Once the Musical: diasporic love raises its hopeful voice

Based on the cult 2006 Irish indie feature, Once tells the uplifting, yearning story of a part-time Dublin guitarist busker (dayjobbing in his dad’s hoover repair shop) who falls unexpectedly in love with a fellow musician. Spanning their fleeting chance connection across five short days, the story sees big changes happen to both of them in little ways. Continue reading

John Shuttleworth’s Back!: comedy preview

When John Shuttleworth last toured in 2017, he was on the brink of retirement. 2016 had wreaked its deathly toll on major celebrities (Rickman, Bowie, Wogan et al.) and Shuttleworth was feeling grimly vulnerable to the reaper’s scythe. We all thought he was packing it all in, that the superstardom he’d always imagined was tantalisingly just out of reach would never be his. Continue reading

It Just So Happened: an alternative history show

The audience at 41 Monkgate are excited for the show, and there’s a decent mix – parents with teenagers, couples on dates, and a few flying solo. They all give a hearty cheer as Richard Pulsworth and his crew of comedians take to the stage for this Great Yorkshire Fringe debut. Continue reading

Nish Kumar: It’s In Your Nature to Destroy Yourselves

Nish Kumar, best known for hosting BBC’s Mash Report and also for his appearances on various well-known comedy panel shows, comes to The Grand Opera House York as part of his most recent 44-date tour. Continue reading

Snow Queen: A frozen heart takes time to melt

“Don’t worry, it’ll have a happy ending!” was the whispered assurance of a front row parent to their child mid-way through tutti frutti’s latest production, The Snow Queen. And it does. But not in the way you might expect. Continue reading