AS THE sun goes down, things will be hotting up at York Theatre Royal with two weeks of great food, live music, theatre and spoken word at the first Summer Sessions in July.

Things kick off with a free gig with New York Brass Band on July 4, a mix of some of the region’s finest musicians armed with an arsenal of percussion, sax, trumpets, trombones and sousaphone will be delivering the sounds of New Orleans and New York.

This year’s TakeOver team from the theatre take their festival theme Speak Out to its most literal meaning, presenting an evening of provocative, outspoken poetry and spoken word performances in ‘Speak Out’ Slam, on July 5.

A hot summer evening of live music, flowing ale, rollicking blues piano and comedy cabaret with an eclectic mix of rollicking blues piano and comedy cabaret in the theatre’s bar comes courtesy of Adam Sowter & Co’s Hootenanny on July 11.

York’s emerging theatre-makers and performers are off to Edinburgh Fringe but offer a chance for local audiences to see the shows before the festival crowds in Edinburgh Fringe Previews on July 12. Sophie Shepherd will be MCing the evening featuring KIFLi Theatre, , York DramaSoc and The Herd. The curtain comes down on Summer Sessions with Wine and Tapas on July 14.

For more information phone the box office on 01904 623568 or go to yorktheatreroyal.co.uk