Tag: NIna Simone

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More Things To Do in York & beyond when Pride comes before a full week of delights. Hutch’s List No. 25, from The York Press

Angels Of The North: Headlining the main stage on Knavesmire at York Pride 2025

YORK Pride and celebrations of Northern Soul and British comedy greats are right up Charles Hutchinson’s street for the week ahead.  

Festival of the week: York Pride, Parliament Street to Knavesmire, York, 12 noon to 6pm

NORTH Yorkshire’s largest LGBT+ celebration and York’s biggest free one-day festival, York Pride 2025, takes to the streets for its biggest, boldest and most fabulous event yet today, led off by the Pride Parade that will follow a new path through the streets from Parliament Street at midday.

On Knavesmire, the festival’s main stage will be headlined by Angels Of The North (6pm) and on the bill too will be Ryan Petitjean (1.10pm), tribute act Pet Shop Boys, Actually (1.35pm), Marcus Collins (2pm), Eva Iglesias (2.30pm), York drag superstar Janice D (3.35pm), La Voix (4pm), West End queen Kerry Ellis (5.15pm), The Cheeky Girls (5.35pm) and plenty more. Find the full line-up at yorkpride.org.uk/line-up.

Duncan Honeybourne: Performing the last concert of York Late Music’s 2024-2025 series this afternoon

Season’s finale: York Late Music presents Duncan Honeybourne, piano, Unitarian Chapel, St Saviourgate, York, today, 1pm

PIANIST Duncan Honeybourne performs new commissions commemorating the 100th anniversary of the death of the influential French composer Erik Satie, written especially for this afternoon’s programme by Philip Grange, Fred Viner, Sarah Dacey, Andrew Hugill, Steve Plews, Sarah Thomas, Simon Hopkins, Jenny Jackson and others, some of whom will be heard at Late Music for the first time.

Each composer has been asked to provide a new miniature piano solo influenced or inspired in some way by Satie and their works will be interspersed with a selection of Satie’s own pieces, such as Gnossiennes and Gympnopédies. Box office: latemusic.org/duncan-honeybourne-piano/ or on the door.

Film event of the week: John Barry From York With Love, Everyman York, York, today at 2.30pm and 4pm

JOHN Barry From York With Love, Sean Parkin’s unauthorised documentary of the early career of the York-born film composer, will have two private screenings at Everyman York this afternoon.

Private, yes, but tickets are available, although for copyright reasons, those tickets are for the after-viewing party at The Crescent community venue. The film viewing is free but there will be no entry without an after-show ticket. Doors open at Everyman at 2pm; the after-view party is at 3.45pm. All profits go to the Future Talent charity. A further screening follows at 4pm. Tickets: fienta.com.

Lady Nade: Paying tribute to Nina Simone at Helmsley Arts Centre

Celebration of a legacy: Lady Nade Sings Nina Simone, Helmsley Arts Centre, tonight, 7.30pm,

KNOWN for paying homage to those who have influenced her journey  profoundly, Lady Nade holds Nina Simone in high regard  for leaving behind a legacy of liberation, empowerment, passion and love through her extraordinary body of work.

As a black woman, Lady Nade acknowledges Simone’s trailblazing role in paving the way for artists of her generation. Her high-energy performance is a heartfelt dedication to recreating the transformative sound that blended popular tunes of the era into a distinctive fusion of jazz, blues, gospel, and folk music. Box office: 01439 771700 or helmsleyarts.co.uk.

The fez, the spectacles and the bow tie: Damian Williams’s Tommy Cooper, Bob Golding’s Eric Morecambe and Simon Cartwright’s Bob Monkhouse in The Last Laugh. Picture: Pamela Raith

Comedy legends of the week: The Last Laugh, Grand Opera House, York, June 10 to 14, 7.30pm plus 2.30pm Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday matinees

WHO will have The Last Laugh at the Grand Opera House, York, when British comedy triumvirate Eric Morecambe, Tommy Cooper and Bob Monkhouse reconvene in a dressing room in Paul Hendy’s play?

