Sept-D ec 201 5
“So there is magic beyond the Wall after all� George R. R. Martin
Adam DJ Laity
Comedy
Improv sketch show On The Edge creates comedy mayhem for all ages, plus QI comes to Oxford
Art
Oxford artists take the spotlight: from photography and calligraphy to graphic design and painting
Music
UK and Belgian jazz musicians join forces, plus folk music from Jackie Oates and Ben Murray
Theatre
A new play by awardwinning writer Barney Norris and a dancetheatre adaptation of Paradise Lost
Family
Look out for the Family Arts Takeover this half term; and a troll teacher terrorising twins in November
Welcome to our autumn season.
MultiBuy Rewards We’re offering super savings when you book for two or more selected shows: *2 shows – save £1 per ticket *3 shows – save £1.50 per ticket *4 or more shows – save £2 per ticket Look out for the multi-buy logo alongside selected events. To take advantage of this offer, just make your booking by Saturday 12th September Tickets must be booked in a single purchase. Valid for up to two tickets per show on full price & concessions only.
Song of Riots in London After a successful run at the North Wall in April, we’re delighted to announce that Song of Riots, our latest home-grown production, will be staged at Battersea Arts Centre in October. “ Flawless. Directors Lucy Maycock and Christopher Sivertsen have created something very special” The Oxford Times A co-production with Swedish ensemble Awake Projects, Song of Riots is fuses fairy tale, music, movement and poetry of William Blake to tell the story of two boys on the cusp of adulthood against a backdrop of the London riots of 2011. See it at BAC from 13th – 17th October.
Our latest programme is dominated by bold and entertaining new work that challenges us to think about the world we live in. Productions that pick controversial subjects, defy genre, mix things up and keep audiences on their toes. We have puppetry for adults, stand-up that tells stories, beatboxing to William Blake and dancing to Milton – there is a lot to enjoy here and much of it refuses to be pigeon-holed. ATC return with Martyr, a new play by Marius von Mayenburg - one of Germany’s most celebrated playwrights. He uses a comic touch to examine fundamentalism, considering how far we should go in accommodating another’s faith, and when we should take a stand for our own opposing beliefs. Barney Norris, one of my favourite young writers, returns with his latest work, Eventide. Barney won a Critics’ Circle award for his last play Visitors, which was hugely popular here last year. His writing is tender, lyrical and witty and he aims to create theatre whose project is “the loving observation of what is extraordinary in our lives”. Gentleness in theatre – almost a radical concept. The fabulously anarchic Green Ginger are back with a new show: Outpost. This amazing company have been operating since 1978, and are widely celebrated for their gorgeous puppets and their ingeniously dark aesthetic. ’ And then there is the brilliant Gary McNair with his show Donald Robertson Is Not a Stand-up Comedian. I thoroughly enjoyed it at Edinburgh last year – a fascinating mix of stand-up and theatre that asks if all comedy is inherently cruel. Other highlights include our Family Arts Takeover, folk from Finland as well as the brilliant Jackie Oates and Ben Miles, Laura Jurd pushing the boundaries of music-making, and a full line up of exhibitions in the gallery including the Society of Wood Engravers 78th Annual Exhibition. And for those who might be in London during the week of October 12th, The North Wall’s co-production with Awake Projects – Song Of Riots will be playing at Battersea Arts Centre. Go and see it if you can. We are proud of the work we have made. There is much to look forward to in the months ahead. I look forward to seeing you here at The North Wall Lucy Maycock Artistic Director
Programme design: white space | www.white-space.net The North Wall photography: Colin Willoughby, Philip Vile
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SUNDAY 15 NOVEMBER A Paines Plough & Half Moon production by Dennis Kelly
Chicken Licken A baby chick is born and thinks the sky is falling down. On the way to tell the King, she meets Henny Penny, Ducky Lucky & Turkey Lurkey, but there’s a shocking surprise! Chicken Licken grows up to be the Little Red Hen and asks her friends to help her make bread, but no one wants to play! Mixed into this recipe of food, puppets and music is the story of Little Red Hen and the sly Foxy Loxy. Will she outwit him and save her stuffing? DNA Puppetry and Visual Theatre is a world-renowned English/Australian company celebrating 21 years of making theatre for young and old. Their lively and witty adaptation of classic barnyard tales will have anyone over the age of three chuckling with delight. Recommended age: 3+ Performances: 11am & 2pm Tickets: £8 (concessions £6)
Pup Shado petr w yW orks 3pm hop Ma shad ke your very ow p o a go uppet an wn at an d ha ve ima it Cos on stag ting t: £1 e .50 p ! er ch ild
Step through the Wall and come on an adventure! Children aged 3 – 11 are invited to join The North Wall Explorers’ Club. Each time they come to see a show, they’ll collect a sticker and to add to their Explorer’s passport – once they’ve completed five Special Theatrical Quests, their sixth comes absolutely free! Ask at the box office on your next visit.
