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03
Nov
The performers making the streets of Yorkshire their stage
Walking down Harrogate’s Oxford Street or wandered into Knaresborough’s Market Place, you may have heard the strum of an acoustic guitar, or a vocal cover of a recently chart-topping song.
If you attended one of this year's rosters of arts and cultural festivals you perhaps caught a creative interpretation of a Shakespeare play or marvelled at a magician.
Street entertainment has a long and storied history, especially here in Harrogate – the late historian Malcolm Neesam wrote an article exploring the town’s once lively street theatre scene in 2021 – and it seems to be a tradition that has continued into the present day.
The Stray Ferret went to find out more from the organisers and performers involved in bringing entertainment to the streets of Yorkshire.
'Adds to the vibrancy of the town'
The Harrogate district certainly isn’t short of events that champion open air performances – Knaresborough feva, Ripon Theatre Festival and Harrogate Music Festival, to name but a few.
Street entertainment is often a free element of these festivals, and an important way to make the arts accessible to the public.
Matthew Chapman, Harrogate BID Manager explained:
Street entertainment can really add to the vibrancy of the town.
Residents and visitors to towns and cities want a good retail offering but they also want to experience the character of a place, whether that’s music, performances or light displays.
Picnic in the Park at Knaresborough feva
It can also be a way of showcasing an already-thriving cultural scene in an area, which is one of the functions of Knaresborough feva, according to its spoken word director Rowena Lloyd.
Speaking earlier this year to the Stray Ferret, she said:
I think it’s a great way to encourage people to get involved and celebrate a key part of the town’s heritage. Knaresborough is such an arts and cultural hub – and we’re just a market town in North Yorkshire.
I’m not sure why it’s become the hub that it has, but it’s fantastic. It means we know local people will get involved. feva is 10 days of complete artistic chaos – there’s something for everyone.
But what about the performers? What motivates them to perform in public spaces - and is being outdoors part of the appeal?
'If it rains, you just get very wet!'
Growing up, Naomi Halliday always knew she was destined for the stage, spending much of her free time as a member of children’s theatre troupes, or singing in the local choir.
She got her first taste of outdoor performance when she was part of the ensemble cast for York Theatre Royal/Pilot Theatres productions of The York Mystery Plays and Blood and Chocolate.
She said:
When I was younger, I remember thinking it was the coolest thing ever to perform outside and being really thrilled about the prospect.
Now based in York, she poses a triple threat as an actor, singer and musician, touring across the country with theatre productions. Her previous credits include Gerda in The Snow Queen and Lucy in the UK tour of Wherever Home Is, as well as appearances at many summer festivals across Yorkshire.
(L) Naomi performing in The Gondoliers (Image: Illyria Outdoor Theatre)
One her most recent roles was as Don Alhambra/Luiz in Illyria Outdoor Theatre’s UK tour of The Gondoliers, which reignited her passion for performing in the elements – even inclement weather.
She explained:
I absolutely loved it. It’s unlike anything I’ve done before - no microphones, no cover, and performing in all weathers all over the UK - so if it rains - you get very wet!
It was such an enjoyable experience and made me fall in love with outdoor theatre all over again.
'It's not really about performing in public'
For Naomi, outdoor performance is a perk of her profession – but for Sally Smith and her Gothic Morris group, it’s done for the love of dance.
Sally first founded Medusa Gothic Morris in 2005, and the troupe regularly performs in and around Knaresborough, meeting three out of four Thursdays every month to practice.
And while they’re not technically goths in accordance with the popular definition of the word, they’re happy to lean into their spooky aesthetic. On Thursday, October 31, they performed in Knaresborough marketplace and outside of the castle, in honour of Halloween.
However – perhaps surprisingly – according to Sally, performing in public is much less important than you might think.
She said:
It’s not really about performing in public – that’s part of the tradition of Morris dancing, which is performed outside and linked to the seasons.
However, I do like the idea that we can change people’s perception of Morris dancing. People snigger about it sometimes, so it’s nice to show them something different.
I’ve always loved dancing, and we have a lovely repertoire of tunes.
She admits that despite her years of experience – she joined her first Morris dancing troupe in 1979, and Medusa Gothic Morris will be celebrating 20 years in 2025 – she still gets nervous. Her advice to others that worry about public performance?
I always say, if you go wrong - go wrong nicely! Carry on, keep smiling, and have a laugh about it – the public won’t know.
Medusa Gothic Morris will be celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2025, and while the group currently has no set plans to celebrate the occasion, it’s sure to involve dancing – with a uniquely gothic twist.
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