Festival spotlight falls on Mytholmroyd

The Festival spotlight will fall on Mytholmroyd Thursday, 2nd July as the Northern Jazz Orchestra brings the best young musicians from the North West to the Ted Hughes Theatre at Calder High School.

This year's Hebden Bridge Arts Festival features a number of events in Mytholmroyd. Festival co-ordinator Rebecca Yorke said: "We're pleased to be able to expand the festival into Mytholmroyd and are looking forward to meeting new audiences."

The Northern Jazz Orchestra, with vocalist Faye Duxbury, will combine big band standards with the best in contemporary jazz in their concert at the Ted Hughes Theatre at 8pm. Drummer and musical director Paul Rigby founded the orchestra in 1989.

He said: "The orchestra is made up of young players who have come up from youth bands all over the region and it gives them an opportunity to carry on playing to a professional standard. Some of the musicians have gone on to play with people like Jools Holland and Black Grape and artists like Clare Teal and Elaine Delmar have made guest appearances with us."

On Friday, July 3 Dreamscape Theatre will present 'Full of Sound and Fury', the UK premiere of Dreamscape Theatre's dark comedy based on a production of Shakespeare's 'Macbeth', at the Ted Hughes Theatre at 8pm. Tickets are sold on the door before the show and members of the audience are invited to 'pay what they want'.

Said Rebecca: "This is a first for the Festival and there is no catch - people really will be able to pay what they want to see this great show."

St Michael's Church Hall in Mytholmroyd will be the setting for 'The Wrekin Cycle', presented by singer and storyteller Debs Newbold, on July 6. Her show features the tales and urban myths she collected during six months travelling the waterways of England by narrowboat.

York Guitar Quartet, formed in 1983, will visit St Michael's Church, Mytholmroyd, on July 9 with their repertoire of classical guitar music with a contemporary twist and award-winning singer Barb Jungr, a festival hit last year, will bring her show 'Tell it Like It Is - Songs of War and Peace' to the Ted Hughes Theatre on July 10.

Jazz and contemporary sounds will also feature in two concerts at the Trades Club: the four-piece Empirical with their tribute to Eric Dolphy tomorrow (July 3) and the TG Collective, with flamenco dancer Ana Garcia, on July 5.

Other highlights of the second week of the 16th Arts Festival include oddball artist and comedian Richard DeDomenici at AJs Fish and Chip Restaurant, Hebden Bridge on Sunday - the £6 ticket price include chips! Food of a different kind will be served up at a literary lunch with authors Katie Fforde and Eleanor Moran on Saturday at Moyles, Hebden Bridge. The two writers will also talk about their work at the Artsmill, Linden Mill, on the same day.

And don't forget to catch 'Darwin Originals', a series of short films exploring the life and legacy of Charles Darwin, at the Festival Studio, Linden Mill, throughout the Festival from Thursday to Sunday with screenings from 2pm to 4pm, as well a full programme of exhibitions by local artists and the Open Studios trail will be open from tomorrow (July 3) to Sunday from 11am to 5pm.

The Festival runs from
Friday June 26 to Sunday July 12.  

Look over the Festival website or phone 01422 842684 for more information.