// Booking: 01865 319450 or www.thenorthwall.com
www.halfmoon.org.uk www.painesplough.com
“Fun, funny and unpatronising. Comic perfection.” ★★★★ The Times
Illustration by Chris Riddell
Dynamic New Animation presents
“All of the wit, grotesque humour and naughtiness of Dahl’s best” ★★★★ WhatsOnStage Recommended age: 7+ Performances: 2pm & 5pm Tickets: £10 (concessions £8)
// Booking: 01865 319450 or www.thenorthwall.com
Family
SATURDAY 26 SEPTEMBER
Two terrible twins with a talent for turmoil rule their school with terror and tyranny. That is, until the arrival of a new head teacher with green scaly skin, sharp gnarly fangs, and a long spiky tail… Can the twins save the school from the child-eating Troll? Can they get Brussels sprouts in peanut butter taken off the lunch menu? And most importantly, can naughtiness prevail? From Dennis Kelly, the writer of award-winning West End show Matilda the Musical, this is an exciting collaboration between Paines Plough and Half Moon Theatre, fresh from its success this summer at London’s Southbank Centre, Brighton Festival and Edinburgh Fringe 2015.
Illustration by Chris Riddell
Our Teacher’s a Troll
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Half Moon presents
The Poetry Joe Show
SATURDAY 24 OCTOBER This year’s contribution to the nationwide Family Arts Festival sees us flinging open our doors and inviting families of all ages and sizes to come along and get involved – all day long! With behind-the-scenes theatre tours, some very special shows and a huge range of wondrous workshops – all designed to appeal to the whole family – we guarantee there will be something fun and fascinating for everyone. Full schedule available to download from 1st September
Tickets: All shows £5 and workshops FREE when you buy a Takeover Pass for just £1
FREE!
WORKSHOPS And DEMONSTRATIONS ALL DAY!
Visit every space we have – including some you didn’t know about, and join in together! • Backstage Theatre Tours • Joe’s Poetry Workshop • Comedy Improvisation • Mask Performance • Storytelling
• Puppet-Making • Make a Moving Toy • Pop-Up Book making • Theatre Design • Wood Engraving Demo
// Booking: 01865 319450 or www.thenorthwall.com
Half Moon presents
Pop-Up Flashback
A Word Pepper Theatre production 2pm Enter an imaginative world of memories through incredible pop-up books: Sebastian remembers troll kings and mermaid queens, deep sea diving super heroes and city smashing dinosaurs! A funny and heart-warming adventure of complicated families and growing up. For ages 5+ Kepow Theatre presents
Kevin Tomlinson & Abi Hood: On The Edge! 7pm An improvised comedy sketch show that explores all those moments in life when we are On the Edge! No script, no rehearsal, just brilliantly funny performances created with just a little help from the audience… For ages 7+ See page 18 for more details
Family
A Word Pepper Theatre production 10.30am Meet Poetry Joe, poet extraordinaire in his magical light-up world of fabulous foods, beastly bugs and peculiar pets. Using magic lanterns, shadow puppetry and fabulous original poetry, this is the perfect fun introduction to poetry and spoken word for the very young. For ages 3+
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FRIDAY 18 – SATURDAY 19 SEPTEMBER
WEDNESDAY 23 SEPTEMBER
RashDash present
Curtis Productions & Theatre by the Lake present
We Want You To Watch by RashDash and Alice Birch Commissioned by the National Theatre
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The Bogus Woman by Kay Adshead in association with Mama Quilla Productions
Theatre
This is about pornography. This is an interview. This is an intervention. This is an interrogation. We’re recording now. We want to pull its plug out. We want to stop its heartbeat. We want to blow its brains out and begin again. We know exactly what we’re doing. We’re not stupid.
