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If you’ve heard that the “One Night of Queen” show by Queen tribute band Gary Mullen and the Works is a high-energy affair, believe it. Or watch some video clips of Mullen’s athletic performances as the late Freddie Mercury. Better yet, go see the band when it returns to Memorial Hall for a 7 p.m. performance on Sunday, Aug. 31.
Mullen didn’t plan on a making a ving out of emulating Mercury, who died in 1991 at the age of 45 from complications related to AIDS. But in 2000, his mother and wife surreptitiously entered him in a U.K. talent show called “Stars in Their Eyes,” which he won with a record number of votes.
“My career exploded after that,” he said in a recent interview.
Mullen always held Mercury and the other members of Queenin high esteem, so when he put together his band, The Works, in 2002, it was important to have skilled musicians who could do justice to Queen’s musical prowess. The band features David Brockett on guitar, Jon Halliwell on drums, Malcolm Gentles on keyboards, and Alan McGeogh on bass. Mullen said he’s grateful to have “an amazing bunch of guys. I wanted a band that played like a rock band, and the guys are incredible.”
At Memorial Hall, they’ll play a set of classic Queen songs, Mullen said the band loves to play Plymouth because of the audience’s enthusiasm.
“From the word ‘go,’ the audience is invested in the show,” he said. “We come out all guns blazing, and the audiences in Plymouth just like rock and roll. We feed off that energy.”
He pointed out that although there are a lot of older people who love Queen, the band is gaining traction with a younger audience as well since the 2018 Mercury biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
“It’s about losing yourself in the music,” Mullen said of being at the band’s shows. “Forget your troubles. Take that joy out the door with you and, hopefully, enrich your life a bit by being happy.”
And don’t worry if you accidentally call him “Freddie.” He’s used to it.
Tickets for “One Night of Queen” are $45.25, $56, $67, $78, and you can get them here.
Monday, August 25
“The Last Class,” a documentary about educator and former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich preparing to teach his final course will screen at 4:30 p.m. at Plimoth Cinema at Plimoth Patuxet Museums, 137 Warren Ave. “Relay,” a thriller with Riz Ahmed about a “fixer” who arranges payoffs for corrupt corporations, will continue screening at 7 p.m. “My Mother’s Wedding” also will continue showing at 7 p.m. All three films will continue at least until Thursday, Aug. 28. Tickets are $12.50, $11 with a club card, $10 for seniors or members, and $8.50 for seniors with a club card.
Tuesday, August 26
Chess players of all ages and abilities are welcome to attend the Chess Club at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St., from 6 to 8 p.m. Matches take place in the Nook Road study areas, and chess sets are provided, although you can bring your own. Experienced chess instructor Bill Petrillo and volunteer Jim Pritchard will be on hand to provide guidance.
Wednesday, August 27
The last of Project Arts’ free summer concerts series for 2025 will feature 1989 (a Taylor Swift tribute band), from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Pilgrim Memorial State Park on the waterfront. (Probably no reveals from Taylor’s upcoming album, though.)
Want to learn how to shuck oysters? Check out a “Bump ’n Brine Oyster Shucking Class” from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Book Love, 7 Village Green South, in the Pinehills. A local oyster farmer will bring fresh oysters from his farm and provide everything you need to learn the technique. There will be a dozen oysters per person for tasting, along with the traditional sauces. There will also be optional take-home kits for purchase. Tickets are $46.13, and you can sign up here.
Thursday, August 28
In need of some laughs to offset the daily doom and gloom? The Comedy Coop will present Stand Up Comedy at Untold Brewing, 2 Loring Blvd., from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Comedians from Boston and beyond will perform. Tickets are $20, and you can get them here.
The Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St., offers an online event from 2 to 3 p.m. with author Dr. Tasha Eurich, who will discuss her latest book, “How to Thrive in a World of Constant Chaos (And why resilience alone isn’t enough).” Eurich, an organizational psychologist, will explain how resilience is not an unlimited resource, and offer tools to navigate the pressures and chaos of everyday life. Register for the event here.
Friday, August 29
To celebrate the 201st anniversary of Pilgrim Hall Museum, America’s oldest public museum and the pre-eminent repository of authentic Mayflower possessions, admission will be free all day, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., thanks to the sponsorship of Newfield House. From 6 to 10 a.m., 95.9 WATD FM’s morning show will broadcast live from the museum’s granite portico, with state and local legislators and members of Plymouth’s cultural community as on-air guests. Volunteers will serve cupcakes from 10 a.m. to noon (while supplies last) accompanied by re-enactors of the New Plimmoth Gard in 17th-century costume, who will demonstrate colonial military techniques and fire celebratory musket volleys. Visitors can view the museum’s Pilgrim and Wampanoag artifacts and visit the original 1824 Main Hall to learn about its ongoing restoration and the recently completed conservation of two massive paintings depicting the Pilgrims’ departure from the Netherlands in 1620. For more information, visit the museum website or contact membership@pilgrimhall.org.
