading out on her Long Farewell Tour. Leeds and York await. Picture: Neil Kirk
Gig announcement of the week: Elkie Brooks, Long Farewell Tour, Leeds City Varieties Music Hall, September 12; York Barbican, April 11 2025
AFTER 64 years of performing live, the “British queen of blues”, Elkie Brooks, is to undertake her Long Farewell Tour, visiting Leeds and York among 24 dates.
The Salford singer, 79, will perform such hits as Pearl’s A Singer, Lilac Wine, Fool (If You Think It’s Over), Sunshine After The Rain, No More The Fool and Don’t Cry Out Loud in a career-spanning show of blues, rock and jazz numbers that will showcase material from her forthcoming 21st studio album for the first time. Box office: elkiebrooks.com/elkie-brooks-tour-dates-2024; leedsheritagetheatres.com and yorkbarbican.co.uk.
In Focus: North York Moors Chamber Music Festival, August 11 to 24
North York Moors Chamber Music Festival curator Jamie Walton. Picture: Matthew Johnson
THE ground-breaking North York Moors Chamber Music Festival is returning for its 16th consecutive season after record audience figures last summer.
Running from August 11 to 24 with the title of Echos, the festival uses moorland churches and an acoustically treated venue in the grounds of Welburn Manor, attracting international artists, many of them committing to the entire fortnight by taking up residencies.
This summer, these musicians include violinist Alena Beava, Benjamin Baker and Charlotte Scott; pianists Vadym Kholodenko, Katya Apekisheva, Daniel Lebhardt and Leeds International Piano Competition prize-winner Ariel Lanyi; clarinettist Matthew Hunt and mezzo-soprano Anna Huntley, who originates from Yarm. The programme will feature a Young Artists Focus too.
The festival’s 14 afternoon and evening concerts will present music by Schubert, Rachmaninoff, Mozart, Schumann, Elgar, Debussy and Mendelssohn, together with thrilling 20th century classics.
Each concert will take the audience on a musical journey through the narrative of specific themes, in carefully curated, thought-provoking music that pushes the boundaries.
As well as Welburn Manor, concerts will take place at churches including St Michael’s, Coxwold; St Mary’s, Lastingham; St Hilda’s, Danby, and St Hedda’s, Egton Bridge.
Festival curator and cellist Jamie Walton says: “Expect to be stirred, thrilled and at times moved as we explore the phenomenon of influence, of cycles through the ages, musical shadows, and themes which echo the times. These concerts are intense for both the audiences and artists but often revelatory and transformative.
“There’s a palpable sense of common purpose and feeling between all those who are there participating in the experience, either on stage or as a listener. It’s a profoundly reassuring experience, and one which we all cherish.”
Who will be playing at North York Moors Chamber Music Festival
Violinist Alena Baeva performing at North York Moors Chamber Music Festival in 2023. Picture: Matthew Johnson
Violin: Alena Baeva; Benjamin Baker; Marike Kruup; Emma Parker; Victoria Sayles; Charlotte Scott; Bridget O’Donnell and Simmy Singh
Viola: Meghan Cassidy; Simone van der Giessen; Max Mandel; David Shaw
Cello: Rebecca Gilliver; Tim Posner; Jamie Walton and Deni Teo
Double bass: Misha Mullov-Abbado
Piano: Katya Apekisheva; Vadym Kholodenko; Joseph Havlat; Ariel Lanyi; Daniel Lebhardt
Clarinet: Matthew Hunt
Flute: Thomas Hancox and Silvija Scerbaviciute
Mezzo soprano: Anna Huntley
Plus: The Paddington Trio
North York Moors Chamber Music Festival: the programme
Charlotte Scott: Returning to North York Moors Chamber Music Festival in 2024. Picture: Matthew Johnson
August 11, 2pm, Passing Themes, Marquee, Welburn: Corelli – Violin sonata in D minor op 5 no 12 (‘La Folia’); Rachmaninoff – Variations on a Theme of Corelli op 42*; Dvořák – Piano trio no 4 in E minor op 90 (‘Dumky’)
August 12, 7pm, Tales From The Stage, Marquee, Welburn: Stravinsky – The Soldier’s Tale Suite; Poulenc – Sonata for violin and piano*; Debussy – Bilitis for flute and piano; Poulenc – L’Invitation au Chateau; Stravinsky – Divertimento (The Fairy’s Kiss Suite)
August 13, 2pm, Enlightenment, St Michael’s, Coxwold: Beethoven – String trio op 9 no 1 in G major; Weber – Clarinet quintet in B-flat major op 34
August 14, 7pm, Echoes and Embers, Marquee, Welburn: Dutilleux – Sonatine Myths; Simpson – Eleven Echoes of Autumn*; Szymanowski – Myths op 30; Simpson – An Essay of Love
August 15, 2pm, Landscape and Memory, St Mary’s, Lastingham : Dowland – Lachrymae Antiquae; Purcell – Chacony in G minor (arr. Britten); Adès – O Albion; Adès – Alchymia
August 16, 7pm, Towards The Edge, Marquee, Welburn: Shostakovich, Piano trio no 2 in E minor op 67*; Zarębski – Piano quintet; Liszt – La lugubre gondola II; Shostakovich – Piano trio no 2 in E minor op 67*; Zarębski – Piano quintet in G minor op 34
August 17, 7pm, Vienna!, Marquee, Welburn: Mozart – Sonata for violin and piano no 21 in E minor K304; Webern – Langsamer Satz; Schoenberg – Chamber Symphony no 1 op 9 (arr. Webern)*; Berg – Adagio for violin, clarinet and piano Schubert – Fantasy in C major for violin and piano D934
Pianist Daniel Lebhardt: A regular player at North York Moors Chamber Music Festival. Picture: Matthew Johnson
August 18, 2pm, Heading East, St Hilda’s, Danby: Kodály – Intermezzo for string trio; Dohnányi – Serenade in C for string trio op; Kodály – Duo sonata for violin and cello op 7
August 19, 7pm, Songs For The Earth, Marquee, Welburn: string quartet & double-bass
August 20, 7pm, La Belle Époque, Marquee, Welburn: Debussy – Violin sonata in G minor; Fauré – La Bonne Chanson op 61*; Chausson – Chanson perpétuelle op 37; Chausson – Concert for violin, piano and string quartet op 21
August 21, 7pm, A Wartime Story, Marquee, Welburn: Elgar – Sonata for violin and piano in E minor op 82*; Prokofiev – (War) Sonata for piano no 8 in b-flat major op 84; Ravel – Piano trio in A minor
August 22, 2pm, Jubilation, St Hedda’s, Egton Bridge: Brahms – String quintet no 2 in G major op 111; Mendelssohn – String octet in E flat major op 20
August 23, 7pm, Ghosts Of History, Marquee, Welburn: Beethoven – Piano trio op 70 no 1 in D major (‘Ghost’); Saariaho – Light and Matter; Matteis – Fantasia for violin in A minor*; Elgar – Piano quintet in A minor op 84
August 24, 2pm, A New Dawn, Marquee, Welburn; Schumann – Gesänge der Frühe op 133; Schubert – Adagio e Rondo Concertante D487*; Schumann – Piano quartet in E flat major op 47
* Interval follows
The North York Moors Chamber Music Festival stage at last summer’s event in the Welburn Abbey marquee. Picture: Matthew Johnson
More Things To Do in York and beyond “poo power” from August 17 onwards. Here’s Hutch’s List No 34, from The Press, York
DON’T poo-poo Ada Grey’s exhibition for children at Nunnington Hall, advises Charles Hutchinson, as he picks cultural highlights for the weeks ahead.
Wedding invitation of the week: York Shakespeare Project, Summer Sonnets, Holy Trinity churchyard, Goodramgate, York, August 17 at 4.30pm, 6pm and 7.30pm
AUDIENCES are invited to a secret wedding at Holy Trinity, where they will meet the church’s most famous couple – Anne “Gentleman Jack” Lister and Ann Walker – while enjoying a complimentary drink.
