10 of the best things to do in West Yorkshire

Benjamin Grosvenor at St Georges Hall tomorrow.

1 The Canterbury Tales

Theatre Royal Wakefield, March 7

Written in the late 14th century, The Canterbury Tales is the high-water mark of medieval English literature. Based around the concept of a disparate group of pilgrims to the shrine of Thomas à Becket at Canterbury Cathedral who tell each other stories to while away the journey, it paints a rich and vibrant portrait of life in medieval England. GreenMatthews present six of the best-loved tales, told in a variety of styles. Taking visual inspiration from medieval mystery plays and complete with a touring set which has been specially constructed to resemble a medieval travelling theatre, the three-man cast use drama, verse, physical theatre and song to bring Chaucer’s characters to riotous life, telling tales packed with colourful characters and strange situations. This is definitely not a dry academic take on English literature – the show is fast, furious, occasionally filthy and invariably funny! Unsuitable for under 12s.

Rob Beckett at Leeds Grand Theatre on Sunday.

http://www.theatreroyalwakefield.co.uk2 Rob Beckett - Wallop!

Leeds Grand Theatre, March 8

Rob Beckett is back on tour with a brand-new stand-up show. It’s been a busy few years for the Mouth of the South and he’s coming to see you to fill you in and make you laugh. Host of BBC One’s All Together Now and team captain on Channel 4’s 8 Out Of 10 Cats. He is also the star of BBC One’s Live At The Apollo, Would I Lie To You?, Channel 4’s 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown, BBC Two’s Mock The Week, ITV’s Play To The Whistle, ITV2’s Celebrity Juice and Sky’s A League of Their Own. And he is a host of Dave’s podcast, The Magic Sponge, alongside Jimmy Bullard and Ian Smith.

http://www.leedsgrandtheatre.com3 James Arthur

James Arthur at First Direct Arena on Wednesday.

First Direct Arena, Leeds, March 11

The last few years have been remarkable for James Arthur. He was recently awarded a disc for reaching a billion streams on Spotify with his No.1 global hit Say You Won’t Let Go. Only 18 records have achieved a billion streams on Spotify in history, and James is one of ten artists globally to do this including Drake, Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber.

http://www.firstdirectarena.com4 International Women’s Day Heritage Tour

St George’s Hall, March 7

Oye Santana at Theatre Royal Wakefield tomorrow.

Celebrate International Women’s Day with a heritage tour around St George’s Hall and find out more about the rich history of women’s rights activism at the building. Includes the stage and backstage areas and the Pioneering Bradford Lasses exhibition.

http://www.bradford-theatres.co.uk 5 There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly

Theatre Royal Wakefield, March 7

There was an old lady who swallowed a fly. I don’t know why she swallowed a fly... but The People’s Theatre Company do! And now you can too as they use an amazing blend of live action, puppetry and animation to bring one of the world’s best loved nursery rhymes to life just in time to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Pam Adams’ best-selling book! This magical show has been written especially for grownups to enjoy with their children, so come and relive the delights of this most charming of tales complete with a feast of sing along songs, colourful animal characters and heart-warming family fun.

Morrissey returns to First Direct Arena tomorrow night.

http://www.theatreroyalwakefield.co.uk6 Morrissey

First Direct Arena, Leeds, March 6

Morrissey returns to the First Direct Arena following his critically acclaimed US tour in the autumn of 2019. This new limited run of shows, set to kick off the launch of the I Am Not A Dog On A Chain album, promise to be not-to-be missed affairs if reaction to the US dates is any indication, with reviews praising the powerful performances as some of Morrissey’s best ever, while continually commenting on the strength of his “ageless” vocals.

http://www.firstdirectarena.com7 Tallis Consort Quintet

Chantry Chapel, Wakefield, March 7

Join the professional five-part vocal ensemble for an evening of sublime music in the beautiful surrounds of the Chantry Chapel. Sit back, relax and allow yourself to be transported to the 16th century with music by Spain’s finest composer - Tomás Luis de Victoria. Music to include the Tenebrae Responsories by Tomás Luis de Victoria.

The Canterbury Tales at Theatre Royal Wakefield on Saturday.

http://www.theatreroyalwakefield.co.uk8 Benjamin Grosvenor

St George’s Hall, Bradford, March 6

British pianist Benjamin Grosvenor is in Bradford to perform a programme of music by Rameau, Beethoven and Liszt as part of the 32nd Chamber Concert Season. Benjamin Grosvenor has a career that regularly takes him across the globe, performing solo recitals and concertos with famous orchestras and conductors. He is renowned for his electrifying performances, distinctive sound and insightful interpretations.

http://www.bradford-theatres.co.uk9 Oye Santana

Theatre Royal Wakefield, March 6

What makes award-winning Oye Santana so good? There’s a treasury of five decades of catalogue to draw on – and every number in Oye Santana’s set is a gem in its own right. Expect to hear Smooth, Black Magic Woman, Samba Pa Ti, Maria Maria, Oye Como Va, Corazón Espinado, She’s Not There and many more – played with power, passion and perfection. They painstakingly recreate the original Santana arrangements of the big hits you know and love to bring you the true Santana sound. More importantly, they do it with the passion that is the hallmark of Carlos Santana’s guitar playing and the good-time feel that this band bring to everything they play. You’ll be singing along, smiling along and dancing along from the first chink of a tambourine to the explosive finale. You’re going to love Oye Santana.

http://www.theatreroyalwakefield.co.uk10 Mark Thomas: 50 Things About Us

Theatre Royal Wakefield, March 5

Mark uses his trademark style of storytelling, stand-up, subversion and really, really, well researched material, to try and find out how the hell we ended up in the middle of this show. 50 Things About Us is a show about songs, gongs, loot, tradition, wigs, nicking, statues, art and identity. A sort of funny national edition of Who Do You Think You Are? Mark says, ‘it’s another slightly odd show, a sort of sweary, History Channel with laughs and creative mischief. If you’ve seen my shows before, this one is going to be a show in the vein of 100 Acts of Minor Dissent’.