Autumn Events at mac birmingham

Where to Find Us

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You can find us by walking through Edgbaston Mill or driving along Queen’s Ride, where there is a large, free car park and bicycle stands at the front and rear of the building.

mac birmingham is easily accessible using all the major city road routes and is served by a number of buses from Birmingham City Centre including 1,35,45,47,62 and 63.

mac birmingham is situated only a few minutes from the City Centre, located in Cannon Hill Park, opposite the County Cricket Ground on Edgbaston Road, off Pershore Road (A441) and Bristol Road (A38).

Sales & Information 0121 446 3232 www.macarts.co.uk

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mac birmingham Cannon Hill Park Birmingham B12 9QH Sales and Information: 0121 446 3232 Registered company no: 718349 Registered charity no: 528979

Autumn 2011 Music . Visual Arts . Theatre . Family Events

Image: Autobiographer Getty Images

Welcome

Autumn 2011 Sales & Information: 0121 446 3232

Welcome

Contents

mac birmingham is all about pushing boundaries. Sometimes we invite debate – see p05 for details of Volcano Theatre’s interpretation of A Clockwork Orange which is still courting controversy half-a-century since its creation (rather like mac birmingham itself as we look forward to our own 50th Birthday next year). Or we like to test our physical abilities by doing things like flooding the stage for Earthfall’s revival of At Swim, Two Boys (p18) which came to mac birmingham as part of its original tour in 2005.

03-06 Theatre

If you’ve ever been lucky enough to see the work of Shared Experience Theatre Company (p03), you’ll join us in rushing to secure tickets. New work joins us in the form of the superbly-titled Blackberry Troutface (p06), a bold and gritty look at the turbulent lives of neglected young people whilst Melanie Wilson uses multiple performers to scrutinise dementia in Autobiographer (p04). Co-founder of old mac birmingham favourites Trestle Theatre, Toby Wilsher, brings his new enterprise MetaMorpho Theatre to mac birmingham complete with his trademark mastery of the mask. Complementing this diverse banquet of theatrical feasts, our usual tasty blend of dance, theatre, music, comedy, visual arts and film. Plus there’s always the chance to cook up your very own piece of art as part of our learning and participation programme.

Front Cover Image: Getty Images

Autumn 2011 www.macarts.co.uk

ArtsFest 2011

artsfest 2011 Sat 10 & Sun 11 September

07-12 Music 13-15 Family 16 Christmas Show 17-18 Dance 19-20 Comedy 21-22 Spoken Word 23-25 Visual Arts 26 Learning & Participation

Image: Simon Hadley

We will be bringing you a range of activity throughout the artsfest weekend to keep you entertained and inspired. We are delighted to be a host venue for this year’s artsfest on Sat 10 Sep, 11am - 6.30pm. We will be offering a wide range of theatre, dance, spoken word, music and lively workshops for all the family.

We will also be staffing a stall in Birmingham City Centre full of exciting goodies and information so please come and say hi if you’re around! Keep your eyes on our website throughout August for more details of the programme.

On Sunday we will be bringing you some snippets from our autumn learning season and giving you a sample of some of the fantastic things in store.

27 Diary

Learning & Participation – Now on Sale 12 Sep – 11 Dec

28-30 Visitor Information

With summer over in a blink of an eye we have lined up some fantastic courses to keep you busy over the autumn period. Visual Arts, Performing Arts and Family courses are aplenty and we have a variety of short courses for you to dip your toes into. We also have a selection of workshops that connect to the performance and visual arts programme, suitable for both educational groups and individuals. So pick up a brochure and try something new this season.

Performance Theatre

Autumn 2011 Sales & Information: 0121 446 3232

First Bite Festival

Shared Experience

Sat 24 Sep Afternoon Showcase, 2.30pm Evening Showcase, 7.30pm Both showcases £10 (£8) Single Showcase £6 (£5) Theatre, Foyle and Hexagon

Tue 11 – Sat 15 Oct, 8pm Matinee – Thu 13 Oct, 2pm Post-Show Discussion – Wed 12 Oct Tickets £13 (£10), Theatre

Following the huge success of the 2009 festival, First Bite is back! Join us for a celebration of new ideas from some the region’s brightest theatre talents. Over the course of the day you can see 12 theatre companies show extracts from new work they are making and help shape the way it develops. Alongside this will be numerous opportunities to meet the artists taking part, as well as key industry figures who will be on hand all day to answer any questions you might have about working in theatre or how to make work of your own. Just like last time, two of the pieces seen at First Bite will be guaranteed commissions by mac birmingham and Warwick Arts Centre, and developed by China Plate for Bite Size next spring at Warwick Arts Centre. Produced by China Plate Commissioned by mac birmingham and Warwick Arts Centre Supported by Bristol Ferment / Bristol Old Vic

Performance Theatre

Autumn 2011 www.macarts.co.uk

Speechless

Speechless presents the astonishing story of identical twins June and Jennifer Gibbons. Refusing to speak to adults, the twins communicate in their own private language, their only relationship being an intense and turbulent bond with each other. Speechless is a powerful portrayal of the twins’ secret world and their struggle to find a voice against all odds. The winner of a Fringe First Award 2010, Speechless is directed and co-written by Artistic Director of Shared Experience, Polly Teale. Celebrated for her potent visual and imaginative style, Polly won the Evening Standard Award for Best Director for her own play After Mrs Rochester, which also won the Time Out Award for Best West End Production. www.sharedexperience.org.uk

“ Heartbreaking...Astonishing...So good it will leave you tongue tied” The Guardian Written by Linda Brogan & Polly Teale Based on The Silent Twins by Marjorie Wallace

Melanie Wilson & Fuel present

Autobiographer by Melanie Wilson Wed 5 – Sat 8 Oct, 8pm Matinee – Sat 8 Oct, 3pm, Post-Show Discussion – Wed 5 Oct Tickets £12 (£9), Theatre Combining a lyrical text, immersive staging and an enigmatic and compelling performance style, Autobiographer draws us into the unravelling mind of the central character, Flora. Voiced by multiple performers, Flora reveals a curious and evocative portrait of a life refracted through the lens of dementia. Autobiographer is a tender, poetic and thrilling new work by Melanie Wilson that features a cast of four and a bold, electrifying score of voice and sound. Wilson’s most recent production, Iris Brunette, toured nationally and internationally to great critical acclaim, receiving the Best Production award at Dublin Fringe Festival 2009. She collaborates with Fuel to produce her work.

