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Theatre
In That Pen There Is Great Power — Hannah Khalil On Writing The Farmer's Wife
Andrew Palmer
Group Editor
The Farmer's Wife Artwork by Joanne Coates©
Ahead of the world premiere of The Farmer's Wife at Theatre by the Lake, playwright Hannah Khalil talks to Andrew Palmer about writing three generations of Cumbrian farming women into being. When Theatre by the Lake asked Hannah Khalil whether she might make a stage version of Helen Rebanks' The Farmer's Wife, her first instinct was to say no.
P.ublished 15th August 2026
Theatre
Powerful New Drama Explores Secrets, Sex… And Toilets
Close Enough To Touch, which goes on tour this autumn - poster Image: Mark Ratcliffe and Split Desig
Leeds-based Red Ladder Theatre Company and Hull’s Silent Uproar have joined forces to produce a powerful new play from an exciting and original voice in northern theatre.
P.ublished 11th August 2026
Theatre
Annie: Pinning Today’s Hopes And Dreams On A Brighter Tomorrow
Sharon Cain
Lifestyle & Leisure Editor
Annie is set in a state orphanage in New York City Image by Paul Coultas
Like the 1982 film, the current version of Annie is based on a feisty, eleven year old orphan with an unwavering belief that her parents will return for her – and her life will be transformed forever.
P.ublished 5th August 2026
Theatre
“I’ve Had To Step Back From Social Media For My Mental Health"
Claire Kenny
Features Writer
The Hot Flash Crew Photo: Blue Sky Photography
Hot Flash cast members Elios Douglas, Roz Gemma and Matt Jameson on acting, identity, and barriers to success. Elios: The biggest difficulty I’ve faced as a trans actor is simply that there aren’t many trans roles. They’re not being written, and when they are, loads of us go up for them, so the chances are tiny. Without an agent or a first credit, breaking in is even harder.
P.ublished 1st August 2026
Theatre
The Bodyguard: A High Energy, Musical Powerhouse
I spilt my drink and screamed in horror when a deafening shotgun blast reverberated from a screen with silhouettes immersed in smoke and engaged in conflict. An explosive opening set the pace for a high-octane musical - a fusion of genres creatively integrating gripping cinematic effects with a pop concert bursting with pizazz.
P.ublished 28th July 2026
Opinion
No Town Of Culture Title, But Ripon Already Knows What It's Worth
Ripon's theatre festival has earned more than applause — it has earned investment writes Andrew Palmer, Group Editor Somewhere between the deckchairs on the Market Place and this Friday's season finale — the Duke's Theatre Company's touring Romeo & Juliet at Ripon Racecourse, still to come — it has become clear that this year's Ripon Theatre Festival is no…
P.ublished 22nd July 2026
Theatre
Cast Announced For The World Premiere Of The Farmer’s Wife At Theatre By The Lake
Theatre by the Lake has announced the cast for the world premiere of The Farmer's Wife, a new play by Hannah Khalil inspired by Helen Rebanks' Sunday Times bestselling memoir of the same name.
P.ublished 16th July 2026
Review
Breathless In Ripon: Stephen Smith's One Man Poe Is Gothic Horror At Its Finest.
Andrew Palmer continued his enthusiastic support of Ripon Theatre Festival and found Stephen Smith's virtuoso solo turn as Edgar Allan Poe left him breathless — exhausting, exhilarating and utterly captivating, in a masterclass in gothic horror that stopped his heart. There are shows that entertain, and there are shows that leave you wrung out with admiration.
P.ublished 11th July 2026
Music
The Sound Of An Appreciative Audience
Richard Trinder
Managing Editor
Katie Bird as Maria. All photos by Tristram Kenton
Am I the only person in the known universe to have never seen The Sound of Music? Well, I must be. Or more accurately, I 'was,' for now I have lost my innocence. I have been Rodger and Hammersteined, so to speak.