Linked by Josie Campbell’s script and theatrical characters, York Shakespeare Project’s tenth anniversary selection of Shakespeare sonnets is performed in character by Maurice Crichton; Marie-Louise Feeley; Liam Godfrey; Emily Hansen; Halina Jaroszewska; Alexandra Logan; Sally Mitcham; Grace Scott; Effie Warboys; Helen Wilson and director Tony Froud. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk/show/summer-sonnets/.
Mopping up: Marie-Louise Feeley’s Doreen and Helen Wilson’s Maureen, the church-cleaning double act in York Shakespeare Project’s Summer Sonnets. Picture: John Saunders
York’s answer to the Left Bank in Paris: York River Art Market, August 17 and 18, 10am to 5pm
YORK River Art Market sets out its stalls on the Dame Judi Dench Walk riverside for its third weekend this summer, featuring up to 30 artists and makers per day. Among today’s stallholders will be Bejojo Art, Jillie Lazenby, Woody’s Creations, Emily Littler, Happy Pot Mama, Magdalena Biernacka, Kissed Frog, I’ve Been Creative, Matt Lightfoot Photography, Inky Print Designs and Wood Wyrm.
Popping up tomorrow will be Urban Infill Store, Wild Orange Tree, Jo O’Cuinneagan, Rock and Twig Studio, David Lobley Photography, The Littlest Falcon, Feather Isle, Fei’s Crochet, Painter Merv, Stairwell Books, Ounce Of Style and plenty more. Look out for York singer-songwriter Heather Findlay on busking duty tomorrow. Admission is free.
Heather Findlay: Busking at August 17’s York River Art Market. Picture: Adam Kennedy
Exhibition of the week: Ada Grey, Splat! Patter! Plop!, Nunnington Hall, Nunnington, near York, until September 8
DIVE into a world where the “hilarity of poo” takes centre stage in this “unique children’s illustration exhibition like no other” by Ada Grey, creator of such picture books as Poo In The Zoo, Island Of Dinosaur Poo and Super Pooper Road Race.
Noted for the vibrant colours, lively characters and comical twists of her children’s tales, for the first time Grey is showcasing illustrations of such beloved characters as Bob McGrew and Hector Gloop in iconic moments from her favourite stories. Children have the chance to immerse themselves in Ada’s books, draw inspiration to create their own characters and proudly display their creations in the Poop-a-Doodle gallery. Grey will drop in on August 20 to run workshops for children from 11am to 4pm. Tickets and workshop bookings: nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/yorkshire/nunnington-hall/exhibitions.
Poo power: Illustrator and author Ada Grey’s exhibition at Nunnington Hall
Dance show of the week: Michael Flatley’s Lord Of The Dance, York Barbican, August 20 to 25, 7.45pm, plus Saturday matinee at 2.30pm
IN the words of Lord Of The Dance impresario Michael Flatley: “Our 2024 tour promises to be an extraordinary journey that will take audiences to the next level once again.
“In 2024, this extraordinary experience for fans will feature new staging, fresh choreography, new costumes, cutting-edge technology, and special effects lighting. It’s a celebration of a lifetime of standing ovations and we aim to leave the audience spellbound.” Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.
Lord Of The Dance: “Aiming to leave the audience spellbound” at York Barbican
York gig of the week: Please Please You & Brudenell presents Lanterns On The Lake, The Crescent, York, August 23, 7.30pm
FORMED on Tyneside in 2007, Lanterns On The Lake combine dreamy, melancholic indie rock with beautiful layers of texture and celestial melodies. Led by singer and songwriter Hazel Wilde, the 2020 Mercury Prize nominees have supplied soundtrack music to Conversations With Friends, Uncanny, Made In Chelsea, Skins and the video game Life Is Strange and recorded an orchestral live album with the Royal Northern Sinfonia.
Their latest album, June 2023’s Versions Of Us, is full of existential meditations, “examining life’s possibilities, facing the hand we’ve been dealt and the question of whether we can change our individual and collective destinies”. Box office: thecrescentyork.com/events/lanterns-on-the-lake.
Lanterns On The Lake’s Hazel Wilde, Paul Gregory, Bob Allan and Angela Chan: Playing The Crescent on their return to York
Another slice of MeatLoaf: MeatLoud – Bat Out Of Hades, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, August 24, 7.30pm
FOUNDED in 2015, this powerhouse tribute to MeatLoaf and songwriter Jim Steinman is fronted by vocalist Andy Plimmer, who is joined Sally Rivers to take on the guise of Bonnie Tyler, Celine Dion and Cher. The second half features a complete performance of the classic 1977 album Bat Out Of Hell. Box office: 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.
MeatLoud: Paying tribute to MeatLoaf and Jim Steinman at Joseph Rowntree Theatre
New season opener: Jake Vaadeland & The Sturgeon River Boys, Selby Town Hall, September 4, 7.30pm
SELBY Town Hall kicks off its autumn season with the debut visit of Jake Vaadeland & The Sturgeon River Boys, purveyors of bluegrass and rockabilly from Saskatchewan, Canada.
Selby Town Council arts officer Chris Jones enthuses: “I absolutely love these guys. It’s probably the show I’m most looking forward to in the second half of the year. At just 21 years old, Jake is terrifyingly talented. He and the band – dressed in authentic 1950s’ suits – make the most fantastically fun, upbeat, toe-tapping music, already gracing the main stages of festivals across North America.” Box office: 01757 708449 or selbytownhall.co.uk.
Jake Vaadeland & The Sturgeon River Boys: Making debut appearance at Selby Town Hall next month
Theatre chat: An Evening With Simon Russell Beale, York Theatre Royal, September 10, 7.30pm
WAS Shakespeare an instinctive “conservative” or, rather, gently subversive? How collaborative was he? Did he add a line to Hamlet to accommodate his ageing and increasingly chubby principal actor Richard Burbage? Did he suffer from insomnia and experience sexual jealousy?
In An Evening With Simon Russell Beale, in conversation with a special guest, the Olivier Award-winning actor will share his experiences of “approaching and living with some of Shakespeare’s most famous characters”, from his school-play days as Desdemona in Othello to title roles in Hamlet and Macbeth. Expect anecdotes of Sam Mendes, Nick Hytner, Stephen Sondheim and Lauren Bacall too. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.
Simon Russell Beale: Shakespeare actor, now starring as Ser Simon Strong in House Of The Dragon, will be in conversation at York Theatre Royal in September
“Think The Great Gatsby meets Sinatra At The Sands meets Back To The Future”:Postmodern Jukebox, Moonlight & Magic World Tour, York Barbican, May 7 2025
RETRO musical collective Postmodern Jukebox have announced the 34-date UK & Australia/New Zealand leg of next year’s Moonlight & Magic World Tour that includes a return to York Barbican.
“If we’ve learned anything from ten years of touring the world, it’s that great music has the ability to transcend time and space in a way that is best described as ‘magic,” says Postmodern Jukebox creator and show director Scott Bradlee, whose parallel musical universe reimagines pop hits in 1920s’ jazz, swing, doo-wop and Motown settings. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.
Postmodern Jukebox: Retro musical collective head back to past triumphs at York Barbican
Elle Wootton in The 13-Storey Treehouse at Grand Opera House, York. Picture: James D Morgan
SHAKESPEARE sonnets, a treehouse with bowling alley and sea monster, The Magpies’ music festival and a thrilling children’s workshop will keep the summer diary busy, advises Charles Hutchinson.
Family show of the week: The 13-Storey Treehouse, Grand Opera House, York, today(8/8/2024) to Sunday, 1pm and 5pm
ADAPTED by Richard Tulloch (The Book Of Everything, Bananas In Pyjamas), this one-hour play for children aged six to 12 brings Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton’s story to stage life with a seriously funny cast and a treehouse replete with a bowling alley, a secret underground laboratory, self-making beds and a marshmallow machine.
Expect magical moments of theatrical wizardry and a truckload of imagination from the cast of Elle Wootton, Edwin Beats and Ryan Dulieu when Andy and Terry forget to write their debut play. Where will they find flying cats, a mermaid, a sea monster, an invasion of monkeys and a giant gorilla? Find out this week. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.
