Stan Graham's Leisure Guide for North and West Yorkshire
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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Even though it is my local theatre, it is not often I get a chance to visit this Harrogate gem. As it happens I didn’t get to see any of the splendid auditorium this time either, as the function to which I was invited was held in the Stalls Bar, located in the cellar! It…
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It’s been a while since my last visit to the gorgeous Howard Assembly Room when I saw an amazing act from Mali. Tonight we moved across Africa to Zimbabwe, the home of Mokoomba, a six-piece band which plays everything from rock to a cappella. I also think that we could solve the energy crisis by…
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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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Of all the artists I have witnessed live, I think that Roy Orbison is the one I have seen the most often. In the 1960s he would regularly appear at Leeds Odeon where they had occasional pop concerts comprising about half a dozen groups of the day, who would perform their hits for about fifteen…
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What a surprise, well, two surprises really. I was sitting at home on Thursday, minding my own business, for once, when I received a mystery email from Sherin Sara Alex at South Asian Arts asking if I would like to join them for a concert at Seven Arts in Chapel Allerton the following evening. After…
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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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Back in the 1990s it was not uncommon for a group of colleagues to pop into Jacob’s Well – yes, I did work in Bradford – for a relaxing pint or two of proper beer after a hard day drinking tea. One evening there were some people in a corner who were obviously in the…
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Tyke It To The Limit 