Ripon set for nine days of arts as festival begins

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About 150 arts events will be staged across Ripon over nine days from tomorrow (July 4).

The fifth Ripon Theatre Festival is expected to be the biggest yet, with performances and activities ranging from storytelling and puppetry to cabaret, Shakespeare and circus. 

The festival, which will be held at more than 20 venues, includes shows from the Edinburgh Fringe, including the fast-paced thriller Down to Chance and The Poetical Life of Philomena McGuinness.

There are also quirky and unique events such as a knitting cabaret from Canada, a one-man show about British pub life and even a show performed inside a vintage bus.

Local-themed events include Tributaries, an opening night play about the River Ure, and Outcast, which is set in Medieval Ripon and examines the lives of people living with leprosy.

July 11 and 12 has been designated the Big Weekend for Families and features free entertainment, including street arts and circus theatre.

The final events will end that weekend except for an open-air Shakespeare finale, which takes place at Ripon Races on July 24, when The Dukes Theatre Company will produce Romeo & Juliet.

Festival director Katie Scott told the Stray Ferret the volunteer-run festival had “gone up a level” this year.

She said it had booked 40 beds for the week to support the growing number of visiting artists and had a dedicated festival hub as well as a driver to ferry around participants.

Ms Scott added:

More information is available here.