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8 to 11 July 2014
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Contact, Oxford Road, Manchester, M15 6JA
0161 274 0600 contactmcr.com/contactingtheworld @contactmcr • @contacttheworld • #contactingtheworld
Contacting the World 2014 Contact’s biennial international theatre exchange culminates in a unique festival of shows and events, regularly cited as life-changing by the young people involved. For 2014, young artists from Manchester and Corby, England and Livingston, Scotland have been paired with theatre companies from Iran, Jamaica and India.
Public Double-bill Performances Wed 9 July, 7pm, £11/6.
Contact Young Actors Company (CYAC), Manchester, UK margintheater, Tehran, Iran + Curtain-raiser from Oasis Academy, Oldham CYAC is a diverse and multi-talented group of young artists including songwriters, poets and dancers. Inspired by their research and collaboration with their Iranian twin company, CYAC will present an original piece of work hoping to challenge and explore our own ‘margins’ as a society. CYAC
margintheater take inspiration from people who live on the margins of their society. They aren’t afraid to use theatre to ask difficult questions about the world around them, even though they don’t have all the answers. From their exchanges with CYAC, margintheater will create and share a piece doing what they do best: exploring and interpreting the lives of others.
margintheater
Quilt Performing Arts Company
Firefly Arts – FRESH
Thu 10 July, 7pm, £11/6.
Fri 11 July, 7pm, £11/6.
Corby Young Actors, Corby, UK
Firefly Arts – FRESH, Livingston, Scotland
Bread ‘n’ Butter Entertainment, Mumbai, India + Curtain-raiser from Hollingworth Academy, Rochdale Based at The Core at Corby Cube, Corby Young Actors make personal, poetic and political shows. Through working with Bread ‘n’ Butter they’re discovering more about themselves and the world. Their piece will share the best of what they learn. Bread ‘n’ Butter’s motley crew of performers escape into performance that takes them far from their day to day lives. The show inspired by their twin, CYA, will combine the group’s diverse talents: previous shows have included poetry, song, beat-boxing, martial arts, dance and stand-up.
Quilt Performing Arts Company, Kingston, Jamaica + Curtain-raiser from Bramhall High School, Stockport Firefly Arts – FRESH are a young performance group who use improvisation and new writing to explore personal and political narratives. Connecting with Quilt has provoked FRESH to see the world through a different lens and their piece will share what they’ve seen. Quilt have developed an innovative performance style using Caribbean rhythms, and merging poetry, dance and music. Through the relationship with FRESH, Quilt have grown to discover that we are all just the same; their show will celebrate One Love! BSL interpreted.
Corby Young Actors
Alex Poots
© Anthony Crook
Tue 8 July, 7:30pm. FREE.
In Conversation with Alex Poots CEO and Artistic Director of Manchester International Festival Contacting the World and Manchester International Festival share many aims; commissioning and presenting new work, celebrating Manchester as a cultural city of excellence, collaboration, engaging local communities and showcasing international work in Manchester. Contact’s Artistic Director Matt Fenton quizzes Alex Poots about his approach to commissioning work, his process for supporting new artists and his vision for MIF, with an opportunity for the audience to ask questions. A very special event for Contacting the World participants, and invited local young people. BSL interpreted.
Other Public Events Bread ‘n’ Butter Entertainment
Tue 8 July, 9pm, £6.
Welcome To Manchester A showcase of fantastic local talent welcoming visitors to our city. Featuring Sophie Willan, Eggs Collective, Inna Voice, Freestyle Fictionary, and House of Ghetto. BSL interpreted.
Tue 8 July, 10pm, FREE.
Contacting the Chord The Contacting the World companies have been learning songs chosen by each other – they’ll perform them together for the first time and trust in the jam to produce something very special.
Wed 9 July, 1:30pm, £6.
