Curated Culture 12.08.25
Our weekly recommendations round up from North East stages and cultural venues
Hello from a Cretan beach/taverna – or at least that’s where I (Sam) will be when you read this. Thanks to the magic of email scheduling, it’s landing in your inbox without a single grain of sand/drop of ouzo. What a time to be alive.
As you scroll through this week’s Tuesday drop, I’ll be attempting to pass for a local, armed with SPF 50 and delusional hopes that this will be the year my skin pigmentation finally changes its mind.
Before we get into what’s on, a quick reminder: we’re taking a tiny summer break from newsletter-sending. Normal mailout service will resume the week commencing August 25, by which point I’m aiming to be sporting a hue Dulux would call Judith Chalmers1.
In the meantime, the North East isn’t taking it easy – its streets, stages and galleries are brimming with reasons to leave the house - many of which you’ll find right here.
If you’re new to the list, welcome! Every Tuesday (well, most Tuesdays), this round-up arrives with:
🗓️ Top Picks – standout events we think are worth your time over the next fortnight
📌 Still Showing – listings we’ve previously trumpeted that are still available to enjoy
📅 Now Booking – stuff further into the calendar you might want on your radar
🎁 Subscriber Prize Draw – the chance to win tickets to something great
This week’s prize? Two pairs of tickets for a special screening of The Thursday Murder Club at the Tyneside Cinema on August 22. Details on how to enter are at the bottom – but don’t skip, the good stuff’s just ahead.
Thanks, as ever, for reading – and for keeping us fuelled with your tips, rave reviews and occasional puns.
Sam (Wonfor) & Dave (Whetstone)
Like Chas and Dave, but with less hair and better accents
PS: If you haven’t liked/followed/high fived us on our socials, you can rectify that on Facebook, Instagram and Blue Sky
THEATRE: Done To Death, By Jove!
Where: Queen’s Hall, Hexham
When: Friday, September 5, 7.30pm
Bookings and info: queenshall.co.uk
Billed as “a spoof homage” to the great British detective tradition, two theatrical knights, Sir Gavin of Robertson and Sir Nicholas of Collett, strive to put on a murder mystery show with a cast chronically under strength – their four fellow thespians supposedly stranded miles away in a broken down van.
Anything Gavin Robertson doesn’t know about the theatre probably isn’t worth knowing, and he’s ably aided and abetted by collaborator Nicholas Collett.
They’re seasoned theatre-makers and energetic performers – troupers, to use an old fashioned word – and this is a showcase for their expertise in physical theatre and general daftness.
It is, so they say, “Holmes and Watson meet Poirot and Miss Marple” and we’re led to believe there’s much juggling of hats.
An Edinburgh Fringe reviewer of this show back in 2022 called it “hilarious and quite brilliant” and added that it was sometimes hard to tell what was impeccably rehearsed and what impishly improvised.
EVENT: North East Dog Festival 2025
Where: Kirkley Hall, Northumberland
When: August 30 and 31
Bookings and info: northeastdogfestival.com
For 10 years now, the North East Dog Festival has been the weekend where Kirkley Hall is overrun - joyfully - with wagging tails, muddy paws and people who can’t walk past a spaniel without saying hello.
It’s a mix of the lively, the practical and the downright joyful. Agility, canicross, flyball, gundog scurries and more unfold across the grounds, while local clubs and trainers offer taster sessions for anyone curious to try something new with their dog.
There’s a lot to see (and smell, if you’re a Labrador), and more than 120 stalls to browse - from handmade leads to artisan treats you’ll be tempted to sample yourself.
It’s not about perfect heelwork or best in show. It’s about spending a day outdoors with your dog, meeting other people who get why you share your sofa with 30kg of fur, and celebrating just how many ways there are to enjoy life with a canine companion.
FESTIVAL: Lindisfarne Festival
Where: Beal Farm, Northumberland
When: August 28-31
Bookings and info: lindisfarnefestival.com
Few festivals make it to their 10th birthday. Fewer still do it after staring down cancellation earlier in the year. But Lindisfarne Festival has never really been the type to do things quietly.
