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Yorkshire Post Article-September 2022

Hello September! It’s the beginning of a new season, a new school year and a month brimming with possibilities. As the last days of summer collide with autumn, there’s a different
feeling in the air. In Hull, that feeling is electric. A city full of possibilities, it’s ready to welcome you with open arms (with or without the kids) to seize the last moments of summer and embrace the seasonal shift and crisp autumn days.

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Critically acclaimed theatre company, The Herd, is launching a brand new interactive audio walk in their home city of Hull this summer. Fast Food Megaverse invites you to put on headphones, grab a map and join Mo on an adventure through the multiverse.

Commissioned by Freedom Festival, this family-friendly experience has been written in collaboration with children aged 8-11 from the Hull and East Yorkshire Children’s University Letterbox Club. Packed with wild characters, unruly technology and a few tasty surprises, Fast Food Megaverse is an epic celebration of young imaginations.

A brilliant team of professional performers and creatives will bring this brand new sci-fi adventure to life, including comedian Lucy Beaumont (Meet the Richardsons, Hullraisers), director Ruby Thompson (SLIME, The Southbank Centre), writer Sam Caseley (Ducklings, The Royal Exchange), and composer James Hamilton (Cinema Inferno, Maison Margiela and Imitating the Dog).

Director Ruby Thompson said: “This is a new kind of show for The Herd and we’re super excited to share it with families at Freedom Festival. Armed with headphones and a map, audiences will not only explore Hull City Centre, but also journey into parallel universes – it’s going to be epic, funny and heart-warming!”

Writer Sam Caseley said: “I’ve loved working with these brilliant local children to create a story that somehow combines fast food, acrobatic octopuses and sisterly love into a show that I know Freedom audiences are going to love.”

The show takes place at East Arcade inside Princes Quay from Saturday 27 August to Sunday 4 September, excluding 30-31 August. Full information and show times can be found at www.freedomfestival.co.uk

The Herd bring children, young people and families together in playful spaces to watch and share stories. Their work explores what it’s like to be young, the good bits and the hard bits. Past work includes two national tours of SLIME, How to Fly Like a Reindeer at Hull Truck and Ducklings at The Royal Exchange. The Herd are associates at Back To Ours and Hull Libraries and affiliated at Hull Truck Theatre.

Fast Food Megaverse was commissioned by Freedom Festival and has been made in partnership with Hull and East Yorkshire Children’s University. It is supported by Hull Truck Theatre, Hull City Council and Arts Council England.

Shows on Saturday 27 August, Saturday 3 September and Sunday 4 September will be BSL interpreted. Fast Food Megaverse includes travelling around Hull City Centre – the route is wheelchair accessible.

A packed summer programme of shows, events and performances has been announced at the stunning outdoor venue in Hull.

Stage@TheDock is set to host a spectacular series of family-friendly shows, cementing the waterfront destination’s growing reputation as a venue of choice for touring companies on the theatre and performance circuit.

As a Major Partner of Hull UK City of Culture 2017, Hull-based Wykeland created Stage @TheDock, a stunning amphitheatre within Hull’s former Central Dry Dock as the city’s only new permanent venue for Hull’s year as the nation’s capital of culture.

Located close to bars, restaurants, galleries and more in the thriving  Fruit Market it’s the perfect destination for pre and post-performance refreshments and is helping to put Hull firmly on the cultural map.

Opera North recently kick-started the summer season with two stunning performances of A Tale of Orpheus & Eurydice.

Next up is The Three Musketeers, which will bring the classic tale of intrigue, sword play and action in 17th century France to life on July 14 as part of a summer tour of UK festivals and outdoor spaces. The 70-minute show stars performers Morgan & West, who are known for their family-friendly theatre shows full of magic and storytelling.

The stage adaptation of Rapunzel is planned for July 22 in an exhilarating, heart-warming production about one girl’s longing to break free from her imposed lockdown and explore the world outside. Humour and puppetry will bring the classic fairytale to life for all ages in a 105-minute show.

Stage @TheDock will once again play its part in the popular Humber Street Sesh on August 13, featuring a packed programme of hip hop workshops, breakdancing scratch DJs and graffiti artists.

A vibrant new adaptation of Emily Brontë’s elemental masterpiece Wuthering Heights will also grace Stage @TheDock on August 14. Presented by national touring theatre company SISATA which is celebrating its 10^th anniversary, the 90-minute performance is accompanied by beautifully haunting original live music and uplifting songs to support the vibrant, fast-paced production.

