André Rieu invites cinema audiences around the world to join in his birthday celebrations!
The Maestro is turning 70 and throwing a lavish birthday party at his castle in Maastricht – during the celebrations André will talk to cinema host Charlotte Hawkins about his life and music.

André Rieu 70 Years Young is his ultimate concert featuring musical highlights chosen by the maestro himself. This unique anniversary event will take you on an unbelievable journey around the world to André’s most amazing concerts such as Schönbrunn in Vienna, Radio City Music Hall in New York and the Royal Coronation Concert in Amsterdam.

Join the party screened to The Witham and bring your friends to kick off the New Year in style with the most wonderful music from the King of the Waltz.
Don’t miss out!

Teesdale School are delighted to showcase the work of their talented students.

This exciting exhibition will display work from students of all ages and exhibit a range of media and techniques.

Students have been inspired by a wide range of themes, including the natural environment and industrial heritage of the area. The outstanding work produced is a reflection of the hard work and talent of our fantastic students.  Gallery usually closed Sunday and Monday.

Join dance teacher Joyce Jeffrey for an adult ballet class inspired by The Sleeping Beauty. This class won’t be focused closely on technique but will give you a taster of ballet.

Open to everyone from beginners to more experienced dancers.

Joyce teaches the popular weekly class, Silver Swans, at The Witham. Come to enjoy the Royal Opera House screening of The Sleeping Beauty at The Witham on Thursday 16 January at 7.15pm.

Book all three Saturday dance workshops this season and receive £2 off per workshop, making them £8 each!

Formed in 2013, the Meraki Duo enjoys exploring the diversity of repertoire available to the flute-guitar pairing while contributing arrangements of their own. Both studied at the Royal Northern College of Music, sharing a passion for chamber music that extends to jazz, Latin American and European folk, and works by contemporary composers.

They love performing in a wide variety of venues, recently including St James’s, Piccadilly, Wigmore Hall, for Swaledale Festival and Bridgewater Hall for Craig Ogden’s Guitar Weekend. They are Live Music Now artists and Selected Artists for Making Music for 2020-21.

This production of The Sleeping Beauty has been delighting audiences in Covent Garden since 1946.

A classic of Russian ballet, it established The Royal Ballet both in its new home after World War II and as a world-class company. Sixty years later, in 2006, the original staging was revived, returning Oliver Messel’s wonderful designs and glittering costumes to the stage. Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky’s enchanting score and Marius Petipa’s original choreography beautifully combine with sections created for The Royal Ballet by Frederick Ashton, Anthony Dowell and Christopher Wheeldon.

This ballet is sure to cast its spell over anyone who sees it.

The Royal Ballet
Music: Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky
Choreography: Marius Petipa
Conductor: Simon Hewett
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

Approx. running time: about 3 hours

In the quiet gloom of the old curiosity shop, Little Nell Trent waits for her ailing grandfather’s return. Each night he leaves her all alone, disappearing into a secret shadowy world of seedy gaming houses and sleazy gambling dens. Already deep in debt to the stunted, lecherous and demonic money-lender Daniel Quilp, Nell’s grandfather clings on to the hope that his luck must surely change? But it never does, and when his shop is seized, grandfather and Little Nell are forced to flee. On their journey they meet some of Dickens’s greatest comic and grotesque creations. But will they evade the lustful clutches of the loathsome Quilp?
Join us to find out…the chase is on!

Back due to popular demand! Come dancing!

Everyone welcome, including total beginners.

Ballroom, Latin American, Sequence and some basic Salsa.

Graham and Margaret Fenny have been teaching dance in Northallerton for over 15 years and regularly teach on P & O Cruise liners with fantastic reviews.

Hailed as the UK’s most influential comedian of all time, legendary Scot Billy Connolly is coming to cinemas with this brilliant show from his final stand-up tour.

Recorded in 2015, during the Australian leg, this whip smart routine is a riotous journey filled with outrageous tales and blistering observations of everyday absurdities. Screening as a special one-night-only event, Connolly will also muse upon his career, life and legacy in a deeply personal interview filmed exclusively for cinema audiences.

Prior to retiring in 2016 following his diagnosis with Parkinson’s Disease, Connolly toured worldwide continuously for 50 years, performing to an audience of over 10 million. The Sex Life of Bandages is a big screen tribute to an iconic funny-man whose sharp wit and anarchic storytelling is still as hilarious as ever.

★★★★ ‘Can he still hold an audience in his thrall – warm us, cheer us, tickle us? Abso – Billy – lutely!‘ The Telegraph

★★★★ ‘Beautifully funny‘ The Guardian
★★★★ ‘Connolly has still got his funny bones‘ The Evening Standard

(18 TBC) | Running time: 130 minutes

The Wearing of Water is a multi-disciplinary arts project that explores the relationship between people and place in Teesdale. Using theatre, music, dance and design, work with our professional facilitators to create modern myths about the local landscape.

Workshops are open to all ages and abilities, no prior experience necessary. Please be aware some of the workshop time may take place outdoors and the resulting performance will be outside. Attendance at all 5 workshops is not compulsory, but recommended.  On 25^th, 26 January, 15^th 16^th and 29^th February.

Location: The Hub, Barnard Castle

The Acoustic Café gives local musicians the chance to play on the balcony in the Café.

Blast away those January blues and celebrate Burns Night in style at The Witham with music, dancing, whisky and haggis! We’re marking the birthday of Robert Burns, the National Poet of Scotland, in style in 2020.  Live music and ceilidh is provided by the fabulous Angels of the North, and a haggis neeps & tatties supper washed down with a wee dram of whisky will keep you on your feet all night.
Kilt’s optional!

Puccini’s opera of young love in 19th-century Paris is packed with beautiful music, including lyrical arias, celebratory choruses for Act II’s evocation of Christmas Eve in the Latin Quarter and a poignant final scene over which the composer himself wept. Richard Jones’s character-led production perfectly captures La bohème’s mixture of comedy, romance and tragedy, with striking designs by Stewart Laing. The cast features some of the greatest interpreters of Puccini’s bohemian lovers performing today, as well as former members of The Royal Opera’s Jette Parker Young Artists Programme.