“ Wilson’s tools are not just the word or the physical, but also her own intensity, light and dark, and an extraordinary soundscape that transports us into a dislocating otherness.” Lyn Gardner, The Guardian (Iris Brunette) www.melaniewilson.org.uk www.fueltheatre.com Funded by Arts Council England and the Wellcome Trust. Developed as part of Fuel at the Roundhouse and Jerwood Residencies at Cove Park. Development supported by ARC, Stockton on Tees

Image: Getty Images

Performance Theatre

Autumn 2011 Sales & Information: 0121 446 3232

MetaMorpho Theatre

Volcano Theatre

Tue 1 Nov & Wed 2 Nov, 8pm Tickets £12 (£9), Theatre Age 11+

Tue 8 – Thu 10 Nov, 8pm Post-Show Discussion – Wed 9 Nov Tickets £12 (£9), Theatre Age 16+ Contains violence & possible nudity.

Devil in the Detail

Created by Europe’s leading practitioners in Mask Theatre, with a soundtrack of wild Balkan beats. MetaMorpho is the new company from Toby Wilsher, co-founder of Trestle. Imagine….An accountant embezzling £2 million in cash, a nightwatchman searching for his venomous snake, a drugs gang on a revenge mission, a landlady running a rent scam and a murderous finale…but nobody knows what the hell is going on! Imagine a classic British farce, with a hint of the Coen-esque, add a dash of Panto, and you’ll get some idea of the manic and tumultuous nature of this new play.

“ Exhilarating, highly enjoyable…highly recommended. More please” British Theatre Guide

Performance Theatre

Autumn 2011 www.macarts.co.uk

A Clockwork Orange

Volcano takes on Burgess’s inventive and disturbing little masterpiece.

A Clockwork Orange may be fifty years old but its description of a corrupt state and bankrupt civil society has never seemed more familiar. In a world like this, how is the nation’s youth to behave? To survive, you have to be feral: violent, drunk, drugged and debauched. With choreographic skill and linguistic exuberance, Volcano charts the progress of Alex and his droogs in this dystopic landscape. This production stays true to Burgess’s original both in its cut-throat inventiveness and in its insistence on the question of whether it is better to be forced to be good or to be free to do evil. www.volcanotheatre.co.uk Radical Classics™ are uniquely disruptive versions of widelyknown, popular, canonical or cult texts. The series so far includes Ayckbourn’s Time of My Life and Coward’s Private Lives, as well as some of the best known of Shakespeare’s texts, a version of Medea, and The Communist Manifesto. Directed by Paul Davies Dramaturgy by Philip Ralph Movement Direction by Catherine Bennett

20 Stories High

Blackberry Trout Face Mon 14 Nov, 8pm – Inc. Post-Show Discussion Tue 15 Nov, 2pm & 8pm Tickets £12 (£9), Theatre, Age:13+ “ Kerrie prepares Mum’s heroin... Jakey has had enough of life in the crew...Cameron is too scared to step outside...” One morning, the three teenagers discover a note in the Frosties. Mum has abandoned them: they have been left home alone…

Blackberry Trout Face is a bold, gritty and funny play, which explores the universal themes of family, loyalty and ambition. With sharply-drawn characters, crackling dialogue, and plenty of humour, we follow three young people as they struggle to cope in exceptional circumstances.

Based in Liverpool, 20 Stories High is now regarded as one of the most vibrant and ground-breaking theatre companies in the UK. Inspired and influenced by artistic collaborations with young people, they capture the imaginations of their audiences with their bold renderings of contemporary tales. www.20storieshigh.org.uk

“ Laurence Wilson is a brave new voice in British Theatre” Manchester Evening News WINNER OF THE BRIAN WAY AWARD The UK’s best new play for young people 2010

Performance Music

Autumn 2011 Sales & Information: 0121 446 3232

Performance Music

Autumn 2011 www.macarts.co.uk

Image: Richard Battye

mac birmingham and Moseley Folk present:

Martin Carthy & Dave Swarbrick 70th Birthday Tour

sampad present:

Asian Autumn Sun 2 Oct, 4pm Tickets £6 (£4), Theatre

Sun 25 Sep, 8pm Tickets £13 (£10), Theatre

Join sampad for an uplifting afternoon of South Asian music, showcasing the Midlands’ best home-grown talent.

Two of English music’s living legends celebrate their 70th years.

Including Sanchita Pal’s classical vocal students, Harjinder Matharu’s Dhol players, North Indian classical musicians Shobana Patel, Gurprit Matharu and Tofail Ahmed from Leicester, and more. Asian Autumn brings together music groups of all ages and styles from across the region in an eclectic celebration of South Asian sounds.

We welcome a startlingly intense reunion from this legendary ground-breaking duo. All the old skills are demonstrated with a new collection of traditional songs and instrumentals. Their experienced approach to their art lacks none of the fervour of their early days, and brings a maturity born of many years living with the music that is an integral part of their beings. www.watersoncarthy.com www.folkicons.co.uk/swarb

“ Intense and demanding, this is hard core traditional music. Sublime fiddle playing and the passionate delivery of evocative old songs by their ablest interpreter.” Telegraph

The Sabri Ensemble present

Shiraz

Fri 21 Oct, 8pm Tickets £10 (£7), Theatre Franz Osten’s lavish 1928 silent film telling the romantic story behind the Taj Mahal is accompanied by a live score by internationally renowned tabla player and composer Sarvar Sabri. Alongside the Sabri Ensemble, he creates a rich soundscape of melody and rhythm with South Asian, jazz and Western classical influences.