“The Roses,” starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Olivia Coleman, and Alison Janney, will begin screening at Plimoth Cinema at Plimoth Patuxet Museums, 137 Warren Ave. This dark comedy remake of 1989’s “The War of the Roses” portrays how a seemingly happy married couple goes to “war” against each other, based on resentment and competition. “Relay” also will continue screening. Show times are 4:30 and 7 p.m. Tickets are $12.50, $11 with a club card, $10 for seniors or members, and $8.50 for seniors with a club card.
J2B2 (John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band) will perform at the Spire at 8 p.m., with doors opening at 7. The band members – all award-winning roots and bluegrass musicians – include John Jorgenson on acoustic guitar, mandolin and vocals; Herb Pedersen on banjo, acoustic guitar and vocals; Patrick Sauber on acoustic guitar and vocals; and Mark Fain on bass. Tickets are $35.50 and $39, and you can buy them here.
Saturday, August 30
The second annual “We Remember, We Recover” event will be held on the front lawn at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St., from noon to 4 p.m. This event honors those lost to substance-use disorder and celebrates people in recovery. Speakers will share their stories to help promote awareness and inspire others. Resource tables manned by community organizations will be available to spread awareness and connect people to important support services. The family-friendly event will include food, drinks, live music, and crafts.
Candlelight Concerts by the Listeso String Quartet at Memorial Hall will include Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons,” among other famous works – played by candlelight. Doors open at 6 p.m., and close five minutes before the show begins at 7 p.m. Attendees must be older than age 8, and those under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Tickets are $28, $41, and $59, and are available here.
Asleep at the Wheel, with long-term front man Ray Benson, will perform at the Spire at 8 p.m., with doors opening at 7. The Western swing band – which has been around for years and had hundreds of members rotate through its ranks – has made 30 albums and won 10 Grammy awards. Tickets are $71.50 and $79, and you can buy them here.
Sunday, August 31
“One Night of Queen” with tribute band Gary Mullen and the Works will perform at 7 p.m. at Memorial Hall. See the lead item in this column for more details.
Tuesday, September 2
High Limb Cider, 101 Carver Road (in the G Pub building), will hold a Bonsai Bar at 6:30 p.m. Learn how to pot, prune, and trim one of the tiny trees. It’s a beginner workshop, so no pressure, and you get to keep the tree. Arrive 15 minutes early and learn the fundamentals of bonsai with guidance and the right tools. Tickets are $85 and you can sign up here.
Wednesday, September 3
Join the Plymouth Public Library and author Hannah Nicole Maehrer for an online event titled “On Writing Darkly Charming Villainous Love,” at 7 p.m. Maehrer wrote the bestselling book, “Assistant to the Villain,” which looks at villainy with a comedic bent. Register and submit questions for the author here.
Thursday, September 4
Today is the deadline to sign up for fall classes or workshops at Plymouth Center for the Arts, 11 North St. Classes begin Monday, Sept. 8. They include Linocut Printmaking, Graphic Design in Microsoft Word, Beginner Portraits, Advanced Portraits, and Anime for Teens. Workshops include Mixed Media Torn Landscape, and Botanical Printmaking. Check out all the offerings and register for classes here.
Friday, September 5
First Fridays Plymouth, from 5 to 8 p.m., will spotlight the Mercy Otis Warren building at North and Main streets in downtown Plymouth. In that historic building, All Good Art will host a silent auction of Susan SteMarie’s paintings of Mercy Otis Warren and her husband, and Edge Pizza will serve a special “Mercy Otis” pizza. It’s the final First Fridays event for the Art Shoppe, 84 Court St., where you can learn how to make an ornament using alcohol and ink, enjoy refreshments, and browse or buy Eddy Murray’s jewelry and Jessie Fries’s paintings. There will be free tours of the historic Hedge House – featuring its special exhibit of military uniforms – the Jabez Howland House, and the Mayflower Society House. At the Plymouth Center for the Arts, plein air artist Linda Scola will demonstrate her technique and C.J. Blackthorn will demonstrate printmaking. Pianist Erik Lindgren will play as people tour the center’s exhibits or browse the Artisan Shop. Find out more about First Fridays here.
Saturday, September 6
The Father John Murphy Ancient Order of Hibernians invites Irish American women of Plymouth County who are “interested in Irish heritage, faith, and sisterhood” to attend an informational meeting about forming a Plymouth County Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians. The meeting will take place from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at the AOH Hall, 36 Cordage Park Circle, Unit 220A. State LAOH President Noreanne Duquette will give a presentation, and light refreshments will be served. The event is free, but register here or by contacting aohplymouth@gmail.com.
“Avian Amusement & Antics: A Humorous Author Talk with Rosemary Mosco” will be held in the Fehlow Meeting Room at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St., from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. It’s World Shorebirds Day. Manomet Conservation Sciences is hosting the event to “celebrate birds and the people who love them.” Registration is required, and you can do so here.