CONTACT JANUARYAPRIL 2010 WWW.CONTACT-THEATRE.ORG 0161 274 0600
A word from the artistic director BABA SAYS Welcome to a diverse, vibrant, creative, inspiring place. I moved to Manchester from New York six months ago and I’ve already had some amazing experiences and met some incredible people. Manchester is a city full of talent and Contact is a venue that nurtures and supports that talent. I’m really excited about our new season, in a new year and a brand new decade. We have an artistic programme packed full of performance, music, dance, new writing, comedy and exhibitions. Plus our new regular events for writers, poets, MCs, actors, dancers, musicians and you! Come along and experience our completely unique and internationally renowned artistic space.
You can also check out my regular videoblogs by signing up to our email list at contact-theatre.org and you can follow me on Twitter @babaisrael I look forward to meeting you!
ACCESS *NEW FOR 2010*
This guide is available in large print. 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. Hearing Aid Infrared System Receivers can be booked with your ticket. We also have BSL Interpreted & Audio described performances – check out individual events for details.
WHERE WE’RE AT Our building is the one that looks like a castle with huge turrets…you know… on Oxford Road, next door to the Academy. We’re in the heart of a really vibrant area of the city between the University of Manchester and the Whitworth Art Gallery. Check out a map of where we are on the back. Buses run every few minutes from the town centre, train stations and South Manchester (Rusholme direction). They stop just across the road. The car park next door is open to the public from 4pm on weekdays and all day at weekends. It only costs £2 to park. Sometimes we host events outside the building too…in secret spaces, warehouses, hotels, and other venues across Manchester.
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USEFUL INFORMATION
THINGS YOU’LL FIND AT CONTACT
QR CODES
Free events, theatre, live performance, artists at work, dance, spoken word, DJs, comedy, installations, exhibitions, beatboxing crews, writers, workshops, open mic events, free WiFi, fabulous food, amazing coffee, space to create, new faces to meet. It’s almost impossible to describe us. You need to come down to catch the vibe!
That weird black and white thing above is called a QR code. There are two of these on the front cover and three on the back cover. You can use them on your iPhone or smart phone — each one will take you directly to one of our online sites. All you need is the correct software. Visit mobile-barcodes.com/qr-code-software to find out which free QR code readers are available for your phone.
A bonus for early birds: book your ticket one calendar month before the event and get it HALF PRICE. Get planning! On top of that, we offer group discounts (book ten tickets and get one of them free), concessions (for anyone who is under 18, registered disabled, unemployed, a full-time student or over 60) AND if you’re under 26 and registered to FREEACT, you’re eligible for free tickets for many shows. If you’ve not registered already, get on it…email us at info@contact-theatre.org or pop in and pick up a form.
If you have any access requirements, please call the Duty Manager on 07970 094 069.
SAVE YOUR CASH We’ve just launched a series of FREE regular events. See p7 for info. We are committed to keeping our ticket prices as low as possible. Most shows cost less than a visit to the cinema and we don’t charge booking fees!
NETWORK WITH US You can also find us online. Check out our photos, videos, Audioboos and join in the chat at: contact-theatre.org Follow us @contactmcr
freeact.co.uk WE ARE A CHARITY Our work with young people is at the heart of everything we do, and is internationally acclaimed. We support and develop young people through creative activity; increasing confidence, growing skills and changing lives. By buying a ticket for one of our shows you are helping us to continue this work, but you can also support us in other ways. Go to justgiving.com/contact-theatre/donate or call our Head of Development on 0161 274 0657. Charity number 501953
Become a fan at Facebook.com/contactmcr MySpace.com/contactmcr Flickr.com/contactmcr YouTube.com/contactmcr 3
OUR PARTNER COMPANIES
contact-theatre.org
Young people are at the heart of everything we do. Don’t just watch, get involved!
