Curated Culture 24-09-24
Curated Culture 24-09-24
Our regular signpost to our picks from the What's On riches currently on offer from venues and attractions across North East England.
Hello and welcome to this week’s selection of cultural doings we think are worthy of your consideration over the next fortnight or so.
In addition, for those who like to plan ahead, the NOW BOOKING section throws up a gathering of performances, events and what-have-you from a bit further ahead in the calendar.
And a helpful summary of anything which is STILL SHOWING from previous Curated Culture mailouts can also be found further down.
Our mission to keep you abreast of excellent stuff to see and do all over the North East continues…
Meanwhile our related undertaking to give you, our subscribers, the chance to enjoy something terrific via our weekly newsletter prizedraw is also ongoing.
This week, we’ve got a pair of tickets for the opening night of Gerry and Sewell at Newcastle Theatre Royal on October 2 at 7.30pm. It’s playing until October 5 and sounds like it’s going to be pretty unforgettable. More details below.
Thanks as ever for your likes, shares and support - it’s very much appreciated.
Now start scrolling… and don’t forget to tell your friends!
Sam and Dave*
*Like Chas and Dave but with less hair and better accents
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MUSIC: Beyond the Moor 2024
Where: Gosforth Civic Theatre
When: October 12
Bookings and info: www.gosforthcivictheatre.co.uk
An all-day feast of folk and roots music, Beyond the Moor is returning for 2024 with a line up including O'Hooley & Tidow, Sam Sweeney, Andy Cutting and Rob Harbron as Leveret, Cri du Canard, Me Lost Me, Jez Lowe, Sam Baxter and Ouseburn Folk Choir.
All the performances will place across two stages throughout the day.
ALL ROUNDER: Hidden Depths
Where: Various venues around Cambois, Northumberland
When: September 27 and 28
Bookings and info: novemberclub.org.uk
An extraordinary celebration of Cambois village's rich history, this two-day event is the culmination of eight-months of creative projects and will feature dance, drama, film, projection, photography, heritage and memories.
Presented by November Club and The Tute, all events are free to attend and there’s no need to pre-book.
FOOD & THEATRE: The Wilson Tales: Literary Dinner and Wilson at Play
Where: The Kings Arms, Berwick and Paxton House Picture Gallery
When: October 2 and 4, respectively
Bookings and info: www.wilsonstales.co.uk
These are two events organised by The Wilson Tales Project to celebrate the work of John Mackay Wilson - a former editor of the Berwick Advertiser whose collection of stories Wilson’s Tales of the Borders became widely read and successful in the mid 19th century.
On October 2, the Project’s annual Literary Dinner will be held - this year embracing the theme of his poem, Beans and Bacon. Two days later, Wilson at Play will see six short plays based on Wilson’s Tales of the Borders performed at Paxton House.
MUSIC: The Marsyas Trio
Where: King’s Hall, Newcastle University
When: Thursday, September 26, 1.15pm
Bookings and info: www.ncl.ac.uk
The London-based trio begin the new season of free and unticketed lunchtime concerts in the grand King’s Hall, located in the Armstrong Building on Newcastle University’s Haymarket campus.
The Marsyas are Australian flautist Helen Vidovich, Canadian cellist Valerie Welbanks and Belarusian pianist Olga Stezhko who have spent over a decade championing the extensive repertoire for their instruments.
They will perform works by French composer Mélanie ‘Mel’ Bonis (1858 to 1937) and the Dutch-German Johann Wilhelm Wilms (1772 to 1847).
A student performance will take place at 4pm.
THEATRE: My Mother’s Funeral
Where: Northern Stage
When: Oct 11-12
Bookings and info: northernstage.co.uk
Tackling the inequalities around death, in Kelly Jones’ new play we meet a daughter who can’t afford for her mother to be dead. But she is.
While she grapples with the costs of the funeral, she’s also asked to write a raw, working class piece of theatre… and here we are.
MUSIC: Voices of Virtue
Where: Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle
When: October 4
Bookings and info: hoochiecoochie.co.uk
The 12-piece Newcastle Gospel band who enjoy sold out shows across the UK have booked a home turf gig.
Expect to love it.
THEATRE: My Name is Rachel Corrie
Where: Alphabetti Theatre
When: October 8 to 26
Bookings and info: alphabettitheatre.co.uk
First staged at the Royal Court Theatre Upstairs in 2005, this production draws on the diaries and emails of Rachel Corrie, an American peace activist who was crushed to death by an Israeli bulldozer whilst protecting the home of a Palestinian family from illegal demolition in 2003. She was 23.
Edited by Katharine Viner and the late Alan Rickman, the play is described as “a deeply personal account of a journey from suburban life into international peace activism, recounting the injustice, the cruelty, and the humanity that Rachel witnessed during her time in Gaza”.
FOOD & MUSIC: Blacks, Dogs and Irish - A Refugee Fundraiser
Where: Pop Recs, Sunderland
When: October 12
Bookings and info: See Instagram
Sunderland champs Pop Recs and city restaurant, Calabash Tree have joined forces to organise a positive energy fundraiser to drum up funds for local refugee services “in the wake of the rancid, traumatic scenes we experienced on our streets a few weeks back”.
A menu of dishes boasting nods to the organisers’ shared heritage - Trinidadian, British and Irish - mutton curry, Guinness punch, plantain crumble, panackelty and ham and pease pudding will all be present and correct - along with banging tunes, we wouldn’t wonder.
No booking required. Just rock up feeling hungry and generous!
COMEDY: Rachel Parris: Poise
Where: The Stand, Newcastle
When: October 6
Bookings and info: thestand.co.uk
Comedian Rachel Parris is back on the road with her biggest tour yet, once again serving up a joyful combination of stand up and songs.
