What's on in north Northumberland - December 15 - December 22

Stage/Theatre

Tonight

National Theatre LIVE: No Man’s Land. Alnwick Playhouse, 7pm. Following their hit run on Broadway, Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart return to the West End stage in Harold Pinter’s No Man’s Land, broadcast live to cinemas from Wyndham’s Theatre, London. Tickets: premier £16.50, standard £15.50, concs £14.50, child/student £10.

Tomorrow and Saturday

Santa Trap. Alnwick Playhouse, (Tomorrow 4pm, Saturday 11am and 2pm). Bradley Bartleby is bad, so bad that he plans to trap Santa Claus and steal all his presents. Will Bradley succeed in ruining Christmas? With guillotines, tigers and a houseful of dynamite, young audiences will adore this action-packed, funny new musical show. Tickets: standard £12.50, child/student £10.50, under fives £5.50.

Saturday until Thursday

Sleeping Beauty Pantomime. The Maltings, Berwick. Times vary, please check Maltings website. Following the sell-out success of last year’s Little Red Riding Hood, The Maltings Panto is again written and directed by Wendy Payn and produced by the Maltings team. Tickets: Off Peak: Stalls £15.50 (concs £13), circle £17.50, box seat £20, family ticket £50 (four stalls tickets, minimum two children). Peak: Stalls £17.50 (concs £15), circle £19.50, box seat £22, family ticket £60.

Thursday

The Suggestibles’ Impro Pantso. Alnwick Playhouse, 8pm. It’s a panto, but not as we know it. There’s no script, no score and no kids. Be warned, The Suggestibles put the X into Xmas. Tickets: premier £17.50, standard £16.50. Age 18+.

FILMS

Saturday

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Alnwick Playhouse, 7.30pm. The adventures of writer Newt Scamander in New York’s secret community of witches and wizards 70 years before Harry Potter reads his book in school. Tickets: premier £7.80, standard £7.50, concs £7, child/student £5.50, friends £6.75. Certificate (12A).

Sunday

Nocturnal Animals. The Maltings, Berwick, 4.30pm. A successful Los Angeles art gallery owner’s idyllic life is marred by the constant travelling of her handsome second husband. While he is away, she is shaken by the arrival of a manuscript written by her first husband, who she has not seen in years. Tickets: £6.45, concs £5.45, child £3.45 (16 and under). Certificate (15).

Tuesday

Storks. Seahouses Hub, 3pm. Storks deliver babies, or at least they used to. Now, they deliver packages for a global internet retail giant. Junior, the company’s top delivery stork, lands in hot water when the Baby Factory produces an adorable, but unauthorised girl. Tickets: adult £7, concs £6.50, child £4, family (four) £19. Certificate (U).

Tuesday

Doctor Strange. Alnwick Playhouse, 7.30pm. Marvel’s Doctor Strange follows talented neurosurgeon Doctor Stephen Strange, who after a tragic car accident must put ego aside and learn the secrets of a hidden world of mysticism and alternate dimensions. Tickets: premier £7.80, standard £7.50, concs £7, child/student £5.50, friends £6.75. Certificate (12A).

Tuesday

A Street Cat Named Bob. Alnwick Playhouse, 7.30pm. Based on the best selling book. The true feel-good story of how James Bowen, a busker and recovering drug addict, had his life transformed when he met a stray ginger cat. Tickets: premier £7.80, standard £7.50, concs £7, child/student £5.50, friends £6.75. Certificate (12A).

Tuesday and Wednesday

The Light Between Oceans. The Maltings, Berwick. (Tuesday, 7.30pm. Wednesday, 4.30pm). Tom is a World War I veteran who maintains a lighthouse off the shore of Australia with his wife Isabel, a woman desperate to have a baby. Her prayers are answered when an infant washes up on shore. Tickets: £6.45, £5.45 concs, child £3.45 (16 and under). Certificate (12A).

Live Music/dDnce

Tomorrow

Christmas Concert. Eccles Church, 7pm. Featuring Andante Chamber Choir and Swinton Brass Monkeys.

