Live shows to banish winter blues for good

Scratchy Beard play at Morton Village Hall on Saturday, March 25, Doe Lea Resource Centre on May 13 and Florence Nightingale Memorial Hall, Holloway, on May 19.

Enchanting theatre, award-winning music and laugh-out loud comedy lead the way in a new season of professional performances heading for community venues across Derbyshire.

Live & Local has announced its new Spring 2023 season of exciting and awe-inspiring shows for all ages.

Laura Bagley, programme administrator, said: "From music to comedy, story-telling to dance, film to theatre, your county’s amazing community spaces will be hosting some fantastic shows to banish those winter blues for good. Check out what’s on, grab a friend and come along to enjoy some great entertainment on your doorstep!”

Catch Essex Girl by award-winning theatre-maker Maria Ferguson at Dronfield Hall Barn on Tuesday, March 28. This show follows 16-year-old Kirsty growing up surrounded by expectation, inappropriate relationships, female friendship, secrets, desires and alcopops.

SET MENU: The Best of George Egg tours to Waingroves Community Hall on May 5, 2023.

If it’s music you’re looking for, make sure you catch Scratchy Beard in Concert at Morton Village Hall on Saturday, March 25, Doe Lea Resource Centre on May 13 or Florence Nightingale Memorial Hall, Holloway, on May 19. Prepare yourself for an entertaining evening journeying through an upbeat, fun and sincere collage of trans-European roots music from this lively quartet.

Get your comedy-fix from DIY chef George Egg in Set Menu: The Best of George Egg at Waingroves Community Centre on Friday, May 5, or from Nikky Smedley in Nikipedia – Confessions of a Former Teletubby, a mix of theatre, stories and stand-up, at Belper Community Hall on Saturday, May 13.

Silent film Nosferatu, considered to be one of the best horror movies of all time, will be set to a live soundtrack by Miinima at Crich Glebe Centre on March 18 and Taddington Village Institute on April 22.

Look out for Roshni at Strutts Community Centre, Belper on Saturday, February 25 – a soul-stirring performance combining Kathak dance with live music and vocals from a global palette of styles, driven by the rhythms of Tabla percussion.

There are plenty more events to enjoy this season including ‘honey-smoked vocals’ (Roots Magazine) by Amadou Diagne & Cory Seznec in Touki (Tideswell Community Hall, May 12); a return visit by one of the most popular live comic theatre shows Eddie & The Gold Tops (West Hallam Village Hall, May 6); and Nature Elly – an interactive puppetry show for the little ones at Belper Community Hall on February 26.

For full listings, visit the website www.liveandlocal.org.uk.