Curated Culture 11.08.26
Our weekly round up of recommendations from North East stages and cultural venues
Hello, and thanks for dropping into this week’s Curated Culture.
Somehow we’re already well into August, but there’s still plenty of summer left – and plenty going on across the North East to fill it. Below you’ll find our latest spotlight selection of cultural goings-on for the coming fortnight.
We’ve also had another rummage through our previous recommendations for things which are STILL SHOWING, while NOW BOOKING has some suggestions for dates to get sorted sooner rather than later.
And Festival Watch continues to keep an eye on the region’s busy summer schedule.
Details of this week’s subscriber prize draw – a pair of tickets to see Enter The Castle with Jon Ronson at Gala Theatre Durham on September 17 – can be found at the end of the newsletter.
But take your time getting there… there’s lots to soak up alongside the sunshine.
Thanks as ever for your continued attention and support
Sam (Wonfor) and Dave (Whetstone)
Professionally preoccupied with North East Culture
MUSIC: Lottery Winners
Where: The Fire Station (Parade Ground), Sunderland
When: August 22
Bookings and info: thefirestation.org.uk
Crowd-pleasing indie pop is en route to Wearside as The Lottery Winners prepare for their slice of The Fire Station’s outdoor Summer Parties spotlight.
After scoring a second UK number one album with KOKO in 2025 - and enjoying an accompanying UK tour - the Manchester band have built a sizeable following with big choruses, energetic live shows and a healthy dose of humour.
There’s North East interest on the support bill too: Swindled arrive following an appearance at Radio 1’s Big Weekend (and ahead of a headline slot at The Cluny on October 23), while Midlands outfit Eighty Eight Miles will also be performing.
FAMILY: Quayside Carnival
Where: Newcastle Quayside
When: Saturday, August 22, 11am to 4pm
Bookings and info: newcastlene1ltd.com
An array of family-friendly activities along Newcastle Quayside is promised by Newcastle NE1, the city’s Business Improvement District, as Quayside Carnival makes a welcome return.
Tickets for all the bookable sessions are now sold out but most of what’s on offer is free.
A Circus Stage will be busy with performances throughout the day while the Make & Take zone will offer craft opportunities including shell painting and badge and bracelet making.
You’ll find a Silent Disco outside the Guildhall and further along the Quayside a climbing wall and a card trading zone run by Newcastle Card Show.
Anyone scoring a crazy golf hole-in-one can claim free candy floss beside The Swirl and the Army will be offering a Hang Tough Challenge (candy floss not part of the deal).
Mingling with the crowd will be roaming performers and a portraitist who will happily knock you out a caricature. There will be face painting stations (of course) and likely encounters with glitter and bubble artists.
Hot weather is forecast and the organisers advise taking water and sunscreen, although refreshments will, of course, be available from vendors and Quayside bars and cafes.
EXHIBITION: Victory Over the Sun: Adventures with Light
Where: The Light, Aykley Heads, Durham
When: August 22 until January 17, 2027
Bookings and info: thelightdurham.org.uk
This is one of the opening attractions at Durham’s new cultural venue so it’s likely – as was the case when Baltic opened in Gateshead – that the building will be the biggest draw.
Nothing wrong with that. This much heralded development promises something new and exciting, a showcase for art and a home for the treasures of the famous Durham Light Infantry.
For those with fond memories of the old DLI Museum & Art Gallery, which used to stand on this site, a visit will be tinged with nostalgia.
Entry to the permanent We Are The Durhams exhibition, telling the story of the regiment, will be free whereas there will be a charge for the exhibition of work by international artists who have used light as a creative medium.
It’s a test of the pulling power of contemporary art and the hope will be that it lures viewers like moths to a torch.
Expect to see work by Tracey Emin, David Shrigley, Steve McQueen and many other leading practitioners whose names might not ring so many bells.
THEATRE: Unicorn Live!
Where: Alnwick Playhouse
When: Monday, August 17, 1pm and 3.30pm
Bookings and info: alnwickplayhouse.co.uk
All the way from Bournemouth come Darling Productions UK who “believe in the power of live entertainment — to bring joy, spark imagination and create unforgettable memories”.
It seems they also believe in unicorns for they’ve sent three of them out on tour (catch them here and again at the Town Hall Theatre, Hartlepool, on October 27).
They’re called Harmony, Meldoy and Starlight and while they look suspiciously two-legged, they do have horns – at least in the photos we’ve seen.
