Page 78 - Media Coverage Book - 75th Aldeburgh Festival 2024

Kiri Pritchard McLean Comedy (Image via Paul Sullivan)

She’s on tour twice this year, first for the 10 anniversary of her podcast All Killa No
th
Filla, and then with her newest solo offering, Peacock. Welsh comic Kiri Pritchard-
McLean had always drawn on her personal life in her stand-up – from experiences of
sexism in comedy and gaslighting within a relationship, to her time mentoring a
vulnerable young person – but this new show promises to be her most intimate yet, as
she reveals a significant life decision and the tricky steps it took to get there. RH

Touring from 4 May (kiripritchardmclean.co.uk/peacock1)

Classical

Manchester Collective and SANSARA

Southbank Centre, London and Bridgewater Hall, Manchester

The Rothko Chapel in Houston, Texas – home to 14 giant canvases by the American
abstract artist – gives its name to one of the great works of musical modernism.
Morton Feldman’s Rothko Chapel is a spare, lyrical tribute to the painter who killed
himself in 1970, shortly before the space was completed. Now the Manchester
Collective join forces with chamber choir SANSARA to plunge their audience directly
into Rothko’s colour-saturated imagination in a performance flooded with light and
sound. Framing the Feldman are four world premieres inspired by the artist’s
paintings, including works by Isobel Waller-Bridge and Edmund Finnis. AC

5 and 10 May (southbankcentre.co.uk, 020 3879 9555; bridgewater-hall.co.uk, 0161
907 9000)

Pop

Olly Alexander at Eurovision

We all thought our fortunes had changed. Sam Ryder had charmed the nation in 2022,
the contest was to be held in Liverpool, spirits were high – but alas, the UK at
Eurovision 2023 just wasn’t to be, and Mae Muller’s limp “I Wrote a Song” came in
second last. Can the nation be saved at next year’s contest in Sweden? If Olly

Alexander has anything to do with it, yes. The former Years & Years singer and It’s a
Sin star will be representing the UK in 2024 – the contest is due to be held in Malmö.
While there are no teasers of the song yet, he’s promised to “give it everything I’ve got”
and make his performance “unforgettable”. It’s written by certified banger producers
Alexander and Danny L Harle, so I’ve got high hopes. EBo

7 – 11 May