Contact I What's On I Jan to Apr 2015 by Contact

W h a t ’s O n J a n u a r y – A p r il 2 0 1 5

@contactmcr |

/contactmcr

Thank you Thanks to our Funders, Sponsors and Supporters, and all who have made donations to Contact online and in person. Core Funders:

Project Funders:

Project Partners:

Media Partners (Queer Contact):

Reg. Charity No. 1070904

Awards:

Creative Experts Clients: BBC, Business In The Community, The Co-operative Group, Crowe Clark Whitehill, Electricity North West, Heineken, Insider Media Ltd, North West Business Leadership Team, The National Deaf Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Society, NHS, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Sharp Futures, South Manchester Enterprise Network, Tate Liverpool, Tyneside Cinema, The University of Manchester, St John's Buildings, Siemens.

Welcome

contactmcr.com tickets & info: 0161 274 0600

Contact is the national contemporary arts organisation that places young people’s decision-making and leadership at the heart of everything. Young people aged 13+ work alongside our staff in deciding our programme, making staff appointments and sit on our Board. The result is a remarkable, diverse and exciting programme for everyone – whatever your age.

Jan –Apr 2015 at Contact. Spring is festival time at Contact. Queer Contact, our annual celebration of LGBT arts and culture, is the largest to date. It includes the fabulous New York performer Justin Vivian Bond, British soul singer David McAlmont, and new Contact commissions from Kate O’Donnell and Eggs Collective. That’s followed by SICK!, an important new festival for the city. Working with the NHS, universities and cultural organisations, it showcases major international artists exploring issues of health and wellbeing, Matt Fenton including several shows made with young © Jonathan Bean people. For SICK! 2015 Contact presents six remarkable pieces from around the world, including the internationally acclaimed Nirbhaya. We’re also delighted that our new Contact Young Company show, Under The Covers, made with the brilliant Stacy Makishi, will feature in the festival. The rest of the season includes renowned theatre maker Tim Crouch, Liverpool’s fantastic 20 Stories High, the phenomenon that is MonologueSlamUK, and comic Gina Yashere. Rising star of the dance world, Aakash Odedra, makes his first Contact visit. Catch him while you can. Matt Fenton, Artistic Director/Chief Executive Did you know? • Contact

is a creative space for young people aged 13 to 30, providing workshops and opportunities, mostly for Free (see pages 24 to 27).

• Young

people work alongside our staff on programming, marketing and technical support, and deliver projects in business and community settings.

• Contact

is a charity dependent on our valued Funders, Trusts and Foundations, and the generosity of individual donors. To find out more about how you can support our work, please contact: lucygreen@contactmcr.com I 0161 274 0657.

Support Us/Creative Experts © Joel Chester Fildes

Support Our Redevelopment Contact is an amazing venue where young people and the public experience exciting, innovative and often life-changing performances and projects. But our building urgently needs updating to make it fit for the needs of contemporary audiences, artists and the next generation of young people. We are now embarking on a campaign to transform Contact, securing the building's future as a state of the art performance and production venue. We have already raised £4 million towards Contact’s redevelopment, including provisional funding of £3.85 million from Arts Council England. We now need to secure a further £1.9 million over the next two years to enable us to realise our ambition to transform our performance and public spaces.

Young people’s ideas have been at the centre of determining what the refurbished building will look and feel like. The involvement of those young people in the development of our final plans will remain constant throughout the process. This project is not just about bricks and mortar, it's an important investment in the future of creativity in the city and region, and for the production of radical new performances for local, national and international audiences. To find out more about Contact's capital redevelopment project, get involved or offer your support, please email capitalbid@contactmcr.com or call 0161 274 0600.

contactmcr.com tickets & info: 0161 274 0600

Creative Experts Contact’s Creative Experts are an awardwinning team of young facilitators who deliver bespoke consultancy, workshops, training and seminars.

We currently work with the likes of Electricity North West, BBC, Tate Liverpool, University of Manchester and GM Talent Match.

If you’re a business, charity or local authority and want to bring fresh thinking into your organisation, the Creative Experts deliver a young-person focused approach to recruitment, future workforce and customer experience.

'A great collaboration which delivers real change in the community.'

Our famous wRap-up service (a rapped spoken-word summing up) is often cited as the highlight of conferences and corporate events. We can even dramatise workplace scenarios as part of training and induction, as we have done for Gateley's law firm, or create training and promotional films.

Jonathan Collins, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, Electricity North West

To find out more, contact creativeservices@contactmcr.com or call 0161 274 0609.

Exhibitions Julia Bardsley as The High Priestess, photographed by Manuel Vason for the SPILL Performance Tarot.

Thu 29 Jan to Sat 18 April, open daily (not Sun). Free.

Pacitti Company: The SPILL Tarot

George House Trust: HIV Activism on Paper

Presented to coincide with Queer Contact and SICK! Festival.

Presented to coincide with Queer Contact, our annual celebration of LGBT arts and culture.

