Thursday 3 July

Red Herring Comedy Club

The first Lincoln Comedy Festival (www.lincolncomedyfestival.co.uk) will take place across the city during the early part of October and tonight’s Red Herring Comedy Special is a festival promo event which will include at least two preview shows from acts heading up to the Edinburgh Festival in August. Check the Drill Hall website for details nearer the date. Over 18s only. Acts subject to change.

Red Herring tickets are also available from www.gigantic.com

Saturday 5 July

Under African Skies

Mamodou is no hunter. Neither is he a warrior. As the time approaches for him to prove he is a man, he runs away from his village. Join him on this journey of adventure and discovery as his trek becomes a rite of passage, collecting many fantastic stories along the way.

A charming and epic tale, suitable for all ages, incorporating traditional tales from across the great African continent. An afternoon of storytelling, music, song and audience participation led by storyteller Gary Cordingley and musicians Suzanne Amey and Modou Mané.

Drumming Workshops

This show will be preceded by two African drumming workshops for children:

12.15pm – 1.15pm for ages 8 upwards

1.30pm – 2pm for ages 5 – 8 (children in this workshop must be accompanied by an adult)

During each workshop the participants will be preparing for a traditional West African celebration and will then get the opportunity to join in the performance itself! A fantastic opportunity to work with skilled musicians and perform on stage.

Monday 7 July – Thursday 10 July

New Youth Theatre

Bugsy Malone

The popular pint-sized, pin-striped classic leaps onto the Lincoln Drill Hall stage. Like the film, this wild and wacky musical includes a child’s dream come true: a classic pie fight fought with ‘splurge blasters’ which spew forth ‘silly string’ instead of pies! With a catchy, swinging score by the composer of The Muppet Movie, New Youth Theatre’s Production of Bugsy Malone includes an all singing, all dancing, vibrant, enthusiastic cast set to get those feet tappin’.

For more information on how to join the company please visit the website www.newyouththeatre.co.uk or call 01522 787601

Please note: Monday & Tuesday performances are by the Saturday Afternoon Group.

Wednesday & Thursday performances are by the Saturday Morning Group.

Friday 11 July – Saturday 12 July

New Youth Theatre Juniors

Disney's Aristocats

Madame’s jealous butler Edgar cat-naps Duchess and her Aristokittens and abandons them in the Parisian countryside. What’s a cat to do? Luckily, Thomas O’Malley and his rag-tag bunch of Alley Cats come to their rescue! New Youth Theatre’s feline adventure is sure to get you swaying to its hip, jazzy beat, which includes the Disney favourites ‘The Aristocats’, ‘Scales and Arpeggios’ and ‘Ev’rybody Wants to Be a Cat’.

Please note: the Friday performance will be by Junior Group 1 and the Saturday performance by Junior Group 2.

Saturday 12 July

New Jazz 5

Liane Carroll

A solo performance by this unique singer & pianist. This Ronnie Scott Award and Double BBC Jazz Award Winner is an unforgettable, funny and often painfully honest artist. She could never be mistaken as one of the ‘Jazz babes’ who have emerged in recent years and few musicians do rollicking, bluesy piano as well as she can. Her latest album ‘Slow Down’ has received almost universal 4-star reviews. Liane’s inventive approach to a collection of American Songbook gems, ‘Greenwich Village confessionals’ by the likes of Tom Waits and Joni Mitchell plus some originals are delivered with a voice that is tender, angry, hurt and always soulful – she leaves nothing on the fence!

“Swinging like hell one minute, brutally expressive and heartbreakingly tender the next…utterly brilliant” Time Out

Monday 14 July

Pioneer Club

YoungPlugged

This astonishingly successful night returns for an end of exams special! All the performers are aged 13-19 and the atmosphere is unlike any other! To find out more including how to bag yourself a performance slot, go to: www.myspace.com/youngplugged1

Thursday 17 July

Convivium Music: Voice & Verse Festival

Performance by County Music Services Young String Quartets

Event 1 Auditorium

This short performance is at the end of a coaching Day with the Emperor Quartet.

Thursday 17 July

Convivium Music: Voice & Verse Festival

An Introduction to Ralph Vaughan Williams

Event 2 Auditorium

With Kate Kennedy

Thursday 17 July

Convivium Music: Voice & Verse Festival

Voice Masterclass for Grade 6-8 voice pupils

Event 3 Auditorium

With tenor Andrew Kennedy

A chance for young Lincolnshire singers to benefit from the expertise of a rising star of international opera.

