WEEKEND COLUMN SATURDAY 13 SEPTEMBER 2025
- STEVE COOKE AATA
- Sep 13
- 8 min read
previews, reviews, interviews, and recommendations with Steve Cooke
WEEKEND COLUMN SATURDAY 13 SEPTEMBER 2025
Shakespeare, Nostalgia, and the passage of Time at St Chad’s Parish Church
Preview by Steve Cooke
The latest in the wonderful series of Saturday lunchtime concerts at the iconic St Chad’s Parish Church features Shakespeare, Nostalgia, and the passage of Time with Tim Kennedy (tenor) and Carol Kwater (piano).
Tim began his musical career singing for Queen Elizabeth II, as a treble at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, and was then a music scholar at Winchester College. He spent his gap year performing at Truro Cathedral, then studied music at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge. But he has now been based in Manchester for more than fifteen years pursuing a varied freelance career. His singing work is mainly as a freelance tenor soloist, but he also works as a piano accompanist, organist and vocal coach. As part of this work, he works as a staff accompanist for singers at the Royal Northern College of Music.
As a singer, he does regular solo recitals in a number of places in the North of England. Recent oratorio performances have included performances of Handel's Messiah and Semele, Bach's Passions and Oratorios, Haydn’s Creation, Mozart's Requiem, Mendelssohn's Elijah, and Britten's St Nicolas. For more information, his website can be found at www.tim-kennedy.co.uk.
Carol Kwater is an organist, accompanist and music teacher. Having commenced lessons at the pipe organ aged 12, Carol completed all exam grades in organ, piano and theory, and the ALCM diploma under the watchful eye of teacher John Walton. She then continued her studies with Eric Chadwick and Derrick Cantrell, achieving ARCO and LRAM.
Having years of teaching experience behind her, Carol works full time for Wigan Music Service as a tutor and accompanist. She is also very busy as a private tutor. Carol is in demand as an accompanist for soloists and various choral groups.
She is the regular accompanist of Bolton Festival Choir and the Phoenix Singers and is Musical Director of St Helens Choral Society. Carol also regularly accompanies St George’s Occasional Singers in Preston, under the baton of husband, Peter.
Carol was organist for many years at St Oswald’s RC Church, Ashton-in-Makerfield, being privileged to play the fine Stahlhuth organ there. Since 2019, Carol has been the Director of Music at St Wilfrid’s Church, Standish, a busy role which she enjoys enormously.
Shakespeare, Nostalgia, and the passage of Time programme:
Blow, blow, thou winter wind (As you like it), Roger Quilter (1877-1953)
Fear no more (Cymbeline)
Take o take those lips away (Measure for Measure)
O mistress mine (Twelfth Night)
Shall I compare thee to a summer's day (Sonnet 18), Dr. Joseph Dawson
A time for us (Romeo and Juliet) Nino Rota (1911-1979)
Somewhere (West Side Story), Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990)
Sunny Side Of The Street (piano solo), Jimmy McHugh arr Nikki Iles
A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square (piano solo), Manning Sherwin arr Nikki Iles
Try to remember (The Fantasticks, 1960) Harvey Schmidt & Tom Jones
September Song (Knickerbocker Holiday, Kurt Weill (1900-1950)
Long ago (Half a Sixpence), David Heneker (1906-2001)
If I loved you (Carousel) Rodgers & Hammerstein
The End of Time, Patrick Larley (b. 1951)
Pay on door £6.00 including refreshments beforehand from 11.30am
Further information via https://rochdaleparishchurches.co.uk or phone 01706 639162, email j.midgley448@btinternet.com
Saturday 20 September 2025
12 Noon
Concerts last about 50 minutes
ST CHAD’S PARISH CHURCH, Sparrow Hill. Rochdale OL16 1QT
M6 Theatre presents Little Gift
Preview by Steve Cooke
One for the little ones and their families from the wonderful M6 Theatre company is Little Gift in which magical stranger brings joy to a lonely life
Meet Ted, a cautious old soul living all alone in a busy, bustling town. He likes it that way. It’s quieter and safer. Until one extraordinary day, a surprise visitor turns his lonely life upside down.