Inspired by the imagery of the tarot, this is a beautiful and vividly staged series of collaborations between renowned photographer Manuel Vason and artists working in radical performance, including Ron Athey, Harminder Singh Judge, Marisa Carnesky and Franko B. | spillfestival.com

George House Trust supports people living with or affected by HIV in the North West of England. As the charityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 30th anniversary approaches, this exhibition explores their engagement in HIV activism; telling the shared local, national and global story of HIV. | ght.org.uk

contactmcr.com tickets & info: 0161 274 0600

January

Thu 29 Jan, 8pm. £15/10. Over 15s. Post-show talk.

Tim Crouch and Andy Smith: what happens to the hope at the end of the evening A story about this evening, one evening and every evening; a story of two men meeting in the middle of their lives, and at the outer edges of their friendship. As they strive for common ground — as they fight and fail, as the wine is drunk and the world falls apart — the possibility of the theatre as a place for community and change comes alive. A spirited, funny and thought-provoking play about finding yourself and finding togetherness by long-term friends and award-winning theatre makers Tim Crouch and Andy Smith. An Almeida Festival 2013 Commission supported by Live at LICA.

'Quietly thrilling.’ ★★★★ The Times

BSL

performance

| timcrouchtheatre.co.uk | #whathappenstothehope

Thu 29 Jan, 8pm.

Mon 2 Feb, 7pm. £10/6. Over 11s.

TriForce: MonologueSlam UK The ultimate showcase for actors from all backgrounds and profiles comes to Contact. Following a lengthy audition process, 20 actors are given the opportunity to perform for a welcoming audience and a panel of people in a position to move their careers forward. With a special Youth Round for 11-16 year olds, and professional actors taking part. Check website for full details of Auditions and Masterclasses available. | triforcepromotions.co.uk | #mslamuk

February / LGBT History Month

Queer Contact Festival 2015

Thu 5 Feb, 8pm. £15/10. Over 14s. Contact and Manchester Pride present

David McAlmont and Guy Davies: Fingersnap Live Fingersnap is the incredible voice of David McAlmont with musical partner Guy Davies. They make a welcome return to Manchester, with McAlmont and Butler hits, original material, astute covers, and tracks from the Great American Songbook. Melodic, joyous and haunting by turns – an awesomely talented pairing.

'One of the Great British Singers.’ Mojo Supported by Macdonald Hotels and Resorts.

| finger-snap.com

contactmcr.com tickets & info: 0161 274 0600

Contact’s celebration of LGBT arts and culture as part of LGBT History Month. | #queercontact

Thu 5 to Sat 7 Feb, 7:30pm. £13/7. Over 16s.

Thu 5 to Sat 7 Feb, 9:30pm. £13/7. Over 18s.

Contact and Word of Warning present

Eggs Collective and Contact present

Amy and Rosana Cade: Sister

Eggs Collective Get A Round

Post-show Q+A on Fri 6 Feb with Prof. Jackie Stacey.

A show with lipstick on its teeth and Wotsits on its face. Eggs Collective Get A Round explores friendship, kindness and belonging against the backdrop to a big night out. Smart and energetic, entertaining and political, this is a piece of theatre that warms hearts and reeks of Blossom Hill.

Amy is a sex worker. Her sister, Rosana, is a shaven-headed lesbian. They are both feminists. In Sister they present a bold and unflinching examination of themselves: their family bonds, shared experiences, and the differing paths their lives have taken. A powerful and joyous performance exploring feminism and choice.

'Strange, beautiful, disturbing.' ★★★★ The Scotsman

Please note: contains full nudity. Supported by the Wellcome Collection as part of the Sexology Season and the Sexuality Summer School, University of Manchester. In association with The Arches.

| rosanacade.com

'Laugh out loud funny and deeply touching, full of guts and warmth and brimming with northern soul.’ Dickie Beau Supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, commissioned by Contact. Originally developed by Camden People's Theatre and with the support of Royal Exchange Theatre. Created in collaboration with Olivier Award-winning director Mark Whitelaw. Nominated for The Arches Brick Award 2014.

| eggscollective.com

February / LGBT History Month

Queer Contact Festival 2015 © Holly Falconer

Fri 6 Feb, 6pm. £6/5. Over 14s.

DIVA: Let’s Talk About Sex Baby To shed a little light on our diverse community’s desires, DIVA Magazine has invited experts Campbell X, Dr. Rachel Morris (Cosmopolitan Magazine), Dr. Monica Pearl (University of Manchester), Sarah Graham (addiction expert) and Kathy McGuirk (The Lesbian and Gay Foundation) to open up a lively and arousing debate. Hosted by DIVA editor Jane Czyzselska. Supported by the Wellcome Collection as part of the Sexology Season, and Sexuality Summer School, University of Manchester. © Kimi Gill

Sat 7 Feb, 11am to 6pm. £15/10*. Over 14s.

Queer Media Festival

BSL

An exciting day of short films, performances performance and in-conversation events showcasing LGBT Sat 7 Feb, 11am. storytelling worldwide. Guests include YouTube sensations Vinny & Luke (V-Squared), Anna McNay (DIVA), Paul Brand (ITV), and Rikki Beadle-Blair. Hosted by Aashi Gahlot, Mike Buonaiuto and Craig Daniels Adams.

