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01
Jul
Curtain rises on Ripon's 'biggest and boldest' theatre festival yet
The curtain will rise on Ripon Theatre Festival this evening (Tuesday), as the city stages its fourth and largest theatrical extravaganza.
With increasing recognition, growing audiences and Arts Council England funding of £17,000, the festival continues to go from strength to strength.
Director Katie Scott said it would be the festival's "biggest and boldest programme yet".
She added:
With the arts council funding, we will reach even more people and provide a festival full of joy, creativity, and unforgettable performances.
Whether you're a theatre enthusiast, a family looking for free entertainment, or someone who loves great stories, there’s something for everyone of all ages.
The festival begins with a double bill of entertainment, with a Hilarity Bites Festival Special at Ripon Arts Hub, promising an evening of comedy.
At the same time, Ripon Cathedral will host a gripping one-man show called The Beloved Son.
This year’s main family theatre event sees theatre company Illyria returning with The Wind in the Willows, to be performed in the outdoor setting of Ripon Racecourse on Saturday evening.
Storyteller-in-residence Peter Chand will entertain audiences over three days. He will work in schools, present workshops and perform his show Mangoes on the Beach in the atmospheric Leper Chapel - a first for the festival.
This year's event will welcome hit shows from the Edinburgh Fringe, including Spy Movie:The Play!, a comedy that pays homage to the James Bond classic films. It is touring nationwide and can be seen at Ripon Arts Hub on Friday evening.
The Three Inch Fools will perform A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Old Deanery on Sunday evening. Pic: Wilson-Smith
Community involvement
The festival will feature two days of free family entertainment across the city, with 25 local community groups performing alongside professional street entertainers on Saturday and on Sunday when family day activities, including Punch and Judy shows, will be held at Spa Gardens between 10am and 4pm.
Outreach performances will take theatre into care homes, ensuring the festival reaches all corners of the community. A community art installation will also bring people together to celebrate the arts. The festival is also championing new writing in collaboration with Short & Sweet Yorkshire, showcasing short works from talented regional artists.
The festival will culminate on Sunday evening with a performance by leading open air touring company Three Inch Fools, of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, in the gardens of The Old Deanery.
Actor Thomas Frere of Fell-Foss Theatre, played the role of Constable Sweeting, who was involved in tracking down the Sinkler brothers.
As a prelude to this year's festival, Ripon Workhouse Theatre Ensemble and Fell-Foss Theatre joined forces to create and perform a community play, based on a true-life story of crime and punishment.
Featuring the nefarious activities of the Sinkler brothers, Elisha and John, who were transported to Australia for their crimes, Peelers,Poachers and Paupers - was staged over the weekend as a promenade performance across the city's three museums and provided an insight into the hardship faced by less-fortunate people in the Victorian era.
More festival details are available here.
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