Benji Reid Q&A: ‘In Manchester, it always feels like I’m speaking directly to my people’

Next month, award-winning photographer and theatremaker Benji Reid returns to Manchester with his critically-acclaimed show, Find Your Eyes.

The stunning production, which features a mesmerising blend of photography, choreography and theatre, originally debuted at the 2023 edition of Manchester International Festival. Now, Benji is set to revisit the show over a five-day run at Aviva Studios from Sun 25 May – Fri 30 May.

Find Your Eyes draws on the well of the artist’s own life, mixing otherworldly Afro-futurist imagery with hard-hitting personal tales as the stage becomes a living, breathing photography studio. Surrounded by supremely talented dancers, images are brought to life in real-time, each image offering an insight into the tragedies and triumphs of Benji’s lived experiences.

Ahead of the show’s return, we caught up with Benji to chat about Find Your Eyes, his creative process and what it’s like to present a show that’s as personal as this one.

First of all, how excited are you about bringing the show back to Manchester after it proved such a hit last time out?

I’m absolutely thrilled to be bringing Find Your Eyes back to Manchester. This city holds so much of my creative DNA—it’s where I shaped my voice as an artist. To return after the success of the previous run feels like coming home, but with new stories in my bones. Manchester audiences were incredibly open and generous last time, and I’m excited to see how they respond again, especially as the show has evolved. It’s a chance to reconnect with the people who understand the city’s heartbeat and share this next chapter with them.

How would you sum up Find Your Eyes for someone who hasn’t seen any of the previous runs?

Find Your Eyes is a love letter to creativity and survival. It’s part theatre, part live photography, part dance—a fusion of art forms that collide in real time. You’ll see images being made before your eyes, blending choreography, storytelling, and photography into a single living canvas. At its core, it’s a deeply personal exploration of vulnerability, Black masculinity, and the defiance of being visible in spaces where you’re often unseen. It’s raw, honest, and unpredictable—every night is slightly different because the creative act is happening in the moment.

Given how personal the performance is, does creating the art ever feel like it takes a toll? Or is it more of a ‘release’ for you?

It’s both. There’s no denying that Find Your Eyes pulls from a well of personal experiences—some joyful, some painful. Revisiting those memories can be emotionally demanding. There are moments on stage where I’m reliving real-life struggles and triumphs, and it costs something each time. But it’s also incredibly cathartic. By putting those stories into movement, into images, I’m able to transmute them into something that no longer weighs me down. It becomes a shared experience—once it’s in the room with the audience, it’s no longer just mine. That exchange is where the release happens.

The whole concept of Find Your Eyes is really unique — how do you approach a creative process that has to tie in so many different art forms?

For me, it’s about allowing the disciplines to have a conversation with each other. I don’t treat photography, dance, and theatre as separate—they’re all part of the same language. I start with a concept, an emotional thread, and then I explore how to manifest it through movement and light. The images I create on stage are like visual poems—fragments of a larger narrative. The choreography drives the energy, while the camera captures the fleeting moments of transcendence, but there’s also space for improvisation and spontaneity. That’s what keeps it alive.

Is there an idea of how you want people to come away from the show feeling?

I want people to leave Find Your Eyes feeling more human. More open. I want them to feel like they’ve been allowed into someone’s inner world and, in doing so, feel more connected to their own. It’s not about providing answers—it’s about sparking questions. I hope they leave holding onto a particular image, or a moment of stillness, and carry it with them. Most of all, I want them to feel seen—to recognise a part of themselves in the work.

Has the show developed in any way since you presented it at MIF23?

Find Your Eyes is a living, breathing piece—it’s never static. Since MIF23, the show has become more refined but also more daring. I’ve been bolder with the improvisational elements, allowing more space for the unexpected. The visual language has deepened and I have become more playful. The storytelling has also become more nuanced, weaving in moments of pure beauty alongside the vulnerability. It’s still raw and personal, but it’s grown in complexity and fluidity.

What has the response been like on the international stage? How has it compared to Manchester?

The response internationally has been incredible. Performing Find Your Eyes in New York and at festivals like Under the Radar gave me a chance to connect with diverse audiences, and what struck me was how universally the themes resonated. In the U.S., there was a deep emotional connection to the exploration of Black masculinity and visibility. The response was visceral—people shared their own experiences with me after the show, which was deeply moving.

Manchester, though, is different—it’s home. There’s a raw familiarity here. People know me, they know the cultural context that shaped the work. The connection is more personal, more intimate. Performing it here feels like baring my soul to family—it carries a different weight. Both experiences have been powerful, but in Manchester, it always feels like I’m speaking directly to my people.

Tickets to Benji Reid’s Find Your Eyes at Aviva Studios are on sale now, grab yours using the button below.