Curated Culture 30.07.25
Our weekly recommendations round up from North East stages and cultural venues
Hello and apologies for the late delivery of this week’s Curated Culture newsletter (and an extra sorry to anyone who finds a teardrop or 12 in their inbox).
I (Sam) had to unexpectedly step off the cultural carousel yesterday to say a final goodbye to our household’s very beautiful and gloriously opinionated doggie matriarch, Piper. Tough day.
But Piper was a big fan the arts - they were right up there with chicken, cheese and chasing strangers (aka people who had been coming to our house her entire life) out of the kitchen.
She would have wanted me to get straight back on with bringing you this week’s cultural pick ‘n’ mix. She hated to miss anything - and will be massively missed1.
Both Dave and I are still recovering (in the best way) after covering the BBC Proms' four-day North East residency last weekend - with stunning performances at The Glasshouse in Gateshead and, for the very first time, The Fire Station in Sunderland.
From world premieres to orchestral pop collaborations and a boatload of proud North East energy, it was a joy to see and hear the region take centre stage on the airwaves.
You can read all about it via our reviews of Round Midnight at the Fire Station; JADE and the Royal Northern Sinfonia; the RNS playing Bach and Mendelssohn; and Angeline Morrison’s The Sorrow Songs.
Back to looking forward though, if this is your first Curated Culture, let me first assure you that it’s not usually as wordy or emotional… and it’s not usual a Wednesday occurrence.
As a rule, every Tuesday, a carefully crafted round up will drop into your inbox, featuring:
🗓️ Top Picks – standout events we think are worth your time over the next fortnight
📌 Still Showing – listings we’ve previously shouted about that are still available to enjoy
📅 Now Booking – stuff further into the calendar you might want to nail down
🎁 Subscriber Prize Draw – an exclusive treat for subscribers
Speaking of which, this week’s prize is pair of tickets for the next Live Skies event inside the Life Science Centre’s planetarium in Newcastle.
Our friends at Life were kind enough to give us some tickets to give away last month… and such was the number of entries we received, when they offered us a pair for the August event, we thought you’d appreciate us saying a big YES.
All the details on how to enter and whatnot can be found at the bottom of the newsletter - along with a beachside portrait of Piper so you can see just what a cast iron treasure she was.
Thanks as ever for all your support - we never get bored of hearing how much you’re appreciating our work… especially when we hear you’ve told someone new!
Sam (Wonfor) and 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
COMEDY: Jason Cook’s Beat The Gong
Where: The Customs House, South Shields
When: August 2
Bookings and info: customshouse.co.uk
Twelve brave new comedians, one savage audience, and a gong that spells instant doom - South Shields’ answer to The Gong Show sounds excellent.
Hosted by veteran stand-up comic and writer - the ever-unflappable - Jason Cook, this chaotic night of stand-up sees fresh acts try to survive the crowd and dodge the dreaded gong. Fun times all round.
DANCE: Eclipse, Eliot Smith Dance
Where: Dance City, Newcastle
When: August 2
Bookings and info: dancecity.co.uk
Choreographer and dance company founder Eliot Smith is as interested in the history of his artform as he is in staging performances for an audience.
The two passions come together every couple of years in ESD Presents, when the company dedicates a week to celebrating one of the pioneers of contemporary dance.
Marking the centenary of his birth, this year’s subject is Sir Robert Cohan who is remembered as an influential figure around the world but particularly in this country where he established London Contemporary Dance Theatre in the 1960s and was founding artistic director of dance centre The Place.
His former teacher and great influence was the American dancer and choreographer Martha Graham who was the subject of the first ESD Presents event in 2021.
A week of events dedicated to this leading light in contemporary dance, who died in 2021 at the age of 95, culminates on Saturday with this gala performance of Cohan’s Eclipse by ESD dancers - to be followed by a discussion.
MUSIC: The Futureheads
Where: The Parade Ground, Sunderland
When: August 2
Bookings and info: thefirestation.org.uk
Sunderland’s own post-punk legends The Futureheads return to home turf this August as part of The Fire Station’s Summer Parties series.
Known for their razor-sharp harmonies, jerky rhythms and chaotic energy, the band rose to fame with their 2004 debut album - and that unforgettable cover of Kate Bush’s Hounds of Love.
Since then, they’ve kept fans on their toes with everything from guitar-driven anthems to an a cappella album, always bringing that signature northern grit.
They’ll be joined by special guests Camel Island and Lovely Assistant.