Saturday

Bailiffgate Singers Christmas Concert. Bailiffgate Museum, 7.30pm. Tickets £7, with light refreshments.

Sunday

Yetholm Village Choir. Kelso Old Parish Church, 7.30pm. The 50-strong choir will present its Christmas sequence of seasonal words and music. Also taking part will be the choir’s patron Catherine (Kate) Fish and the Yetholm Colliery Band, under the direction of conductor Geoffrey Emerson. Admission is free, with a retiring collection.

Monday

Northumberland Traditional Music Session. The Railway, Acklington. For more information please contact Jack or Pam Daws on 01665 722835.

Monday

Hicks and Goulbourn. Alnwick Town Hall, Market Square, 7.30pm to 10pm. A charity concert in aid of Alexa’s Animals. Tickets £7, available from Louise at Total Flooring, Alnwick, or call 01665 606939 to book.

Thursday

Evening of Family Music and Carol Singing. Swinton Church, 7pm. Refreshments available.

EVENTS

Today

Berwick URC (St Paul’s) Christmas Coffee Morning. Church hall, 10am to 11.30am, with the usual stalls, tombola etc.

Tonight

Aln Valley Railway Meeting: The Members Entertain. Old Waiting Room, Alnwick Station, at 7.15pm for 7.30pm. Annual buffet, raffle and evening of short presentations from members and guests returns. Members and guests are welcome. Can you make a contribution to the meeting this year?

Tonight

Joy of Jive. Felton Village Hall, 7.30pm. Classes of modern jive continue every other Thursday. Beginners welcome and partners not necessary.

Every Thursday

Hadston Dance Group. Hadston Community Centre, 1pm. A two-hour session, with tea and a biscuit half way through, £1.50 per person. Dance tuition free.

Every Thursday

Berwick Arts Choir. United Reformed Church, Spittal, 7.30pm. A programme of choral music has been planned. Singers in all sections welcome, no audition necessary.

Every Thursday

Gateway drop-in. Shilbottle Community Hall, 10am to 4pm. A free drop-in to meet friends over refreshments, play cards, read newspapers, watch television or use the internet, and in the afternoon join the craft group.

Every Thursday

Learn to dance ballroom and Latin. Every Thursday at Marshall Meadows Country House Hotel, at 7.30pm. £2.50 per person. Call 01289 307953.

Tomorrow until Monday

Special Christmas Event. Parish Church Room, Embleton, 11am to 4pm. Nativity scenes from around the world. Coffee, tea, homemade scones, soup lunches, mince pies and cake. Children welcome to come and make decorations for the Christmas tree. Refreshments in support of Holy Trinity Church and the Children’s Society.

Saturday

SHAK Santa’s Helpers Day. SHAK HQ, Greenwell Road, Alnwick, 10am to 4pm. An open day for you to drop off any Christmas donations.

Every Saturday

Modern and sequence dancing. St Aidan’s Hall, Church Street, Berwick, 8pm to 11pm. Entry £3, includes refreshments.

Saturday and Sunday

Christmas Market. Alnwick Garden, 10.30am to 5pm. Enjoy seasonal singing and live music played by talented performers from the region.

Sunday

Carol Service. Foulden Church, 6.30pm.

Every Wednesday

Berwick Male Voice Choir. Longridge Towers School, 6.45pm to 9pm for rehearsals. New members welcome, no audition necessary.

Every Wednesday

Qi Gong for Health. Costello Centre, Bailiffgate, 2pm. Improve your posture, flexibility and strength. Cost £3.

Until January 2

Skating Rink. Alnwick Garden, 10am to 4pm. The Alnwick Garden will come alive with fun and laughter with its own skating rink. Tickets: £8.50.

WALKS

Sunday

Alnwick Ramblers. Amble/Warkworth circular, 10.30am. Meet at Braid Car park, Amble. If weather is inclement, check with leader Daphne Kelly on 0191 258 6834.

Attractions

All attraction opening times may vary from season to season.