Set on the stunning Northumberland coast with views towards Holy Island, it’s a weekend that blends big-name acts with the kind of offbeat happenings you only find when you follow the sound of a drum, an eruption of laughter or the smell of something delicious cooking. And that’s just my bell tent.
This year, the milestone anniversary feels doubly special - not just a celebration of a decade of music, dancing, viking hats and late-night storytelling around fire pits, but of a community that rallied to keep it alive.
Headliners are Doves, Armand Van Helden, The Waterboys and Hawkwind.
Other on the bill include Inspiral Carpets, Terrorvision, Utah Saints, Smoove and Turrell, Shohawk Duo, Sandi Thom, Beans on Toast, Ferocious Dog, Scouting for Girls and many more.
CONCERT: Songs of the North East – A Century of Coalmining
Where: Redhills, Durham Miners’ Hall
When: Saturday, September 6, 7.30pm
Bookings and info: redhillsdurham.org
Renowned singing couple Graeme Danby (bass) and Valerie Reid (mezzo-soprano) will entertain at the famous Pitmen’s Parliament, recently restored to the tune of £10 million.
They’ll sing songs rooted in in the region including The Blaydon Races, Keep Yer Feet Still Geordie Hinny, Rap ’er Ta Bank (the cry of miners waiting to be brought to the surface) and With Me Pit Claes on (by the late Eric Boswell who wrote many songs for the couple).
Also promised are Blow the Wind Southerly, Water of Tyne, The Keel Row and numbers by living legends Mark Knopfler (Sailing to Philadelphia) and Sting (The Last Ship).
But the evening will also include a screening of In The Veins, a film chronicling the history of coalmining using rare footage from the North East and Yorkshire Film and Television Archive.
The event, to which writers Tom Kelly and Graeme Thompson have also contributed, is part of the opening season at the palatial 109-year-old building as it returns to public use.
Says Tom: “There are so many wonderful songs which capture a particular time, event or character in the life of the North East, and to have these songs featured alongside In The Veins is wonderful.”
THEATRE: Much Ado About Nothing
Where: Various, from Raby Castle to Berwick Barracks
When: August 14 to 24
Bookings and info: handlebards.com
Peddling furiously, they’re coming our way again, the young (and fit) Shakespearean actors who deliver the Bard by bicycle across the country.
They are The HandleBards, lovers of Shakespeare and of the environment which is why they travel on two wheels – and still have the energy to put on a show at each destination.
The company was founded in 2013 when four young friends hit on their novel idea, touring on the cheap and keeping trim at the same time.
Travelling the length of the country – 1,500 miles in all - with this year’s production of Shakespeare’s much-loved comedy, their first North East performance is at Raby Castle, Staindrop, County Durham, on August 14 (6.30pm).
Catch them then in the following places… Wharton Park, Durham (Aug 15, 6.30pm); All Saints’ Church, Gosforth (Aug 16, 6pm); Hexham Abbey (Aug 17, 5pm); Northumberlandia, NE23 8AU (Aug 20, 6.30pm); Felton Park, Morpeth (Aug 21, 6pm); Rock Hall (Aug 22, 6pm); Pallinsburn House, Cornhill-on-Tweed (Aug 23, 6pm); The Straw Yard, Berwick Barracks (Aug 24, 3pm and 7pm).
COMEDY: The Suggestibles - Improv Comedy Joyride
Where: The Stand, Newcastle
When: August 21
Bookings and info: thestand.co.uk
No scripts. No plan. No limits. Improv Comedy Joyride from Newcastle’s legendary The Suggestibles turns audience ideas into instantaneous comedy: zany games, sketches, and even a mini-musical titled “Aspects Of…” all created on the spot.
Whether you shout out a prompt or just settle back and soak it in, it’s guaranteed to be fresh, funny - and completely unpredictable. Their shows are known for high-energy spontaneity and the occasional belly laugh that refuses to quit. If your suggestion makes the cut, you might even win two free tickets to their next show.