*Includes entry to Queer Media: The Breakfast Club at Taurus, Canal St on Sun 8 Feb, 10am to 12.30pm. | queermediauk.wordpress.com © FOTOCAD/ House of Suarez

Sat 7 Feb, 7:30pm. £15.50 VIP tickets / £10.50 standard tickets. Over 18s only.

The House of Suarez Vogue Ball Hosted by Rikki Beadle-Blair. Music from The Niallist. Club culture meets high art, as Vogue Houses come together from far and wide to compete for dance supremacy in a catwalk spectacular reminiscent of 1970s/80s New York at its most glamorous.

Please note: this event will take place at Gorilla, Whitworth St. West. Supported by Arts Council England, MDI and Contact.

contactmcr.com tickets & info: 0161 274 0600

Contact’s celebration of LGBT arts and culture as part of LGBT History Month. | #queercontact

Sat 7 Feb, 11pm to 4am. £5.50 advance / £6 on door. Over 18s only.

Witch*unt Hip Hop, house and electro club night focusing on female headliners, a strong feminist aesthetic and concept driven stage production. Witch*unt is Manchester Evening News’ most exciting club night of 2014 and will be celebrating its first birthday as part of Queer Contact 2015.

Please note: this event will take place at Kraak Gallery, 11 Stevenson Square. Mon 9 Feb, 7:30pm. £13/7. Over 16s.

Comedy Playground Special festival edition of Contact's comedy lab featuring Joe Lycett (Celebrity Juice, Never Mind the Buzzcocks, 8 out of 10 Cats), Shazia Mirza (Have I Got News For You), Tom Allen (Radio 4’s The News Quiz, Bleak Expectations), Rachel Mars and Kerry Leigh. All held together in glorious style by your MC, Jonathan Mayor. Tue 10 Feb, 7:30pm. £9/6. Over 14s.

Polari An evening of spoken word and literature as London’s awardwinning LGBT literary salon returns to Contact. Author Paul Burston hosts, with special guests Beatrice Hitchman (Petit Mort, Polari Prize nominee), J.Fergus Evans, Adam Lowe, Cheryl Martin and Young Enigma. Supported by Apples and Snakes.

| polariliterarysalon.co.uk © Krystyna Fitzgerald-Morris

February / LGBT History Month

Queer Contact Festival 2015 © Lee Baxter

Wed 11 and Thu 12 Feb, 7pm. £6. Over 14s.

Wed 11 and Thu 12 Feb, 9pm. £10/6. Over 14s.

Shortcuts: Tom Marshman and Ashley Knowles

Kate O’Donnell: Big Girl’s Blouse

Work-in-development double-bill.

Post-show talk on Thu 12 with Dr. Rachel Morris.

Two very different performances examining the pressures of an ageing population.

Written and performed by Kate O’Donnell. Directed by Helen Baggett (Gecko Theatre) with thanks to Ashley Knowles.

In Botox Party, Tom Marshman invites audiences to reflect on society’s youth obsession; while Ashley Knowles’ Rage On The Dancefloor explores issues of wealth, age and beauty through the eyes of a single gay man in his 50s.

Using humour, music and theatrical tricks, Big Girl’s Blouse tells the story of a girl who was born a boy and became a woman. Who knew what being transgender was in the 1970’s? Not Kate’s family. To be fair, crispy pancakes had only just landed in the Midlands so she had her work cut out. The path to becoming a woman doesn’t always run smoothly and with a life time coming out, Kate has had to use every trick — theatrical and otherwise — to get by.

Commissioned by Contact. The original staging of Botox Party was supported by Mayfest.

Commissioned by Contact. Supported by the Wellcome Collection as part of the Sexology Season.

contactmcr.com tickets & info: 0161 274 0600

Contact’s celebration of LGBT arts and culture as part of LGBT History Month. | #queercontact

Fri 13 to Sun 15 Feb, various times/locations. Free.

Pagelight Productions: A Very Victorian Scandal It was one of the biggest police raids in Victorian England. It was the UK’s Stonewall. And it happened in 1880! But why was it covered-up? Three ambitious, original dramas by Ric Brady and Stephen M Hornby will present a raid on a Victorian drag ball, a police conspiracy and a court trial to rival Jeremy Kyle.

Venues include Via (Canal Street), Manchester Central Library and The People’s History Museum. I lgbthistoryfestival.org Part of The First National Festival of LGBT History and Manchester in Love.

Fri 13 Feb, 8:30pm (8pm doors). £10/6. Over 18s.

Mother’s Ruin: Mother Lovin’ Pucker up for a selection box of amorous alt-cabaret artists this Valentine's eve. Hosted by big-hearted, big-bearded drag queen Timberlina, and featuring a fabulous line-up from the UK and beyond. Supported by Arts Council England and Cake Tin Foundation. Part of Manchester in Love.

| mothersruin.co.uk | #mother_ruin Sat 14 Feb, 4pm. £6/5. Over 14s.

