Tag: newcastle

Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty Returns To Theatre Royal

By on 18th February 2016in Entertainment

The UK’s most popular dance company, New Adventures, returns to Newcastle Theatre Royal this Spring with Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty, a gothic tale for all ages…

This ground-breaking production heads to Newcastle Theatre Royal from Tuesday 5th to Saturday 16th April.

Directed and choreographed by the ‘hottest’ choreographer in the world right now, Sir Matthew Bourne OBE, and from the UK’s most popular dance company, Sleeping Beauty is a revival of the new classic, giving audiences one more chance to see the final piece in the trio of Tchaikovsky masterpieces.  With sumptuous sets, costumes and evocative lighting, the audience will be transported in time.

Returning to the central role of Aurora in this first revival is rising star Ashley Shaw. Ashley recently played Lana in the triumphant revival of The Car Man, and also played Kim in Edward Scissorhands, Sugar in Nutcracker, and the title role in Cinderella. Cordelia Braithwaite made her debut with New Adventures in Swan Lake in 2013, and has since featured in this year’s revival of The Car Man, covering the role of Lana. Cordelia makes her debut as Aurora this season; her first Principal role with New Adventures.

Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty premiered in 2012, and was the fastest selling production in the company’s history. Sleeping Beauty was created for New Adventures 25th birthday celebrations and completed Sir Matthew Bourne’s OBE trio of re-imagined Tchaikovsky ballet masterworks that started in 1992 with Nutcracker and, most famously, in 1995, with the international hit Swan Lake. This dazzling production has won the hearts of thousands, and smashed box office records across the UK and at Sadler’s Wells.

The leading role of Leo will once again be played by Dominic North and Chris Trenfield, who co-created the role in 2012.

Perrault’s timeless fairy tale, about a young girl cursed to sleep for one hundred years, was turned into a legendary ballet by Tchaikovsky and choreographer Marius Petipa in 1890. Bourne takes this date as his starting point, setting the Christening of Aurora, the story’s heroine, in the year of the ballet’s first performance; the height of the Fin-de-Siecle period, when fairies, vampires and decadent opulence fed the gothic imagination. As Aurora grows into a young woman, we move forward in time to the more rigid, uptight Edwardian era; a mythical golden age of long Summer afternoons, croquet on the lawn and new dance crazes. Years later, awakening from her century long slumber, Aurora finds herself in the modern day; a world more mysterious than any fairy story!

Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty appears at Newcastle Theatre Royal from Tuesday 5th to Saturday 16th April (Evenings: 7.30pm, Matinee: Thursday 2pm, Saturday Matinee 2.30pm). Tickets are from £17.00, and can be purchased at www.theatreroyal.co.uk or from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 08448 11 21 21 (calls cost 7ppm plus your phone company’s access charge).

Handbag Clinic Expands Workshop Following Major Success

By on 18th February 2016in Local Biz

Handbag Clinic has significantly expanded its repair workshop to cope with demand for its high-end restoration services, after cleaning and restoring designer bags worth more than half a million pounds over the last 12 months…

The firm, which cleans and repairs handbags and accessories from the world’s most prestigious designers, has expanded the floor space of its handbag repair centre in Burnopfield, County Durham, by 15% to 3,800 sq ft.

Additional space is necessary because of steady growth at Handbag Clinic, which has recently opened a store in Mosley Street, Newcastle, following an earlier launch on King’s Road, Chelsea.

Over the past 12 months, the firm’s restoration experts have brought 6,500 handbags back to their former glory. Alongside this, Handbag Clinic runs a service to restore red soles of Christian Louboutin shoes. There has also been investment in high-level security facilities, including a cage that staff entering the repair centre must walk through, to protect customers’ designer accessories.

Handbag Clinic has also taken on new handbag buyer Charlotte Staerck, along with three new apprentices in the past few weeks, as part of a recruitment drive to employ two new members of staff every month to ensure it has the skills needed to deal with designer accessories from the likes of Chanel, Hermés and Celine.