Birmingham Jazz, mac birmingham and sampad:

Arun Ghosh

Sat 29 Oct, 8pm Tickets £12 (£9) inc. Birmingham Jazz members) Theatre Clarinettist Arun Ghosh and his sextet play music of South Asian origin with a contemporary jazz attitude, rocking urban beats and the passion of punk. Arun’s musical vocabulary and vision reflects his rich geographical heritage. He is of Bengali descent but grew up in the north of England and now resides in London. A prolific composer as well as a dynamic performer, Arun’s music is sure to appeal to fans of South Asian music and jazz alike. www.camoci.co.uk/arunghosh

Midlands Fretted Orchestra

Nosferatu (cert PG)

With live score by Mark Willetts

Mon 31 Oct, 7.30pm Tickets £6.50 (£4.50), Theatre Murnau’s adaptation of the Bram Stoker Dracula classic remains his supreme achievement and one of the greatest horror films of all time. This Halloween mac birmingham will turn chillingly eerie when Midlands Fretted Orchestra provide a live score to the vintage classic silent vampire film. Not for the faint-hearted! www.m-f-o.co.uk Look out for a special Halloween menu. Can we top last year’s Ghoulish Ghoulash?

Performance Music

Autumn 2011 Sales & Information: 0121 446 3232

Harmonic Jazz Festival Fri 30 Sep – Sun 2 Oct Ticket Offer: Day Passes for Fri / Sat £40 (£30) Limited passes available so book quickly www.harmonicfestival.co.uk We are delighted to host the Harmonic Jazz Festival this autumn, so whether you want to attend the whole festival or just see selected gigs we have a ticket offer for you.

Jazz and the Media Symposium Fri 30 Sep, 10am – 4pm Tickets £20 (£17) Exclusive £10 ticket offer for students, Foyle Harmonic has teamed up with Birmingham City University to deliver the second annual Jazz and the Media symposium. The focus for this year is on UK jazz collectives and their interaction with the media, particularly social media.

Triple Bill Fri 30 Sep, 4.30pm Tickets £12 (£9), Hexagon

Image: Knut AreAarset

Arve Henriksen & Dreams of Tall Buildings

FOOD

Fri 30 Sep, 8pm Tickets £14 (£10), Theatre

Duo Iain Ballamy (saxophones) and Thomas Stronen (drums and electronics) have a longstanding partnership in making breathtaking music together. From the first FOOD record to the present day they have continued to explore the sonic possibilities of their own instruments as well as expanding the sound of the group with some notable guests. Their recent album Quiet Inlet straddles electronica and jazz with beautiful soundscapes.

For their first live performance of new music created exclusively for the festival Norwegian trumpeter Arve Henriksen teams up with duo Justin Wiggan (Roadside Picnic) and Darren Joyce (Modified Toy Orchestra).

“ Like Stan Getz stabbing Miles Davis in a floatation tank!”

Sat 1 Oct, 9pm Tickets £14 (£10), Theatre

“ A magical hybrid of technology and improvisation” BBC Music

Performance Music

Autumn 2011 www.macarts.co.uk

After the symposium has drawn to a close, there will be a chance to see three performances from UK collectives: Noose from Birmingham’s Cobweb Collective, Splice from London-based Loop Collective and, from Manchester’s Efpi Collective, The 265 Quartet.

Mike Hurley’s Tasting Notes Sat 1 Oct, 12.30pm, 3pm, 5.30pm, 8pm Tickets £12 (£9), Hexagon Join Mike Hurley of Fizzle and Invention Convention for a series of concerts based around the theme of food. Featuring some of the finest free improvisers from the local scene as well as further afield, including tuba wizard Oren Marshall.

Mike Fletcher Quartet Sat 1st October, 3.30pm Tickets £10 (£7), Theatre Perhaps one of the best, and most underrated, saxophonists in the UK, Mike Fletcher will be a familiar face to those who’ve seen him grow on the Birmingham scene. After a spell of globetrotting, he’s now firmly back in Birmingham playing, leading bands and writing music. The quartet featured here will be playing some of Mike’s compositions which reflect his more straightahead side.

Percy Pursglove’s Enchanted Heart Sat 1 Oct, 6pm Tickets £10 (£7), Theatre Festival Director Percy Pursglove leads a new ensemble with music written for Harmonic. Percy has been making a name for himself as a sideman on the UK scene in the last few years playing with a range of musicians including Hans Koller’s sextet, Evan Parker and the BBC Big Band. This ensemble will feature friend and collaborator Hans Koller as well as strings and Percy himself on trumpet.

Steve Tromans’ Directions in Music Sat 1 Oct, All Day One of Birmingham’s most prolific composers and performers, Steve wanted to give a performance that could only be experienced in its entirety at the festival itself, and so is embarking on a marathon 11-hour performance.

Free Foyer Music: Best of Cobweb All weekend Cobweb Collective is made up of around forty Birminghambased jazz musicians and is responsible for organising Harmonic. Throughout the festival they will be presenting the best of the current crop free of charge in the foyer.

Birmingham Creative Composers Ensemble Sun 2 Oct, 1pm Free entry As part of Harmonic’s yearround activity, the Creative Composers Ensemble was established this year to give the opportunity for Birmingham’s composers to try their music out in an ensemble setting. This performance will be of some of the work written by members of the ensemble.

Performance Music

Brendan Power & Tim Edey

Autumn 2011 Sales & Information: 0121 446 3232

Walsh & Pound

Brendan Power & Tim Edey with featured support Dan Walsh and Will Pound Sat 19 Nov, 8pm Tickets £12 (£9), Theatre Adventurous creative players are drawn to each other, and the first time multi-instrumentalist Tim and harmonica player Brendan met the musical sparks flew! The duo’s powerful blend of passion and virtuosity is infectious. What sets them apart from most folk/Celtic acts is their free-wheeling approach to live performance. Tim and Brendan love to improvise, which means that every time they do a piece it sounds different & fresh. It’s that sheer mad spontaneity which unfailingly captures audiences everywhere! They are supported by rising stars Walsh & Pound. Will was one of 12 young musicians chosen to participate in Goldie’s Band: By Royal Appointment on BBC 2. Prepare to be astonished by stunning vocals, frailing banjo wizardry and sounds you didn’t think were possible on harmonica. www.brendan-power.com www.timedey.co.uk www.walshandpound.co.uk

Sat 19 November, 2 – 4pm Beginners harmonica workshop with Will Pound Tickets £10 A fun opportunity to learn the basics of harmonica playing from one of the world’s top harmonica players, Will Pound. Intermediate/advanced workshop with Brendan Power Tickets £10 An exciting opportunity to advance your harmonica playing with UK-based Kiwi player and composer Brendan Power. Brendan is acknowledged as one of the most versatile and creative harmonica players around today. He has toured with Riverdance and recorded with the likes of Kate Bush, Sting and Van Morrison. Special Offer A ticket for either workshop gives a £2 discount to the evening concert. Tickets must be booked at the same time. Workshop Capacity 15.