Josie Campbell: Writer of the script to accompany Shakespeare’s sonnets in York Shakespeare Project’s outdoor show at Holy Trinity, Goodramgate, York
Wedding invitation of the week: York Shakespeare Project, Summer Sonnets, Holy Trinity churchyard, Goodramgate, York, Friday to August 17, except August 12, 6pm and 7.30pm plus 4.30pm on both Saturdays
AUDIENCES are invited to a secret wedding at Holy Trinity, where they will meet the church’s most famous couple – Anne “Gentleman Jack” Lister and Ann Walker – while enjoying a complimentary drink.
Linked by Josie Campbell’s script, York Shakespeare Project’s tenth anniversary selection of Shakespeare sonnets are performed in character by Maurice Crichton; Marie-Louise Feeley; Liam Godfrey; Emily Hansen; Halina Jaroszewska; Alexandra Logan; Sally Mitcham; Grace Scott; Effie Warboys; Helen Wilson and director Tony Froud. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk/show/summer-sonnets/.
The poster for Safe Suburban Home Records’ August ’24 Roadshow at The Crescent, York
York gig of the week: Safe Suburban Home Records presents August ’24 Roadshow, Cowgirl, Teenage Tom Petties and Oort Clod, The Crescent, York, Friday, 7.30pm
SAFE Suburban Home Records will be in party mood at The Crescent, celebrating Friday’s release of York garage rock quartet Cowgirl’s new album, Cut Offs. Built around chief songwriters Danny Trew Barton and Sam Coates, they wrap melodies in walls of wailing guitar fuzz.
Teenage Tom Petties deliver transatlantic slacker rock with just the right amount of slop, fuzz and melody; Manchester’s mask-wearing Oort Clod promise post-punk, garage rock and jangly indie. Box office: thecrescentyork.com.
Fountains By Water, by Peter Hicks, on show at Fountains Abbey. Picture: Joe Cornish
Exhibition of the week: Peter Hicks, Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Garden, near Ripon
THIS summer’s run of Peter Hicks’s exhibition, Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal – A Landscape Painter’s Perspective, is being extended to September 15. On show are works painted in response to the John and William Aislabie-designed landscapes at Fountains during Hicks’s residency in 2023.
Commissioned by the National Trust, the Yorkshire landscape artist’s paintings, studies and sketchbooks are on display in Fountains Mill. Hicks specialises in abstract landscapes with acrylic washes on canvas and board, making his own benches and brush handles and using humble and accessible materials, such as old margarine pots for mixing his paints. Tickets: nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/yorkshire/fountains-abbey-and-studley-royal-water-garden.
Actress, vocalist and accordion player Natalia Tena fronts Molotov Jukebox at The Magpies Festival, backed by Balkan fiddle, Latin trumpet and a pounding rhythm section, on Friday
Festival of the week: The Magpies Festival, Sutton Park, near York, Friday and Saturday
RUN by transatlantic folk band The Magpies, The Magpies Festival is rooted in the trio’s native Yorkshire, where they first met. Now in its fourth year, the 2024 event will be headlined on Friday on the main stage by bi-lingual six-piece Molotov Jukebox at 10pm, preceded by Chris While & Julie Matthews, 6pm, and Jim Moray, 8pm.
Friday’s Brass Castle Stage bill features Em Risley, 5pm; Taff Rapids Stringband, 7pm; The Turbans, 9pm, and Easingwold musician Gary Stewart’s Graceland, 11pm.
Saturday’s main stage bill will be topped by Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys at 10pm, preceded by Charm Of Finches, 12 noon, The Often Herd, 2pm, Jesca Hoop, 4pm, The Magpies, 6pm, and Nati (formerly known as Nati Dreddd), 8pm. Saturday’s Brass Castle Stage line-up comprises Painted Sky, 1pm; Suntou Susso, 3pm; Northern Resonance, 5pm; Awkward Family Portraits, 7pm, and Marvara, 9pm. Box office: themagpiesfestival.co.uk/tickets.
The poster for the Three Day Thriller workshop for children at Helmsley Arts Centre
Children’s activity of the week: The Three Day Thriller, Helmsley Arts Centre, August 12 to 14, 10am to 2pm. CANCELLED
BUCKLE up for this improvising and devising workshop for 11 to 16-year-olds, designed to look at different theatre and performance techniques to make a new story in the thriller genre. The focus will be on character, plot and staging to create excitement, mystery and suspense, keeping audiences on the edge of their seats. At the end of day three, the work explored will be shared with family and friends. Places on the £75 workshop can be booked on 01439 771700 or at helmsleyarts.co.uk.
Robert Gammon: Playing at Dementia Friendly Tea Concert at St Chad’s Church, York
Dementia Friendly Tea Concert: Robert Gammon, piano, St Chad’s Church, Campleshon Road, York, August 15, 2.30pm
PIANIST Robert Gammon returns to St Chad’s to perform Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in F sharp Minor from the Well Tempered Clavier Book 2, Schumann’s Kinderszenen and two Chopin Polonaises. As usual, 45 minutes of music will be followed by tea and homemade cakes in the church hall.
“This relaxed event is ideal for people who may not feel comfortable at a formal classical concert, so we do not mind if the audience wants to talk or move about,” says organiser Alison Gammon. Seating is unreserved; no admission charge, but donations are welcome.
The gang is back: Martin Stephenson performs with his fellow Daintees stalwarts at Milton Rooms, Malton, this autumn
Gig announcement of the week: Martin Stephenson & The Daintees, Milton Rooms, Malton, October 13, 8pm
MARTIN Stephenson’s focus will be on You Belong To Blue, the February 2023 album that saw original Daintees’ members Gary Dunn, Anthony Dunn and Charlie Smith, plus a selection of special guests, joining up with the Durham-born singer-songwriter once again.
His Malton set will feature Daintees and Stephenson solo favourites stretching back to his 1986 debut Boat To Bolivia as he dips into country, folk, jazz, blues, skiffle and reggae. Box office: 01653 696240 or themiltonrooms.com.
What’s On in Ryedale, York and beyond, from August 14 onwards. Here’s Hutch’s List No. 29, from Gazette & Herald
Tony Froud’s Reverend Ebenezer Goode in York Shakespeare Project’s Summer Sonnets. Picture: John Saunders
DON’T poo-poo Ada Grey’s exhibition for children at Nunnington Hall, advises Charles Hutchinson, as he picks cultural highlights for the weeks ahead.
Wedding invitation of the week: York Shakespeare Project, Summer Sonnets, Holy Trinity churchyard, Goodramgate, York, until August 17, 6pm and 7.30pm plus 4.30pm Saturday
AUDIENCES are invited to a secret wedding at Holy Trinity, where they will meet the church’s most famous couple – Anne “Gentleman Jack” Lister and Ann Walker – while enjoying a complimentary drink.
Linked by Josie Campbell’s script, York Shakespeare Project’s tenth anniversary selection of Shakespeare sonnets is performed in character by Maurice Crichton; Marie-Louise Feeley; Liam Godfrey; Emily Hansen; Halina Jaroszewska; Alexandra Logan; Sally Mitcham; Grace Scott; Effie Warboys; Helen Wilson and director Tony Froud. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk/show/summer-sonnets/.
Heather Findlay: Busking at Sunday’s York River Art Market. Picture: Adam Kennedy
York’s answer to the Left Bank in Paris: York River Art Market, August 17 and 18, 10am to 5pm
YORK River Art Market sets out its stalls on the Dame Judi Dench Walk riverside for its third weekend this summer, featuring up to 30 artists and makers per day. Among Saturday’s stallholders will be Bejojo Art, Jillie Lazenby, Woody’s Creations, Emily Littler, Happy Pot Mama, Magdalena Biernacka, Kissed Frog, I’ve Been Creative, Matt Lightfoot Photography, Inky Print Designs and Wood Wyrm.
Popping up on Sunday will be Urban Infill Store, Wild Orange Tree, Jo O’Cuinneagan, Rock and Twig Studio, David Lobley Photography, The Littlest Falcon, Feather Isle, Fei’s Crochet, Painter Merv, Stairwell Books, Ounce Of Style and plenty more. Look out for York singer-songwriter Heather Findlay on busking duty on Sunday. Admission is free.