The firm is bucking the trend in the luxury goods market. A recent global report by consultancy company Bain and Co found that the global luxury goods market is now worth more than £700bn, but demand slowed during 2015 compared to the previous year for personal luxuries including jewellery and handbags.

MD Ben Staerck said: “We needed increased workspace to make sure we have the capacity to deal with a soaring demand for our specialist services.

“We’re finding that while customers may not be buying a new Hermés Kelly or a Celine Phantom, they are either coming to us to source a pre-loved bag or they are giving their existing accessories a bit of TLC.”

Handbag Clinic was launched in 2013 by Ben Staerck. Since then, it has swiftly gained a loyal celebrity following, including many of the Made in Chelsea cast and reality star Imogen Thomas.

It offers cleaning, protection, stain removal, repair and restoration services for handbags, shoes and other leather accessories. Find out more at www.handbagclinic.co.uk.

Northern Powerhouse: Just Another Fad?

By on 17th February 2016in Have Your Say

Leading business figures, politicians and academics recently delivered a lively – and hotly contested – debate on the merits of a Northern Powerhouse for the North East…

 

Unedited Conversations: Towards a Northern Powerhouse?, was held at Newcastle Business School and chaired by Lucy Winskell OBE, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Business & Engagement) at Northumbria University.

The panel included Simon Henig, CBE, Leader of Durham County Council, Jeremy Middleton, CBE, Director of Middleton Enterprises LTD, John Fenwick, Professor Emeritus Leadership and Public Sector Management, Northumbria University, Andy Pike, Professor of Local and Regional Development, Newcastle University and Keith Shaw, Professor of Politics, Northumbria University.

Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne has said that building a Northern Powerhouse “is a revolution in the way we govern England”. Key to the policy is the devolution of more power to the regions from central Government, including the creation of directly elected majors. Devolution is seen by many as an opportunity to re-balance the UK economy, offering regions like the North East greater prosperity, life chances and health and social parity with London and the South.

There is, however, disagreement on whether a push for a Northern Powerhouse is the best way to achieve this.

While some on the panel advocated the need for an elected major as a driving force and strong voice for the whole region, others argued there would be a lack of trust in such a powerful individual, even when it was an elected position.

The Northern Powerhouse was described by one panel member as a “big idea with breath-taking ambition” that could make the North as rich as the South and give young people the same life chances. Another, however, asked whether it was merely a “brand and fashionable label that had become the latest flavour of the month, but that would wither on the vine.”

Challenges ahead were also identified, including competition from an increasingly devolved Scotland and the North East’s capacity to deliver on any potential benefits in a continuing era of austerity and public sector cuts.

Doctor Lorraine Johnston, Senior Lecturer at Newcastle Business School and event organiser, said: “Assembling such an esteemed panel of speakers made for an insightful, productive and at times feisty debate, and we were delighted with the enthusiasm of both the speakers and the audience. Despite the differences of opinion, one area of consensus was that this is an incredibly important issue that will affect us all. Politicians, businesses, academics and the media therefore need to engage far more with the general public. Hopefully this event has contributed to the debate, and will help move it forward.”

In October 2015, the North East Combined Authority – covering County Durham, Tyne & Wear and Northumberland – signed an agreement with the Government to take on more powers. The deal included a financial commitment for the region to receive £30 million a year over the next 30 years, and for North East voters to choose a directly elected major by 2017. A similar deal has been announced in Tees Valley.

We want to know what YOU think about the Northern Powerhouse. Leave your comments below!

Top Dentist Warns White Teeth Obsession Suggests Body Dysmorphia

By on 15th February 2016in Lifestyle

One of the UK’s top cosmetic dentists has warned that the obsession for white teeth can be an indicator of a form of body dysmorphia…

A preoccupation with the colour of teeth is commonly recognised as a symptom of BDD (Body Dysmorphic Disorder), a psychological condition where sufferers are fixated about certain aspects of their appearance.

