Arguably the most impressive performance of the eighth Leeds Jewish International Performing Arts Festival took place behind the scenes before Sunday’s opening night.
With a record 3,500 tickets sold and performers arriving from America, Canada, Israel and the breadth of the UK, the organisers learned that a planned 48-hour strike by Unison members would shut the festival venue, The Carriageworks in Leeds city centre, on Wednesday and Thursday.
However, after hours of negotiation with the Carriageworks management, the organisers were given permission to bring in technicians from an outside company.