Bedern Hall: Playing host to SconeFest from August 14 to 16
Festival of the week: SconeFest, Bedern Hall, Bartle Garth, St Andrewgate,York, August 14 to 16, 11am to 3pm
BEDERN Hall, York’s 14th-century dining hall, hosts the city’s second annual SconeFest, promising a new mystery flavour every day, with the chance to win an afternoon tea for two at the hall if your guess is correct. In addition, the menu will include beloved flavours such as cheese, fruit and lavender.
Director Roger Lee says: “We’re honoured to have Bernadette – famed for her Christmas Pudding scones – baking for us, and we can’t wait for everyone to experience her incredible scones.” No need to book; visitors are welcome at any time throughout the day. Takeaway scones and hot drinks will be available.
Poo power: Illustrator and author Ada Grey’s exhibition at Nunnington Hall
Exhibition of the week: Ada Grey, Splat! Patter! Plop!, Nunnington Hall, Nunnington, until September 8
DIVE into a world where the “hilarity of poo” takes centre stage in this “unique children’s illustration exhibition like no other” by Ada Grey, creator of such picture books as Poo In The Zoo, Great Poo Mystery, Island Of Dinosaur Poo and Super Pooper Road Race.
Noted for the vibrant colours, lively characters and comical twists of her children’s tales, for the first time Grey is showcasing illustrations of such beloved characters as Bob McGrew and Hector Gloop in iconic moments from her favourite stories. Children have the chance to immerse themselves in Ada’s books, draw inspiration to create their own characters and proudly display their creations in the Poop-a-Doodle gallery. Grey will drop in on August 20 to run workshops for children from 11am to 4pm. Tickets and workshop bookings: nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/yorkshire/nunnington-hall/exhibitions.
MeatLoud: Paying tribute to MeatLoaf and Jim Steinman at Joseph Rowntree Theatre
Another slice of MeatLoaf: MeatLoud – Bat Out Of Hades, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, August 24, 7.30pm
FOUNDED in 2015, this powerhouse tribute to MeatLoaf and songwriter Jim Steinman is fronted by vocalist Andy Plimmer, who is joined Sally Rivers to take on the guise of Bonnie Tyler, Celine Dion and Cher. The second half features a complete performance of the classic 1977 album Bat Out Of Hell. Box office: 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.
Jake Vaadeland & The Sturgeon River Boys: Making debut appearance at Selby Town Hall next month
New season opener: Jake Vaadeland & The Sturgeon River Boys, Selby Town Hall, September 4, 7.30pm
SELBY Town Hall kicks off its autumn season with the debut visit of Jake Vaadeland & The Sturgeon River Boys, purveyors of bluegrass and rockabilly from Saskatchewan, Canada.
Selby Town Council arts officer Chris Jones enthuses: “I absolutely love these guys. It’s probably the show I’m most looking forward to in the second half of the year. At just 21 years old, Jake is terrifyingly talented. He and the band – dressed in authentic 1950s’ suits – make the most fantastically fun, upbeat, toe-tapping music, already gracing the main stages of festivals across North America.” Box office: 01757 708449 or selbytownhall.co.uk.
Simon Russell Beale: Shakespeare actor, now starring as Ser Simon Strong in House Of The Dragon, will be in conversation at York Theatre Royal in September
Theatre chat: An Evening With Simon Russell Beale, York Theatre Royal, September 10, 7.30pm
WAS Shakespeare an instinctive “conservative” or, rather, gently subversive? How collaborative was he? Did he add a line to Hamlet to accommodate his ageing and increasingly chubby principal actor Richard Burbage? Did he suffer from insomnia and experience sexual jealousy?
In An Evening With Simon Russell Beale, in conversation with a special guest, the Olivier Award-winning actor will share his experiences of “approaching and living with some of Shakespeare’s most famous characters”, from his school-play days as Desdemona in Othello to title roles in Hamlet and Macbeth. Expect anecdotes of Sam Mendes, Nick Hytner, Stephen Sondheim and Lauren Bacall too. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.
Elkie Brooks: Heading out on her Long Farewell Tour. Leeds and York await. Picture: Neil Kirk
Gig announcement of the week: Elkie Brooks, Long Farewell Tour, Leeds City Varieties Music Hall, September 12; York Barbican, April 11 2025
AFTER 64 years of performing live, the “British queen of blues”, Elkie Brooks, is to undertake her Long Farewell Tour, visiting Leeds and York among 24 dates.
The Salford singer, 79, will perform such hits as Pearl’s A Singer, Lilac Wine, Fool (If You Think It’s Over), Sunshine After The Rain, No More The Fool and Don’t Cry Out Loud in a career-spanning show of blues, rock and jazz numbers that will showcase material from her forthcoming 21st studio album for the first time. Box office: elkiebrooks.com/elkie-brooks-tour-dates-2024; leedsheritagetheatres.com and yorkbarbican.co.uk.
The Delma Tomlin sculpture in the York Trailblazers trail of tansy beetle artworks
TRAILBLAZERS in beetle form, Georgian festivities, colliery band dramas, and riverside art take Charles Hutchinson in different directions in the week ahead.
Trail of the week: York Trailblazers, around York city centre, August 1 to September 30
FACT of the day: the river Ouse has the largest population of tansy beetles in the United Kingdom. Now sculptures of these insects form a new trail, York Trailblazers, a celebration of York’s unsung heroes mounted by York Civic Trust and Make It York with National Lottery Heritage Fund support.
Nominated by the public and community groups, the Trailblazers project highlights remarkable individuals who have made a difference to people’s lives either locally or globally.
Author Terry Deary: Introducing his new novel at the York Georgian Festival this evening
Festival of the week: York Georgian Festival, today to Sunday
THE second York Georgian Festival opens tomorrow, when Horrible Histories author Terry Deary’s 6pm showcase of his new novel, A History Of Britain In Ten Enemies, will be an early highlight.
Tours, talks and fascinating hidden Georgian gems will be at the heart of the festival. The first York Georgian Ball will be held at the Grand Assembly Rooms (now home to the ASK Italian restaurant) on Saturday at 7pm. Look out for Mad Alice’s Rogues Gallery Tour around the city at 4pm on Saturday and Sunday. For the full programme and tickets, head to: yorkgeorgianfestival.co.uk.
Brass band blues: A scene from Brassed Off at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough
Play of the week outside York: Brassed Off, Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, tomorrow (2/8/2024) to August 31
ADAPTED for the stage by Paul Allen from the 1996 screenplay by York filmmaker Mark Herman, Brassed Off takes to the stage in a co-production by Keswick’s Theatre by the Lake, Scarborough’s Stephen Joseph Theatre and Bolton’s Octagon Theatre, directed by Liz Stevenson.
The setting is 1994, ten years after the miners’ strike, when the tight-knit mining community of Grimley, Yorkshire, is fighting to keep the colliery open. Once the uncertainty around the pit’s future becomes too much for the pit band members, loyalty is tested, pressure mounts and the community begins to break apart. Can the band find a way to play on? Box office: 01723 370541 or sjt.uk.com.
Yard Act: Leeds art rock band play in their backyard on Saturday. Picture: Phoebe Fox
Leeds gig of the week: Yard Act, Here’s Our Utopia, Leeds Millennium Square, August 3, doors 6pm; 10.30pm finish
LEEDS art rock band Yard Act play their biggest gig yet on home turf at Leeds Millennium Square this weekend in the wake of the March release of second album Where’s My Utopia?.
Co-produced by James Smith’s indie quartet and Gorillaz member Remi Kabaka Jr, the album peaked at number four, following the number two success and Mercury Prize shortlisting of 2022 debut The Overload. Support acts will be English Teacher, Fat Dog and Ultimate Thunder. Box office: 0113 376 0318 or millsqleeds.com/whatson-event/yard-act/.
Laura Joy’s poster design for the 2024 York River Art Market weekends. She will be participating in all six days. Check out her work at laurajoydesign.co.uk
York’s answer to the Left Bank in Paris: York River Art Market, August 3 and 4; August 10 and 10; August 17 and 18, 10am to 5pm
ORGANISED by jewellery designer and York College art tutor Charlotte Dawson, York River Art Market returns to the riverbank at Dame Judi Dench Walk for a ninth summer season from this weekend.
