What's on in north Northumberland - February 4 - February 11

Stage/Theatre

Today until Saturday

Emergency Services Panto Group presents A Blast From The Past. The Maltings, Berwick, 7.30pm. Time is slowing down in Berwick, and there’s only one man that can save us. Lucky he’s a time lord. Join the Doctor and his companion on a fast-paced journey through pantos of the past as they race to save Berwick while celebratthe panto group’s 20th anniversary. As always, proceeds go to HospiceCare North Northumberland. Tickets: £8, concessions £7, box for two £24. To book, call 01289 330999.

Today until Saturday

The Wizard of Odd. Community Village Hall, Felton. Felton and Thirston Pantomime Society’s next production is a spin on the 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L Frank Baum, including added local interpretation, songs and dance routines. Tickets: £6, children under 11 £3, family tickets £15. Available from Hillrise Stores, Gallery45, Hair Naturelle, and also from Grace Aynsley on 01670 787283 or by email to [email protected]

Thursday, February 11

Jugé Productions presents Muse. The Cheviot Centre, Wooler, 7.30pm. This cabaret evening seeks to recreate the nightlife of 1930s Berlin. It tells the story of Jean Ross, said to be the inspiration for Christopher Isherwood’s Sally Bowles character in Cabaret. Tickets: £10,£9 for concessions, including a first drink. Table nibbles can be bought too. For details, call the centre on 01668 282406 or go to www.highlightsnorth.co.uk

Films

Saturday

The Good Dinosaur. Alnwick Playhouse, 2pm. What if dinosaurs had never become extinct? In an epic journey into their world, an apatosaurus called Arlo makes an unlikely human friend who helps him learn to control his fears. Tickets: £7.80 or £7.50, concessions £7, child or student £5.50, friends £6.75. Certificate (PG).

Saturday

Bridge of Spies. Seahouses Hub, 6pm. During the Cold War, the Soviet Union captures US pilot Francis Gary Powers after shooting down his U-2 spy plane. Sentenced to 10 years in prison, Powers’ only hope is New York lawyer James Donovan, recruited by a CIA operative to negotiate his release. Donovan boards a plane to Berlin, hoping to win the young man’s freedom through a prisoner exchange. If all goes well, the Russians would get Rudolf Abel, a convicted spy from Cullercoats previously defended in court by Donovan, in exchange. Tickets: £7, concessions £6.50, child £4, family £19. Certificate (12A).

Saturday and Tuesday

The Danish Girl. Alnwick Playhouse, 7.30pm. Biographical drama about the love story of artists Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener, and Lili’s ground-breaking journey as a transgender pioneer. Tickets: £7.80 or £7.50, concessions £7, child or student £5.50, friends £6.75. Certificate (15).

Wednesday

Brooklyn. Alnwick Playhouse, 7.30pm. When an Irish immigrant lands in 1950s Brooklyn, she quickly falls into a new romance but her past catches up with her and she must choose between two countries. It stars Saoirse Ronan, Emory Cohen, Domhnall Gleeson, Jim Broadbent and Julie Walters. Tickets: £7.80 or £7.50, concessions £7, child or student £5.50, friends £6.75. Certificate (15).

Thursday, February 11

Joy. Alnwick Playhouse, 7.30pm. The true story of Joy Mangano, played by Jennifer Lawrence, and her Italian-American family across four generations and her rise to become founder and matriarch of a powerful family business dynasty. Tickets: £7.80 or £7.50, concessions £7, child or student £5.50, friends £6.75. Certificate (12A).

Live Music/Dance

Tonight

Royal Opera House Live: La Traviata. Alnwick Playhouse, 6.45pm. La Traviata is regarded as one of Giuseppe Verdi’s finest operas, and Richard Eyre’s traditional staging is one of the Royal Opera’s most popular productions. It tells the story of the Parisian courtesan Violetta Valéry, one of opera’s greatest heroines, based on the real-life prostitute Marie Duplessis, who died in 1847 aged just 23. Tickets: £16 or £15, child or student £10.

Tomorrow

Fairport Convention. Alnwick Playhouse, 7.30pm. The originators of British folk-rock music return to Alnwick. Founder member Simon Nicol is accompanied these days by Dave Pegg, Ric Sanders, Gerry Conway and Chris Leslie. Tickets: premier £21.50, standard £20.50.

Tuesday

Pupils of the Yehudi Menuhin School. The Maltings, Berwick, 7pm. Surrey’s Yehudi Menuhin School has added the Maltings to its annual concert tour of Scotland. Talented young musicians from the world-famous specialist music school, for pupils aged seven to 19, will perform a varied programme of piano solos and other chamber music before travelling on to New Lanark, Edinburgh and Blair Atholl. Tickets: £12.50, £10 for concessions, £11 for over-60s, children free.

