Richard Durrant – The Art of Levitation Theatre by the Lake, Keswick Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Jo Hardy
Acoustic and classical guitarist Richard Durrant starts his 2026 solo tour at Theatre by the Lake on 30th April and continues until November, revisiting communities all over the UK that have supported him throughout his career and celebrates 40 years as an independent performer, focusing on smaller venues for a more intimate experience a full list of dates and venues can be found on richarddurrant.com with links to each one.
The composer and musician studied classical music at the Royal College of Music and has performed all over the world, as well as live on BBC radio many times. An unassuming man, but clearly one with a passion for music.
The set was very basic, just a man(barefoot) and his guitar and nothing else was needed, this is music in its purest form.
During the performance along with his own compositions Richard played different styles of Baroque, English, and folk music. It’s a style I am not at all familiar with, and I wasn’t sure if I would like it, but hearing it for the first time was very easy to enjoy. The smooth, warm tones washed over me. The intricacy of the guitar playing was mesmerising as I listened to the music, I could feel all the tension fade away; my shoulders started to drop, my heartbeat slowed, and my breathing became deeper. This really is music for the soul.
In between the music, Richard shared moments from his life, his family, his early years, and his lifelong connection to music. I was blown away by his talent; he clearly has a loyal following and I noticed the audience was completely entranced. There was not a murmur or a movement from anyone while he played.
Guitars have been lifelong friends to Richard. I loved the way he gave them a little kiss at the end, and stories he told about them. The guitar he played in the second half had belonged to classical guitarist Julian Bream, who has been a huge inspiration to him, and it has been loaned to him for this tour. I got the feeling that it would be in very good hands.
The last piece was his own composition and where the name of the tour comes from, The Art of Levitation. It was the perfect ending, and I was carried home on a cloud of beautiful music.
Set beside Derwentwater, Theatre by the Lake was the perfect setting for Richard’s music. The lake looked stunning, the fells were magnificent, and the music was captivating. Altogether, it was a magical evening.
The show lasted two hours: two 50-minute sets with a 20-minute intermission.
The ticket price at Theatre by the Lake was £22 but prices at other venues may vary
theatrebythelake.com
Rating: 4/4