NEW YEAR'S EVE COLUMN 2025
- STEVE COOKE AATA
- 1 minute ago
- 8 min read
previews, reviews, interviews, and recommendations with Steve Cooke
MIDWEEK COLUMN WEDNESDAY 31 DECEMBER 2025
Previews: Sisters in Stich, Jim Cartwright’s Road at the Royal Exchange Theatre and HER Productions kick start 2026 with their classical takeover of Noel Coward’s PRIVATE LIVES
Review: An Organ Spectacular at Rochdale Town Hall
An Organ Spectacular at Rochdale Town Hall
Review by Dr Joe Dawson
This was not just any Christmas concert. This was a Jonathan Scott organ spectacular especially for the season … and there was no room at the inn.
In what has become an annual tradition, once more the Great Hall was packed out, having been sold out several weeks previously. If you missed it, you could view it on their Scott Brother Duo YouTube channel, which attracts 100 million views.
Over one hundred years ago this magnificent instrument by James Jepson Binns (donated by Alderman Sir Samuel Turner JP) made its debut on the visit of their Majesties King George V and Queen Mary, 9th July 1913. Paying tribute to it, Jonathan commented that it was an outstanding instrument in an equally outstanding building.
Trained at Chetham’s and the RNCM, USA and the Netherlands, Jonathan is now Associate Artist of the Bridgewater Hall and a top-class organ virtuoso. He also has a busy international concert schedule with his pianist brother, Tom (who filmed today’s show and also appeared as a six-foot Christmas tree).
Jonathan is one of those rare performers who has consummate ability and a popular touch able to engage readily with an audience. He skilfully introduced and guided us through the varied orchestral sounds and combinations at his disposal. He has played the Binns instrument many times. He affectionately remembered as a young student paying 50p per hour to practise and later notably made a definitive video recording of playing it just before the pandemic.
We started straight in with the first of Jonathan’s skilful arrangements of well-known orchestral pieces by Tchaikovsky, Saint-Saens, and his own Prelude and Fugue on Good King Wenceslas. Then his adaptations of JS Bach’s Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring, and Humperdinck’s Evening Prayer from Hansel and Gretel, Adam’s O Holy Night, and finally Jonathan’s own Christmas Rhapsody.
They treated us to the bonus of a Musical Christmas Crackers game, trimmed down from last year where Jonathan played a well-known classical work which acts as an accompaniment or counterpoint to a carol – audience members had to name both. The hilarity and fun belied the considerable skill of the organist to combine these themes convincingly.
For organ and music lovers, there could not have been a better Christmas gift.
More information at www.jonathanscott.co.uk
Jonathan is also the Honorary President of ORTOA (Oldham, Rochdale and Tameside Organists’ Association founded 1908). They will continue their mission to promote organ music and the town hall instrument in 2026 beginning with:
Saturday Jan 31st at 3 pm Organ Duettists: Carol and Peter Kwater
Saturday Feb 28th at 3 pm Ronny Krippner (Ripon Cathedral)
Sisters in Stich
Preview by Steve Cooke
Local artist Liz White who has been featured in this column on more than one occasion also belongs to a sewing group Sisters in Stitch who meet regularly at Hare Hill House, Littleborough.
2025 they have enjoyed fabric printing, patchwork, dyeing, embroidery and much more.
To help RSPCA with their fundraising the Sisters recently made and donated 15 embroidered appliquéd cushions.
The group is looking to welcome new members, beginners and experienced makers - their next meeting is on January 14th at 7 o’clock.
They would like to invite anyone interested to go along for a coffee and a piece of cake.
Sister, Jan Mellor, “we were delighted to be able to help the RSPCA we know how difficult it is raising funds at the moment”.
Sister, Janet Hook, “it’s a very friendly group we take on all types of textile projects; people are welcome to join in or bring their own”
For further information contact Janet Hook - Her telephone number is 07711 342355
Jim Cartwright’s Road at the Royal Exchange Theatre
Preview by Steve Cooke
An exciting start to 2026 at the Royal Exchange theatre with Road by Jim Cartwright, featuring Lucy Beaumont, Shobna Gulati, Lesley Joseph, Johnny Vegas, and with special guest Sir Tom Courtenay on film.
