Stan Graham's Leisure Guide for North and West Yorkshire
I went to see this production in sombre mood after having been out for lunch the previous day to what was my local pub when I lived at Candle House in Granary Wharf. It was 1.45pm on a Friday so I had booked a table but when I arrived I entered to the sound of…
Read More
The rapper and playwright Testament gave a performance with members of the Orchestra of Opera North and the result was stunning. Could it be the world’s first Hip Hopera? I have to say that even at the tender age of 71 I am quite the fan of rap now that it has evolved into a…
Read More
Samuel Beckett is one of the quirkiest playwrights of his, or any other, time. Although he was Irish he wrote his early plays in French and one of his works featured the leading actress buried up to her waist throughout the performance. Even he would be surprised at the way this performance panned out. Krapp’s…
Read More
I fear that I am writing this in order to let you know what you have missed rather than to encourage you to go see the piece. The format of Connecting Voices is that there are three works which run throughout the three weeks of the season and three further ones which are ‘Reflections’ on…
Read More
The first piece in this series of co-presentations between Leeds Playhouse and Opera North was certainly one to snap us out of our lockdown torpor. It is a one person opera, lasting 40 minutes with not a second wasted. The work was written by Francis Poulenc and is based on a short play by Jean…
Read More
Great news, Leeds City Varieties is the latest entertainment venue in Leeds to announce that it is reopening. Another baby step towards what we remember as ‘normality’ which is now anything but, sees the Music Hall open its doors on 9th October. Sadly there will be no live performances in the near future but you…
Read More
Leeds Playhouse has been hard at work to make sure that they can safely put on a season of events over the coming months – but you probably guessed that from the title of the post! As a wonderful gesture, admission to the traditional Yuletide favourite A Christmas Carol, is free for 1,000 NHS workers…
Read More
Wednesday, 30th September sees the launch of Opera North’s Switch ON Season (ON – Opera North – geddit?) and what better way to kick it off than with a concert from Leeds Town Hall featuring the highlights of recent productions and exclusive previews of forthcoming events which will be broadcast live on-line. Switch ON: Live…
Read More
If there is one thing we need to alleviate the mood during a global pandemic which has threatened to wipe out the world’s population it is a good horror show! Leeds Playhouse and imitating the dog have got together to stage a ‘raucous and deliciously dark new tale’, Dr Blood’s Old Travelling Show. It has…
Read More
After The Orchestra of Opera North’s socially distanced concert at the end of August I was wondering when – or if – the next live theatrical events would take place. Thanks to a collaboration between Opera North and Leeds Playhouse, the answer is October! This time, however, it is not just a one-off event but…
Read More