Also worth noting that the troupe are moving their annual festive offering, Impro Pantso to Live Theatre, Newcastle, for the first time this year after a long run at Northern Stage. Tickets for those December shows are here.
FESTIVAL: Last Train Home ’25
Where: Darlington, various venues
When: Saturday, September 6
Bookings and info: tracksdarlington.co.uk
The all-day blast of music and comedy has become a Darlington highlight in recent years – and all wrapped up in time to catch the last train home (as befits a famous railway town).
The promise this year is 40-plus acts on six stages spread across The Forum Music Centre, Darlington Hippodrome and Theatre Hullabaloo.
Last Train Home is the flagship event of Tracks Darlington, the Darlo music collective that became a community interest company in 2020 with a mission to connect audiences with the best of local talent.
It has gone from strength to strength, aided by partners NARC Magazine, BBC Introducing and the Hilarity Bites Comedy Club which programmes the all-day comedy festival within the festival.
This year’s event is special, being part of the all-embracing S&DR 200 fringe festival, one of many celebrating the bicentenary of the birth of railway passenger transport.
Among those on the music stages on September 6 will be Du Blonde, The Pale White, Ruth Lyon, MARKETPLACE, TV Death, Lawn Chair, Venus Grrrls, DUPLA, Nadedja and Dilettante.
Also catch comedy from Paul Tonkinson, Laura Davis, Micky P. Kerr, Tom Taylor, Alex Mitchell and others.
And it’s all on a single ticket.
THEATRE: The Lightning Thief
Where: Newcastle Theatre Royal
When: August 27 to 31
Bookings and info: theatreroyal.co.uk
This, to give it its full title, is The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical and demigod Perseus ‘Percy’ Jackson will need little introduction to many.
The classical hero for a modern age, he was born of the bedtime stories American author Rick Riordan told his son, a fan of the Greek myths who had been diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD.
Those gripping night-time tales became books, graphic novels, films and now a stage musical – in short, something of an entertainment phenomenon.
The first book was published 20 years ago and was adapted for the stage by Joe Tracz with the show premiering off Broadway in 2017.
Playing Percy on this new UK tour is young Portuguese actor Vasco Emauz who previously played Marty McFly in Back to the Future: The Musical. A fan of the Percy Jackson novels, he has said he used them to teach himself English.
In the story, 16-year-old Percy, with newly-discovered powers he can’t control, must learn what it means to be a hero because the future of the world hangs in the balance.
COMEDY: Peter Kay Live
Where: Newcastle Utilita Arena
When: August 22-23 and September 5-6
Bookings and info: utilitaarena.co.uk
Peter Kay’s first stand-up tour in over a decade continues with two nights in Newcastle this August. The shows have been steadily rolling out across the country since 2022, and while the venues are huge, the material is still rooted in the everyday and honed in the pursuit of belly laughs.
We wouldn’t expect a big theme or concept here - just an incredibly skilled comic doing what he does best in front of a crowd that’s absolutely up for it.
DANCE: Art of Andalucia
Where: Northern Stage, Newcastle
When: September 5, 7.30pm
Bookings and info: northernstage.co.uk
Flamenco is the dance form in question and who better to demonstrate it than the Daniel Martinez Flamenco Company?
Founded in 2017, they’re no strangers to Newcastle since they performed twice on this very stage back in February and also in the spring of 2024.
All those performances were sold out so don’t dawdle if you want an infusion of flamenco at its most exhilarating.
A flamenco savvy reviewer who caught last year’s show wrote of a “completely joyous” performance, “emotive and passionate”.
On stage will be Angel Reyes, renowned for his impeccable dance technique, and Gabriela Pouso, elegant principal dancer of the Daniel Martinez Flamenco Company.
They will perform to music composed for the show by Daniel Martinez who will be joined by vocalists Inma Montero and Danielo Olivera, and percussionist Julian Ticotico.
