Curated Culture 22.04.25
Our weekly recommendations round up from North East stages and cultural venues
Hello and welcome to your Tuesday serving of cultural inspiration. Hope you’re feeling refreshed and chocolatey after a lovely long weekend.
As ever, the following is your handpicked guide to what’s on across the North East – from all manner of performances and exhibitions to festivals and events, all neatly gathered in one place.
Think of us as your culture-loving fairy godparent… but don’t worry about this email turning into a pumpkin at midnight. It’s a keeper.
A special hello to our new subscribers! Before we dive in, here’s a quick rundown of what you’ll find each week:
A carefully curated selection of cultural listings for the weeks ahead
A reminder of what’s STILL SHOWING from past Curated Culture newsletters
Our NOW BOOKING section to help you plan ahead
And don’t forget – every week brings a chance to win excellent prizes in our Cultured. North East prize draw.
This week, we’ve got a pair of tickets to see former police detective-turned-writer Arthur McKenzie’s latest and long-awaited play Blackbird in the Snow at Laurels Theatre, Whitley Bay between May 6 and 17.
More details and information on how to enter at the end of the newsletter (and you can read our full interview with Arthur on the website next week).
In the meantime though, enjoy having a slow scroll through all of this week’s highlights and suggestions.
See you soon and thanks as ever for your support
Sam (Wonfor) and Dave (Whetstone)*
*Like Chas and Dave but with less hair and better accents
PS: If you haven’t liked/followed/high fived us on our socials, you can rectify that on Facebook, Instagram and Blue Sky
BOOKS: Hexham Book Festival
Where: Queen’s Hall Arts Centre, Hexham
When: May 2-11
Bookings and info: hexhambookfestival.co.uk
A packed programme of almost infinite variety begins officially with Robin Ince (comedian, book obsessive and sidekick of Prof Brian Cox on BBC Radio 4’s The Infinite Monkey Cage) taking the stage at the Queen’s Hall on the evening of May 2 to talk about his latest, Normally Weird and Weirdly Normal.
But the first page of this year’s 19th festival is actually turned by Kate Fox who hosts a fringe event at Hexham’s Garden Coffee House at 7.30pm on April 30.
There she will read from her latest book of poems, On Sycamore Gap, and introduce writers who attended her workshop (sold out now) earlier in the day.
Thereafter the authors come in a veritable torrent and from all walks of life. They include Baroness Warsi, Mary Beard, Alan Johnson, Kevin Barry, Mike Bermers-Lee, Tom Heap, Lucy Mangan, AL Kennedy, Jonathan Coe, Kate Summerscale and ever so many more.
A veritable feast of authorial musings and meanderings is in store.
CLASSICAL: Brahms’ Third Symphony
Where: The Glasshouse, Gateshead
When: Friday, April 25, 7.30pm
Bookings and info: theglasshouseicm.org
Royal Northern Sinfonia takes to the main stage under the baton of Christian Reif, German chief conductor of Sweden’s Gävle Symphony Orchestra.
The third of Johannes Brahms’ four symphonies was well received on its premiere performance in 1883 by the Vienna Philharmonic. Fellow composer Antonín Dvořák thought it beautiful.
Sybil Fawlty begged to differ. In an episode of Fawlty Towers, when she chides Basil for “listening to that racket”, he retorts: “Racket? That’s Brahms! Brahms’ third racket!”
The Glasshouse concert programme features two other pieces of more or less equal length – Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 13, with celebrated French soloist Jean Efflam-Bavouzet, and Poulenc’s Sinfonietta.
THEATRE: A Beginner’s Guide to Widowhood
Where: Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle
When: May 2
Bookings and info: alphabettitheatre.co.uk
When Suria’s husband dies, she takes the kids on a holiday to Turkey that quickly unravels into “the worst holiday ever.”
From clumsy condolences to unsolicited advice, she finds that grief brings its own kind of chaos. Inspired by real events and created in partnership with charity Widowed & Young, this one-woman show offers a frank, darkly funny look at young widowhood and the uncomfortable ways people talk about loss.
Balancing humour with honesty, it explores what happens when the life you planned vanishes - and how you keep going anyway. A thoughtful reflection on love, death, and everything in between.