Find out in the Edinburgh Fringe, West End and New York hit’s first tour stop as Bob Golding, Damian Williams and Simon Cartwright take on the iconic roles in this new work by the Evolutions Productions director, who just happens to write York Theatre Royal’s pantomimes too. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.

Keeping the faith in Northern Soul: Chloe McDonald, left, and Martha Godber in John Godber’s Do I Love You?, on the dancefloor at York Theatre Royal from June 10

Weekender of the week: John Godber Company in Do I Love You?, York Theatre Royal, June 10 to 14, 7.30pm plus 2pm Thursday and 2.30pm Saturday matinees; post-show discussion on June 13

THE John Godber Company is on its third tour of John Godber’s hymn to keeping the faith in Northern Soul, with the same cast of Martha Godber, Chloe McDonald and Emilio Encinoso-Gil.

Inspired by Godber’s devotion to Northern Soul, Do I Love You? follows three twentysomethings, slumped in the drudgery of drive-through counter jobs, who find excitement, purpose and their tribe as they head to weekenders all over, from Bridlington Spa to the Tower Ballroom, Chesterfield to Stoke. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk

Making a last stand: Pickering Musical Society bids farewell to musicals in Hello, Dolly! Picture: Robert David Photography

Goodbye to musicals: Pickering Musical Society in Hello, Dolly!, Kirk Theatre, Pickering, June 10 to 14, 7.30pm plus 2.30pm Saturday matinee

PICKERING Musical Society is preparing to raise the curtain on its final full-scale musical production, after more than a century, citing rising production costs and falling membership.

Set in the energetic bustle of 1890s’ New York, Jerry Herman’s Hello, Dolly! follows the irrepressible Dolly Gallagher Levi (society favourite Rachel Anderson) – a witty matchmaker, meddler and “arranger of things” – as she decides to find a match for herself. Box office:  01751 474833 or kirktheatre.co.uk or in person from the box office on Tuesdays, 11am to 1pm.

Podcaster Blindboy Boatclub

Podcaster of the week: The Blindboy Podcast Live, York Barbican, June 10, 7.30pm

POLYMATH, author, screenwriter, songwriter, musician, producer and academic Blindboy Boatclub is on the biggest tour yet of his storytelling podcast, wherein he follows the Irish tradition of the Seanchaí, intertwining history, fiction, cultural critique and politics.

Drawing on his knowledge and chronic curiosity to democratise topics such as art, psychology, politics, science and music, Blindboy gives his insight into complex issues. Look out for a surprise special guest too. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.

The invitation to Mark Hearld’s book signing on Thursday at Janette Ray Booksellers

Book signing of the week: Mark Hearld at Janette Ray Booksellers, 8, Bootham, York, June 12, from 4.30pm

YORK artist, ceramicist and York Open Studios stalwart Mark Heard will be signing copies of his book, Raucous Invention, The Joy Of Making, published in a beautiful new edition by Thames & Hudson. Mark will be on hand from 4.30pm to 7.30pm.

Released on June 5, the newly expanded edition of Hearld’s monograph bursts with more than 400 colour illustrations and fresh insights in a vivid journey into the heart of his creativity and love of the animal world.

Christopher Simon Sykes’s photograph of Mick Jagger in concert on the Rolling Stones’ Tour of the Americas in 1975, on show at Sledmere House from June 13

Exhibition launch of the week:  On Tour With The Rolling Stones 1975, A 50th Anniversary Exhibition of Photographs by Christopher Simon Sykes, Sledmere House, Sledmere, near Driffield, June 13 to July 6, except Mondays and Tuesdays, 10am to 5pm

IN June 1975, Christopher Sykes, of Sledmere House, joined the Rolling Stones Tour of the Americas, known as T.O.T.A ’75: his first rock’n’roll itinerary as a snapper after specialising in photographing stately home interiors.

“You know going on tour is not like country life, Chrissie,” advised Mick Jagger on his first day of accompanying the Stones on their three-month tour of North America and Canada, playing 40 shows in 27 cities. The photos were used in a tour diary published the following year, and this exhibition showcases a selection of the best of the behind-the-scenes and stage pictures in the Courtyard Room. Tickets: sledmerehouse.com.