Performance Music

Autumn 2011 www.macarts.co.uk

Aurelio

Khyam Allami

Image: Sarah Weeden

Image: Hydar Dewachi

Making Tracks www.makingtrackslive.org.uk After last year’s phenomenal response we are delighted to be continuing our run of world music with Making Tracks’ travelling music series.

Aurelio Martinez

Coming Soon. . .

Thu 17 Nov, 8pm Tickets £12 (£9), Theatre

SambaSunda Quintet

Singer, guitarist, composer and percussionist, fRoots cover star Aurelio Martinez is one of Central America’s most gifted and groundbreaking performers. The Hondurasborn musician, recognised for his powerfully evocative voice, is a major tradition-bearer of the threatened Garifuna culture that fuses African and Caribbean-Indian roots. Special Offer Book to see Aurelio Martinez and get £2 off your next Making Tracks gig. Book for all 3 and get a series ticket for just £30 (£21) To take up this offer please call Sales and Information on 0121 446 3232

Fri 10 Feb, 8pm Tickets £12 (£9) Groundbreaking gamelan innovators SambaSunda have a flair for experimentation with new ideas, both forwards and backwards in tradition. In their latest incarnation, SambaSunda strip down to a quintet, reflecting an enduring classical tradition of Sundanese music while at the same time creating something fresh, modern and original.

Making Tracks Commission feat.

Khyam Allami

with Ahmad Al Katib (oud) Andrea Piccioni (percussion) Youssef Hbeish (percussion) Sun 15 Apr, 8pm Tickets £12 (£9)

Performance Family

Autumn 2011 Sales & Information: 0121 446 3232

Rachel Davies

Capsule and mac birmingham:

The Light Garden

Supersonic Kids Gig

Sun 16 Oct 10am, 10.30am, 11am, 11.30am, 12pm, 12.30pm, 2pm, 2.30pm, 3pm, 3.30pm, 4pm, 4.30pm

Mon 17 Oct 9.30am, 10am, 10.30am, 11am, 11.30am, 12pm, 1.30pm, 2pm, 2.30pm, 3pm, 3.30pm, 4pm

Tickets £4, Foyle Studio Age 18mths – 4yrs, Duration 20mins. Award-winning artist Rachel Davies creates an interactive light and video installation for toddlers. Children begin their adventure in the near dark armed with torches. A flight-footed guide encourages them to journey around the scene with their bodies and their imaginations, by way of animated pebbles, cinematic tents and a smouldering projected campfire. The outdoor experience indoors offers opportunities to react impulsively and play with the spectrum of scale of movements in the natural world; from the tiny world of insects to the giant world of weather. A linked workshop for group bookings is also available. Please contact alex.mccorkindale@ macarts.co.uk for further information.

Autumn 2011 www.macarts.co.uk

Performance Family

Lyngo Theatre

Pickled Image

Sat 22 & Sun 23 Oct, 2.30pm Tickets £10 (1 adult + 1 child), extra child/adult £5.50 each, Theatre Age 2mths – 6yrs + Families

Tue 25 & Wed 26 Oct, 11am & 2.30pm Tickets £8 (£6), Theatre, Age 3 - 7yrs

Sun 30 Oct, 2.30pm Tickets £8 (£6), Theatre, Age 5+

Starring Patrick Lynch from CBeebies and Carlo Rossi from Italian TV.

Supersonic Festival is back at mac birmingham with gigs for the family featuring artists who are also performing at the main festival at the Custard Factory. Come and jam, play and dance to big sounds for little people, and discover amazing experimental music.

When Mr Green comes back from his Christmas holidays he finds that Mr White has moved into his house and covered everything in snow. All Mr White wants to do is sleep and have fun but Mr Green can’t stand the snow. Who gets to stay, and who has to go away? Make a giant snowman, have a super snowball fight and help us to bring back the spring in this highly interactive smash-hit London production.

Little Red Riding Hood is out on stage telling the world the same old story about Grandma and the Big Bad Wolf, blah, blah, blah!

For more information visit www.capsule.org.uk

Introduce your little ones to their very first gig – and don’t worry, we’ll make sure it is set to a level they will love! This is a brand new venture for mac birmingham and Capsule and we’re very excited.

Snow Play

www.lyngo.co.uk

“ A fantastic, utterly enchanting show…children (and adults) will be captivated.” Evening Standard Funded by Arts Council England

Wolf Tales

Come backstage and meet Mr B.B. Wolf, renowned thespian and notorious villain, as he takes a break between scenes to set the record straight. Is Red Riding Hood as innocent as she seems? Is Grandma as sweet as she claims? And as for those three little pigs… Pickled Image uses puppetry, shadows and songs to create a spectacular and hilarious exposé of the truth behind these classic fairy tales for the whole family. www.pickledimage.co.uk

Performance Family

Autumn 2011 Sales & Information: 0121 446 3232

Performance Christmas Show

Autumn 2011 www.macarts.co.uk

Red Earth Theatre and mac birmingham present Carol Ann Duffy’s

The Lost Happy Endings Family Christmas Show 2011

Tue 6 Dec 2011 – Sat 7 Jan 2012 Tickets: £14.50 (£11.50), Schools £8.75, Family Ticket £44*, Theatre Preview Shows Sat 3 & Sun 4 Dec Tickets £13.50 (£10.50), Family Ticket £40* The Lost Happy Endings is recommended for ages 4+ This Christmas get ready for the spectacular return of The Lost Happy Endings. After last year’s successful run we are delighted to be working with Red Earth again on this unique take on a modern children’s classic. Jub’s important job is to collect and send out the Happy Endings from all the stories in the world in time for everybody’s bedtime. But one night she is caught by a wicked witch who steals all of the happy endings... What if the shoe didn’t fit Cinderella? What if the Prince’s kiss didn’t awaken Snow White? What if the Big Bad Wolf gobbled up Little Red Riding Hood?

mac birmingham and Goody & Storey present

STAR

Sat 12 Nov – Thu 8 Dec, various times Tickets £8.50, Schools £7, Foyle Studio, Age 2 - 5 yrs Family ticket £32 (4 people, max. 2 adults) Star is a sparkling new show tailor-made for 2-5 year olds and any other first-time theatre‑goers. You are invited into an intimate and beautifully designed world that twinkles with delightful original music, bizarre characters and magical puppetry. Join us in this light-hearted and touching tale of friendship, elegance and botany. Join the green-fingered Gardener as she potters in the garden, sowing seeds and saplings. Discover the tidy Tailor as he cuts his cloth, sewing seams and stitches.