And Dr Ken Harris, of Riveredge Cosmetic Dentistry, which has surgeries in both Sunderland and Newcastle, warns that those desperate for bright white teeth should steer clear of using home treatments or the excessive use of whitening toothpastes which can leave them with severe dental problems.

“Whitening toothpastes do not work,” said Dr Harris.

“They clean off surface stains, but do not touch ugly deep staining, and they are also very abrasive so can wear the enamel off teeth, causing significant damage.”

Dr Harris added that people obsessed with having perfect white teeth often use abrasive pastes and brush aggressively, which can lead to damage.

“No amount of tooth brushing can whiten teeth,” he said.

The abrasive nature of toothpaste is measured by RDA – Relative Dentine Abrasivity – and in 2012 the British Dental Journal said that toothpastes with an RDA of more than 100 were considered abrasive and could damage teeth and gums.

A number of popular whitening toothpastes on the market have an RDA in excess of 100 so are leaving people in danger of potentially damaging their teeth.

Dr Harris said that many people also try to use a variety of substances ranging from lemons to strawberries in the belief their teeth will get whiter.

“None of these processes work,” he said.

“The best way to get a proper and safe whitening treatment is to see a dentist, not attempt it on your own.

“A dentist will also give proper advice on what is suitable and what isn’t, rather than people buying treatments off the internet which simply won’t work, and may even be harmful.”

Dr Harris added that teeth get more yellow with age, and trying to combat this with excessive brushing or whitening toothpaste will, again, just not work.

“The dentine beneath our enamel becomes tougher and more dense over the years, and, as such, it gradually becomes darker in colour,” he said.

“Dentine is the part of the tooth beneath the outer enamel layer of teeth, and therefore can not be reached by toothpaste or brushing.

“The only way to whiten teeth is to get the bleach to soak through the enamel into the deeper dentine where it will do its job.”

Multi-award winner Dr Harris is respected across the globe for his expansive knowledge on cosmetic dentistry, and he regularly teaches around the world.

He is one of only two Fellows of the British Academy of Aesthetic Dentistry (BACD) which involves him teaching other dentists around the UK. He is a full member of the British Academy of Aesthetic Dentistry (BAAD), and regularly teaches USA dentists at the world-renowned Kois Center programme in Seattle.

He regularly travels to North America and Canada, delivering lectures on aesthetic dentistry to practitioners in New York, Vancouver, San Francisco, Orange County, Fresno and San Diego in his role as the Clinical Director for California Centre for Advanced Dental Studies.

His award-winning team also provides general dentistry. For further information, visit www.riveredge.co.uk.

Prestwick Care Home Resident Celebrates 100th Birthday

By on 13th February 2016in Lifestyle

Champagne corks were popping as one of the first residents to move into the North East’s newest residential care home hit a birthday milestone…

Grandmother of eight, Norah Wilson, moved into purpose-built Melton House, Gosforth, Newcastle, just a few weeks ago.

As the former shop worker turned 100, staff at the home, owned by Newcastle-based Prestwick Care, joined Norah’s friends and family to make sure the occasion went with a swing.

Not only did they bake her a cake and lay on a birthday tea, but they also invited the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Newcastle, Cllr Ian and Margaret Graham, to join in the celebrations.

And, in keeping with tradition, a greeting from HM The Queen took pride of place among Norah’s flowers and cards.

“It was a fantastic day,” said Norah’s son Robert, 63, from Fenham. “The staff pulled out all the stops and made sure she had a lovely time.”

Margaret Burn, manager of the 67-bedroom home, built on the site of the former Northumberland Records Office, overlooking Gosforth racecourse, said: “In the short time we have been open, the staff and residents have become like one, happy, family.

“Norah is a wonderful lady and we were delighted to join her family in celebrating her special birthday.”

Melton House provides residential care, as well as general and dementia nursing, and boasts a range of services and facilities, including in-house physiotherapy, a cinema, full laundry service and hairdressing salon.