MUSIC: Dom Pipkin - Tales of Bad Boys, Bourbon & the Big Easy
Where: Cluny 2, Ouseburn
When: May 2
Bookings and info: thecluny.com
Pianist and storyteller Dom Pipkin brings the spirit of New Orleans to Newcastle with his acclaimed solo show.
A regular at Ronnie Scott’s and a seasoned session musician for the likes of David Byrne and Paloma Faith, Pipkin explores the rich musical heritage of the Big Easy through blues, gospel, and street jazz.
Interweaving virtuosic piano with tales of wild nights, lost loves, and iconic characters, he offers a personal and engaging journey through the city’s culture.
Suitable for jazz fans and newcomers alike, a thoughtful, entertaining evening rooted in deep musical knowledge and lived experience in on the cards.
COMEDY: Ellie Taylor - Palavering
Where: Tyne Theatre and Opera House, Newcastle
When: May 1
Bookings and info: tynetheatreandoperahouse.uk
Comedian, actor, presenter, and viral ranter, Ellie Taylor is bringing her latest stand-up show Palavering to Tyneside next month.
Known for Ted Lasso, Live at the Apollo, The Mash Report, and Bake Off: The Professionals, Ellie is sure to marinate stories of married life, parenting chaos, and her “nation’s sweetheart” moment on Strictly (Ellie’s words) in her signature charm and oversharing energy.
Expect pressure washers, ratbags, and plenty of joyful nonsense. If you’ve ever needed an excuse to leave the house and laugh at someone else’s beautifully relatable life, this might be it.
THEATRE: Kim’s Convenience
Where: Northern Stage, Newcastle
When: April 29 to May 3
Bookings and info: Northern Stage website
Following acclaimed runs in London and abroad, Kim’s Convenience arrives in Newcastle this spring.
Written by Ins Choi, who calls it a "love letter to his parents and to all first-generation immigrants who now call Canada their home", the play centres on a Korean-Canadian family and their Toronto corner shop, exploring generational tensions, cultural identity, and everyday humour with warmth and sharp wit.
Known for inspiring the popular Netflix series of the same name, the stage version offers a more intimate look at the characters’ lives.
James Yi, who appeared in the TV adaptation, stars as Appa, the family’s opinionated and often endearing patriarch.
EVENT: Plans for change
Where: Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens
When: April 24 (1-4pm) and April 25 (10am to 3pm)
Bookings and info: sunderlandculture.org.uk
Change is afoot at Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens where the city council is keen to make major improvements to the visitor attraction.
Proposed alterations include moving the main entrance, transforming the ground floor by adding a new central atrium and creating new galleries to host more family friendly activities and exhibitions.
Also on the cards is a new learning and engagement zone to complement the Winter Gardens, with educational and outreach programmes focusing on the museum’s collections, the natural world, biodiversity and climate change.
The two drop-in sessions provide an opportunity to see the plans, which have evolved with public input, and also meet the architects and members of the exhibition design team.
THEATRE: Sides
Where: People’s Theatre, Newcastle
When: May 5 to 10
Bookings and info: northernstage.co.uk
The People’s Play Award has produced some notable winners over the years, including Peter Straughan (A Rhyme for Orange), this year’s Oscar and Bafta winner.
The competition happens every two years and this year’s winner was Alex Joynes, from Bolton, for Sides, set in a sandwich shop called Uncle Del’s where changes are afoot.
As Terry prepares to leave, Charlie prepares to take over and Beth is somewhere in between, the trio will learn about love, belonging and the art of making a perfect panini.
EXHIBITION: Traces
Where: Arts Centre Washington (ACW)
When: Until Saturday, May 3
Bookings and Info: sunderlandculture.org.uk
This is the third ACW exhibition by Interface Arts, a network of artists and craftspeople from County Durham who meet bi-monthly at Durham’s Oriental Museum.
“For this latest exhibition we brainstormed various themes before deciding on Traces,” says Maggie Hickman Smith, one of the 10 exhibitors.
“We didn’t want anything too restrictive and Traces gave our artists plenty of ways of interpreting the theme. It’s been fascinating to see the different approaches and mediums chosen.”
Maggie’s contributions were inspired by the migration of geese and the history of the South Sea Island people’s recording of their relationships through patterns and symbols.
Fellow artist Brenda Watson used the changing colours of her garden to create 12 geometric paintings.
Wendy Parkin, chair of Interface Arts, produced three close-ups of pencil shavings while Natasha Armstrong was inspired by the recycling industry.