The Royal Opera
Music: Giacomo Puccini
Director: Richard Jones
Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume
Starring: Sonya Yoncheva, Charles Castronovo, Andrzej Filończyk

(12A as live) | Approx. 2hrs 30mins

What if you were the only man on Earth able to remember the iconic music of The Beatles?
A collaboration up there with Lennon-McCartney, Yesterday is the brain child of director Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, Trainspotting) and screenwriter Richard Curtis (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Love Actually).

As full of soul and heart as any of the Liverpool lads best tracks, this is an hilarious story of finding your own voice. Jack’s (Himesh Patel) career as a singer-songwriter is not going well. His friend Ellie (Lily James) thinks he’s got talent, but no one else agrees. But after a mysterious blackout, it turns out he’s the only one who can recall the Fab Four’s back catalogue. With the iconic songs in his arsenal, he becomes world famous, but at what cost?

Running time: 113 mins

“What’s it like being the best guitar player in the world…?” Martin’s modesty and grace prevented him from answering this BBC Radio 4 interviewer’s question recently, but the facts speak for themselves.

The remarkable intimate solo performances Martin gives go from strength to strength – every gig is a masterclass. He travels the length and breadth of the UK and beyond, giving rapt audiences passion, sorrow, love, beauty, tragedy and majesty through his playing.

40 years after he recorded his first album, Golden Vanity, in 1976, Martin is known as a guitarist of formidable talent. Equally at home playing English traditional folk, American folk and blues and his own compositions, he is consistently named as one of the very finest fingerstyle guitar players in the world.

He is listed in Gibson Guitars’ Top 30 Acoustic Guitarists of all time, and Acoustic Guitar readers voted him number 12 guitarist in the world in 2005.

Universally acclaimed as one of the finest ever acoustic and slide guitar players, and a fine banjo-picker to boot, his solo shows bear witness to an artist at the very top of his game. Whether interpreting material from tradition or singing his own potent self-penned songs, Simpson is a remarkable storyteller: captivating and profoundly moving. His own songwriting produced the poignant ‘Never Any Good’, from Prodigal Son, 2007’s Folk Album of the Year.

Martin continues to collaborate with a dazzling array of people from across the musical spectrum: Jackson Browne, Martin Taylor, June Tabor, Richard Hawley, Bonnie Raitt, Danny Thompson, David Hidalgo, Danú, Richard Thompson and Dom Flemons are among the great musicians he has worked with.

He was also nominated ‘Musician of the Year’ – BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2018

“Martin Simpson has transcended borders and oceans to quietly become a superb storyteller and musician of great depth and unquestionable taste.” Stephen Fearing

Lively local market with all kinds of produce – cosily inside the WItham during February and March, outside on the cobbles through the rest of the year.

Barnard Castle Farmers’ Market is one of the North East’s most popular markets featuring a wide range of artisan food and crafts from the region.

Our meat and vegetable produce is naturally or organically grown, with meats raised humanely on pastures. Our cheese stalls offer a wide range of delicious handmade cheese.

You’ll also find free range eggs and poultry, homemade award-winning jellies and jams, not to mention, our famous fudge, puddings,  game and fish, spicy sauces and lots more. We’re outdoors on the cobbles in Barnard Castle the first Saturday each month.

This is a fun, informal and physical workshop with a team of professional dancers and a live DJ.

We will begin with a lively 1.5 hour workshop filled with games and tasks that will get us moving, dancing and interacting with each other in surprising and unexpected ways.

After our active workshop we will break for some yummy and well deserved food. Lunch is on us!!

‘The Making Of’ workshop ends with a celebration in a big dome, with flashy lights and some funky beats. Prepare to be taken on a journey through a world where ‘normal’ doesn’t apply… come break the rules with us.

No dance training or experience necessary, the less you know the better!

Wear something comfy that you can move in… don’t worry about your socks as they’ll just be danced off.

Comments from previous workshops:

“A magical experience where anything is possible” Young person, Newcastle

“Incredibly liberating” Adult participant, Blyth

“…uplifted after the whole session” Adult participant, Newcastle

“I would take that over anything. A night club or anything. It was so good.” A young person, County Durham

When: Saturday 18 January 2020
Who: Ages 7 – 11 years, all abilities and experiences welcome.

When: Saturday 1st February 2020
Who: Ages 12 – 18 years, all abilities and experiences welcome.

When: Saturday 7th February 2020
Who:  Families; parents, grandparents, carers, family members, friends, children and young people, come along and have a play!   Ages 0-8 must be accompanied by a responsible adult, all abilities and experiences welcome.

The Music Scholars of Barnard Castle School provide an evening of entertainment as they present a varied programme of music that demonstrates their abilities as solo musicians.

Ann Thornton studied Art at Sunderland Art College and Newcastle University specialising in Ceramics and Fine Art. In recent years she has developed her interest in natural structural forms from close observation of the countryside.

The gallery is usually closed Sundays and Mondays.

Finding love isn’t easy being fat, gay and nerdy. Luckily for Guy, you can be anybody online… including your best friend.  But little does Guy know, he’s not the only one with a big reveal.

Queer As Folk meets Bridget Jones with a cat-fishing musical twist, leo&hyde’s award-winning GUY gives you 12 heart-pounding electronic pop anthems and witty, heartfelt story about modern dating through a diverse cross-section of gay men.

You’ll laugh-cry, sad-cry, face-palm and heart-eyes at this rom-com about body image, prejudice, and mental health.

GUY is a reminder that the only person you should be is yourself: #nofilter

This is a fun, informal and physical workshop with a team of professional dancers and a live DJ.

We will begin with a lively 1.5 hour workshop filled with games and tasks that will get us moving, dancing and interacting with each other in surprising and unexpected ways.

After our active workshop we will break for some yummy and well deserved food. Lunch is on us!!