PEN-ULTIMATE
Image: Pen-ultimate, A Night on the Tiles, Raw Jam, 2009
Image: 20 Stories High, Blackberry Trout Face, 2009
Pen-ultimate, Contact & The Albany present: A Night on the Tiles, Thur 4–Sat 13 Feb. See p9 for info. Pen-ultimate is a collective of artists specialising in spoken word, performance and hip-hop theatre. The group met at Contact as young people involved in Contact Young Actors Company, Monday Drop and other workshops. They made their debut as a collective for the 2007 Edinburgh Festival and have since performed at theatres and festivals including Contact, Kendal Calling and The Big Chill. A Night on the Tiles is their first full-scale production and was originally developed at Contact. Pen-ultimate is: Samira Arhin-Acquaah aka Lucidity, Ali Gadema aka Frisko Dan, Niven Ganner, Ben Mellor and Martin Stannage aka Visceral.
20 STORIES HIGH 20 Stories High, Contact & the Birmingham Repertory Theatre present: Ghost Boy, Wed 3–Sat 13 March. See p12 for info. Established in 2006 and based in Liverpool, 20 Stories High is led by Co-Artistic Directors Keith Saha and Julia Samuels. They have had a long relationship with Contact; Keith appeared in our first production, Wise Guys, and then went on to complete a Live and Direct Traineeship. Julia was involved in the first ever Contacting the World in 2002. Recent 20 Stories High productions at Contact include the world premiere of Blackberry Trout Face (2009) and the stunning hip-hop mask theatre, Babul and the Blue Bear (2008). This year, the 20 Stories High Youth Theatre will be taking part in Contacting the World. 20storieshigh.org.uk
FINK ON Fink On & Contact present: Crying in the Chapel, Strangeways — An Inside Account, Mon 26 April–Sat 8 May. See p15 for info. Manchester-based Fink On was formed in February 1999 by up-and-coming Mancunian writers, directors and actors with the intention to create a platform to show their original work. They have a long history with Contact dating from 2000 when they first presented Crying in the Chapel. Since then, they have also shown Fair (2007), Lilya (2008) and most recently, Expectations (2009). Now, in Contact’s 10th anniversary year, they return to mark 10 years since Crying in the Chapel was first shown.
CONTACT YOUNG ACTORS COMPANY (CYAC) CYAC work with renowned directors to produce three amazing shows every year. If you’re 15–25 this is your chance to explore your creativity, push your abilities and be part of one of the country’s leading young actors companies. Auditions are held three times a year. This season’s are: Wed 13, Thur 14 and Wed 20 January, 6–9pm. Call 0161 274 0600 to book your place.
TECHNIQUE Mondays: 22 Feb, 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 Mar, 7–9pm, FREE Age 15–25? Want to get under the skin of a performance and find out what happens behind the scenes? Want to know how a show is lit or how sound is controlled? Then come along to our regular Monday night sessions led by our team of professional technicians.
MONDAY DROP Mondays: 18, 25 Jan, 1, 8, 15, 22 Feb, 7–9pm, FREE Age 13–19? Want to get on stage but not sure what it’s all about or how to get involved? Then drop in to our regular Monday night sessions and learn from performers, actors and directors. No experience necessary, just bring an open mind!
FREESTYLE MONDAYS Every Monday, 8pm, FREE Freestyle Mondays is a free session where MCs, beatboxers, poets, and vocalists jam together. It’s a night of freestyle games and lyrical dexterity. Come and freshen up your freestyle flow!
WORKSHOPS Check out the show pages for details about other workshops available. Call 0161 274 0625 for more info and to book any of the above.
Image: Fink On, Fair, 2007
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Background image: 20 Stories High, Ghost Boy
Image: CYAC, Memoria Da Chuva, 2009
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CONTACT LOUNGE Our bar is a special spot for eating, drinking, chatting, creating, meeting and general lounging. We serve up late breakfasts, chilled lunches and evening beats. We’ve got interesting beers, amazing coffee, homemade soup, salads, ciabattas, burgers, curries and pastas. We reckon our prices are pretty good too. Our kitchen is open 10am–4pm, Mon–Fri.