“ Young, raw, risky and edgy” Exeunt www.rashdash.co.uk Age Suitability: 16+ Performances: 8pm Tickets: £15 (concessions £13)
£5 STUDENT TICKETS LIMITED AVAILABILITY
// Booking: 01865 319450 or www.thenorthwall.com
An African woman arrives in a strange country fleeing for her life, seeking safety and asylum. Despite having committed no crime, she is indefinitely confined, interrogated, humiliated and abused. She witnesses the cruelty of the authorities and their casual disregard for an individual’s human rights. This strange country is England. Krissi Bohn (Coronation Street) performs this powerful, poetic and heart-wrenching play – bringing to life the 51 sharply etched characters who retell the experiences of this young woman. This tour is supported by Arts Council England. Free post-show “ Essential watching … Krissi Bohn acts to vividly panel discussion realised and blistering perfection” with speakers ★★★★ The Independent including Asylum Welcome Age Suitability: 16+ Performance: 8pm Tickets: £13 (concessions £11)
// Booking: 01865 319450 or www.thenorthwall.com
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FRIDAY 2 OCTOBER West Yorkshire Playhouse & LittleMighty present
Blake Remixed by Testament
£5 STUDENT TICKETS LIMITED AVAILABILITY
Age Suitability:14+ Performance: 8pm Tickets: £13 (concessions £11)
// Booking: 01865 319450 or www.thenorthwall.com
Music
“Brimming with skills” Soweto Kinch, Mercury Nominee and MOBO winner
Theatre
World record-holding beatboxer and acclaimed rapper Testament smashes together UK Hip Hop with the iconic poetry of William Blake to create his first original theatre show. Celebrating the greatest counter-cultural voices in British history, Blake Remixed fuses music and storytelling with a live DJ and interactive video. Made in collaboration with Scratch DJ World Champion DJ Woody, this is a coming of age story with a difference. Through a varied career Testament has worked with leading artists including Kate Tempest, Shlomo and Grammy winner Corinne Bailey Rae.
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FRIDAY 9 – SATURDAY 10 OCTOBER
Adverse Camber Productions presents
Green Ginger presents
Epic Tales from Finland (Saatuja Sanoja)
Co-produced with Tobacco Factory Theatres & Nordland Visual Theatre If you’re drunk on power can you ever sober up? Luis and BK are stationed at a remote border crossing between their two countries. Luis believes in order and discipline. BK believes in taking things easy. The chance discovery of a strange other-world takes the two guards on a journey into the dark heart of politics, tyranny and murder. Absurd comedy and grotesque puppetry combine to explore nationalism, leadership and the terrible consequences of using another man’s toilet. This funny, thought-provoking and highly skilled production is the latest offering from Green Ginger, a world-renowned puppetry company specialising in all things strange and surreal. www.greenginger.net
Fire in the North Sky: Commissioned in association with mac birmingham and Beyond the Border Storytelling Festival with support from Sage Gateshead
Leading UK storyteller Nick Hennessey and three virtuoso Finnish musicians make these two thousand year old traditional stories come alive with a touch of offbeat fun, enchantment and music that moves between dancing flutes, intoxicating rhythms and hauntingly beautiful sung melodies. Fire in the North Sky is a brand new show from Adverse Camber – one of the UK’s most celebrated storytelling companies. It is a rare opportunity to hear stories from Kalevala performed live and to experience the absolute pinnacle of Finnish contemporary folk music.
Music
www.adversecamber.org
Outpost
“Green Ginger’s stuff is wonderfully clever and disturbing” Terry Gilliam
Performance: 7.30pm Tickets: £13 (concessions £11)
£5 STUDENT TICKETS LIMITED AVAILABILITY
// Booking: 01865 319450 or www.thenorthwall.com
Age Suitability:12+ Performances: 8pm Tickets: £13 (concessions £11)
£5 STUDENT TICKETS LIMITED AVAILABILITY
// Booking: 01865 319450 or www.thenorthwall.com
Theatre
Storytelling
Be transported by songs, adventure and the stories of Kalevala – Finland’s national epic and cultural treasure. Experience authentic creation myths, tales of Finland’s epic heroes and journey with them to the dark river of the underworld.
Joseph Wallace
WEDNESDAY 7 OCTOBER
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MONDAY 12 – TUESDAY 13 OCTOBER
WEDNESDAY 14 OCTOBER
An Actors Touring Company / Unicorn Theatre Production
Show and Tell present
Martyr
Donald Robertson Is Not A Stand-Up Comedian
By Marius von Mayenburg Translated by Maja Zade Directed by Ramin Gray
Written by Gary McNair Directed by Gareth Nicholls
Benjamin won’t do swimming at school. His mum thinks it’s drugs or body issues. But Benjamin has found God and mixed-sex swimming lessons offend him.