In the show they use their special powers to conjure up a fourth member of their unicorn band.
Designed to entertain children “of all ages”, Unicorn Live! promises pop and musical theatre songs and a real unicorn (that’s what they say) called Sparkle.
“Let’s sing, dance and make kindness thrive,” they urge.
And after every performance there’s to be a free photo opportunity with the stars of the show, the aforementioned Harmony, Melody and Starlight.
EVENT: The North East Dog Festival
Where: Kirkley Hall, Northumberland
When: August 22 and 23
Bookings and info: northeastdogfestival.com
Dogs get top billing at Kirkley Hall when the North East Dog Festival returns later this month.
The weekend offers plenty for four-legged visitors to get stuck into, from agility, scentwork and trailing to scurries and trick training, alongside main arena displays, expert advice on the Wellbeing Stage and two decidedly unserious dog shows (categories include Waggiest Tail, Best Rescue and Fastest Sit).
Humans haven’t been forgotten either, with more than 150 traders, food and family activities to explore. And if your dog fancies themselves a future cover star, there are opportunities for that too.
THEATRE: The Silence of the Lambs
Where: Newcastle Theatre Royal
When: August 18-22
Bookings and info: theatreroyal.co.uk
One of cinema’s most famous psychological thrillers arrives on a Tyneside stage next week, fresh from its world premiere in Leicester.
Adapted from Thomas Harris’s novel, The Silence of the Lambs promises to bring Hannibal Lecter, Clarice Starling and Buffalo Bill uncomfortably close as the hunt for a missing woman becomes a battle of wits between an FBI trainee and the imprisoned killer whose help she needs.
John Partridge takes on the role of Lecter, with Mollie Gallagher as Clarice, Oliver Farnworth as Jack Crawford and Sam Jackson as Buffalo Bill.
Written by Gina Gionfriddo and directed by Nikolai Foster, the production will be back in the region at the Sunderland Empire from June 21-26 next year.
WELLBEING: Wellness Weekend
Where: The Glasshouse, Gateshead
When: August 15, 16 (Saturday, Sunday)
Bookings and info: theglasshouseicm.org
Something a little different from our International Centre for Music and the fact tickets have been snapped up suggests it’ll be back.
This weekend’s programme of events to tone body and mind is to take place in the Foyles Music Centre, down the stairs from the concourse.
“For one summery weekend,” we’re told, “The Glasshouse turns into a space to breathe out, stretch a little, slow everything down and enjoy the kind of feel-good activities that genuinely make a difference.
“Try a sound bath. Tap into a drum circle. Sip something soothing. Stretch, breathe, unwind, or simply lie back and let the music do the heavy lifting.
“Every session is welcoming, unfussy and built around feeling better, not being perfect.”
At the time of writing there are still some tickets left for Shannon Pearl’s Sound Bath sessions whose inspiration is drawn from folklore, ancient tradition, nature and the healing power of sound.
And also for her Cacao Ceremony offering a cup of “something rich and grounding” plus “a few minutes of stillness to let the warmth do its thing”.
THEATRE: Burlesque The Musical
Where: Sunderland Empire
When: August 13-22
Bookings and info: atgtickets.com
Following a delayed start to its UK tour, North East audiences will now be the first to see Burlesque the Musical when it opens in Sunderland this week.
Based on the 2010 film and executive produced by Christina Aguilera, the show follows Ali as she arrives in New York searching for her mother and finds herself drawn into the colourful world of an underground club – and the family of performers who inhabit it.
Faye Brookes stars as club owner Tess, with Gracie O’Brien making her professional stage debut as Ali. The score features songs by Aguilera, Sia and Diane Warren alongside new numbers from Todrick Hall and Jess Folley.
The planned London opening has meanwhile been postponed until 2027.
THEATRE: The Tiger Who Came to Tea
Where: Queen’s Hall, Hexham
When: August 18 to 20
Booking & Info: queenshall.co.uk
David Wood’s Olivier Award-nominated adaptation of Judith Kerr’s much-loved story has just opened in London’s West End but it has a double life since it’s also on tour.
Many of you will know how it goes, either from reading it multiple times or hearing it multiple times. With young children, once is never enough.
The doorbell rings just as Sophie and her mummy are about to have tea and who should be on the doorstep but a huge and hungry tiger?