In Focus: Chalky The Yorkie at No 84 Sandwich Bar, Micklegate Arts Trail, York

Artist Chalky The Yorkie stands behind his Tiki bar at No 84 Sandwich Bar, created for the Micklegate Arts Trail

ROVING, rock’n’roll-loving York artist Chalky The Yorkie has always had a canny eye for spotting locations for his installation pieces.

Raise a glass to his latest artwork, the outdoor, Polynesian-style Tiki bar at No 84 Sandwich Bar, Julian Smith’s deli and cafe in Micklegate, created for the 2025 Micklegate Arts Trail but destined to remain in place after the festival ends on June 15.

“Last year Julian had a conversation with me about how it would be great to have a bar out here, at the back, which was full of bins at the time,” recalls Chalky. “So the bar was the first idea, but then, when we were thinking about the Arts Trail, two friends had suggested I should  incorporate bikes, and another said it would be great to do something for the environment, repurposing things out of skips and the old bicycles.

Chalky The Yorkie’s Tiki bar installation poem on the plight of cyclists

“So what I’ve come up with is a bar built with scrap wood and salvaged wood  after I was donated some leftovers by a builder to create the Re-Cycle Tiki Bar, to give something back to the planet. David Burton gave me one bike, along with one from his childhood and another was provided by Recycle York, in Walmgate.

“I thought I should create a memorial, taking the term ‘Re-cycle’ to highlight the plight of cyclists who lose their lives in accidents or come off their bikes and get injured in cycle lanes.”

Artist Chalky The Yorkie with No 84 owner Julian Smith at the Tiki bar

Originally Chalky considered designing a 1950s’ bar but then settled on a colourful Tiki bar. “The primary  colours are there to match traffic lights, with red, amber, though it’s more yellow than amber, and green. I went for yellow, because it’s a more definitive colour,” he says. “The blues I use signify the pain of loss in a cycling accident.”

Incorporated in the installation too are Beaumont ceramics of exotic birds and figures, acquired from York Catering Supplies, in Walmgate, butterfly motifs, floral decorations and tinkling bells. “I like the Buddhist convention of chiming bells in remembrance of people as part of their memorial ceremonies,” says Chalky.

Welcoming Chalky’s installation, Julian says. “Chalky is part of the fixtures and fittings here. He even came around for our Christmas dinner!

It Can Happen To You – Take Care: Chalky The Yorkie’s Re-cycle memorial to cyclists

“We’re taking part in the Micklegate Arts Trail because it’s all about traders promoting local artists whose work they like, with Navigators Art giving us a platform to do that. Jasmine Foo has never exhibited  before, and  we picked her crochet work because my wife is a knitter. We’re delighted to be showing Sinead Corkery and Jude Redpath too – and Chalky’s cheeky Tiki bar is the icing on the cake.”

Inside the deli, look out too for Chalky’s day and night paintings of No 84, both featuring the family pet, Sid the dog, in the upstairs window.

Chalky The Yorkie’s painting of No 84 Sandwich Bar, Walmgate, York, at night

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What’s On in Ryedale, York and beyond. Hutch’s List No. 23, from Gazette & Herald

The artwork for the 2025 York Festival of Ideas, making waves until June 13

A FESTIVAL full of bright ideas leads off Charles Hutchinson’s recommendations for cultural sustenance and enlightening entertainment.

Festival of the week: York Festival of Ideas, running until June 13

YORK Festival of Ideas 2025 explores the theme of Making Waves in more than 200 mostly free in-person and online events designed to educate, entertain and inspire. 

Led by the University of York, the festival features world-class speakers, performances, exhibitions, tours, family-friendly activities and much more. Topics range from archaeology to art, history to health and politics to psychology. Browse the programme at yorkfestivalofideas.com.