With help from her friends, Jub must dream up a perfect plan to outwit the Witch and to make sure, like all good fairy tales, this one has a happy ending.

And sing with the Star that shines high in the night sky. At opposite ends of the world two charming strangers live playful and eccentric lives, blissfully unaware of each other. All they share is a bright Star glittering in the sky above them. But one sad day this Star disappears. As the Gardener and the Tailor search high and low for the Star, they find something even more amazing... For the first time they see each other and a dazzling new world beyond their wildest dreams is revealed. Puppets and objects come to life as their imaginations soar to new heights. But will their Star ever return? Image: Adrian Burrows

“ Once upon a perfect...” Lorne Jackson, Birmingham Post

“ This is theatre’s imaginative power at its best...” Fred Dalmasso, Total Theatre The Lost Happy Endings: Adapted and Directed by Wendy Rouse and Amanda Wilde. Designed by Laura Mcewen. The Lost Happy Endings © by Carol Ann Duffy 2006

Performance Dance

Autumn 2011 Sales & Information: 0121 446 3232

Autumn 2011 www.macarts.co.uk

Performance Dance

Earthfall

At Swim, Two Boys Tue 18 Oct, 8pm Tickets £13 (£10), Theatre, Age 14 + To coincide with the 10th anniversary of the novel by Jamie O’Neill, Earthfall revive their award-winning production.

sampad and mac birmingham present:

Dance Sabha

Sun 25 Sep, 4pm Tickets £6 (£4), Foyle Studio Sabha is sampad’s popular showcase for local and emerging talent in music, dance, theatre and spoken word. This afternoon’s show features three styles of Indian dance. Amrita Banerjee presents the ancient temple dance Odissi, Aarti Lodhia performs classical Kathak dance and women’s group Giddha Sansaar showcase traditional Punjabi folk dance. To take part in a future Sabha, contact sampad on 0121 446 3260 or email info@sampad.org.uk.

ACE dance & music

ICE

Thu 24 Nov, 2pm & 8pm Fri 25 Nov, 8pm Tickets £12 (£9), Theatre ICE: Six quicksilver dancers: movement, music, film and light. ICE reflects on how technology infiltrates our lives, set in a clinical white space with powerful visual projections, fast-paced streams of movement and bodies frozen in time. ACE dance and music are collaborating with world‑acclaimed Artists, co-producing ICE with Japanese choreographer & founder of the Leni‑Basso company Akiko Kitamura & digital artist Akihiko Kaneko. As the performance starts and the temperature drops to freezing point, ICE allows us to preserve the moment, and dream together of how the future might be. As the thaw comes, do we cross over and become something else? Or are we forever crystallised? Is this our future? Be touched and amazed. ICE is raw, vibrant and full of expression, with cutting-edge Japanese style, precise timing, strength, control and fierce execution. Music and dance to elevate the soul. www.acedanceandmusic.com

Set in Ireland in 1916, the production is staged entirely in water, and set against the backdrop of the Easter Rising in Ireland. This tender and visually beautiful production juxtaposes the developing love affair between two young men with political turmoil in Ireland and the slaughter on the Western Front – contrasting the dream of national liberation and the search for personal freedom. The production is staged in a slowly filling lake in front of a waterfall, with episodes from the book woven together through a fusion of extreme physicality, original live music and film. www.atswimtwoboys.com

“ Violence, tenderness, passion and humour collide in this super, charged performance” The Times

Performance Comedy

Autumn 2011 Sales & Information: 0121 446 3232

Duncan Oakley

Hardeep Singh Kohli:

The Nearly Naked Chef Wed 28 Sep, 8pm Tickets £15 (£12), Theatre, Age 14+ Grab a seat and tuck in, as this celebrated broadcaster, raconteur, writer and cook combines comedy with inventive cuisine in a wonderfully funny, laid-back evening’s entertainment. Just think Ready Steady Cook but with great cooking (Hardeep was runner-up on the first series of Celebrity Masterchef) and funny anecdotes, all delivered by Glaswegian Hardeep in his own unique, articulate and utterly charming way. www.hardeeplive.com

“ Kohli’s evening of cookery and anecdotes… left a reassuringly warm aftertaste.” **** The Times “ I was mightily impressed by his ability to keep a capacity crowd in the palm of his hand for almost two hours. His concoction on the night? Haggis and butternut squash vindaloo. Even funnier, it was delicious.” The Sun

Performance Comedy

Autumn 2011 www.macarts.co.uk

Tom Wrigglesworth

Arthur Smith Exposed!

Kill for a Seat Comedy Club Hosted by Silky

Fri 11 Nov, 8pm Tickets £15 (£12), Theatre, Age 16 +

1st Friday of every month, 8pm Tickets £11 (£8), Hexagon

Join comedian, writer, broadcaster and allround British institution Arthur Smith and bask in an evening of laughter and off-the-wall humour with one of the ‘alternative comedians’ who shook up the world of light entertainment in the 1980s and 90s.

Kill for a Seat Comedy Club is in full swing at mac birmingham. Have you popped down to our comedy night? No? Well there is no excuse... get down here on the first Friday of every month and we promise we won’t point you out in the audience.

Expect an evening of sublime playfulness, crammed with jokes, anecdotes, short stories, poems, songs and readings from his recently published memoir My Name Is Daphne Fairfax which has won praise from literary critics.

