AUDIENCES can expect everything from new wave to opera, theatre classics to challenging new work and pretty much everything between, according to those behind The Witham’s autumn programme.
Covering September to December, music highlights include a return visit for The Pitmen Poets along with tribute acts Beatlemania and Bootleg Blondie, while Kate Doherty and the Navigators will offer something for folk fans.
Marketing officer Sarah Gent said the new season would see companies of national importance to Barnard Castle.
Opera North will return with Little Listeners: Carnival of the Animals, a concert for babies, young children and their families.
Northern Stage return with The Hound of the Baskervilles, Sherlock Holmes’ most infamous case, adapted from Arthur Conan Doyle’s gothic classic
For enthusiasts of dance, ground-breaking company Old Kent Road presents the new show OSCiLLATE, described as an epic fusion of classical tap and street dance.
The dale’s Funny Way To Be Comedy Club will continue to bring top name performers to Barnard Castle including Mark Watson and Nick Helm.
Ms Gent said The Witham continued to work in partnership with others would see the centre take part in the North pennines AONB’s Dark Skies Festival, with a pop-up planetarium and a screening of Apollo 13.
The Witham will also host Framing the Landscape, an exhibition of the top entries to the North Pennines AONB photography competition during October. The arts centre will also be part of the TakeOff Festival, which offers children and schools internationally renowned performances that would otherwise not reach Teesdale.
Ms Gent said listening to audience feedback had resulted in the introduction of Sunday Classics – matinee recitals starting with Pellingmans’ Saraband, Aquarius String Quartet and pianist Stephen Raine.
“The Film Club continues to programme titles through a poll of members,” she added.
“This season they selected Fisherman’s Friends and the Elton John musical fantasy, Rocketman.”
Exhibitions include Pills, Thrills and Skills, which charts 150 Years of The Witham.
A Tea Dance – with dance classes preceding the event – and The Witham Rewind Disco aim to re-ignite the great social occasions of the past while offering something new for younger generations to enjoy.
Talks and lectures include a visit by two of Britian’s most accomplished mountaineers, Simon Yates (best known for his role in the harrowing Touching the Void) and Doug Scott.
Apphia Campbell presents WOKE, a performance exploring the African American experience and civil rights while storyteller Matthew Bellwood explores society, friendship and places in Terror From The Skies.
Another thought-provoking production is Gracefool Collective’s This Is Not A Wedding – described as “a radical and apocalyptic reimagining of one of our most recognisable ceremonies” .
Christmas at The Witham will see Father Christmas drop in for craft sessions, a feast of festive music with lively community choir No Added Sugar for their Carols by Candlelight concert, theatre with inspired by Dickens’ classic tale, The Scrooge Diaries and a screening of It’s a Wonderful Life.
Ms Gent added: “We are passionate about offering our community opportunities to experience, enjoy and participate in events here.
“With our new autumn season, we’ve worked to ensure everything at The Witham is of an excellent standard and continue to listen to feedback to ensure what we book is not only of interest to our local community but also encourages visitors to our beautiful dale.”