New Adventures in Matthew Bourne’s The Midnight Bell, on tour at York Theatre Royal. Picture: Johan Persson

Dance return of the week: New Adventures in Matthew Bourne’s The Midnight Bell, York Theatre Royal, until Saturday, 7.30pm plus 2pm Thursday and 2.30pm Saturday matinees

IN 1930s’ London, ordinary people emerge from cheap boarding houses nightly to pour out their passions, hopes and dreams in the pubs and fog-bound streets of Soho and Fitzrovia. Step inside The Midnight Bell, a tavern where one particular lonely-hearts club gather to play out their lovelorn affairs of the heart: bitter comedies of longing, frustration, betrayal and redemption. 

Inspired by the work of English novelist Patrick Hamilton, Matthew Bourne’s The Midnight Bell returns to York Theatre Royal, where it first played in October 2021, with a 14-strong cast of New Adventures’ actor-dancers, music by Terry Davies and set and costume design by Lez Brotherston. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk

The poster artwork for NE Theatre York’s fully staged concert performances of Carousel

Musical of the week: NE Theatre York in Carousel, Tempest Anderson Hall, Museum Gardens, York, tomorrow to Saturday, 7.30pm plus 2.30pm Saturday matinee

STEVE Tearle directs NE Theatre York in fully staged concert performances of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel with an 18-piece orchestra conducted by Joe Allen. The cast for this tale of hope, redemption and the power of love will be led by Kit Stroud as Billy Bigelow; Rebecca Jackson as Julie Jordan; Maia Beatrice as Carrie Pepperidge; Finlay Butler as Mr Snow and Perri Ann Barley as Aunt Netty. 

Cue such R&H classics as June Is Burstin’ Out All Over, If I Loved You, When I Marry Mister Snow, Blow High, Blow Low and the iconic Liverpool and Celtic terrace anthem You’ll Never Walk Alone. Box office: ticketsource.co.uk/netheatre-york.

King Creosote’s Kenny Anderson: Serving up a Storm In A Teacup at The Crescent, York

Scottish visitor of the week: Please Please You and Brudenell Presents host King Creosote, The Crescent, York, tomorrow, 7.30pm

KING Creosote follows up 2024’s springtime tour Any Port In A Storm with his Any Storm In A Teacup travels from April to June this year, again with a mix of modular synths, his back catalogue from 50 studio albums and his November 2023 album I Des, the first King Creosote recording in seven years.

As ever, Scotsman Kenny Anderson’s performance will be marked by his singular voice, allied to roguish, roving, ever-evolving, gorgeous songs in the key of Fife. Box office, for returns only: thecrescentyork.com.

Lady Nade: Paying tribute to Nina Simone. Picture: Joseph Branston

Celebration of a legacy: Lady Nade Sings Nina Simone, Helmsley Arts Centre, Saturday, 7.30pm,

KNOWN for paying homage to those who have influenced her journey  profoundly, Lady Nade holds Nina Simone in high regard  for leaving behind a legacy of liberation, empowerment, passion and love through her extraordinary body of work.

As a black woman, Lady Nade acknowledges Simone’s trailblazing role in paving the way for artists of her generation. Her high-energy performance is a heartfelt dedication to recreating the transformative sound that blended popular tunes of the era into a distinctive fusion of jazz, blues, gospel, and folk music. Box office: 01439 771700 or helmsleyarts.co.uk.

Pink Floydian: Showcasing the golden era of progressive rock at Milton Rooms, Malton

Tribute gig of the week: Pink Floydian, Milton Rooms, Malton, Saturday, 7.30pm

PINK Floydian’s immersive experience transports fans back to the golden era of progressive rock in a two-and-a-half hour show that takes in the Syd Barrett, Roger Waters and David Gilmour eras.

From the lush landscapes of Shine On You Crazy Diamond to the haunting refrain of Great Gig In The Sky to the anthemic Comfortably Numb and Wish You Were Here, Pink Floydian undertake a magical journey through Pink Floyd’s illustrious recording career. Box office: 01653 696240 or themiltonrooms.com.

Rachel Anderson’s Dolly Gallagher Levi, centre, and the ensemble in Pickering Musical Society’s Hello, Dolly! Picture: Robert David Photography

Goodbye to musicals: Pickering Musical Society in Hello, Dolly!, Kirk Theatre, Pickering, June 10 to 14, 7.30pm plus 2.30pm Saturday matinee

PICKERING Musical Society is preparing to raise the curtain on its final full-scale musical production, after more than a century, citing rising production costs and falling membership.