P.ublished 10th July 2026
Theatre
Lepers, Book Of Job And A Festival That Isn't Afraid To Show Its Workings
Andrew Palmer
Group Editor
(L-R) Andy Croft & Paul Mills inside Ripon's leper chapel Photo: Andrew Palmer
A scratch performance about medieval lepers was just one of hundreds of events at this year's Ripon Theatre Festival—but as an opening statement, it was a bold one. It is a good sign, and an increasingly rare one, to see a theatre festival so thoroughly supported: excellent productions, wonderful venues, a well-curated programme and, above all, outstanding commun…
P.ublished 6th July 2026
Theatre
Curtain Up: Yorkshire Throws Open The Doors On Its Own Fringe
Andrew Palmer
Group Editor
A county-wide fringe festival is landing in Yorkshire this July — unfunded, unincorporated, and already boasting more shows than Edinburgh managed in its first year. Tyler Pickles, one of the seven volunteers behind it, talks us through how you build a fringe from nothing but an email and a room full of mind maps.
P.ublished 2nd July 2026
Theatre
Curtain Rises On Milestone Fifth Ripon Theatre Festival With Two Powerful New Plays
Andrew Palmer
Group Editor
By coincidence, the River Ure, which features in Tributaries written by Mark Cronfield and Phillip Harrison, is in close proximity to the chapel. Photo: Tim Flanagan of the Rejoicing in Ripon Blog
The countdown is on for Ripon's fabulous Theatre Festival, which opens its milestone fifth season this coming weekend and runs until July 12 — and this year's programme promises something for everyone, from folklore on the riverbank to a thought-provoking journey into the past.
P.ublished 30th June 2026
Theatre
You Never Really Know: Sinfonia's Stories From Harrogate Review
Harrogate residents stepped into the spotlight at the weekend as local people aged 60 and took over the stage in a new production built from their own memories, experiences and stories. As arts correspondent, Fiona Bennett found out at the weekend, Sinfonia: Stories from Harrogate, presented by The Performance Ensemble at Harrogate Theatre, was a big hit.
P.ublished 28th June 2026
Interview
Discovering The Slave's Ghost Letter That Became A Cathedral Play
Next month, the transept of Ripon Cathedral will come to life with a 1723 plea for freedom, written by an anonymous enslaved Virginian and almost certainly addressed to the Archbishop of Canterbury himself. The story behind its rediscovery is, in its own way, as remarkable as the play it inspired.
P.ublished 27th June 2026
Theatre
A Brilliantly Bonkers Wartime Romp - Operation Mincemeat
Bursting with English eccentricity, the plot of Operation Mincemeat comprises all the ingredients of a theatrical farce peppered with a dash of Bond.
P.ublished 23rd June 2026
Opinion
Why New Writing Is Crucial To Future Of British Theatre
Do you want the good news, or the bad news? Let’s start with the positive. Theatre audiences in the UK are up on pre-Covid levels. The downside is the number of new plays has plummeted. A report published last autumn by the British Theatre Consortium found that attendances were up in 2023 compared to 2019, but there were 30 per cent fewer plays opening during the same period.
P.ublished 20th June 2026
Festivals
All Singing, All Dancing, All Amber
Andrew Palmer
Group Editor
She's the cabaret siren, bringing a blaze of Broadway glamour, old Hollywood shimmer and flame-haired icons to Ripon – and she cannot, she insists, do a show without funny bones. There is a particular kind of performer who walks into a room and instantly rearranges its atmosphere. Amber Topaz is one of those.
P.ublished 13th June 2026
Theatre
Let Their Broadway Dream Come True
Liz Coggins
Features Editor
A prestigious Broadway training organisation has teamed up with Blackpool’s Pleasure Beach Resort to bring professional-level Broadway training to ambitious performers who may otherwise not have access to such opportunities.
P.ublished 13th June 2026
Theatre
Ripon Theatre Festival Boosts Youth Engagement At RTF26
This summer will see Ripon Theatre Festival embarking on an exciting new partnership project that will place young people at the heart of this summer’s festival, thanks to Cultural Passport for Young People funding. Supported by David Skaith, the Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, and funded by the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority from the Mayoral Investment Fund.
P.ublished 6th June 2026
Theatre
Have A Bollywood Ball At Blackpool Grand Theatre
Liz Coggins
Features Editor
It’s the fabulous, fun-filled fairytale of Cinderella with a delicious sprinkling of South Asian spice… Get ready for the smash-hit spectacular SURINDERELLA. This September, Bollywood makes its dazzling debut at Blackpool Grand Theatre. It’s a magical night out full of sparkle, sass and shaadi drama that’s not to be missed!