‘The Making Of’ workshop ends with a celebration in a big dome, with flashy lights and some funky beats. Prepare to be taken on a journey through a world where ‘normal’ doesn’t apply… come break the rules with us.

No dance training or experience necessary, the less you know the better!

Wear something comfy that you can move in… don’t worry about your socks as they’ll just be danced off.

Comments from previous workshops:

“A magical experience where anything is possible” Young person, Newcastle

“Incredibly liberating” Adult participant, Blyth

“…uplifted after the whole session” Adult participant, Newcastle

“I would take that over anything. A night club or anything. It was so good.” A young person, County Durham

When: Saturday 18 January 2020
Who: Ages 7 – 11 years, all abilities and experiences welcome.

When: Saturday 1st February 2020
Who: Ages 12 – 18 years, all abilities and experiences welcome.

When: Saturday 7th February 2020
Who:  Families; parents, grandparents, carers, family members, friends, children and young people, come along and have a play!   Ages 0-8 must be accompanied by a responsible adult, all abilities and experiences welcome.

A fundraising concert from the Barnard Castle Brass Band in support of the Investing In The Witham Appeal.
The Barnard Castle Band are delighted to support The Witham and will be delivering a program filled with a variety of pieces to entertain a wide audience. Andrew Nicholson has been conducting the band for about three years, the band are experiencing an upturn in enthusiasm and commitment which is to the credit of all the members of the band, the band room is a happy place to be. New members have joined and new members are always welcome.

A fundraising concert from the Barnard Castle Brass Band in support of the Investing In The Witham Appeal.
The Barnard Castle Band are delighted to support The Witham and will be delivering a program filled with a variety of pieces to entertain a wide audience. Andrew Nicholson has been conducting the band for about three years, the band are experiencing an upturn in enthusiasm and commitment which is to the credit of all the members of the band, the band room is a happy place to be. New members have joined and new members are always welcome.

Exploration, insight and imagination are vital ingredients in Melvyn Tan’s blend of artistic attributes. He established his international reputation in the 1980s with pioneering performances on fortepiano and continues to cast fresh light on music conceived for the piano’s early and modern forms.

Tan possesses a profound understanding of his instrument’s history, its technical evolution and musical development. His performances of piano masterworks, whether on a late eighteenth-century fortepiano or today’s concert grand, penetrate the surface of interpretive traditions and received wisdom to reveal countless expressive nuances and rarely heard tonal contrasts.

Acclaimed for the wit and poetry of his playing, Tan has also received ovations for his bold programming and exceptional ability to switch from fortepiano and modern piano, even in the same recital.

“…the most thoughtful, elegant and refined of pianists… everything seemed to illuminate everything else.”
THE GUARDIAN – UK

Exploration, insight and imagination are vital ingredients in Melvyn Tan’s blend of artistic attributes. He established his international reputation in the 1980s with pioneering performances on fortepiano and continues to cast fresh light on music conceived for the piano’s early and modern forms.

Tan possesses a profound understanding of his instrument’s history, its technical evolution and musical development. His performances of piano masterworks, whether on a late eighteenth-century fortepiano or today’s concert grand, penetrate the surface of interpretive traditions and received wisdom to reveal countless expressive nuances and rarely heard tonal contrasts.

Acclaimed for the wit and poetry of his playing, Tan has also received ovations for his bold programming and exceptional ability to switch from fortepiano and modern piano, even in the same recital.

Working with category sponsors, Enterprise House is organising The Teesdale Business Awards.

The idea of the awards is simply for our local business community the opportunity to showcase and promote successes.

Matthew Bourne’s Romeo and Juliet has been hailed as ‘the single most eagerly awaited dance show for 2019’ by The Daily Telegraph. This passionate and contemporary re-imagining of Shakespeare’s classic story of love and conflict is set in the not too distant future in ‘The Verona Institute’. Here ‘difficult’ young people are mysteriously confined by a society that seeks to divide and crush their youthful spirit and individuality. Our two young lovers must follow their hearts as they risk everything to be together. A timeless story of forbidden love, repressed emotions and teenage discovery, filmed live at Sadler’s Wells in London especially for cinemas.
Bursting with youth, vitality and Matthew Bourne’s trademark storytelling, the UK’s brightest young dance talent join the New Adventures company, with direction and choreography by Matthew Bourne, design by Lez Brotherston, lighting by Paule Constable, sound by Paul Groothuis and new orchestrations of the Prokofiev score by Terry Davies, played live by the New Adventures Orchestra conducted by Brett Morris.

★★★★★    ‘ELECTRIFYING. One of Bourne’s smartest, SEXIEST, most stirring shows EVER’    DAILY MAIL
★★★★★    ‘STORYTELLING at its finest, should not be missed’    DAILY EXPRESS
★★★★★    ‘A seismic YOUTHQUAKE. A Romeo and Juliet for the MILLENNIAL generation. BOLD, FRESH and bang on the money’    THE STAGE

Music: Sergei Prokofiev | Choreography: Matthew Bourne
Filmed Live at Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London in 2019
(12A)  |  Running time: 91 minutes  (no interval)

Curious about what you can recycle here in Teesdale?

Discover more at this event where Durham County Council will give a presentation (10.30 am and then again at 11.30 am) about what we can, and cannot, currently recycle, followed by Q&As session to help you fully understand the recycling provision available.

There is also a Junk Craft session for families to get creative!  Crafting will run throughout the session and there is no need to book. Suggested donation of £1 per child.

Where? In The Witham room upstairs – lift available.

Everyone is welcome. Find out more at www.thewitham.org.uk

Organised by TACT – Teesdale Action on Climate Transition. Supported by The Witham and Durham County Council.

Everyone can sing – however much we might protest – meaning it is the most accessible form of music making. It can also play a vital role in improving our health, well-being and social life.

If you are 55+ come along to our monthly singing session led by local musician and singing teacher Jane Ford. A relaxed, fun atmosphere is guaranteed. Absolutely no experience required.