Set in the energetic bustle of 1890s’ New York, Jerry Herman’s Hello, Dolly! follows the irrepressible Dolly Gallagher Levi (society favourite Rachel Anderson) – a witty matchmaker, meddler and “arranger of things” – as she decides to find a match for herself. Box office:  01751 474833 or kirktheatre.co.uk or in person from the box office on Tuesdays, 11am to 1pm.

Christopher Simon Sykes’s photograph of Mick Jagger in concert on the Rolling Stones’ Tour of the Americas in 1975, on show at Sledmere House from June 13

Exhibition launch of the week:  On Tour With The Rolling Stones 1975, A 50th Anniversary Exhibition of Photographs by Christopher Simon Sykes, Sledmere House, Sledmere, near Driffield,  June 13 to July 6, except Mondays and Tuesdays, 10am to 5pm

IN June 1975, Christopher Sykes, of Sledmere House, joined the Rolling Stones Tour of the Americas, known as T.O.T.A ’75: his first rock’n’roll itinerary as a snapper after specialising in photographing stately home interiors.

“You know going on tour is not like country life, Chrissie,” advised Mick Jagger on his first day of accompanying the Stones on their three-month tour of North America and Canada, playing 40 shows in 27 cities. The photos were used in a tour diary published the following year, and this exhibition showcases a selection of the best of the behind-the-scenes and stage pictures in the Courtyard Room. Tickets: sledmerehouse.com.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Elvana: When Nirvana meets Elvis Presley at York Barbican

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Antony Dunn 

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

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

Lisa J Coates

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

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

Nathan Walker

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

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

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

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

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Ballet Black to perform Pioneers double bill of Then Or Now and Nina: By Whatever Means at York Theatre Royal on Friday

Ballet Black dancers Sayaka Ichikawa and Mthuthuzeli November in Will Tuckett’s Then Or Now. Picture: Bill Cooper

CASSA Pancho’s Ballet Black return to York Theatre Royal on Friday with a double bill of original ballets in Pioneers.

Formed in 2001 to celebrate dancers of Black and Asian descent, the London company presents works by two of their best-known collaborators, the award-winning Will Tuckett ((Depouillement, 2009, Orpheus, 2011) and Mthuthuzeli November (Ingoma, 2019, The Waiting Game, 2021).

Tuckett’s 35-minute Then Or Now, created in 2020, blends classical ballet, music and the poetry of Adrienne Rich to ask the question: in times like these, where do we each belong?

The second piece, the world premiere of November’s 40-minute Nina: By Whatever Means, is inspired by the artistry and activism of American singer, songwriter, pianist, and civil rights activist Nina Simone. November weaves a picture of Simone’s turbulent and influential life to create an emotional and empowering love letter to this legendary cultural icon.

Cassa Pancho, Ballet Black’s founder, chief executive officer and artistic director, says: “Every year, I describe how delighted I am to present new works and this, our 21st year, is no different. I am so pleased that we can bring Then Or Now back for a longer run. Originally created to premiere in 2020, this ballet was delayed by the pandemic, and only had a very short run across four theatres in 2021.

Rosanna Lindsey, left, and Sayaka Ichikawa in Mthuthuzeli November’s Nina: By Whatever Means. Picture: Bill Cooper

“One of the joys of having work created specifically for Ballet Black is getting to revisit it with the choreographer, and we’ve had fun having Will back in the studio to restage this beautiful ballet.”

As for November’s Simone work, Pancho says: “It’s thrilling to be able to bring Nina: By Whatever Means to life. It’s part of our growing collection of ballets that depict the Black experience through classical ballet, creating a new and relevant repertoire for audiences of all ages, backgrounds and cultures.

“It is the realisation of a dream Mthuthuzeli had to create a love letter to Nina Simone, and I cannot wait to share this programme with you all.”

