This attractive album is a delightful surprise, and not one just for clarinet enthusiasts—there is much to savour on this impeccably performed disc that will appeal to anyone who enjoys warmth, elegance and the distinctive voice of the clarinet.

One of the most influential and provocative voices in global comedy is heading back to the UK. Acclaimed comedian, actor, and writer Jim Jefferies has announced the long-awaited UK leg of his brand-new stand-up tour, Son of a Carpenter, coming in November 2025.

Across its 14 tracks, West End Girl explores the collapse and rebuilding of self with remarkable clarity. Songs like Sleepwalking and Ruminating linger in the fog of denial and confusion, while 4Chan Stan reminds us Allen hasn’t lost her sharp-edged humour — it’s sarcastic, pointed, and impeccably timed. Then there’s the title track, glowing with the bittersweet shimmer of a life that once seemed polished from the outside but was fraying underneath.

One senses the vitality throughout this generously filled double album. The textures and emotions are sustained across both discs, whether in the intimate chamber works with pianist Julian Riem or the orchestral repertoire featured in the second half. There is much to savour here, and Riem's accompaniments are never obtrusive—his well-judged restraint perfectly complements the resonant sonorities of Gromes' cello. Riem's refined touch and gorgeous tone prove every bit as engaging as Gromes' playing.

The emotional core of the album lies in its quietest moments — the ones where the band stops winking and just lets the sadness sit. These flashes aren’t sentimental, but they are deeply human. The Donner Party’s greatest trick is how they make bleakness feel gentle. Not comforting, exactly — but familiar. Real. Something already inside you, recognised rather than discovered.

A hundred year old historical oil painting has been re-created outside a Cumbrian Wetherspoons for an exhibition at the Art Gene gallery. Regulars looked on in amusement as three men in period dress sat down at a table outside The Furness Railway in Barrow-In-Furness and started mixing a drink.

A brand-new radical opera aims to address the biggest existential question of our times by drawing on lessons from Yorkshire’s revolutionary past. The acclaimed Yorkshire composer Ben Crick was inspired by true stories from the Industrial Revolution in 1812 to draw striking parallels with the current AI revolution in The Last Machine Breaker, An Opera on Luddites, AI and Revolution.

Opera North has collaborated with Phoenix Dance on four previous opera productions. Each of these has been a delight, but this performance of Handel's Susanna has been my favourite. There's something perfectly operatic about adding another art form into an already dazzling display of orchestral music, singing, acting, costume design, set design, sound, lighting...

Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP) has appointed Dr Alexandra Hodby as Head of Programmes, following her successful interim tenure in the role. Dr Hodby began her early curatorial career at YSP from 2000-2006 but returned with more than 19 years of experience across leading cultural institutions.