Community Post Type: News

Walker Art Gallery will present Listening All Night To The Rain, a large-scale multi-channel film and sound installation by Sir John Akomfrah RA, opening 16 May 2026. Originally commissioned by the British Council for the British Pavilion at the 60th Venice Biennale in 2024, the exhibition comes to Liverpool on a UK tour supported by Art Fund.

The title is drawn from the poetry of Chinese writer Su Dongpo (1037–1101), written during a period of political exile. The work is arranged into ‘Cantos’ or movements. Walker Art Gallery is showcasing three of the eight cantos first shown in Venice. Canto I will transform the gallery’s neoclassical exterior, with imagery and voices from the Global Majority displayed on the portico. The work echoes its original presentation on the façade of the British Pavilion in Venice, where it sought to honour those marginalised by the legacies of imperialism. Inside, visitors will encounter Cantos IV and V, moving through layered soundscapes, archival footage and newly filmed material from around the world.

Akomfrah addresses memory, migration, racial injustice and climate change. His signature cinematic style creates critical and poetic connections across different places and times to encourage acts of listening and looking again, as forms of activism. He draws on stories from the Windrush generation, with a particular focus on the lives of women and children. Water runs through the work as a connecting thread, linking narratives that span continents and centuries. Sculptural installations with embedded screens, inspired by the form of religious altarpieces, sit within colour fields influenced by the paintings of Mark Rothko, creating quiet spaces for thought and reflection.

One of Britain’s most respected artist-filmmakers, Akomfrah has a long connection to Liverpool. He directed A Touch of the Tar Brush (1991) for BBC2’s Think of England, a portrait of the city’s multicultural families made in response to JB Priestley’s English Journey (1934). His documentary Riot (2000) for Channel 4 explored the turmoil in Toxteth in 1981 through the eyes of residents, police and community activists. The Unfinished Conversation (2012), tracing the life and work of cultural theorist Stuart Hall (1932–2014), premiered at Liverpool Biennial 2012. He was knighted in 2023 for services to the arts and won the Artes Mundi Prize in 2017.

Sir John Akomfrah said:

“I’ve had a long personal and professional relationship with the city of Liverpool, returning many times over the last four decades. It’s always felt to me, like an ever-unfolding conversation between myself, the city, and its communities.

Many of the themes, stories, people and ideas within my practice draw inspiration from, or find deep resonances with, cities like Liverpool. It is a place shaped by movement, by departures and arrivals, and by stories carried across water.

To bring Listening All Night To The Rain here, feels less like an arrival and more like a continuation of that conversation - one that Liverpool feels uniquely equipped to host.”

Charlotte Keenan, Head of Walker Art Gallery, said:

“We’re delighted to bring Sir John Akomfrah’s Listening All Night To The Rain to Liverpool. Its themes of migration, memory and belonging have a real connection to this city’s history, and to present work of this scale and ambition at the Walker, following its debut at the Venice Biennale, is something we’re very proud of.”

Emma Dexter, Director of Visual Arts and British Council Collection, said:

“We are proud to see Listening All Night To The Rain continue its journey in Liverpool, a city whose histories and communities resonate deeply with the themes at the heart of Sir John Akomfrah’s work. Art Fund’s support has been vital in enabling this commission to tour in the UK, and bring the installation to wider audiences.”

Following its presentation in Venice, Listening All Night To The Rain was shown at Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Cardiff (2025) and Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid (2025–26). After its run at Walker Art Gallery, the tour continues to Dundee Contemporary Arts later in 2026.

Listening All Night To The Rain opens at Walker Art Gallery on 16 May 2026 and runs until 31 August 2026.

Admission is free, with all donations welcome.

For more information, visit liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/johnakomfrah

The team are delighted to present ‘Glass Muse‘, at the Godfrey Pilkington Art Gallery at The World of Glass.

Glass Muse celebrates work from local, national & International artists who have responded to specially selected, rarely seen objects taken out of storage from the Pilkington Glass Collection at The World of Glass.

Launch: Saturday 2^nd May 12-2pm

The World of Glass, St. Helens,

Chalon Way East
St. Helens
WA10 1BX

Exhibition Dates: Saturday 2^nd May – 25^th July 2026

Ralf Little returns to the Liverpool Playhouse to lead the cast in John le Carré’s The Spy Who Came In From the Cold. A global bestseller for over sixty years, this production marks the first-ever stage adaptation of le Carré’s work. The play visits Liverpool for a strictly limited one-week run from Tuesday 12 to Saturday 16 May.

Ralf Little said: “It is a huge privilege to be stepping into the shoes of one of John le Carré’s great literary creations, Alec Leamas as we bring the murky world of his Cold War masterpiece to life on stage. Despite being written in the 60s it feels startlingly relevant to the times we are living in now. I can’t wait to share this story with audiences old and new as we take it to cities right across the UK.”

