Kylie by the sea, Ransome on the lake, tribute shows aplenty, 20 years of Irish dance, Wynne Evans at the rural Proms and beer and song in Selby find space in CHARLES HUTCHINSON’S diary from July 29 to August 4

York Press:

LAND AHOY! William Pennington, Hannah Khogali and Alex Wingfield in rehearsal for Swallows And Amazons

Children's show of the York summer

Swallows And Amazons, York Theatre Royal, until August 24

COME aboard the Swallow and join John, Susan, Titty and Roger as they sail to Wild Cat Island and meet Nancy and Peggy, the self-proclaimed Amazon Pirates, and the dastardly Captain Flint in this action-packed adventure.

Arthur Ransome’s children’s story is brought to stage life in Helen Edmundson’s imaginative adaptation with original music by The Divine Comedy's Neil Hannon, co-directed by John R Wilkinson and artistic director Damian Cruden in his last show after 22 years.

York Press:

OUT OF THE BLUE AND INTO YORK: The ELO Experience at the Grand Opera House

First of multiple tribute shows in the week ahead

The ELO Experience, Grand Opera House, York, Wednesday, 7.30pm

SAY 'elo to a Jeff Lynne The Electric Light Orchestra tribute that combines the Blue Sky years of 1972 to 1986 with songs from the 2016 comeback album, Jeff Lynne’s ELO: Alone In The Universe. Expect a nod to the 40th anniversary of the Out Of The Blue magnus opus too.

York Press:

TWENTY YEARS AND STILL RISING: Rhythm Of The Dance leap with joy 

Irish dance show of the week

Rhythm Of The Dance, Grand Opera House, York, Thursday 7.30pm

THIS Irish step dance show is celebrating its 20th anniversary with two hours of traditional dance, music and Irish culture full of flailing feet and fiddles and futuristic dances too, topped off with state-of-the-art lighting and sound effects and 25 costume changes. Inspired by the epic journey of the Irish Celts over 2,000 years, the performance features world champion dancers.

York Press:

OFF TO THE COAST: Kylie Minogue at Scarborough Open Air Theatre 

Waiting all summer for this one...

Kylie Minogue, Scarborough Open Air Theatre, Thursday, gates open at 6pm

AFTER her Glastonbury Legends set on the Pyramid stage on June 30, and her sparkling new compilation, Step Back In Time: The Definitive Collection, Britain’s favourite Australian ex-pat takes to the bracing East Coast for Kylie's real highlight of the summer: a night out in Scarborough.

York Press:

TAKING CARE OF TRIBUTE BUSINESS: Rob Kingsley as the King in A Vision Of Elvis

Tribute number two

A Vision Of Elvis, Grand Opera House, York, Friday, 7.30pm

ROB Kingsley won the National Tribute Music Awards’ Official Elvis Show prize and Number One Male Tribute title and was the first Elvis act to play the new Wembley Stadium. His Elvis show is on

Non-cricketing Aussie blokes of the week

The Lincolns, York Rock’n’Roll Club, Huntington Working Men’s Club, York, Saturday, 7.30pm to 11.45pm

THE Lincolns, from Adelaide, Australia, are a four-piece Teddy Boy band on a European tour of Britain, France, Germany and Sweden, promoting their fourth album.

Special guests will be The Jets, the rockabilly trio with the 1980s’ smashes Love Makes The World Go Round and Yes Tonight Josephine. Mally, “The Bald Ted” DJ, will be spinning Fifties platters.its tenth anniversary tour.

York Press:

ROLLING ALONG: The story of The Rolling Stones, played by the book  

Let’s spend the night together at...tribute number three

The Rolling Stones Story, Grand Opera House, York, Saturday, 7.30pm

THE blurb reads: “Don’t miss The Rolling Stones Story as it promises you an unforgettable Jumpin’ Jack Flash back in time. It’s Only Rock’n’Roll, but we like it!”

If so, you’ll get some Satisfaction, Not Fade Away, Honky Tonk Woman, Gimme Shelter, Brown Sugar, You Can’t Always Get What You Want, Start Me Up et al.

Not only here for the beer...

Selby Town Hall Beer Festival, Saturday, 4pm

SELBY Town Hall’s annual beer festival parades 20 Yorkshire ales, ciders and perries, as well as live music from Os Bandidos, The Boxcar Riders and Steve Delaney And The Rockits, combined with the usual warm and friendly atmosphere. The ticket price includes a festival glass and first beer.

York Press:

FLAG WAVERS UNITE: The Castle Howard Proms return for more fun and fireworks

Pomp and Circumstance of the Week

Castle Howard Proms, Saturday, 7pm

TENOR Wynne Evans, the corkscrew moustachioed one from a certain comparison website advert, and North Yorkshire operatic soprano Sarah Fox will be the guest soloists for Castle Howard’s al fresco Proms event. They will be joined by the London Gala Orchestra, conducted by Stephen Bell, for a picnic programme of popular classics, songs from musicals and flag-waving favourites.

York Press:

BOY'S OWN SHOW: Boyzone's Ronan Keating plays solo at Castle Howard

Boy band graduate of the week

Ronan Keating, Castle Howard, York, Sunday, 6.15pm

NOW in his 26th year in the music industry, Irish singer Ronan Keating performs solo and Boyzone material in this open-air summer show.

Special guest singer/songwriter Katie Kittermaster opens the show; harmony-laden Americana band The Wandering Hearts support too. This is a non-picnic event but a fully licensed bar will be in operation.