Fused glass, painting, print and book making and various textile techniques are also represented in the exhibition by a group which says it welcomes new members.
THEATRE: You Know My Mum
Where: ARC, Stockton
When: May 1-2
Bookings and info: arconline.co.uk
Coming to Stockton, You Know My Mum is a playful, poignant comedy about life, death, and everything in between. The story follows Alex, a 25-year-old woman with Down’s syndrome, as she navigates the loss of her mum with the help of Bluey, a curious baby bird she finds in her garden.
As Bluey learns about fried chicken factories and bird boot camp, Alex confronts her fears, fantasy monsters, and ideas about what comes after. With humour and heart, this imaginative show reminds us that love never really leaves. Fully accessible with captioning, BSL, audio description.
STILL SHOWING
Theatre: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Sunderland Empire, until Apr 26
Theatre: Ghost Stories, Newcastle Theatre Royal, until Apr 26
Music: Joan as Police Woman, Sage Two, The Glasshouse, Gateshead, Apr 23
Theatre: RUM, ARC Stockton, Apr 24-26 and Live Theatre, Jun 6-7
Theatre/Music: Public Record, The Fire Station, Sunderland, Apr 25-27 (Read our preview)
Music: Nick Cope – I’ve Lost My Bobble Hat, Gala Theatre, Durham, Apr 25, 11am and 2pm); and The Glasshouse, Gateshead at 11am on Oct 29
Music: 100% Soul! - Voices of Virtue Gospel Choir, Wylam Brewery, Newcastle, Apr 20
Music: Neil Cowley Trio, Sage Two, The Glasshouse, Gateshead, Apr 26
Theatre: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Sunderland Empire, until Apr 27
In Conversation: Natasha Brown, Culture Lab, Newcastle University, May 1
Theatre: Kinky Boots the Musical, Stockton Globe and Newcastle Theatre Royal
When: April 29-May 3 and May 6-10 respectively
Festival: Newcastle Puppetry Festival, Northern Stage and various venues across the city, until Apr 27
Comedy: Richard Herring - Can I Have My Ball Back? The Stand Newcastle, Apr 27
Film: Stepney Western, Newcastle Contemporary Art, High Bridge, until Apr 26
TV: The Feud, Your living room (or wherever you get your telly), continues Apr 22 and 23 (and available on catch up)
Exhibition: Shakespeare Recovered, Palace Green Library, Durham, until Nov 2
In Conversation: David Haldane & Ed Waugh, Lit & Phil, Newcastle, Apr 23, 6pm
Audio-Visual: The Mother Goose Series, The Glasshouse, Gateshead, until July
Exhibition: Richard Hobson retrospective, South Shields Museum & Art Gallery, until Nov 2
Music: Songs of the North East, various venues across the North East until May 23: Princess Alexandra Theatre, Yarm (April 29); The Customs House, South Shields (May 8); The Exchange, North Shields (May 9); Arts Centre Washington (May 21); and Ponteland Methodist Church (May 23). Another date in September at Redhills in Durham is TBC. Read our review.
Exhibition: Sheila Fell – Cumberland on Canvas, Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens, until Jun 28
Exhibition: Sunlight. Shadow, RePUBlic Gallery, Blyth, until April 19
Exhibition: Ali Cherri/Laura and Lancaster, BALTIC, until Oct 12
Exhibition: Joséphine: A Woman of Taste and Fashion, Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle, until March 2026
Exhibition: Unravelling, Samantha Cary, Granary Gallery, Berwick, until May 18
Exhibition: Northumberland Open Exhibition, Woodhorn Museum, until June 1. Read David Whetstone’s full preview of the exhibition.
Exhibition: Sustainable Clay, Hatton Gallery, Newcastle, until May 3. Read our review.
