WEEKEND COLUMN SATURDAY 19 JULY 2025
- STEVE COOKE AATA
- Jul 19
- 7 min read
previews, reviews, interviews, and recommendations with Steve Cooke
WEEKEND COLUMN SATURDAY 19 JULY 2025
Side-by-Side Festival
Preview by Steve Cooke
Side by Side is part of a spectacular line up of festivals, live performances, exhibitions and art during Rochdale’s year as Greater Manchester Town of Culture 2025–26.
We are promised a fun-filled week in Rochdale Town Centre with exciting activities like making art, playing games and sharing stories - all created the people of Rochdale and their communities
Rochdale Town Hall is hosting Side-by-Side whilst Touchstones is closed for redevelopment and are invited to explore the pop-up space near Touchstones on Rochdale Town Hall Square and discover what happens when they work Side-by-Side.
There will be plenty of ways to get involved, so let’s take this opportunity to create something special together.
There are many events at Side-by-Side where you don’t need to book in advance and can just drop in on the day. For events that require advance booking, this is to ensure you are guaranteed a place and won’t miss out.
All bookable events are Pay What You Can. Free tickets are there for those who need them, or you can choose to pay £2.50, £5 or £7.50 per ticket. Any income generated from these tickets will go towards further community-led work with Touchstones.
Wednesday 20 – Wednesday 27 August
Culture Quest – encouraging and supporting families to explore their town of culture.
Preview by Steve Cooke
Culture Quest is a new campaign to support and encourage families to explore their town of culture.
The new Culture Quest web page provides families with a digital map of 25 cultural locations in central Rochdale, a list of family friendly events across the borough and information about local transport.
An exciting digital Culture Quest Challenge will take place over the summer holidays, aimed at children aged 7 – 11 and their families. Parents and carers can register for free, then use their phones to ‘check in’ to locations on the Culture Quest map and collect points. The more places they visit, the more points they collect which means more opportunities to win prizes including free family cinema tickets, art materials and an Instax camera!
Families who visit all twenty five locations on foot will have walked at least 4 miles and visited local green spaces – keeping active and supporting their wellbeing. The map includes information about each location and prompts to spark conversation and sustain learning over the summer holidays. The challenge also encourages children to share their own creativity by submitting a photo of a piece of artwork or a poem they’ve written in response to the places they’ve visited on their Culture Quest. Watch this video to see how it works.
For families who don’t have regular access to the internet or want more time away from screens, there are printed Culture Quest guides available to pick up in local libraries and family hubs across the Borough.
The campaign has been developed by Rochdale’s Cultural Education Partnership (Create Rochdale) and funded by the Arts Council Place Partnership Programme with support from Your Trust, Rochdale Development Agency and Rochdale Borough Council. The campaign is being launched as part Rochdale’s Town of Culture programme.
Create Rochdale are also encouraging and supporting HAF (Holiday Activities and Food) providers and community organisations to bring groups of young people and families into Rochdale for their own Culture Quests – specific to their interests and needs.
Culture Quest starts this summer but aims to inspire a lifetime of exploration, curiosity and creativity! To register to take part in the digital Culture Quest Challenge visit play.proxi.co and enter the code: RGU PUU
Little HOME 2025
Preview by Steve Cooke
Little HOME invites families to a weekend packed with fun, creativity, and entertainment for all ages.
There will be a vibrant programme full of family-friendly activities, from stage and street performances to film screenings, creative workshops, and so much more.
All Little HOME events are FREE to attend - some require booking ahead: https://homemcr.org/theme/little-home-2025.
Rochdale’s very own spectacular Skylight Circus Arts will provide opportunities to learn how to juggle, spin plates, the diabolo and more!
Family craft sessions will include making an African mask, decorating a festive party headband and exploring all things Robot with recycled material sculptures, printing and robot headpieces.
A fresh and fabulous take on storytelling with everyone’s favourite pantomime dame, Mama G.
Fun family dance sessions with Afro cats.
Enchanting Campfire Tales by The League of Curiosity.
A lively Bhangra Dance and Dhol Drumming workshop by The Bhangra Duet.
Family-friendly film screenings.
The delightful Big Bad Wolf theatre show by Byteback Theatre – perfect for the whole family!
Watch trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSQVIWVEcr0
Box Office 0161 200 1500
For general queries, please email: info@homemcr.org
Free family festival Saturday 2 & Sunday 3 August.
HOME 2 Tony Wilson Place Manchester M15 4FN.
BIFF TO THE FUTURE
Preview by Steve Cooke
Biff to the Future at Hope Mill Theatre sees the iconic villain of “Back to the Future” taking centre stage in a comedic reimagination of Marty’s time-traveling escapades, turning the celebrated cinematic trilogy on its head from the perspective of Biff, the bully audiences love to hate.