For further information visit www.prestwickcare.co.uk.

Bestselling Writer To Headline Crime Story 2016 Festival

By on 12th February 2016in Entertainment

Paula Hawkins, author of The Girl on the Train, will headline this year’s Crime Story festival, delivered in partnership by Northumbria University and New Writing North…

Crime Story is an innovative festival for readers and writers of crime fiction, providing rare access to experts from the fields of forensics, criminology, pathology and law, who reveal and interrogate the facts behind crime fiction.

Appealing to crime readers, as well as fans of TV series such as Serial and Making a Murderer, the day-long festival invites audience and experts to pick apart a fictional crime, which will be written by Paula Hawkins. For crime writers, the festival also offers an extraordinary opportunity to challenge and improve the authenticity of their writing, by giving unique access to a wide range of experts in police science, as well as crime writers and publishing industry leaders.

Paula Hawkins said: “I attended Crime Story in June 2014 on a whim. I thought the concept sounded interesting – a group of crime writers and readers get together to try to solve a fictional murder aided by a handful of experts – detectives, forensic specialists and legal experts. I expected to have an entertaining weekend. I didn’t expect to walk away with ten A4 pages crammed with detailed notes covering all aspects of police procedure, and a head brimming with new ideas.

“Crime Story gives writers the kind of access to senior detectives, blood-spatter experts and forensic psychiatrists that most of us could only dream about. I found it fascinating and invaluable, and have been looking forward to the next one ever since, so am absolutely thrilled to have been asked to come up with a murder scenario for this year’s event.”

Northumbria’s Pro Vice-Chancellor (Business and Engagement), Lucy Winskell OBE, said: “I was delighted to hear that international bestselling author Paula Hawkins will be headlining Crime Story 2016 at Northumbria University. Her involvement in this year’s event is hugely exciting news and a real endorsement of this innovative festival’s appeal to writers, readers, academics and professionals in the field.

“Delivered in partnership by Northumbria and New Writing North, Crime Story draws on the University’s teaching and research expertise across criminology, criminal law, forensic science and creative writing, to explore the facts behind the fiction.

“I’m sure Paula will write a fascinating and compelling whodunit for our experts and audience members to investigate during the course of this unique day-long festival.”

Crime Story takes place in Newcastle-upon-Tyne on Saturday 11th June. The full programme will be announced and tickets released on Thursday 10th March at Crime Story: Portrait of a Criminal, a special event in which two award-winning writers explore the minds of two of the most notorious criminals of recent times. Writers Dan Davies and Andrew Hankinson will discuss the subjects of their work, their own methods and the place of true crime in literary writing. Ticket holders for Portrait of a Criminal: Crime Story will receive £10/£8 off their Crime Story festival ticket price.

Tickets are now available for Crime Story: Portrait of a Criminal on Thursday 10th March by clicking here. Find out more about Crime Story 2016, taking place on Saturday 11th June at Northumbria University at www.crimestory.co.uk. Northumbria offers courses in a wide range of disciplines related to this special event, including criminology, criminal law, forensic science and creative writing. For more information about studying at Northumbria, go to www.northumbria.ac.uk/courses.

St. James’ Park Invite Mums Over For Tea

By on 11th February 2016in Lifestyle

Mums can be wined, dined and serenaded on their special day, all within sight of Newcastle’s hallowed St James’ Park turf…

Sodexo Prestige Venues & Events, which runs the conference and banqueting facilities at the Newcastle United ground, has organised a special Mother’s Day lunch on Sunday 6th March.

Families can choose either a two or three course table d’hôte meal, prepared by Sodexo’s award-winning team of chefs, followed by a taster tour of the stadium.

Live entertainment will be provided by North East singer Tom Wyllie, and all mums will be given a gift as a memento of their special day.

The Mother’s Day Lunch at St James’ Park is priced at £18.95 per person for three courses, or £15.95 for two, with children aged under 12 dining at half price. Or, for an additional £10 per person, diners can opt for a private executive box overlooking the pitch.