Friday 18 July

Convivium Music: Voice & Verse Festival

An Introduction to the Composer David Matthews

Event 4 Ruston Room

David will talk to Viv McVeagh about the new work commissioned for this Festival, and about his life as a composer.

Friday 18 July

Convivium Music: Voice & Verse Festival

Singing for All

Event 5 Ruston Room

This is a workshop for anyone who wants to take the first steps into singing. No experience of singing or reading music is necessary.

The session is free, but please book your place with the Box Office.

Friday 18 July

Convivium Music: Voice & Verse Festival

Along the Field

Event 6 Auditorium

A concert to celebrate Vaughan Williams’ love of folk songs which also includes music by Percy Grainger. The relevance of land and landscape and of Lincolnshire itself will be threaded through the concert.

Friday 18 July

Convivium Music: Voice & Verse Festival

O Thou Transcendent Introduced by Tony Palmer

Event 7 Auditorium

A special late night screening of Tony Palmer’s extraordinary film about Vaughan Williams introduced by the director himself. As well as exploring his musical legacy, Palmer also focuses on the human side of the man and delivers an outstanding and fascinating film. Please note the film (copies of which will be on sale) lasts 150 minutes.

Saturday 19 July

Convivium Music: Voice & Verse Festival

Coffee Concert

Event 8 Auditorium

This recital with a Pastoral theme features a young singer chosen by Julius Drake.

Saturday 19 July

Convivium Music: Voice & Verse Festival

Open Rehearsal of the David Matthews commission

Event 9 Auditorium

Listening to new music needs time and repetition and this event allows us all to get close to the action during the preparation of a new piece.

Saturday 19 July

Convivium Music: Voice & Verse Festival

One Foot in Eden

Event 10 Auditorium

James Gilchrist – tenor Julius Drake – piano Emperor Quartet

Six performers, four composers and two poets weave themes of land, landscape and a sense of place through this concert.

Sunday 20 July

Convivium Music: Voice & Verse Festival

Ivor Gurney: Poet & Composer followed by Ludlow and Teme

Event 11 Auditorium

Kate Kennedy – speaker Andrew Kennedy – tenor Julius Drake – piano Emperor Quartet

Kate Kennedy, currently writing a book on Ivor Gurney, who was inspired by Vaughan Williams and ‘On Wenlock Edge’ gives us an insight into Gurney’s life and art, illustrated with some of the pieces from Gurney’s song cycle, Ludlow and Teme which will then be performed in full.

Sunday 20 July

Convivium Music: Voice & Verse Festival

Earth, Air & Rain

Event 12 Auditorium

James Gilchrist – tenor Gareth Hulse – oboe

This programme which includes Vaughan Williams’ Ten Blake Songs for tenor and oboe brings this Festival to a resounding conclusion.

Friday 25 July

Literature at Lunchtime

George Orwell's '1984'

Written in 1948, while he was dying of tuberculosis, this is Orwell’s projection of the logical end of totalitarianism – a warning of where surrender of individual responsibility might lead. This is Dr Jane Mackay’s final talk of this season, but don’t worry she will return for five more insightful presentations in the autumn…

Saturday 26 July

Summertime Blues!

An uplifting and hugely exciting evening of top quality blues with a line-up including the awesome talents of Aidan Marshall and The Eddie Tatton Band and the long awaited and much anticipated reunion of Lincoln 80s blues phenomenon The Bamboo Beat Band. The Bamboos will feature Bunt Butler on bass and vocals, Ritchie Webster and Vic Scott on drums, T J Wilkinson & Dave Hunt on harmonicas, Rick Woolgar on saxophone, Lee Baker and Eddie Tatton on guitars with special guest Egly Lucas also on guitar.

Lincoln Drill Hall has once again teamed up with Bluecrow Music to bring you the ultimate night of Summertime Blues www.bluecrowmusic.co.uk

Today’s extended Café Bar Saturday Session (12.30pm – 3.30pm) will be a blues special and weather permitting will take place outside – don’t miss it!

Monday 28 July – Thursday 31 July

Red Theatre Arts: Summer School

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Red Theatre Arts returns to the Drill Hall to host this 4-day singing, dancing and acting workshop. Using the well-known musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, participants will work towards producing a 15-minute version of this much loved story for family and friends in an exclusive free show on the last day. Come and join us for a phantasmagorical time!

Open to ages 8-16 (Participants will need to bring a packed lunch each day)