York Theatre Royal has announced Pop-up on the Patio, a festival of live outdoor performances on the theatre’s patio stage, featuring performers from across Yorkshire. The festival will take place over three consecutive weekends in August, beginning on Friday 14 August and ending on Saturday 29 August. The full lineup includes a wide range of art forms; dance theatre, improvised comedy, magic, storytelling, theatre, puppetry, poetry and music.
At 11am on Saturday 15, 22 and 29 August, Mud Pie Arts presents their Silly Summer Stories, interactive storytelling for ages 4 to 11.
At 1pm on Saturday 15 and 22 August, Story Craft Theatre presents Crafty Tales, an hour of storytelling designed around a picture book for ages 2 to 6.
York-based writer and director Paul Birch presents a bite-sized improvisation show at 4pm on Saturday 15 August. Fool(ish) is an hour of spontaneous comedy where the audience provide the suggestions and the actors ‘make stuff happen’.
On Friday 21 August, The Flanagan Collective and Gobbledigook Theatre present Orpheus and Eurydice, their award-winning modern retellings of two ancient myths.
On Saturday 22 August, Freddie Does Puppets presents Fred’s Microbrewery, the world’s first Puppet-in-a-Pub theatrical experience. A modern Punch and Judy story with “Fred”, and his “Sharon”; two very grumpy Yorkshire puppets cum-pub-landlord-and-landlady of Fred’s Microbrewery. For 15+ years (contains strong language and adult themes).
Cosmic Collective return to York Theatre Royal on Friday 28 August at 4pm with Heaven’s Gate, imagining the final hour of four members of the real life UFO-theistic group. For 14+ years (contains strong language and adult themes).
Slam-winning York-grown punk poet Henry Raby revives his Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2019 one-man show to the patio stage at 6.30pm on Friday 28 August. In Apps & Austerity, Henry defines the last decade through sharp performance poetry.
York’s slam poetry group, Say Owt, present a showcase of work at 8pm on Saturday 29 August. The group were Highly Commended for Best Performance at the York Culture Awards and have performed at the Great Yorkshire Fringe, the ArtsBarge, the Edinburgh Fringe and the Ilkley Literature Festival.
On Saturday 29 August at 1pm, just Josh presents his Ultimate Family Show, with magic, juggling and balloon art to entertain everyone aged 4 to 104 years. The festival ends with singer/songwriter Jess Gardham. Hailing from York, multi award winning Jess will present own brand of pop/soul/acoustic.
Tickets for all performances can be purchased through the York Theatre Royal website.
A limited range of soft and alcoholic drinks will be offered, alongside ice creams and chocolate.
Pop up on the Patio Festival – York Theatre Royal
Thom Freeth, York Theatre Royal’s Producer, said: “We’re so excited to have been able to bring live theatre back to our city this summer. Our building may still be closed, but we didn’t want that to stand in the way of entertaining the people of York during this difficult time. Pop-up on the Patio also gives us the opportunity to showcase the work of brilliant locally-based performers, many of whom are part of our freelance family, who have been disproportionally effected by this pandemic.” The theatre’s patio area has been reconfigured to allow for a socially-distanced audience and stage, with extra safety measures in place to ensure that audiences and staff are safe. The outside performance space has been designed by Yorkshire-based theatre designer, Hannah Sibai. At 7pm on Friday 14 August, York Dance Space will curate an evening of contemporary dance theatre with Dance // Shorts, a compilation of solos and duets from young dance artists from across Yorkshire and the Humber.
Performances include solo work from Alethia Antonia (Russel Maliphant, James Wilton Dance Company), Coalesce Dance Theatre, Daisy Howell (Brink Dance Company), Namiuki Dance and a selection of ‘Doorstep Dances’ from Hull based artists Tamar and Jo including contemporary, Northern Soul, jazz dance
and physical theatre styles.