The cost of these sessions is only £2 and we will supply a hot drink for participants. It is not necessary to pre-book this event. However, if you are planning on joining us, click through to confirm as this will help give us an idea of numbers.

3rd Wednesday of the month, 2 – 3.30pm, the Witham Room

Below is a summary of the research into the benefits of singing for people with mental health issues.  Carried out by researchers at Canterbury Christ Church University’s Sidney De Haan Research Centre for Arts and Health.

Opera North presents a delightful 45-minute whistle stop tour of Mozart’s playful opera.

Figaro and Susanna are getting married, but trouble clouds the horizon. The lecherous Count Almaviva is out to bed the bride, the lovesick pageboy Cherubino keeps landing himself in hot-water and, to top it all off, if Figaro cannot repay his debt to Marcellina the housekeeper, he’ll have to marry her instead!

Be entertained by four professional opera singers and an accordionist in this short opera packed with mistaken identity, misunderstanding and comic twists.

This is the perfect chance to experience the magic of opera!

Immerse yourself in the authentic ABBA experience!

Sensation will transport you back to the golden days of ABBA, with stunning harmonies, costumes, choreography and a sprinkling of light-hearted humour.

This unique combination has turned them into one of the most sought-after ABBA Tribute Bands in the world. In fact – they even speak a little Swedish on stage, to add to the whole experience!

Join dance teacher Joyce Jeffrey for an adult dance class inspired by ABBA.

This class won’t be focused closely on technique but will give you a fun 2 hours of dance!

Open to everyone from beginners to more experienced dancers. Joyce teaches the popular weekly class, Silver Swans, at The Witham.

Come to enjoy ABBA Sensation at The Witham on Friday 21 February at 7.30pm.

Book all three Saturday dance workshops this season and receive £2 off per workshop, making them £8 each!

The Acoustic Café gives local musicians the chance to play on the balcony in the Café.

Come dancing! A relaxed, social event for everyone who enjoys dance! Join teachers Graham and Margaret Fenny for The Witham’s second Tea Dance in the last few years…. it will be even better than the first! Each ticket includes a hot drink and a sweet treat. The Music Hall will be lit to ensure there is a great atmosphere and everyone is welcome to join in the fun.

Session will include Ballroom, Latin American, Sequence and some basic Salsa. Graham and Margaret Fenny have been teaching dance in Northallerton for over 15 years and regularly teach on P & O Cruise liners with fantastic reviews.

Not sure you can dance?? Come and join our weekly Ballroom lessons with Graham and Margaret on Wednesdays from 7.15pm – 8.45pm.

Come dancing! A relaxed, social event for everyone who enjoys dance! Join teachers Graham and Margaret Fenny for The Witham’s second Tea Dance in the last few years…. it will be even better than the first! Each ticket includes a hot drink and a sweet treat. The Music Hall will be lit to ensure there is a great atmosphere and everyone is welcome to join in the fun.

Session will include Ballroom, Latin American, Sequence and some basic Salsa. Graham and Margaret Fenny have been teaching dance in Northallerton for over 15 years and regularly teach on P & O Cruise liners with fantastic reviews.

Bot sure you can dance?? Come and join our weekly Ballroom lessons with Graham and Margaret on Wednesdays from 7.15pm – 8.45pm.

Music: Philip Feeney  |  Choreography: Cathy Marston
Cathy Marston has previously been an Associate Artist of the Royal Opera House and Director of Bern Ballett, and is much in demand internationally. The inspiration for her first work for The Royal Ballet Main Stage is the momentous life and career of the cellist Jacqueline du Pré.

DANCES AT A GATHERING
Music: Jerome Robbins  |  Choreography: Fryderyk Chopin
Jerome Robbins’s elegant and elegiac classic forms the second part of the programme. This exercise in pure dance for five couples, set to music by Chopin, is a masterpiece of subtlety and invention.

The Royal Ballet Company  |  Conductor: Andrea Molino  |  Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
(12A as live) | Approx. 2 hours 30 minutes, including one interval

Javed is a Pakistani teenager who experiences racial and economic turmoil while living in Luton, England, in 1987. He writes poetry as a way to escape the intolerance of his hometown and the stubborn views of his traditional father. When a classmate introduces him to the music of Bruce Springsteeen, Javed sees parallels between the singer’s powerful lyrics and his own working-class environment. Springsteen’s melodies soon inspire Javed to find his own voice and follow his dreams.

★★★★ “ode to Springsteen is utterly joyous”  THE INDEPENDENT
★★★★ “an exuberant anthem to the importance of music, the need to be seen and the hope of new possibilities”  EMPIRE

Running time: 114 mins

Javed is a Pakistani teenager who experiences racial and economic turmoil while living in Luton, England, in 1987. He writes poetry as a way to escape the intolerance of his hometown and the stubborn views of his traditional father. When a classmate introduces him to the music of Bruce Springsteeen, Javed sees parallels between the singer’s powerful lyrics and his own working-class environment. Springsteen’s melodies soon inspire Javed to find his own voice and follow his dreams.

★★★★ “ode to Springsteen is utterly joyous”  THE INDEPENDENT
★★★★ “an exuberant anthem to the importance of music, the need to be seen and the hope of new possibilities”  EMPIRE

Coming live to the theatre for the first time in over 60 years is The Navy Lark.

Starring James Hurn known for portraying such iconic characters as Tony Hancock, Sid James and Kenneth Williams from his hit one man show Hancock and Co.

The Navy Lark sees a cast of three bring to life three classic episodes from the much loved radio series which ran for 1959 – 1977 which originally featured Leslie Phillips, Ronnie Barker and Jon Pertwee.

Presented in the style of a radio performance in front of a live audience, bringing to life the classic days of radio comedy.

When HMS Troutbridge docks at your local theatre it’s going to be “Ev’rybody Down!” For an evening of nostalgic belly laughs. So “Bung Ho!” and secure your tickets now.

The Wearing of Water is a multi-disciplinary arts project that explores the relationship between people and place in Teesdale. Using theatre, music, dance and design – participants will be sharing a performance created during workshops held this year.

