A powerful love story set in a divided world
Based on the best-selling novel by Malorie Blackman, Noughts and Crosses returns to Sheffield in this gripping stage adaptation by Sabrina Mahfouz, directed by Esther Richardson.

Set in a society rigidly divided by race and power, this modern-day Romeo and Juliet tells the story of two young people caught on opposite sides of an unjust system.
The story
Sephy and Callum have grown up together. They sit side by side on a beach, bound by friendship — and something deeper.

But Sephy is a Cross, born into privilege.

Callum is a Nought, living under systemic oppression.

Their love is forbidden.

As political tensions escalate and violence erupts, their relationship is pushed to breaking point. What begins as an intimate coming-of-age story becomes a searing exploration of identity, resistance, and the cost of love in a world built on division.
Why this production matters
A bold, contemporary retelling of a modern literary classic
Explores racism, power, protest and young love with urgency and compassion
Widely praised for engaging teenage and adult audiences alike
A finalist for Best Show for Children and Young People at the UK Theatre Awards
Reviews
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ – The Observer
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ – The Stage
“A dynamic, powerful, compelling show whatever your age.” – British Theatre Guide
Audience information
Age guidance: 12+
Running time: approx. 2 hours 10 minutes (including interval)
Accessible performances available

🎟 Tickets & full details:
https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/events/noughts-and-crosses

Event details

Park Hill has been a visible landmark on the Sheffield skyline for over 60 years. It is considered of international importance due to being the first built example of external access decks (known as Streets in the Sky) and was awarded Grade II* listing in 1998. There followed a regeneration scheme, the first phase being shortlisted for the Stirling prize for architecture in 2013, which continues today. It is also culturally prominent, having featured in film, tv, music, artworks and on stage.

Join a resident-led 90 minute tour to walk the Streets in the Sky. Your guide will take you through the history of Park Hill, exploring the inspirations behind its design as well as its architectural concepts and distinctive details. Along the way, you’ll hear about the people who played a part in its story and gain insight into what life here is like today. There will also be an opportunity to see inside a renovated flat.  A spring or summer visit is the perfect time to see our gardens in bloom and to take in the spectacular views over the city and into the countryside beyond.

Visit www.parkhilltours.com for full details and to book your place.

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What is Henny Penny: A Children’s Opera?
Henny Penny: A Children’s Opera is a world-first live staging of new opera and song created for and with children, presented at the Playhouse as part of the Sheffield Chamber Music Festival.

The centrepiece is Henny Penny, a charming operatic retelling of the well-known folk tale in which a young chicken believes the sky is falling after an acorn lands on its head. The story is playful, imaginative, and perfectly pitched for younger audiences encountering opera for the first time.
Who created and performs the opera?
The opera is written by Julian Phillips, the acclaimed composer and Glyndebourne Opera’s first-ever Composer-in-Residence.

The performance features:
Claire Booth
Ensemble 360
A choir made up of children from Sheffield primary schools, performing alongside professional musicians
This collaborative approach places young voices at the heart of the production.
What else is included in the programme?
Alongside Henny Penny (20 minutes), the concert also includes an assorted song cycle (around 30 minutes), featuring original songs created by children as part of a Music in the Round composition project in Sheffield schools.

These songs receive their public premieres at this performance, making the event a genuine celebration of creativity by Sheffield’s youngest musicians.
Why is this event special?
This concert offers children and families a rare chance to experience opera in a way that is:
Accessible
Engaging
Made with young people, not just for them
Audience feedback from a previous children’s opera project described the experience as “really amazing, innovative and inspiring”, highlighting the emotional impact of seeing professionals and children perform together.
Who is this event for?
This event is ideal for:
Families with young children
Primary-school-age audiences
First-time opera-goers
Anyone looking for family-friendly things to do in Sheffield

🎟 Tickets and full event details:
https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/events/henny-penny-a-childrens-opera

Event details

What is Justin Live – Justin Time to Rock!?
Justin Live – Justin Time to Rock! is a brand-new, high-energy live theatre show starring Justin Fletcher, one of the UK’s most popular children’s entertainers.