It’s 1986. Your rumbustious chaperone Scullery guides you down the road, picking up the raucous and the ready for it, as ‘owt can happen tonight’. From dusk till dawn, the hopelessly hilarious and divinely desperate laugh, sing, dance and eat chips – all searching for something different.
Jim Cartwright’s award-winning masterpiece invites you to join the inhabitants of this derelict northern road on an unforgettable journey. Shockingly relevant to our lives today, the play’s visceral, eloquent poetry paints a tough world with tenderness.
Directed by Artistic Director Selina Cartmell, this revival marks the 40th anniversary of the play. In this exhilarating theatrical experience, audiences explore the Royal
Exchange before taking their seats in the theatre.
‘You want something different. Stay, I mean it.’
From £14 - All orders will be subject to a fee of £2.00
Friday 13 February – Saturday 14 March 2026
Royal Exchange Theatre, St Ann’s Square, Manchester M2 7DH
HER Productions kick start 2026 with their classical takeover of Noel Coward’s PRIVATE LIVES
Preview by Steve Cooke
From the creative team behind ‘Blithe Spirit’ and ‘The Taming of the Shrew’ comes the outstanding, innovative HER Productions next classical takeover: Coward’s PRIVATE LIVES. Embracing Coward’s trademark banter and elegance, HER’s production peels
back the frothy surface, laying bare the complex power dynamics of love and gender.
In HER’s trademark strip backed style as a smaller independent theatre company, its production will zoom in on the people of the play and fully tease out Coward’s carefully crafted and intricate relationships taking inspiration from The White Lotus.
Exceptionally rich, egotistical people, away from their day-to-day lives, navigating messy relationships and a public vs private persona - expect biting repartee, champagne-fuelled chaos and a deliciously dangerous game of love and lust.
HER's Artistic Director Hannah Ellis Ryan takes on the role of Amanda. Hannah has produced over 30 independent theatre productions and as an actress - has appeared in ‘COCK’ by Mike Bartlett, Othello (North East Tour), A Doll’s House (Elysium Theatre Company) and over 30 episodes of Coronation Street (playing Hannah Gilmore – the daughter of Liz and Jim McDonald). She has also produced short films with Brew Up Productions, the latest of which 'Filter', won Best Short at the British International Film Festival, which Hannah also wrote and starred in. In 2025 Hannah was awarded the Olwyn Wymark Award for her work in new writing by the Writers Guild of Great Britain.
Alongside her, playing Elyot, is accomplished stage and screen actor Charlie Nobel. His work spans everything from Bollywood productions to Shakespeare tours. His credits include 'Peter Quince' and 'Bottom' in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, 'Paulinus' and 'Gringolet the horse' in BOUDICA/The Green Knight, and 'Terry' in the brand new 'Flat Earth The Musical'.
'Private Lives' marks Charlie’s first Noël Coward play.
Completing the cast are Jack Elliot as Victor and Hope Yolanda as Sybil. Elliot’s theatre credits include MOJO (The King’s Arms), The Mousetrap (West End), The Mousetrap 70th (National Tour), The Three Musketeers (New Vic Theatre), Whistle (Old Red Lion); Julius Caesar (Black Box Theatre); Festival! (Pentabus Theatre Company); A Family Affair (Vienna’s English Theatre). Yolanda is a Mancunian actress, and a Royal Exchange Young Company Graduate. Over the past year she has appeared in: Dogsbody by Lindsay Williams for JB Shorts 26, Squeaky Bum's Never Gonna Be One Of The Lads by Alicia Forde, Wizard of Oz at The Dukes Theatre, The Three Little Vikings with Wrongsemble, Alice in Winter Wonderland at The Grange Theatre, and most notably, for the HER Productions audiences, Taming of the 'Shrew'.
Amy Gavin, Director comments: “Our production of Private Lives embraces Noël Coward’s razor-sharp wit while refusing to gloss over the darker currents beneath the comedy. We’re committed to delivering a version that is as hilarious as it is honest—allowing audiences to enjoy Coward’s brilliance while recognizing the very real complexities of these volatile relationships. Directing Private Lives means embracing both its brilliance and its brutality. Coward’s dialogue is irresistibly funny, but the emotional turbulence between these characters is real. My goal is to let the humour shine without ignoring the damaging patterns that drive the story. We are also so proud to be returning to both Hope Mill and The Dukes for our second consecutive Coward. “
£17/£15 concessionary
Box Office: boxoffice@hopemilltheatre.co.uk
Box Office: 0161 275 9141
Suitable for ages 14+
Content Warning: Violence, strong language, themes of domestic abuse
Private Lives opens at Hope Mill Theatre on 28 January and runs until 8 February 2026, before heading to The Dukes in Lancaster.
