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- Fri 13 Sep 19:30 SOLD OUT
Michael Palin - There and Back
Best-selling author and comedy legend Michael Palin is going back on the road, with a new 13 date UK tour this autumn.
There and Back - The Diary Tour 2024 will bring to life Palin’s upcoming Diary (called There and Back, published by Orion on 26 September) .
10 years since his last published diary, Michael unlocks volume four of his life and times, from 1999 to 2009. As the centuries change and Michael heads into middle age, he’s busier than ever. In this new show, with the help of rarely seen photos and video, Michael brings these momentous times to life as he talks through this latest Diary to take us backstage on this most productive decade of his life, whilst always, in the background, showing us the wider world, one of infinite possibilities and new and unimagined dangers.
He takes on four new travel series, and a wide variety of documentaries from art and artists to the last day of the First World War. He watches his family grow and expand at a time of ominous new threats and dangers. The Twin Towers fall, bombs blast London, banks collapse, whole economies teeter on the brink. Tony Blair offers hope with the Good Friday agreement, then embroils us in Iraq.
Michael enters his 60s, and finds grown-up responsibilities come his way. By the end of this diary, he's in his first year as President of the Royal Geographical Society. His diary reflects his constant struggle against routine and repetition, and his irresistible and often nerve-shredding attraction to new challenges. Some work, some don't, but by the end of this volume he's reached the retirement age of 65. And he's planning a new journey.
Announcing the tour, Michael Palin says: “In There and Back - The Diary Tour 2024, I’ll bring to life the fourth collection of my diaries and the first to be released for 10 years. Lots of fun as I go through the Noughties, and some dark times too.
I constantly surprise myself with the sheer amount I took on"
Courtyard Theatre
£28
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other events you may be interested in
Summer Recital Series - St John’s Ensemble with Susie Gibbons (soprano)
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Ron Colyer and Guy Haskell (violins)
Susan Black (viola)
Paul Cox (cello)
Nigel Wilkinson (piano)
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Dvorak Sonatina in G for violin and piano
Schumann 3 Songs
Schumann Piano Quintet in E flat
The summer recital series ends with Schumann’s great Quintet, full of heart-warming melodies.
Soprano Susie Gibbons will be headlining the recital with songs to complement the main works instead of the originally programmed Poppy Shotts, who unfortunately can no longer join us due to unforeseen circumstances.
Courtyard Theatre
£18 | Under 18s Free
Salsa
Led by SalsaStyle
Specialising for twenty years in providing individual attention to help you develop dance techniques and grow in confidence. SalsaStyle will ensure everyone feels welcome no matter what level.
Autumn
Fri 6 Sept - 4 Oct (5 weeks)
Fri 11 Oct - 8 Nov (5 weeks)
Fri 15 Nov - 13 Dec (5 weeks)
8.15pm - 9.15pm
£12 per session | £50 per 5 weeks
Don't forget to stay for the Salsa Social from 9.15pm - 10pm: stay after the class for a dance and drink!
Box Office closes at 8pm but online booking is still available.
Click here for more information about SalsaStyle.
Please note that the class on Friday 8 March will be led by Darren and Tara.
Lucy Porter - No Regrets!
The irrepressible Lucy Porter bounces back into action with a show all about regrets.
Frank Sinatra had too few to mention, but Lucy’s got hundreds, and she’s prepared to go into graphic detail about all of them. Disastrous dates, professional calamities, ruined friendships and parenting fails. Lucy describes all the mistakes she’s made, works out why they happened, and ponders how her life would have turned out if she’d acted differently.
Lucy looks at the things we might all collectively regret - not sticking to the work-life balance we strove for during lockdown, not realising that clapping for the NHS wouldn’t be enough to save it, allowing people we thought were quite fun on TV to become politicians.
How does regret tie in with guilt and shame? As a middle-aged, middle-class, left-leaning ex-Catholic, guilt is one of Lucy’s top five hobbies (along with going to the garden centre, doing jigsaws, making bread and watching subtitled foreign dramas on Netflix. She’s also ashamed of all these hobbies.)
It’s not all negative though. If you regret something, you can use it to change your ways: see the thing you regret as your rock bottom, and let it spur you on to become a better person. Lucy looks at how she can use shameful or annoying things from her past to change her future.
Lucy regrets volunteering at the school fete when her kids were younger, because now she’s committed to being the Hook a Duck Lady twice a year for the rest of her life. Maybe she could learn to say No a bit more?
'Impeccably punch-lined anecdotes... Genuinely delightful' ★★★★ The Telegraph
'A treat from start to finish' ★★★★★ The Herald
Suitable for ages 16+ years.
Courtyard Theatre
£20
Lucy's website
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Bilal Zafar: Imposter
The comedian is back with a brand-new show about how his usually stress-free house share took a turn and his housemate tried to get him arrested five times.
Bilal Zafar has been nominated for Best Newcomer at the Edinburgh Fringe and is winner of New Act of the Year 2016.
He has appeared on BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Radio 4 and built up his own online audience on Twitch as he plays an unhinged football manager in an ongoing improvised series.