Queer Youth Debate Hosted by Sarah Emmott (Secret Diaries). The Albert Kennedy Trust, George House Trust, The Lesbian and Gay Foundation, and LGBT Youth North West come together with local councillors and academics to discuss the issues affecting LGBT young people and the wider LGBT community. Supported by the Sexuality Summer School, University of Manchester. Part of Manchester in Love.

February / LGBT History Month

Queer Contact Festival 2015 © David Kimelman

Sat 14 and Sun 15 Feb, 8pm. £20/15. Over 16s. Contact, Southbank Centre, Pink Fringe and Brighton Dome in association with Manchester Pride present

Justin Vivian Bond: Love Is Crazy UK Premiere.

After sold-out shows in Paris and New York, cabaret legend and trans-genre artist Justin Vivian Bond celebrates Valentine’s in Manchester with Love is Crazy, a seductive evening of songs and stories about love. Expect the unexpected with original compositions from V's records Dendrophile and Silver Wells, songs associated with V's stage and film appearances (including Shortbus – see p15), and tracks originally made famous by The Cure, The Divine Comedy, Pet Shop Boys, Patti Smith, Bambi Lake and more.

'Cabaret messiah.’ ★★★★★ Time Out London Originally commissioned by the Palais de Chaillot. Supported by Macdonald Hotels and Resorts, and the Institute of Social Science Research at Manchester Metropolitan University. Part of Manchester in Love, and the First National Festival of LGBT History.

| justinbond.com

contactmcr.com tickets & info: 0161 274 0600

Contact’s celebration of LGBT arts and culture as part of LGBT History Month. | #queercontact

Sat 14 Feb, 11pm to 3am. £6. Over 18s only.

Love Art Big tunes, performances, live art and surprises on the closing weekend of Queer Contact from the team that brought you Manchester's Home of Fabulous Cha Cha Boudoir. A delicious performanceclub explosion of glitter and high class drag trash, all to a mix-tape soundtrack of electro, pop, r'n'b and disco sounds. Part of Manchester in Love.

Sun 15 Feb, 1pm. £9/6. Certificate (18).

Seeing Queerly: Shortbus Post-show talk with star Justin V Bond and Dr. Andrew Moor (MMU). A special screening of John Cameron Mitchell’s cult classic film. A group of New Yorkers caught up in their romantic-sexual milieu converge at an underground salon infamous for its blend of art, music, politics and carnality.

Please note: This film includes explicit and adult material which some audiences may find offensive. Part of Manchester Metropolitan University's Seeing Queerly film programme, supported by MMU's Institute of Humanities and Social Science Research, and by Film Hub NWC, a member of the BFI Film Audience Network. Supported by Macdonald Hotels and Resorts. Part of Manchester in Love.

February © Wes Storey

BSL

performance Wed 25 Feb, 7:30pm.

Fri 20, Sat 21 and Sun 22 Feb, 9pm. £11/6. Over 13s.

Mammalian Diving Reflex: Nightwalks with Teenagers

20 Stories High: Black

A unique tour with teenage guides that shows a different side to the city.

Written by Keith Saha. Directed by Julia Samuels. Designed by Miriam Nabarro.

The remarkable and award-winning Canadian company, Mammalian Diving Reflex, have worked with Manchester teenagers to create a unique performative journey. Share footpaths and futures. Take a poignant, rebellious walk on the wild side.

Nikki doesn't think that her Dad is a racist. He just cares deeply about his community. But when an African family move in over the road, the dog won’t stop barking, the local kids start lobbing stones, and her Dad starts laying down the law.

‘In a fleeting friendship, the teens led us through spaces, physical, social and emotional in a dream-like exploration of the city.’ Audience member, Ontario Supported by the Canada Council for the Arts Theatre International Programme and the Ontario Arts Council's National and International Touring programme.

| mammalian.ca

Tue 24 and Wed 25 Feb, 2:30pm and 7:30pm. £11/6. Post-show jam on Tue 24. Over 13s.

A provocative new show from the award-winning 20 Stories High, featuring lyricism and live DJ soundscapes from MC Chunky (CYC, Riot Jazz /Hoya Hoya) and introducing the raw talent of Abby Melia. Supported by Arts Council England.

| 20storieshigh.org.uk | #blacktheplay

contactmcr.com tickets & info: 0161 274 0600

Wed 25 Feb, 8pm. £12/6. All ages.

Aakash Odedra: Murmur + Inked Dance double-bill.

Murmur is an exploration of warped and exaggerated realities using Odedra's personal experiences of dyslexia, with ancient Indian classical dance, contemporary dance and media technology. A collaboration between Odedra, Australian choreographer Lewis Major and Austrian based Ars Electronica. Inked explores the human fascination with tattoos and tribal markings, which have been part of human-kind for centuries. Choreographed by Olivier-award winner, Damien Jalet. | aakashodedra.com

Sat 28 Feb, 8pm. £12/6. Over 14s.