Image: copyright Matt Davis
ART Our Lounge and foyer spaces have regularly changing exhibitions by homegrown and international artists. Catch Blink!, our 10th anniversary expo by leading Mancunian photographer Joel Chester Fildes who has captured magical moments from the last decade. In the Lounge check out Neon Bricks, a digital print journey from Manchester to Tokyo by Crow on a Wall. Look closer and you’ll also find some of our permanent installations and reminders of past encounters: doves in the rafters, knitting bombs on light switches, little felt men on the stairs.
MUSIC ‘Find Solace’ with our resident DJ Jomo, on the decks every Thursday and Friday. We also host Community, the monthly NY-style-dance-music party run by Irfan Rainy. Also look out for acoustic jams in our foyer during Art Rumble and our new monthly jam session, Improvise.
contact-theatre.org
3rd Saturday of the month, evening, FREE
4th Monday of the month, evening, FREE
RAW (RHYTHM & WORDS)
Bring your beats, rhythms and words and rock up for our new regular open mic and freestyle pyramid competition. Poets, MCs, and vocalists of all ages welcome.
1st Wednesday of the month, 7:30pm, £5
VERBALLY CHALLENGED Each month we set a new group of writers a different creative challenge. Who wins? You decide. 2nd Wednesday of the month, evening, FREE
IMPROVISE A jam night with a difference as musicians, MCs, vocalists and beatboxers jam with our house band, and comedians, actors, poets, dancers and anyone else who is game for a laugh. Get involved! 3rd Thursday of the month, 1pm, FREE
RAW JAM Grab some lunch, grab a seat and experience the best in new writing, spoken word and music.
MIXED MOVEMENT Manchester’s ONLY open stage dance event. The brainchild of New York dancer, theatre artist, and poet DawN Crandell — created as an open mic for dancers and includes everything from house, hip-hop and club to contemporary, ballet and vogue. Dancers solo to improvised music and collaborate in spontaneous duets. To book a slot email dawndusk@me.com. Plus Mixed Movement after parties with guest DJs. Last Saturday of the month, 12–5pm
ART RUMBLE Unearth affordable art gems, including jewellery, ceramics and photography at our monthly art market. Bring your friends, drink tea, eat cake, and mooch around the stalls. If you’re an artist and would like to sell your creations at Art Rumble, contact Charlie on 0161 274 0603.
1st Saturday of the month, 11pm–late, £8–£10
COMMUNITY The monthly roots dance club night run by DJ Irfan Rainy featuring International guest DJs. Over 18s Only. 6
Image: Community, 2009
Image: Mixed Movement 2009
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contact-theatre.org tickets & info: 0161 274 0600
Mon 1 Feb, 7–9pm, FREE
Mon 18 Jan, 7–9pm, FREE
MONDAY DROP
MONDAY DROP
REGULAR EVENT
Thur 21 Jan, 1pm, FREE
Wed 3 & Thur 4 Feb, 8pm, £10/6
PERFORMANCE
Fri 22 Jan, 8pm, £5 Hercules Productions presents a preview of
EVENT KEY
GET INVOLVED! OPEN MIC/POETRY DANCE NEW WRITING MUSIC
RAW JAM
Written & directed by Marcus Hercules Scratch performance — a taster of the full show to come in 2011 by Shameless star, Marcus Hercules. The futuristic story of a young rebel who is sent to the end of time. Includes post-show chat back and music in our foyer. Mon 25 Jan, 7–9pm, FREE
MONDAY DROP Sat 30 Jan, 12–5pm, FREE
ART / EXHIBITION
ART RUMBLE Sat 30 Jan, 8pm, £8/5
COMEDY FREE ACT
For info on all regular events see p7 For info about Get Involved events see p5
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Image: copyright Matt Davis
UPRISING
(Thur 4 preview, £5) Thur 11: post-show playback
Wed 3 & Thur 4: sign language interpretation Thur 4: audio described performance Thur 4: post-show chat back Pre-show Touch Tours available on request
CROSSINGS
SPACE DREAD
Thur 4–Sat 13 Feb, 7:30pm, £10/6 Tue 9 & Thur 11, 1:30pm
by Julie McNamara Fifteen and pregnant, Shelley wants out of the gang. But you don’t do that, do you? Seeking shelter on an old ferry boat, she is challenged by two voices from the distant past questioning everything she holds dear. Are they for or against her and will she ever get out of this alive? A provocative modern-day fable with a big heart. Disability-led theatre at its best.
