Real-life events are here at last - let Tony Greenway give your a reminder of what to expect...
June 4 - July 3
The Girl Next Door
The world premiere of the 85th play by Sir Alan Ayckbourn which he's also directed, naturally enough. The Stephen Joseph call it a 'touching, tender and, of course, funny reflection on the ability of love to rise above adversity and reach across the years.'
Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough
sjt.uk.com
June 5, 2.30pm
Ben Stock: Any Dream Will Do?
Stock is a musical star whose CV runneth over: he's appeared in Grease, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Beauty and the Beast, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and toured a production around the UK celebrating the wit and wisdom of Noel Coward. He comes to Hull with his cabaret show, which he's also performed in London, New York and Asia.
Hull New Theatre
hulltheatres.co.uk
May 21 - until February 27, 2022
Barbara Hepworth: Art & Life
Where has time gone? The Hepworth Wakefield opened to deserved acclaim 10 years ago and even prompted art critics on the London broadsheets to sit up and take notice. To mark this milestone anniversary, the gallery is staging the largest exhibition of Barbara Hepworth's work since her death in 1975. (Hey: if the Hepworth Wakefield can't do it, no-one can). It'll feature some of her most celebrated sculptures, plus rarely seen drawings, paintings and fabric designs.
Hepworth Wakefield
hepworthwakefield.org
May 24 – June 5
The Together Season Festival
The Crucible showcases a programme of work from local artists and theatre companies in order to champion new, as yet undiscovered talent. In all, 13 works will be given a platform. “The Festival is about putting local talent on our stages, front and centre, but it is also about bringing audiences back into our auditorium,” says Anthony Lau, who's leading the project. “There will be pieces ranging from dance and physical theatre to new writing, spoken word, singing and drama.”
www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk
June 1- 5
The Greatest Play in the History of the World
It's a brave (if knowingly ironic) title for a play, but there's no denying it's been a hit. Written for actress Julie Hesmondhalgh by her husband, Ian Kershaw, it enjoyed a sellout Edinburgh Festival run and then transferred to Manchester and the West End. Hesmondhalgh (from Corrie, Broadchurch and Happy Valley) says it's “a beautiful play, a love story, but a universal one... In these dark and confusing times, it offers a bit of love and light.” Bring it on, we say...
yorktheatreroyal.co.uk
June 9 & 12
Fidelio
Opera North presents a performance of Beethoven's only opera which, even more significantly, is the company's first large scale live production for over a year. It's conducted by Paul Daniel, the cast includes Rachel Nicholls as Leonore and Toby Spence as Florestan — and, yes, social distancing measures will apply. Originally due to be performed in November 2020, a livestream of Fidelio filmed behind closed doors at Leeds Town Hall in December was a critical and commercial success.
leedstownhall.co.uk
June 16
The Damned United
Theatre company Red Ladder are back in the building with a production of an absorbing play about Brian Clough's — shall we say 'troubled'? — tenure as manager of Leeds United. How tricky was it? Well, as every Leeds fan knows, he only lasted 44 days in the job... Adapted by Anders Lustgarten from David Peace’s novel.
York Theatre Royal
yorktheatreroyal.co.uk
Until June 21st
Spring Surprises Trail
To take part in this fun trail you have to download The Piece Hall Go Play AR (augmented reality) mobile app, which is free to use and available on the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. Once you've done so, the kids can use it to find a number of characters hidden around the Piece Hall's Italianate courtyard.
Piece Hall, Halifax
thepiecehall.co.uk
June 25, 26 & 27
The Yorkshire Motorsport Festival
Petrolheads will love this festival — the first of its kind — which features three days of closed-road hill-climbing, featuring mainly pre-1986 cars, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of hill climbs in the Holmfirth area. Plus, vintage vehicles, rally cars, stock cars, American hot rods, supercars, and hypercars. Whatever they are.
Nr Holmfirth
ymsf.net
June 29 – July 3
Six
It doesn't, on paper, sound like a thrilling night out at the theatre: the six wives of Henry VIII each tell their own tales of woe to a pop soundtrack — a sort of mix of history and 90s girl power. But, of course, it's become an international phenomenon, and was nominated for five Olivier Awards. Also at Hull New Theatre July 12 -17.
Leeds Grand Theatre
0113 243 0808
leedsheritagetheatres.com