There Should Be Unicorns, the hip hop musical from Middle Child Theatre and Beats Bus will then return to the stage with two performances per day on August 27 and 28. Children are invited to dress up as unicorns and superheroes for the free hour-long performance during the opening weekend of Hull’s Freedom Festival.  The mash-up of hip hop, musical theatre and dance premiered at Stage @TheDock in early May before heading on a nationwide tour of outdoor theatre festivals.

Stage @TheDock is set to attract more international artists and spectacular free performances during the second weekend of Freedom Festival, which finishes on September 4.

• From Below Theatre are also returning to the venue with a spectacular version of Faustus, an interactive fire circus with audience participation and an array of magical comedy and combat. The show is a combination of acrobatics, pantomime and fire poi spinning – an ancient dance using weighted balls on ropes or chains used to spin fire.
• Workshops teaching circus skills behind the show will run from 2pm to 4pm between August 18 and 20 and participants will be shown silk dancing, soft staff spinning, juggling, flower sticks, poi and twirling rhythmic ribbon.

Following the success of outdoor film showings last year, Beverley Parkway Cinema is also planning to bring its outdoor cinema back to Stage @TheDock. Details will be released in due course.

This summer, the Puffins are staying in the area for a little while longer! You’ll be able to find them along the East Yorkshire coast and around the East Yorkshire, as they find new and often unlikely habitats! These are no ordinary puffins, but beautiful, artist decorated sculptures, standing proudly 1.5ms tall as colourful beacons in the landscape.

From July to the end of October this year, forty two Puffins will delight people of all ages as they search for them from Bempton and Flamborough in the north to Easington and Kilnsea in the south, and at towns and cities inland. Bridlington, Hornsea, Withernsea, Beverley and Hull will all have their own Puffin mini-trails!

The project harnesses the special magnetism of this popular, but endangered, seabird to attract more visitors to the glorious East Yorkshire Coast through a mass participation public art event modelled on the hugely successful and award winning Hull and East Riding trails – ‘Larkin with Toads’ and ‘A Moth for Amy’. Each puffin has been sponsored by a business or institution which has chosen their unique design from submissions inspired by stories of the East Yorkshire Coast, endangered wildlife of our coasts and seas, global warming and the growth of green energy.

At the end of Puffins Galore! all the Puffin sculptures will be sold, either to their sponsors or at a grand charity auction. The proceeds from these sales will be donated to our four charities which were selected for their important role in the protection of the wildlife of the seas and coasts or for their essential work saving lives at sea: Hornsea Inshore Rescue, Royal National Lifeboat Institution, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.

Download the Puffins Galore Map here Puffins Galore Map

This Summer Hull Truck Theatre are presenting an exciting programme of holiday activities for all ages. Each week-long creative project offers participants the opportunity to develop their skills as a theatre maker, through performing, writing, and taking part in an interactive adventure. Everyone is welcome, regardless of previous experience and the activities are a great way to make friends, build confidence, develop creativity and most importantly, have fun!

Secret Agent Academy (Monday 1st–Friday 5thAugust, 9am –3.30pm) is an adventure project for children aged 7 to 11. Working with our Secret Agent Team, participants will complete secret missions, create secret identities, follow suspects, decipher codes, and take part in activities and workshops to solve puzzles and mysteries, working together with others as a team.

Play in a Week: Ripples (Monday 1st – Friday 5th August, 9am – 3.30pm) is for young people aged 12 – 16 to enjoy making theatre, acting, writing and all things creative. A great opportunity for any young person who has ever thought about performing in an original piece of theatre. Over the week all participants will develop their skills as a theatre maker, create interesting characters and dialogue, learn key skills of acting and finish the week by performing a brand-new play to an audience of parents, families, and friends.

This will be a play about unseen ripple effects, multiverses, asking who we might be in a different reality? Does every decision we make alter our timeline, and if so, what could have happened if we’d made different choices? One bus missed, one message unsent, one door unopened.

Play in a Week: Five Years (Monday 15th – Friday 19th August, 9am – 3.30pm) is for adults to enjoy making theatre, acting, writing and all things creative. Over the week participants will create an original piece of theatre, develop skills as a theatre maker, create interesting characters and dialogue, learn key skills of acting and finish the week by performing a brand-new play to an audience of families and friends.

