previews, reviews, interviews, and recommendations with Steve Cooke
WEEKEND COLUMN SATURDAY 17 AUGUST 2024
The Royal Exchange Theatre are Celebrating ten radical years of creative ageing with their resident Elders Company
Preview by Steve Cooke
‘The Elders is 10 years old! And we want to celebrate!’
To mark this milestone, the Royal Exchange Theatre are hosting a festival of activities across the Studio and exhibition spaces to shine a light on the talents of the Elders.
The Festival will include:
The Elders Company presenting a new show called ACTS OF LOVE directed by the award-winning Andy Barry. ‘Elders, stories, pulsing heartbeats.’ As lives weave together, and actions of love collide across time and space, a group of Elders try to untangle exactly what it all means. With live music and storytelling, this funny, insightful and at times heart-breaking performance, explores what it is to be human.
Sat 28 Sep – Wed 2 Oct 2024
EldersFest will also include a new exhibition, performances, and screenings. Plus, there will be opportunities for older people to take part, get creative, join the conversation, and think about what the next ten years of Elders should look like.
Elders Programme Producer Andy Barry said…
“It’s been a wonderful ten years of growth and development. From an initial pilot of eight weeks with 20 people aged over 60, The Elders has grown into a busy programme of regular creative activities for hundreds of older people across Greater Manchester. The Company have made performances and film outcomes, won awards, developed new ways of working with under-represented people, been recognised nationally and internationally and have, through their endeavours, really set about challenging the stereotypes of ageing and ageism. We’re delighted that EldersFest will celebrate all this, as well as look to the future so that we can continue to contribute towards making Manchester a great place to grow older.”
A Bumper month of TLCs
Review by Dr Joe Dawson
July 03: Rascallity Harp Duo: highly qualified Alice Roberts & Kathryn Mason (Manchester University and RNCM), their individual skills and unique duo sound embraced modern jazz folk, the classical composer Yiruma, Scottish and Irish traditional tunes as well as an original composition by Alice. Ending with ‘Caravan’ by Duke Ellington. One harp is heavenly, two divine - a celestial duo indeed.
July 10: Hannah Andrusier soprano former Oxford choral scholar currently taking her Master’s at the RNCM. Variety with Dring, Beach, Menotti, Mozart, Sondheim, Massenet, Debussy, Respighi, Strauss and Quilter. Tim Kennedy (Cambridge and RNCM staff) in addition to accompanying superbly throughout played the virtuosic ‘Lark’ by Glinka. A jazzy, boozy encore, made the most of Hannah’s considerable acting ability, characterisation and communication of fine detail and humour. A delightful way to end a sometimes moving, sometimes joyful but always enjoyable recital.
July 17: Jonathan Ellis concert pianist (RNCM & Manchester University) fantasy compositions made a fantastic recital. Regular accompanist here in his own right as soloist showed his phenomenal technique, stamina and powerful delivery with Mozart’s Fantasy in C minor and Sonata K457, Ballade-Image by Headington, Polonaise-Fantasy by Chopin and Gardens in the Rain by Debussy. Made the most of recently renovated vintage 1935 Challen Gand piano.
July 24: A Toad Lane Concert Party: youth and experience share a platform. Pictured from left, Callum Bisson ex-Chets piano, Head of Music Chris Wilkinson piano & clarinet, Victoria Jones Year 10 singer, Ashleigh Ho G4 singing, Isabella Despositos ARSM diploma songs, & retired professional tenor Harold Sharples. (Not shown, accompanist J Dawson). A showcase of youth and experience from people connected to the concert series. A microcosm of the range of weekly TLC.
July 31: Lucy Farrimond soprano (RNCM) and Juanjo Blazquez Garre piano (Lorca, Madrid and RNCM) This pair of superbly qualified rising stars gave us an opportunity to hear some rare musical gems. Excellent set of lieder by Franz List balanced with British song, Coates, Quilter, Vaughan Williams, Muriel Herbert and Novello. Lucy appeared as a student in 2020 and 2022 and is clearly fulfilling that considerable promise. Rochdale’s generous audiences at Toad Lane Concerts are helping such developing talent to hone their skills.
The Queen’s Award-winning Toad Lane Concerts are every Wednesday at 12.30 pm at St Mary in the Baum, Toad Lane, Rochdale, OL16 1DZ. Entrance fee is £6. Contact 01706 648872 for further information.
RECOMMENDED
Saturday 17 August 2024
Celebrity Piano Duet Concert - Scott Brothers Duo (Jonathan & Tom Scott).
Contact Jill to book in advance.