For more information, or to make a reservation, contact St James’s Park on 0191 201 8525 or e-mail candb@nufc.co.uk.

Northumbria Graduate Invited To Exhibit At Prestigious Exhibition

By on 9th February 2016in Entertainment

Artist Joanna Hutton has been invited to exhibit at a prestigious European exhibition less than a year after graduating from Northumbria University, Newcastle…

A graduate of the BxNU Master of Fine Art (MFA) course, delivered in partnership with BALTIC Centre of Contemporary Art, Joanna will exhibit at EVA International – Ireland’s Biennial of Contemporary Art.

Entitled Still (the) Barbarians, the exhibition opens on Saturday 16th April 2016, and has been curated by Koyo Kouoh, the founding artistic director of RAW Material Company, Dakar, and the curator of 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair in London and New York. Artists’ projects were selected through an open and invited call for proposals, and exhibitions will take place at Limerick City Gallery of Art, Cleeve’s Condensed Milk Factory and various locations across Limerick. Since its foundation in 1977, EVA International has worked with some of the world’s leading artists and curators, bringing outstanding exhibitions to audiences on the west coast of Ireland.

Joanna said: “I am thrilled to have been invited to participate in the 2016 edition of EVA International – Ireland’s Biennial titled Still (the) Barbarians. I applied for the opportunity in June straight after completing my MFA at BxNU proposing the work I made for my final show. It is a great opportunity for me to be involved in such a prestigious event, and feel privileged to have been selected.”

Developed in partnership with BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, Northumbria’s two-year MFA course offers ambitious artists the opportunity to participate in a unique postgraduate degree programme, centred on the vibrant and dynamic studio culture of the BxNU Institute of Contemporary Art at BALTIC 39 in Newcastle’s city centre. The institute, directed by the BALTIC Professor and Turner Prize-nominated artist Christine Borland, houses a network of internationally active artists, academics and curators who provide world-class teaching and mentorship in fine art practice and research.

Professor Christine Borland, Turner Prize-nominated artist and Northumbria’s BALTIC professor, teaches on the BxNU MFA. She said: “We are delighted to see alumni from the our first graduating BxNU MFA cohort, Joanna Hutton’s name amongst the stellar list of artists participating in this year’s EVA International.

“Joanna will exhibit her piece from the graduating exhibition ‘Milkilling’ held in the project space at BALTIC 39 last summer. We look forward to following Joanna’s career and we’re sure she will be the first of many of our graduates to go on to international art world acclaim.”

Joanna is currently Associate Fellow at Paper Studio Northumbria, (PSN) a unique facility for the research, teaching and scholarship of paper in relation to fine art, conservation and archiving, as well as for the practice of papermaking.

Northumbria offers a range of courses in the Arts, and was rated in the UK Top 10 for research power in the Research Excellence Framework 2014. For more information about studying Arts courses at Northumbria go to: www.northumbria.ac.uk/arts.

Swedish Magic Stars Join Tyneside Magic Festival Lineup

By on 9th February 2016in Entertainment

Sleight of hand, stand-up and spectacular furniture juggling will all play a part in one of the North East’s most magical events…

The South Tyneside International Magic Festival, organised by South Tyneside Council, returns in March with three public shows at the Customs House, South Shields.

Among the many highlights is an International Gala Performance on Friday March 11th, featuring seven stars from across the UK, Europe and the USA.

This includes unique double act Men in Coats, who have already performed around the world and clocked up more than 20 million hits on YouTube, as well as multi award-winning Malin Nilsson, who was the first woman to be named both Swedish Champion of Magic and Scandinavian Champion of Magic.

They will be joined by American entertainer Chad Long, North East favourite John Archer, mind reader Kennedy and show-stopper Steve Rawlings, whose unusual routines involve juggling Ping-Pong balls with his mouth, furniture juggling and balancing bottles and glasses while simultaneously juggling blazing fire torches.