Join this project to create a play about how we can make sure that the next five years matter. “We’ve got five years, that’s all we’ve got.” (David Bowie, Five Years), Bowie was right. The earth is dying, and we only have five years left. The countdown is on but what do you believe is most important, what changes would you make first?

Tom Saunders: Director, Associate Director of Creative Learning at Hull Truck Theatre said:

“Children often come back every year to be part of a new story – cracking codes, finding clues, solving mysteries, and most importantly having fun! These projects are a brilliant way to get a taste of what we offer here at Hull Truck Theatre. Lots of participants go on to join our regular Youth Theatre and Act III groups after having fun and making friends during these summer projects.”

Josie Lena Davies, Community & Learning Associate at Hull Truck Theatre said:

“Making a Play In A Week is as exciting as it sounds. In just five days we’ll go from only having a title to performing to an audience of family and friends. It’s collaborative and everyone is encouraged to contribute ideas and perform on stage. You don’t need any experience of drama to get involved and it’s a great opportunity to make new friends or try something new.”

Secret Agent Academy

Dates: Monday 01 – Friday 05 August

Tickets: £60.00

Play in a Week: Ripples

Dates: Monday 01 – Friday 05 August

Tickets: £60.00

Play in a Week: Five Years

Dates: Monday 15 – Friday 19 August

Tickets: £60.00

 

Box office information:

Hull Truck Theatre, 50 Ferensway, Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, HU2 8LB

01482 323638

On Saturday 18 June, residents and visitors will be invited into the city centre with a chance to watch and interact with attractions in Queens Gardens and around the rose bowl area.

The event will be officially opened by the Lord Mayor, Councillor Christine Randall at 10am in Queens Gardens, near the main stage area.

Two of the main attractions are two full size Royal Navy Helicopters a Lynx and a Gazelle, alongside the helicopters, interactive displays including a Clearance Diver display (bomb disposal team), and the Royal Marines Commando Recruit Team who will have various “then & now” displays of weapons and equipment.

A Spitfire will fly past at 2.25pm, weather permitting.

Various Veterans organisations will be talking about their involvement in the Falklands campaign, including Hull 4 Heroes, Royal British Legion, Hull Peoples Memorial, United Towing Group, South Atlantic Medal Association and Norland Crew Charity. Free Children’s craft workshops and face painting will also be hosted in the gardens, alongside live music from the Humberside Police band, Army Cadet Force Band and The Soldiers of Swing. The Soldiers Of Swing are made up of Sgt Vince Fountain and Cpl Lee Day who met each other in the Army. They started off singing for veterans and pensioners in care homes and have now gone on to perform at festivals, theatres and on TV including reaching the semi-finals of Britain’s Got Talent 2020 and winning the prestigious Golden Gavel on BBC One’s Bargain Hunt.

A number of military groups will also have displays and these include 150 Regiment, including the 4 Yorks Regiment, 299 Para Regiment, 250 Medical Squad and Queens Own Yeomanry. The Breakfast Club and Army Cadets will also be stationed here.

Children can take part in an art afternoon workshop at Ferens Art Gallery with prizes up for grabs.

Leader of Hull City Council, Councillor Mike Ross said: “On the 40th anniversary it is only fitting that Hull commemorates this significant date and the role the city played. This event provides an opportunity for families to get close and interact with military equipment and vehicles they wouldn’t normally see.

“Having two naval helicopters stationed in the Gardens will be something to witness and I’m sure will attract visitors from far and wide.”

Alongside the family event, on Sunday (19 June), a service will take place at Hull Minster at 2pm followed by a parade from Hull Minster to the Cenotaph lead by The Royal Marines Band of Scotland to the Cenotaph for a further short service. . The parade will travel from Trinity Square across Posterngate on to Trinity House Lane, Whitefriagate, Carr Lane, Queen Victoria Square, King Edward Street, Jameson Street to the Cenotaph, where a further short service with wreath laying will be held.

 

The jubilee celebrates 70 years since the Queen became the head of state after her father, King George VI’s, death on February 6, 1952. A four day bank holiday weekend will take place on Thursday 2 June to Sunday 5 June, to mark the occasion

Here in Hull we are proud of our royal connection. There is so much going on over the weekend including an amazing array of activities in the city centre.

Click here to see the latest list of Jubilee events.

