Arts Festival: John Shuttleworth to play Picture House
Thursday, 4 December 2014
Legendary singer/organist John Shuttleworth returns to the Picture House on Friday 6 March with a new show promoted by Hebden Bridge Arts Festival.
The man dubbed 'The king of retro and old-school England' originally wanted to tell the audience all about his most memorable weekends in his exciting new show – 'A Wee Ken to Remember'.
But his next-door neighbour and hopeless agent, Ken Worthington, thwarted John's plans messing up the artwork of the show's poster so 'Weekend' has become 'Wee Ken'.
So John now feels now duty-bound to steer the evening towards a reluctant celebration of the diminutive impresario's miserable musical failures in 'A Wee Ken to Remember'.
John has penned new tunes on his trusty Yamaha PPS organ recalling Ken's period as a beatnik in the 60s when he owned a finger monkey, and his legendary appearance on New Faces in '73 when he came last.
The new show features onstage phone calls to Ken and John's long suffering wife Mary, plus musical interludes including 'Two Margarines' and 'I Can't Go Back To Savoury Now', nestling alongside newer ditties – 'Visiting Time', 'Midweek' and the rock 'n' roll footstomper, 'Early Tea'.
Arts Festival Artistic Director Helen Meller said: "Such was the demand for tickets in the summer when he placed the Trades Club we asked John if we could travel up from Sheffield to play the Picture House, and he said yes as he enjoyed being in West Yorkshire so much.
"We often approach acts who would love to play in the main festival, but their schedules don't allow it, so this show is part of an on-going series of events that we are putting on throughout the year when the artists are available."
Tickets for 'A Wee Ken to Remember' at Hebden Bridge Picture House on Friday 6 March 2015 priced £16 & £14 will be sale first at a one off pop box office at Hebden Bridge Town Hall on Saturday 6 December from 12 noon to 3pm. Then tickets are on sale from the Festival website or in person from the Town Hall box office Mondays to Fridays from 10am - 4pm.
Previously, the Festival on the HebWeb
- HebWeb News: Exclusive first public showing of Arts Festival video (24 November 2014)
- HebWeb News: Young arts producers win national awards (20 November 2014)
- HebWeb News: Calder High Students deliver #yourfest (2 July 2014)
- HebWeb News: Streets come alive with Arts Festival (29 June 2014)
- HebWeb News: Win tickets to see George Monbiot (20 June 2014)
- HebWeb News: Michael Morpurgo's 'I Believe in Unicorns' (11 June 2014)
- HebWeb News: John Shuttleworth sells out (6 June 2014)
- HebWeb News: Arts Festival - 2014 programme published (19 May 2014)
- HebWeb News: Arts festival short plays announced. (12 May 2014)
- HebWeb News: Comedian Simon Amstell to play Picture House (8 May2014)
- HebWeb News: The Tiger Lillies play one off show at Hebden Bridge Arts Festival (10 April 2014)
- HebWeb News: Festival seeks new board members (27 March 2014)
- HebWeb News: Meet the Arts Festival team (10 March 2014)
- HebWeb News: Local business invited for a festival cuppa (15 Feb 2014)
- HebWeb News: New look for Arts Festival (31 January 2014)
- HebWeb News: Budding Playwrights Wanted! (20 January 2014)
- HebWeb News: Festival Board thanks Festival volunteers, and the HebWeb (21 July 2013)
- HebWeb News: Latest from the Festival (26 June 2013)
- Arts Festival Website