Pen-ultimate, Contact & The Albany present:
A NIGHT ON THE TILES
A spoken-word story that lifts the veil on the seedy world of underground, high-stakes and gangster Scrabble! Directed by Montserrat Gili (Dende Collective) with dramaturgy from US hip-hop pioneer, Will Power. Sat 6 Feb, 11pm–4am, £10
COMMUNITY
Featuring South Africa’s Black Coffee. Mon 8 Feb, 7–9pm, FREE
MONDAY DROP
A night of homegrown artists and a sneak peek into upcoming shows and regular events featuring Eggs Collective, Gathered Earth, Shot in the Dark, Contact Playback, Mixed Movement, RAW and Young Identity.
Image: Crossings
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contact-theatre.org tickets & info: 0161 274 0600 Image: 2Faced Dance Company, Still Breathing
Wed 17–Fri 19 Feb, 7:30pm, £8/5
BURNT
Thur 25 Feb, 7:30pm, £8/5
By Conor McKee, directed by Wyllie Longmore A drama that tests the limits of love and friendship, and explores the secret bargain at the heart of every relationship.
PLAYBACK CONTACT
Improvisational theatre, music, movement and freestyle hip hop, hosted by Baba Israel. Sat 27 Feb, 12–5pm, FREE
ART RUMBLE
Sat 27 Feb, 7:30pm, £10/6
Thur 18 Feb, 5–6.30pm, FREE
KIRSTY MCGEE & THE HOBOPOP COLLECTIVE: NO. 5 ALBUM LAUNCH
BURNT: WRITING WORKSHOP With Conor McKee. Book in advance on 0161 274 0600.
Following their sold out album recording at Contact and international winter tour, Kirsty McGee & the Hobopop Collective return to launch the album created here.
Thur 18 Feb, 1pm, FREE
RAW JAM Fri 19 Feb, 8pm, £12/6
INDUS Wed 10 Feb, eve, FREE
IMPROVISE
Tue 9–Sat 13 Feb, various times & prices
QUEER CONTACT Part of LGBT History Month
Image: Queer Contact, Rikki Beadle-Blair’s FIT
A celebration of queer cabaret, film, music, spoken word and performance including HBO Def Poetry Jam favourite, Regie Cabico, the new film version of Rikki Beadle-Blair’s FIT, Switchflicker Records and Dominic Berry. Sat 13 Feb, 8pm. £12/6 David Hoyle presents:
FORWARD INTO BATTLE IN THE NAME OF LOVE Forget the hearts and flowers, join the inimitable David Hoyle and guests for a unique take on unconventional, unconditional love and its trappings. Image: David Hoyle, Forward into Battle in the Name of Love
Mon 15 Feb, 7–9pm, FREE
MONDAY DROP Tues 16 Feb, 8pm, £10/6 2Faced Dance Company present:
STILL BREATHING
Image: Indus 10
Stunning athleticism, explosive abstract breaking and masculine vulnerability combine in an all-male piece set to an electrifyingly intense and specially commissioned score.
Indus brings together four instrumentalists with roots in diverse musical genres, including Indian, Western and Jazz. Dramatic tabla beats, exquisite flute phrases, rhythmic santoor patterns and lyrical sitar tones. Indus is Mohamed Assani (Sitar), John Ball (Santoor), Henrik Linnemann (Flute), Shahbaz Hussain (Tabla). Plus pre-show MAKING MUSIC, 6pm, FREE (with show ticket) Indus share their trade secrets about how they create new music. Audience members will have the chance to join the group in building Indian-influenced rhythms and melodies. No musical background required. www.indusmusic.co.uk Sat 20 Feb, 8pm, £5
MIXED MOVEMENT
Launch event: A special Mixed Movement featuring renowned Indian classical dancer Kanchan Maradan with a Carnival Brazil after party. Mon 22 Feb, 7–9pm, FREE
MONDAY DROP Mon 22 Feb, 7–9pm, FREE
TECHNIQUE Image: Burnt
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contact-theatre.org tickets & info: 0161 274 0600 Image: Lemn Sissay, Why I Don’t Hate White People
Sat 6 Mar, 11pm–4am, £8
COMMUNITY
Featuring Matthew Bandy direct from the USA.