Ages 3-10 and families
Tickets: Pay What You Feel
Booking: Advanced booking essential. Call 01706 355898 or email admin@m6theatre.co.uk
Running time: 50 minutes
Saturday 18 October 1.30pm & 3.30pm | Sunday 19 October 1.30pm
M6 Theatre Co, Hamer Community Primary School, Albert Royds Street, Rochdale, Greater Manchester, OL16 2SU
Founded in 1977 and based in Rochdale, M6 Theatre Company is acknowledged as one of Britain’s leading theatre companies specialising in creating and delivering dynamic, quality and relevant work for, with and by children and young people.
“We create original theatre productions that: Ignite the imagination, Nurture the heart, Challenge the mind.”
M6’s highly acclaimed productions tour nationally and internationally to theatre venues and festivals, and locally to schools and community settings. The company’s rich programme includes inspiring and highly visual shows for young audiences and compelling short single voice plays for older audiences.
Step Inside the Mind of Shaparak Khorsandi
Preview by Steve Cooke
Having reassessed her life through the prism of an ADHD diagnosis in Scatterbrain last year's funny and moving memoir, one of Britain's most beloved and most scatterbrained stand-ups lets you back into her mind (warning: it's cluttered in there). Among other things, this show will be a love-letter to letter-writing, a trip back through her early years as a comic and woman-about-town, and a whirlwind tour of a chaotic, hilarious brain.
Shappi established herself as one of the UK’s finest comedians with her sell-out Edinburgh show, Asylum Speaker. Despite the basis for the show being her experiences as a child refugee fleeing Iran and terrorists attempting to murder her father, Shappi’s sensitive yet witty exploration of these events created an instant comedy smash hit.
It also lead to the publication of her childhood memoirs, A Beginner’s Guide To Acting English, her best-selling literary debut.
Shappi went on to publish her first novel, Nina Is Not Ok.
Shappi’s career has taken her to all corners of the globe. She has appeared on countless TV & Radio shows, including Live at the Apollo, Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow, I’m a Celebrity: Get Me Out of Here, Mock The Week, 8 Out Of 10 Cats, MasterChef, Have I Got News For You, QI, Pointless Celebrities, Question Time and Just a Minute, as well as her own show, Shappi Talk.
As a keynote speaker and awards host, Shappi can deftly handle the most serious subjects with a sprinkling of humour – a skill perfected in her early stand-up shows. Drawing on her past experiences as a female comic breaking into a male-dominated industry, Shappi is a popular speaker on topics surrounding diversity and inclusion and mental health. Her charmingly candid style combined with her sharp-as-a-tack delivery ensure that whether speaking virtually or in-person, she never fails to connect with an audience.
Shappi has done features for several national publications and has a regular, weekly column in the Independent.
She has received an honorary doctorate from Winchester University for her contribution to the arts. Her mother was overjoyed, until she realised Shappi can’t actually write prescriptions for her.
Shappi has also received the prestigious James Joyce Award for outstanding success in her field from Dublin University.
“I have two dogs, two cats and two children so can often be found hiding in the airing cupboard, eating crisps in the dark.”
her latest book Scatter Brain, she looks back on her life through the lens of ADHD and finally makes sense of the chaos. From discovering the joys of shoplifting through to finally understanding her attraction to toxic men, Scatter Brain will have you laughing (and crying) as you find out what it's really like to live a life out of control.
Whether you suspect you might have ADHD or you want to enjoy the ride Shapi will take you on her hilarious journey of self-discovery where you just might learn something useful about yourself too!
In her own words.
“Some brains, through no fault of their own, pack a bag, turn the lights off and run away to the seaside the moment they are meant to be doing homework, paying bills or not putting the cat in the fridge. These are ADHD brains. I have one and believe they are as common as being left-handed, flat footed or genuinely enjoying anchovies on a pizza.”