Thu 10 July, 4pm, FREE – limited places.
theatrEX, Bangladesh presents Dokkhina Sundari Work-in-progress
Q&A: Theatre in Conflict
Dokkhina Sundari promises traditional Bangladeshi performance filled with music, folklore and local legends. Supported by the British Council, this piece has been created with the National Theatre of Scotland for The Tin Forest Theatre Festival, part of the Commonwealth Games, Glasgow 2014 Cultural Programme.
Wed 9 July, 10pm, FREE.
Contact and DawN’s Mind present Mixed Movement Hosted by Keisha Thompson. Expect mindblowing improvised movement from this open mic event for dancers.
Thu 10 July, 1:30pm, £6.
20 Stories High, Liverpool, UK presents Headz Work-in-progress A series of monologues by Keith Saha. Directed by Keith Saha and Julia Samuels.
With James Thompson (In Place Of War), Ali Alizad (margintheater, Iran), Adam McGuigan (AD Barefeet Theatre) and Tina Ellen Lee (AD Opera Circus).
Thu 10 July, 10pm, FREE.
Open Mic Night Does what it says on the tin. Have a go, or just come and soak up the festival atmosphere and experience scratch work from all round the world.
Fri 11 July, 1:30pm, £6.
Common Wealth presents Us Champions Work-in-progress Based on interviews with Muslim female boxers and made in collaboration with four 16 –19 year olds, Us Champions explores being young, fearless, and doing the unexpected. Come along to a script read-through and contribute your thoughts.
Welcome to the Meadowbrook estate. Behind every door lies a story. Billy’s Mum and Dad still haven’t forgiven him for what he did when he was six. And David is having an affair with his teacher. Come and discover what lies behind the other doors. A selection of new monologues with a bold, urban, contemporary flavour.
Common Wealth
Workshops Wed 9 July, 1:30pm to 3:30pm, £6.
With Quilt (Jamaica), Firefly Arts (UK) and Barefeet (Zambia). Thu 10 July, 1:30pm to 3:30pm, £6.
With margintheater (Iran), CYAC (UK) and Uta Plate (Germany). Fri 11 July, 1:30pm to 3:30pm, £6.
With Bread ‘n’ Butter (India), Corby Young Actors (UK) and Zurich University of the Arts Students (Switzerland).
Day
Event Type
Event
Time
Tue 8 July
Q&A
In Conversation with Alex Poots, MIF
7:30pm
Tue 8 July
Performance
Welcome To Manchester
9pm
Tue 8 July
Performance
Contacting the Chord
10pm
Wed 9 July
Performance
theatrEX, Bangladesh: Dokkhina Sundari Work-in-progress
1:30pm
Wed 9 July
Workshop
With Quilt, Firefly Arts – Fresh and Barefeet
1:30pm
Wed 9 July
Performance
CYAC, Manchester, England and margintheater, Tehran, Iran
7pm
Wed 9 July
Performance
Mixed Movement
10pm
Thu 10 July
Workshop
With margintheater, CYAC and Uta Plate
1:30pm
Thu 10 July
Performance
20 Stories High: Headz Work-in-progress
1:30pm
Thu 10 July
Q&A
Theatre in Conflict
4pm
Thu 10 July
Performance
Corby Young Actors, Corby, England and Bread ‘n’ Butter, Mumbai, India
7pm
Thu 10 July
Performance
Open Mic Night
10pm
Fri 11 July
Performance
Common Wealth: Us Champions Work-in-progress
1:30pm
Fri 11 July
Workshop
With Bread ‘n’ Butter, CYA, and Zurich University of the Arts Students
1:30pm
Fri 11 July
Performance
Firefly Arts – FRESH, Livingston, Scotland and Quilt Performing Arts Company, Kingston, Jamaica
7pm
Thank you to our funders, supporters and partners. Contact Funders:
Contacting the World 2014 Partners:
Contact is a registered charity, 501953. All information correct at time of going to print. Design: markbrownstudio.co.uk