What would you do if everyone in the world hated you? Would you run? Would you fight? Or would you try to make them laugh?
Fundamentalism and tolerance clash in this funny, provocative play by leading German playwright, Marius von Mayenburg. Martyr considers how far we should go in accommodating another’s faith, and when we should take a stand for our own opposing beliefs.
Donald Robertson has no mates and he isn’t funny. But with guidance from his new mentor Gary, he hopes that this is all about to change.
Theatre
Theatre
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Niall Walker
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Writer/performer Gary McNair’s awardwinning monologue weaves a classic coming-of-age story with a pinpoint deconstruction of the darker side of stand-up comedy.
Actors Touring Company returns to The North Wall following their acclaimed production of The Events.
“ A tour de force with a whole lot of heart and a must-see” ★★★★★ The Stage
www.atctheatre.com
“ McNair delivers real insight along with the laughs… a gem of a show” ★★★★ The Telegraph www.showandtelluk.com
£5 STUDENT TICKETS LIMITED AVAILABILITY
// Booking: 01865 319450 or www.thenorthwall.com
Performance: 8pm Tickets: £13 (concessions £11)
£5 STUDENT TICKETS LIMITED AVAILABILITY
// Booking: 01865 319450 or www.thenorthwall.com
Comedy
Age Suitability: 15+ Performances: 8pm Tickets: £13 (concessions £11)
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WEDNESDAY 21 – THURSDAY 22 OCTOBER
Shakespeare Schools Festival The North Wall is thrilled once again to welcome local talent to the stage as part of the Shakespeare Schools Festival. Duncan Raban
‘Music, drama and art are high profile … richer here than in many more prominent schools.’
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THE GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE
100 acres ● Co-educational ● Boarding and day ● A Level and IB Diploma
Community
Mini Open Mornings most Saturdays ●
Contact the Registrar 01865 319200
Each night three schools will perform three different Shakespeare plays. Come and celebrate the achievements of our local schools while enjoying a wonderful evening of entertainment. The Shakespeare Schools Festival is the UK’s largest youth drama festival and enables over 1,000 primary, secondary, and special schools to stage abridged Shakespeare productions in their local professional theatre. 35,000 young people will take to stages across the UK.
“ I am delighted that the Shakespeare Schools Festival, through its reach across the UK, is enabling new generations of young people to discover why he is still the world’s greatest playwright” Dame Judi Dench, SSF Patron
registrar@stedwardsoxford.org
www.ssf.uk.com
www.stedwardsoxford.org
Performances: 7pm Tickets: £9 (concessions £7)
// Booking: 01865 319450 or www.thenorthwall.com
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SATURDAY 24 OCTOBER
SUNDAY 25 OCTOBER
Kepow Theatre presents
Playpen Music presents
Jackie Oates & Ben Murray
This wonderful comedy show explores all those moments in life when we are on the edge: falling in love, leaving home, getting a job, bungee jumping… you name it, this show explores it! On the Edge! garnered 5 star reviews at the Edinburgh Festival and received a standing ovation on its last night. Since then, it has been seen at over 300 venues across the UK and had sell out performances all over the world. American company Warner Bros have recently bought the internet rights to On the Edge and the BBC are now looking at turning it into a TV show. Alongside his Kepow work, Kevin has also performed with the cast of Whose Line is It Anyway?
Jackie Oates and Ben Murray join forces for a special one-off co-headline tour.
“Excellent... a must see show!” ★★★★★ The Times
Ben Murray began his career as a founding member of the group Tarras. During his time with Tarras, the band was nominated for ‘Best Original Song’ at the BBC Folk Awards. Ben also garnered a second nominated for the ‘Horizon Award’ with his long time collaborative partner Rosie Doonan, with whom he also performs as part of The Mighty Doonans.
“Magical comedy theatre!” Critics Choice: The Herald ★★★★★ Three Weeks
Comedy
★★★★★ The Independent
Her mellifluous voice and imaginatively plaintive fiddle style has won her several BBC Folk Awards during a 10-year recording career that began as a member of the nascent Unthanks and has continued with five acclaimed solo albums. She has collaborated with Alasdair Roberts, Belinda O’Hooley and her brother Jim Moray on material that’s ranged from traditional ballads to eerie lullabies and rich contemporary songs.