He has, it turns out, a pretty undemanding palate. He’ll eat anything and everything and does so (though not Sophie and her mummy, of course). He even, strangely, drinks all the water in the tap.
It’s billed as a family show “packed with oodles of magic, sing-along songs and clumsy chaos”.
It runs at just under an hour (no interval) which is about right for an audience of young theatre-goers. It’s suitable for aged three plus, according to the Queen’s Hall website, and there are five daytime performances.
EXHIBITION: CHROMA: A Measure of Colour
Where: Arts Centre Washington
When: Until September 18
Bookings and info: sunderlandculture.org.uk
Just opened at the arts centre on Biddick lane, Fatfield, is the latest exhibition by members of Interface Arts, a network of artists and craftspeople based in County Durham and surrounding areas.
It’s all about colour.
Colour, say the members, is rarely viewed in isolation. Our perception of colour is relative, often influenced by factors such as neighbouring colours or light conditions.
This exhibition shows the fruits of their research and experimentation, a body of original artworks celebrating the joy of colour in all its depths and subtleties.
It includes both figurative and abstract artworks created in a range of media.
Admission to the exhibition is free and the arts centre is open Tuesday to Saturday at various times (check the website).
🎉 FESTIVAL WATCH 🎉
New Horizons, The Grove, Newcastle, August 14-16
Berwick Food and Beer Festival, August 14-16
Derwent Fest, near Consett, August 14-15
Coast Fest, North Shields, Aug 28-30
Noughty 90s Festival, Leazes Park, Newcastle, August 29
Newcastle Mela, August 29-31, Grey’s Monument and Exhibition Park
Northern and Modern Soul All Dayer, The Glasshouse, August 30
Lindisfarne Festival, Beal Farm, Northumberland, September 3-5
Staithes Festival of Arts and Heritage, Tees Valley, various locations, September 11-13
Hexham Abbey Festival of Music and Arts, Hexham, Northumberland, September 23-26
Beyond the Moor, Gosforth Civic Theatre, Oct 10
Can’t see your festival here? Send us the details
STILL SHOWING
Art: Northern Summer Exhibition, Newcastle Arts Centre, Westgate Road, until Sept 12
Event: Redhills Sundays, Redhills Durham Miners’ Hall, Sundays 11am-2pm
Theatre: Barnum, Newcastle Theatre Royal, until Aug 15
Astronomy: Eclipse on the Tyne, The Glasshouse (and in the sky), Aug 12, 6pm
Classical: Pudding Chare Music Festival, Lit & Phil + Jesmond URC, Newcastle, Aug 13-15
Screen/Event: Off The Rails + Q&A with Sally Phillips & Jules Williamson, Gosforth Civic Theatre, Aug 14
Screen/Food: Anthony Bourdine - Tony Supper Club, Tyneside Cinema, Aug 14
Music: Peat & Diesel, The Fire Station, Sunderland, Aug 14
Theatre: The Last Laugh, Darlington Hippodrome, Aug 18-22
Theatre: Toto the Ninja Cat and the Great Snake Escape, Gala Durham, Aug 11-13 (daytime)
Family: Wallace & Gromit – All Systems Go AR Trail, Hopetown Darlington, until Aug 31
Theatre: The HandleBards’ As You Like It and Macbeth, various North East venues until Aug 19
Exhibition: Things That Go!, Discovery Museum, Newcastle, until Feb 29, 2027
Exhibition: MOXIE: Generation Alpha Curates the Middlesbrough Collection, MIMA, Middlesbrough, until Mar 28, 2027. READ MORE
Screen: Screen on the Green, Old Eldon Square, Newcastle, until Aug 31
Event: Happy Rooms, Middlesbrough Town Hall, until Aug 30
Exhibition: Discovering Dark Skies, Queen’s Hall Arts Centre, Hexham, until Sept 19
Screen: Ashington AFC: Saving Our Club, available to stream on BBC iPlayer
Event: Beyond Van Gogh, Utilita Arena, Newcastle, until Aug 9. Read our preview
Event: Kynren – An Epic Tale of England, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, until Sept 12
Exhibition: Norman Cornish – A Life in Sketchbooks, Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle, until Jan 3. Read our full report
Exhibition: Mourning Tea Tyne & Lost Frequencies, Globe Gallery, North Shields, ongoing
Exhibition: Joan Eardley, Granary Gallery, Berwick-upon-Tweed, until Oct 11
Screen: The Fortune, Channel 5, available now
Screen: Smoggie Queens, BBC Three and BBC iPlayer, available now
Screen: This Is Not A Murder Mystery, UTV and streaming on Channel Four, available now.
