WEEKEND COLUMN SATURDAY 7 FEBRUARY 2026
- STEVE COOKE AATA
- 2 days ago
- 9 min read
previews, reviews, interviews, and recommendations with Steve Cooke
WEEKEND COLUMN SATURDAY 7 FEBRUARY 2026
Previews: Events at St. Edmund’s plus Bach Reimagined at Heywood Civic.
Review: A Spellbinding Toad Lane Concert at St Mary in the Baum and The Incident by Mary Cooper.
Events at St. Edmund’s
Preview by Steve Cooke
St Edmund’s kick off their events this year with a swing band , then go all out classical with a wonderful choral work by Handel , then live theatre, plus they will be having the Tennessee Honeys back with a gin festival although that’s apparently still at the fine tuning stage.
The first event is with the Dave Egerton Band - A Manchester based swing band that cover music from the 1920’s right up to the present day.
Saturday 14 March starts at 7pm
Then Manchester Chamber choir and Manchester Baroque orchestra for Handel’s “Dixit Dominus” a full choral performance that will be a first time in Rochdale
Saturday 21 March 7:30pm
In April live theatre will be coming to St. Edmund’s with This My Theatre and their production of Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre.
This My Theatre are a Sussex based company that specialises in live theatre in heritage buildings and particularly churches and cathedrals - visit: https://www.thisismytheatre.com/
Friday 17 April at7pm
St Edmund's Church is regarded as one of the finest but least known gems of ecclesiastical architecture in the country.
Built in 1870 by the industrialist and banker Albert Hudson Royds, its carvings, windows, furniture and vaulted gothic ceiling are covered in masonic imagery. At the time it was built, it was the highest point in the township based on the dimensions of King Solomon's temple in the bible.
Edmund Street, Falinge, Rochdale, Greater Manchester, OL12 6QF
Bach Reimagined at Heywood Civic
Preview by Steve Cooke
Get ready for a mind-blowing performance combining powerful music and incredible athleticism at the refurbished Heywood civic.
In this live show you can experience super-athletic dancers moving with the elegance of ballet performers, but with the raw power of gymnasts as they move in time with the driving, electric sounds of a heavy metal cello, played by Canadian cellist Raphael Weinroth Browne.
Bach Reimagined takes you on a journey into the world of beloved composer Johann Sebastian Bach, who believed music was a way to connect with something bigger than us, whilst also exploring the scientific breakthroughs of Bach’s time, like the discoveries of Sir Isaac Newton.
Watch trailer: https://youtu.be/JSYhlRhIVw0
For this show at Heywood Civic, they have three prices to choose from for the same seat:
£15: A standard price – fair pricing for the show you’re going to see
£13 A slightly lower price – for people who need it
£17: 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/bach-reimagined/
5th March 2026 at 19:30
Heywood Civic, LCpl Stephen Shaw MC Way, Heywood, Greater Manchester, OL10 1LW
Accessible viewing platform / area
Wheel chair / pram accessible
A Spellbinding Toad Lane Concert at St Mary in the Baum
Review by Dr Joe Dawson
This spellbinding Toad Lane Concert at St Mary in the Baum was the 1,170th since taking over from the council in 2001.
Jonathan is highly valued as a regular visiting musician, accompanying singers and instrumentalists; but today he played in his own right as a concert pianist … on his very own! He made the most of the heritage 1935 Challen Grand; the piano tuner of the previous Friday would have loved to hear his handiwork coming to fruition with the tone and range of pianistic splendour.
Jonathan started to learn the piano at the age of three, then studied at Wells Cathedral School and moved on to the joint music course of the RNCM and Manchester University, graduating first-class from both institutions and gaining higher diplomas and prizes as a soloist, accompanist, and chamber musician.
He works regularly with opera companies and choral societies (where his ability to bring orchestral accompaniments to life is prized), as well as for the musical charities “Music in Hospitals” and “Live Music Now.”
His programme celebrated the Romantic period in the nineteenth century starting with Beethoven’s early but monumental Sonata Op. 7 in E flat.
Firstly, a brilliant bravura Allegro followed by an intense Largo extensively developed with an impressive range of expression. The nifty finger work of the Scherzo led into a Rondo which was powerful and imposing.
Two of Edward MacDowell "Sea Pieces", To the Sea, and From a Wandering Iceberg, were lovely characteristic pieces that he first played aged 12 at Wells school.
Two of Chopin’s late Waltzes, Op. 70/1 in G flat major and Op. 69/2 in B minor, were charming and decorative. With Brahms’ Rhapsody Op. 79/2 in G minor the tone and action of the piano with the accumulation of pyrotechnics and intensity was captivating.
An encore was demanded and the opening two pieces of Schumann’s Phantasiestucke rounded off this Romantic rollercoaster.
As said before, Jonathan is not just a fine player … he is a force of nature. We look forward to many more musical contributions in the future as a supportive accompanist and musical partner … as well as on his very own!