Location: The Hub | Please be aware this performance will take place outdoors and there will be some promenade elements, all accessible via wheelchair/similar.  Venue, The Hub, Barnard Castle

Inspired by balletLORENT’s The Night Ball, Witham Dances celebrates the pleasure of dancing freely alone, closely in couples and as a vibrant group of energised people of varying ages and life experience.

Witham Dances will be a dance theatre piece performed in the round alongside three leading balletLORENT dancers, and we want as wide ranging individuals as possible to join us! Whether 8 or 88 years old or anything in between, we welcome you to join us with your own individual experience and stories of social dancing. We will weave together your dances with ours and put together a short performance to be performed cabaret style at The Witham on 25th June.

No experience necessary – but a desire for adventure and working kindly in a group of people is essential!

Please watch this clip of The Night Ball to give you a taste, although bear in mind that Witham Dances will be a unique new version developed around your individuality. We are looking for up to 20 people to join us from different walks of life and surrounding areas.

We would love you to come and watch the company perform our new production, The Lost Happy Endings, at Darlington Hippodrome, giving you the chance to see on stage some of the dancers who are going to be performing alongside you in this special opportunity to create a new memory for The Witham. There is a discount for you to access £10 tickets for this performance: use the code: WITHAM
when booking for £10 tickets for The Lost Happy Endings at Darlington Hippodrome.

This workshop from 4 pm – 5.45 pm will allow us to meet and have a taster workshop together to see if this experience is a good fit for you.

The perfect introduction to opera for 4 year + olds and their families, meet the hilariously persistent Sam-I-Am on a mission to persuade a grumpy grouch to try a delicious plate of green eggs and ham!

The classic Dr Seuss book is beautifully brought to life, teaching us all (even the grown-ups) the very important life lesson – you cannot know what you will like until you have tried it!

Featuring 2 opera singers and a 9-piece orchestra, this short performance will begin with an interactive workshop introducing families to the music, instruments and themes within the piece.

Three performances  - 11.30, 13.30, 16.30

Participants of The Creative Age project with Trevor Dixon showcase their work from the last six months of workshops held at UTASS.

Adults aged 55+ have enjoyed a craft-based project led by local artist and former farmer, Trevor Dixon. Trevor produces beautifully detailed, miniature models of farmhouses, outbuildings and drystone walls using natural materials.

These models reflect the landscape he has worked since adolescence. The project has bought together people who share a common background, i.e. working in rural Teesdale.

While learning a new skill, or developing an existing one, the group have also used the session as an opportunity to socialise and share past experiences. The emphasis has been very much on having an enjoyable afternoon in the company of like-minded people. Gallery usually closed Sunday and Monday.

Lively local market with all kinds of produce – cosily inside the WItham during February and March, outside on the cobbles through the rest of the year.

Barnard Castle Farmers’ Market is one of the North East’s most popular markets featuring a wide range of artisan food and crafts from the region.

Our meat and vegetable produce is naturally or organically grown, with meats raised humanely on pastures. Our cheese stalls offer a wide range of delicious handmade cheese.

You’ll also find free range eggs and poultry, homemade award-winning jellies and jams, not to mention, our famous fudge, puddings,  game and fish, spicy sauces and lots more. We’re outdoors on the cobbles in Barnard Castle the first Saturday each month.

Grace Notes musicians are delighted to present an afternoon of music in the Witham Room, 2-4pm.  With all local musicians (old and young) there will be a variety of styles and instruments, ensuring an element of interest to all.

This is an acoustic event with the focus on music and people, rather than electronics. Feel free to sing along where appropriate or just sit back and enjoy. Our aim is to leave the audience feeling relaxed and happy.

All performers are giving their time free of charge, so all proceeds will go directly to The Witham.

James Wilton Dance, one of Europe’s most in demand dance companies, present The Storm, a whirlwind of lightning fast, athleticism, where acrobatics, break-dancing, martial arts and contact work fuse to form dance that will blow audiences away.

Seven dancers, a soundtrack of thundering electro-rock specially composed by Amarok and thousands of pieces of paper combine to create a work that will astound you with its athleticism and touch you emotionally in a way that words simply can’t.

In this storm can you find peace? Can you find the calm eye of the storm? Will it all blow over?

Recommended age: All

Born from the work of the duo Phillip Henry and Hannah Martin, Edgelarks combine exquisite folk with influences as diverse as the blues and Indian classical slide guitar, to create a sound that is “Subtle, atmospheric and bravely original” (The Guardian).

The BBC Folk Award winners take their strong roots sound, mixing original songwriting with stomping beatbox harmonica, soaring fiddle and vocal harmonies, running wilder with each repeat play. A busy collaborative period has included work as part of the Gigspanner Big Band (featuring members of Bellowhead and Steeleye Span); and performing at BBC Radio Two’s Festival In A Day to a Hyde Park crowd of 50,000 – supporting Kylie Minogue!

Now they are back on the road with their formidable live show, making much more noise than only two people should be able to, taking audiences on a story telling journey around a new musical landscape.

“Extraordinary…I was blown away by them!” Tom Robinson, BBC 6 Music

The Ceilidh Project is back with another ceilidh and workshop, this time in Barnard Castle with the incredible Whapweasel.

Renowned folk dance band Whapweasel have been delighting and exhausting the folk dance enthusiasts for the last 20 years. This solid eight piece folk rock dance band have over that time notched up 6 albums of enthralling, turbo- charged dance music attracting rave reviews and packed dance floors and the accolade of Dance Band Of The Year at the Radio Two Folk Awards.

As with all of the ceilidh project events, M@HoT will also be hosting a free public workshop for musicians interested in learning the music and skills necessary to play for dancing. Led by the members of Whapweasel this will be a brilliant opportunity to develop your playing skills – all you need to bring is your own instrument to play.

