News.
December at Leeds Heritage Theatres & Leeds on Film
2nd December 2024
Christmas is just around the corner. Warm up the cold winter nights with some of the many treats on offer throughout December at Leeds Heritage Theatres. Add a sprinkle of magic to your Christmas with Northern Ballet’s A Christmas Carol at The Grand, celebrate the festive season with our not-so-traditional Rock ‘n’ Roll Panto, Jack and the Beanstalk, at City Varieties, or celebrate 110 years of Hyde Park Picture House with a screening of fascinating archive film.
With a range of exciting shows now on sale for 2025, including the epic musical Miss Saigon and a new adaptation of the much-loved classic Little Women, give the gift of theatre this Christmas. Our vouchers and membership packages are perfect presents for first-time visitors or avid theatre and cinema lovers of all ages.
With plenty of festive cheer and feel-good fun, we promise everyone a Christmas to remember at Leeds Heritage Theatres.
RECENTLY ANNOUNCED SHOWS AT LEEDS GRAND THEATRE FOR 2025:
Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women: Tue 10 – Sat 14 June 2025
In Anne-Marie Casey’s masterful new adaptation of Little Women, step into the world of sisterhood, courage, and ambition, as the March sisters – tomboy Jo, beautiful Meg, sensitive Beth, and spoilt Amy – navigate the challenges of the American Civil War era, forging unbreakable bonds of love and family.
Miss Saigon: Tue 2 – Sat 13 December 2025
Michael Harrison in association with Cameron Mackintosh presents a new production of Miss Saigon as Boublil and Schönberg’s legendary musical is reborn. The soaring score features original hit songs including The Heat is On in Saigon, The Movie in My Mind, Last Night of the World, and The American Dream.
Here & Now: The Steps Musical: Tue 5 – Sun 10 May 2026
Happiness is only a heartbeat away with this hilarious and heart-warming new musical based on the songs of the pop phenomenon Steps. Set in a seaside superstore, Here & Now includes the iconic hits Stomp, 5,6,7,8, Last Thing on My Mind and many more.
A SELECTION OF SHOWS AT LEEDS GRAND THEATRE IN DECEMBER 2024:
Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers: Tue 3 – Sat 7 December
With the superb songs Bright New Day, Marilyn Monroe, Easy Terms and the emotionally charged hit Tell Me It’s Not True, the legendary Blood Brothers tells the captivating and moving tale of twins who, separated at birth, grow up on opposite sides of the tracks, only to meet again with fateful consequences.
Simon Reeve: To The Ends of The Earth: Mon 9 December
Simon is an author, TV presenter, and one of the world’s most adventurous travellers. His journeys have taken him to more than 130 countries, across jungles, deserts, mountains and oceans, and to some of the world’s most beautiful, dangerous and remote regions. Now he’s returning to venues across the UK with new tales in his latest tour To The Ends Of The Earth.
Man In The Mirror: A Tribute to Michael Jackson: Tue 10 December
Join us for a Thriller of an evening, as we celebrate the legendary music of the King of Pop.
This is Man in the Mirror – the brand-new, must-see, electrifying tribute concert to Michael Jackson.
Step Into Christmas: Wed 11 December
This Christmas feel-good show brings all the magic of the season to life, with all your favourite songs, including All I Want for Christmas Is You, Last Christmas, Jingle Bell Rock, Stay Another Day, Let it Snow, White Christmas, Do They Know It’s Christmas, A Winter’s Tale and Merry Xmas Everybody.
Opera North presents Home Alone in Concert: Fri 13 December
A true holiday favourite, this beloved comedy classic features renowned composer John Williams’ charming and delightful score performed live to picture by the Orchestra and Chorus of Opera North.
Leigh Francis In Conversation: Sat 14 December
Get ready for a night of laughter, stories, and unforgettable memories as Leigh Francis – actor, television presenter and the comedic genius behind characters like Keith Lemon and Bo’ Selecta, returns to the stage at Leeds Grand Theatre this December.
Northern Ballet’s A Christmas Carol: Tue 17 December 2024 – Sat 4 January 2025
As the clock strikes midnight join Ebenezer Scrooge on the journey of a lifetime to discover the true meaning of Christmas. Travel with the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future through family firesides, cold winter nights and the promise of a brighter future. A festive feast for the senses, Northern Ballet brings one of the most loved stories of all time to life.
CITY VARIETIES IN DECEMBER 2024:
Jack and the Beanstalk: The Rock ‘n’ Roll Panto: Fri 29 November 2024 – Sun 12 January 2025
Leeds’s favourite panto returns to The Varieties for the festive period. A very different format to the traditional Christmas pantomime, Rock ‘n’ Roll Pantos mix traditional elements of audience participation and corny gags with a jukebox full of classic rock anthems and chart-toppers, all performed live on stage by an ultra-talented cast of actor-musicians.
To see what’s on and book tickets, visit leedsheritagetheatres.com.
HYDE PARK PICTURE HOUSE:
November 2024 marks 110 years since the Hyde Park Picture House opened its doors to the public, just a few months after the onset of World War I. To celebrate the anniversary, we’ve teamed up again with the Yorkshire Film Archive to present ‘Leeds on Film’: a mixture of fascinating archive footage made in and around the city.
Leeds is a city steeped in film history, with the first ever moving images shot on Leeds Bridge in 1888 by Louis Le Prince. This specially curated screening will take the audience on a trip through time with a rich and varied mix of footage revealing parts of Leeds long forgotten, to events still fresh in everyone’s memory.
It brings together footage from some of those early pioneering filmmakers alongside the films of enthusiastic cine club members, amateur home movie makers, plus award-winning regional TV programmes, all steeped in local events, people, places and a rich slice of everyday life in Leeds.
The screening features the building and opening of Lewis’s in the 1930s, the new Leek Street flats at Hunslet Grange, the popular Flowers for Leeds festival and the huge Children’s Day events in Roundhay Park in the late 1950s. We’ll take a look at the glory days of Leeds United and the Leeds Rhinos in the 1970s, West Indian carnivals, student life at Leeds University and the planning controversies of Leeds Market, plus much more besides.
It’s a unique opportunity to experience some truly wonderful and rarely seen archive material, curated and presented by the Yorkshire Film Archive.
Graham Relton, Yorkshire Film Archive Co-Director and Manager, will be on hand to provide introductions and context to the clips that document the ways in which Leeds has developed over the decades. Graham says:
“It’s always a pleasure to present a screening in the place where I grew up, and being back at the beautiful Hyde Park Picture House makes it extra special. I’m looking forward to sharing over a century of Leeds life captured on film – come and join us for a celebration of this vibrant city!”
Wendy Cook, the Hyde Park Picture House’s Head of cinema, says:
“As the Hyde Park Picture House celebrates its 110th birthday, we’re excited to be transporting our historic, gas-lit auditorium back in time, with the help of our friends at the Yorkshire Film Archive. Each film in this special programme is a treat in its own right, and we’re delighted that Graham will be joining us in person, to guide audiences through this ever-popular compilation of local archive footage, suitable for film and history fans of all ages.”
Leeds on Film, presented by the Yorkshire Film Archive, takes place at the Hyde Park Picture House on Sunday 8th December at 5pm. Tickets are £9.50, £7.50 concessions, and can be booked via the Hyde Park Picture House website: https://hpph.co.uk/films/leeds-on-film