Packed with music, dancing and laughter, this feel-good family show brings Justin back to the stage in a fun-filled adventure designed especially for young audiences.
What happens in the show?
When DJ Engelbert — the coolest canine in the dog-house — launches a contest to find the best rock song in all the land, Justin and his band Justin Time to Rock! are determined to win.

But there’s trouble ahead. Can Justin get his song to DJ Engy in time, or will the sneaky Rock Lord and his sidekick Vulture steal the spotlight?

The story unfolds through lively songs, interactive moments and plenty of audience participation, keeping children fully engaged from start to finish.
What songs will children recognise?
The show features a mix of:
Classic favourites like The Hokey Cokey, Music Man and Hands Up
Brand-new songs written especially for the show by Justin and his team
The result is a joyful, upbeat performance that encourages everyone to sing, clap and dance along.
Why is this show so popular?
Justin Fletcher is best known as the BAFTA Award-winning star of Something Special, Justin’s House, Gigglebiz and Gigglequiz. His live shows are carefully designed to be:
Inclusive and accessible for young children
Fast-paced, colourful and interactive
Enjoyable for parents and carers too
This makes Justin Live – Justin Time to Rock! a trusted choice for families looking for quality children’s theatre.
Who is this event for?
This show is ideal for:
Toddlers and young children (ages 2+)
Families and carers
First-time theatre-goers
Anyone looking for fun, family-friendly things to do in Sheffield

🎟 Tickets and full event details:
https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/events/justin-time-to-rock-2026

Event details

Park Hill has been a visible landmark on the Sheffield skyline for over 60 years. It is considered of international importance due to being the first built example of external access decks (known as Streets in the Sky) and was awarded Grade II* listing in 1998. There followed a regeneration scheme, the first phase being shortlisted for the Stirling prize for architecture in 2013, which continues today. It is also culturally prominent, having featured in film, tv, music, artworks and on stage.

Join a resident-led 90 minute tour to walk the Streets in the Sky. Your guide will take you through the history of Park Hill, exploring the inspirations behind its design as well as its architectural concepts and distinctive details.  Along the way, you’ll hear about the people who played a part in its story and gain insight into what life here is like today. There will also be an opportunity to see inside a renovated flat.  A spring or summer visit is the perfect time to see our gardens in bloom and to take in the spectacular views over the city and into the countryside beyond.

Visit www.parkhilltours.com for full details and to book your place.

Event details

Event details

What is Four Last Songs?
Four Last Songs is the closing evening concert of the festival at the Playhouse, centred on one of the most moving works in the classical repertoire: Richard Strauss’s Four Last Songs.

Often described as “a swansong of sublime beauty” (Classic FM), the work reflects on life, love, and farewell, combining radiant orchestral colour with deeply expressive vocal writing.
Who is performing?
The concert features soprano Claire Booth, alongside Ensemble 360, whose long-standing relationship with Sheffield audiences makes them an ideal pairing for this reflective final programme.
What music will be performed?
The programme brings together richly lyrical works from the late Romantic tradition, including:
Richard Strauss – Sextet from Capriccio
Josephine Stephenson Sargen – New work
Jean Sibelius – En Saga (original septet version)
Richard Wagner – Siegfried Idyll
Strauss (arr. Ledger) – Four Last Songs
Together, these pieces create a warm, expansive programme shaped by melody, atmosphere, and emotional depth.
Why is this concert special?
As a festival finale, Four Last Songs offers a sense of culmination and reflection. Sibelius’s En Saga brings fairy-tale imagination, Wagner’s Siegfried Idyll offers intimate lyricism, and Strauss’s Four Last Songs provides a profoundly moving conclusion — music that feels both personal and universal.

