Ralph Fiennes leads an excellent ensemble of new and established talent in this funny and moving First World War drama by beloved writer Alan Bennett.

A Yorkshire village’s choral society finds its ranks depleted as men head off to war. With the annual performance looming, the society is forced to change its entry rules to enlist some unlikely teens and the musically gifted but socially scandalous Dr. Guthrie. Brimming with humour and hope, Bennett and Nicholas Hytner’s (The Madness of King George, The Lady in the Van) latest triumph celebrates the power of community in the darkest of days.

On September 25th 2025 the Riverside was 110 years old.

Our technical assistant, William Caley, has made a new film which looks back through the Riverside archive to when the cinema was built in 1915 and traces our 110 year history, and features a few recently newly filmed interviews with Pat Betts, Stuart Saunders and Tina Wiseman.

Our current manager, Neil, and Technical assistant, Will, have for the past few years been working on researching the cinema’s history and collecting all the material together to make a book (now available from the box office!), and this new documentary film.

Come along and celebrate our exciting and fascinating history for our 110th birthday.