TSOTA’s most anticipated Yorkshire events of 2015…

2015 looks set to be another exciting year for the arts in Yorkshire.
Here are a selection of TSOTA’s most anticipated Yorkshire events of 2015 across theatre, music, art, dance and more…

[Suggestions courtesy of George Cooper, Joe Saxon and Bethany Ashcroft]

The Curious Incident of The Dog in The Night-time at Leeds Grand Theatre

“After two years on the West End, a smash-hit live broadcast and a successful launch on Broadway, the award-winning The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is finally touring the UK. Based on Mark Haddon’s acclaimed novel, this visually astounding play follows a fifteen-year-old mathematical genius for whom everyday life is a complex equation as he investigates the murder of his neighbour’s dog. Winner of seven Olivier Awards,The Curious Incident is one of the most talked-about theatrical events of recent years. Performance venues include the Grand Opera House York, Bradford Alhambra Theatre and Leeds Grand Theatre.”

For more info and tickets visit www.curiousonstage.com

Aurat at Leeds College of Music

“Fresh off her tour of India, Roopa Panesar will be bringing her soulful sitar-playing to the Leeds College of Music for a one-off event. The protégé of sitar legend Ustad Dharambir Singh MBE, Roopa Panesar has been widely praised for the emotional and immersive quality of her sound. A leading figure in the UK Indian classical music scene, Panesar has toured internationally and incorporated multiple musical genres into her work. She will be joined on the tabla by Shri Bhupinder Singh Chaggar at The Venue, Leeds College of Music on the 7th March at 19.30.”

For more info on the event visit Leeds College of Music’s website.

Uncle Vanya at West Yorkshire Playhouse

“Uncle Vanya is a dark, funny and romantic exploration of cross-purposed love, bitter jealousy and a totally dysfunctional family stuck deep in rural Russia. Playhouse Associate Director Mark Rosenblatt (Of Mice And Men 2014) brings Chekhov’s masterpiece to the Quarry stage for the first time, in a vibrant new version by playwright Samuel Adamson.”

For more info and tickets visit the WYP website.

18th International Contemporary Artist’s Bookfair
The Tetley, 7th-8th March 2015

“Do you like books? Yes. Do you like art? I think so. How about art books? Hmm, tell me more. Well, from 7-8th March 2015 the Tetley’s doors will burst open to legions of art book lovers, eager to delve into the 18th International Contemporary Artists’ Book Fair:a jam-packed weekend of displays, exhibitions and live events revolving around the expanding genre of the artist’s book and small press publishing. If you count yourself among them, you’ll not only get the chance browse the stalls and meet artists and makers who work in this increasingly popular medium, but maybe even start your own artists’ book collection.”

For more info visit The Tetley’s website

Northern Ballet’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’ at Leeds Grand Theatre

“Remember the first time you fell in love? Your first kiss? From ecstatic joy to crushing heartbreak, nothing ever feels the same again. Northern Ballet brings Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Les Ballets de Monte Carlo’s Romeo and Juliet to the UK for the first time. Share in the passion and stolen moments of the world’s most famous young lovers, and get swept up in the heartbreak as the tragedy of their world consumes them. A treasured classic reimagined. A timeless ballet for a modern audience.”

For more info and tickets visit Leeds Grand Theatre’s website.

Stealing Sheep + H Hawkline + Hooton Tennis Club, Hebden Bridge Trades Club
25th January 2015

“On any given day, at any time, at any given coordinate along the Leeds-Liverpool canal –legend has it – distant drones, clattering bells, chants and wails can be heard beckoning from beyond the Pennines. Druids? Witches? Hard to tell, but one thing’s certain: they’re getting louder. That’s because Stealing Sheep, Liverpool’s finest psych-folk medievalist three-piece are fast approaching Hebden Bridge Trades Club. Don’t miss them for the world, unless you want to be burnt alive in a wicker edifice…”

For more info on the event visit The Trades Club website.

Derren Brown: Miracle at The Alhambra Theatre

“After last year’s critically-acclaimed Infamous tour, revered illusionist Derren Brown is once again proving himself the ultimate showman. Brown has toured every year since 2003 and his shows never fail to be surprising, bewildering and, above all, entertaining. Miracle sees Derren Brown reunite with long-time collaborator Andy Nyman, creator of the hit West End show Ghost Stories, and Miracle is set to be a sell-out tour for Brown. Performance venues include Sheffield City Hall, Bradford Alhambra Theatre and the Grand Opera House York.”

For more info and other performance dates visit Derren Brown’s website.

Saltaire Arts Trail
23rd-25th May 2015

“If you’re wondering why, at the close of 2014, you were left with an indefinable sense of loss, regret and unfulfilled expectation, don’t turn on your friends and family, TSOTA have an innocent diagnosis for you woes: Saltaire Arts Trail was cancelled – remember? Well not in 2015! And this year’s programme promises to be more diverse than ever. There’s the Makers Fair, exhibiting some of the best contemporary craft available in the North of England, taking place in Victoria Hall; a series of free, family-friendly visual art workshops, commissioned exhibitions and installations in and around the village; and of course, the model terraces will be bursting at the brickwork with local art – and this year, artists! Spurred on by the popularity of the Open Houses projects of previous years, in 2015 Saltaire’s resident artists will be putting on exhibits of their own, in their own homes, so don’t miss this opportunity to pop in for a cup of tea, a chat, and an ogle at their artistic offerings this Summer.”

For more info visit the Saltaire Inspired website. Which events are you most looking forward to in 2015? Tweet us at @TSOTArts.