YSFF is going to Morecambe!

Artistic Director Jonny Best explains…

One of the things I most enjoy about YSFF is the chance to work with beautiful heritage buildings – theatres and cinemas whose history connects directly to the films we show. I’m thrilled to announce that, beginning in May 2022, YSFF will present an ongoing series of live music with film at Morecambe Winter Gardens.

From its very inception, the Winter Gardens has had strong connections to Yorkshire. It was built by a consortium of Bradford businessmen and so popular was Morecambe with Yorkshire mill workers at holiday time that the town became known as Bradford-on-Sea. Designed to be both a grand variety theatre and a concert hall, it has played host to great names in music like Edward Elgar, showbusiness stars like Ivor Novello, Julie Andrews, and Shirley Bassey – and of course Laurel & Hardy.

Closing in 1977, it fell into disrepair until a group of dedicated volunteers formed the Friends of Morecambe Winter Gardens and began the hard work of saving the building and bringing it back into life as a performance venue. Today, under the leadership of Professor Vanessa Toulmin, and thanks to the committed work of a growing band of local volunteers, Morecambe Winter Gardens enters its 125th anniversary year with exciting plans – and YSFF is pleased to be playing a part.

YSFF’s first project in Morecambe was in 2021, working with Off The Rails Creative Jazz Orchestra and in partnership with More Music. We had a wonderful time doing Nosferatu together and were so well supported by a fabulous and enthusiastic audience. I can’t wait to get going with the 2022 Morecambe season, beginning with two events on Sunday May 29th: a double-bill of comedy featuring Laurel & Hardy and Buster Keaton’s adventure-chase movie, The General.

See you all in Bradford-on-Sea!