MP, Cassetteboy and Trump musical coming to region for Festival of Debate

The Festival of Debate will take over Sheffield from April 18 to June 29.

Events take place at various city centre venues and some shows are free or pay what you feel.

Now in its fourth year, the Festival of Debate is set to present its biggest programme yet featuring Greek economist Yanis Varoufakis, ex-Labour Leader Ed Miliband, and best-selling writer and feminist Reni Eddo-Lodge.

The Festival of Debate launched in 2015 ahead of the general election to encourage engagement with the key issues facing the UK before it went to the polls. 

A spokeswoman for the festival said: “The first year was so successful that it was clear that there was demand for the festival to become an annual fixture. 

“Sheffield has a long history of being a city of debate and new ideas. 

“Sheffield’s original newspapers, the Sheffield Iris and The Sheffield Register, were a hotbed of political activism and radical historical figures such as John Ruskin and Edward Carpenter found many a sympathetic ear across the city.”

This year, the festival includes over 75 events and will also feature YouTube mash-up duo Cassetteboy, who are best known for their riotous videos which make celebrities and politicians say what’s really on their minds. 

There will also be a musical about the embattled American president entitled Trump! The Musical! and a closing party marking 100 years of women’s suffrage with activist Helen Pankhurst – the great-granddaughter of the suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst. 

For the full line-up and ticket information visit www.festivalofdebate.com.