Humber Street Sesh, the multi award-winning music festival will return to its spiritual home on Hull Marina, Saturday August 13th, with early bird tickets on sale now. Festival organisers, Sesh Events Ltd, are delighted to bring the festival back to its birthplace after three years away. The pandemic put paid to the festival in 2020, followed by flood barrier work preventing Humber Street Sesh 2021. Inner City Sesh, a new, smaller event was staged in Queens gardens last year, supported by Hull City Council. Director, Dave Mays said “Hull Marina is home territory – we know the site inside out. We put on the first festival ten years ago with a few bands in warehouses down Humber Street. Navigating this urban landscape, with its obstacles and new developments is always a challenge but we can’t wait to get cracking with the team to deliver a first-class event on the Marina again.” The festival will take place on the east side of the Marina, with a free fringe area encompassing Humber Street and Stage@thedock that will stage some events. The fringe area will allow Marina businesses to operate without festival constraints and lessen the impact of the event on the burgeoning residential areas. Humber Street Sesh started in 2012 to provide a powerful platform for the emerging artists of the region. By 2019, the event saw a stellar line up of UK national emerging artists like The Hunna, The Blinders and Yonaka. This year Humber Street Sesh 2022, will return to its roots showcasing over 100 acts celebrating Hull’s incredible artists, many of whom have gained national attention. Director, Mark Page said “Right now, the city’s music scene is stronger than ever with bands playlisted on Radio 1 and 6; touring nationally and  internationally; and playing big festivals like The Great Escape and SXSW in Texas. Low Hummer’s critically acclaimed debut album, “Modern Tricks for Living” has also reached the top 40! We’ve a lot to be proud of and celebrate as a city of music – this year’s festival promises to be something really special.” Community favourites include: the Silent Disco; Team Extreme Skate Park, with displays from the experts; Hip Hop Amphitheatre; Creative Arts Marquee by Scrapstore; art installations and photography exhibitions throughout the site; and an array of food choices and bars.
Festival organisers are committed to improving the event’s green credentials each year and have opted for biodegradable bamboo wristbands for 2022. The bamboo wristbands and the Main
Stage are proudly supported by the University of Hull. Sesh Events Ltd would like to thank the following sponsors for supporting Humber Street Sesh 2022: University of Hull, Hull Business Angels & Citywide Partners, Hull Trains, Wilberforce College, Goodwin Development Trust, along with partners Hull City Council and Wykeland Group.

Humber Street Sesh 2022, Hull Marina, Saturday, August 13, 12pm-11pm

Early bird tickets £10. May 9 – June 9
Advance tickets £15. June 10 – August 12
Pay on the gate £20 August 13
Tickets can be purchased via humberstreetsesh.co.uk and seetickets.com Booking fees apply.
Free entrance for 12yrs and under, when accompanied by an 18yrs+ fee paying adult.
Wristband exchange locations TBC

Iconic Hull landmarks the Hull Maritime Museum, The Deep, the Humber Bridge, Hull City Hall, Hull New Theatre and Hull Truck Theatre can now be printed and made into paper models!

Visit Hull has worked closely with local designer Joe Cox from Form Shop and Studio on Humber Street, who has designed the models. They will be available exclusively to Visit Hull for 12 months.

Anthony Yates, Head of Visitor Destination for Hull said: “These great little keepsakes are the perfect way to remember any visit to some of the city’s great attractions. We hope they will encourage people to explore the website and visit these attractions.”

Joe Cox at Form Studio and Studio said: “It’s been a great project to work on! While I regularly draw buildings around Hull, this has been interesting to look closer at parts of these iconic landmarks that you don’t usually see. It’s been a fun challenge getting them into simple 3D models and I hope everyone has as much fun building them as I did illustrating and creating them.”

Download your printable models below and once completed, don’t forget to share with us on social media!

Hull Truck Theatre

Hull City Hall

Hull New Theatre

Today (Tuesday 29^th March) marks 200 days to go until the Rugby League World Cup 2021 (RLWC2021) makes a real impact across the nation when England take on Samoa in the tournaments’ opening fixture at St James’ Park, Newcastle on 15 October 2022.

To commemorate the milestone, the tournament has been undertaking a 48-hour trophies tour of the 18 host towns and cities in celebration of a 48-hour ticket upgrade offer, whereby fans can benefit from a ticket upgrade that is too good to miss. This means any fans that buy a Category C ticket for the New Zealand v Jamaica fixture at MKM Stadium will have their tickets automatically upgraded to Category B.

