Stan Graham's Leisure Guide for North and West Yorkshire
I say, I say, I say. What’s the difference between an opera and an oratorio? I don’t know; what is the difference between an opera and an oratorio? A boat load of money! Back in the early 1700s when Handel was nobbut a lad, operas were the telling of stories through music with extravagant settings…
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I do love a good launch presentation, and I have been to a few just lately, what with the Transform and African Arts Festivals, I have met some really interesting people and got the inside track on what was to come. The downside is that the interesting people had to put up with me, but,…
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I am beginning to think that the creatives behind the various arts organisations in Leeds know something I don’t. This is the fourth production I have been to in the last three months which highlights their youth sections. Have they got access to information suggesting that they had better invite me to see the actors…
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After my false start the other week, when I went to the wrong show, I finally managed to catch this latest offering from the wonderful Mikron, in beautiful downtown Bingley. It was well worth the wait, even though there were no fish and chips involved. A Magnum ice cream at the interval was my only…
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2025 seems to be the year of Lewis Carroll’s Alice books insofar as Leeds is concerned. After the spectacular Wonderland Awaits installations throughout the City during the school holidays, we now have the Joss Arnott Dance presentation of Meet The Hatter, the headgear wearing character from the pen of Charles Dodgson. On looking at his…
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I don’t normally venture out on Saturday evening, especially as press nights tend to be midweek, but, as it was my birthday and the brilliant Courtney Pine was playing at my favourite music venue, I just had to go for a listen. I began my wild partying with two pints of Three Swords, and a…
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I could make things very simple for myself here and just say that if you are a regular reader of mine, have seen any of the things I write about and agreed with my assessments, log on to https://www.mockingbirdplay.com/tour and book yourself a ticket when the play comes to somewhere within 50 miles of you,…
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Humour is a funny thing, it either gets you or it doesn’t. I am not a great fan of farce, being too logical, probably the Virgo in me, and prefer cerebral antics to physical ones. That being the case, I didn’t hold out much hope for Bedroom Farce, by the esteemed Yorkshire-based writer, Alan Aykbourn,…
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I am being spoiled for comedy this week, what with Consumed on Thursday and Black Tie Ball tonight. Both were hilarious and both relied on stereotypes, doesn’t most comedy, but they couldn’t have been more different. I wrote that Consumed took stereotypes and turned them on their head, whereas Black Tie reinforces the initial opinion…
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This past six weeks or so have been a case of feast or famine insofar as the world of theatre is concerned. August was definitely a famine – and drought – with only one engagement in the whole month; September, however, brings the feast – and the rain! When it comes to feasts there can…
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Tyke It To The Limit 