SCREEN: Oasis Supersonic
Where: Northern Rock Foundation Hall, The Glasshouse, Gateshead
When: August 29
Bookings and info: theglasshouseicm.org
Lights down, volume up, beanbags at the ready - The Glasshouse is getting properly immersive for a one-off screening of Oasis: Supersonic, the no-holds-barred doc that charts the Gallagher brothers’ chaotic rise from Manchester council estates to global fame in just three years.
Currently riding a international revival wave via a sell out stadium tour, the band remain a magnet for attention - and this 2016 film, which is told in their own words, offers a front-row seat to the backstage bust-ups, outrageous ambition, and anthems that defined a generation.
Rare behind-the-scenes footage, full-blown swagger, and more shouting than you’d get at Maine Road on derby day.
Whether you’re still clinging to your ’90s bucket hat or are still flouncing about not getting a ticket to the reunion tour, this is a chance to get up close to the mayhem - without actually getting hit by a flying tambourine.
STILL SHOWING
Event: Susie Dent - Word Perfect, Darlington Hippodrome, Aug 20
Theatre: Bat Out of Hell: The Musical, Sunderland Empire, Aug 18-23
Event: National Mackem Day, Sheepfolds, Sunderland, Aug 12
Theatre: SIX, Newcastle Theatre Royal, Aug 12-23
Festival: Hardwick Live, Hardwick Hall, Sedgefield, Aug 15-17
Festival: Come Together Festival, Town Moor, Newcastle, Aug 20 and 22
Music: The Shires, The Parade Ground, Sunderland, Aug 17, 5pm
Comedy: Bill Bailey – Thoughtifier, Stockton Globe, Aug 26
Theatre: Pits, People and Players, Ensemble ’84, Horden Methodist Church, Aug 21-23
Exhibition: Unpicking Memories, RePUBlic Gallery, Blyth, until Sept 6
Exhibition: The Art of Conservation, South Shields Museum & Art Gallery, Ocean Road, until Dec 6
Exhibition: The Words That Bind Us, Durham Cathedral, until Nov 2
Exhibition: Pippa Hale: Pet Project, Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle, until March 1, 2026
Exhibition: Shorelines, The Biscuit Factory, Newcastle, until Sept 7
Event: Kynren - An Epic Tale of England, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, Saturdays from until September 13
Exhibition: Three artists, National Glass Centre, Sunderland, until January 10, 2026
Exhibition: Pursued By Bulldozers, Gateshead Central Library, until Sept 27
Exhibition: Magna Carta and the North, Durham Cathedral, until Nov 2
Exhibition: Where Were You Last Summer? Arts Centre Washington, until Aug 30
Screen: Transaction, ITV X, Full series now available
Exhibition: Works by Nathan Coley, Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle, until Mar 1, 2026
Exhibition: Light Takes The Tree, RePUBlic Gallery, Blyth, until Aug 7
Screen: 28 Years Later, Cinemas all over the place, on general release now. 🎥 Read our report from Newcastle gala screening
Exhibition: The Wonderful World of the Ladybird Book Artists, Ushaw Historic House, Chapels & Gardens, near Durham, until Aug 31
Exhibition: Guiding Entities, MIMA, Middlesbrough, until Nov 23
Exhibition: Cedric Morris, Artist, Plantsman & Traveller, Granary Gallery, Berwick-upon-Tweed, until Oct 12
Exhibition: The Coal Town Collection – Mik Critchlow Gallery, Woodhorn Museum, Ashington, permanent display
Exhibition: With These Hands, Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle, until September 27
Exhibition: Shakespeare Recovered, Palace Green Library, Durham, until Nov 2
Audio-Visual: The Mother Goose Series, The Glasshouse, Gateshead, until July
Exhibition: Richard Hobson retrospective, South Shields Museum & Art Gallery, until Nov 2
Exhibition: Ali Cherri/Laura and Lancaster, BALTIC, until Oct 12