Fri 2 Sep, 8pm Noel James & Owen Niblock with guest host Tom Wrigglesworth

Arthur is simply one of our funniest and most original comic performers and is guaranteed to bring you a night of hilarity, mirth and scandal...with a touch of rudeness thrown in for good measure. www.arthursmith.co.uk

Noel James is surreal, bizarre, absurd, intelligent, and yet, somehow strangely attractive. His best lines would grace any comedian’s repertoire; the worst would shame a cracker factory. Highly original and just plain ridiculous!

“ Stands out like a droll giant in a comedy land of trite dwarfs” The Independent

Fri 7 Oct, 8pm Dan Nightingale & Duncan Oakley One of Britain’s stand-up hidden gems: Dan Nightingale is one of the best performers found on the comedy circuit. Mixing brilliant observation and energetic characterisations with killer punch is playful, sometimes ridiculous but always hilarious. And if you really push him he’ll admit to being an excellent swimmer and a near genius in the field of gourmet cheese on toast.

“ Fantastic...He has it in him to be another Kitson or Noble.” Metro With musical skills that would easily fit into many rock bands Duncan Oakley performs an infectious mix of musical comedy and stand‑up with one of his trusty guitars – with an eye and ear for the silly, rude, playful and downright irritating occurences of life.

Owen Niblock - he’s a bit of an odd one, doing songs about romantic encounters on buses, showing people his kids’ book designs and generally being surreal and strange. His warped outlook on life combined with his musical, artistic and linguistic skills help make Owen a unique voice on today’s comedy & burlesque circuits.

Coming Soon

“He is incredibly funny” Three Weeks

www.killforaseat.com

Henning Wehn, Nathan Caton, Jason Cook & John Robins....

Performance Spoken Word

Autumn 2011 Sales & Information: 0121 446 3232

Autumn 2011 www.macarts.co.uk

Performance Spoken Word

Part of the Birmingham Book Festival Jaybird What Are They Whispering? Tue 11 Oct, 8.30pm Tickets £9 (£6), Foyle Studio

BBC Radio 3

Pen-ultimate

The Verb

A Night on the Tiles

Fri 23 Sep, 8pm Free entry (to be booked in advance) Theatre

Thu 29 Sept, 8pm Tickets £10 (£7), Theatre

Poet Ian McMillan brings his BBC Radio 3 programme The Verb to mac birmingham for a specially recorded edition of his unique showcase of the best new writing, new poetry and cutting-edge performance.

The Battle of the Wordsmiths is a re-invention of African storytelling, drawing inspiration from Yoruba mythology, West African rhythms and melodies and re-telling the story within the context of British Urban Music [R&B, hip hop, acapella and beat-boxing].

For this show, Ian’s guests include rising stars Bohdan Piasecki and Fatima Al Matar, who have been working with mac birmingham, the BBC and the Arts Council of England in a special project to nurture the best new spoken word artists.

Described by the Whitbread award-winning poet Michael Symmons Roberts as “Bold, often compelling mythic stories and characters… the scope and ambition of the project are impressive.”

Fri 18 Nov, 8pm Inc. Post-Show Discussion Tickets £10 (£7), Theatre, Age 12+ Welcome to a seedy spoken-word underworld where gangsters, high-rollers and conmen compete in high-stakes Scrabble - a game to end them all. Hotly-tipped theatre collective Pen-ultimate present their groundbreaking debut show, A Night on the Tiles. An electric mix of tightly woven wordplay and send-ups of heist, caper and kung fu movies, A Night on the Tiles is a Tarantino-esque tale of revenge, murder and Devonshire cream teas.

The recording will be transmitted on Fri 7 Oct.

Directed by Montserrat Gili (Dende Collective) and with dramaturgy from US Hip-Hop pioneer Will Power, A Night On The Tiles is a unique and eclectic combination of spoken word, dark comedy and digital animation.

www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/theverb

www.pen-ultimate.net

Be in the audience to hear the exciting outcome of their new work.

In 2010, The Battle of the Wordsmiths was shortlisted for the PRS New Music Award, the largest and most prestigious new music competition in the UK.

A poetry show with Imtiaz Dharker, Joe Dunthorne and John Stammers, who write emotional, funny and engaging poems. What Are They Whispering? brings them together on stage for a beautifully designed performance of poems about power in all its forms. Who has it, who wants it, who tries to take it from you? The poets know. This is not just a poetry reading – it’s live literature!

New British Asian Writing Showcase Tue 11 Oct, 7pm Tickets £6 (£4), Hexagon A showcase of the best of new British Asian writing. For more information please visit www.birminghambookfestival.org

Special Offer Book for both showcases and get £2 off your ticket.

The Birmingham Book Festival Closing Party Sun 16 Oct, 2pm - 6pm Various venues Join us for a selection of short events to celebrate the end of another year of the Birmingham Book Festival. With a programme including film, open mic poetry, discussion, speed reading and books on sale, you can drop in for an hour or stay for the duration. Detailed programme and booking information available on-line from August, at www.birminghambookfestival.org

Visual Arts

Autumn 2011 Sales & Information: 0121 446 3232

Autumn 2011 www.macarts.co.uk

Visual Arts

Some Domestic Incidents

An Exhibition of New Painting from Britain Sat 24 Sep – Sun 13 Nov Gallery, Free admission Open Tuesday until Saturday, noon – 8pm Sunday, 11am – 4pm. Closed Monday

For most people in the developed world, most of the time, home is a place where we can be at ease. It is a site of sanctuary from the world outside, for everyday activities such as sleeping, cooking a meal, reading, or raising a family. While many of us are fortunate to live in houses and apartments where we are happy and can relax, we all experience things in our homes that adversely affect our physical, psychological and emotional relationships with the places in which we live. This might be a burglary, the death of a loved one, an accident or a visit from the bailiffs. For others, home is a place that is constantly oppressive and filled with melancholy, loneliness or misery – a site of entrapment, discomfort or abuse.

Some Domestic Incidents presents works by seven artists from Britain that connect to the theme of domesticity and explore how normative relationships with homes can be changed or damaged.

