Norfolk & Norwich Festival: Life In A Fine City's top picks

The Norfolk and Norwich Festival is one of England’s oldest city festivals having started way back in 1824.

One of the major highlights in the city's event calendar, the Norfolk and Norwich Festival returns between 10th - 26th May with artists descending on Norwich from all around the world. On show you’ll find a hefty mix of performance, music, literature and art, plus some excellent free outdoor events. 

Here are Life In A Fine City's top picks of the festival programme...

Henry Moore | Houghton Hall | 1st May - 29th September | More info

In a unique collaboration with the Henry Moore Foundation, Houghton Hall in Norfolk presents this major exhibition Henry Moore at Houghton Hall: Nature and Inspiration – the first significant show of the artist’s work in East Anglia. ​

Festival Launch | Norwich City Centre | Friday 10th May | More info

The Norfolk and Norwich Festival Launch presents a once-in-a-lifetime, ambitious high-wire walk from Chris Bullzini, spanning the centre of Norwich. Breath-taking beauty and daring adventure walk in harmony for this magical performance, accompanied by a remarkable live soundscape.

News News News | Norwich Playhouse |Saturday 11th May | More info

News News News is a television news show made by children for adults, recorded in front of a studio audience and broadcast live on the internet. Working with artists Andy Field and Beckie Darlington, children from Norwich Primary Academy will present bulletins from the city, offering a unique perspective on what’s going on right here, right now.

Blak Whyte Gray | Theatre Royal | Tuesday 14th May | More info

Fierce and affecting, this galvanising hip-hop dance triple bill reflects themes of identity, oppression and transcendence. A personal response by Boy Blue’s founders to their experiences and observations of the world, Blak Whyte Gray is set to the resonating sounds of a multi-layered score. The powerful choreography and staging make for an image-rich production with political bite. ​

A Simple Space | The Adnams Spiegeltent | 15th - 26th May | More info

Seven acrobats push their physical limits without reserve; this performance is simultaneously raw, frantic and delicate. Supported by driving live percussion and presented so intimately that you can feel the heat, hear every breath, and be immersed in every moment.

The Garden Party | Chapelfield Gardens & The Forum | 18th & 19th May | More info

Ever dreamed of scaling the canopies of a metal jungle, or uniting the world with barricades of baguettes? The Festival’s middle weekend sees the return of our interactive, all-ages Garden Party celebration. With dance, acrobatics, music and more, Chapelfield Gardens is the place to experience the wild and wacky this Festival… and all for FREE!

Ragroof Tea Dances | The Adnams Spiegeltent | Sunday 19th May | More info

A hot date in Havana! An afternoon of Cuban rhythms, featuring Cha Chas, Mambos and Boleros, loud shirts and tight skirts more than encouraged.

Bounce and Rhyme Time | The Adnams Spiegeltent | Tuesday 21st May | More info

The popular Millennium Library Bounce and Rhyme event for 0-5 year olds returns to the Festival for two sessions of rhymes and music for children and their parents to enjoy together.

Nella | Norwich Playhouse | Wednesday 15th May |More info

Venezuelan singer Nella Rojas features in Everybody Knows, the new film by director Asghar Farhadi starring Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem, where she sings a cycle of songs by Javier Limón. Nella will present a repertoire of songs from the soundtrack, as well as Venezuelan folk songs and original compositions.

Chilly Gonzales + Sarah McCoy | Theatre Royal | Wednesday 15th May | More info

A true entertainer, Grammy Award-winning Chilly Gonzales is highly regarded for his genre-defying approach to the piano, his showmanship and collaborations with global stars. ​

A Night At The Musicals | The Adnams Spiegeltent | 15th & 16th May | More info

Back by popular demand after sell out shows at NNF18 – Olivier Award-winning star of La Clique & La Soirée, Le Gateau Chocolat is joined by Queen of the Alternative Drag scene, Jonny Woo, bringing high glamah, intense assholism, divine costumes and raggedy choreography with award-winning show A Night at the Musicals.

A Cabaret About Gin | The Adnams Spiegeltent | 22nd & 23rd May | More info

Equal parts historical and hysterical, lose yourself in the company of sailors, barmaids and bootleggers in this darkly comic cabaret. A raucous journey through 18th century London, a few New York speakeasies, the Australian bush and the jungles of Peru, discover a little more about your favourite drop, with this mixed up musical history lesson.

Smashed | Norwich Playhouse |Thursday 16th May | More info

The dark art of juggling. 80 apples, 9 performers, 4 crockery sets. You are cordially invited to a tea party that you will never forget.

Hannah Williams & The Affirmations | The Adnams Spiegeltent | Saturday 25th May | More info

Hailed as the next Amy Winehouse, and championed by Gilles Peterson, Huey Morgan, Sharon Jones and Charles Bradley, Hannah Williams & The Affirmations are the darlings of the worldwide Soul scene.

Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me | National Centre for Writing | 24th May | More info

Kate Clanchy, a prizewinning poet, wants to change the world and thinks school is an excellent place to do it. She invites you to meet some of the kids she has taught in her 30-year career, and to celebrate this most creative, passionate and practically useful of jobs. A candid, funny and moving insight into life in British state schools today.