15.03.2022
Friday 13th May ED BYRNE
Saturday 14th May DAVID O’DOHERTY
Sunday 15th May JOHNNY VEGAS (compère)
&
Friday 20th May AN AUDIENCE WITH ANTON DU BEKE
Saturday 21st May THE KINGDOM CHOIR
Live At Melbourne Hall are pleased to make the first announcements of what is the beginnings of an amazing line up of regular weekend entertainment for South Derbyshire this summer.
Derbyshire’s Melbourne Hall is subtly establishing itself as one the East Midlands premier venues for summer entertainment. Eschewing the trend for sprawling festivals catering to thousands, Melbourne Hall is taking the boutique approach, under the new moniker – Live at Melbourne Hall. Influenced by Lord & Lady Ralph Kerr’s love of the arts, these intimate events will be held within its famed walled garden with a line-up that includes comedy, music, food and one or two famous faces from the world of entertainment.
Starting the season on 13-15th May, Just The Tonic will be bringing some of the country’s most loved comedians to the walled garden. With headliners Ed Byrne and David O’Doherty, along with Johnny Vegas compering on the Sunday evening, it promises to set the mood and provide the laughs. The stars of Mock the Week, 8 out of 10 Cats and Taskmaster will be joined on their respective evenings with a great line-up of established and upcoming comics.
Johnny Vegas says “Just the Tonic has always been one of my favourite gigs… I just get to mess about. But now they are doing events in this amazing location with such a great lineup of acts, it’s just got better”
When asked what the audience can expect from Johnny, he said “who knows… let’s see what Melbourne has to offer. I’ll arrive with a plan but it probably won’t happen. But it’ll be a laugh. Hopefully I won’t get passed around in a wheelie bin this time.”
Alongside the incredible line-up of comedy, the following weekends see an array of further stars. A household name and all-round entertainer Anton Du Beke will charm with his wit and style he’s famous for at his ‘An Audience With…’ evening on Friday 20th May.
Anton Du Beke is one of the most instantly recognisable dancers today, best known for BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, on which he has featured since its conception originally as a dancer and finally as a judge on the latest season. His debut album reached the Top 20, his debut novel One Enchanted Evening was an instant Sunday Times Bestseller, and he continues to waltz all over the country with his sell out dance tours.
Talking about his show, Anton Du Beke says “An Audience with Anton Du Beke is going to be an intimate evening with myself, my wonderful band and my very good friend Lance Ellington! I’m going to tell you about my career and life (you can ask me any question you like) and we’re going to do it with song and dance… It’s going to be a great night!”
Prior to performing in front of nearly 2 billion people at the Royal Wedding, the largest audience The Kingdom Choir had performed to was just 200 people. Here’s a chance to see them return to these intimate roots with their Saturday evening performance in the stunning grounds of Melbourne Hall.
Following their show-stopping performance of “Stand by Me” at the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, The Kingdom Choir have since toured a sell-out show across 18 cities in the UK, performed at BST Hyde Park with Barbra Streisand, appeared on numerous television shows around the world and headlined at festivals including Latitude, Hay and Cornbury. The Choir’s rendition of “Stand by Me” went straight to the top of the US Billboard charts, and since releasing their first full-length album worldwide on Sony Music in 2018, their success has truly been a global story.
Lord Kerr says, “I’m so pleased the newly named Live at Melbourne Hall is once again hosting summer evening events in the walled garden. Great comedians like Johnny Vegas and Ed Byrne will be leaving the TV studio behind to visit the beautiful village of Melbourne and South Derbyshire and with the ‘King of the Strictly Ballroom’ himself, Anton Du Beke added to the bill alongside our own little nod to the royal jubilee with The Kingdom Choir performance, I’m looking forward to welcoming everyone from the area and beyond this summer.”
Alongside the entertainment there will be bars serving a range of craft beer, real ale, fine cider and BBQ/Street food.
Tickets are on sale from Friday 11th March, available here.
Just The Tonic Comedy starting from £31.90 (weekend tickets £88)
An Audience with Anton Du Beke starting from £21.45
The Kingdom Choir starting from £20.50
LIVE AT MELBOURNE HALL:
Friday 13-May Just The Tonic presents Ed Byrne
Saturday 14-May Just The Tonic presents David O’Doherty
Sunday 15-May Just The Tonic presents Johnny Vegas (compère)
Friday 20-May An Audience with Anton Du Beke
Saturday 21-May The Kingdom Choir
Ticketing and more information at melbournehall.com/events
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