Ben can currently be seen performing as the ‘Songman’ in the West End production of War Horse.
www.kepowtheatre.co.uk Age suitability: All ages Performance: 7pm Tickets: £10 (concessions £8)
Jackie Oates is a name synonymous with the reinvigoration of English folk music, beguiling audiences with a delicate balance of tradition and reinvention.
See this show for just £5 as part of the Family Arts Takeover – see pages 6 & 7 to find out how.
// Booking: 01865 319450 or www.thenorthwall.com
Performance: 8pm Tickets: £13 (concessions £11)
// Booking: 01865 319450 or www.thenorthwall.com
Music
On The Edge! Kevin Tomlinson & Abi Hood
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WEDNESDAY 28 – SATURDAY 31 OCTOBER Up In Arms and Arcola Theatre present
Eventide
by Barney Norris in association with The North Wall “Try and do something with your life. Be deliberate, you know?”
Barney Norris won the Critics’ Circle and Off West End Most Promising Playwright Awards for Visitors (“Extraordinary” The Guardian, “Heartbreaking” New York Times), which played to sell-out audiences at Arcola Theatre and The North Wall before transferring to the Bush Theatre. Eventide now receives a powerful world premiere production directed by Alice Hamilton. www.upinarms.org.uk
£5 STUDENT TICKETS LIMITED AVAILABILITY
Age Suitability:12+ Performances: 8pm Tickets: £13 (concessions £11)
// Booking: 01865 319450 or www.thenorthwall.com
Theatre
A love song, an elegy, a celebration – Eventide tells the story of three people whose worlds are disappearing. John is a landlord forced to sell up; Liz is a church organist who can’t get a gig; Mark takes what work he can just to pay the rent. Their tales unfold round the back of a pub hidden deep in the heart of the Hampshire countryside. But is that heart still beating?
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FRIDAY 6 NOVEMBER So Comedy presents
No Such Thing As A Fish With the QI Elves The QI elves take to the road in the first live touring version of their multi-awardwinning hit podcast, on the back of their sell-out Edinburgh Festival run. Join Dan Schreiber, Andrew Hunter Murray, James Harkin and Anna Ptaszynski as they serve up their pick of bizarre, extraordinary and hilarious facts from the QI universe.
“The QI elves drop so many facts your head will spin!” The Guardian “Expect to be amazed” The Telegraph www.qi.com/podcast
// Booking: 01865 01865 319450 319450 or or www.thenorthwall.com www.thenorthwall.com
Comedy
Performance: 8pm Tickets: £13 (concessions £11)
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SATURDAY 7 NOVEMBER
THURSDAY 12 NOVEMBER
Little Soldier Productions presents
OCM presents
The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha
Laura Jurd - DINOSAUR (UK) & LABtrio (BE) Produced & commissioned by Match&Fuse Formerly known as the Laura Jurd Quartet, a new band awakens from the jaws of extinction. These four powerhouse musicians are ready to create seismic shifts through the medium of electric trumpet. DINOSAUR are an inspirational force on the UK jazz scene along with the likes of Shabaka Hutchings and Alexander Hawkins.
Produced in association with Jacksons Lane & toured by house
“ Technically brilliant and jaw-droppingly entertaining” ★★★★★ The Stage www.littlesoldierproductions.com
Music
Award-winning company, Little Soldier presents a hilariously inventive adventure of immense proportions, to be taken with a pinch of salt and a handlebar moustache.
Hailing from Belgium, LABtrio’s urbaninfluenced jazz sound toys with electronic music, improv and hip-hop. With miraculous interplay and infectious dynamics, LABtrio continuously challenge themselves allowing their sound to constantly evolve. Following sets of original music from both bands, tonight they combine to form a new large-ensemble to continue a creative collaboration born during a recent tour in Europe. Witness this special set from some of the best of the new generation of musicians.
“ Sophisticated and technically awesome” The Guardian on Laura Jurd “ A great sound and gripping, infectious dynamics” All About Jazz on LABtrio www.ocmevents.org
Alexander Popelier
Two feisty señoritas and a downtrodden Englishman take on Don Quixote’s quest accompanied only by an otherworldly guitarist. A madcap rendition concluding with a common sentiment: “These guys didn’t read the book”.