The evening closes not only a concert, but a musical journey through song, storytelling, and late-Romantic expression.
Who is this event for?
This concert will appeal to:
Fans of late-Romantic and lyrical classical music
Listeners drawn to vocal masterpieces
Regular concertgoers and festival audiences
Anyone seeking a memorable evening of things to do in Sheffield

🍷 Post-concert drinks
Friends of Music in the Round are invited to join performers and guests for drinks after the final concert.

🎟 Tickets and full event details:
https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/events/four-last-songs

Event details

What is The Queen Story?
The Queen Story is a large-scale live tribute show celebrating the music, legacy and live spectacle of Queen — one of the most iconic rock bands of all time.

This two-hour-plus production tells the story of Queen across the decades, from their early 1970s performances through to the huge stadium shows of the 1980s, culminating in a recreation of their legendary Live Aid appearance.
What can audiences expect?
The show combines:
Powerful live musicianship
Authentic costumes inspired by Queen’s most famous eras
A narrative journey through the band’s history
The performance recreates the sound, look and energy of Queen at their peak, with a strong focus on capturing the excitement of their live shows rather than simply copying recordings.
Which songs are included?
Audiences can expect to hear many of Queen’s greatest hits, including:
Killer Queen
Somebody to Love
Radio Ga Ga
Bohemian Rhapsody
The setlist is designed to appeal to lifelong fans as well as younger audiences discovering Queen’s music for the first time.
Why is this show special?
Rather than a standard tribute concert, The Queen Story presents Queen’s music as a full theatrical experience — charting the band’s evolution, sound and stagecraft. With its Live Aid finale and stadium-scale ambition, it’s a high-energy night out that blends rock concert with storytelling.
Who is this event for?
This show will appeal to:
Queen fans of all ages
Families looking for a lively evening out
Rock and live music lovers
Anyone searching for crowd-pleasing things to do in Sheffield

🎟 Tickets and full event details:
https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/events/the-queen-story

Event details

Carrie Martin is no stranger to Sheffield, but May brings her to the stage of The Lantern Theatre for the first time!

While this more then accomplished folkie has performed with the likes of Gordon Giltrap and Oliver Wakeman, and attracted alumni from Fairport Convention, Steely Dan and Heart to her recordings, she is quite happy as a solo artist accompanying herself on stage with guitar or dulcimer. Carrie's remarkable voice shines above her intricate guitar parts.

Expect an evening of gentle warmth, with exquisitely played intimate songs that call to the soul.

The evening will be opened with a set from local artist Jon Cocker.

This is one of a series of events organised by RoughDraftAudio, promoting live music in Sheffield. If you'd like to find out more about other events, sign up to the newsletter at https://www.roughdraftaudio.com/music/signup.htm 

Carrie Martin
Carrie is a true born and bred Yorkshire lass, born in Hull. She first picked up a guitar at the age of four and made her first public performance at the tender age of nine, playing at a school concert, later in clubs alongside her father, who worked the circuit as a guitarist and vocalist.

In her teens, she made a name for herself locally, with her songs played on local radio and performing live. By the end of her teens, she changed tack, inspired by the Bangles, Transvision Vamp and Ann Wilson from Heart, dropping the guitar in favour of a ‘rock chick’ makeover and fronting bands as a singer. Her first band was named Foreign Affair, which may well be one of the most ‘eighties’ names for a band ever conceived!

After marrying, she had twin boys and abandoned the guitar to the loft, where it gathered dust for two decades.

In 2011 she attended a Gordon Giltrap concert only to be invited to step in as support act when the opening act backed out. Encouraged enormously by Gordon, she played and sang a short set of cover versions, and even accompanied him at one point. From this, and with Gordon’s support, a new musical career started to take shape. She quite soon put out her first release, a seven-track EP entitled “Luna”, which gathered some favourable attention, including from Giltrap. He became her chief mentor and close friend. Carrie puts a great deal of the success she has had down to his friendship and unflagging support.

2014 saw the release of her first full album, “What If”, on which she was joined as guest musicians by not only Gordon but also Oliver Wakeman (son of Rick) and Ric Sanders from Fairport Convention.