Up to 30 artists and makers per day will be exhibiting ceramics, jewellery, paintings, prints, photographs, clothing, candles, T-shirts, shaving products and more. “We care that each of the six events are never the same, so we host a different variety of creatives at each one,” says Charlotte. Admission is free.
Richard Hudson’s Unwind: On show at Thirsk Hall Sculpture Garden. Picture: Celestine Dubruel
Exhibition of the week: Thirsk Hall Sculpture Garden, Kirkgate, Thirsk, open Wednesdays to Saturdays, 11am to 5pm, last entry 4pm
THIRSK Hall Sculpture Garden showcases modern and contemporary sculptures in 20 acres of walled gardens and parkland at the grade II-listed town house, complemented by artwork in Gallery One and The Orangery.
Artists on show include Farnoush Amini, Kenneth Armitage, Tere Chad, Tim Ellis, Laura Ford, Richard Hudson, Jeff Lowe, Gerald Laing, Michael Lyons, Trory Menage, Zak Ové, Tim Pomeroy, William Tucker, Austin Wright and Emily Young. To find out more about the 2024 exhibition, visit willoughnygerrish.com. Tickets: thirskhall.com/sculpture-garden.
Chris Hagyard, pictured in Guys And Dolls mode, will sing in Bev Jones Music Company’s One Night Of Broadway Hits
Musical revue of the week: Steve Coates and Bev Jones Music Company present One Night Of Broadway Hits, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, August 3, 2.30pm and 7.30pm
BEV Jones Music Company performs hits from 26 musicals, including Guys And Dolls, in an unashamedly traditional fashion under the musical direction of James Rodgers.
His band is joined in this moving, lively and at times funny show by vocalists Chris Hagyard, Annabel Van Griethuysen, Anthony Pengelly, Ruth McNeil, Sally Lewis, Stephen Wilson, Geoff Walker and producer Lesley Jones, back on stage for this show, wearing a silver cat suit unseen since 2010, when she played Vera in Stepping Out. Box office: 01904 501395 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.
Hurry up Harry: The Three Inch Fools cast for The Secret Diary Of Henry VIII at Helmsley Walled Garden
Ryedale play of the week: The Three Inch Fools in The Secret Diary Of Henry VIII, Helmsley Walled Garden, August 6, 7pm; gates 6pm
THE Three Inch Fools, founded by the Cumbrian Hyde brothers, producer James and writer, composer and director Stephen, present an essential guide on how to keep your head in the Tudor Court in a new comical take on Henry VIII and his six-pack of infamous wives.
Unexpectedly thrust into the limelight, Henry must navigate the ups and downs of courtly life, all while fighting the French yet again and re-writing religious doctrine. Bring chairs, blankets, picnics, but not umbrellas. Park in the Cleveland Way car park. Box office: 01439 771700, helmsleyarts.co.uk or threeinchfools.com.
Korn-ucopia of heavy metal hits at Scarborough Open Air Theatre on August 8
Coastal gig of the week: Korn, Scarborough Open Air Theatre, August 8, gates 6pm
FORMED in California in 1993, Korn continue to push the limits of alt. rock and heavy metal after 40 million album sales, two Grammy awards and countless tours. Expect to hear such anthems as Blind, Falling Away From Me, Here To Stay, Freak On A Leash, Twisted Transistor, Make Me Bad and Did My Time as their European tour arrives in Yorkshire. Support acts will be Wargasm and Loathe. Box office: scarboroughopenairtheatre.com/korn.
Riley Catherall: Playing Pig & Pastry, York, on a tour that takes the Australian singer-songwriter to Nayland, Kirton in Lindsay, High Wycombe and Stockholm, Uddevalla and Oland in Sweden
Introducing: Riley Catherall, Pig & Pastry, Bishopthorpe Road, York, August 8. Doors: 7.30pm for 8pm start
MELBOURNE singer-songwriter Riley Catherall’s graceful trajectory into the Australian alt-country world has not gone unnoticed. So much so that he will be playing in York on Thursday, promising songs of poetic sincerity from his June 14 sophomore album The Light, The Beautiful Liar and his 2021 debut When I Go, a record focused on leaving, losing love and finding somewhere to settle down. Box office: wegottickets.com/event/624233/.
Anastacia: Playing York Barbican next May on her Not That Kind 25th Anniversary Tour
Gig announcement of the week: Anastacia, Not That Kind 25th Anniversary Tour, York Barbican, May 4 2025
CHICAGO singer-songwriter Anastacia will play York Barbican as the only Yorkshire concert of the 13-date British and Irish leg of her Not That Kind tour next year, marking the 25th anniversary of her debut album.
“I didn’t get to do a tour for my first album, which makes this all the more special,” says Anastacia. “I can’t believe it’s been 25 years since Not That Kind; we will be sure to celebrate in true Anastacia style. It’ll be one big anniversary party. I can’t wait to see you all there !” Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk/whats-on/anastacia-2025/.
In Focus:The Magpies Festival, Sutton Park, near York, August 9 and 10
Actress, vocalist and accordion player Natalia Tena fronts Molotov Jukebox at The Magpies Festival, backed by Balkan fiddle, Latin trumpet and a pounding rhythm section, on Friday
RUN by transatlantic folk band The Magpies, The Magpies Festival is rooted in the trio’s native Yorkshire, where they first met. Now in its fourth year, the 2024 event will be headlined on Friday on the main stage by bi-lingual six-piece Molotov Jukebox at 10pm, preceded by Chris While & Julie Matthews, 6pm, and Jim Moray, 8pm.
Friday’s Brass Castle Stage bill features Em Risley, 5pm; Taff Rapids Stringband, 7pm; The Turbans, 9pm, and Easingwold musician Gary Stewart’s Graceland, 11pm.
Saturday’s main stage bill will be topped by Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys at 10pm, preceded by Charm Of Finches, 12 noon, The Often Herd, 2pm, Jesca Hoop, 4pm, The Magpies, 6pm, and Nati (formerly known as Nati Dreddd), 8pm. Saturday’s Brass Castle Stage line-up comprises Painted Sky, 1pm; Suntou Susso, 3pm; Northern Resonance, 5pm; Awkward Family Portraits, 7pm, and Marvara, 9pm.
Festival organisers The Magpies
The all-female The Magpies – Bella Gaffney (singer, songwriter, guitarist and banjo player), fellow founder Holly Brandon (fiddle player and tunesmith) and Ellie Gowers (guitarist, singer and songwriter) – are set on championing gender equality in the music industry, achieving gender parity in both line-up and staff, as well as providing a safe and comfortable environment for female musicians and festival goers.
Festival director Holly Brandon says: “We are so excited to put on The Magpies Festival. We’ve been over the moon at the response to the festival, from the incredible performances from world-class folk musicians to the high-energy spirit that our attendees brought along. It’s felt like a whole new feel to a folk festival.”
Box office: themagpiesfestival.co.uk/tickets.
Sam Kellly & The Lost Boys: To be found at The Magpies Festival at Sutton Park on Saturday
Jane Burnell: Buxton Opera soprano performing at tomorrow’s York Proms in York Museum Gardens
IN search of high-summer highlights, Charles Hutchinson finds Proms fireworks, outdoor cinema singalongs, a mad woodland king and comedy on the coast.
Musical picnic of the week: York Proms, York Museum Gardens, York, Sunday, general admission, 5.30pm; main stage concert, 7.45pm to 10.30pm
TICKETS are close to selling out for the York Proms, tomorrow’s picnic concert under the stars organised as ever by York soprano Rebecca Newman.
Conducted by Ben Crick, the orchestra will be joined by tenor Joshua Baxter and soprano Jane Burnell, both at present performing with Buxton Opera, for a programme of classical classics, operatic arias and film music, topped off with the flag-waving proms finale, decorated with a fireworks display. Box office: 01904 909487 or yorkproms.com.