The Black Sound Series Curated by BPM and Level Up. A night of big beats and rhythms celebrating Black music and culture and its influence on the UK. A new era for the The Black Sound Series with Media Drop and Level Up participants showcasing new music material they have produced at Contact, alongside a very special headline guest who is no stranger to the genres of Jazz and Bass (to be announced). Followed by an after-party with special headline DJs and the trusty BPM residents. Supported by Youth Music, and the Wellcome Collection, as part of the Sexology Season.

March

SICK! Festival 2015 © Bart Stadnicki

Tue 3 Mar, 8pm. £10/8. Over 16s. Post-show talk.

Wed 4 Mar, 8pm. £10/8. Over 16s. Post-show talk.

Pieter Ampe / CAMPO: so you can feel

Christopher Green: Prurience

After a renowned series of duets and a quartet, dancer and performer Pieter Ampe is going solo. While staying in New York, Ampe immersed himself in a world of transformations: an ambiguous environment where standards shift and blur, and where emancipation, sexual and emotional energy go hand in hand. In this new dancework, exploring sensuality and perception, Ampe asks what masculinity means within a sea of alternatives.

Prurience is an experiential piece of theatre about pornography. Not about the producers or the participants but the consumers. It’s about addiction to porn. Set in a fictional self-help group, you are invited to attend a meeting to discuss the huge change that the internet has brought to the sexual and social landscape of our lives. This is a deft, skillful, entertaining, challenging piece of immersive performance from the creator of Office Party and The Frozen Scream.

Belgian company CAMPO (previously Victoria) is one of the most important and respected international producers, with a long history of working with Contact.

Please note: this event will take place at a secret Manchester location.

Please note: contains full male nudity.

| christophergreen.net

Supported by the Wellcome Collection as part of the Sexology Season.

| campo.nu

Directed by Wils Wilson. Created by Christopher Green. Featuring Christopher Green and a full cast.

Supported by the Wellcome Collection as part of the Sexology Season.

contactmcr.com tickets & info: 0161 274 0600

Confronting the physical, mental and social challenges of life and death, SICK! Festival takes place in Manchester and Brighton. | sickfestival.com

Wed 4 to Sat 7 Mar, 7:30pm. £9/6. Over 14s.

Contact Young Company: Under The Covers Directed by Stacy Makishi. Contact Young Company (formerly CYAC) is Contact's renowned ensemble made up of young performers, actors, dancers, musicians, poets and MCs. Each year the company creates brand new professional standard shows in collaboration with major national and international artists such as Forced Entertainment, Lies Pauwels and Grupo XIX de Teatro.

Under The Covers will examine young people’s contemporary attitudes to sex, questioning myths and breaking down taboos. It is inspired by the new Wellcome Collection exhibition The Institute of Sexology, and the recent National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles. Supported by the Wellcome Collection as part of the Sexology Season. A Call to Create showcase event.

March

SICK! Festival 2015

Sat 14 and Sun 15 Mar, 8pm. £15/10. Over 16s. Post-show talk.

Nirbhaya: Written and Directed By Yael Farber Based on the performers’ real life experiences and the violent incident that shocked Delhi and the world. On 16 December 2012, a young woman boarded a bus in Delhi heading for home but never reached her destination. With an extraordinary cast from India, Farber brings us a blistering evocation of that terrible night, and the ripples of change it set in motion in a nation and world no longer able to hold the tides of change at bay. This award-winning play cracks open the cone of silence around women whose lives have been shattered by violence.

‘A compelling depiction of an awful truth.’ ★★★★★ The Independent ‘One of the most powerful and urgent pieces of Human Rights theatre ever made.’ ★★★★★ The Herald An Assembly, Riverside Studios and Poorna Jagannathan production.

| nirbhayatheplay.com

contactmcr.com tickets & info: 0161 274 0600

Confronting the physical, mental and social challenges of life and death, SICK! Festival takes place in Manchester and Brighton. | sickfestival.com

Wed 18 Mar, 8pm. £10/8. Over 16s. Post show-talk.

Zachary Oberzan: Tell Me Love Is Real In the winter of 2012, two famous performance artists sat in separate, anonymous hotel rooms on the West Coast of America, waiting to take the stage. In a bizarre coincidence, both over-dosed on the anxiety drug Xanax. One survived, one did not. The two individuals are Whitney Houston, who tragically died, and the other Zachary Oberzan… This is Zachary’s story. | zacharyoberzan.com Sat 21 Mar, 8pm. £10/8. Over 14s. Post show-talk.

