june-2010

Northern Exposure
These don’t-miss distractions put the South to shame, says Lucille Howe
BARKLIFE
JUNE-JULY
Edward Scissorhands eat
your heart out. For the past
four decades, British artist
David Nash has wielded
chainsaws, axes and blow
torches (none of which are
permanently attached to his
body) to make what’s known
as “land art” – large sculptures
formed of trees.
From the start of June
until February 2011, the
Yorkshire Sculpture Park,
set in 500 acres of historic
grounds, will be celebrating
Nash’s handiwork with a
major retrospective of his
work. Most famously, Nash
tracked a 200-year-old
spherical chunk of oak over
25 years, from a stream
in Wales to the sea. Film,
photographs and drawings
documenting the journey will
all be exhibited here.
The Underground Gallery
will also showcase Nash’s
experiments with black
eucalyptus spheres, which
he’s been working on in
California, and there’ll be an
in-depth discussion with the
artist in Wakefi eld Theatre
Royal on 11 June. All in all,
it’s a treehugger’s delight.
www.ysp.co.uk
UK EVENTS
BEST OF THE FEST
5-6 JUNE
With Glasto sold out months
ago, the Newcastle Green
Festival in Leazes Park is
a quirky, low-key – and local
– alternative. The Saturday
is a kiddie-friendly affair, with
handcrafted Victorian rides,
but on Sunday the organisers
admit they “open the bar
and crank it up”. The Green
World Stage has a diverse
mixture of performers from
breakdancers and hula hoopers
to stand-up comics. Over
at the Lakeside Stage expect
dub, reggae and funk.
If your children keep on
threatening to run away and
join the circus then this is
a good chance for them to
test their skills. The Circus
Area offers taster sessions
in trapeze, unicycling, juggling,
plate spinning and
more. Likewise, if you fancy
doing a Big Top turn then
email lunatricks@gmail.com
to get involved. At the end
of the day, why not spread
out your picnic rug for special
movie screenings under
the stars? www.newcastle
greenfestival.org.uk
LOOK INTO MY EYES…
9-12 JUNE
Whether he’s an entertaining hoax or the real thing, Derren
Brown gives you plenty to think about. Brown isn’t telling what
tricks he’s got up his sleeve when Enigma hits the Lowry in
Manchester, but we can reveal he selects his participants by
frisbee to dispel any rumours of fi xing. He also attempts to
hypnotise the entire audience, so if your worst fear is being
persuaded to make out with a broom, be warned. Nominated
for an Olivier award in February, this is the show’s second
outing. Leave your logic at the door. www.thelowry.com
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