“Undiagnosed Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder made my life a frustrating, maddening rollercoaster. I had very little focus except when I was hyper-focusing (and then it would always be on the wrong things), I made the same mistakes over and over again, regularly burning myself out until I was sobbing. When I finally was diagnosed in my 40s it felt like the lights had been turned on after a lifetime in the dark.”
£20
Sunday 21 September 2025, 19:30
The Theatre, The Octagon, Howell Croft South, Bolton, BL1 1SB
DIVERSE TALENTS AT TLC
Review by Dr Joe Dawson
Rochdale’s year as Greater Manchester Town of Culture 2025–26. This grand title, awarded by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority celebrates the town’s rich history, creativity, talent and diverse arts scene.
Good examples of this are found here every week!
August 06: More Than Melody Ladies Choir formed in 2008. Conducted today by avuncular Jonathan Gibson and accompanied by Brian Milligan. MTM seemed to come of age today as a ladies’ community choir in compelling part-singing mode: an intense and impressive tone in the wonderful acoustic. This was due to excellent direction. Soloists Suzanne Mather, Jennifer Walkman, Alyson Brailsford and Norma Dagott provided well-earned breathers for the choristers.\
August 13: Rascallity Harp Duo – Kathryn Mason (lever harp) and Alice Roberts (concert harp) both first-rate musicians have made several appearances here since forming Rascallity Duo as students; they find the acoustics ideal to project beautifully in many styles. Light jazz, minimalist, folk-like elements combine to produce a mesmerising and contemplative atmosphere. The hypnotic spell was broken all too soon, as the Duo upped the ante with Noche de Fiesta by Alfredo Rolando Ortiz, an upbeat number for a triumphant finale.
August 20: Freda Farnworth soprano & J Edward Rigg piano - two bastions of the local music scene entertained right royally. Freda, a graduate of the Guildhall School of Music has performed professionally in operas, musicals, pantomimes, summer seasons and concerts and has brought her expertise to bear as performer, choir conductor and producer in the borough. We had songs of sun and moon in a variety of settings finishing with a Vera Lyn tribute set including ‘We’ll meet again.’ Given the theme, and Friday being Debussy’s birthday, Edward just had to play Clair de Lune! which made a beautiful solo interlude.
August 27: Callum Bisson piano - another local musician graced the platform, this time
his debut recital at the end of his first year at the RNCM. This augured well for the future with JS Bach, Beethoven, Chopin and Rachmaninoff all played superbly. To top it off however, he played one of his own compositions, ‘Variations on a Theme by Shostakovich’ which was delightfully inventive and played with mature pianism. He began his programme with brief and informative introductions and then played the whole of it from memory. Bags of potential. Watch this space.
The Queen’s Award-winning Toad Lane Concerts are every Wednesday at 12.30 pm at St Mary in the Baum, Toad Lane, Rochdale, OL16 1DZ. Entrance fee is £6. Contact 01706 648872 for further information.
RECOMMENDED
Saturday, 13 September 2025
Reading Group - Littleborough Library
Second Saturday of every month. A group discussing various authors, genres and themes.
For adults. No need to book, you can just come along.
Free
10.30am - 11.30am
Littleborough Library, Hare Hill Park, Littleborough OL15 9HE
Tuesday, 16 September 2025
Tuesday Reading Group - Spotland Library
Tuesday every 4 weeks. 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
11.30am - 12.30pm
Spotland Library, Ings Lane, Rochdale OL12 7AL
Wednesday 17 September 2025
Toad Lane Concerts - Rochdale's Weekly Music at Lunchtime
This week we have - Johanna Leung clarinets, Alvin Wong saxophones and Anna Chiu piano (all RNCM)
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
celebrating creative arts and artists - an oasis of positivity supporting individual and community wellbeing.
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