P.ublished 6th June 2026
Theatre
BBC Concert Orchestra Records Original Soundtrack for Kynren
Kynren – The Storied Lands has joined forces with the world-renowned BBC Concert Orchestra to record original music for two major new shows opening this summer at the UK’s first live-action show park in County Durham.
P.ublished 3rd June 2026
Theatre
World Premiere Inspired By Helen Rebanks’ Best-Selling Memoir
Theatre by the Lake presents the world premiere of a brand-new play The Farmer’s Wife inspired by Helen Rebanks’ best-selling memoir and shaped by the voices of women within Cumbria’s farming community.
P.ublished 2nd June 2026
Theatre
Happiness Arrives In Blackpool
Get ready for a tattyfilarious trip into the wonderfully wacky world of a comedy legend at Showtown this summer! Blackpool’s award-winning museum of fun and entertainment is truly tickled to announce its first-ever visiting exhibition will bring giggles galore for all the family as it celebrates the life and career of Sir Ken Dodd OBE. Happiness!
P.ublished 30th May 2026
Theatre
The Karate Kid – The Musical Strikes Hard In Leeds
The fashion for turning eighties films into stage productions continues with this version of the popular movie The Karate Kid. On one of the hottest nights of this spring so far, the prospect of sitting through a story in Leeds’ Grand Theatre that I was unfamiliar with wasn't an enticing prospect – how wrong my assertion turned out to be.
P.ublished 28th May 2026
Music
The Mini Magic Flute
Liz Coggins
Features Editor
Opera North’s bitesize version of Mozart’s The Magic Flute returns to festivals and arts venues across the North this summer offering a fairy tale opera for all the family. Mini Magic Flute packs fun, fantasy and enchanting music into a 40-minute story, making it perfect for all ages to experience their first taste of opera.
P.ublished 16th May 2026
Theatre
Legally Blonde: Guilty As Charged For High-Energy, Feelgood Factor
Sharon Cain
Lifestyle & Leisure Editor
Amber Davies as Elle Image by Matt Crockett
I must have had my own blonde moment when the highly acclaimed Legally Blonde film with Reese Witherspoon hit our screens in 2021, grossing 142 million dollars worldwide and shaping fashion trends. Determined not to let the 2026 stage production pass me by, I was at the front of the queue for the upbeat romantic comedy and its timeless appeal.
P.ublished 13th May 2026
Theatre
Pioneering Yorkshire Theatre Companies Join Forces For Exciting New Collaboration
(L-R) Alex Mitchell, Silent Uproar artistic director, and Cheryl Martin, artistic director of Red Ladder Theatre Company, Leeds, 2026 Photo: Mark Ratcliffe
Red Ladder Theatre Company and Silent Uproar – two boundary-pushing theatre companies – are delighted to announce an exciting new partnership, showcasing the North of England’s rich seam of playwriting talent.
P.ublished 12th May 2026
Theatre
Kynren Reveals Latest Details Of Spectacular Viking Live Show Ahead Of Summer Opening
Land of the Vikings will feature combat and dramatic stunts
A large-scale Viking battle show featuring fire, combat, stunts and a community torn apart by internal conflict will be one of the headline attractions when Kynren – The Storied Lands opens on 18th July.
P.ublished 12th May 2026
Music
Here And Now - The Steps Musical, Opera House, Blackpool
Jukebox musicals are incredibly popular – throw in some big hits from a popular artist or group, and in most cases, include a flimsy storyline, and the fans will come. Take That and ABBA have both had their songs featured in musicals, the latter being more prominent with Mama Mia.
P.ublished 9th April 2026
Theatre
Priscilla : Big, Bold And Brave - With Showstopper Stand In
Glitterballs abound as the much-vaunted Priscilla Queen of the Desert musical comedy had the audience totally under their spell. They would have forgiven anything - including the late start.
P.ublished 7th April 2026
Theatre
2:22 - A Ghost Story
Jenny believes her new home is haunted, but her husband Sam isn’t having any of it. They argue with their first dinner guests, old friend Lauren and new partner Ben. Can the dead really walk again? Belief and scepticism clash, but something strange and frightening feels close, so they’re going to stay up... until 2:22... and then they’ll know.
