Leeds Playhouse Archives - Page 11 of 13

Orpheus In the Record Shop wins BBC Lights Up slot

12Mar

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Orpheus In the Record Shop wins BBC Lights Up slot

Leeds Playhouse and Opera North’s innovative co-production of beatboxer Testament’s Orpheus in The Record Shop has won a slot in the BBC Lights up programme. Orpheus In the Record Store was originally staged at Leeds Playhouse in October 2020 as part of the Connected Voices co-production season with Opera North fusing classic and contemporary theatre on the themes of isolation, connection, resilience and reflection. Leeds-based rapper, writer and world record holding beatboxer Testament was commissioned to explore the power of the solo voice, within a communal space and the relationship between performer and audience. Testament’s beatboxing weaved round musicians from the Orchestra of Opera North that gave the Greek myth of Orpheus a contemporary Yorkshire twist. There was somethi...

Leeds Playhouse announce free theatre space offer for local creatives

25Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Leeds Playhouse announce free theatre space offer for local creatives

Leeds Playhouse today has announced the use of free theatre space and guaranteed technical support for local artists in their intimate Bramall Rock Void space. The free use of the recently refurbed theatre is being offered as part of Playhouse Connect which their ongoing response to the pandemic supporting reconnection and recovery within the City. “The Playhouse is a community resource used by many different people throughout the year,” says Artistic Director James Brining. “We’re very conscious that throughout the pandemic, despite the brilliant work we have undertaken engaging with vulnerable and isolated people through our Playhouse Connect programme, apart from 5 weeks in the autumn, the building itself has been under used. “I’m delighted that we have put the safety protoc...

Leeds Playhouse announce new community engagement programme

6Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Leeds Playhouse announce new community engagement programme

Leeds Playhouse have announced an extension to their Creative Engagement programme aimed at engaging with people who might feel an increased sense of isolation or vulnerability during the current lockdown. The new Playhouse Connect programme builds on work already carried out and aims to address four specific areas which are particularly critical in the current circumstances: • Isolation and Loneliness • Mental Health and Wellbeing • Reconnection and Recovery • Skills and Training for Young People All activities included in the programme are free and aimed at boosti...

Northern Ballet announce new digital season

4Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Northern Ballet announce new digital season

Northern Ballet is launching a new dance digital season that includes What Used To, No Longer Is, an original dance film by Olivier Award-winning Mthuthuzeli November. The Leeds based company will also première two more original films, Northern Lights and Have Your Cake, both by Northern Ballet’s Artistic Director of Digital and Choreographer in Residence Kenneth Tindall. The season also includes Cathy Marston’s hit version of Victoria, which will be released on-demand, and as an added extra there’s an excerpt of Kenneth Tindall’s States of Mind, part of the BBC and Sadler’s Wells’ Dancing Nation. “Northern Ballet has turned a challenging situation into an incredibly creative and inspired time,” says Kenneth Tindall. “While we have not been to hold live performances due to Cov...

Join Leeds Playhouse’s Young Leaders Project

16Jan

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Join Leeds Playhouse’s Young Leaders Project

Leeds Playhouse’s Young Leaders are looking for six new people to join their free course supporting 18- to 25-year-olds to become the next generation of arts facilitators. Six aspiring arts professionals are already working in partnership with Chapel FM, DAZL, Geraldine Connor Foundation, Mind the Gap and Leeds Libraries & Studio 12 to develop their creative community practice. The course will help those selected to: • Develop leadership skills • Support and manage a team • Make events happen The course runs from February to December 2021, and to apply complete the online form, or send a video or audio file (no longer than 5 minutes) by 10am on 29th January. Photography by Anthony Robling The Playhouse team is interested in hearing from people ...