Exhibition: Romance to Realities: The Northern Landscapes and Shifting Identities, Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle, until April 26, 2025
Exhibition: Ted Holloway - A Bevin Boy Remembered, Mining Art Gallery, Bishop Auckland, until June 8, 2025
Exhibition: Magna Carta and the North, Durham Cathedral Museum, Jul 11 until Nov 2
Theatre: Mary Poppins, Sunderland Empire, Oct 1-25
Music: The Young’uns Big Boro Bash, Middlesbrough Town Hall, Nov 15
Big screen: Expo Sunderland Pavilion, Keel Square, Sunderland, throughout 2025
NOW BOOKING
Comedy: Jenny Eclair, Gala Theatre Durham, May 10
Comedy: Kai Humphries - Gallivanting, The Stand Newcastle, May 11
Theatre: Michael Morpurgo’s Farm Boy, The Fire Station, Sunderland, May 11-12
Theatre: The Sunderland Story, Sunderland Empire, May 15-31
Theatre: The Bench, various North East venues, May 22 to Jun 6
Music: The Waterboys, Stockton Globe, May 24
Comedy: Mark Steele - The Leopard in My House, The Fire Station, Sunderland, May 28
Film/Theatre: A Streetcar Named Desire (National Theatre Live), Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle, Jun 6 and 14
Music: Billy Ocean, Newcastle 02 City Hall, Jun 9
Poetry: Book of Crow, Live Theatre, Newcastle, Jun 17
Theatre: Shrek the Musical, Newcastle Theatre Royal, Jul 1-5
Festival: KUBIX, Herrington Park, Sunderland, Jul 12
Music: Elles Bailey & Kezia Gill, The Fire Station, Sunderland, Aug 3
Theatre: Chicago, Sunderland Empire, Aug 4-9
Theatre: SIX, Newcastle Theatre Royal, Aug 12-23
Music: The Courettes, The Cluny, Newcastle, Aug 14
Music: Nearly Dan, Sage Two, The Glasshouse, Gateshead, Sept 13
Theatre: Miriam Margolyes - From A-Z, Stockton Globe, Sept 15
Music: Tom Grennan, Utilita Arena, Newcastle, Sept 16
Music: Level 42, Sage One, The Glasshouse, Gateshead, Sept 23
Theatre: DRIFT, Northern Stage, Sept 27
Event: An Evening with Prof Alice Roberts, Tyne Theatre and Opera House, Newcastle, Oct 8
Music/Event: Gary Davies - Kick Up The 80s, Wylam Brewery, Newcastle, Oct 10
Music: McFly vs Busted, Utilita Arena, Newcastle, Oct 10-12
Comedy: Dara O’Briain: Re:Creation, Newcastle City Hall, Nov 7
Music: Peter Hook and the Light, The Boiler Shop, Newcastle, Nov 15
Theatre: Fiddler on the Roof, Sunderland Empire, Nov 25-29
Music: The ELO Show, Sage One, The Glasshouse, Gateshead, Nov 30
Comedy: Laffs for Kids, Newcastle Utilita Arena, Dec 15
2026
Theatre: Matilda the Musical, Sunderland Empire, Feb 11-28
Event: Sunday for Sammy, Newcastle Utilita Arena, Feb 15
Dance: Diversity - Soul 2026, Sage One, The Glasshouse, Gateshead, March 7
COMPETITION TIME
Welcome to our latest newsletter prizedraw, offering our subscribers an exclusive opportunity to win tickets to see or do something great.
This week, we’ve got a pair of tickets to see Arthur McKenzie’s Blackbird in the Snow at Laurels Theatre, Whitley Bay between May 6 and 17.
Set in a hospital heart unit, the story reunites two ageing comedians - Bobby Baron and Earl Knight - once a successful double act, now bitterly estranged.
While Earl found fame on TV, Bobby was left to scrape by on the fading club circuit.
When they unexpectedly end up in adjoining beds awaiting the same heart procedure, years of resentment resurface.
Billed as ‘gritty, moving, and darkly funny’, the play is inspired by the real-life experiences of writers Arthur and the late David Whitaker.
Starring Donald McBride, Bob Smeaton, and Lesley Saint-John, this heartfelt production has been a couple of decades in the making and promises to be one to see.
You can read our full interview with Arthur next week…
HOW TO ENTER:
To be in with a chance of winning, simply email MePlease@culturednortheast.co.uk using the subject line: Take these broken wings (12pm) on Friday, April 25, 2025.
The winner, who will be selected at random, will be notified within 48 hours of the entry deadline.
Terms and conditions: Only subscribers to the Cultured. North East newsletter are eligible to enter the Newsletter Prize Draw competition. Prizes are as stated - subject to availability - and non-transferable. No cash alternatives will be offered. You must be over 18 years of age to enter. The Editor’s decision is final.