MIDWEEK COLUMN WEDNESDAY 1 APRIL 2026

 Previews, reviews, interviews, and recommendations with Steve Cooke

MIDWEEK COLUMN WEDNESDAY 1 APRIL 2026

Previews: Live performance activation by Willow Swan and Ellis Berwick, The world premiere of a dance work inspired by Sinéad O'Connor’s uncompromising voice and spirit and The Detective Dog.

Review: Organists at large … in Middleton.

Organists at large … in Middleton

Review by Dr Joe Dawson

In a week when there was much media attention to pipe organs becoming an endangered species, organists were at large in the borough - Middleton to be precise.

ORTOA (Oldham, Rochdale and Tameside Organists’ Association) has been supporting organ music in the area since 1908. They promote concerts, particularly the Rochdale Town Hall organ, where they even managed to present a recital in between ‘tiers’ during Covid when the rest of the country was silent! But they have also promoted others throughout their patch, particularly when the town hall was closed for restoration.

Members also enjoy periodic ‘organ crawls’ where significant instruments are explored, scrutinised and played during a Saturday outing.

The latest of these ‘crawls’ was around Middleton, where the Parish Church (St Leonard’s, Grade 1 listed) has a truly notable historical presence high above the town since its ancient foundation in 1412. It also has a tremendous musical heritage, including an organ, which members relished trying out (1920 Rushworth & Dreaper; rebuilt 1965 by Pendlebury Organ Company, 3 manuals plus pedal with 30 speaking stops). Leon MacLeod proved be a genial encyclopaedic guide to the historic building and its fascinating contents; resident organist David Brocklehurst also advised and demonstrated.

A short stroll through the Jubilee Park led to the Long Street Methodist Church complex - church, school and lecture hall set around a garden (1899-1901) - a fine Arts and Crafts masterpiece by renowned local architect Edgar Wood (1860-1935), hosted by Christine Grime. The organ needs some renovation and care but is an interesting reminder of the variety of instruments suited to their surroundings (original Peter Conacher & Co, Huddersfield, overhauled 2002, 3 manual and pedal with 23 speaking stops).

Following a tasty repast next door at the Old Boar’s Head Pub (1622) the intrepid organists rounded off their crawl at the more recent St Michael & All Angels, Tonge, which was financed mainly by local brewery JW Lees, begun in 1901 and completed in 1931.

Members were delighted with their Middleton tour; as one of them said, ‘It brings to life the richness of heritage around us that we drive through day by day, wearing blinkers.’

New members are always welcome, contact Barrie Brailsford on 01706 343163.

Next Rochdale Town Hall ORTOA celebrity concert on the magnificent Binns organ features Alexander Woodrow (Leeds Minster) – Tuesday 19 May 2026 at 1 pm

Live performance activation by Willow Swan and Ellis Berwick

Preview by Steve Cooke

Coming up at HOME Gallery is a live performance with reconfigured organ pipes creating a dialogue with Gabriel Kidd’s solo exhibition I found the giant and he was dead.

Willow Swan and Ellis Berwick will activate the exhibition with a durational sound performance evolving the soundtrack by Swan and Kidd as heard in the exhibition.

The sonic sculpture orchestra of DIY instruments functions as self-playing systems or as manually activated works. These sculptural instruments blur the boundary between object, installation, and performance, creating an immersive and spatial sound environment.

Willow Swan and Ellis Berwick are an artist duo working across sound, sculpture, and performance. Rooted in a shared interest in repurposing industrial materials into improvised wind instruments, their collaborative practice transforms functional structures into resonant, site-responsive sonic forms.

Together, they construct sculptural instruments — often drawing from organ pipes and foghorn architectures — that blur the boundary between object and activation. Their performances navigate industrial, geographic, and biological terrains, creating immersive sound environments that reflect on memory, identity, and ritual.

Swan and Berwick produce dronal soundscapes suffused with electronic tones and textural interference. Their work explores how sound carries across distance: as communication, as residue, and as embodied experience.

Gabriel Kidd: I found the giant and he was dead is a new immersive exhibition at HOME incorporating soundwork and figurative sculpture made from silk, wool, latex and Japanese paper. Using queer tactics of parody, the work is inspired by local folktale, landscape, and medieval notions of time.

The relationship between interior and exterior worlds is explored, through the reimagined tale of two giants, Alderman and Alphin from the valley of Greenfield, Saddleworth. Figures convey gestures and signals performed in gay cruising culture, the poised, slouched, or side–lying, they invoke a knowing desire, blurring a sense of individuality, empowerment, and destruction.

A free live performance in the HOME Main Gallery on Thursday 14 May at 18:00-20.00

Book tickets: https://homemcr.org/spektrix/ChooseSeats?

HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place Manchester M15 4FN.

The world premiere of a dance work inspired by Sinéad O'Connor’s uncompromising voice and spirit

Preview by Steve Cooke

Tony award-winning choreographer and director Sonya Tayeh brings her singular vision to a new dance work set to the music of Sinéad O'Connor. Fierce, unflinching and tender, The Surge: An Ode to Sinéad O'Connor is a meditation on voice, protest and the courage to live a life that defies the norm.

The Surge is performed by a company of ten women – ten dance artists cutting right through the notion of age as something to fear. These women total more than five hundred years of collective wisdom – affirming the passing of time as a privilege that carries beauty and experience with it.