A Christmas Carol – Leeds Playhouse At Home

22Dec

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

A Christmas Carol – Leeds Playhouse At Home

The Playhouse’s annual festive spectacular was just one of hundreds of productions forced to switch online just before curtain was about to go up and as good as this recorded version is it will always lack the yuletide magic of gathering in a shared space. This is a reworking of a production that began at Hull Truck Theatre, going on to be a big hit last year when the theatre’s ensemble brought it to life in the pop-up theatre used when the Playhouse was refurbed. The Playhouse’s associate director Amy Leach cleverly invokes the legend that every theatre has a ghost, but she deploys a team of them as they emerge from their offstage pods. They have gathered round the traditional ghost light that burns when a theatre is dark, and once they discover a puppet of Tiny Tim they decide to d...

Leeds Playhouse launch digital performances of A Christmas Carol

18Dec

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Leeds Playhouse launch digital performances of A Christmas Carol

As West Yorkshire stays under Tier 3 restrictions the team at Leeds Playhouse have been forced to offer A Christmas Carol as a digital screening. They’re now unable to welcome people into its Quarry Theatre to enjoy their annual festive spectacular, so they’ve teamed up with Yorkshire based company Pilot Theatre to film the production, which they were already planning to show for free in care homes, schools and hospitals across Leeds. Now tickets priced from £10 for the first Playhouse At Home event are also being made available to the general public for five special online performances from 21st – 23rd December, giving audiences wherever they are a chance to safely see this adaptation of the Dickens classic by Deborah McAndrew. “Our vivid retelling of one of the best-loved stori...

Production image released for A Christmas Carol at Leeds Playhouse

11Dec

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Production image released for A Christmas Carol at Leeds Playhouse

New production images released today show the company of A CHRISTMAS CAROL, bringing to life Charles Dickens’ spine-tingling festive story. From ghost lights centre stage, the spirits emerge to share with miser Ebenezer Scrooge the true meaning of this festive time of year. It’s Christmas Eve in Victorian Leeds, but the cold-hearted Scrooge hasn’t shared an ounce of festive cheer. As the cold night draws in, four ghostly spirits take Ebenezer on a magical journey through his past, his present and his future, hoping to show him the error of his ways. With Christmas spirit, fun, music and magic at its heart, this timeless Charles Dickens tale is brought vividly to life. Adapted by award-winning, West Yorkshire born playwright Deborah McAndrew, A CHRISTMAS CAROL is directed by Leeds Pla...

Keeping A Christmas Carol safe at Leeds Playhouse

16Nov

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Keeping A Christmas Carol safe at Leeds Playhouse

It’s tough enough directing a big festive show but for Leeds Playhouse’s associate director Amy Leach she also needs to keep the cast and crew safe as they rehearse A Christmas Carol during a national lockdown. They are working in their own bubble where they regularly sanitise their hands, have daily temperature checks and the rehearsal room is fogged clean every weekend. This revival of Deborah McAndrew’s version of the Dickens classic began life at Hull Truck Theatre before becoming a hit in the Playhouse’s pop up theatre they used when the main stages closed for a multi-million refurb. And the need to perform safely has forced the creatives to offer their socially distanced audience a really different show when it opens on December 3 in the Quarry Theatre. “Myself and Hayley Gr...

Wrongsemble returns with innovative COVID-safe Christmas show for all the family

4Nov

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Wrongsemble returns with innovative COVID-safe Christmas show for all the family

Family favourite theatre company Wrongsemble return this Christmas with HUMBUG: a COVID-safe family show that promises to delight and unite all ages. This innovative digital production will allow families to enjoy seven filmed episodes of this exciting story throughout December, accompanied by an interactive HUMBUG ‘Fact File’ filled with 13 artefacts sent directly to their homes. HUMBUG takes place deep beneath the city, where a secret world full of wonder awaits; a place where wizards bake endless gingerbread, goblins bottle festive cheer, and there’s a whole department devoted to detangling fairy-lights! This is the Ministry of Make Believe… But recently, strange things have been happening at the Ministry. From nose-less snowmen, to exploding baubles, and a forest of bald Christma...