You may have seen her presenting The Mash Report or appearing on any number of TV and radio panel shows… but to see her live is to really know and love her.
THEATRE: Boeing Boeing
Where: People’s Theatre, Newcastle
When: October 1 to 5, 7.30pm
Bookings and info: peoplestheatre.co.uk
French playwright Marc Camoletti’s farce was a 1960s sensation, keeping audiences entertained for seven years in London’s West End.
The (frenetic) action revolves around busy bachelor Bernard whose juggling of three fiancées, flight attendants Gloria, Gabriella and Gretchen, is imperilled by the introduction of a new super-fast jet.
Is Bernard about to be sent sky high by a triple boot in the derrière?
The amateurs of the People’s tell the tale in this translation by Beverley Cross and Francis Evans.
MUSIC: Come & Sing Rutter Magnificat
Where: All Saints’ Church, Akenside Hill, Newcastle
When: Saturday, September 28, 10am to 4pm
Bookings & info: newcastlechoralsociety.org.uk
Newcastle Choral Society, celebrating its 70th season, invites all-comers to join the choir in a singing day focusing on John Rutter’s Magnificat which was premiered in Carnegie Hall, New York, in 1990.
A £10 ticket secures score, drinks, cake and the chance to rehearse and then perform a free concert for family and friends under the baton of musical director Mark Anyan and with Nick Butters at the piano.
MUSIC: Awesome Silent Disco
Where: Newcastle Cathedral
When: September 28 (three sessions)
Bookings and info: awesomesilentdiscos.co.uk
Choose your channel, whack on your headphones and get dancing! Newcastle Cathedral hosts a trio of silent disco sessions on Saturday offering families and grown ups the chance to let their hair down and dance like no-one else is listening.
A battle of the decades will see dancefloor dwellers offered the choice of the 80s, 90s or 00s. The family session takes place from 1-3pm; early evening is 6.30-9pm; and late night is 9.30pm-midnight.
STILL SHOWING
Music: Pink Floyd by Candelight, Durham Cathedral, Sept 27
Comedy: Lauren Stone - Cool for Cats at The Stand, Newcastle, Sept 30
Music: Into the Groove - Celebrating 40 Years of Madonna, The Fire Station, Sunderland, Sept 27
Theatre: Ghost the Musical, Darlington Hippodrome, until Sept 28
Music: RNS Moves - The World is Round, The Glasshouse, Sept 28
Music: HowayFest 2024, various Tyneside venues, Sept 27-Oct 19
Exhibition: Joanne Coates - Middle of Somewhere, BALTIC, until Nov 17
Theatre: Wicked, Sunderland Empire, until Oct 20
Comedy: An evening of Shouting and Swearing with Gavin Webster, The Witham, Sept 28
Theatre: Abigail’s Party, Northern Stage, until Sept 28
Theatre: Othello, various North East venues until Oct 20
Exhibition: Hannah Perry - Manual Labour, BALTIC, until Jan 19, 2025
Theatre: Pride and Prejudice* (*Sort of), Newcastle Theatre Royal, until Sept 28
Screen: Prima Facie: National Theatre Live, various North East cinemas, until Dec 5
Theatre: Subterranea, Laurels Theatre, until Sept 28
Music: Allen Valleys Folk Festival, various Allendale venues, Sept 27-29
Theatre: Love It If We Beat Them, Live Theatre, Newcastle, until Sept 28
NOW BOOKING
Oct 24: Led By Donkeys: Adventures in Art, Activism and Accountability, The Exchange 1856, North Shields
Oct 27, Jan 31 and Feb 1: Mark Thomas - Gaffa Tapes, The Stand Newcastle, Alnwick Playhouse and The Witham, Barnard Castle
Nov 1, Mar 7 and Sept 20 (2025): Russell Kane - HyperActive, Middlesbrough Town Hall, Stockton Globe and Newcastle Tyne Theatre
Nov 2: Adam Ant, The Glasshouse
Nov 6 Feb 21: Eliot Smith Dance’s Pitman, various North East venues
Nov 18: The Libertines, Stockton Globe
Nov 23: Bellowhead, The Glasshouse (Sage One), Gateshead
Nov 30-Jan 4: A Christmas Carol, Northern Stage
Dec 7: Culture Club, Utilita Arena Newcastle
Dec 21 and Feb 15: Lindisfarne, Newcastle City Hall and The Maltings
Jan 26: The Magic Numbers, The Glasshouse (Sage Two), Gateshead
Mar 13: A Night of Memories and Music with Rick Buckler of The Jam, ARC, Stockton
Mar-Apr 2025: The Lindisfarne Story - Nicely Out of Tune, various North East venues
May 15-31: The Sunderland Story, Sunderland Empire
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 a pair of tickets to the opening night of Gerry and Sewell at Newcastle Theatre Royal on October 2, at 7.30pm.
It started at Laurels Theatre in Whitley Bay, moved up a league or two for a sell out run at Live Theatre and now the expanded cast of Gerry and Sewell are preparing to take to the stage at the top of Grey Street from October 2-5.
Adapted from Jonathan Tulloch’s book Season Ticket and the 2000 film Purely Belter, Laurels founder, Jamie Eastlake’s take on the story of two lads from the wrong side of the Metro tracks and their mission to secure seats to watch their beloved Newcastle United looks set to have a memorable run.
To be in with a chance of winning, simply email MePlease@culturednortheast.co.uk using the subject line: TOON TOON before midday (12pm) on Friday, September 27, 2024.
The winner, who will be selected at random, will be notified within 24 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.