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Age Suitability:14+ Performance: 8pm Tickets: £13 (concessions £11)
Performance: 7.45pm Tickets: £14 (concessions £10)
// Booking: 01865 319450 or www.thenorthwall.com
// Booking: 01865 319450 or www.thenorthwall.com
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THURSDAY 19 NOVEMBER Lost Dog presents
Paradise Lost (lies unopened beside me) Conceived, directed and performed by Ben Duke There is a possibility that God made everything because he was terrified of doing nothing. Here is a re-telling of the story of the beginning of everything inspired by Milton’s epic poem Paradise Lost, only with music, fewer words, more dance and never before seen levels of divine incompetence. A show for anyone who has ever created anything (a child, a garden, a paper aeroplane) and then had to watch that wonderful thing spiral out of control.
“ A triumphant gallop through the story of creation” ★★★★ The Guardian
Co-commissioned by The Place and Battersea Arts Centre with further commissioning support from ICIA Bath University. Developed with support from The Point, Eastleigh and South East Dance. Supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England. Ben Duke is a Work Place artist.
Zoe Manders
www.lostdogdance.co.uk
Age Suitability:14+ Performances: 8pm Tickets: £15 (concessions £13)
£5 STUDENT TICKETS LIMITED AVAILABILITY
// // Booking: Booking: 01865 01865 319450 319450 or or www.thenorthwall.com www.thenorthwall.com
Dance
“ Comic yet touching” ★★★★ The Times
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WEDNESDAY 25 NOVEMBER
SATURDAY 28 NOVEMBER
house presents
OCM presents
Disco Pigs
Sarah Nicolls: Moments of Weightlessness
Directed by Cathal Cleary
Contemporary music pianist Sarah Nicolls is one of the most adventurous in the UK; she plays her unique ‘Inside-Out Piano’, enabling her to reach inside the instrument more easily to play unusual sounds. In this solo show, Sarah explores the extraordinary unexpected characteristics of the instrument, moving it around the stage to gradually reveal her parallel journey into motherhood. See this monumental piano in surprising motion, hear the beautiful melodies and textures of Sarah’s pianosongs and contemplate the moments of life where everything seems to stand still.
Written by Enda Walsh
Born seconds apart, Darren and Sinead, aka Pig and Runt, live in a fantasy world of their own in Cork City. Trash TV, Disco beats and cheap booze have fuelled this obsessive friendship. But as they go for their 17th birthday binge, reality violently collides with their fantasy and their world begins to crumble. Written by Enda Walsh, award winning writer of The Walworth Farce, The New Electric Ballroom , Penelope and Camera d’Or winning screenplay Hunger. Disco Pigs is a furious, funny and violent dash through a friendship too close to survive
Theatre
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“ Thrilling vigour and jabbering energy …Kickass performances” ★★★★ The Guardian www.housetheatre.org.uk
www.ocmevents.org
£5 STUDENT TICKETS LIMITED AVAILABILITY
Age suitability: 14+ Performance: 8pm Tickets: £13 (concessions £11)
Performance: 7.30pm Tickets: £14 (concessions £10)
// Booking: 01865 319450 or www.thenorthwall.com
// Booking: 01865 319450 or www.thenorthwall.com
Music
“The transformation of piano from percussion to string instrument, from imposing musical apparatus to child’s plaything created something special indeed.” The Argus
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FRIDAY 4 DECEMBER - SATURDAY 9 JANUARY Creation Theatre presents
TREASURE ISLAND
adapted from the original work by Robert Louis Stevenson
X marks the spot Cutlasses at the ready, there’s cannon fire on the high seas. Jim and Long John Silver are on the trail of pirate treasure. Leading a crew of the scurviest sea dogs you ever saw and following a battered old map, they’ll find more than they bargained for over the horizon. Scramble on deck for Creation’s fifth family Christmas show at The North Wall. From the team behind last year’s riotous and eccentric The Wind in the Willows comes a new adaptation full of sea shanties, swash buckling and sword fights.
“Creation embellish this venerable narrative framework with a blizzard of novelties” The Guardian, (The Wind in the Willows, 2014) “If you are looking for an alternative to pantomime, then this take on a children’s classic is recommended” The Stage, (The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, 2013) “A truly festive occasion, perfect for all the family” The Oxford Times, (Aladdin and the Magical Lamp, 2012)
Recommended for age 5+ Performances: Selected matinees 10.00am and 2.00pm, evening shows 7.30pm. Selected evening shows 6.00pm. Full schedule at www.creationtheatre.co.uk Tickets: £13.50-£32 (concessions available, ask at the Box Office.) Special offers for groups of ten or more.
www.creationtheatre.co.uk
01865 766266
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TUESDAY 8 – FRIDAY 25 SEPTEMBER
Jonathan Shapley: What Kind Of A Place Is This?