Events

Every Thursday

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

Every Thursday

French reading group. Costello Centre, Bailiffgate, 7.30pm. Members read a short novel, translate a chapter or two, have a coffee and a chat, followed by some word games, quizzes or a song. There are about 16 people present, with various levels of fluency and understanding. There are no charges, apart from one small termly fee for the use of the room. For more information, contact Monique on 01665 830898.

Today and tomorrow

Wylam Winter Tales Festival. Wylam Institute, Wylam. Wylam Winter Tales Festival is filled with a range of arts events to help brighten things up at the darkest time of the year. Until tomorrow, it will be an oasis of creativity and fun in the doldrums after Christmas and the lull before the spring. With something for all ages in a range of different venues, you can take your pick from storytelling, music, poetry, film, craft, literature, and local history. Ticket prices range from £3 to £8, with some free events.

Sunday

UK comics boxing: Fight For Kian. Bolam Park, Blyth, 5pm-10pm. Some 20 comedians will compete in 10 bouts of amateur boxing for this carnival event. Rhod Gilbert will present. Profits, as well as individual sponsorship collected by the fighters, will be donated to Kian Musgrove’s treatment fund, to help the three-year old from Newcastle to raise £555,000 for lifesaving cancer treatment in the US. Tickets: single (ringside) £20, single (tabled seating) £30, family (table of 12) £300.

Every Friday

Coffee morning. You can enjoy a cup of rich coffee and tasty biscuits and do your bit for the lifeboats every Friday morning at Alnwick Playhouse. Coffee is served from 10am, upstairs in the bar.

Tomorrow

Pilates. Keep fit for the over-60s at Lesbury Village Hall. 11am for one hour. Four sessions on February 5, 12, 19 and 26. £16 per person for four sessions. Mats and equipment provided. Contact 830531, 07906 146163 or [email protected] or sign up at Lesbury Post Office.

Tomorrow

Where is the Line? Poetry workshop. Berwick Library, 10.30am-12.30pm. The workshop is part of a project to raise the profile of the Northern Poetry Library in Morpeth.

Sunday

The North East of England and Scottish Borders Begonia Society. The group’s first meeting of the year takes place on Sunday, February 7. It meets at Dinnington Village Annex, on the first Sunday of the month from 2pm to 4pm.

Until Sunday

Our Streets. Bailiffgate Museum, Alnwick, 10am to 4pm. A celebration of a three-year programme of community activity in the area involving schools, streets and community groups, all subsidised by the Heritage Lottery Fund. The output on show includes films, books and artworks, plus oral history contributed by Alnwick district residents. Free with museum entry.

Thursday, February 11

World Wide Wrestling League. Jubilee Centre, Berwick. 6.30pm, bell 7pm. Line-up includes former Total Nonstop Action Wrestling star Grado, alias Ayrshire’s Graeme Stevely. W3L tag team champions the Contingency Plan will be pitting themselves against the team of Nathan Reynolds and Mike Musso in some hard-hitting tag team action. Wrestling fans won’t want to miss the W3L women’s champion, Leah Owens, in action. Tickets: £10, family of four £35, available at www.W3Lwrestling.com, Jubilee Centre and Grieve’s Stationers.

Until March 3

Winter 2016 mixed open exhibition. Gallery 45, Felton. A range of subjects and media from artists, including Sarah O’Dowd, Nick Potter, Malcolm Coils, Angela White, Jina Gelder and Emily Ward will be on display.

Until March 6

The Ashington District Star. Woodhorn Museum and Northumberland Archives, Ashington. Inspired by the Ashington artists’ group known as the Pitmen Painters, photographic artist Julian Germain has embarked on a two-year collaboration with local people to produce a newspaper, the Ashington District Star. The exhibition incorporates the original paintings and maps the process involved in developing a new collection of photographs of contemporary Ashington. Free. Parking charge of £3.50 applies.

Until June 29

Cragend Grange course in dining. Cragend Grange, Cragend Farm, Rothbury. £45. Sit back, relax and enjoy a demonstration of cooking using seasonal and local ingredients. Includes three courses and a glass of wine. Gift vouchers and special date group bookings. For details, go to www.cragendfarm.co.uk

Until October 31

Stick Man trail. Kielder Castle. Free admission. The Stickman trail is based on the much-loved book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler, and it follows the success of the attraction’s Gruffalo trail, based on another book by the pair. It starts at Kielder Castle, where families can pick up an activity pack, follow the trail and complete fun activities along the way. Actvity packs are available for £3 from the on-site cafe, open from 10am to 4pm. Parking £4.50 all day or £1.50 for one hour.