Exhibition: Joséphine: A Woman of Taste and Fashion, Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle, until March 2026
Music: Nick Cope – I’ve Lost My Bobble Hat, The Glasshouse, Gateshead at 11am on Oct 29
Theatre: Mary Poppins, Sunderland Empire, Oct 1-25
Music: The Young’uns Big Boro Bash, Middlesbrough Town Hall, Nov 15
Big screen: Expo Sunderland Pavilion, Keel Square, Sunderland, throughout 2025
NOW BOOKING
Event: Gary Stevenson - The Trading Game, Tyne Theatre and Opera House, Newcastle, Sept 18
Music: Classic Albums Live performs The Beatles’ White Album, Sage One, The Glasshouse, Sept 11
Theatre: Miriam Margoyles - From A-Z, The Globe, Stockton, Sept 15
Theatre: Inside Number 9 Stage/Fright, Sunderland Empire, Sept 16-20
Theatre: Detention, Northern Stage, Newcastle, Sept 16-17
Theatre: Miss Saigon, Newcastle Theatre Royal, Oct 2-25
Comedy: Kiri Pitchard-McLean and Louise Young, The Exchange 1856, Oct 11
Comedy: Grayson Perry - Are You Good?, Tyne Theatre and Opera House, Newcastle, Oct 13
Comedy: Metroland Live, Live Theatre, Newcastle, Oct 15-18
Event: Mercury Music Prize 2025, Utilita Arena Newcastle, Oct 16
Comedy: Jason Byrne - Head in the Clouds, The Stand Newcastle, Oct 23 and 26; ARC Stockton, Oct 24 and 25
Music: Adam Ant - Antmusic 2025, The Glasshouse, Oct 29 and The Globe, Stockton, Oct 30
Theatre: Mr Blackpool’s Seaside Spectacular, Northern Stage, Nov 6
Music: The Boomtown Rats - Happy Birthday Boomtown, Celebrating 50 Rat Years 1975-2025, Sage One, The Glasshouse, Nov 8
Spoken Word and Music: On Sycamore Gap, Arts Centre Washington, Nov 27
Comedy: Rob Beckett - Giraffe, Newcastle 02 City Hall, Nov 27-29
Music: The Undertones, Boiler Shop Newcastle, Dec 4
2026
Event: Sunday for Sammy, Utilita Arena, Newcastle, Feb 15
Comedy: Ross Noble, Newcastle 02 City Hall, Feb 18-20
Theatre: TINA - The Tina Turner Musical, Newcastle Theatre Royal, Mar 3-14
Dance: Diversity - Soul 2026, Sage One, The Glasshouse, Gateshead, Mar 7
Theatre: Legally Blonde the Musical, Newcastle Theatre Royal (May 12-17) and Sunderland Empire (Dec 1-5)
Music: Midge Ure - A Man of Two Worlds Tour, Sage One, The Glasshouse, Jun 5
COMPETITION TIME
Welcome to our latest newsletter prizedraw, offering our subscribers an exclusive opportunity to win tickets to see or do something great.
This week, we’ve got two pairs of tickets for a special screening of The Thursday Murder Club at the Tyneside Cinema on August 22.
The Tyneside is one of only a handful of UK venues to host exclusive preview screenings of the star-studded adaptation of Richard Osman’s bestselling debut novel.
Screenings begin on August 22, weeks before its Netflix release, and tickets are on sale now from the website.
Directed by Chris Columbus, the film boasts a glittering cast including Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley and Celia Imrie. Set in a quiet retirement village, it follows four residents who meet weekly to solve cold cases - until a real-life murder lands right on their doorstep.
Hannah Ross, head of marketing and engagement at Tyneside Cinema, said: “It’s a huge coup for the region, and a brilliant reminder that independent cinemas still play a key role in championing standout storytelling. We can’t wait to welcome audiences for what promises to be a highlight of our year.”
HOW TO ENTER:
To be in with a chance of winning, simply email MePlease@culturednortheast.co.uk using the subject line: Whodunnit? Hopefully me, by noon, (12pm) on Thursday, August 14, 2025.
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.
(For those under 45) Judith Chalmers was the presenter of 80s holiday TV show, Wish You Were Here and never shied from a sunlounger, judging by her everbrown glow.