In addition to the amazing music, we have Michelle Holding as our resident ceilidh caller throughout the project. Michelle champions gender-neutral and fun approach to calling, catering for the adept and experienced as well as total beginners.

production, conducted by Antonio Pappano, Jonas Kaufmann plays the political prisoner Florestan, and Lise Davidsen his wife Leonore (disguised as ‘Fidelio’) who daringly sets out to rescue him. Set in strong counterpoint are the ingredients of domestic intrigue, determined love and the cruelty of an oppressive regime. The music is transcendent throughout and includes the famous Act I Quartet, the Prisoners’ Chorus and Florestan’s impassioned Act II cry in the darkness and vision of hope. Tobias Kratzer’s new staging brings together the dark reality of the French Revolutionary ‘Terror’ and our own time to illuminate Fidelio’s inspiring message of shared humanity.
The Royal Opera
Music: Ludwig van Beethoven
Director: Tobias Kratzer
Conductor: Antonio Pappano
Starring: Jonas Kaufmann, Lise Davidsen
(12A as live) | Approx. 2hrs 30mins

Everyone can sing – however much we might protest – meaning it is the most accessible form of music making. It can also play a vital role in improving our health, well-being and social life.

If you are 55+ come along to our monthly singing session led by local musician and singing teacher Jane Ford. A relaxed, fun atmosphere is guaranteed. Absolutely no experience required.

The cost of these sessions is only £2 and we will supply a hot drink for participants. It is not necessary to pre-book this event. However, if you are planning on joining us, click through to confirm as this will help give us an idea of numbers.

3rd Wednesday of the month, 2 – 3.30pm, the Witham Room

Below is a summary of the research into the benefits of singing for people with mental health issues.  Carried out by researchers at Canterbury Christ Church University’s Sidney De Haan Research Centre for Arts and Health.

James McAvoy (X-Men, Atonement) returns to the stage in an inventive new adaptation of Cyrano de Bergerac, broadcast live to cinemas from the West End in London.
Fierce with a pen and notorious in combat, Cyrano almost has it all – if only he could win the heart of his true love Roxane. There’s just one big problem: he has a nose as huge as his heart. Will a society engulfed by narcissism get the better of Cyrano – or can his mastery of language set Roxane’s world alight?
Edmond Rostand’s masterwork is adapted by Martin Crimp, with direction by Jamie Lloyd (Betrayal). This classic play will be brought to life with linguistic ingenuity to celebrate Cyrano’s powerful and resonant resistance against overwhelming odds.

By Edmond Rostand, in a new version by Martin Crimp  |  Directed by Jamie Lloyd
15 TBC  |  Running time: 180 minutes (TBC)

Join dance teacher Joyce Jeffrey for an adult tap dancing class.

This class won’t be focused closely on technique but will give you a fun 2 hours of dance!

Open to everyone from beginners to more experienced dancers. If you don’t own tap shoes, plase wear comfy , hard soled shoes.

Joyce teaches the popular weekly group, Silver Swans at The Witham on Tuesday mornings.

Book all three Saturday dance workshops this season and receive £2 off per workshop, making them £8 each!

The “effortlessly funny” ShooShooBaby, have been appreciated by audiences all over the world, earning them a reputation for their excellent singing and musicianship.

In The Great Cabaret Safari, you can expect water-tight harmonising on a wonderful array of “razor-sharp” (The Stage) original cabaret songs alongside music by Queen, Louis Prima, Tears for Fears, Ennio Morricone and the Proclaimers.

The musical saw, the zither, the harmonium and the kazoo (played by the entire audience), are just a few of the instruments that feature in this eclectic and “abundantly creative” (Cabaret Scenes) show. According to the press and their audiences, ShooShooBaby’s shows are: funny, beautifully sung, clever and unexpectedly moving.

ShooShooBaby have sung on ice, jumped out of cakes and performed at every conceivable type of event. Their shows have been staged in theatres, concert halls, spiegeltents and cruise ships and they have serenaded royalty, oligarchs and lots of extremely nice normal people.

“The audience had a ball” The Stage
“What sets the apart, is their musical wit and superb Harmony” Scotsman
“Vocally fantastic” Musical Stages

The beloved Crawleys and their intrepid staff prepare for the most important moment of their lives.

A royal visit from the king and queen of England soon unleashes scandal, romance and intrigue — leaving the future of Downton hanging in the balance.

Running time: 119 mins

The Acoustic Café gives local musicians the chance to play on the balcony in the Café.

Presented by the University of Leeds Theatre & Performance students as part of the Year of the Dealer project.

Quinneys is a comedy-drama of love, money, social climbing and fakes and forgeries set in the world of antique dealing.

Written in 1914 by Horace Annesley Vachell (1861-1955) and based on the real-life antique dealer Thomas Rohan (1860-1940), the play tells the story of Joseph Quinney, a hard-nosed antique dealer, stubborn but endearing and keen to see his daughter marry well.

The performance of Quinneys is part of ‘Year of the Dealer’, an Arts & Humanities Research Council project organised by the University of Leeds. Directed by George Rodosthenous with actors from the Theatre & Performance programme at the University of Leeds, the play was hugely popular in its day and this performance will be the first in more than 50 years.

Your £5 includes an invitation the wine reception from 6.30 pm.

CaroleW Productions presents Melanie Gall’s Stitch in Time: A Knitting Cabaret.

A delightful evening of needlepoint and music with a scintillating selection of the lost knitting songs of WWI and WWII from Canada, Britain, America and France. Audiences are encouraged to bring their own knitting (or crochet) and stitch along to these funny, poignant, toe-tapping, needle-clicking tunes.

During the two World Wars, millions of women knit for the soldiers. Popular music often reflected the trends of the time, and mere days after the first bullet was fired, dozens of knitting-themed songs started to appear.

After the wars these songs were essentially lost, and this concert is the first time that many of them have been performed in 100 years. Some of the songs were very close to disappearing forever, and with Stitch in Time, this music — a clever, sweet and entertaining footnote in history — has been preserved and given a chance to live again.

A Stitch in Time has been performed across the world, from Luxembourg to Edinburgh, Khartoum to Saskatoon.