'A natural storyteller with a very likeable stage presence' ★★★★★ Shortcom.co.uk
'Endearing, relaxed and naturally funny… hilarious' ★★★★ EdFestMag.com
Age guidance 14+ years
Studio
£15
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Harry Baker: Wonderful
After a sellout Edinburgh Fringe Run and subsequent 40-date UK Tour, World Poetry Slam Champion Harry Baker is back with a brand-new show celebrating the wonder that is being alive.
Featuring brand new poems about death, postcodes and his favourite German wheat bear Schöfferhofer, The maths-loving, TED-talking, German-speaking, battle-rapping, happy-crying, self-bio-writing unashamed human brings his signature playfulness and poignancy that has made him a fan favourite and reached millions of people all over the world.
'Harry Baker’s intricate, quick-fire rhymes have always been on the impressive side of mind-blowing' The Scotsman
'Spectacularly Witty' ★★★★★ Whatsonstage
'Blistering wordplay' ★★★★★ Threeweeks
'Not one syllable out of place' ★★★★★ The Wee Review
'The Spell Over The Audience Is Tangible' ★★★★★ Broadway Baby
'Simply put... The greatest performer on earth' ★★★★★ BBC Radio 1
Courtyard Theatre
£15
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- 2 Oct SOLD OUT
The Albion Christmas Band
An Albion Christmas is widely regarded as the premier seasonal show. They have been touring for 25 years and attract sell-out audiences across the UK.
Featuring the combined talents of Simon Nicol (Fairport Convention), Kellie While (Albion Band), Simon Care (Edward II) and the Guvnor himself, Ashley Hutchings MBE this show takes you on a guided tour through the Christmas customs of Britain.
Kellie While, Simon Care and Simon Nicol join founder of Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span and The Albion Band, Ashley Hutchings, on stage for an evening of traditional English Christmas music, song and celebratory readings.
Kellie takes time out from working with her mum, Chris While, for which both the UK press and public alike have praised her. Folk enthusiasts will know Kellie from her work with The Albion Band. She received personal praise from Ron Sexsmith for her beautiful version of his song Riverbed on her album Tenacious, which put her on the map as one this country’s finest voices.
Simon Care is currently working with Edward II and has always had a passion for Traditional English dance and song. Simon also works with Banter, Tickled Pink and the Morris On Band.
Simon Nicol, founder member of Fairport Convention finishes the line up to make this a truly festive treat. He is regarded as one of the finest acoustic guitarists in the world... His voice is pretty special too!
The Albion Christmas Show is a seasonal mixture of carols, spoken word and humorous readings. It really is the perfect way to start your festivities. This year will see material chosen by the band from the last 25 years of shows and albums… a 'best of the Albion Xmas' selection.
With sell-out tours including venues such as Buxton Opera House, The New Vic Stoke and The Sage, Gateshead, The Albion Xmas Show is a very popular show appealing to all ages.
Described in the Guardian as 'the perfect antidote to the corporate Christmas', this is a show you must not miss! And also voted in the 'top ten unmissable shows this Christmas' by The Telegraph in 2018.
Courtyard Theatre
£26.50
Imaginary Landscapes - Poetry and Harp
Magical and mesmerising... An exquisite fusion of words and music.
This special event features the hugely popular collaboration of a performance of words from leading poet, author and raconteur, Chris Tutton with semi improvised music by harpist, Anne Denholm, Principal Harp with the BBC Concert Orchestra, who served as Official Harpist to HRH The Prince of Wales.
'An absolute gem!' Martin Denny, Windsor Arts Festival
Chris Tutton
Chris Tutton is the critically acclaimed and award-winning author of eight collections of poetry, the most recent being Short Chapters From Sunset. Coined by Ned Sherrin as 'the master of the short poem' his work has also been described as 'absolutely beautiful' by Alexander Waugh, with BBC Scotland’s Iain Anderson noting that it was 'philosophy in poetry form' and the Sunday Times commenting on its 'dramatic passion and dignity'.
Anne Denholm
Anne Denholm is one of the leading British harpists of her generation. She is Principal Harp with the BBC Concert Orchestra and served as Official Harpist to HRH The Prince of Wales from 2015-2019. An Associate of the Royal Academy of Music she is a founding member of contemporary experimental quartet, The Hermes Experiment, who in 2021 were awarded the Royal Philharmonic Society Young Artist Award. Anne has earned a strong reputation for her interpretations and powerful engaging performances across a variety of musical fields.
The Long Barn
£16
The Vinyl Frontier: Your Best... Easy Listening
Hosted by Jeff Lloyd.
Are you a fan of Frank Sinatra, Matt Monro, The Carpenters and other easy listening classic artists? If so, then this event will be just the one for you.
10 champions of soft sounds will play their favourite track for you to decide your favourite.
Studio
£12
Other Vinyl Frontier events this season include:
Sat 7 Sept: Your Best of... ABBA 2
Sat 9 Nov: Vinyl Secret Singalong 2
Sat 14 Dec: Your Favourite vs My Favourite
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