previews, reviews, interviews, and recommendations with Steve Cooke
MIDWEEK COLUMN WEDNESDAY 21 AUGUST 2024
Best foot forward as tea dances return to Rochdale Town Hall
Preview by Steve Cooke
Rochdale Town Hall’s popular tea dances are back, with the first post restoration dance taking place next month.
The town hall events team has teamed up with Dance School, Prima Dance, to bring this popular and much missed event back from September, for people all different dance skill levels.
Once a popular mainstay of the town hall’s events calendar, the tea dances will be making their welcome return from Wednesday 4 September.
Councillor Sue Smith, cabinet member for communities and cooperation at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “The tea dances at Rochdale Town Hall have always been popular and I’m sure people will be pleased to see them making a welcome return to this spectacular space. They will be taking place in the Great Hall, which is arguably the most impressive part of an already stunning building, so they will be particularly special.
The dances cater for different skill levels and ages, so we would love to see new faces joining in the fun, alongside more established dancers.”
The tea dances will take place on the first Wednesday of every month, from 1 to 3pm. Tickets are priced at £6.50 each, with refreshments included.
Dancers can book online at: www.rochdaletownhall.co.uk or by phoning: 01706 924 797. Alternatively, people can book in person at the town hall reception.
Notable pianist at TLC
Review by Dr Joe Dawson
Notable pianist Duncan Honeybourne studied at the Royal Academy and the Royal Conservatoire of Birmingham. He plays and records extensively and now teaches at the Royal Academy and the University of Southampton and is an adjudicator and writer.
He introduced his recital in an enthusiastic and engaging manner, championing the piano music of Northern composer Thomas B Pitfield (Bolton 1903- Bowdon 1999) who taught composition at the Royal Manchester College of Music 1947-1973. Pitfield was something of an arts and crafts, renaissance man, and vegetarian, and two of his famous students were the late John McCabe and John Ogdon.
There has been a resurgence of interest in Pitfield’s music lately, through the Pitfield Trust, and Heritage Records is to make a recording (the director was present at this concert).
It was fascinating to hear a composer’s output encapsulated in one recital, the glittering, virtuosic Toccata making a splendid curtain raiser.
Two Russian Tunes, Three Bagatelles, and Novelette in F were fine miniatures, full of rhythmic vitality with economic thematic material. Then Duncan brought to life an unpublished manuscript he had discovered in the college archives, Sonatina No 2 that showed more development of Pitfield’s voice and style.
Following a charming Little Nocturne, The Circle Suite continued to reveal his mischievous nature with characteristic dance movements Bourree, Minuet, Pavan, Jig each labelled with initials referring to friends, as in Elgar’s Enigma Variations.
Homage to Percy Grainger with clever hints of pastiche of his witty contemporary’s Country Gardens proved a terrific finale and drew well-deserved applause.
The heritage 1935 Challen Grand Piano was entirely suited to Pitfield’s C20 British national style sound world.
Duncan’s accomplished performances made a worthy showcase of this neglected Northern composer and hopefully will go on to make a definitive recording.
Chaos and euphoria erupt when magic and mischief are used to solve matters of the heart - A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Preview by Steve Cooke
This electrifying adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream directed by Stef O’Driscoll is a whirlwind of sweaty dance-offs and drum and bass love anthems, celebrating the vibrant tapestry of Manchester's contemporary rave scene.
The Palace nightclub reigns supreme in Athens’ hedonistic world. Its throne is occupied by The Duke and danger lurks in every beat. While the city prepares for a royal wedding four young ravers fight for a future they desire, each step bringing them closer to the edge of pleasure and peril. When they encounter an intoxicating forest, the lines between fantasy and reality blur as they find themselves caught in a dangerous game with some devious fairies. All this mayhem is overlooked by the Moon, a goddess of music in the sky.
Stef O’Driscoll makes her Royal Exchange directing debut with this contemporary vision for Shakespeare’s most lauded comedy. Celebrating Manchester’s synonymous links with dance, music and rave culture, this Dream takes place in a hedonistic and captivating world.
Making an on-stage appearance as The Moon, is Manchester-based SALO, one of the most exciting emerging artists and musicians of today, tipped to take the music world by storm with her collaborations, new releases and appearance on Channel 4’s THE PIANO. Opening our season, this fantastical comedy invites everyone to get their dancing gear on and be ready to lose themselves to the beat.
Director Stef O’Driscoll said…
“My relationship with Manchester has always been through its beautiful rave scene, mainly drum and bass and jungle music. I’ve had some of the best nights out here in Manchester, with the music of talented local artists serving as the soundtrack through messy heartaches, painful unrequited love to that new fizzy kind of love. Blending the worlds of Shakespeare and Manchester’s current rave scene, I wanted to celebrate that music in this production and highlight Manchester’s many gifted artists, rappers, and MCs alongside Shakespeare.”
Fri 6 Sep – Sat 12 Oct 2024
From £10
Royal Exchange Theatre, St Ann’s Square, Manchester M2 7DH
Phone: 0161 833 9833
RECOMMENDED
Wednesday 21 August 2024
Toad Lane Concerts - Rochdale's Weekly Music at Lunchtime
This week we have Tim Kennedy piano + singer (Cambridge & RNCM staff)
The concert series has been held at St Mary’s since 2001 and was granted the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2020… during the pandemic!
