The new report makes 38 recommended actions, across six themes, which it says will allow the city's festivals to evolve and cope with future challenges. The festivals are described as being "behind the curve on digital innovation". To combat this, it is recommended that the festivals forum supports a strategy for creating a digital infrastructure and encouraging the creation of new work that uses digital technologies. It finds that extra funding to the tune of £10m a year could be needed to replace current public financing to the festivals, which accounts for a quarter of their income.
Warrior Women - China National Peking Opera Company is to stage performances in the UK for the first time in 10 years. The company will perform two shows in repertory, Warrior Women of Yang and Farewell My Concubine, the casts of which will be lead by Yu Kuizhi and Li Shengsu. Performed in Chinese with English subtitles, both operas will be staged at the Liverpool Echo Arena from November 13 to 15, and at Sadler's Wells in London from November 19 to 22. Ming Ming Dong and Kevin Zhang, directors of the operas' production company Sinolink Productions, said the operas would demonstrate "that China is not just about what they can manufacture, but also about what they can perform".
Housing Crisis - Gareth Gates and Simon Webbe are to star in the West End premiere of musical The 3 Little Pigs. Written by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, it will also feature Leanne Jones, Taofique Folarin and runs at the Palace Theatre from 5 August to 6 September 6. The show will have performances during the day, meaning The Commitments can continue its schedule as normal at the venue. Stiles and Drewe said, "Most children will know the story of The 3 Little Pigs, so our job has been to reinvent it in a theatrical way, with hummable, memorable songs that will appeal to the whole family." The show is produced by Kenny Wax with lighting by Oliver Fenwick.
On The Road Again - Jeremy Clarkson reunited with his former Top Gear crew in Belfast to front a live stadium spin-off of the BBC2 motoring show. It was Clarkson's first public appearance with Richard Hammond and James May since he was dropped by the BBC in March following a fracas with a producer. The live show opened with footage of Clarkson throwing a hefty left hand. The man himself then made his entrance in a hovercraft to the music of boxing anthem Eye Of The Tiger. The performance at the city's Odyssey Arena kicked off a six-month tour of the event which will end in London in November.
Forever Young - The Rolling Stones played a surprise warm-up concert for just 1,200 fans in Hollywood ahead of their North American Zip Code tour. The band performed every song from the 1971 Sticky Fingers album, which is being re-released to tie-in with the tour. Hits on the album include Wild Horses and Brown Sugar. As well as playing the whole album, the band also performed Rock Me Baby in tribute to BB King who died on 14 May.
(Jim Evans)
