Stan Graham's Leisure Guide for North and West Yorkshire
In the words of the old song, what a difference a day makes. On Saturday night I was in Howard Assembly Room with blood trickling from my ears due to the megadecibels of I Like Trains and here I am on Sunday listening to the plaintive sounds of the acclaimed Scottish folk singer Siobhan Miller…
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In 1974 I was at the flicks when there was a gasp from the audience as the whole place began to shake. The reason was that it was an old cinema which had been converted into a double screen place and the movie showing in the other auditorium was called Earthquake. It used a new…
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The Opera North Winter/Spring Season has kicked off with a classic. La traviata by Verdi has all the the core ingredients of an opera; forbidden love, death, redemption, family fall-outs, big scenes, quiet moments and bangin’ tunes! The story is that of a glamorous Parisienne courtesan, Violetta, who, let’s just say, enjoys a good night…
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How did that happen? I am sure that we have been through a time warp as it only seems like a couple of months ago since I was at the opening of last year’s Christmas Market. I honestly don’t recall putting my hands on my hips or bringing my knees in tight, and, as for…
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Thursday, 29th September sees the start of the 2022-23 Opera North Season with a staging of La traviata at Leeds Grand Theatre. I have taken my posh frock to the cleaners in anticipation. This is the first of six operas being staged between now and next March with a mixture of classic and less well…
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When I walked into Howard Assembly Room on Sunday afternoon I thought that I had accidentally stumbled into a yoga class, with mats laid on the floor. It then dawned on me that this concert was part of their Wellbeing Weekend, so any thoughts of being made to squeeze this rather ample body into lycra…
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A few weeks ago I was invited to the press launch of Kino, the cool new wine bar/restaurant in the Howard Assembly Room building, so when I saw Penguin Cafe I thought that they were now catering for uncool people like myself who just wanted a pot of builders’ tea and a chocolate biscuit. Not…
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Well, who would have thought it, another new experience just days short of my 73rd birthday – my first ballet. I have watched them on television but, as with any art form which is not specifically made for that medium, the live experience is something else. I am fortunate that Northern Ballet’s winter programme has…
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I would like you to ignore the text on this featured image. ‘Why has the old fool put it on the article then?’ I hear you ask. The answer is simple. This amalgam of two Leeds institutions has been so popular that extra dates have been added so, as well as 23rd and 24th September,…
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I must admit that Joan as Police Woman is not someone I had come across before. I put that down to getting most of my new music from the TV, my ablution-accompanying radio in the bathroom being tuned to Radio 3 nowadays, and I don’t recall her being on Jools Holland’s Later. When I delved…
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Tyke It To The Limit 