Times: All midweek and Saturday evening performances begin at 7pm; Saturday matinees on 31st January and 7th February begin at 2pm and Sundays 1st and 8th February are at 6pm
Hope Mill Theatre, 113 Pollard St, Manchester, M4 7JA
RECOMMENDED
Monday, 5 January 2026
Wardle Library Reading Group
1st Monday of every month. Discover new authors and discuss new books with other readers at our free, friendly and informal monthly meetings.
For adults and teenagers.
No need to book, you can just turn up.
Free
6pm - 7pm
Wardle Library, 448 Birch Road, Wardle, Rochdale OL12 9LH
Wednesday, 7 January 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.
Free
1.15pm - 3.15pm
Heywood Library, LCpl Stephen Shaw MC Way, Heywood OL10 1LW
Wednesday, 7 January 2026
Toad Lane Concerts - Rochdale's Weekly Music at Lunchtime
This week we have - More than Melody Ladies Choir The concert series has been held at St Mary’s since 2001 and was granted the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2020.
Running every Wednesday, Music at Lunchtime is a weekly live classical music concert series that has been going since the 1960s. The sessions were initially run at the old Rochdale Art Gallery by the local authority, but since May 2001 have been run by volunteer-enthusiasts and artistic director, Dr Joe Dawson.
£6
Phone: Dr Joe Dawson 01706 648872
Doors open 12noon, concert starts 12.30pm - 1.30pm
St Mary in the Baum, Toad Lane/St Mary's Gate, Rochdale OL16 1DZ
Thursday, 8 January 2026
Visit Fireground Museum
Join us at Fireground this week to discover Greater Manchester's firefighting story.
Fire museum attractions are on show inside the museum including our collection of historic firefighting artefacts from the 18th century to present day, plus home-made refreshments in the new Fireground Café, and souvenirs from our fantastic new gift shop! We have a wide choice ranging from toddler to collector.
Under 4s Free, Children (aged 4-15) £6, Seniors £6, Students £6, Adults £8, Family (4 people) £24.
Phone: Fireground 01706 341219
Visit: https://www.fireground.org.uk/ Thursday, Friday & Saturday from 10am - 4pm
Fireground, Maclure Road, Rochdale OL11 1DN
Saturday, 10 January 2026
Notes from College Bank - Book Launch and Exhibition
Ellie brings together work collected and made so far as part of the on-going project that looks to document the social and historical significance of the College Bank buildings in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. The project, photo book and exhibition feature photographs from her grandad's archive - M.J.Burgess, documenting Rochdale in 1970-80's.
The book launch offers an opportunity to meet the artist, learn more about the project, and purchase one of the limited-edition, hand-bound photo books. Proceeds from all book sales will be donated to Prostate Cancer UK and will also help fund the next chapter of the project: the creation of a community-led archive in the centre of Rochdale.
Free / Pay What You Want
14:00
Ebor Studio , William Street , Littleborough , OL15 8JP
Saturday, 10 January 2026
One Night of Billy Joel
The ultimate celebration concert to one of the most iconic and best-selling artists of all time.
Robert Schmuck (Billy The Kid) and his amazing seven-piece band perform breath-taking musical arrangements of multi-million selling songs such as My Life, Uptown Girl, River Of Dreams, Tell Her About It, Still Rock ‘n’ Roll To Me, An Innocent Man, Movin’ Out, Just The Way You Are, We Didn’t Start The Fire, Piano Man, The Longest Time and many, many more, it’s a non-stop hits show!
Watch the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_khr5kSLAus
Duration: 2h
Tickets from £26.78 (inc. £1.28 cmsn)
19:30
Middleton Arena, Lance Corporal Joel Halliwell VC Way, Middleton, Greater Manchester, M24 1AG
Accessible viewing platform / area
Wheel chair / pram accessible
celebrating creative arts and artists - an oasis of positivity supporting individual and community wellbeing.