The Week in Lighting & Sound
- Details
Pop-Up Shakespeare - City of York Council has given its approval to plans for a pop-up Shakespearean theatre in the city centre. The council’s executive gave its backing to the plans put forward by Lunchbox Theatrical Productions. The plans are for a 12-sided pop-up theatre, which will be Europe’s first full-scale, pop-up replica of a traditional Shakespearean theatre.
If the plans go ahead, the pop-up, which will be modelled on the 16th-century Rose Theatre, will run between May and September next year. The council has negotiated a package with Lunchbox Theatrical Productions that will include educational opportunities, an area to showcase local food and drink, and tickets from £12.50. Under the educational offer, schools in York will be offered material for lessons, discounted tickets and pre-show talks with cast and crew.
No Hope - The company behind a "chaotic" music festival that was pulled on the second day has gone into liquidation while owing almost £890,000 to creditors. Hope & Glory Festival in Liverpool was called off on 6 August amid reports of overcrowding, long delays for artists and acts axed at the last minute. Insolvency firm Butcher Woods said 32 creditors were owed £888,984, including Liverpool City Council. The council said it was "seeking recovery of costs associated with the clean-up operation" for the festival at Liverpool's St Georges Quarter.
Ticket selling websites Eventbrite and Skiddle said they had given full refunds to people with tickets for the cancelled day and a 50% refund for weekend ticket holders. The council is holding an independent review "into the operational detail" of the festival, which it said "will be complete shortly". "Any lessons learned will be implemented for future events run by outside organisations," a council spokesman said.
Park Life - Stars including Liam Gallagher, Sir Bob Geldof and John Cleese have signed up to take part in a rough sleeping event to raise money for charitable organisation Social Bite. It is hoped Sleep in the Park will see around 9,000 people camp overnight at Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh. Gallagher, Amy Macdonald, Deacon Blue and Frightened Rabbit will perform acoustic “busker” sets at the Ross Bandstand. Comedian Rob Brydon will host, Monty Python legend John Cleese will read a bedtime story and Band Aid organiser Geldof will sleep overnight in the gardens.
Sir Bob said: “When we launched Live Aid in 1985, it showed the power of music and events to create real and important social change. I first met Josh and Alice from Social Bite five years ago and I am delighted to support them and their effort to eradicate homelessness in Scotland by sleeping out in the cold at the event.”
Medical Notes - Singer Sir Tom Jones has postponed his US tour following medical advice. The 77-year-old was due to start with a concert in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. In a statement on his website, Sir Tom sent his "sincere apologies" to fans for cancelling the dates, which will be re-arranged for 2018.
Farewell - Tributes continue to be paid to Walter Becker, co-founder with Donald Fagen of the US band Steely Dan, who has died aged 67. The jazz-rock group has sold more than 40m albums and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001. Becker, who also provided backing vocals, and keyboardist and singer Fagen remained the core band members as other musicians and singers came and left. RIP.
(Jim Evans)
5 September 2017
