Stage & music
Theatre, Music and Exhibitions I managed to see in the recent past:
Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, directed by Gregory Doran at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford upon Avon, with Anthony Sher, Harriet Walter and Alex Hassell.
Man Tennessee Williams one-act plays: Summer at the Lake, Auto-da-Fe and The Strangest Kind of Romance, directed by Finn Beames at The Young Vic, London.
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams, directed by James Dacre at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester. With Charles Aitken, Mariah Gale and Daragh O’Malley.
Hamlet by William Shakespeare, directed by Sarah Frankcom at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester. Maxine Peake as Hamlet; Barbara Marten as Gertrude.
Two Gentlemen of Verona by William Shakespeare, directed by Simon Godwin at Newcastle Theatre Royal. An RSC production
A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, directed by Benedict Andrews and starring Gillian Anderson at The Young Vic in London
Krapp’s Last Tape by Samuel Beckett, directed by Polly Findlay and performed by Richard Wilson at Sheffield Studio Theatre
La Bohème, directed by Phyllida Lloyd and performed by Opera North at Leeds Grand Theatre
Happy Days by Samuel Beckett, directed by Natalie Abrahami and performed by Juliet Stevenson and David Beames at the Young Vic, London
EY Exhibition – Paul Klee, Making Visible at Tate Modern, London
Not I, Footfalls, and Rockaby by Samuel Beckett, directed by Walter Asmus, performed by Lisa Dwan at the Duchess Theatre, London
Ghosts by Henrik Ibsen, directed by Stephen Unwin, starring Kelly Hunter and Patrick Drury at York Theatre Royal. An English Touring Theatre and Rose Theatre Kingston production
All’s Well That Ends Well directed by Nancy Meckler at Newcastle Theatre Royal. An RSC production
Jonathan Slinger playing Hamlet directed by David Farr at Newcastle Theatre Royal. An RSC production
The Fairy Queen by Henry Purcell in a version by The Yorkshire Bach Choir and Yorkshire Baroque Solists conducted by Peter Seymour, at St Michael-le-Belfrey, York
The Pitmen Painters by Lee Hall, co-produced by the Live Theatre Newcastle and the National Theatre and performed at The Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield as part of a national tour
Peter and Alice by Jophn Logan, directed by Michael Grandage and starring Judi Dench and Ben Wishaw at the Noel Coward Theatre Theatre, London
Othello by William Shakespeare, directed by Daniel Evans and starring Clarke Peters and Dominic West at The Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
Betrayal by Harold Pinter, directed by Ian Rickson and starring Kristin Scott Thomas at The Comedy Theatre, London
Afghanistan – crossroads of the ancient world from the National Museum of Afghanistan, at The British Museum, London
London Road by Alecky Blythe and Adam Cork at The National Theatre, London
The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov, in a version by Andrew Upton, directed by Howard Davies and starring Zoe Wanamaker at The National Theatre, London
Steve Bell Guardian cartoonist, talking about his work at the University of York
Footfalls by Samuel Beckett in a version from Six Lips Theatre, at the Bar Lane Studios, York
Fidelio by Beethoven in a version from Opera North, at The Grand Theatre, Leeds
Tom McRae with an incredible string band at Holy Trinity Church, Leeds
Wrong Beginnings by David Pattison at Hull Truck
Froy Aagre Band at The Shed, Hovingham Village Hall
The Habit of Art by Alan Bennett in a National Theatre production directed by Nicholas Hytner
Romeo and Juliet directed by Rupert Goold at Newcastle Theatre Royal. An RSC production
Elizabeth Cook accompanied by Tim Carroll and Bones Hillman at York City Screen
Rusalka by Antonín Dvořák in a version from Opera North, at The Grand Theatre, Leeds
Oh, What A Lovely War by Joan Littlewood, in a version by Northern Stage, at the York Theatre Royal.
The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare directed by Roxana Silbert, at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester.
An Enemy of the People by Henrik Ibsen directed by Daniel Evans with Antony Sher, in a new version by Christopher Hampton, at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield.
Andersen’s English by Sebastian Barry directed by Max Stafford-Clark at West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds.
Sculpture Exhibition by Peter Randall-Page at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, West Bretton, West Yorkshire.
Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare directed by Lucy Baily at Newcastle Theatre Royal. An RSC production.
Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett, directed by Sean Mathias at Newcastle Theatre Royal, with Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart
Othello by William Shakespeare, directed by Kathryn Hunter at Northern Stage in Newcastle
Hilary Mantel, novelist, speaking about and reading from her work, at an evening lecture at the University of York
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, directed by Neil Bartlett and starring David Dawson and Anneika Rose at The Lowry in Salford
Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, directed by Damian Cruden and starring George Costigan at York Theatre Royal
I Capuleti e i Montecchi by Vincenzo Bellini, an Opera North production, directed by Orpha Phelan and starring Sarah Connolly at the Grand Theatre and Opera House, Leeds
The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare, an RSC production, directed by Conall Morrison and starring Michelle Gomez and Stephen Boxer at The Theatre Royal, Newcastle
Six Characters in Search of an Author by Luigi Pirandello, directed by Rupert Goold and starring Ian McDiarmid and Denise Gough at The Gielgud Theatre, London
The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, directed by Braham Murray and starring Brenda Blethyn at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester
Equus by Peter Shaffer in the production by Thea Sharrock at the Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield. With Simon Callow and Alfie Allen
The Thirty-Nine Steps at York Theatre Royal – adapted by Patrick Barlow from the book by John Buchan and the film by Alfred Hitchcock; and directed by Maria Aitken
Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekhov, in a production by Peter Hall at York Theatre Royal. With Nicholas Le Prevost and Neil Pearson
Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett, an Old Bomb Theatre Company production at York Theatre Royal
Peter Grimes by Benjamin Britten, performed by Opera North at the Grande Theatre, Leeds
Macbett by Eugene Ionesco, an RSC production at Northern Stage, Barras Bridge, Newcastle
King Lear an RSC production with Ian McKellen, directed by Trevor Nunn at Newcastle Theatre Royal
Phil Beer and Miranda Sykes at Thorganby Village Hall
The Wonderful World of Dissocia by Anthony Neilson, with Christine Entwisle at York Theatre Royal
The Price by Arthur Miller at York Theatre Royal
Music by Bryan Boulter, Peter Maxwell Davies, Colin Bayliss, Arvo Part and Benjmin Britten at the National Centre for Early Music, York
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf by Edward Albee, with Barbara Marten at The Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester
The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov, with Joanna Lumley and Tobias Menzies directed by Jonathan Miller at The Crucible Theatre, Sheffield.