Attractions

All attraction opening times may vary during the winter season.

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

Alnwick Castle: 01665 511100. Alnwick Castle is now closed until March. For further information, visit the website www.alnwickcastle.com

Alnwick Garden: 01665 511350. Go to www.alnwickgarden.com for winter opening hours. Prices are £7.70 for adults, £5.83 concessions, £4.40 children, £21.50 for a family.

Bailiffgate Museum, Alnwick: 01665 605847. Open Tuesdays to Sundays, from 10am to 4pm but closed on Mondays. Admission is £4, £3 concessions, £1 child, under-fives free.

Bamburgh Castle: 01668 214515. Open daily, from 10am to 5pm, last admission 4pm. Call for winter opening hours. Admission £10.50, £5 child, £10 senior, £25 family.

Barter Books, Alnwick Station: 01665 604888. Open daily, from 9am to 5pm.

Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens: 01661 881636. Open daily, from 10am to 6pm. Admission £9.20, £8.30 concessions, £5.50 child, £23.90 family.

Berwick Barracks: 01289 304493. Open Monday to Friday, from 10am to 6pm. Closed Saturday and Sunday. Admission £4.80, £4.30 concessions, £2.90 child, £12.50 family.

Chillingham Wild Cattle Park: 01668 215250. Open Monday to Friday: Tours at 10am, 11am, noon, 2pm, 3pm, 4pm. Sundays: Tours at 10am, 11am, noon. Closed Saturday. Admission £8, £6 concessions, £3 child, £16 family.

Cragside House, Gardens and Estate: Open again on Saturday, February 13.

Dunstanburgh Castle: 01665 576231. Open daily, from 10am to 6pm. Gift aid admission: £4.90, £4.40 concessions, £2.90 child, £12.70 family.

Edlingham Castle: 0870 333 1181. Open during daylight hours. Free admission.

Etal Castle: 01890 820332. Open daily, from 10am to 6pm. Gift aid admission: £4.80, £4.30 concessions, £2.90 child, £12.50 family.

Heatherslaw Cornmill: 01890 820488. Open daily, from 10am to 5pm. Admission £3.80, £3.20 concessions, £10 family, under-fives free.

Heatherslaw Light Railway: 01890 820244. Open daily, from 10am to 4pm, first train at 11am. Return journey prices: £6.50, £6 seniors, £4.50 child, £2.50 under-fives, babies free.

Heatherslaw Visitor Centre: 01890 820338. Open daily, from 10am to 5pm.

Howick Hall Gardens: 01665 577285. Open daily, from 10.30am to 6pm, last entry 5pm. Gift aid entry: £7.70, over-60s £6.60, children free. Closed until February.

Lady Waterford Hall, Ford: 01890 820338. Open daily, from 11am to 5pm. Admission £3, £2.70 concessions, £8 family, under-fives free.

Lindisfarne Castle: 01289 389244. Call for opening times. Gift aid admission: £7.80, child £3.90, family £19.40.

Lindisfarne Centre: 01289 389004. Call for opening times. Admission £4, £3.50 concessions, £2 child, £10 family, under-fives free.

Lindisfarne Priory: 01289 389200. Open daily, from 10am to 6pm. Gift aid admission: £6.20, £5.60 concessionss, £3.70 child, £16.10 family.

Longframlington Gardens, Swarland Road: 01665 570382. Winter season at the gardens and arboretum. For details, including opening times, visit www.longframlingtongardens.co.uk

Preston Tower, Chathill: 01665 589227. Open daily, from 10am to 6pm, or dusk, whichever is earlier. Admission £2.50 child, £1.50 concessions or groups.

RNLI Grace Darling Museum, Bamburgh: 01668 214910. Open daily, from 10am to 5pm, last entry 4.15pm. Free admission.

Wallington: 01670 773600. Stately home near Cambo: Open Thursday to Monday, and Wednesday, from noon to 5pm. Closed Tuesday. Walled garden: Open daily, from 10am to 7pm. Garden and estate: Open daily, from 10am to dusk. Gift aid entry: £12.60, child £6.30, family £31.50.

Warkworth Castle and Hermitage: 01665 711423. Castle: Open daily, from 10am to 6pm (times may vary through the winter). Gift aid entry: £6, £5.40 concessions, £3.60 child, £15.60 family. Hermitage: Open on Sunday and Monday only, from 11am to 4pm. Admission £4, £3.60 concessionss, £2.40 child, £10.40 family.

Woodhorn Museum and Archives, Ashington: 01670 624455, Queen Elizabeth II Country Park: Open Wednesday to Sunday, from 10am to 5pm. Northumberland Archives: Open Wednesday to Saturday, from 10am to 4pm.