EVENT: NE1 Newcastle Restaurant Week
Where: All over Newcastle city centre
When: August 4-10
Bookings and info: getintonewcastle.co.uk
Get ready to loosen your belt (or better yet, employ your favourite elasticated waistband). Newcastle Restaurant Week returns next week, with sizzling deals from some of the city’s best-loved food factories.
Whether you're craving Indian street food at Mowgli, elegant small plates at St. Vincent, or modern Chinese dishes at Landmark Oriental, you couldn’t find a better value time to book those tables.
Celebrating its 15th anniversary, this summer’s event features set-price menus at £15, £20, or £25 at more than 100 restaurants across the city.
To mark the occasion, NE1 is launching Restaurant Week Live! - a new precursor event hosted by MasterChef semi-finalist Anthony O’Shaughnessy. Taking place on Grainger Street on Thursday (August 1), it features five top chefs cooking signature dishes live for a street-side audience… and £250 worth of restaurant vouchers up for grabs.
THEATRE: Chicago
Where: Sunderland Empire
When: August 4-9
Bookings and info: atgtickets.com
The legendary musical Chicago is heading back to Wearside - and it’s set to be every bit as slick, sharp and stylish as you’d expect.
With its signature Fosse choreography, knockout score and biting satire on celebrity, crime and the media, it’s not difficult to see why it remains a dazzling (and razzling) draw for audiences.
Set in Prohibition-era Chicago, the story follows Roxie Hart - a chorus girl who kills her lover and turns the courtroom into a stage, hoping to outshine fellow accused murderer Velma Kelly and win her freedom.
The cast is led by Strictly Come Dancing’s Janette Manrara as Roxie, with West End stalwart Darren Day as smooth-talking lawyer Billy Flynn and Djalenga Scott (fresh from a run in Bonnie & Clyde) as Velma.
Expect style, sass and standout numbers like All That Jazz, Razzle Dazzle and Cell Block Tango.
FILM: Motherboard + Q & A
Where: Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle
When: August 11, 6pm
Bookings and info: tynesidecinema.co.uk
Victoria Mapplebeck’s film, which premiered last year, is described by the Tyneside as “the antidote to the unrealistic expectations we have about motherhood”.
Its ‘star’ is Mapplebeck’s son, Jim, whose life has been captured on film from the moment he was seen giving an apparent thumbs up sign on a pre-natal scan.
Mapplebeck spent her early career making documentaries, mostly for Channel 4, but stuff happened and suddenly she was a single mum with a child to care for.
She gave up her uncertain calling as a TV director to become a film professor in London, working steadier hours.
Then, after a 12-year break, and taking advantage of smartphone technology, she returned to film-making, making a series of highly personal documentaries, one of which, Missed Call, won a BAFTA.
This latest film, incorporating footage gathered over 20 years, puts the mother/son relationship in the frame, creating (Tyneside again) “a unique self-portrait charting the real-life comedy and roller coaster of solo parenting”.
Victoria Mapplebeck will be at the Tyneside to talk about the film and to share insights into smartphone filmmaking.
EXHIBITION: Unpicking Memories
Where: RePUBlic Gallery, Blyth
When: Saturday, August 9 to September 6
Bookings and info: republicgallery.co.uk
Andrea Roberts, who has both studied and taught art and has an MA in fine art from Newcastle University, draws inspiration from the natural beauty of Northumberland where she lives.
But she is also interested in people. Many have seen, in her intricate pen and ink drawings of trees, the patterns of nerves and arteries that are the lifeforce in every human body.
And in her latest exhibition at Blyth’s RePUBlic Gallery – located in the former pub known as The King’s Head, hence the name – she shows work that references design features of the building and also the stories of former locals, kept in a book in the adjacent café.
In her textile drawings, Andrea ‘unpicks’ memories just as a seamstress might unpick stitches – although the process is creative rather than destructive.
There’s a special preview of the exhibition at the gallery on Friday, August 8 (6-8pm) which is open to all.
Access to the gallery is through the Kings Head Café (Tuesday to Friday, 9am to 3pm) and Saturday (10am to 2pm).
THEATRE: Alice in Wonderland
Where: Playhouse Whitley Bay
When: Aug 1-2 (Four performances)
Bookings and info: playhousewhitleybay.co.uk
A curious girl, a grinning cat, and a very mad tea party - this playful take on Alice in Wonderland heads to Whitley Bay for a weekend of family-friendly fun.
Expect familiar characters, lively songs, and a few surprises along the way. It’s panto with a twist - namely that it’s not Christmas!
Perfect for fans of everything pantomime, who can’t wait until the festive season…
DANCE: Rhythm of the Dance
Where: Darlington Hippodrome
When: July 31
Bookings and info: darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk
If you’re looking for something to perk you up, how about some percussive and glamorous Irish dancing with pumped up jigs to accompany it?
