Stan Graham's Leisure Guide for North and West Yorkshire
Boy bands come and boy bands go but Take That seem to last forever, albeit in truncated form, with two of the original members having left – one of them twice! They were formed in 1990 in Manchester and have had 28 top 40 singles, including 12 number ones, as well as eight number one…
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I approached this evening with mixed feelings. I saw the film with my mum and dad as a seven-year-old when it was first released and I was bored stiff for most of the two and a quarter hours. The songs were good but the plot, what there is of it, left me cold. When I…
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Well, The Green Season has hit with a vengeance. Not only are all of the components of the production, such as costumes, scenery, sets and props being reused or made from recycled or second-hand elements, but this opera is concerned with the fate of the planet and the devastation it is facing. Being opera it…
Read MoreAfter a break in proceedings during the summer, the amazing Howard Assembly Room, or, as I like to call it, home, is back with its usual mix of all kinds of music and special events. The season kicks off on Friday, 8th September with Resonance Showcase which will give an opportunity for performers supported through…
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Northern Ballet are providing us with a small, but beautifully formed, selection of performances between now and the end of the year. From 8th – 16th September they present Generations: Three Short Ballets, on their home ground in Leeds, at the Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre. This event breaks new ground in several senses as…
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As usual, Leeds Playhouse brings us shows and events which are a little out of the ordinary. The range is enhanced even more this year with their hosting of one of the most significant festivals in the country. We begin, however, on 13th – 16th September with a play in the Courtyard called The House…
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The back end of the year is a busy time for this iconic Leeds institution. There are no less than 53 visitors to its (steeply forward sloping) stage between now and the New Year. I must apologise to artists I don’t mention for only being able to pick what I consider to be highlights. You…
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Now that we are getting a spell of good weather it is obviously time to look forward to dark nights and cold days. I must say that I think autumn is my favourite time of year, when days are days and nights are nights, but most of all the theatres are in full swing with…
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For one week only, New Briggate turns into The Great White Way as the glamour of Broadway comes to Leeds. Actually, because of the fabulous upgrades of Howard Assembly Room and Kino Restaurant, this block which is completed by the beautiful Grand Theatre far outshines anything New York has to offer in its Theatre District.…
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Well, it seems that my rethink on stage musicals adapted from the film versions has paid off, in that I now ‘get’ the formula; dumb down on the story and concentrate on the music. The problem here is that there are no blockbuster songs, except for Love Is In The Air, which doesn’t surface until…
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Tyke It To The Limit 