Edit Kaldor: Woe Three teenagers talk about something they have no words for. They each lead spectators through memories of their own youth, gradually replacing the proffered images of childhood with their own experiences of neglect and abuse. Scientific representations of what happens in the body and the brain during abuse are woven in with subjective experiences, dreams and fantasies. Edit Kaldor is a unique voice in international contemporary theatre. She mixes documentary and fictional elements, and often works with non-professional actors. | editkaldor.com

March / April © Levantes Dance Theatre, Turn 2014

Fri 27 and Sat 28 Mar, 7:30pm. £9/5 (two night pass £11/6). Over 14s. Word of Warning and Contact present

Turn 2015

Pirouetting and spinning, twizzling and twirling, Turn lands at Contact for its fourth year. This two-day conflagration of the best dance in town explodes into life, with around fifteen new works taking over the building. Fluidly lyrical, effervescently acrobatic or eccentrically innovative, Turn has played host to curly haired capoeira twins, a ballerina in a body bag and a goggle-wearing, flipper-dance. Join us in 2015 for another round of physical exuberance. Co-produced by hÅb, Contact, Dance Manchester and Live at LICA; a greenroom legacy project.

| turnmcr.org | #TurnMcr Thu 2 Apr, 1pm (youth performance) and 8pm, £12/10. Over 14s.

BSL

performances Thu 2 Apr, 1pm and 8pm.

Art with Heart, in association with The Lowry and Contact present

Secret Diaries Best days of your life. Right? As the Iron Lady stands and the Iron Curtain falls, Hayley struggles to find her way in an ever changing world. Re-capture your youth with this honest look at the world through teenage eyes. More info on the youth performance and workshop: 0843 208 6003 groups@thelowry.com

Please note: this event will take place at The Lowry, Salford Quays. Developed with New Wolsey Theatre and supported by Contact and The Lowry. Funded by Arts Council England, The Granada Foundation and The Equity Foundation. © Nathan McDowell

| artwithheart.org.uk | #secretdiaries

April

contactmcr.com tickets & info: 0161 274 0600

Thu 2 Apr, 8pm. £15/10. Over 16s.

Gina Yashere: Laugh Riot Multi-award winning comedian Gina Yashere returns to the UK with her biggest tour to date. From her disappointment at being diagnosed with sleep apnoea, despite losing over five stone in weight, to being coughed on, stared at and followed in China, to finding herself in a brothel in Singapore, Gina has plenty of stories to tell.

‘One of the best comics in the world.’ The Guardian | ginayashere.com

Regular Events © Rachel Adams

Contact and DawN’s Mind present

Mixed Movement Wed 25 Feb, 10pm. Free. Contact’s open stage event for dancers. Turn up and just watch, or let the music grab you and join in. Dancers! Want to take part? Email mixedmovement@contactmcr.com Hosted by Keisha Thompson. | #mixedmovement

Contact presents

RAW (Rhythm and Words) Monthly, Mon, Free. Over 13s. 26 Jan, 23 Feb, 30 Mar, 8pm An open mic for poets, vocalists and MCs, also featuring the Freestyle Pyramid Competition with quirky prizes. Hosted by Martin Visceral with DJ Jomo. | #RAWMCR

Young Identity: One Mic Stand Fri 27 Feb, 7pm. £6/3. Over 13s. Join Manchester’s finest young spoken word performers for a boisterous night of poetry, music and visual art. Featuring two open slams and special guests. Email youngidentitymcr@googlemail.com to take part. | youngidentity.org | #onemicstand

Education Contact’s Education Newsletter Contact’s Education Newsletter provides information about up-coming educational shows, workshops, participatory activities and projects, helping teachers discover the many ways their pupils can engage with creative learning at Contact. Sign up to receive regular updates, special offers and invites to exclusive educational events.

Arts Award Contact is an Arts Award Centre with trained staff who are able to deliver bronze, silver and gold Arts Awards. Contact is also an Arts Award Supporter Organisation. As an Arts Award Supporter we can offer: • Involvement

in our free workshops and projects.

• Artist

meet and greets.

• Leadership

Workshops Contact delivers bespoke, high quality, innovative educational workshops and participatory projects across a variety of live and digital art forms, as well as continued professional development training and consultation.

opportunities.

• Opportunities

to see and review live

performance. • Tours

of the building and backstage.

• Opportunities

to meet staff working in Contact’s various departments.

Groups It really couldn’t be easier to organise a group visit to Contact. Let us look after you: • Receive

advance information about shows; get great offers and occasional free stuff.

• Groups

of 10 or more make great savings on shows – every 10th person comes free.

To find out more please contact: education@contactmcr.com | 0161 274 0600.

Join in Young people are at the heart of everything we do. Don’t just watch, get involved!

Contact Young Company (CYC) Weekly, Free. Ages 15 to 25. Next Auditions: Mon 8 and Wed 10 Dec, 6pm and 7pm.

Contact Young Company is our renowned ensemble recruited from a diverse mix of performers, actors, musicians, dancers, poets and MCs under 25. They work with professional directors and theatre companies, including the likes of Forced Entertainment, CAMPO/Victoria and Grupo XIX de Teatro, to create new performances each year. | #contactyoungco

Monday Drop Weekly, Free. Ages 13 to 19. Mon, 6:30pm to 8:30pm, 19 Jan to 9 Mar. If you’re interested in drama skills and acting then drop in to our regular Monday night sessions and learn from professional performers, actors and directors. No experience necessary. | #mondaydrop

Media Drop Weekly, Free. Ages 13 to 25. Mon, 6pm to 9pm, 19 Jan to 9 Mar. MCs, DJs, vocalists, poets and producers: collaborate, build your skills, and share tracks and material, in person and online. | #mediadrop © Joel Chester Fildes

Supported by Youth Music.

contactmcr.com tickets & info: 0161 274 0600

Level Up: Music Project* Weekly, Free. Ages 13 to 30. Tue, 6pm to 9pm, 20 Jan to 10 Mar. Develop music production skills working with industry professionals to arrange, mix and produce. As part of this project participants will perform live at The Roundhouse in London. | #levelupmcr © Joel Chester Fildes

Supported by Youth Music, and the Wellcome Collection as part of the Sexology Season.

