Photons and Phantoms: A York Tour

Lara Stafford delivers Photons & Phantoms outside Treasurer’s House

Hot-off-the-press Science Communication company Theatre of Science presents their debut production, Photons and Phantoms: A York Tour. A perfectly paced promenade between several spots in the city centre – “where possible, avoiding both tourists and the smell of wee” – company founder and teacher-performer Lara Stafford leads a growing crowd of curious minds of all ages through the streets, illuminating secret historical facts and anecdotes to delight and inspire the whole family.

Stafford’s passion, energy and presence is infectious, engaging audience members young and old alike, eliciting intelligent questions, giving thoughtful answers and ensuring that everyone gets the most out of their time on the tour, thanks to her ability to establish a patient comfort among her followers and providing ample interactive props. She is laudably responsive and open to new facts, as all educators should be, and takes these in her stride, respectfully accepting contributions from Norse mythology involving starving ravens to complement, rather than discredit, her own angle on the explanation for the Vikings’ ‘magic stones’.

With a seated indoor pit-stop at City Screen’s Sky Lounge, the tour covers a variety of local scientific areas including theatrical ghost tricks, flood management, edible rainbows and electrons travelling in style. Highly recommended for anyone with a spare ninety minutes in York and wanting to “discover the wonder hidden in the places we pass every day”. Photons and Phantoms is an umpteenth wonder of York; a joyful homage to the rest.

The practicalities

Meets at: Whip-ma-whop-ma-gate – “Neither one thing nor the other”
Access: Accessible throughout – some stairs but lift also available at this point.
Cost: Free during York Festival of Ideas
Booking: Required
Duration: 90 minutes

Book your tickets and follow the tour here.