42nd Street, the legendary Broadway musical theatre classic, is a ‘glorious’ (★★★★★ Express) and ‘utterly moreish extravaganza of glitz’ (★★★★★ Times). Telling the story of Peggy Sawyer, a talented young performer with stars in her eyes who gets her big break on Broadway, this is the largest ever staging of the Tony® Award-winning musical and it was filmed live at the magnificent Theatre Royal in the heart of London’s West End. Starring national treasure Bonnie Langford as Dorothy Brock and featuring iconic songs 42nd Street, We’re In The Money and Lullaby Of Broadway, this is pure musical magic on the big screen.
★★★★★ ‘Achingly beautiful revival of an American classic’   THE TELEGRAPH
★★★★   ‘Quality Street’   DAILY MAIL
(Cert TBC)   |   Running time: 142 minutes  (one interval)

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)

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

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

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

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.