TECHNIQUE Thur 18 Mar, 1pm, FREE
Wed 24–Fri 26 Mar
TECHNIQUE Wed 10 Mar, eve, FREE
IMPROVISE
Thur 11 Mar, 7:30pm, £5
PLAY SPACE THE BETA TEST An evening exploring the collision of live performance and video games, hosted by Baba Israel: There will be a call for proposals and a prize of £500 to develop new work. Mon 15 Mar, 7–9pm, FREE
TOWER OF BABEL
RAW JAM Thur 18–Sat 20 Mar, 8pm, £10/6 Thur 18: post-show chat back
WHY I DON’T HATE WHITE PEOPLE Written & performed by Lemn Sissay Directed by John E McGrath A whirlwind tour of one man’s life. The child of an unlikely liaison between Ethiopia, Eritrea and Wigan Social Services, Lemn Sissay grew up in the small villages of Lancashire. Now he presents the most serious of subjects through a journey of mental gymnastics and laughter.
TECHNIQUE Wed 3 Mar, 7:30pm, £5
VERBALLY CHALLENGED Wed 3–Sat 13 Mar, 8pm, £10/6 (Wed 3 preview, £5) Thur 11: sign language interpretation Thur 11: post-show playback
Sat 20 Mar, eve, FREE
Mon 22 Mar, 7–9pm, FREE
20 Stories High, Contact & The Birmingham Repertory Theatre present:
GHOST BOY Jamal’s life changes forever after an “incident” on the back field. He holds a deep, dark secret… The secret of….Ghost Boy. Fusing grime, dubstep, ska, puppetry, hip-hop theatre, street art and dance, Ghost Boy is an anarchic, energetic and challenging piece of theatre. 12
PALAVER FESTIVAL Mon 22 & Tue 23, 7:30pm, £8/5, Middle Eastern Studies presents: THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING AMY, ROBERT, RAFI, TAMMI… Tue 23–Thur 25, 8pm, £8/5 The German Society presents: SONNENALLEE, by Max Beinemann Tue 23, 10pm, £8/5 Italian Studies presents BACK TO THE FUTURE: RETURN OF THE FUTURISTS Wed 24–Fri 26, 7:30pm, £8/5 The French students present: LA CANTATRICE CHAUVE (the Bald Primadonna) by Eugene Ionesco
Mon 8 Mar, 7–9pm, FREE
Mon 1 Mar, 7–9pm, FREE
Mon 22–Fri 26 Mar, The University of Manchester presents:
MIXED MOVEMENT
TECHNIQUE Mon 22 Mar, eve, FREE
RAW (RHYTHM & WORDS)
curated by Community Arts North West A three day celebration of multi-lingual performance by the many voices of Greater Manchester, including: Wed 24, 10pm, FREE FILM JAM A showcase of short films by aspiring film-makers and Manchester’s most talented video & sound artists. Thur 25, 10pm, FREE EXODUS CABARET Latin American beats, African rhythms, Asian sounds and cutting edge rap in Arabic, French, Bangla & more. Friday 26, 8pm, £tbc Kurdistan Art and Culture, in partnership with Exodus present A CELEBRATION OF KURDISH CULTURE First UK performance by Kurdish vocal group, Sulemanya, alongside new theatre exploring the lives of Kurdish women at home and in exile. Sat 27 Mar, 12–5pm, FREE
ART RUMBLE
Mon 29 Mar, 7–9pm, FREE
TECHNIQUE 13
contact-theatre.org tickets & info: 0161 274 0600
Thur 1 Apr, 8pm, £8/5
Sat 17 Apr, eve, FREE
Wed 28 & Thur 29 Apr, 7:30pm, £8/5
ACTING UP
MIXED MOVEMENT
Thur 29 post-show chat back
Comedy duo Ashley J (Eastenders) & Tee-J (CBBC’s Kerching) host a live improvised comedy game show, where YOU are in the judges seat. Umpired by DJ Joe Grime, two teams of performers go head to head creating comical versions of songs, adverts and well known films from audience suggestions. Join us for the show where even the cast don’t know the ending! There will be four slots for young performers to take part. Call 0161 274 0625 for more info.