Ballet Black: Pioneers, York Theatre Royal, June 23, 7.30pm. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk. Age guidance: 7+. Caution: themes of racism and fleeting domestic violence in Nina: By Whatever Means.

Isabela Coracy in Ballet Black’s world premiere of Mthuthuzeli November’s Nina: By Whatever Means. Picture: Bill Cooper
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More Things To Do in York and beyond when moments of laughter, sadness and reflection make List No. 66, from The Press

Beth Hutchinson in her monologue in Rowntree Players’ premiere of The Missing Peace. Picture: Duncan Lomax

FROM The Missing Peace to Shed Seven at the races, Charles Hutchinson finds the missing pieces to fill your diary

Premiere of the week: Rowntree Players in The Missing Peace, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, January 27 to 29, 7.30pm and 2.30pm Saturday matinee

ROWNTREE Players director Gemma McDonald has adapted York author, singer, motivational conference speaker and charity champion Big Ian Donaghy’s book The Missing Peace, now billed as “One play…15 endings”.

On stage, Donaghy’s exploration of life after death takes the form of 15 Talking Heads-style monologues, many drawn from interviews he conducted in York. “It’s not a play about death, it’s a play about life,” he says. “There will be moments of laughter, sadness and reflection throughout.”

Look out for Mark Addy, who has recorded the narrator’s role as the Station Announcer. Box office: 01904 501935 or at josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.

Ben Earle and Crissie Rhodes of The Shires: Acoustic show in their regular haunt of Pocklington

Country gig of the week: The Shires – Acoustic, Pocklington Arts Centre, January 26, 8pm

THE Shires, Britain’s best-selling country music act, bring their 2022 intimate acoustic tour to Pocklington on the back of working on their upcoming fifth album.

Award-winning duo Ben Earle and Crissie Rhodes have made a habit of playing Pocklington since their Studio debut in 2014, appearing regularly at PAC and playing the Platform Festival at The Old Station in 2016 and 2019. To check ticket availability, go to pocklingtonartscentre.co.uk or call 01759 301547. 

Ross Noble: What is a Humournoid? Find out, or maybe not, in his new tour show

Comedy gig of the week: Ross Noble: Humournoid, Grand Opera House, York, January 29, 8pm

WHAT happens when a creature is created and bred to do stand up, asks Geordie comic Ross Noble in his Covid-delayed but finally here new tour show, Humournoid?

“Nobody knows because that isn’t a thing,” says his tour blurb. “What is a thing is Ross Noble doing a show. You can come and see it. This is it.”

As ever with this improviser supreme, it turns out Humournoid has no theme, says Noble, who promises a typically freewheeling performance on his return to one of his five favourite venues in the world. Box office: atgtickets.com/York.

Porridge Radio: Brighton band making waves at The Crescent in York. Picture: El Hardwick

If you discover one band this month, make it: Porridge Radio, The Crescent, York, January 31, 7.30pm

EVERY Bad, their 2020 album released by the super-cool Secretly Canadian label, has propelled Porridge Radio from a word-of-mouth gem of Brighton’s DIY scene to one of the country’s most exciting upcoming bands.

“Last here opening for BC Camplight, we’re very pleased to see them return,” say promoters Please Please You and Brudenell Presents. Pet Shimmers, a new supercharged seven-piece from Bristol, support. Box office: thecrescentyork.com.

Malaika Kegode: Guest poet at Say Owt Slam’s return to The Crescent

Word wars: Say Owt Slam with guest poet Malaika Kegode, The Crescent, York, February 5, 7.30pm

BRISTOL writer, performer and producer Malaika Kegode will be the special guest at York spoken-word hub Say Owt’s first Slam night for more than two years.

Kegode has appeared at WOMAD and Edinburgh Book Festival, published two poetry collections with Burning Eye Books and created Outlier, an autobiographical gig-theatre with prog-rock band Jakabol. Passionate about cinema, culture and race, her lyrical work journeys through lives and loves, exploring genre, form and the power of the written word made visual.

In the raucous poetry Slam, performers will have three minutes each to wow the audience. Box office: thecrescentyork.com.