P.ublished 1st April 2026
Review
Full Service History: Matt Miller's Joyful Solo Show Gets Right Under The Bonnet
There is a phrase that recurs in Fixing like a mechanic's mantra: 'holistic car care, going on a journey — together'. By the time Matt Miller's 75 minutes are up, you realise that sentence has done rather a lot of quiet, patient work. The Ripon Theatre Festival could hardly have wished for a more propitious launch event.
P.ublished 30th March 2026
Festivals
Ripon Theatre Festival 2026: Celebrating Five Years Of Culture, Colour And Community Spirit
Ye Birdz 3 bigger
Ripon Theatre Festival (RTF) launches its 2026 programme on 27 March, promising a summer to look forward to. Firmly established as a key date in the region’s cultural calendar, this year’s festival runs 5-12 July with 8 days and nights of performances and activities.
P.ublished 23rd March 2026
Theatre
Simply The Best - Tina Turner The Musical Leeds Grand
Emilie Moon Claire Haddleton
Theatre Correspondents
Elle Ma-Kinga N’zuzi Photo: Johan Persson
What a show this was! Opening night of Tina: The Tina Turner Musical had the sell-out audience hooked from the word go. The show is dedicated to the life of global superstar Tina Turner: her heartbreaking upbringing, her fight for survival in an abusive relationship, the rebuilding of her career from nothing and ultimately becoming one of the most renowned female artists in history.
P.ublished 20th March 2026
Theatre
From Fray Bentos To Grenfell: Sheffield's Ordinary Lives, Extraordinarily Told
Sarah Crown
Theatre Correspondent
Kenny Doughty (Brian), Liz White (Kathy), Andrew Macklin (Sean) Photo Credit: Mark Douet
Set in the living room of a house on Burngreave Road, Sheffield, young Kathy and Brian settle to make their forever home. With young love in the air and babies on the way the world is their oyster, but over the sixty years that the play spans, inevitably life gets in the way.
P.ublished 20th March 2026
Theatre
Bluey’s Big Play – A Q&A With Melanie Zanetti And Dave Mccormack (Mum & Dad)
Bingo, Bandit, Chattermax & Bluey Photo: Mark Senior
Bluey’s Big Play, the theatrical adaptation of the Emmy® Award-winning animated television series, has captivated audiences of all ages, with Bluey and her family delighting fans with an unforgettable live theatrical experience and its back on tour in the UK and Ireland With brilliantly created puppets, Bluey’s Big Play features the original voices from the beloved TV series, including…
P.ublished 16th March 2026
Theatre
Ralph Davis Talks About Playing The Title Role In The RSC’s Touring Production Of Hamlet
The Royal Shakespeare Company returns to Blackpool Grand Theatre with a ‘must-see’ (Guardian) new production of Hamlet. Hamlet’s mother has married his uncle, and at a less than decent interval since the death of his father. As he pulls at the threads of his not-so-happy new family, Hamlet unravels a web of deceit and immorality that leads to the ultimate crisis of conscience.
P.ublished 14th March 2026
Theatre
Silver & Gold: Long John Silver Restores His Reputation?
James Hyland is the actor, adapter, director and producer of this spin-off from that much-loved hit called Treasure Island. In this one-hander called Silver & Gold, Hyland takes on the tricky task of reclaiming, or at least re-framing, Long John Silver's appalling reputation. Silver, we are told, was indeed a very bad man.
P.ublished 26th February 2026
Music
Grimes Of Passion
Benjamin Britten's opera Peter Grimes has been 'revived' by Opera North. It's an ironic choice of words for this much-loved Phyllida Lloyd production, as the opera includes the tragic deaths of two young apprentice fishermen and a suicide at sea - all of whom might have benefited from some revivification.
P.ublished 14th February 2026
Theatre
The Tower Circus Opens Early For School Holidays
Blackpool Tower Circus set for spectacular return so if you are having a break in Blackpool or live in the area, it's well worth a visit The world-famous Blackpool Tower Circus is gearing up for a spectacular return, with only a week to go before the 2026 season officially opens.