Hoglets Theatre’s puppet of Badger for Gemma Curry’s new show, The Badger And The Coins, at York Explore & Archive today
Children’s show of the week: Hoglets Theatre in The Badger And The Coins, York Explore Library and Archive, Library Square, York, today, 11am to 11.45am
GEMMA Curry’s York company Hoglets Theatre presents The Badger And The Coins, an original play about love, courage and the belief that even the most unexpected companions can bring magic into our world, suitable for pre-school and primary school children.
Based on a Japanese folk tale, the story of an old man rescuing a mysterious Badger and triggering an amazing journey is powered by original songs, outrageous characters, beautiful hand-made puppets and Hoglets’ trademark energy and creativity. Box office: tickettailor.com/events/exploreyorklibrariesandarchives/1288717.
Cinema in the open air at Castle Howard this weekend, from Disney to Abba, Spielberg to Cruise. Picture: Castle Howard Estate
Outdoor film event of the week: Adventure Cinema at Castle Howard, near Malton, today and tomorrow
PACK a picnic for Castle Howard’s open-air outdoor cinema experience on a giant screen this weekend, presented in tandem with Adventure Cinema. This afternoon features a Sing-A-Long Edition of Disney’s Frozen (PG) at 1.30pm (gates 12 noon).
An Abba disco precedes Mamma Mia! Outdoor Cinema Extrabbaganza, this evening’s all-singing, all-dancing double bill of Mamma Mia! and Mamma Mia Here We Go Again at 6.30pm (gates 5pm). Tomorrow comprises Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler’s The Gruffalo/Stick Man (U) at 11am (gates 10am), Steven Spielberg’s dinosaur blockbuster Jurassic Park (PG) at 3pm (gates 1.30pm) and Tony Scott’s Top Gun, starring Tom Cruise, at 8pm (gate 6.30pm). Box office: adventurecinema.co.uk/venues/castle-howard.
Barn Owl, by Bryn Parry CBE, in the Sculpture In The Landscape exhibition at the Himalayan Garden and Sculpture Park, The Hutts, Grewelthorpe. Picture: Celestine Dubruel
Exhibition of the week: Sculpture In The Landscape, Himalayan Garden and Sculpture Park, The Hutts, Grewelthorpe, near Ripon, until November 3
THE 2024 Sculpture In The Landscape exhibition showcases 60 works for sale by artists across the United Kingdom, complementing the permanent sculptures on show at the Himalayan Garden.
Visitors are invited to explore the intricate sculptures set against verdant landscapes. From monumental installations to delicate works of art, each piece offers a perspective on the intersection of creativity and nature. Normal garden entry applies. Tickets: 01765 658009 or himalayangarden.com
Adderstone in the trees: Music, mystery and magic in the woodland company of Mad Sweeney, the Irish king, at the Forest of Flowers, Huby
Woodland folk event of the week: Sweeney Untethered by Adderstone, Forest of Flowers, Home Farm, Tollerton Road, Huby, York, tomorrow (28/7/2024), 1.30pm to 4pm
ADDERSTONE, the storytelling alt-folk duo of Cath Heinemeyer and Gemma McDermott, present Sweeney Untethered, the tale of a 7th century Irish king who went mad, as told and sung on a caper through the wild woods and meadows of the Forest of Flowers with refreshments after the 1.5-mile walk.
The music, mystery and magic-infused performance will immerse the audience in story and surroundings alike as Heinemeyer and McDermott take in the wildflowers, ponds, woodland and wildlife. Bookings: forestofflowers.co.uk/event-details.
The View: Returning to the concert platform after five-year hiatus
Return of the week: The View, The Crescent, York, August 2, 7.30pm
RESCHEDULED from June 15, Under The Influence presents Dundee indie-rock returnees The View in a night of Hats Off To Buskers classics, from Same Jeans to Wasted Little DJs and Superstar Tradesma, plus material from their first album in eight years.
Recorded with Grammy Award-winning producer Youth at Space Mountain, Granada, Exorcism Of Youth was released last August on Cooking Vinyl. Five years on from their departing gig at Dundee’s Caird Hall, original members Kyle Falconer (vocals/guitar), Kieran Webster (bass/vocals) and Pete Reilly (guitar) are back on the road. Box office: thecrescentyork.com. music, mystery and magic!
Bill Bailey: Comedy in the Scarborough sea air on August 2
Coastal gig of the week: Bill Bailey, Scarborough Open Air Theatre, August 2; gates open at 6pm
COMEDIAN, actor, musician, presenter, Never Mind The Buzzcocks team captain, Black Books sitcom star and 2020 Strictly Come Dancing champion Bill Bailey heads to the East Coast with his surrealist fusion of stories, poetry and wordplay that takes aim at the modern world’s absurdities, as aired in his Thoughtifier arena tour.
A veteran of the UK festival circuit, with appearances at Latitude, Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds, Sonisphere and the Eden Project, Bailey will have his array of weird and wonderful instruments on tap too for playful pastiches of Tom Waits, Kraftwerk et al. Box office: scarboroughopenairtheatre.com.
Chris Hagyard, pictured in Guys And Dolls mode, will be taking part in One Night Of Broadway Hits at the JoRo
Musical revue of the week: Steve Coates and Bev Jones Music Company present One Night Of Broadway Hits, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, August 3, 2.30pm and 7.30pm
BEV Jones Music Company performs hits from 26 musicals, including Guys And Dolls, in an unashamedly traditional fashion under the musical direction of James Rodgers.
His band is joined in this moving, lively and at times funny show by vocalists Chris Hagyard, Annabel Van Griethuysen, Anthony Pengelly, Ruth McNeil, Sally Lewis, Stephen Wilson, Geoff Walker and producer Lesley Jones, back on stage for this show, wearing a silver cat suit unseen since 2010, when she played Vera in Stepping Out. Box office: 01904 501395 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.
Chrissie Hynde: The great Pretender, leading her band at York Barbican this autumn. Picture: Vi Price
Gig announcement of the week: The Pretenders, York Barbican, October 31
THE Pretenders are extending their sold-out British tour, adding a new date in York, in the wake of releasing Relentless, their 14th UK Top 40 entry and highest-charting record in 23 years, last September.
Fronted as ever by Chrissie Hynde, 72, the band is joining Foo Fighters on their American tour in July and August. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk/whats-on/the-pretenders/.
Putting it in black and white: from top, Finlay Butler, Kristian Barley, Kit Stroud, Rebecca Butler and Maia Beatrice in NETheatre York’s West Side Story
FROM a musical in black and white to circus skills, outdoor comedy to racecourse music showcases, Charles Hutchinson picks his high-summer highlights.
Musical of the week: NE Theatre York in West Side Story, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, until Saturday, 7.30pm and 2.30pm Saturday matinee
EXPERIENCE the explosive love and rivalry in 1950s’ New York City in Bernstein & Sondheim’s musical re-telling of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. As romance blossoms between teens from opposing gangs The Sharks and The Jets, the relationship is – spoiler alert – fated to end in tragedy. Steve Tearle’s production for NE Theatre York features a black-and-white design and cultural references from the 1950s to the present day. Box office: 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.
Barn Owl, by Bryn Parry CBE, in the Sculpture In The Landscape exhibition at the Himalayan Garden and Sculpture Park, The Hutts, Grewelthorpe. Picture: Celestine Dubruel
Exhibition of the week: Sculpture In The Landscape, Himalayan Garden and Sculpture Park, The Hutts, Grewelthorpe, near Ripon, until November 3
THE 2024 Sculpture In The Landscape exhibition showcases 60 works for sale by artists across the United Kingdom, complementing the permanent sculptures on show at the Himalayan Garden.
Visitors are invited to explore the intricate sculptures set against verdant landscapes. From monumental installations to delicate works of art, each piece offers a perspective on the intersection of creativity and nature. Normal garden entry applies. Tickets: 01765 658009 or himalayangarden.com
Brainfools in Cabaret Cirque Enchanté at Pocklington Arts Centre
Magical and mind-boggling circus feats of the week: BrainFools present Cabaret Cirque Enchanté, Pocklington Arts Centre, Friday, 6pm, and Saturday, 10.30am
BRAINFOOLS’ collective of National Centre for Circus Arts graduates and their friends bring a collaborative imagination to their versatile, immersive and visually enriching performance of enchanted circus, dance and humour.