She also became an endorser of Vintage / JHS guitars, her instrument of choice for some years and a source of constant support. She has also become the proud owner of a beautiful Fylde guitar, crafted by the great guitar-maker Roger Bucknall.

“Seductive Sky” was the next release in 2018. This time the sound was much richer, with a full band treatment on several of its tracks, once again there were guest players, Gordon Giltrap MBE, Oliver Wakeman, and Elliott Randall.

The album demonstrates a quantum leap in terms of the subtlety and craftsmanship of her songwriting, both musically and lyrically.

“Entity” followed “Seductive Sky” in 2020, recorded partly by Mikey Scott. Carrie’s own son Ben, having only just finished his degree in sound engineering, stepped up to finish recording the last bits of the album after the pandemic took hold. Mixed and mastered by Wayne Proctor of ‘House of Tone’ it once again saw Oliver Wakeman and Gordon Giltrap guesting with the addition of ex Bad Company guitarist Dave Colwell on two of the tracks. It gained great reviews and airplay.

“Evergreen” followed three years later and managed to be Carrie’s most eclectic and varied collection yet, featuring tracks ranging from the delicate folk of ‘Lost In The Right Time’, through the soul-blues of ‘Deep Blue Heaven’ and the poppier ‘Girl With A Feather’, all the way to the prog-rock influences displayed on the ambitious eight-minute ‘Keep In The Light’.

“Phenomenal”
Rick Wakeman CBE

“Martin is equally skilled on guitar, on vocals and as writer. The voice is distinctive - the crystalline purity and range of a Kate Bush, the depth and delicacy of a Sandy Denny. And the songs to which she applies them stand up with any of her peers. The chord sequence f the title track evokes Joni Micthell’s Hejira album.”
Trevor Raggatt, RnR Magazine.

“It’s pretty obvious from the moment you hear Carrie Martin sing that she is an outstanding vocalist with passion in each breath. Don't be too sidetracked by that voice and stage persona and well-crafted songs, because you might just miss the fact that she is a fine guitar player as well!”
Gordon Giltrap

https://www.carriemartin.co.uk/ 
https://carriemartin1.bandcamp.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/carriemartin259 
https://www.instagram.com/carriemartinmusic/ 

Jon Cocker
Jon plays a warm, full-sounding blend of alternative/folk acoustic music. He grew up in Sheffield (UK) and played in bands in Leeds and Norwich, inspired by artists such as The Allman Brothers. He uses his band experience to combine a full guitar sound with insightful, emotive vocals, playing at festivals such as Wild Paths in Norwich alongside the likes of José González. Performing regularly in Leeds, Sheffield and surrounding areas, his debut EP was likened to Nick Drake, Neil Young, and Jeff Buckley, and captures all the emotion possible in this age of time pressures and distraction. His second album, ‘Two’, expands on this, with a slightly more uplifting edge. Jon balances thoughtful nature-inspired vocals with his Sheffield city roots, to produce a subtle yet euphoric sound appreciated at gigs across the UK.

"Jon Cocker is an authentic … Cocker’s got some of Young’s twang and a touch of Buckley’s rare vibrating sustain. Sparse production is all that’s needed to aid in the illumination of this brilliant performance. Cocker effectively captures their aura in song."
The Wild Is Calling

”Cocker’s excellent acoustic guitar playing, freewheeling sense for melody, soulful vocals, and intimate recordings on not only “Green Blue” but his entire self-titled EP make it easy to draw comparison between him and Nick Drake. As he sings “All my love fades to grey”, you feel the muted reality of heartache: no spectacle, just a lingering lack of colour."
COUNTERZINE

"This musician from the United Kingdom has definitely deserved your attention. Especially if you want to spend some little time for your summertime sadness. His voice sounds so alive. As a contrast for modern autotune addiction, these waves go through the ears right into my heart." FAETON MUSIC

https://www.joncocker.com/ 
https://joncocker.bandcamp.com 
https://www.facebook.com/joncockermusic/ 
https://www.instagram.com/joncocker/ 
https://www.joncocker.com/stream

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