Exhibition: Foundation Press – Starting Lines, BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, Gateshead, until Aug 30.
Radio: Si King on Desert Island Discs, BBC Sounds/iPlayer
Exhibition: Vivienne Westwood: Rebel – Storyteller – Visionary, The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle, until Sept 6
Exhibition: Following the Eagle, Segedunum Roman Fort, Wallsend, until Oct 3
Exhibition: Picture This: Someone Like Me, Great North Museum: Hancock, until Jan 2027
Exhibition: Portrait Award 2025, Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle, until Sept 5
Exhibition: Enigmas, RePUBlic Gallery, Blyth, ongoing
Exhibition: Rebel Women of Sunderland, Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens, until Aug 1
Radio: Tom and Lauren Are Going OOT!, BBC Sounds
Exhibition: Out of the Darkness, Mining Art Gallery, Bishop Auckland, until December
NOW BOOKING
Event: The Guilty Feminist - The Road to Gilead Project, Live Theatre, Newcastle, Sept 4
Festival: Whitley Bay Film Festival, various venues in the town, Sept 5-26
Comedy: Mike Wozniak - The Bench, Tyne Theatre and Opera House, Sept 22
Comedy: Kevin Bridges - Here If You Need Me, Utilita Arena Newcastle, Oct 2 and Feb 13, 2027
Event: North East Indie Book Fest, Bearpark, Durham, Oct 3
Event: An Evening with Ruby Wax, Gala Durham, Oct 21
Music: Knats, King Street Social Club, North Shields, Oct 23
Comedy: Your Aunt Fanny - Crease, ARC Stockton (Oct 10 ); and Live Theatre (Oct 29-31)
Theatre: Our Friends in the North - The Thatcher Years, Newcastle Theatre Royal, Oct 15-24
Music: A Celebration of John Miles - Music Was My First Love, The Customs House, South Shields, Nov 1
Event: Prof Alice Roberts - From Cell to Civilisation, Stockton Globe, Nov 6
Theatre: A Play, A Pie and A Pint - Making Way, Northern Stage, Nov 17-21
Music: Hector Gannet, Sage Two, The Glasshouse, Nov 27
Theatre: Legally Blonde, Sunderland Empire, Dec 1-5
Comedy: The Suggestibles - Impro Pantso, The Stand Newcastle (Dec 10); Live Theatre (Dec 17-18); The Cumberland Arms (Dec 19)
2027
Music: Al Compas Del Querer - Flamenco, Northern Stage, Feb 7
Comedy: Ed Byrne - No Dramas, ARC Stockton, Mar 5; Tyne Theatre and Opera House, May 5
Theatre: Victoria Wood’s dinnerladies, Stockton Globe, Mar 9-13
Comedy: Seann Walsh - This is Torture, The Stand Newcastle, Mar 14
Dance: It’s a Sin (Rambert), Newcastle Theatre Royal, Jun 29-Jul 3
Theatre: Hadestown, Sunderland Empire, Nov 9-13
COMPETITION TIME
Welcome to our latest newsletter prize draw - offering our subscribers an exclusive opportunity to win tickets to see or do something great.
This week, we’ve got a pair of tickets to see Enter The Castle with Jon Ronson at Gala Theatre Durham on September 17.
Jon Ronson turns his attention closer to home in a new live show accompanying The Castle, his first book in 11 years.
The story begins when his son is drawn to a mysterious castle in the New England forests, sending Ronson on an investigation into what was happening there – and into questions of masculinity, lost purpose and disinhibition.
On stage, the journalist and broadcaster will bring the story to life with footage and online material which has since disappeared from the internet. There’ll also be a preview of the next series of Things Fell Apart and an audience Q&A.
HOW TO ENTER:
To be in with a chance of winning, simply email MePlease@culturednortheast.co.uk using the subject line: ‘I want to Enter the Castle’ by 5pm on Sunday, August 16.
The winner, who will be selected at random, will be notified within 48 hours of the entry deadline.
Terms and conditions: Only subscribers to the Cultured. North East newsletter are eligible to enter the Newsletter Prize Draw competition. Prizes are as stated - subject to availability - and non-transferable. No cash alternatives will be offered. You must be over 18 years of age to enter. The Editor’s decision is final.