The ensemble sets an evocative scene, evoking the cabaret flair of the 1920s with a jazz-flavoured musical score and a compere introducing family-friendly acts. In addition, in conjunction with Burnby Hall Gardens, Brainfools will host circus skills workshops for young people tomorrow and Friday. Box office: 01759 301547 or pocklingtonartscentre.co.uk.
Kaiser Chiefs: A night at the races in York. Picture: Cal McIntyre
Under starter’s orders: York Racecourse Music Showcase Weekend, Knavesmire, York, Kaiser Chiefs, Friday, 8.45pm to 10.30pm, and S Club, Saturday, 5.45pm to 7.30pm
LEEDS indie rock band Kaiser Chiefs, who mounted the exhibition When All Is Quiet at York Art Gallery in 2018-2019, return to York on Friday when the emphasis will be on I Predict A Riot, not Quiet. Expect Oh My God, Everyday I Love You Less And Less, Ruby et al, plus songs from this year’s Easy Eighth Album, after the evening race card.
Saturday afternoon’s racing will be followed by British pop favourites S Club, these days featuring Tina Barrett, Jon Lee, Bradley McIntosh, Jo O’Meara and Rachel Stevens. Here come S Club Party, Never Had A Dream Come True, Bring It All Back, Reach, Don’t Stop Movin’, Have You Ever, Two In A Million, Say Goodbye, You’re My Number One, Love Ain’t Gonna Wait For You and more besides. Raceday tickets: yorkracecourse.co.uk.
Martin Carthy: Folk trailblazer. Picture: The Press, York
Moorland gig of the week: Martin Carthy, The Band Room, Low Mill, Farndale, Saturday, 7.30pm
“WHAT we like most about Martin Carthy is that to us he’s a local hero who will once again take the high road from Robin Hood’s Bay to Farndale, jewel in the crown of the North York Moors National Park, to renew his acquaintance with The Band Room,” says gig promoter Nigel Burnham.
Carthy, 82, who has enjoyed trailblazing folk partnerships with Steeleye Span, Dave Swarbrick, wife Norma Waterson and daughter Eliza Carthy, brings to the stage more than half a century of experiences and stories as a ballad singer, groundbreaking acoustic and electric guitarist and insatiably curious interpreter and arranger of other artists’ material and trad songs. Box office: thebandroom.co.uk.
John Watterton: Celebrating the works of Jake Thackray and Les Barker at Milton Rooms, Malton
Unsung legends celebration of the week: John Watterton: An Evening Without Jake Thackray Or Les Barker!, Milton Rooms, Malton, Sunday 7.30pm
YORK guitarist and vocalist John Watterson keeps alive the spirit of Leeds singer-songwriter, poet, humourist and journalist Jake Thackray through his catalogue of songs that he describes as simultaneously “painfully funny, sad, tragic, rude, irreverent, incisive and happy”.
In this new show, Watterton also features the work of another “unsung legend”: Mancunian former accountant Les Barker, who discovered a talent for writing silly poems that he performed at folk clubs. Box office: 01653 696240 or themiltonrooms.com.
The View: Returning to the concert platform after a five-year hiatus
Return of the week: The View, The Crescent, York, August 2, 7.30pm
RESCHEDULED from June 15, Under The Influence presents Dundee indie-rock returnees The View in a night of Hats Off To Buskers classics, from Same Jeans to Wasted Little DJs and Superstar Tradesma, plus material from their first album in eight years.
Recorded with Grammy Award-winning producer Youth at Space Mountain, Granada, Exorcism Of Youth was released last August on Cooking Vinyl. Five years on from their departing gig at Dundee’s Caird Hall, original members Kyle Falconer (vocals/guitar), Kieran Webster (bass/vocals) and Pete Reilly (guitar) are back on the road. Box office: thecrescentyork.com.
Bill Bailey: Comedy on the coast on August 2
Coastal gig of the week: Bill Bailey, Scarborough Open Air Theatre, August 2; gates open at 6pm
COMEDIAN, actor, musician, presenter, Never Mind The Buzzcocks team captain, Black Books sitcom star and 2020 Strictly Come Dancing champion Bill Bailey heads to the East Coast with his surrealist fusion of stories, poetry and wordplay that takes aim at the modern world’s absurdities, as aired in his Thoughtifier arena tour.
A veteran of the UK festival circuit, with appearances at Latitude, Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds, Sonisphere and the Eden Project, Bailey will have his array of weird and wonderful instruments on tap too for playful pastiches of Tom Waits, Kraftwerk et al. Box office: scarboroughopenairtheatre.com.
Chrissie Hynde: The great Pretender will lead her band at York Barbican in October. Picture: Vi Price
Gig announcement of the week: The Pretenders, York Barbican, October 31
THE Pretenders are extending their sold-out British tour, adding a new date in York, in the wake of releasing Relentless, their 14th UK Top 40 entry and highest-charting record in 23 years, last September.
Fronted as ever by Chrissie Hynde, 72, the band is joining Foo Fighters on their American tour in July and August. Tickets for York Barbican go on sale on Friday at 10am at https://www.yorkbarbican.co.uk/whats-on/the-pretenders/.
Putting it in black and white: Back row, Rebecca Jackson’s Maria, Finlay Butler’s Tony and Kit Stroud’s Riff; front, Kristian Barley’s Bernardo and Maia Beatrice’s Anita. Picture: NETheatre York
DIRECTOR Steve Tearle follows up his best NETheatre York show so far, Fiddler On The Roof, with a bravura take on West Side Story at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, from tomorrow (24/7/2024) to Saturday.
Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim’s musical, inspired by Shakespeare’s tragic tale of forbidden love, Romeo And Juliet, is set in 1950s’ New York City, where the Sharks and the Jets, two working-class gangs, clash in a violent turf war, but Steve is taking a fresh approach.
“NETheatre is known for creating innovative musical theatre and this production is no different,” he says. “We wanted to create this classic as a timeless piece of theatre as we feel the story itself is as relevant today as it was when the musical was written in the Fifties. We won’t have mobile phones but it will resonate with our modern age.
“Our show will be set at ‘anytime’, not a specific time, so we’re using costume references from the 1950s to the present day to emphasise that timelessness. Our design will be mainly black and white, using colour only to highlight crucial moments in the story. The first time you see colour is when the action moves into the gym, and whenever something tragic happens we’ll use colour.”
That story revolves around the boundary-breaking love of Tony (played by Finlay Butler), from the Jets, and Maria (Rebecca Jackson), whose hot-headed brother Bernardo (Kristian Barley) belongs to the rival Sharks gang. Events take a dramatic twist for leader Riff (Kit Stroud) after a rumble between the Jets and Sharks goes drastically wrong, leading Tony to take matters into his own hands.
Steve Tearle’s Doc and Finlay Butler’s Tony in NETheatre York’s West Side Story. “Doc has always thought of Tony as his family,” says Steve. “When Tony got out of prison, Doc took Tony in to live with him and look after him”. Picture: NETheatre York
“In our version, the story runs from 5.34pm on Friday evening and ends at 2.31am on Sunday morning to make it even more of a tragic rush,” says Steve. “The time line will be projected throughout the show.”
He is revelling in directing this landmark musical. “My love of West Side Story started when I was nine when my mum and dad first took me to the pictures in Sunderland to see it, and it’s been a favourite ever since with so many fantastic songs – Maria, America, Cool, I Feel Pretty, Somewhere, Jet Song, Gee, Officer Krupke – probably more than have featured in any other musical,” says Steve.
“The film set off my love of musical theatre that kicked off my career, giving me the confidence to appear in The Sound Of Music at the Sunderland Empire, aged 11, playing Kurt. My inspiration for singing, everything, is that film.
“But I never thought I’d be able to stage West Side Story because I was always comparing what I could achieve with the impact of that amazing film.”
What changed? “I went to see the show on Broadway in 2019 and that gave me the springboard to do a different take on it, not as ‘dancey’, not as polished, but very raw, very emotional, and that inspired me to come up with this concept, focusing on the acting,” says Steve. “Our show will be raw, full of dancing, climbing and fighting.
