Bach, Bows and Arrows - An Audience with Julian and Jiaxin Lloyd Webber

What to Expect

Cellists Julian and Jiaxin Lloyd Webber bring an afternoon of music and conversation to Market Place Theatre on Sunday 30 August 2026. “Bach, Bows and Arrows” is built around Julian Lloyd Webber’s autobiography, and the show combines live cello playing with personal stories and discussion drawn from the book, so the audience gets the account behind the career as well as the music. Julian spent decades as one of Britain’s best-known classical cellists before a herniated disc in his neck ended his public performing in 2014; he returned to the concert platform in April 2026, and this Irish tour marks that comeback after a twelve-year gap. His wife Jiaxin, a cellist too, plays alongside him, and the two have recorded as a cello duo.

Armagh is one of thirteen Irish dates on the tour, which runs from late August into early September 2026. It’s a change of pace from the theatre’s tribute-band and country-music nights, aimed at an audience that wants a proper seated classical performance without travelling to Belfast. The 3:00pm start also makes it one of the easier shows in the theatre’s late-summer programme to combine with an afternoon in Armagh city centre.

Good to Know

• Sunday 30 August 2026, 3:00pm start, main auditorium
• Venue: Market Place Theatre and Arts Centre, Market Street, Armagh BT61 7BW
• A cello duo recital interwoven with readings and conversation about Julian Lloyd Webber’s autobiography
• One of thirteen dates on the Irish tour, running late August to early September 2026
• Ticketed, book through the Market Place Theatre box office or website for current pricing
• Box office phone 03300 561 025 for seating queries

Getting There

Market Place Theatre sits in the centre of Armagh city on Market Street, close to the Shambles and both cathedrals. Armagh is about 40 minutes from Belfast on the A3 and roughly an hour from Dublin via the M1 and A28. Translink buses run into Armagh’s Lonsdale Road bus station, a short walk from the theatre, and pay-and-display parking is available nearby on Thomas Street and Scotch Street.

While You’re in Armagh

A 3:00pm concert leaves the morning free for the city’s two St Patrick’s cathedrals or the Palace Demesne, and cafes around English Street and the Shambles are well placed for lunch beforehand. The Armagh Observatory and Planetarium is a short walk from the theatre if there’s time to spare either side of the performance.