HOME, the new arts centre and future of Cornerhouse and the Library Theatre company isn’t due to open properly until Spring 2015, but in the spirit of the precocious young artist they’re already programming events during this, the venue’s embryonic stage. The first event is The Best of BE Festival. Be Festival is Birmingham annual festival of international theatre, one of the biggest theatre festivals in the country. The event at home provides a sample palette of four of the festival’s crowning glories, featuring plays from Belgium, Austria, Hungary and the UK. All the plays have a large focus on the visual and physical aspects of performance, an area often-neglected in more writer-led festivals. Next up is new theatre piece The Events (pictured). Presented by the Actors’ Touring Company, the play delves deeply into questions of faith and morality. Heavy stuff that prompted the Guardian to name it the best new play of 2013. Lastly, we have the lengthy monikered Insomnia, a pas de deux drama for two girls and a piano man. This entrancing piece of dance theatre looks nakedly at the afflicted sleepless with captivating irony and childlike humour. Its accompanied by a live score presented by Macendonian composer Nikola Kodjabashia as the piano man. Ticket prices for this show include entry to a one-hour masterclass with the creative team, as well as a post-show discussion on the subject of cross-art theatre.
Best of BE Festival, Fri 17 Oct – Sat 18 Oct, 7.30pm, £15/£13 conc
The Events, Wed 22 Oct – Sat 25 Oct, 7.30pm, £17/£10 conc
Insomnia, Thu 6 Nov – Fri 7 Nov, 7.30pm, £12/£10 conc
Insomnia Masterclass, Fri 7 Nov, 4.30pm, free with ticket
HOME, 1 First Street, Manchester, M15 4FN, www.homemcr.org
- Words:
- Jon Whiteley
- Published on:
- Thu 6 Nov 2014
