There’s plenty during the fortnight-long Leeds International Festival to keep you busy. We’ve picked out a few highlights below, but the programme includes a host of intriguing events, exploring the worlds of fashion, technology, art, theatre and more. From a special, hour-long commission in the dark by blind and visually impaired musicians Inner Vision Orchestra (Tue 1 May, 2pm & 7pm, prices vary, www.leedsinternationalfestival.com) to an already sold-out Chinwag at Outlaws with avant-garde artist and Hull export Cosey Fanni Tutti of Throbbing Gristle, there’s literally something for everyone.
Theatre: Red Ladder Theatre’s Damned United (pictured) & Playing the Joker
In the new-for-this-year Leeds International Festival Spielgeltent in Millennium Square, Red Ladder Theatre Company (‘Britain’s leading radical theatre company’) performs two plays up close and personal, and both followed by a Q&A with the cast – The Damned United, about Brian Clough’s disastrous 44 days as manager of Leeds United, and Playing The Joker, about Dewsbury-born rugby league commentator Eddie Waring.
Mon 30 Apr (The Damned United) & Thu 3 May (Playing the Joker), Leeds International Festival Spiegeltent, Millennium Square, Leeds, LS2 3AD; The Damned United, 8pm, £15, www.leedsinternationalfestival.com; Playing the Joker, 8pm, £5, www.leedsinternationalfestival.com
Fashion talks with Vogue’s Claudia Croft and Lulu Kennedy
Hear Vogue Fashion Features Director Claudia Croft talk about the Marks & Spencer archive at The Fashion Space on Thursday 3 May (5.15pm, £5, www.leedsinternationalfestival.com), or keep your gladrags pristine for the Fashion After Party the next evening (Fri 4 May), preceded by a panel discussion with Fashion East designers Matty Bovan, Per Götesson, Mimi Wade and ART SCHOOL – all headed up by the talent incubator’s founder, and the tour de force behind the likes of House of Holland, Roksanda Ilincic etc, Lulu Kennedy.
Fri 4 May, Leeds International Festival Spiegeltent, Millennium Square, Leeds, LS2 3AD, 4.15pm, £10, www.leedsinternationalfestival.com
Technology events: Empowering Women all-dayer & robot sex dolls…
If you’re not worn out after all Dr Kate Devlin’s talk about robot sex dolls (complete with a screening of Lars and The Real Girl at Hyde Picture House, Tue 1 May, 6pm, £10, www.leedsinternationalfestival.com ) earlier in the week, check out the Empowering Women with Science & Tech all-dayer on Thursday 3 May, a conference featuring female role models in the STEM world including Sarah Beeny, founder of Tepilo, nanochemist Dr Suze Kundu and neuroscientist Dr Sophie Scott. Last year, radio’s Lauren Laverne chaired the live panel; this year, it’s TV’s June Sarpong MBE.
Thu 3 May, New Dock Hall, Leeds Dock, The Boulevard, Leeds, Ls10 1PZ, Tel: 0113 243 0111,
10am-6pm, £30-60 (+ booking fee), www.leedsinternationalfestival.com
Sat 28 Apr – Sat 12 May, various venues, Leeds, times and prices vary, leedsinternationalfestival.com
- Words:
- Sarah-Clare Conlon
- Published on:
- Thu 10 May 2018