P.ublished 9th February 2026
Theatre
Moustache In Progress: Mark Hadfield Brings Fresh Melancholy To Poirot
Mark Hadfield as Poirot in Death on the Nile, Photo: Jay Brooks
Playing legendary detective Hercule Poirot in the European premiere of a new stage version of Death on the Nile, Mark Hadfield has the approval of none other than Sir Kenneth Branagh. The two actors are friends. "And he's been incredibly encouraging," Marks says about chats he's had with Branagh, who has played Poirot himself in three big-screen outings.
P.ublished 7th February 2026
Theatre
Murder Most Foul: Inspector Morse: House Of Ghosts
Sharon Cain
Lifestyle & Leisure Editor
Gripping investigation: Tom Chambers as Inspector Morse
Newcastle Theatre Royal promises a diverse and dynamic line up to engage, thrill, and delight audiences over the next three months. Musicals taking centre stage are the feel-good Mama Mia (Wednesday 11- Saturday 28 February) and West End mega-hit TINA – The Tina Turner Musical, (Tuesday 3- Saturday 14 March).
P.ublished 3rd February 2026
Music
Opera North’s The Marriage Of Figaro: A Farce (The Good Kind)
Richard Trinder
Managing Editor
James Newby as Count Almaviva.
Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro is a comic opera that first premiered on May 1, 1786, in Vienna, but is brought bang up to date in this witty, fizzing production directed by Louisa Miller. Performed in its original Italian, with highly amusing modern translations in the surtitles by Lydia French, Figaro is as accessible and entertaining as a Brian Rix bedroom farce.
P.ublished 31st January 2026
Theatre
The Dukes Announce A Vibrant Spring/summer Season And Start To Celebrate Turn 55 This Year!
Grab your ticket for a season of unforgettable nights of laughter, entertainment and applause as the Dukes announce a spring/summer season packed with the finest theatre, comedy and cinema. Audiences are invited to adventure into a world of thrills, comedy and excitement with the Dukes’ diverse selection of theatre shows.
P.ublished 29th January 2026
Theatre
In Conversation With Stephen Webb As The Rocky Horror Show Heads North
The Rocky Horror Show is coming back to the north to brighten up your winter with its fishnet-bedecked legs kicking high and feather boa swinging high as the Richard O’Brien risqué musical returns once again. Over 35 million theatregoers have witnessed The Rocky Horror Show, which tells the story of two impeccable college students, Brad and his fiancée, Janet.
P.ublished 26th January 2026
Theatre
Bluey’s Big Play
Bluey’s Big Play, the stage adaptation of the Emmy Award-winning animated television series, has already delighted audiences across the world—and now Bluey, Bingo and the rest of the Heeler family are back on tour across the UK and Ireland.
P.ublished 22nd January 2026
Theatre
The Elves And The Storyteller
Leeds-based Fidget Theatre’s latest production sees them moving out of a conventional theatre setting and into Leeds Central Library. But there are no librarians looking over their glasses here instructing us to be silent, and the shelves of books are left behind as we are greeted by Mr Dazzle (Luke Dickson) and invited to take a seat or sit on the floor.
P.ublished 10th December 2025
Theatre
Stunning Revival Soars In Leeds
The new UK tour of Miss Saigon opened at the Leeds Grand Theatre this week, filling the beautiful venue, and deservedly so. What unfolded on stage was a breathtaking, emotionally charged production that earned its packed audience a lengthy standing ovation. Right from the start, the show dazzles with its extraordinary set design.
P.ublished 5th December 2025
Anything Goes Christmas Steamer Sails Into York
The cast of Anything Goes
Ditch the December chills in York and climb aboard the S.S. American as it sets sail in Pick Me Up Theatre’s all-singing all-dancing Christmas production of Anything Goes! This Cole Porter classic follows the madcap antics of a motley crew as they sail from New York to London – on a Christmas-themed steamer.
P.ublished 4th December 2025
Theatre
Arts Council England Launches £2 Million Theatre Breakthrough Fund
Arts Council England is launching the Theatre Breakthrough Fund today - a new £2 million fund that redistributes investment previously allocated to Eclipse Theatre Company and released upon its closure.
P.ublished 2nd December 2025
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