Mon 19 Apr, eve, FREE
Just Add Water presents:
Sat 3 Apr, 11pm–4am, £10
Inspired by the life and songs of Ian Dury, Raspberry is a juicily gothic piece of music theatre that muses on the idea of perfection and perfectability. www.fittings.org.uk
COMMUNITY Join Irfan Rainy and friends for Community’s 2nd birthday party. Wed 7 Apr, 7:30pm, £5
VERBALLY CHALLENGED Thur 8–Sat 10 Apr, 8pm, £10/6
CYAC SPRING SHOW Celebrating the life of playwright, director and Contacting the World founder, Noel Grieg. Directed by Kully Thiari. Thur 15–Sat 17 Apr, 8pm, £10/6
THE REBEL CELL
RAW (RHYTHM & WORDS) Fri 23 & Sat 24 Apr, 7:30pm, £10/6 Sat 24: audio described performance and sign language interpretation Fri 23: post-show chat back
Fittings Multimedia Arts, Sounds of Progress and the Tron Theatre presents:
RASPBERRY
Sat 24 Apr, 1–3pm, FREE (with show ticket)
RASPBERRY VISUAL ART WORKSHOP
WHY ME? By Ben Moores As we get older we settle in to a life of monotony, rules and apathy and the child inside us stops asking why? Why Me? brings back our childish inquisitiveness and sense of wonder, exploring the pressure to conform and the difficulty of choice. Tue 25 Apr, 6pm, FREE (with show ticket)
WHY ME? WORKSHOP Book in advance on 0161 274 0600. Mon 26 Apr–Sat 8 May, 8pm, £10/6 Sat 1 & Thur 6 May, 2pm, £10/6 (Mon 26 & Tue 27 previews, £5 and FREE for Free Act members) Thur 6 May: Sign Language Interpretation Thur 29 Apr & Thur 6 May: post-show playback
Using mix media including projection and audio narrative to explore what we see as ‘perfection’ and ‘perfectability’ in our modern lives. Call 0161 274 0600 to book a place.
Fink On & Contact present:
Sat 24 Apr, 12–5pm, FREE
by Stafford, Coghill and Clarke
ART RUMBLE
Ten years after it was first performed at Contact, Fink On return with theatre that pulls no punches in highlighting the conditions and the treatment of the inmates before, during and after the Strangeways riots of 1990.
Described as 8 Mile meets 1984, this multi-award winning, politically-charged comedy is also an experimental new form of hip-hop performance, starring rappers Baba Brinkman and Dizraeli. Wed 14 Apr, eve, FREE
CRYING IN THE CHAPEL, STRANGEWAYS — AN INSIDE ACCOUNT
COMING UP IN MAY:
IMPROVISE Thur 15 Apr, 1pm, FREE
RAW JAM Thur 15 Apr, 7:30pm, £8/5 Kelly Roberts presents:
WAT’S SO FUNNY A night of comedy featuring Dave Twentyman. 14
Image: Raspberry
Image: Crying in the Chapel: Strangeways — An inside Account
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TICKETS 24hr booking: contact-theatre.org On the phone: 0161 274 0600 In person: Our box office is open Mon–Fri, 10am–6pm (7pm on show nights) Sat: 12–6pm (7pm on show nights)
WHERE WE’RE AT Contact Oxford Road Manchester M15 6JA WE ARE OPEN Mon–Fri 10am–11pm Sat 12pm–late WE ARE SUPPORTED BY
All info correct at time of going to print. Check contact-theatre.org for latest news. Registered Charity Number: 501953
Design: www.markbrownstudio.co.uk