The Seafarer by Conor McPherson at Newcastle Theatre Royal
The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams with Jessica Lange at the Apollo Theatre, London
Manet to Piccaso, exhibition at The National Gallery
Omid Djalili, stand-up comedian at the Grand Opera House, York
Amanda Crawley, soprano, Nicholas Nightingale, baritone and pianist Kate Pearson performing songs by Flanders and Swan at Sheriff Hutton Village Hall
Mark Swinton organist at York Minster
Anne Stevenson, Poet, at The Basement Bar, City Screen, York
The History Boys by Alan Bennett at The Lowry, Salford Quays
The Tempest an RSC production with Patrick Stewart as Prospero, directed by Rupert Goold at Newcastle Theatre Royal
Solveig Slettahjell (Norway) and the Ilmiliekki Quartet (Helsinki, Finland) at The Shed, Hovingham, North Yorkshire
Graham Fellows – British comedian, recording for Radio Four at The Shed, Hovingham, North Yorkshire
Family Voices by Harold Pinter, read by Samuel West, Prunela Scales and Timothy West at The Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
The Dutchess of Malfi by John Webster (with Imogen Stubbs) at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds
Billy Jenkins (bluesman with six-piece band) at The Shed, Hovingham, North Yorkshire
The Seagull by Anton Chekhov (with Juliet Stevenson & Ben Whishaw) at the Lyttelton Theatre, South Bank, London
Modigliani and His Models at the Royal Academy, London
Shadowmouth by Meredith Oakes at the Studio Theatre, Sheffield
Trio Medieval, three women from Oslo at the Jack Lyons Concert Hall, York University
Tango Siempre with Gilad Atzmon (saxophone) and Steve Arguelles (drums/electronics) at The Wardrobe, Leeds
Mozart and his World, with Amanda Crawley (Soprano), Edwina Smith (Flute) and Josepine Peach (Piano), at Fairfax House, York
Wrestling Mad by John Godber at the Grand Opera House, York
Broken Glass by Arthur Miller at York Theatre Royal
Exhibition of saltglaze ceramics, fine-art house bricks and mixed media paintings at Lund Gallery, Easingwold, North Yorkshire
The Canterbury Tales, an RSC production at The Dome in Doncaster
Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen at West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds
Two Thousand Years by Mike Leigh at Theatre Royal Newcastle
Jerry Springer, the opera – National Theatre Production at the Grand Opera House, York
Clogs and The Books at The Shed, Hovingham Village Hall, somewhere in North Yorkshire
The Chinese New Year Celebrations at the Museum Gardens, York
The Chapter House Choir’s 40th Anniversary Reunion Concert at The Chapter House, York Minster. The highlight was Thomas Tallis’ Spem in alium
Poet to Poet with Yang Lian and Polly Clark at York Friargate Theatre
A Few Good Men by Aaron Sorkin at the Haymarket Theatre Royal
Speaking Like Magpies by Frank McGuinness at the Peoples Theatre, Newcastle on Tyne
The Fox, a new play by Stephen Lowe, inspired by the DH Lawrence story, at Wakefield Arts’ Centre
John Hegley at Pocklington Arts Centre
Billy Elliot – the musical at Victoria Palace Theatre, London
Subitango at The Gate, Goole
The Chelsea Flower Show, Chelsea
Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony with John Hastie as organist
Belshazzar’s Feast by William Walton with the Leeds Philharmonic Choir and the Leeds Festival Chorus
“Xanthos” by Roger Nichols. Performed by York Guildhall Orchestra at York Minster
Laurie Anderson performing The End of the Moon at the Sage, Gateshead
Don Carlos by Friedrich Schiller at the Gielgud Theatre in London, with Derek Jacobi
Tate Sculpture: The Human Figure in British Art from Moore to Gormley at the Millennium Galleries, Sheffield
Macbeth by William Shakespeare at York Theatre Royal
Stewart Lee at Hovingham Village Hall
The Thieving Magpie by Rossini, performed by Opera North at the Grande Theatre, Leeds
One Touch of Venus by Kurt Weill, performed by Opera North at the Grande Theatre, Leeds
Steve Earl at Leeds Irish Centre
Tynan at Newcastle Theatre Royal with Corin Redgrave in an RSC production
Edward Hopper exhibition at Tate Modern
The Permanent Way by David Hare at Leeds Playhouse
Suddenly Last Summer by Tennessee Williams with Diana Rigg at Newcastle Theatre Royal
Measure for Measure by the RSC at Newcastle Theatre Royal
Käthe Kollwitz museum in Berlin and Cologne