// Gallery: Mon-Fri: 10am-4pm, Sat: 12pm-4pm // www.thenorthwall.com
Art
Much of Jonathan Shapley’s work is wall-based, two-dimensional, and employs a variety of media, including not only paint and photography but also materials more usually associated with building and construction, the use of which is intended to reflect concerns surrounding how spaces and places are created, controlled and used. The layered nature of his work references transience and the passing of time, and the marks or impressions that may be left behind which can contribute to our own reading of space and place. This exhibition includes paintings, collages and mixed-media work that deal with the development and use of space, focusing on the margins and the marginalised and the barriers that are encountered, depending on where we are from and where we are going. jonathanshapley.wordpress.com
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TUESDAY 29 SEPTEMBER – SATURDAY 3 OCTOBER
TUESDAY 6 – SATURDAY 24 OCTOBER
Stephen Franks
Society of Wood Engravers 78th Annual Exhibition
My Life Drawing
Stephen is a graphic designer and runs his own design group, Franks + Franks. He became a designer from a love of drawing and art. Over the last 10 years he has been drawing as an addition to designing, attending life drawing sessions in and around Oxford. “Drawing has become less integral to the design process because of technology, but I believe it is really important to keep drawing. Life drawing is about heightened observation, mark making and composition – all vital aspects to design.” This exhibition shows the best of the drawings Stephen has produced over the years. It features a collection of life drawings and dog portraits produced in ink, charcoal and tea and some in pastels.
WEDNESDAY 28 OCTOBER – SATURDAY 14 NOVEMBER
Oxford Photographic Society Annual Exhibition 2015
// Gallery: Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm 01865 319450 or www.thenorthwall.com
The Society of Wood Engravers opens its annual exhibition this year with a vibrant new selection of engravings and other relief prints from the UK and around the world. Wood engraving is at once the simplest and one of the most exquisite forms of printmaking, and the range of work on show here demonstrates the huge variety of possibilities obtainable from the technique.
The selected prints range in size from tiny, intimate engravings to large, bold lino and woodcuts and the subject matter includes the traditional and figurative through to abstract with a number in full colour. The exhibition is touring the UK and will also be visiting Bankside Gallery (next to Tate Modern), Bath, Eton, Thirsk and Petworth. Find Out More: SWE Members will be working in the Gallery from 2pm - 3pm on Sat 17 Oct and 11am 3pm on Sat 24 October, demonstrating their craft and answering questions.
Art
Following its successful exhibition in 2013, the Oxford Photographic Society makes a welcome return to the North Wall for their 2015 Annual Exhibition. The exhibition is designed to showcase the broad range of photography skills and interests that its members engage in. These include land and seascape photography, portrait, street, creative, documentary, sport, wildlife, studio and fine art photography. The Society has a mixed gender membership in excess of 100 comprising an age span of 18 - 80. Their season runs from early September to the end of May and offers guest speakers, competitions and discussions at their weekly meetings. Photo walks, special interest group trips, and various outings are also on offer throughout the season. Members are encouraged to show their work on the Society’s website and to invite comments and share information. www.oxfordphotosociety.co.uk
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// Gallery: Mon-Fri: 10am-4pm, Sat: 12pm-4pm // www.thenorthwall.com
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WEDNESDAY 18 NOVEMBER – SATURDAY 5 DECEMBER
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WEDNESDAY 9 DECEMBER – SATURDAY 9 JANUARY
Oxford Scribes Collections: A Celebration of the Calligraphic Arts So much more than handwriting! Oxford Scribes showcase their passion for beautiful hand lettering with a collection of work by current members. Each individual piece is an interpretation of the theme “Collections” (or lists) and celebrates the wide range of media and techniques employed by contemporary artists. Members of Oxford Scribes range from fine, internationally known, professional calligraphers, to complete beginners. They hold regular meetings with speakers and one-day workshops run by first-rate lettering artists. In addition, they undertake commissions, produce an excellent newsletter, and aim to hold regular high prestige exhibitions in and around Oxfordshire. New members are welcome and need not to be practising calligraphers – just keen to meet others with an interest in fine writing. www.oxfordscribes.co.uk
Lorraine Turley Murmurings
// Gallery: Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm 01865 319450 or www.thenorthwall.com
Art
Lorraine Turley studied at the Glasgow School of Art. Her work is concerned with the contextual response to words, memory, relationships and experience. Landscape and text based images are created in response to the written word and memories of places visited. Layered and obscured, the text becomes indiscernible and reads as marks. As a visual image, the work resonates mood, impermanence and continuum. The paintings evoke transient snapshots and memories of places visited. They allow the viewer to create a personal relationship and dialogue with the work and to be transported to a place where sound, light, emotion and image form the experience when looking at the work. The work comes from the imagination: not from photographs or from life, but from the artist’s memories of places. They are murmurings from the past – real from imagined.