Running every Wednesday, Music at Lunchtime is a weekly live classical music concert series that has been going since the 1960s. The sessions were initially run at the old Rochdale Art Gallery by the local authority, but since May 2001 have been run by volunteer-enthusiasts and artistic director, Dr Joe Dawson.
£6
Phone: Dr Joe Dawson 01706 648872
Doors open 12noon, concert starts 12.30pm - 1.30pm
St Mary in the Baum, Toad Lane/St Mary's Gate, Rochdale OL16 1DZ
Wednesday 21 August 2024
Pioneer Family Picnic
Join us for a super fun and super tasty picnic activity day.
Make your own mini picnic basket, fill it up with treats, and take part in an outdoor picnic (weather permitting) with family games and stories.
Tickets must be booked in advance via our website.
Important information: This is not a drop-in event, and families are expected to attend for the duration of the session. Ticket price includes a light lunch for each child, but parents will not be specifically catered for. Any dietary requirements must be shared with us in advance.
To enquire about lower priced tickets for families struggling with the cost of living crisis, please email: museum@heritagetrust.coop
£5 per child
Phone: Rochdale Pioneers Museum 01706 524920
11am - 2pm
Rochdale Pioneers Museum
31 Toad Lane, Town Centre, Rochdale OL12 0NU
Wednesday 21 August 2024
Art Group
Interested in art?
Why not come along and meet like-minded individuals, meeting each week to paint, draw, watch demos, etc.
Bring along your own artwork and join us. We are a very friendly group .
We are beginners up to very experienced artists who enjoy the sociability of meeting up and helping each other.
All abilities welcome.
£1.00 weekly subs
Phone: Veronica Swinden 01706 640567
Visit; http://rochdaleartists.com
10.45am to 12.45pm
Mayfield Rugby Club, Keswick Street, Rochdale OL11 3AG
Thursday 22 August 2024 - Saturday 24 August 2024
Visit Fireground Museum
Join us at Fireground this week to discover Greater Manchester's firefighting story.
Fire museum attractions are on show inside the museum including our collection of historic firefighting artefacts from the 18th century to present day, plus home-made refreshments in the new Fireground Café, and souvenirs from our fantastic new gift shop! We have a wide choice ranging from toddler to collector.
Under 4s are free, Children (aged 4-15) and Concessions £5, Adults £7 and Family (4 people) £20.
Phone: Fireground 01706 341219
Open Thursday, Friday & Saturday from 10am - 4pm
Fireground, Maclure Road, Rochdale OL11 1DN
Friday 23 August 2024
Comedy Night at Rochdale Sports Club
Get ready to laugh until your sides ache at Rochdale Sports Club's Comedy Night!
Warning: Very Strong Language Prepare for an evening of uproarious entertainment featuring:
Howard Walker
Dreams though. Aspirations. Howard had a dream; he wanted to be a rock star. He tried. He tried so, so indifferently that he never succeeded. So, after many years of half arsed-ness, he had another dream and put a bit more effort in. About time. He dreamed he wanted to be a stand-up comedian, so this time he did it. You don't have to learn the guitar you see.
Ricky Balshaw
A quick-witted, slow walking, fast rising star, Ricky Balshaw is without question, the funniest Paralympic Dressage medallist in the UK, perhaps the world. Stepping over his cerebral palsy like it’s the mildest of inconveniences, Ricky pulls his audience into a joyfully dark world of self-depreciating hilarity. No sympathy vote is needed (or accepted) as Ricky dominates comedy stages up and down the UK. A brilliant joke-smith and storyteller, this young man has comedy greatness in his bones.
Hatty Preston
Hatty Preston is a London-born, Chicago-built comedian and actress. She has opened for US and UK comics including Theo Von, Chris DiStefano, Jessica Kirson and Jack Whitehall. Across the US she has performed at major venues including The New York Comedy Club and The Stand in New York, and her home club, Laugh Factory in Chicago. In London she founded and hosted the popular comedy night ‘The Big Fizz’ in Notting Hill.
She is also a producer and host of the London chapter of Don’t Tell Comedy. As an actress, Hatty is best known for playing Princess Maribel in Lionsgate’s The Royals and for originating the role of Minty in Jennifer Saunders’s ‘Viva Forever!’ in London’s West End. She has had guest roles on Call The Midwife (BBC One) and Cuckoo (Netflix/BBC Three).
Simon Wozniak
Since starting stand-up in 2014, Liverpool comic Simon has gone on to quickly establish himself as the one to watch with his honest, inimitable, no holds barred opinions on the world. Simon’s frenetic and opinionated style has seen him rise phenomenally through the ranks and he can now be seen performing regularly at some of the biggest and best comedy clubs in the country. Hotly tipped by the industry as a future star.
Cheerfully self-deprecating, Simon is confident with joke structure and can use his skills to present unpredictable punchlines which take the wind out of his audience!
£12 Tickets can be purchased from the club or via our club web site.
Phone: Domenico 07743 929691
7.30pm (Doors open 7pm)
Rochdale Sports Club, Bridgefold Road, Rochdale OL11 5BX
celebrating creative arts and artists - an oasis of positivity supporting individual and community wellbeing.
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