Contrarian comedian Alfie Brown: Emotional moments in his Sensitive Man show

Moral dilemmas: Alfie Brown: Sensitive Man, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, February 10, 8pm

DOES emotion help us make moral judgments? In his new show, contrarian comedian Alfie Moore will address this question, using jokes.

These jokes will weave together to create something greater than the sum of their parts, answering a question about emotion and its complicated relationship with morality.

“I refute that I am saying things to plainly and wilfully disrupt social progress,” he says. “I am not. I might seem smug, I know, apologies, and I am often misunderstood. So, at this particular point in the unfolding history of meaning, intention, signs and signifiers, I am sometimes going to tell you what I mean.” Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.

Florence Odumosu as Nina Simone in Black Is The Color Of My Voice at the SJT, Scarborough

Nina’s blues: Black Is The Color Of My Voice, Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, March 12, 7.30pm

FLORENCE Odumosu plays Nina Simone in Apphia Campbell’s story of the North Carolina-born jazz and blues singer and activist seeking redemption after the untimely death of her father. 

Simone reflects on the journey that took her from a young piano prodigy, destined for a life in the service of the church, to a renowned vocalist and pianist at the forefront of the civil rights movement. Box office: 01723 370541 or at sjt.uk.com.

Chasing winners: Shed Seven to play after the May 14 race card at Doncaster Racecourse

Racing certainty…hopefully: Shed Seven, Live After Racing @Doncaster Racecourse, May 14, from 11.15am

YORK band Shed Seven’s day at the races should have taken place on May 15 2021, but Covid made it a non-runner. Now they are under starter’s orders at Doncaster Racecourse for a hit-laden live set after the May 15 race card this spring.

Among the Sheds’ runners and riders will be Going For Gold, Chasing Rainbows, She Left Me On Friday, Disco Down, Dolphin, Where Have You Been Tonight? and fan favourites from 2017’s comeback album Instant Pleasures, Room In My House and Better Days. For tickets for the race-day and concert package, go to: doncaster-racecourse.co.uk/whats-on.

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Nina Simone’s life story as jazz singer and civil rights activist charted in Black Is The Color Of My Voice at Scarborough’s SJT

Florence Odumosu as Nina Simone in Apphia Campbell’s play Black Is The Color Of My Voice

BLACK Is The Color Of My Voice, writer-director Apphia Campbell’s play Inspired by the life of Nina Simone, plays Scarborough’s Stephen Joseph Theatre on March 12.

After sell-out seasons in Shanghai, New York, Edinburgh and London’s West End, Seabright Productions’ national tour will take in further Yorkshire performances at the Square Chapel Arts Centre, Halifax, on March 8 and the Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield, on March 16, all three starting at 7.30pm.

Florence Odumosu will play the North Carolina-born jazz singer and civil rights activist in Campbell’s story of Simone seeking redemption after the untimely death of her father. 

Simone reflects on the journey that took her from a young piano prodigy, destined for a life in the service of the church, to a renowned jazz vocalist and pianist at the forefront of the civil rights movement.

Campbell, the IASH playwrighting fellow for 2021, is originally from the United States, where she graduated from Florida International University with a BFA in theatre performance.

She wrote Black Is The Color Of My Voice in 2013. In 2017, her show with Meredith Yarbrough, Woke, was presented as part of the Made In Scotland Showcase, where it won a Scotsman Fringe First.

In 2019, she made her West End debut with Black Is The Color Of My Voice at Trafalgar Studios and had a London premiere of Woke at Battersea Arts Centre.

In 2020, her first commission for the BBC, the children’s story Zachary The Zebroid, was aired; she wrote Birdie’s Dilemma for Scenes For Survival (BBC in collaboration with NTS Scotland), and she was among the six writers for the National Theatre of Scotland’s Christmas show, Rapunzel.

Black Is The Color Of My Voice is recommended for age 12 upwards. Scarborough box office: 01723 370 541 or at sjtg.uk.com; Halifax, 01422 349422 or squarechapel.co.uk; Huddersfield, 01484 430528 or thelbt.org.