From art rock to arty jazz, Caitlin’s book to Capaldi on the coast, Fringe benefits to Broadway royalty, Birth in mime to ska legends, rock’n’roll to a choir’s return, CHARLES HUTCHINSON fills your diary for July 15 to 21
Celebrity watch in York
Caitlin Moran, How To Be Famous, York Theatre Royal, Tuesday, 7.30pm
THE Times journalist and author Caitlin Moran discusses all things famous and feminist as she promotes her book on How To Be Famous.
“York! You’d better be ready for an evening of slightly excessive drinking, and a whole lot of truth about camel-toes, #metoo, why the Beatles were secretly girls, the Nineties, sexual shame, pornography, how – exactly – to be famous, and a very long anecdote about the first time Caitlin took Ecstasy,” says the publicity.
UNCONDITIONAL LOVE: Theatre Re in Birth at York Theatre Royal. Picture: Richard Davenport
Hand’s up if you fancy a mime show
Theatre Re in Birth, York Theatre Royal, Wednesday, 7.30pm
THEATRE Re’s powerful, poignant and uplifting visual theatre piece with mime and live music explores the bond between three generations of women, their shared loss, and the strength they discover within each other.
Emily is eight months pregnant when she reads her grandmother’s journal. As she delves into her family history, her sense of reality shifts, unveiling a legacy of unspoken tragedies and unconditional love.
SATURATED IN PSYCHEDELIA: Yama Warashi return to The Crescent
Art rock gig of the week
Yama Warashi, The Crescent, York, Thursday, 7.30pm
YAMA Warashi, meaning “small child-like mountain spirit”, are a Bristol art rock ensemble fronted by Zun Zun Egui’s Yoshino Shigihara.
Inspired by Japanese folk dance, free jazz and tribal African music, and heavily saturated in psychedelia, the songs are lyrically outlandish and charming, melodically addictive and mythical.
“Yama Warashi played here a couple of years ago, opening for Rozi Plain, and were totally great,” says Please Please You promoter Joe Coates.
HOPE AND INSPIRATION: Ewa Salecka, conducting Prima Vocal Ensemble’s season finale
Community choir concert of the week
Prima Vocal Ensemble in You’re The Voice, Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall, University of York, Thursday, 7.30pm
ON the back of their second Carnegie Hall performance in New York City, Prima Vocal Ensemble return home for their season finale: an evening of contrasting colours linked by themes of hope and inspiration.
Artistic director Ewa Salecka has picked light and dark, a cappella and accompanied classical and world music pieces by Stroope, Gjeilo, Rutter, Tin and more.
BREAK A LEG! Lea Salonga plays York Barbican after skiing accident
Disney Legend of the week
Lea Salonga, York Barbican, Thursday, 7.30pm
SINGER, actress and Broadway royalty Lea Salonga plays York on her first British headline tour, put back from March after she broke her leg while skiing in Hokkaido, Japan, in January.
Best known for her Tony Award-winning role in Miss Saigon, the Filipina artist was the first Asian to play Eponine in Les Misérables on Broadway and was the singing voice of two Disney princesses, Princess Jasmine in Aladdin and Fa Mulan in Mulan and Mulan II.
PLAYING ONCE, SEEING DOUBLE: The Alex Hitchcock Quintet in a blur at the Arts Barge
Jazz gig of the week
Alex Hitchcock Quintet, Arts Barge Riverside Festival, Selby Tony, next to Tower Gardens, Skeldergate Bridge, York, Friday, 8pm
IN a festival running from July 16 to August 8, saxophonist Alex Hitchcock promotes his new All Good Things album, a collection of original compositions released on the hip Spanish label Fresh Sound New Talent.
ONE STEP BEYOND: Madness head for the seaside
Mad for it on the East Coast
Madness, Scarborough Open Air Theatre, Friday, doors open at 6pm
MADNESS, those masters of the outdoor gig, from Madstock at Finsbury Park in 1992, to York Racecourse in 2010, take the sea air in Scarbados...or should that be Skabados? You would be mad to miss The Nutty Boys.
WEHN AND WHERE: Henning Wehn to play York Barbican at Great Yorkshire Fringe
Festival launch of the week
The Great Yorkshire Fringe, York, Thursday to July 28
WITS return to York as Martin Witts’s festival of comedy, cabaret, music, theatre, magic and children’s shows rolls out the village green lawn in Parliament Street once more. See Saturday’s supplement in The Press for a full preview.
That'll be the day when...The Bluejays play York
Fifties’ nostalgia of the week
Rock’n’ Roll Revolution with The Bluejays, York Theatre Royal, Saturday, 7.30pm
THE Bluejays line up with stars of Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story, Dreamboats & Petticoats and Million Dollar Quartet for a jiving journey through 40 Fifties’ hits. C’mon Everybody, the revolution starts here.
NOT ONCE, BUT TWICE: Lewis Capaldi has two Scarborough shows this summer
Rising star of the year spotted in Yorkshire
Lewis Capaldi, Scarborough Open Air Theatre, Saturday, doors 6pm
CHART-TOPPING Scotsman Lewis Capaldi discovers everyone finds inspiration in his Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent album, so he adds an August 30 return too. Ward Thomas, Saint Raymond and Charlotte support next weekend; Bridlington’s Seafret, Lewis Watson and Charlotte do likewise next month.
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