Harrogate Theatre Presents Sinfonia: Stories from Harrogate
We are excited to present a beautiful piece of community theatre on our mainstage between Thu 25 – Sat 27 June. We are partnering with The Performance Ensemble to bring Sinfonia: Stories from Harrogate to our audiences.
Sinfonia: Stories from Harrogate
For the past few months, The Performance Ensemble has been working with older people from the Harrogate community, gathering memories, experiences and reflections. The result is a piece of theatre rooted in the lives of local people, combining storytelling, music and movement in a way that is both personal and universal.
Founded by theatre-maker Alan Lyddiard, The Performance Ensemble is the UK's first nationally funded theatre company made up of older artists. Since 2016, the company has been creating contemporary performance that places the experience of age centre stage, challenging assumptions about ageing and celebrating the creativity, insight and complexity that comes with lived experience. Sinfonia creates space for stories that might otherwise go unheard. Some are humorous, some moving, some surprising. Together they offer a snapshot of lives lived in and around Harrogate, while touching on themes that resonate far beyond the town itself.
The project also reflects something that sits at the heart of Harrogate Theatre's mission; creating opportunities for local people to engage with the arts, not only as audiences but as participants and collaborators. While Sinfonia is a professionally produced performance, it has been developed through conversations and creative work with members of our community, making it a genuine partnership between artists and local residents.
We are delighted to be hosting the production and to welcome participants, audiences, and The Performance Ensemble team to our theatre. Previous versions of Sinfonia have been praised for their warmth, honesty and emotional impact, and we are excited to see a Harrogate edition take shape on our stage.
★★★★ ‘Joyous, life-affirming… full of warmth, humour and Yorkshire grit.’ – The Yorkshire Post
★★★★ ‘A beautiful piece of thought-provoking theatre… a real gem of a show.’ – The Stage
Whether you come to recognise familiar experiences, hear perspectives different from your own, or simply enjoy an evening of thoughtful and engaging theatre, Sinfonia: Stories from Harrogate promises to be a memorable addition to our summer programme.
We hope you'll join us. You can book via our box office on 01423 502116 or online here.
