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All in the Best Possible Taste Leeds University Bragg of New Prestigious Archive

Author, broadcaster and media personality Melvyn Bragg donates literary archive to the University of Leeds

Those familiar with ITV’s ‘The South Bank Show’ will need no introduction to the legendary name of Melvyn Bragg. The Lord himself (yes, he’s also a member of the House of Lords) has been a pivotal figure in the artistic, intellectual and cultural life of our country for over 40…

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Film Review Crazy Heart

USA 2009. Cert: 15. 112 mins. Dir: Scott Cooper. Cast: Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Robert Duvall, Colin Farrell

Country rocker Bad Blake (Bridges) appears to have his best days behind him. The albums that made him famous are collectors’ items and his well known country ballads are radio fodder, but he’s now more likely to pack bowling alleys and bars than stadiums. There’s no song that can’t be…

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Feature Pavel Buchler Wins The Northern Art Prize

We hear from to the man who's just scooped this year's Northern Art Prize

The enigmatic artist Pavel Büchler, 57, originally from Czechoslovakia and now living and working in Manchester, has been named the overall winner of the third annual Northern Art Prize. He was one of four short listed artists competing for the prize.

For a man who has only won one other…

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Off The Rails Farm Style

Nell Frizzell ploughs her furrowed brow

Listen, OK. I don’t particularly mind if people want to dress like munitions workers or early period Pentangle. And, you know, if looking like Robert Plant is your thing, or if you really do admire the sartorial leanings of mime artists then be my guest, knock yourself out.

But dressing…

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Your Leeds Muay Thai Boxing Championship

With Glen Crosthwaite and Mike Tobin, For the Glory

Glen Crosthwaite, British Heavyweight Champion
“This is the first Muay Thai kickboxing event for us, and it’s the biggest in the UK ever. We’re expecting around 2,000 people, plus lots of celebrities, particularly from the sporting world - Gary McAllister, Leeds United players, Lee Sharp, Gary Speed - footballers…

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Preview Einstein's Universe

How Mozart wrote a three-movement Sonata in less time than it takes the Sun's light to reach Saturn

Experimental particle physicist Brian Foster and two musicians, violinist Jack Liebeck and accompanist Katya Apekisheva, have hit on the novel idea of an evening matching a lecture on Albert Einstein’s landmark scientific achievements with music that meant so much to him. The great theoretician had learned to play the violin…

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Preview Ayckbourn On Tour

The Yorkshire playwright is well represented across his home county this fortnight

Few things that are plugged in print really deserve their plaudits. The commodity in question might be excellent but, if so, this is purely coincidental: totally unrelated to the superlatives that it has collected like a giant fishing net.

However, one product that deserves to be spoken of as though…

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Getaway Middlethorpe Hall & Spa

Tom Goodhand relaxes in York at a historic country hall turned hotel, restaurant and spa

You’d be right to expect that Middlethorpe Hall is going to be flashy. It’s pretty much next door to York racecourse, its website tells you how to get there by helicopter and its in a National Trust owned property, built in 1699.

Except Middlethorpe Hall isn’t actually quite as flash…

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Bradford Bulls Cautiously Optimistic

The latest Super League rugby news from Odsall

Cautious optimism is the key phrase when it comes to describing the feeling of many Bradford fans ahead of their Super League XV campaign. It’s out with the old and in with the new across the board with no less than nine players leaving the club over the winter perio.…

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Preview As Time Goes By and Romeo & Juliet

The Northern Ballet Theatre get busy at the Grand this fortnight

When you think of Northern Ballet Theatre, most likely to come to mind is one of their big set, grand costume, blow-out productions; Dracula, The Three Musketeers, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the like. But last year saw the 40 year old Leeds company celebrate with two mixed programmes, pieces…

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