90 mins (with 15 min interval)

An exhibition of works by ex-Barnard Castle School Art teacher Douglas Pittuck forms the centrepiece of an art trail to celebrate the life and work of the artist.

The exhibition will provide a unique opportunity to view privately owned paintings and stetches by the artist inspired by the local area.

During April, there will be opportunities to view the famous Pittuck mural in St Mary’s Parish Hall and attend presentation of creative works produced by local students at other venues in the town.  Gallery usually closed Sunday and Monday.

International cellist Alexandra Mackenzie and Ingrid Sawers (piano) present the perfect soundtrack to your Sunday afternoon.

They will play favourites from the cello repertoire ranging from Vivaldi, Schumann and Saint Saens classics to Piazzolla tango, interspersed by lively introductions and some solo piano music by by Debussy and Gershwin.

The programme includes:

Vivaldi: Sonata in E minor
Paradis: Sicillienne
Beach: Berceuse
Debussy: Clair de lune
Faure: Apres un Reve
Gál: Two Scottish fantasies

INTERVAL

Schumann: Fantasiestucke
Ravel: Piece en forme de habanera
Piazzolla: Oblivion
Gershwin: Embraceable You
Saint Saens: The Swan
De Falla: Ritual Fire Dance

The Witham Hall Disco Is Back.. for the SECOND time since 1988!

Let’s bring back the traditions of the 1980s with a soundtrack to match.

You can look forward to dancing to tracks such as Yazz – The only way up, Double Trouble and the rebel MC – Street tuff, Womack and Womack- Teardrops and Dexy’s – Come on Eileen.

Nick is best known for his global expedition – ‘Running The World 196‘.

In November 2019, Nick was crowned the first person to run a marathon in every country in the world. Along with this, he sets a number of world records and has a wild, eclectic story to tell. Tales of muggings, war zones, dog attacks, extreme exhaustion, and the sheer scale and diversity of our planet. His talk is accompanied with stunning photography and videography from around the world.

He is a British Endurance Athlete, writer, and speaker. From a small shy boy in the south of England, with a passion for sport – to a successful career in banking, to then becoming one of the most widely travelled athletes in the world. And all before the age of 30.

Nick says: “If I’m lucky enough to get to the point in life when I’m old and grey, chatting with my grandchildren I want to know I’ve explored every inch of the planet. I believe that it’s the crazy things, the things that no one is doing, and the things that we’re afraid to do… which are in fact exactly that which leaves a positive mark on the world.”

Written and performed by Mark Farrelly
Directed by Linda MarloweFresh from its Off-Broadway debut and milestone 100th performance, Mark Farrelly’s hugely acclaimed solo play comes to The Witham.From a conventional upbringing to global notoriety via The Naked Civil Servant, Quentin Crisp was one of the most memorable figures of the twentieth century. Openly gay as early as the 1930s, Quentin spent decades being beaten up on London’s streets for his refusal to be anything less than himself. His courage, and the philosophy that evolved from those experiences, inspire to the present day.

Naked Hope depicts Quentin at two phases of his extraordinary life: alone in his Chelsea flat in the 1960s, certain that life has passed him by, and thirty years later, giving a performance of his one man show An Evening with Quentin Crisp in New York.

Packed with witty gems on everything from cleaning (“Don’t bother – after the first four years the dust won’t get any worse”) to marriage (“Is there life after marriage? The answer is no”), Naked Hope is a glorious, uplifting celebration of the urgent necessity to be your true self.

Mark Farrelly’s West End credits include Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? opposite Matthew Kelly. He is directed by EastEnders star Linda Marlowe (Berkoff’s Women).

90 minutes including interval

FRANK – A tribute to Frank Sinatra by Frank Cognoscenti and his jazz orchestra.

Enjoy a thrilling evening of Sinatra’s greatest hits, swingers and torch songs in the company of Frank Cognoscenti, one of the UK’s most prolific performers of the Sinatra repertoire, as he gets under the skin of one of the 20^th Century’s greatest stars.

Experience stunning recreations of Sinatra’s greatest concert arrangements from his 60 year career, from Harry James ‘All or Nothing at all’, Tommy Dorsey’s ‘Marie’ to ‘Live at the Sands’ ‘Come Fly with me’ , ‘Fly me to the moon’, ‘September of my years’, the intimate saloon songs ‘One for my baby’, ‘I’m a fool to want you’, ‘Here’s that rainy day’, Nelson Riddle Capitol years classics‘ I’ve got you under my skin’, ‘I get a kick out of you’, ‘I’ve got the world on a string’, the legendary ,’It was a very good year’,‘Summer wind’, ‘Girl from Ipanema’ and the Iconictrilogy, ‘That’s life’ , ‘New York’,‘My Way’ and more.

Frank Cognoscenti has performed everywhere from Ronnie Scott’s in London, Singapore, New Jersey and Palm Springs California and now presents a concert version of his self-produced theatre show.

Two opera classics are drawn together in this wonderfully observed re-creation of life in a south Italian village as a travelling theatre visits and emotions erupt. The award-winning production by Damiano Michieletto presents vividly the fast-moving, shocking events brought about by secret love and uncontrollable jealousy. The music is full of Italianate melody in the great choruses that bring the villagers together in celebration and revelry, alongside the solo arias and tense confrontations that provoke violence and tragedy. With thrilling singing and intense drama, ‘Cav and Pag’ distils into one wonderful night out, the enduring appeal of Italian opera in its most familiar form.
The Royal Opera
(12A as live) | Approx. 3hrs

Kinky Boots The Musical, filmed live at the Adelphi Theatre in the heart of London’s West End, is strutting onto the big screen! With songs from Grammy and Tony award winning pop icon Cyndi Lauper, book by legendary Broadway playwright Harvey Fierstein (La Cage Aux Folles), and direction and choreography by Jerry Mitchell (Legally Blonde, Hairspray), the musical is based on the film written by Geoff Deane and Tim Firth.
Inspired by true events, this huge-hearted hit tells the story of two people with nothing in common – or so they think. Charlie (Killian Donnelly) is a factory owner struggling to save his family business, and Lola (Matt Henry) is a fabulous entertainer with a wildly exciting idea. With a little compassion and a lot of understanding, this unexpected pair learn to embrace their differences and create a line of sturdy stilettos unlike any the world has ever seen! But in the end, their most sensational achievement is their friendship. This unmissable musical theatre event celebrates a joyous story of British grit transforming into a high-heeled hit as it takes you from the factory floor of Northampton to the glamorous catwalks of Milan!