Graham Chorlton: Artist Talk

Exhibition Tour

Thu 13 Oct, 7.30pm Hexagon, Free admission Booking essential

Thu 20 Oct, 7.30pm Gallery, Free admission Booking essential

West Midlands based artist Graham Chorlton gives an illustrated talk on his artistic practice and provides an insight into his paintings featured in our autumn exhibition Some Domestic Incidents.

Exhibition curator Matthew Price and Charlie Levine host an informal tour of Some Domestic Incidents alongside some of the artists featured in the show.

The exhibiting artists are Graham Chorlton, Oliver Clegg, Anna M R Freeman, Philip Hale, Justin Mortimer, Sally Payen, and Caroline Walker. The exhibition has been curated by Matt Price assisted by Charlie Levine for the fifth edition of the Prague Biennale.

Talks & Tours Talks & Tours will be available from Mon 10 - Fri 14 Oct

Justin Mortimer Vaccine, 2011

PRAGUE BIENNALE 5 PRAGUE BIENNALE PHOTO 2

Visual Arts

Autumn 2011 Sales & Information: 0121 446 3232

Autumn 2011 www.macarts.co.uk

Learning & Participation

Learning & Participation Earthfall

At Swim, Two Boys Dance Workshop Wed 19 Oct, 2pm – 5pm Tickets £4 Age 16+, Level: Beginners/Improvers The At Swim, Two Boys workshop gives participants an insight into the methodologies, themes and choreographic devices used to create At Swim, Two Boys, encouraging learners to get involved through practical exploration and application. Study packs will be available for groups participating in the current production. A mac birmingham production

The Big Draw: Continued Line

Leicester Print Workshop

smallprint: big impression

Sat 1 Oct – Mon 31 Oct Free admission, Terrace Gallery Open Daily 9am – 11pm

Sat 22 Oct – Sun 4 Dec Free admission, Arena Gallery Open daily from 9am – 11pm

This year we are bringing retro back and we want to you to explore and discover the true potential of the etch-a-sketch.

small print : big impression is an international showcase of contemporary fine art printmaking, presenting artists from across the UK and as far afield as the US and New Zealand. A diverse range of printmaking techniques will be represented, including etching, lithography, and relief work as well as digital prints.

As part of Continued Line, a project that aims to get everybody drawing, we’ll be asking you to relive, be re-inspired or to re-introduce etch-a-sketch fun to the next generation of sketching artists. Exploring how picture making can be confined by the etch-a-sketch we want to build on the success of last year’s big draw and encourage you to push the boundaries of this classic childhood toy. There are several ways to get involved: you could choose to take part in our giant etch-a-sketch located in the Terrace Gallery or even bring in your own for exhibition. So pop along, join in and get sketching...

Volcano Theatre Company

A Clockwork Orange: Physical Theatre Workshop Wed 9 Nov, 2pm – 6pm Tickets £325, Age: 16+ Physical theatre workshop exploring acting, devising and movement techniques surrounding the devising of A Clockwork Orange.

MetaMorpho Theatre

Mask Workshop

A full colour book will accompany the exhibition.

Tue 1 & Wed 2 Nov, Age 11+

Emma Grover: Selected Works

Ticket prices available upon request.

As part of the exhibition the smallprint:big impression prizewinner will be displaying a selection of her works at mac birmingham. www.leicesterprintworkshop.com

This workshop has been developed over 30 years and is designed to give participants an easy, successful and fun entry into the world of mask theatre.

ACE dance and music

ICE Workshops

Contemporary Dance Weekend Sat 19 & Sun 20 Nov, 10am – 4pm Tickets £55 (£48) Age/Level: 14+/ Beginners/Improvers During this course you will get to work with members of ACE dance and music to expand your movement vocabulary, increase flexibility and develop your technique. The course aims to challenge each individual and provide the opportunity to create a piece of dance which will be shown as a curtain-raiser before the ICE performance in the following week.

Contemporary Dance Taster Wed 23 Nov, 6.30pm Tickets £8 (£6) Age/Level: 18+/ Beg/Improvers This workshop will introduce participants to ACE’s unique style and also will look at the fusion of this style with martial arts techniques which is used in the company’s new production ICE.

Re:sketch mac Birmingham would like to invite schools, colleges, universities and community groups to create a piece of art with the classic etch-asketch. You could paint on it, take it to bits and create something new or simply just draw a classic etch-a-sketch picture. We have 10 etch-a-sketches available for groups to take out and use, or you can bring your own. All of the artworks will be displayed in a public exhibition between 1 – 16 Oct. Deadline for submissions is 5pm, 27 Sep, 2011.

smallprint:big impression was selected in association with mac birmingham.

For more information or to book activities on this page, please contact our Next Generation Producer Daniel Whitehouse at daniel.whitehouse@macarts.co.uk or call 0121 446 3225.

Diary

Autumn 2011 Sales & Information: 0121 446 3232

Diary Autumn 2011 Date

Autumn 2011 www.macarts.co.uk

Venue Hire

Event

Space

Time

Page

Fri 2 Sep

Kill For A Seat: Noel James & Owen Niblock

Hex

8pm

Fri 23 Sep

BBc Radio 3: The Verb

Theatre

8pm

Sat 24 Sep

First Bite Festival

Various

2.30pm & 7.30pm 3

Sun 25 Sep

Dance Sabha

Foyle

4pm

Sun 25 Sep

Martin Carthy & Dave Swarbrick

Theatre

8pm

Wed 28 Sep

Hardeep Singh Kohli

Theatre

8pm

Thu 29 Sep

The Battle of the Wordsmiths

Theatre

8pm

Fri 30 Sep - Sun 2 Oct

Harmonic Jazz Festival

Various

9 &10

Sun 2 Oct

Asian Autumn

Theatre

4pm

Wed 5 - Sat 8 Oct

Autobiographer

Theatre

8pm

Fri 7 Oct

Kill For A Seat: Dan Nightingale & Duncan Oakley Hex

8pm

Tue 11 - Sat 15 Oct

Shared Experience: Speechless

8pm

Theatre

Whether you want an informal meeting room, somewhere to rehearse, to host a party, hold a conference or put on your own event, mac birmingham provides an inimitable venue suitable for your requirements.