Technique* Weekly, Free. Ages 13 to 30. Mon, 7pm to 9pm, 19 Jan to 9 Mar. Eight week course focussed on lighting, sound and technical theatre for young people with some or no previous theatre technical experience. | #techniquemcr To apply for Level Up and Technique please contact: tundeadekoya@contactmcr.com | 0161 274 0624. © Joel Chester Fildes

*Please note you must be available to attend all sessions.

Young Identity Weekly, Free. Ages 13 to 25. Tue, from 6 Jan. 6pm to 7pm (beginners). 7pm to 9pm (some experience). Write, create and perform with Manchester’s premiere young spoken word performers. | youngidentity.org | #youngidentity Call 0161 274 0600 or visit contactmcr.com for more info and to enquire about any of the above.

Contact Lounge and Space Hire Contact Lounge

Space Hire

Mon/Tue: 11am to 9pm. Wed to Fri: 11am to late. Sat: open late for shows.

Our building is available to hire for conferences, festivals, showcases, parties, meetings and more. Talented staff and excellent catering help make our unique spaces the perfect venue for your event.

Contact Lounge, with Free WiFi, is the perfect spot for meeting, chatting and general lounging. We serve fantastic coffees and teas to drink in or take away, a wide range of wines, beers and spirits, and snacks. The Veggie Café provides great vegetarian food and cakes from our Lounge every Monday to Friday from 11am. Check our website for menus and special Veggie Café events.

All profits from our hires go towards supporting our work with young people. For more info please contact: hires@contactmcr.com or call 0161 274 0628. | contactmcr.com/spacehire © Joel Chester Fildes

You can also hire the Lounge for parties, graduations or meetings. All profits from Contact Lounge go to supporting the work we do with young people.

@contactlounge | #contactlounge /contactlounge

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MANCHESTER UNIVERSITY STUDENTS UNION

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UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER

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CECIL ST

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S ST DEVA

M15 6JA

DILWORTH ST

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MANCHESTER ACADEMY

Cars: Contact does not have a car park but there are several nearby. Please check our website or call Box Office for details.

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MANCHESTER MUSEUM

Buses: run every few minutes on Oxford Road from the City Centre, train stations and South Manchester (Rusholme direction). The closest stop is near to Manchester Academy.

For the latest information and maps to help you plan your visit please go to contactmcr.com/visit

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Check out the map to see our local area.

RNCM

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Getting Here

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contactmcr.com tickets & info: 0161 274 0600

Visit / Access Tickets • No booking fees. • Concessions are available to anyone

receiving unemployment or disability benefit, full time students, senior citizens, and young people up to 18 years of age. Proof of status/ID is needed or you will be charged full price.

• Groups: Buy 9 tickets and get your 10th

ticket free.

• Donations: We are a registered charity

— if you’d like to donate to our work with young people, you can do so when you book a ticket.

Feeling Sociable? Please help us spread the word about Contact.

@contactmcr /contactmcr

/contactmcr /contactmcr

/contactmcr Access

This brochure is available in large print upon request. We have a flat foyer entrance, ground floor access to our main theatre space and Contact Lounge, lift access to our other spaces and accessible toilets on every floor. Guide dogs can stay with you, or be looked after by a member of staff. Just let us know when you book.

• Ticket collection: Avoid the queues and

ask us to post your tickets out to you. Alternatively, please allow plenty of time for collection from Box Office on the night or collect your tickets in advance.

• Advance booking is always

recommended. Shows often sell out in advance and we cannot guarantee tickets will be available on the door.

• Latecomers may be refused entry into

a show once the performance starts. Please ensure you arrive in plenty of time to avoid disappointment.

• We do not offer refunds on tickets.

Tickets purchased are non-refundable.