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.
The Incident by Mary Cooper
Review by Matthew Haigh
Domestic abuse. 8.0% of adults aged 16 and over experienced domestic abuse in the last year (equating to 3.9 million people). This is the subject matter that M6 Theatre Company’s film ‘The incident’ focuses on, specifically aimed at young people and teenagers to make them aware of the signs of an unhealthy relationship and the different forms it can take. This text follows Blake (Noah Fox) and Erin (Tia Larsen) as they fall in love with each other and we see how their relationship evolves as time proceeds. Unlike other films that I have covered, this films content finds its origin as a school production.
T
his educational performance was shown at schools is order to make young people and teenagers aware of what healthy and unhealthy relationships may look like. This is important because young people are just beginning that first step into romanticism and it is imperative they have the knowledge and awareness to know when a relationship they have involved themselves it turns into something restrictive or negative. During the performance, to ensure the young people understand what they are viewing and learning, there were periods in which questions are proposed to the audience. These questions involve inquisitions such as ‘Is it safe to meet someone you’ve only met online?’ and ‘Are Blake and Erin happy?’. These types of questions would be asked after each scene to consolidate lessons learnt. Something to note here, though, is the ability given to the audience to offer suggestions on how to improve this scene for the characters in order for the relationship between Erin and Blake to improve. This really shows young people that they have that choice and gives them confidence if they are to find themselves in this situation. However, this audience interaction will not be possible with this production in film form.
Instead of the actors and a producer hosting the performance and these discussions, teachers at schools will have to spearhead the conversions instead as the film contains convenient points to pause and discuss as this film will be split into episodes. Due to this, M6 will be offering CPD for teachers on how to use the resource with the use of an accompanying facilitators notes with suggested discussion questions. One of reasons this production was transformed into film is because the M6 Theatre team can now provide a teaching resource that is available even when they’re not able to tour the live version because of capacity. With the performance being digitalised, though, the awareness of healthy relationships could be spread on a wider scale. It is possible to state that spreading awareness is more important than the live experience, even if it is just by a small margin. Young people may also be able to connect to a cinematic version better than its theatrical version due to this generation being more technologically driven and the characters being seen in a real setting such as bedrooms and the streets.
This is where the film begins, on the streets of Rochdale. This is where we meet Erin and Blake alongside a voiceover in which the characters introduce themselves and the viewer discovers that the two characters are having constant conversations with each other. This is followed by a scene in which a split screen is utilised to show the pair texting each other. At the beginning of this scene, Erin mentions that they are both share many interests. This is brilliantly reflected in the pictures depicting the blue-haired fictional character Jinx. Erin also mentions that she is into drawing fictional characters and the picture of Jinx (artwork by Holly Copping) on her side the screen follows suit. All this really adds to the immersion and continuity as the viewers instantly know not only from the dialogue but also visually that the two characters are in rapport with each other. From texting each other, they decide to meet in person.
This is where the cinematographer Mark Farrimond began to flex his shot-taking muscles. From lens flares to great two shots, as seen in the image above, this scene makes Rochdale look great which itself is something to be proud of. Neither of the characters dominate the shot and the sun is representative of their bright future. A great scene showing the connection between these two characters. This point is re-enforced when the kindness artwork outside the Regal Moon is used as a subtle message for young people; simple kindness goes a long way. However, this kindness will be broken when a £50 note is given to Blake to which he decides to show his puffer-jacketed partner.
Here, Blake is distraught at the fact that Erin has yet to tell her family about their relationship; Blake feels belittled when he thinks that he is not important to her. The dialogue in this scene is snappy, and one can see to a great extent to which the actor’s speech bounces off each other and flows well. In terms of the purpose of this film, this scene is the first sign of an unhealthy relationship between the two. This is very clear as the script and acting makes this point extremely explicit which is important as it will be easy for young people to understand the emotions being generated here.
These emotions would reach their peak in the next scene, the party scene. Here, I make an appearance (the tall guy in a black jumper) and being on set for this scene and seeing it come to life is an amazing experience. The cast were great to meet, and merits must go to Sean Lovell for such great sound and lighting work but also for holding that mic over our heads for a long period of time. The strive for quality was there in abundance and it really shows in the final product.
Overall, it was great to be a part of the making of this film, and its importance is sure to be recognised by young people across the country. From a production in a school theatre space to a film, the difference here is nothing short of excellent. I’m not expecting this film to win awards but it’s a film with a powerful message which can now represent M6 Theatre Company in schools across the UK.
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For families with children aged 4 and over.
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9 February 2026 onwards: the Book Club will choose a book for everyone to read and discuss.
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Wednesday, 11 February 2026
Toad Lane Concerts - Rochdale's Weekly Music at Lunchtime
This week we have - Rascallity Harp Duo: Alice Roberts & Kathryn Mason (both Manchester University & 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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