The show, which is open to all ages, will be compered by comedy magician Danny Buckler, who has toured with Victoria Wood and hosted primetime BBC 1 show, The Secrets of Magic.

Councillor Alan Kerr, Deputy Leader of South Tyneside Council, with responsibility for Culture and Leisure, said: “The Friday night Gala Show has always been one of the South Tyneside International Magic Festival’s most popular events, and this year looks set to be no exception.

“With the aid of John Archer, we have conjured up an amazing line-up, packed full of comedy, tricks and all-round entertainment to amuse and excite audience members of all ages.”

Tickets for the South Tyneside International Magic Festival’s Friday night Gala Show are priced from £13 each and on sale from the Customs House Box Office on www.customshouse.co.uk or 0191 4541234.

Other highlights in the 13th annual festival include a second International Gala Show on Saturday March 12th, a Family Magic Extravaganza, sponsored and programmed by MagicBox on Wednesday March 9th, and a three-day convention exclusively for professional magicians.

More information about the event, supported by the Customs House and BBC Newcastle, can be found at www.southtyneside.gov.uk/magicfestival.

Dance Powerhouse Bring Picasso Paintings To The Stage

By on 2nd February 2016in Entertainment

The UK’s longest established contemporary dance powerhouse, Rambert, are back in Newcastle this year with a brand new show celebrating the dual forces of nature and art…

Thought provoking, visually stunning, and featuring Tyneside-born dancer Adam Park, the new tour is set to blow audiences away at Newcastle Theatre Royal from 2nd to 4th February.

The tour programme features two new pieces – the Picasso-inspired The 3 Dancers, and Frames, which takes audiences into a choreographer’s world, and a third piece, which was one of the huge successes of 2014, The Strange Charm of Mother Nature.

The 3 Dancers is inspired by the tragic love triangle behind Picasso’s masterpiece of the same name. A new work from former Rambert dancer Didy Veldman, it will explore the eternal themes of the painter’s work: love, desire and death. Veldman is an internationally-renowned choreographer, and uses a total of six dancers (three dressed in white, and three as their shadows) to delve into the social, psychological and human elements of Picasso’s work.

Veldman, well known for her theatrical style and earthy choreography, reveals how Cubism can be applied to movement to create the fragmented world which is so characteristic of Picasso’s work. The 3 Dancers features an original score by Australia’s leading composer Elena Kats-Chernin.

Frames is a new work from another Rambert alumni, Alexander Whitley, which lays bare the process of making a dance performance. Twelve performers assemble and dismantle the set, move lighting and change angles, constantly creating new spaces and playing with what’s revealed and what’s hidden in their sequences of highly technical dancing.

This thought-provoking work, which sees dancers create a stage within a stage, is a continuation of Whitley’s collaboration with award-winning visual artists Tuur Van Balen and Revital Cohen, and is accompanied by a new score from Icelandic composer Daníel Bjarnason.

The Strange Charm of Mother Nature, which premiered in September 2014, is inspired by particle physics and the recent discovery of the Higgs Boson ‘God Particle’. Continuing choreographer Mark Baldwin’s fascination with science, which has seen previous pieces inspired by the theories of Einstein and Darwin, the show sees dancers fizz with the energy of the miniscule building blocks that created life, the universe and everything. The work is set to a musical score of Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No.3, Stravinsky’s Dumbarton Oaks, and a new piece by Cheryl Frances-Hoad.

This season, the company once again features 24-year-old North East dancer Adam Park, from Jesmond, who trained at Dame Allan’s and Dance City, and has been in the company for four years.  Adam last performed with Rambert at Newcastle Theatre Royal in 2012 as part of the Seven for a Secret tour.

Rambert appears at Newcastle Theatre Royal from Tuesday 2nd to Thursday 4th February 2016 (evenings: 7.30pm, matinee: Thursday 2pm). Tickets are from £12 (less online), and can be purchased at www.theatreroyal.co.uk or from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 08448 11 21 21 (calls cost 7ppm plus your phone company’s access charge).

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