For the first time Ireland’s Heidi Talbot and Scotland’s Adam Holmes are joining forces to tour, write and record an album of original material together. Between them they have been nominated for multiple BBC Folk Awards, SAY awards, Irish music awards and played for First Ministers and US Presidents.

This new collaboration will see the pair work under the name “Arcade”, with plans to record and release a new album of songs in 2019 produced by Louis Abbott (Admiral Fallow).

Heidi Talbot was born in Ireland, became a folk star in the USA as a member of the Irish American band Cherish the Ladies, and now lives in Edinburgh. With a background like that, it’s hardly surprising she should develop a style that switches easily between Celtic and Americana, but subtlety is Talbot’s magic ingredient. From her gossamer voice to the delicate re-working of traditional and contemporary material that has earned her rave reviews for her records and live performances.

The girl from Co. Kildare, who spent several years in New York, slips effortlessly between musical worlds but retains a personal modesty rooted in traditional folk.

“A voice that’s both awestruck and tender” The New York Times

Edinburgh based singer song writer Adam Holmes with his band The Embers combine the rhythm and blues, country and folk music textures of classic artists such as The Band, Neil Young and Ryan Adams and The Cardinals.

Adam’s musical education began in the infamous folk clubs of Edinburgh taken along by his mother, a huge fan of UK folk music. He witnessed the legendary live sessions that took place. His father’s influence was equally strong, a love of classic American singer songwriters (notably Neil Young and Townes Van Zandt) which he passed onto to his son, now evident in the transatlantic quality to Adam’s music.

Showcasing the diverse creative talent of TeesdaleArtNet (TAN) artists working in Teesdale, this is the 3rd collaborative annual exhibition from TeesdaleArtNet. Including textiles, jewellery, painting, prints, ceramics, sculpture and collage, this show introduces exciting new unique work.

Admission is free, all are welcome to the preview, and most of the work is for sale.

This year the TAN Open Studios will be running concurrently during the final week of this exhibition from 23rd May – 31st May, the perfect opportunity to meet the makers! The gallery is usually closed Sundays and Mondays.

Teesdale Artists Network members are all visual artists living or working in Teesdale, at different stages of their creative careers who aim to support each other through joint working, exhibitions, training and professional development opportunities.

New members are always welcome.

Thirty years after starring in “The Wizard of Oz” beloved actress and singer Judy Garland arrives in London to perform sold-out shows at the Talk of the Town nightclub. While there, she reminisces with friends and fans and begins a whirlwind romance with musician Mickey Deans, her soon-to-be fifth husband.

Starring Oscar winner Renée Zellweger

Running time: 118 mins

Award-winning artist, Victoria Melody, presents her new show Professional Stranger, about her attempts at becoming a stand-up comedian.

Wearing technology that shows in real time what happens to the brain when you tell jokes, Victoria reveals what happened when she immersed herself into the world of British amateur stand-up comedy.

One life in the hands of 12 women.
Rural Suffolk in England, 1759. As the country waits for Halley’s comet, a young woman is sentenced to hang for a heinous murder.
When she claims to be pregnant, a jury of 12 matrons are taken from their housework to decide whether she’s telling the truth, or simply trying to escape the noose. With only midwife Lizzy Luke prepared to defend the girl, and a mob baying for blood outside, the matrons wrestle with their new authority, and the devil in their midst.
James Macdonald (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?) directs Maxine Peake (The Theory of Everything, Funny Cow) and Ria Zmitrowicz (Three Girls, Mr. Selfridge) in this bold and gripping thriller from Tony Award-nominated writer Lucy Kirkwood (Chimerica, Skins).

A new play by Lucy Kirkwood  |  Broadcast live from the National Theatre in London.
15 TBC  |  Running time: 180 minutes (TBC)

This unique combination continues to entertain people of all shapes and sizes with their wonderful selection of northern songs delivered with consummate musicianship by two of the UK’s best known and loved singers – Billy Mitchell (Lindisfarne, Jack the Lad, Pitmen Poets) and Bob Fox (Warhorse Songman, Fox and Luckley, Pitmen Poets) are taking to the road together in 2020 to tour their show 5 Star B&B throughout the UK.

Their last tour as a duo was back in 2010 where their sold out performances earned glowing reviews. Their individual busy schedules have prevented them from reuniting… until now!

And what a treat it is! The duo’s ability to connect with the audience is immediately evident as they lead you through some of their favourite songs including original Lindisfarne classics and trad folk arrangements: Sally Wheatley, Meet me on the Corner, Dance to your Daddy, Collier Laddie’s Wife, Big River, Galway Shawl and many more…

Dante’s Divine Comedy is an epic journey through the afterlife: it encompasses the horrifying drama of Inferno and its damned, the lyrical mysticism of pilgrims on mount Purgatorio and the dazzling spheres of Paradiso with their endless configurations of light.

The poem was inspired by the agony of Dante’s own exile, and traces his path from crisis to revelation guided by his literary hero Virgil and his lost love Beatrice.

In this new work, The Royal Ballet’s trailblazing Resident Choreographer Wayne McGregor collaborates with an award-winning team – contemporary composer Thomas Adès, artist Tacita Dean, lighting designer Lucy Carter and dramaturg Uzma Hameed – to bring us closer to Dante and his extraordinary vision.

The Royal Ballet
Music: Thomas Adès
Choreography: Wayne McGregor
Conductor: Koen Kessels
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
(12A as live) | Approx. running time: about 3 hours