Circus spectacular Letsby Avenue revealed as Hulme Playhouse Theatre’s first show

An eye-popping circus celebration showcasing spectacular arial stunts and everyday voices from the local community has been revealed as the first show to appear at the Hulme Playhouse Theatre this Christmas. Formerly the home of BBC Northern and the Nia Centre for African and Caribbean Culture, the space – now known as NIAMOS – aims to welcome audiences to this riotous new show from Sunday 20 until Wednesday 23 December, promising a physical celebration of Mancunians’ response to lockdown and a self-styled ‘council house cabaret in the sky’.

Co-produced by NIAMOS and Manchester-based circus specialists The Circus House, Letsby Avenue will feature a cast of local children alongside expert circus performers including performer Seren Marimba of contemporary circus company Pirates of the Carabina. Scored by new original music by Ku’umba and hosted by MC Chunky, the show takes us to a council housing block on the titular Letsby Avenue to see how the community’s residents have reacted to the COVID-19 crisis. Combining the voices of everyday people and plenty of party vibes, the show looks set to provide an uplifting and humorous end to a difficult few months.

Tickets for reduced capacity audiences are on sale now in the hopes that Manchester moves to Tier 2 restrictions in weeks before Christmas. However the venue has also revealed plans to live-stream the performance to people’s homes if stricter social distancing rules are still in place. To find out more and book tickets, follow the link below.