Tue 11 Oct - Sun 16 Oct

Birmingham Book Festival

Various

Sun 16 - Mon 17 Oct

The Light Garden

Foyle

Various

Tue 18 Oct

At Swim, Two Boys

Theatre

8pm

Sat 22 - Sun 23 Oct

Supersonic Kids Gig

Theatre

2.30pm

Tue 25 - Wed 26 Oct

Snow Play

Theatre

11am & 2.30pm

Sat 29 Oct

Arun Ghosh

Theatre

8pm

Sun 30 Oct

Wolf Tales

Theatre

2.30pm

Mon 31 Oct

Nosferatu

Theatre

7.30pm

Tue 1- Wed 2 Nov

Devil in the Detail

Theatre

8pm

Tue 8 - Thu 10 Nov

A Clockwork Orange

Theatre

8pm

Fri 11 Nov

Arthur Smith

Theatre

8pm

Sat 12 Nov - Thu 8 Dec

Star

Foyle

Various

Mon 14 - Tue 15 Nov

Blackberry Trout Face

Theatre

2pm & 8pm

Thu 17 Nov

Aurelio Martinez

Theatre

8pm

Fri 18 Nov

A Night on the Tiles

Theatre

8pm

Sat 19 Nov

Brendan Power & Tim Edey featuring Walsh & Pound

Theatre

8pm

Thu 24 - Fri 25 Nov

ICE

Theatre

2pm & 8pm

Tue 6 Dec - Sat 7 Jan

The Lost Happy Endings

Theatre

Various

Images: Simon Hadley

We’re located right in the magnificent natural splendour of Cannon Hill Park, with many of the rooms and spaces enjoying superb views. What’s more, free Wi–Fi is available throughout the building. Performance, meeting and studio spaces offer flexibility and you can choose from a wide selection of catering options, suitable for every occasion, whether it’s freshly brewed coffee served in your meeting room or full in‑house support.

“ I just wanted to drop you a line to thank you and your team for all their hard work yesterday. The event was a great success, and the venue was superb. Your team were very helpful, and everything went according to plan.”

Special Autumn Day Delegate Offer: – 3 servings of tea, coffee and biscuits – Hot and cold finger buffet lunch with fruit juice – Room hire – Projector & Sound system – Flipchart – Wireless internet From £30.00 plus vat per person Terms and Conditions Apply

Anna M Donaldson Heart of Birmingham Teaching Primary Care Trust

Visual Arts Sat 24 Sep - Sun 13 Nov

Some Domestic Incidents

Gallery

11am - 4pm

Sat 1 Oct - Mon 31 Oct

The Big Draw: Continued Line

Terrace Gallery

All Day

Sat 22 Oct - Sun 4 Dec

smallprint: big impression

Arena Gallery All Day

Go to www.macarts.co.uk/hires for our full Conference and Event Facilities or contact hires@macarts.co.uk / 0121 446 3250

Visitor Info

Autumn 2011 Sales & Information: 0121 446 3232

How to book

Autumn 2011 www.macarts.co.uk

Hot Desks

Hot Desk

Fundraising After three long years of fundraising, we’ve nearly completed our task to raise £15m and reopen an arts centre fit for the 21st century. But we still need your help to find the final £10,000 to complete the appeal. There are a number of ways you can make a donation: • Donate online at www.justgiving.com/macarts • Recycling old mobile phones or printer cartridges to give us up to £10 for each item. Visit www.recyclingappeal.com/mac to find out more • Donate by text. To donate £3 text MAC to 84424. To donate £3 a month text MAC_M to 84424

Image: Adrian Burrows

Access mac birmingham has ramped access into the building from both entrances. Disabled parking spaces are available in the free car park (owned by Birmingham City Council) next to the bridge. There is level or ramped access throughout the building and wheelchair accessible lifts to all levels. Accessible toilets are located on every level and a toilet with hoist and shower is also available. If you require this facility please contact Sales and Information. The Theatre and Hexagon are fitted with infra–red systems. The Cinema, meeting rooms, education studios and public areas are fitted with an induction loop. Information can be made available in different formats, including large print, Braille or audio tape, for those with visual impairments. Assistant dogs are welcome and we are very happy to provide bowls of water. If you have any specific requirements you would like to talk about please contact Sales & Information.

Online Tickets may be booked online 24 hours a day at www.macarts.co.uk By phone or in person Sales and Information is open 9am – 11pm daily. Group bookings Book 10 tickets and get an 11th ticket free. This offer does not apply to events featured as part of any external hires. Please note groups of 10+, schools, wheelchair spaces cannot be booked online. Please call 0121 446 3232 to book. Refunds and Exchanges Tickets cannot be exchanged under any circumstances and refunds will only be given in very exceptional conditions at the management’s discretion. Concessions Prices shown in brackets are available to the following groups on production of valid ID: • Under 16s • Over 60s • Full time students with photo ID • Holders of current Passport to Leisure Cards • Job Seekers Allowance Our staff are required to check ID for every concession price ticket sold, so please bring proof of your status every time you visit.

mac birmingham is now offering “hot desk” facilities at our offices in Cannon Hill Park, offering the perfect solution for people who work independently and need to find somewhere flexible to base themselves – whether it’s for a day, a week, or even longer. Hiring a hot desk in our open plan office costs less than £15 a day (excluding VAT), and we provide a number of services for hotdeskers including full access to our reception service. We also offer printing, faxing and photocopying facilities at competitive rates and if you have any specific requirements we’re more than happy to discuss them. On top of this, hotdeskers are entitled to a 20% discount on mac birmingham’s variety of meeting room spaces which can accommodate between 2 and 80 guests. For more information please contact Michelle Smith, Projects Director either by e-mail at michelle.smith@macarts.co.uk or on 0121 446 3251.

• Sell unwanted items on eBay and donate a percentage of the sale price to mac birmingham (Midlands Arts Centre). eBay for Charity allows you to list an item and support mac birmingham with no hassle: to learn more visit eBay’s selling for charity pages • Adopt a Seat in one of our theatres or in our cinema Email sarah.gee@macarts.co.uk for more information. We also want to take this opportunity to thank all of the companies, trusts and foundations, and individuals who have helped us so far in our appeal. Through your donations and support we will be able to offer stimulating experiences and a diverse range of events and activities that otherwise would not be possible. To each and every one of you, thank you.