New Work Festival line-up revealed

From 16 – 26 Oct this year, the New Work Festival, formerly known as Inside Out, will take over spaces around the theatre’s building and will include productions and activities for all ages.

The festival will support and showcase the most dynamic and exciting talent from the Midlands, with informal gigs, musical comedy, drama and more set to hit the theatre’s stages.

Several performances come to Curve’s New Work Festival direct from runs at the internationally acclaimed Edinburgh Fringe Festival this summer, including Olivier Award-nominee Caroline Horton, who will open Curve’s festival with multi-award winning (The Scotsman’s Mental Health Fringe Award, The Stage Award For Excellence) All of Me on Wed 16 Oct. One of Voice Mag’s Picks of the Fringe 2019, Lewis Doherty brings two blockbuster parody performances to Curve: WOLF a neon-noir cyber-punk action thriller (Fri 18 Oct) and BOAR, an epic fairytale (Fri 25 Oct).

Also returning to the Midlands from Edinburgh Fringe Festival are multi award-winning theatre company Fat Rascal and Curve Breakthrough Artist Jack Britton. Jack brings TED Talk meets theatre show Mighty (a Curve and Pleasance Theatre Partnership) back to Curve for this year’s festival on Tue 22 Oct. After a sell-out run at the Fringe, Fat Rascal brings musical parody Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch to Curve 25 – 26 Oct.

As part of Black History Month celebrations in October, Curve Associate Company Serendipity brings BHM Live Showcase to Curve on Thu 17 Oct, with new performances from artists Isaac Ouro-Gnao, Joshua Nash, Jordan Douglas, Akeim Toussaint Buck and a new film from Jaha Browne.

Filling the theatre with live performances and free activities between 11am-3pm, Curve will be hosting Diwali Family Day on Sat 19 Oct. That evening, Curve Affiliate Company Nupur Arts will celebrate youth with a vibrant selection of classical Indian dance and music from talented international performers in Yuva Nartan Utsav from 7pm.

On Thu 24 Oct In Good Company, the professional, creative and business development programme for theatre makers and companies in the Midlands, will present PlayShuffle. Showcasing local talent and aspiring new playwrights, PlayShuffle is a session focused on new writing.

The festival will also include informal gig Flux #LC from State of Flux Theatre (Fri 18 Oct), The Basement Bunch and Toby Clark’s innovative feminist play The Eden Effect (Mon 21 Oct), Morph Dance Company’s new Indian contemporary dance double-bill Classical Encounters & Metamorphic, Curve Breakthrough Artist Louise White’s immersive, ocean-based production for families Washed Up…with a Turtle Named Reggie (Sat 26 Oct) and brand new works-in progress presented throughout the festival from Curve Breakthrough Artists Lewys Holt, Si Rawlinson and Enter Edem.

The festival has been curated by Curve’s New Work Associate Beth Shouler, who joined the theatre in April this year. She commented:

“All of us at Curve love to find new and distinctive shows made by extraordinarily talented artists. We’re thrilled the festival will showcase some of the best work being made by contemporary theatre-makers in the UK. There is something for everyone: new plays, comedy, physical theatre, works-in-progress, spoken-word, family work, dance, musicals, autobiographical and devised performances.

“It is a real celebration of the talent in the Midlands as every performance has creatives or performers from the region involved. There will also be workshops, surgeries and opportunities for artists to network. All of us at Curve hope audiences have as much delight watching these shows as we have. Ultimately, they are fascinating stories told in inventive and beautiful ways that make for a really great night out.”

Click here to find out more about the festival.

Tickets for Curve’s New Work Festival will go on sale to Curve Friends and Supporters on Fri 6 Sep, to Members and Groups on Mon 9 Sep, and on general sale Wed 11 Sep, all at 12 noon. Tickets can be purchased online, over the phone on 0116 242 3595 or in person at Curve’s Box Office.