This new, heartfelt and unauthorised parody explores the highs and lows of a life chasing power, fame and fortune, reliving Biff’s encounters with Marty and Doc across the centuries.
For superfans and newcomers alike!
Created by Joseph Maudsley (as seen in the Reduced Shakespeare Company, FRIEND (The one with Gunther) and Potted Potter). Directed by double Olivier Award nominee Daniel Clarkson.
Thursday 24 July – 19:30, Friday 25 July – 19:30 and Saturday 26 July at 19:30
Thursday – £15, Friday and Saturday – £20 Plus £1.50 booking fee
Suitable for ages 12 and over
Run time: 1 hour.
Box Office: boxoffice@hopemilltheatre.co.uk
Box Office: 0161 275 9141
Hope Mill Theatre, 113 Pollard St, Manchester, M4 7JA
Pianist John Sabar at TLC
Review by Dr Joe Dawson
John Sabar was born into a musical family and grew up between England and South-East Asia. He performed regularly on various instruments with his siblings throughout his childhood. He achieved DipABRSM at the piano in the sixth form and went on to a degree in music at York. After graduating with First-Class Honours, he received a scholarship to the RNCM where he took a Master’s under John Gough. Now he performs and teaches the piano in and around Manchester as a freelance musician.
Grieg’s popular Wedding Day at Troldhaugen (No. 6 in Book VIII of Lyric Pieces, Op. 65, 1896) commemorates the Griegs’ 25th wedding anniversary, named after their home in Troldhaugen ("The Hill of the Trolls") near Bergen, Norway. In sure hands like John’s, this wonderful pianistic gem never fails to evoke festal revelry amongst the Fjords and hills, plus a poignant contrasted middle section.
JS Bach Partita No. 1 in Bb Major: after a lively introduction, a suite of contrasting dance movements gave John several opportunities for stylish embellishment with Baroque ornamentation, ending with a virtuosic and energetic Gigue finale, full of hand-crossing and rhythmic vitality.
Unlike the other two works, it does not have a descriptive title. However, Bach himself described this music as “for the enjoyment of music lovers.” John clearly enjoyed it and enthused the audience with his playing.
Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor, Op. 57, the “Appassionata” is one of his most powerful and emotionally intense piano works. The nickname (Italian for “passionate”) was not Beethoven’s own but added by a publisher in 1838 as a marketing ploy. Its stormy and moody first movement has an ominous theme and is full of dynamic contrasts, handled superbly by John. The Andante middle movement was calm and introspective before the furious finale that built to a ferocious conclusion. This profound work (musician Tovey likened it to King Lear) proved aptly named and was appropriately performed. John’s stamina itself was a wonder to behold. At one point a helicopter hovered outside as if to compete with the acoustic turbulence – and lost!
John revelled in TLC’s recently refurbished heritage 1935 Challen 8’ Grand Piano in the acoustic of St Mary in the Baum. The word ‘Fabulous’ was heard from the departing audience.
The Queen’s Award-winning Toad Lane Concerts - every Wednesday at 12.30pm at the Grade 1 listed church of St Mary in the Baum, Toad Lane, Rochdale, OL16 1DZ. Entrance fee is £6. Contact 01706 648872 for further information.
RECOMMENDED
Saturday 20 July 2025
Tennessee Honeys at St Edmund’s Church
Children welcome
Food bar available
£8 adults, £6 concessions
7.30pm
St Edmund’s, Edmund Street, Falinge, Rochdale, Greater Manchester, OL12 6QF
Tuesday, 22 July 2025
Tuesday Reading Group - Spotland Library
Read, share and discuss a range of fiction and non-fiction in our reading group.
Free
11.30am - 12.30pm
Spotland Library, Ings Lane, Rochdale OL12 7AL
Wednesday 23 July 2025
A summer organ spectacular at Rochdale Town Hall
Jonathan Scott presents a special summer organ concert in the Victorian splendour of Rochdale Town Hall, showcasing the 'King of Instruments' in a scintillating programme of spectacular summer music.
Described as "The leading British Organist", Jonathan Scott is Organist at Manchester's Bridgewater Hall where he regularly performs to audiences of thousands. He is in demand as a concert soloist all over the world and is the only organist to have performed a solo organ concert at The Royal Albert Hall in London for the 2024 BBC Proms. The organ of Rochdale Town Hall is one of Jonathan's favourite organs, and he is excited to be returning to give a special summer concert on this amazing instrument.
From £12
Book tickets online through Your Trust: https://www.yourtrustrochdale.co.uk/
Phone 01706 924797 between 10am–4pm
2pm - 3pm
Rochdale Town Hall, The Esplanade, Rochdale OL16 1AZ
Wednesday, 23 July 2025
Toad Lane Concerts - Rochdale's Weekly Music at Lunchtime
This week we have - William Poon piano (Hong Kong Academy & 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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