O’Connor’s voice vibrates and guides us through the work, through both her music and narration from her memoir Rememberings. Sinéad, with her depth of emotion and restless faith, is the tether that weaves and connects audiences and dancers in this evening of mesmerising dance.

The Surge is conceived, choreographed and directed by Sonya Tayeh – a creative visionary whose work relating to the body in motion explores many different worlds. An internationally celebrated artist, she is the dance backbone behind numerous stage and screen projects, most notably Moulin Rouge The Musical! for which she won the Tony Award for outstanding choreography. Her work powerfully weaves together different styles – creating onstage worlds celebrated for her chameleon-like choreography and ability to adapt her storytelling to any scale.

With The Surge, Tayeh draws on Sinéad O’Connor’s uncompromising voice and spirit to create a bold new dance work.

Please note the performance on Friday 26 June includes a post-show talk in the Hall with members of the creative team.

Standard tickets from £25 to £45

Concessions available including Aviva £10 Tickets [For information about Aviva £10 Tickets and concessions visit Affordable Ticketing page: https://factoryinternational.org/aviva-studios/affordable-ticket-policy/]

A booking fee of £1.50 applies to all tickets.

Thursday 25 –  Saturday 27 June 2026 at The Hall, Aviva Studios, Water Street, Manchester, M3 4JQ

The Detective Dog

Preview by Steve Cooke

Julia Donaldson and Sara Ogilvie’s well-loved story The Detective Dog is brought to life on stage for both Deaf and hearing families at Heywood Civic.

Whether it’s finding a lost shoe or discovering who did a poo on the new gravel path, Nell’s ever-sniffing nose is always hard at work. So, when the books at the school have disappeared one morning, Detective Dog Nell is ready to sniff out the culprit!

With British Sign Language, creative captions and spoken English, this engaging show celebrates books and the magic of reading in an inclusive and accessible performance. Expect captivating puppetry; surprising smells and toe-tapping music.

For this show at Heywood Civic, there are three prices to choose from for the same seat:

£8.50: A standard price – fair pricing for the show you’re going to see

£7.50: A slightly lower price – for people who need it

£10: A slightly higher price – for those who want to help support our programme

You can select the right price for you at checkout: https://heywoodcivic.co.uk/event/the-detective-dog/

Friday 10 April, 3pm

Saturday11 April, 11am & 2pm

LCpl Stephen Shaw MC Way, Heywood, Greater Manchester, OL10 1LW

RECOMMENDED

Wednesday, 1 April 2026

Heywood Scribblers - Heywood Library

First Wednesday of every month. Free, friendly creative writing sessions. Poetry and story-writing workshops. All abilities welcome, whether you're new to writing or a seasoned writer.

For adults, families and teenagers.

No need to book, you can just drop in.

Email: heywood.library@rochdale.gov.uk

Free

1.15pm - 3.15pm

Heywood Library, LCpl Stephen Shaw MC Way, Heywood OL10 1LW

Wednesday, 1 April 2026

Tea Dances at Rochdale Town Hall

Join us as we waltz back into a cherished tradition and let the rhythm of sequence dancing sweep you off your feet.

For adults.

Booking required:

Book your place online at Your Trust: https://www.yourtrustrochdale.co.uk/whats-on/events/tea-dances-at-rochdale-town-hall/

You can also call 01706 924797 to book.

You can also book in person at the Town Hall reception.

Tickets from £7.50 per person

1pm - 3pm

Rochdale Town Hall, The Esplanade, Rochdale OL16 1AZ

Thursday, 2 April 2026

Thursday Reading Group - Spotland Library

First Thursday of every month. Read, share and discuss a range of fiction and non-fiction chosen from our extensive list of book titles in a relaxed and friendly group.

For adults.

No booking required, you can just turn up.

Free

2pm - 3pm

Spotland Library, Ings Lane, Rochdale OL12 7AL

Friday, 3 April 2026

Lego Club - Alkrington Library

First and third Friday of every month. Alkrington Lego Club is back with 2 themed monthly sessions.

In each session the children will be given a theme, followed by half an hour to let their imaginations run wild and build. All creations are shown and displayed in the library until the next Lego Club.

For children aged from 5–12 years.

Booking required: Places are limited so booking is essential. To book your place, you can:

Email alkrington.library@rochdale.gov.uk

Phone 0161 643 7799

Visit the library and speak to a member of staff.

Free

3.45pm - 4.45pm

Alkrington Library, Kirkway, Middleton M24 1LW

Saturday, 4 April 2026

Board games and Lego Legends - Smallbridge Library

There's a variety of games and activities on offer for all ages and abilities.

1st Saturday of every month. Join us for some monthly family fun with our board games and Lego. Get creative or competitive, let’s play or build and start the month off right.

For families with children aged 3 and over.

Board games and Lego will be provided. You can also bring in your own board games to play here.

No booking required, you can just turn up.

Free

11am - 12pm

Smallbridge Library, Stevenson Square, Rochdale OL12 9SA

Saturday, 4 April 2026

Star Tree Studios Easter craft session - Rochdale Central Library

Get crafty with Star Tree Studios using an array of creative materials.

Join the Star Tree Studio for an egg-citing Easter craft session.

For families with children aged 2–6. Children under 5 may need help from their grown-ups.

No booking required, you can just turn up.

Free

11am - 2pm

Rochdale Central Library, Number One Riverside, Smith Street, Rochdale OL16 1XU