It’s a recipe that’ll drive away doom and gloom, so it will.
Rhythm of the Dance is the product of the National Dance Company of Ireland which seems to exist purely to send this show whirling around the world on a perpetual tour (26 years and counting).
It was Riverdance (no relation) that first put Irish dance on the international stage, making a spectacular appearance as a Eurovision Song Contest interval entertainment in Dublin in 1994.
That show (whisper it) is still going strong and returns later in the year – to Newcastle Utilita Arena (October 18 and 19) and Stockton Globe (October 21 and 22).
But Rhythm of the Dance, on a tour of theatres, is equally reliant on toe-tapping music, champion Irish dancers and slick choreography.
“Join us on this thrilling journey that is Irish in essence, through the country's ancient history to the modern, urban Ireland that we see today, bursting with talent,” say the promoters.
Limited availability for this Darlington stopover but grab a ticket if you can.
EVENT: Festival of Books
Where: Ushaw Historic House, Chapels & Gardens
When: August 9
Bookings and info: ushaw.org
Ushaw opens a new chapter this summer with its first ever Festival of Books - a family-friendly day of storytelling, creative workshops and a rare chance to explore the hidden heart of its literary collection.
The big headline? For one day only, the Big Library - usually closed to the public - will be open for self-guided exploration. Home to over 50,000 historic texts, this extraordinary space includes treasures like The Nuremberg Chronicle (1493), Newton’s Principia Mathematica, and a first edition of Darwin’s On the Origin of Species.
Elsewhere, expect a joyful line-up of free events (with day pass or membership), from story performances and craft workshops to a special appearance by children’s author Anne Fine. Highlights include Once Upon a Fairytale by Story Craft Theatre, wonderland antics with Activate Theatre, and creative sessions with illustrators, authors, and storytellers.
Also on show: The Wonderful World of Ladybird Books exhibition, full of nostalgic favourites.
STILL SHOWING
Theatre: The Book of Mormon, Newcastle Theatre Royal, until Aug 9
Festival: Gosforth Beer Festival, Gosforth Civic Theatre, Aug 1-3
Music: The Kane Gang - Aided and abetted by Field Music, The Fire Station, Aug 1
Exhibition: Betty Barnet Brown’s REVEAL, Ushaw Historic House, Chapel and Gardens, When: August 1, 2 or 3 (weather-permitting)
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
Festival: Newcastle Fringe, Alphabetti Theatre and various venues across the city, until Aug 2
Exhibition: Three artists, National Glass Centre, Sunderland, until January 10, 2026
Exhibition: Pursued By Bulldozers, Gateshead Central Library, until Sept 27
Classical/Folk: Music at Paxton Festival, Paxton House, Berwick, until Jul 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
Festival: Hardwick Live, Sedgefield, County Durham, August 15-17
Books: Keegan Book Launch, Live Theatre, Newcastle, Sept 4
Music: Dave Stewart - Dave Does Dylan, The Fire Station, Sunderland, Sept 5 (tickets on general sale, Friday, Aug 1).
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
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 pair of tickets to the next Live Skies event at Newcastle’s Life Science Centre on August 14 at 6.30pm - an after-hours planetarium show for adults at the city centre attraction.
This presenter-led experience takes audiences on a journey through the night sky, diving into the astronomy, mythology and science behind the stars - with zero light pollution, unpredictable weather, or neck strain required.
The August edition places Hercules in the spotlight. Alongside a deep dive into the constellation itself and the galaxies it contains, audiences will enjoy an animated retelling of The Epic of Gilgamesh - the ancient tale that inspired Hercules’ myth.
The show also offers a close-up tour of the planets, from Mercury to Neptune, perfect for anyone hoping to catch this summer’s rare early morning parade of six planets.
Held in the North’s largest planetarium, Live Skies uses ultra-high-resolution visuals and cinematic sound to fully immerse audiences in space - all from the comfort of a reclining seat.
A pay bar will be open before the show, making it a relaxed, thought-provoking night out for stargazers, space nerds, and the planet-curious alike.
HOW TO ENTER:
To be in with a chance of winning, simply email MePlease@culturednortheast.co.uk using the subject line: Calling occupants of interplanetary craft, by noon, (12pm) on Sunday, August 3, 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.
Piper Wonfor Telfer 2014-2025. Loved the beach. Loved scratching her back on the hedge. Loved us more than scratching her back on the hedge after a two-hour beach trip. Rest in sandy peace, gorgeous girl xxx