This intimate and resonant new show tells the true story of a young composer whose tenacity burned brightly even as the world around him collapsed. Mostly taking place at the cusp of the Second World War, this production follows the life of a magnetic musician and his family as they face an impossible choice. As war engulfs Europe, Gideon’s expansive world contracts—from the concert halls of Prague to the confined walls of Terezín, a garrison town turned into a propaganda tool. Within its walls, where music is both solace and deception, its prisoners struggle with an urgent question: is art an act of resistance, a place of refuge, or part of the lie that helps to oppress them? Lead creative producers Richard Fay and Daniel Mawson have re-envisioned David Fligg’s biography of Gideon Klein, “Don’t Forget About Me” and 2016 theatrical “Gideon Klein: Portrait of a Composer”. With a heartfelt original new script written by Mawson and a dynamic ensemble of 8 actors and musicians, the show aims to shed light on a dark and curious past that is often forgotten. In a world polarised by politics, faith, and identity, where truth itself can be contested, Gideon, speaks to 2025 with an unsettling urgency. Gideon immerses the audience in the rhythms of history, where melodies rise in defiance and fade into silence. Some create to resist, others to endure, while for some, music becomes a fragile thread between remembering and forgetting. Underscored by a live chamber ensemble reconstructing Klein’s compositions with the music that inspired him and his contemporaries, the play captures the fragility of freedom as history moves faster than those living through it. The show reveals intimate snapshots of everyday life under an increasingly brutal regime…the kind of fleeting joys and quiet devastations that remind us why we fight to survive. Gideon runs from the 3rd -5th April at Bradford Cathedral as part of Bradford 2025 City Of Culture. It tours 8th-12th April to Chester, Wilmslow, Laxton, and Manchester. It is supported with public funding by Arts Council England. CW: This show contains reference to genocide/holocaust, antisemitism, death, murder, violence, nazis and may depict some of these elements. Gideon: a play with music will be held at Bradford Cathedral from Thursday 3rd – Saturday 5th April 2025, with performances at 7:45pm each day and a 5pm matinee on the Saturday. Tickets are available at http://www.gideonplay.co.uk
Eileen was entered into the competition by her daughter. Though she doesn't have any prior experience of opera singing, Eileen has been in many church choirs. "I'm loving it so far," she told us, "But I keep losing my voice! I think opera singing is lovely, and I'm really enjoying it - and I'm glad my daughter put my name in." Eileen also works in the press office at Bradford City FC, a job she loves. "It's hard work but I also bake a variety of cakes and buns for them every week. It's enjoyable." She also told us about her chance to meet Lesley Garrett at the recent workshop. "She's a natural and really normal; just one of us." We ended our chat with what she's looking ahead to as part of the process. "I'm looking forward to see how it'll all come together." Look out for more updates on 'Bantam of the Opera' soon.
In order to tempt you further, here is our list of Ten Tourist Treats at Bradford Cathedral, which we will be sharing one by one across the week.1) William Morris & Co. stained glass in 4 locationsAmongst the heritage treasures of Bradford Cathedral are a number of significant Morris & Co. windows, situated in four locations in the building. These were originally two windows that were inserted in 1863 and 1864, with the 1863 window being only the Company’s third ever commission in stained glass.During extension work to the building in the 1960s, the glass from 1863 was moved to its present location in the Lady Chapel at the east end. The stunning designs for these saints’ windows are by William Morris (1834–1896), Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828–1882), Edward Burne-Jones (1833–1898), Peter Paul Marshall (1830–1900), Ford Madox Brown (1821-1893) and Philip Webb (1831–1915). There is also a recently discovered design by William De Morgan (1839–1917), with Saint Mark having been previously attributed to Burne-Jones.The glass from 1864 can now be seen in the North Ambulatory and North and South Transepts. The eye-catching central figure of the original window, “Salvator Mundi”, was designed by the architect Albert Moore (1841- 1893), while the distinctive angels are Morris’s work. The martyrs pictured in the transepts are by Morris, Burne-Jones and Ford Madox Brown.In recent years, we have started to offer guided tours of the Morris & Co. windows and there are upcoming tours on Monday 26th May and Thursday 17th July – and you can book your tickets below.Monday 26th May11am – https://morris-tour-may2025-1.eventbrite.co.uk1pm – https://morris-tour-may2025-2.eventbrite.co.ukThursday 17th July11am – https://morris-tour-july2025-1.eventbrite.co.uk1pm – https://morris-tour-july2025-2.eventbrite.co.uk