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SUMMERTOWN
The North Wall Arts Centre South Parade, Summertown, Oxford OX2 7JN
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E Arts Centre Box office: 01865 319450 ’s P ward ond St Edool e Diam Open: Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm and Sch akthorp O from 5pm on performance days. Saturdays P cliffe gs Thorn 12pm – 4pm. Closed Sundays & Bank nin n ry Je Fer eth Holidays. ft ston ab h Cro Mar Eliz Beec Online booking: www.thenorthwall.com eton Email: contact@thenorthwall.com Mor Booking fees: OXFORD CITY Cash Payment: no booking fee. CENTRE 1 mile Card & Online Payments: £1 per transaction. Parking: Two public car parks are five minutes’ walk from the North Wall (see map). There is limited on-street parking in South Parade. Park and Ride: from Pear Tree or Water Eaton until 11pm, Mon-Sat. By train: Oxford rail station is 2 miles from The North Wall. By bus: Buses run frequently to Summertown from Oxford City Centre. The bus stop is South Parade. For more info on travel and parking visit www.summertown.info Access: The North Wall has full disabled access and facilities. We also have infra-red and audio-loop systems for people with hearing difficulties.
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Booking Information Groups One ticket is free with every ten purchased. Concessions Where indicated, these apply to schoolchildren, full-time students, UB40s, over 60s and registered disabled. The carer for a wheelchair user receives a free ticket.
Students Special £5 ticket offer for some shows. Contact box office for availability. School Groups £7.50 tickets on selected shows. Accompanying staff members go free. Multibuy Great reductions when booking two or more shows at the same time (see page 2 for details).
Make a meal of it with Cibo! (at 4 South Parade, just a step from The North Wall) On performance evenings North Wall audience members can enjoy a pre- or post-show meal and receive 25% off their bill. Dated ticket or other proof of attendance on the night must be shown.
Keep up to date with news and offers Don’t miss out – join our mailing list by registering on the homepage of our website or email contact@thenorthwall.com. www.thenorthwall.com
The North Wall is part of St Edward’s, Oxford: charity number 309681
At a glance event guide DATE
EVENT
CATEGORY PAGE
Sept 18 - 19 Sept 23 Sept 26 Oct 2 Oct 7 Oct 9 - 10 Oct 12 - 13 Oct 14 Oct 21 - 22 Oct 24 Oct 24 Oct 25 Oct 28 - 31 Nov 6 Nov 7 Nov 12 Nov 15 Nov 17 Nov 25 Nov 28 Dec 4 - Jan 9
We Want You To Watch The Bogus Woman Chicken Licken Blake Remixed Fire in the North Sky Outpost Martyr Donald Robertson Is Not a Stand-up Comedian Shakespeare Schools Festival Family Arts Takeover Kepow: On The Edge Jackie Oates & Ben Murray Eventide QI: No Such Thing As A Fish Don Quixote OCM: Laura Jurd & LABtrio Our Teacher’s a Troll Paradise Lost Disco Pigs OCM: Sarah Nicolls Creation: Treasure Island
Theatre Theatre Family Music/Theatre Music/Storytelling Theatre Theatre Theatre/Comedy
8 9 4 11 12 13 14 15
Community Family Comedy Music Theatre Comedy Theatre Music Family Dance Theatre Music Theatre
17 6 18 19 20 23 24 25 5 27 28 29 30
Exhibitions Sept 8 - 25 Sept 29 - Oct 3 Oct 6 - 24 Oct 28 - Nov 14 Nov 18 - Dec 5 Dec 9 - Jan 9
Jonathan Shapley Stephen Franks Society of Wood Engravers Oxford Photographic Society Lorraine Turley Oxford Scribes
See page 38 for special offers and full details of concessions.
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