[A]h summer. Long awaited holidays, drinks on warm sun-drenched evenings, a lazy bank holiday relaxing in the sun… Perhaps not so much here in Cumbria (insert rain, clouds and a wind-swept Allonby beach here). But fear not. The Kirkgate has a bright and exciting treat in store for you in Cockermouth with a show-stopping new line up to keep you entertained long into the autumn months.
September brings super-stylish action comedy Baby Driver (4 Sept) to the Kirkgate screen. Petrol heads, soundtrack lovers and Foxx/Spacey combo fans, this one’s for you. All-new Kirkgate Film Fridays launch this season too, bringing the best newly-released blockbusters every third Friday of the month. First up on the menu is Christopher Nolan’s war epic Dunkirk (15 Sept) starring Tom Hardy, Kenneth Branagh and Mark Rylance. Starter: food at Shill’s, Main: movie at the Kirkgate, Dessert: drinks at Seth’s – you in?
New to the programme is the Friends of the Kirkgate’s Pie and Pea Supper Race Night (16 Sept) fundraiser. Place your bets, buy your own horse and dig out that glamorous hat (posh frocks optional….). Rachel Newton (8 Sept) and Dave Gilmour live at Pompeii (13 Sept) are just two helpings from the inspiring music line-up, whilst Dead Ringers star Jan Ravens (23 Sept) takes to the stage for a night of laugh-out-loud comedy. And yes, those are snakes in her hair. The month draws to a close with Mozart’s The Magic Flute (20 Sept) screening live from the Royal Opera House and achingly funny theatre from Paines Plough Theatre Co. in Growth (29 Sept), not forgetting smash-hit rom com The Big Sick (25 Sept) #hellodatenight.
October follows up with your favourite private investigator and Academy Award nominee Benedict Cumberbatch owning the title role in Shakespeare’s Hamlet (5 Oct). Friends of the Kirkgate are back with their Ladies Fashion Show and Pop Up Shop (7 Oct) then we take to the rails with Eric Cass and his fully illustrated lecture Cockermouth and the Railways (13 Oct). There’s more big screen greatness with Maudie (9 Oct) and a trip to the Pennines with Best British Feature from the Edinburgh International Film Festival God’s Own Country (16 Oct).
Fancy a mid-October film-athon? Channing Tatum and Daniel Craig star in high-octane heist comedy Logan Lucky (20 Oct) [Film Friday round two here we come] then Star Wars’ John Boyega takes us to one of the darkest moments of the 60s in Detroit (23 Oct). Roald Dahl’s delightful BFG (24 Oct) is the perfect half term treat for little ones and their grown-ups. Family fun continues throughout the school break with interactive theatre show The Library Lion (26 Oct) from Untied Artists (the company that brought you The Boy Who Bit Picasso) along with Alice in Wonderland (29 Oct) from the Royal Opera House.
Find the full line up and tickets online: www.kirkgatearts.org.uk and via the Box Office 01900 826448.