£10 on the door (includes light refreshments)
Phone: Jill Midgley 01706 639162
3pm
Rochdale Parish Church of St Chad, Sparrow Hill, Town Centre, Rochdale OL16 1QT
Saturday 17 August 2024
The Festidale - Five Ways to Wellbeing
This inspiring workshop takes place before lunch and can be paired with the Creative Corner workshop
Learn about connecting with other people, learning new skills, taking notice of how you are feeling in the here and now, being active in a very easy way and giving something back all helps with everyday life’s stresses and eases mental health issues.
The workshop will include:
Learning about the 5 Ways to Wellbeing
Making your own 5 Ways to Wellbeing
Incorporating these into your day
Pay What You Can
11.30am
The Den, Kingsway Park High School, Turf Hill Road, Rochdale OL16 4XA
Saturday 17 August 2024
The Festidale - Creative Corner
Bring out your inner creativity.
This workshop session with Rochdale and District Mind, your local mental health Charity, encourages everyone to find their inner creativity, to make something beautiful and take that home with you.
Pay What You Can
1pm
The Den, Kingsway Park High School, Turf Hill Road, Rochdale OL16 4XA
Saturday 17 August 2024
The Festidale - Writing inspired by place
An incredible workshop open to all, for budding writers both new and old.
Chris Hoyle will lead a practical creative workshop on how to craft a unique story inspired by place.
Chris will explore our relationship with place and space and how we can create characters and narrative from our own experience and memories.
Chris is a playwright, director, actor and theatre maker. He studied acting at The Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art. He worked as an actor from a very early age appearing in various TV roles including The Ward, Coronation Street, Clocking Off, Heartbeat, The Bill, The Last Train and The Royal Today.
Pay What You Can
4.30pm
The Den, Kingsway Park High School, Turf Hill Road, Rochdale OL16 4XA
Saturday 17 August 2024
The Festidale - PoolEra
An energetic, up-and-coming Indie/Rock band - no need to book just turn up and enjoy the music!
Meet Ed Jamil, Alfie Duke, Seb Parry and Calum Lucas, who make up PoolEra, who came together after meeting at Hollingworth Academy school in Milnrow, Rochdale where they had music tuition.
PoolEra follow on from an evening’s performance of Tales of the Dale.
Pay what you can
8.30pm - 9pm
The Den, Kingsway Park High School, Turf Hill Road, Rochdale OL16 4XA
Saturday 17 August 2024
Merhaba - Halal food festival
Merhaba (welcome), a celebration of food, live music and artisan crafts from the Islamic world. Our first ever halal food festival in the borough of Rochdale.
Merhaba is a family-friendly festival with free activities and rides for the children, live entertainment for everyone including:
Amazing homemade street food from Rochdale’s diverse community. Choose from dozens of great value dishes. There'll be Turkish, Pakistani, Ethiopian and more dishes to explore.
Live music from regional bands from around the world.
Artisan markets with handmade crafts from local and regional artists.
Art workshops, with children's art activities and games, free activities and fairground rides.
Live art show.
Free
11am - 5pm
Rochdale Town Hall, The Esplanade, Town Centre, Rochdale OL16 1AZ
Sunday 18 August 2024
The Festidale - Family Pride Day
Today is a family friendly celebration of all things PRIDE.
Join us for a feel-good Pride celebration day for all the family in association with Rochdale in Rainbows. There are loads of different activities happening throughout the day from stalls to Culture Co-op’s drop-in session -Queer Publishing activity including zine making, tote bags and so much more!
Family Catwalk Extravaganza by Ghetto Fabulous. Presented by Touchstones and Big Imaginations.
12:30pm – 1.00pm & 3.00pm – 3:30pm
Bring your Glamour, Glitz and Grace to this family friendly catwalk event to celebrate the power of self-expression.
Collective Workshop with Royal Exchange Theatre
1:30pm – 2:30pm Age 14–25
Get a taste for performing and theatre making with Luke Skilbeck and learn about the Royal Exchange’s
Collective programme for young people.
Violet Blonde and Bennettiscoming
Presented by Touchstones
4.30pm – 5.00pm
Get ready to party with brand new sets from exciting drag and RnB talent, created thanks to Pride Stages Bursary.
Dance Party in the Den
Presented by Culture Co-op
5.00 – 7.00pm
Close the festival with us on the dancefloor alongside some family-friendly Gogo Dancers
Rochdale in Rainbows is a partnership of organisations that come together to plan the borough’s Pride activities. The first Rochdale in Rainbows presents Pride took place in 2019. This was the first publicly celebrated Pride in the borough.
Pay what you can
The Den, Kingsway Park High School, Turf Hill Road, Rochdale OL16 4XA
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
celebrating creative arts and artists - an oasis of positivity supporting individual and community wellbeing.
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