Melissa Boyd’s Roselia Sanchez, left, and Maia Beatrice’s Anita in NETheatre York’s West Side Story. “Anita and Roselia are best friends but Roselia isn’t as keen as Anita about living in America,” says Steve
“I think of this musical as a play with music, rather than as a musical, where we’re concentrating on the characterisation and the stories, and on stories that are not usually explored in depth, such as Doc and Tony, who lives with him after prision, looking at what their relationship is, and the story between Bernardo and Maria too.
“We’ve not changed a word but what I have done is strip it back, so it uses the least props I’ve ever used, making it as raw as the emotions, showing the struggles they all go through to be in a gang. The stage will be pretty much bare, with no wings, three scaffolding towers (for the balcony scenes), eight chairs and one bed, and we’ll use white lights and strobe lighting.”
Steve is directing a cast of 35 aged 11 to 60-plus. “Look out for Snowboy, who’s played by Zachary Pickersgill. He has hardest lines in the show and he’s only 11,” he says. “We’ve reconstructed the gangs as gangland and gang warfare is like today, with generals, runners and look-outs.
“Everyone will be in black and white, and to tell the gangs apart, it will come down to movement: the Puerto Rican Sharks’ dancing will be more fluent; the Jets will be more jive based.
“Our first rehearsals were all about getting into character before we started rehearsing lines, initially keeping Jets and Sharks apart in the reherarsal room.”
NE Theatre York in West Side Story, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, July 24 to 27, 7.30pm and 2.30pm Saturday matinee. Box office: 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.
The Jets in NETheatre York’s West Side Story. Picture: NETheatre York
Cast:
Rebecca Jackson, as Maria; Finlay Butler, Tony; Kit Stroud, Riff; Maia Beatrice, Anita; Kristian Barley, Bernardo; Stephen Tearle, Doc; Erik Jensen, Lt Schrank; Rich Musk, Office Krupke; Scott Barnes, Mr Gladhand.
The Jets
Sam Brothy, Action; Callum Richardson, Baby John; Erin Greenley, Anybody’s; Missy Barnes, A-Rab; Toby Jensen, Big Deal; Zachary Pickersgill, Snowboy; Courtney Batey, Graziella; Amy Legerton, Velma; Neve Greenley, Thelma; Ellie Roberts, Cynthia; Greg Roberts, Diesel; James Robert, Miguel; Alice Atang, Natalia.
Narrator Chris Meadley, right, and fellow Rowntree Players cast members take to the woods to prepare for Grimm Tales at the JoRo
AMI Carter directs Rowntree Players in Tim Supple’s dramatisation of Carol Ann Duffy’s account of Grimm Tales at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, from tonight (11/7/24) to Saturday.
Carter’s cast of 15 – aged 16 to 75 – will take a journey through delightfully bizarre stories from the Brothers Grimm collection to reveal their true origins and to expose how the path to a happy ending can, indeed, be a little grim.
Guided by Chris Meadley in the Narrator’s role, they will perform three “meaty” tales in each half, complemented by a Meadley monologue: The Mouse, The Bird and The Sausage, performed as a shadow play in the first half, and Sweet Porridge, in a more physical staging, after the interval.
“Each tale will be a maximum of 20 minutes, some of them shorter,” says Ami. “They were first done by the Young Vic Theatre Company in 1996 and 1997, when Tim Supple turned Carol Ann Duffy’s adaptation into dialogue and split it among the characters, introduced by a Narrator, with the characters then taking over the narration.
“In our production, in Snow White, Chris will play both the Narrator and the Magic Mirror, which is a nice dual role to have, and in most of the others he will set the scene, comment on the moral of the tale and make quips to link one tale to the next.”
If the mask fits: Rowntree Players take on all manner of roles in Grimm Tales
Ami has changed the original order of tales from the Young Vic productions to suit the streamlined structure of eight tales and to maximise narrative momentum. “Hansel & Gretel is the only tale that ends with ‘And they all lived happily ever after’, so I knew I wanted to end the show with that one,” she says.
“The biggest balancing act is to achieve light and shade, and with the dark nature of some stories, you don’t want to bring the energy down, so some of the stories are just farces, because the show needs to be a rollercoaster, not a nosedive.
“It’s not that some stories don’t have a happy outcome, they do, but they end with the comeuppance for the villain, which means a couple of times – Snow White and Ashputtel (the Grimm title for Cinderella) – the tales end on a dramatic note.”
Expressing a preference for the 19th century folk tales collected by the Brothers Grimm rather than the earlier French fairy tales of Charles Perrault, Ami says: “The Grimm versions feel more like folk tales for the masses, whereas Perrault’s tales were written for the French court, the upper-class society.
“Published as Children’s and Household Tales, the Brothers Grimm turned the stories into cautionary tales for children – like the warning ‘Don’t go into woods’ – and the difference with today is now we just try to protect them from doing anything.
Storyteller: Chris Meadley in the Narrator’s role in Rowntree Players’ Grimm Tales
“Disney’s films have kept the original morals but made them less distressing, but the idea behind the stories was to scare children into behaving, which we don’t do now.
“Yet if we look at TV shows like Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirrors, it’s cathartic to enjoy the darkness in them. That’s the purpose of some of these stories too.”
Rowntree Players will be staging only evening performances, but that is not intended to rule out children from attending. “With our marketing, we’ve done enough to promote it’s a show on the darker side of things, and it’s probably not appropriate for younger children,” says Ami.
“But if they’re 11, 12, 13, they will really enjoy it because there’s no goriness, no jump scares, just that haunted house/Halloween vibe. It’s like Horrible Histories; it hits that sweet spot.”
Supple’s scripts have guidelines on how to distribute the roles, but Ami took her own approach, favouring multi-role playing. “I wanted to make the principal cast as small as possible, so I ended up with one narrator, four men and four women and a non-speaking ensemble of six,” she says.
“I went through the script and assigned roles working on the theory of archetypes with a mixture of ages, while knowing the pool of Rowntree Players actors we could draw on.
Rowntree Players’ poster for Grimm Tales
“There are ‘father’ archetypes, incorporating kings and villains; ‘mother’ archetypes, such as queens and witches; middle roles, like eldest sons, daughter and sister roles, young roles, and then some have to play cockerels and donkeys because some of the tales are very strange!”
Ami continues: “The other factor with the casting was that I was very keen for it not to be like our pantos, though a lot of the same people are involved but I tried not to cast them in roles that people would have seen them in before.
“That’s another reason Rowntree Players wanted to do Grimm Tales: to show these tales in their original light. Some are different from the pantomimes; some are very similar. Ashputtel [Cinderella] feels very different, such as characters getting their eyes pecked out.”
The production’s design will echo pantomime’s use of medieval and Renaissance costumery and sets, “but it will be much more rustic, more natural, woods, not glitter,” says Ami. “The Magic Mirror is the only thing that’s remotely sparkly.
“Grimm Tales is not bright colours and jolliness. It’s much darker than that with lots of props and puppets, like the birds I’ve made with cardboard and paper craft, as there are lots of things you can’t do with people.
Amy Carter’s cast in rehearsal for Rowntree Players’ Grimm Tales
“For the ‘seven dwarfs’ in Snow White, we’re using the masks we had in our pantomime. I’ve now put eyes on them but I’m not sure it’s made them any less creepy: it’s like Snow White & The Seven Marty Feldmans!”
Rowntree Players in Grimm Tales, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, tonight until Saturday, 7.30pm. Box office: 01904 501395 or at josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.
Who’s in the Grimm Tales cast?
NARRATOR Chris Meadley will be joined by Geoff Walker as Male 1; Graham Smith, Male 2; Joe Marrucci, Male 3; Fergus Green, Male 4; Abbey Follansbee, Female 1; Hannah Wood, Female 2; Meg Badrick, Female 3, and Annie Dunbar, Female 4.
In the ensemble will be Henry Cullen, Jess Whitehead, Britt Brett, Jess Dawson, Libby Roe and Ella Lofthouse.
Rowntree Players cast members parade their puppets for Grimm Tales