The trophies tour, whereby the silverware from the men’s, women’s and wheelchair tournaments will be paraded around the towns and cities getting ready to host the 61 matches of the upcoming World Cup, commenced today (Tuesday 29^th March) at 07:00 in Newcastle with RLWC2021 Ambassador Jason Robinson.

With the city hosting three fixtures, including a double header of the women’s match between Papua New Guinea and Brazil and a men’s quarter final, Hull will see some of the best action the tournament has to offer. The three trophies were joined by soap star Gemma Oaten, Hull FC players Josh Reynolds and Scott Taylor, and many RLWC2021 representatives, where they sat down in the changing rooms with a class of school children for an exclusive Q&A.

The promotional tour features the tournament’s new campaign ‘This is Real Impact’, to support ticket promotion and provide a platform to tell the many stories of the contribution the tournament is making in communities through its social impact programme and in respect to inclusivity in hosting the men’s, women’s and wheelchair tournaments under one World Cup for the first time in the sport’s history.

Jon Dutton, Chief Executive of RLWC2021, said: “After an incredibly challenging couple of years for everyone, it is hugely exciting to be able to take our three unique trophies to each host partner as they put on their own celebration and make a ‘Real Impact’ in their local communities.

“We’d like to thank our partners in Hull for their brilliant event to mark the milestone. The road to RLWC2021 starts now and with this limited ticket offer and exciting new campaign being released, we hope to encourage fans up and down the country to obtain the best seats in the house at the best possible price.”

Ticket prices for the tournament start as low as £2.21 for concessions, as the unique tournament will be one of the most accessible and affordable for fans with more than 80% of tickets priced below £50. Fans can purchase tickets via www.rlwc2021.com/tickets.

Follow the Trophies Tour live on RLWC2021’s  official social media channels Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook, with exclusive content including interviews, event snaps and behind-the-scenes footage of the 48-hour tour.

Hull will host the first event of UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK, the UK’s “most ambitious celebration of creativity to date”.

Hull is one of five places to be staging About Us, a spectacular, never before seen, free open-air event that combines live performances and multimedia installations to celebrate the entire history of the universe from Big Bang to the present day.

Featuring poems and Scratch animations from young people from schools in Yorkshire, across England and the rest of the UK, the 25-minute projection shows will immerse audiences in an exhilarating journey through 13.8 billion years of history since the dawn of the universe in a celebration of the infinite ways in which we connect to the cosmos, natural world, and one another.

About Us is the opening event for UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK, a once-in-a-lifetime celebration of creativity taking place across the UK this year.

It will take place in Queen Victoria Square, Hull from April 30 until May 6.

Martin Green CBE, who knows the city well having been director of Hull UK City of Culture 2017, is the chief creative officer of UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK.

He said: “UNBOXED is the UK’s most ambitious celebration of creativity to date and this free spectacular performance will show us what can be achieved when we harness the creative power of scientists, technicians, producers, musicians, poets and mathematicians to produce and present a truly extraordinary and inspirational experience, that audiences, and the choirs and young people who have contributed, will never forget.”

 

About Us has been created by the award-winning 59 Productions.

The evening shows will feature winning entries from the About Us nationwide poetry and Scratch animation competition, on the theme of ‘connectivity and the universe’, selected by a host of distinguished judges including Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage, and mathematician, author and broadcaster, Rachel Riley.

Councillor Daren Hale, leader of Hull City Council, said: “Hull is a city that has culture and creativity running through its veins, so I’m delighted that we are hosting About US, the opening event of UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK.

“Our historic Queen Victoria Square will be the backdrop for an incredible and inspiring art installation that will feature animation, poetry and live music and performance from the outstanding Hull Freedom Chorus. About US promises to be one of the highlights of the year, and an event that cannot be missed.”

Acclaimed composer and musician Nitin Sawhney CBE has composed the original score which will be performed as part of the live shows by Hull Freedom Chorus.

Sawhney has scored more than 60 films and his past collaborators have included Sir Paul McCartney and the London Symphony Orchestra.

Choir performances of About Us are musically directed by composer, Osnat Schmool, who will conduct alongside local choir leaders.

There is still an exciting opportunity to join Hull Freedom Chorus for the live performances of About Us.

Rehearsals are on Tuesday evenings, and singers above the age of 18, of all experiences and abilities, have until Thursday 10 February to register interest at hullfreedom.chorus@hullcc.gov.uk

If interested, email your name, voice part (if you know it) and the phrase ‘About Us Hull: Yes’.