Spaces 1  2 3 5  CONTACT LOUNGE BUILDING   ON LOCATION We regularly have BSL interpreted performances — check out individual events for details or contact our Box Office to learn more. If you have any access requirements, please call or text the Duty Manager on 07970 094 069. For more information please go to: contactmcr.com/access

Season at a glance January Day Event Mon 26 Jan RAW (Rhythm and Words) Thu 29 Jan Tim Crouch and Andy Smith: what happens to the hope at the end of the evening (BSL interpreted)

Time 8:00pm

Page 24

8:00pm

Event TriForce: MonologueSlam UK Amy and Rosana Cade: Sister David McAlmont and Guy Davies: Fingersnap Live Eggs Collective Get A Round DIVA: Let’s Talk About Sex Baby Amy and Rosana Cade: Sister Eggs Collective Get A Round Queer Media Festival (BSL interpreted) Amy and Rosana Cade: Sister The House of Suarez Vogue Ball Eggs Collective Get A Round Witch*unt Queer Media Festival: Breakfast Club Comedy Playground Polari Shortcuts: Tom Marshman and Ashley Knowles Kate O’Donnell: Big Girl’s Blouse Shortcuts: Tom Marshman and Ashley Knowles Kate O’Donnell: Big Girl’s Blouse

Time 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:30pm 6:00pm 7:30pm 9:30pm 11:00am 7:30pm 7:30pm 9:30pm 11:00pm 10:00am 7:30pm 7:30pm 7:00pm 9:00pm 7:00pm 9:00pm

Page 7 9 8 9 10 9 9 10 9 10 9 11 10 11 11 12 12 12 12

Pagelight Productions: A Very Victorian Scandal Mother’s Ruin: Mother Lovin’ Queer Youth Debate Justin Vivian Bond: Love is Crazy Love Art Seeing Queerly: Shortbus Justin Vivian Bond: Love is Crazy Mammalian Diving Reflex: Nightwalks with Teenagers Mammalian Diving Reflex: Nightwalks with Teenagers Mammalian Diving Reflex: Nightwalks with Teenagers RAW (Rhythm and Words) 20 Stories High: Black 20 Stories High: Black 20 Stories High: Black 20 Stories High: Black (BSL interpreted) Aakash Odera: Murmur + Inked Mixed Movement Young Identity: One Mic Stand The Black Sound Series

TBC 8:30pm 4:00pm 8:00pm 11:00pm 1:00pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 9:00pm 9:00pm 8:00pm 2:30pm 7:30pm 2:30pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 10:00pm 7:00pm 8:00pm

13 13 13 14 15 15 14 16 16 16 24 16 16 16 16 17 24 24 17

February Day Mon 2 Feb Thu 5 Feb Thu 5 Feb Thu 5 Feb Fri 6 Feb Fri 6 Feb Fri 6 Feb Sat 7 Feb Sat 7 Feb Sat 7 Feb Sat 7 Feb Sat 7 Feb Sun 8 Feb Mon 9 Feb Tue 10 Feb Wed 11 Feb Wed 11 Feb Thu 12 Feb Thu 12 Feb Fri 13 Feb to Sun 15 Feb Fri 13 Feb Sat 14 Feb Sat 14 Feb Sat 14 Feb Sun 15 Feb Sun 15 Feb Fri 20 Feb Sat 21 Feb Sun 22 Feb Mon 23 Feb Tue 24 Feb Tue 24 Feb Wed 25 Feb Wed 25 Feb Wed 25 Feb Wed 25 Feb Fri 27 Feb Sat 28 Feb

contactmcr.com tickets & info: 0161 274 0600 March Day Tue 3 Mar Wed 4 Mar Wed 4 Mar Thu 5 Mar Fri 6 Mar Sat 7 Mar Sat 14 Mar Sun 15 Mar Wed 18 Mar Sat 21 Mar Fri 27 Mar Sat 28 Mar Mon 30 Mar

Event Pieter Ampe / CAMPO: so you can feel CYC: Under The Covers Chris Green: Prurience CYC: Under The Covers CYC: Under The Covers CYC: Under The Covers Nirbhaya Nirbhaya Zachary Oberzan: Tell Me Love Is Real Edit Kaldor: Woe Turn Turn RAW (Rhythm and Words)

Time 8:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 7:30pm 7:30pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:00pm 8:00pm 8:00pm 7:30pm 7:30pm 8:00pm

Page 18 19 18 19 19 19 20 20 21 21 22 22 24

Event Secret Diaries (BSL interpreted) Secret Diaries (BSL interpreted) Gina Yashere: Laugh Riot

Time 1:00pm 8:00pm 8:00pm

Page 22 22 23

Event

Time

Page

Pacitti Company: The SPILL Tarot

Open daily (not Sun)

George House Trust: HIV Activism on Paper

Open daily (not Sun)

April Day Thu 2 Apr Thu 2 Apr Thu 2 Apr Exhibitions Day Thu 29 Jan to Sat 18 Apr Thu 29 Jan to Sat 18 Apr

Find Us Contact, Oxford Road, Manchester, M15 6JA We are open on all days featuring programmed activity: Monday to Friday: 10am to late Saturdays: 3pm to late 24 hour online booking contactmcr.com Box Office 0161 274 0600 Monday to Friday: 10am to 9pm Saturdays: 3pm to 6pm

Thank you

Thank you to our funders, partners and supporters, and all of the people who have donated online and in person.

Registered Charity Number: 501953 All info correct at time of going to print. Check contactmcr.com for up-to-date info. Cover image: Rajni Shah as The Fool, photographed by Manuel Vason for the SPILL Performance Tarot. Brochure design: markbrownstudio.co.uk