Aln Valley Railway, Alnwick: 0300 030 3311. For opening times and details visit www.alnvalleyrailway.co.uk

Alnwick Castle. Closed for winter.

Alnwick Garden: 01665 511350. Open daily, 10am to 4pm. See www.alnwickgarden.com. Admission £7.70 adults, £5.83 concs, £4.40 children, £21.50 family.

Bailiffgate Museum, Alnwick: 01665 605847. Open Tuesdays to Sundays, 10am to 4pm. Admission £4, £3 concs, £1 children, under fives free.

Bamburgh Castle: 01668 214515. Open weekends, 11am to 4.30pm, last admission 3.30pm. Admission £10.75 adults, £10.50 senior, £5 children, £25 family.

Barter Books, Aln wick Station: 01665 604888. Open daily, 9am to 5pm.

Belford Hidden History Museum. Open daily, 10am to 4pm. Free admission.

Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens: 01661 881636. Open weekends, 10am to 4pm. Admission £8.80 adult, £7.90 concs, £5.20 children, £22.80 family.

Berwick Barracks. Closed for winter.

Chillingham Castle. Closed for winter.

Chillingham Wild Cattle Park: 01668 215250. It is possible to visit the wild cattle by prior arrangement. See www.chillinghamwildcattle.com

Cragside House, Gardens and Estate: 01669 620333. For details of opening times and charges visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cragside

Dunstanburgh Castle: 01665 576231. Open weekends, 10am to 4pm. Admission: £4.70 adult, £4.20 concs, £2.80 children, £12.20 family.

Edlingham Castle: 0870 333 1181. Open any reasonable time during daylight. Admission free.

Etal Castle. Closed for winter.

Eyemouth Museum: Closed for the winter.

Heatherslaw Cornmill. Closed for winter.

Heatherslaw Light Railway. Closed for winter.

Heatherslaw Visitor Centre. Closed for winter.

House of Hardy Fishing Tackle Museum. Willowburn, Alnwick. Telephone 01665 510027. Open Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm. Free entry.

Howick Hall Gardens: Closed until February.

Lady Waterford Hall, Ford: 01890 820338. Winter visits by arrangement. See www.ford-and-etal.co.uk/lady-waterford-hall

Lindisfarne Castle: 01289 389244. The castle is closed for restoration. The Gertrude Jekyll Garden, Lime Kilns and shop remain open daily. See www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lindisfarne-castle

Lindisfarne Centre: 01289 389004. Call for opening times. Admission £4 adult, £3.50 concs, £2 children, £10 family, under fives free. See www.lindisfarne-centre.com

Lindisfarne Priory: 01289 389200. Open weekends, 10am to 4pm. Admission: £6 adult, £5.30 concs, £3.60 children, £15.60 family.

Longframlington Gardens: Autumn/winter opening by request. Welcome all days and times, phone or email to pre-book. 01665 570382 or 07858 757339. Email: [email protected] or see www.longframlingtongardens.co.uk

North Charlton Armstrong Household and Farming Museum. Closed for winter.

Preston Tower, Chathill: 01665 589227. Open daily, 10am to 6pm, or dusk, whichever is earlier. Admission: £2 adult, 50p children, £1.50 concs or groups.

RNLI Grace Darling Museum, Bamburgh: 01668 214910. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm, last entry 3.30pm. Free admission.

Wallington: 01670 773600. House closed for winter. Walled garden open daily, 10am to 4pm. Garden and estate open daily, 10am to dusk. Admission £9.50 adult, £4.80 child, £23 family. See www.nationaltrust.org.uk/wallington

Warkworth Castle and Hermitage: 01665 711423. Castle: Open weekends, 10am to 4pm. Admission £5.80 adult, £5.20 concs, £3.40 children, £15 family. Hermitage: Closed. See www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/warkworth-castle-and-hermitage

Woodhorn Museum and Archives, Ashington: 01670 624455, Queen Elizabeth II Country Park, Ashington: Open Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm. Northumberland Archives: Open Wednesday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm. See www.experiencewoodhorn.com for more information.