Olivier Award nominated British actor Ralf Little (Presence, Royal Court Theatre; Death in Paradise, BBC) stars as disillusioned British intelligence officer Alec Leamas. Ralf is best known for his roles as Antony Royle in BBC’s BAFTA winning comedy The Royle Family with Caroline Aherne, Jonny in BBC’s much loved Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps alongside Sheridan Smith and Will Mellor. In 2013, Ralf Little led the cast of Peter Nichols’ comedy A Day in the Death of Joe Egg, a co-production between the Playhouse and the Rose Theatre Kingston.

Gráinne Dromgoole (By Royal Appointment, UK Tour; The Merchant of Venice 1936, UK Tour/Criteron Theatre/Watford Palace Theatre) stars as the idealistic, left-wing librarian Liz Gold, with Tony Turner (Dear England, National Theatre/Prince Edward /Lowry; The Archers, BBC) as George Smiley. They are joined by Nicholas Murchie (Present Laughter, Frinton Summer Theatre; Say Nothing) as Control and Peter Losasso (Emma, Theatre Royal Bath & UK Tour; The Comedy of Errors, Yvonne Arnaud) as Hans-Dieter Mundt.

Completing the cast are Eddie Toll (A Thousand Blows, Disney+; We Were The Lucky Ones, Hulu) as Fiedler, Melody Chikakane Brown (Life of Pi, East Asia tour; Redlands, Chichester Festival Theatre) as Miss Crail/President of the Tribunal, Jeff D’Sangalang (untitled f*ck m*ss s**gon play, the Royal Exchange, The Young Vic; Shut Up, I’m Dreaming, National Theatre) as Ashe, Jonny Burman (EastEnders, BBC; The Lazarus Project, Sky) as Riemeck/Kiever, Jo Servi (Barber Shop Chronicles, North American & U.K. Tour; Witness for the Prosecution, County Hall, London) as Pitt/Ford and Clara Wessely (Pericles, Bristol Old Vic Theatre School) and James Burman (Romeo and Juliet, ETD) as part of the ensemble.

British intelligence officer Alec Leamas is weary, hardened, and ready to come in from the cold. But when Control, the Chief of the Circus, presents one final mission — dangerous, deceptive, and deeply personal — Leamas agrees to stay in the game. Dispatched into enemy territory, he finds his convictions tested and his defences breached by Liz Gold, a quietly defiant librarian whose compassion threatens to thaw his frostbitten heart. And what of veteran spymaster George Smiley? What is his role in the operation?

The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, adapted for the stage by award-winning playwright and screenwriter David Eldridge (Beginning, Middle, End), is the first novel by John le Carré to be brought to life on stage. Le Carré is the undisputed master of the modern spy genre, whose works include Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and The Night Manager. The director is Jeremy Herrin (Grace Pervades, People, Places and Things), alongside Tour Director Joe Lichtenstein.

Set and costume is designed by Max Jones with lighting design by Azusa Ono, sound design by Elizabeth Purnell, composition by Paul Englishby, and movement direction by Lucy Cullingford. Casting by Matilda James CDG.

The Spy Who Came in from the Cold runs at the Liverpool Playhouse from Tuesday 12 to Saturday 16 May. Tickets are priced from £17 to £47 and are available to book at www.everymanplayhouse.com/event/the-spy-who-came-in-from-the-cold/

Liverpool & Merseyside Theatres Trust, the charity behind the Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse, has been awarded £999,999 from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Arts Everywhere Fund. The investment will fund improved access equipment across both theatres and vital upgrades at the Liverpool Playhouse as a first step in its major capital ambitions.

For more than 160 years the Grade II* listed Playhouse – the Northwest’s oldest working theatre since opening as The Star in 1866 – has been a national cultural landmark. This near‑million pound award is the first step within a major transformational project for the Playhouse, ensuring audiences and artists can continue to enjoy and work in this iconic venue.

Mark Da Vanzo, Chief Executive, said:

“This is brilliant news for the Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse theatres and for the city as a whole. To receive this level of investment is a powerful vote of confidence in our theatres’ past, present and future. These funds will help us to address critical issues in the short-term and help to kickstart the next chapter for the Playhouse – restoring its historic splendour while making it a welcoming, comfortable and sustainable theatre for generations to come. We are enormously grateful to DCMS and Arts Council England and excited to get on with this critical work.”

Prima Facie remain an inspiring part of Liverpool’s cultural life. Built‑in sustainability measures will drive the Playhouse towards zero emissions and set new standards for environmentally responsible theatre‑making.

The investment forms part of the Arts Everywhere Fund, a £1.5 billion package from the Government to support cultural infrastructure projects.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said:

“I want everyone, everywhere to feel a sense of pride about where they come from. Cultural organisations across the North West are important custodians of local identity and play a key role in the story we tell ourselves as a nation. Our Arts Everywhere Fund is delivering on our commitment to support cultural assets across the country, increasing access and preserving them for future generations. Arts and culture are the beating hearts of our communities; they have the power to unite us in the face of division and break down barriers to opportunity. We want to harness that power to help build a brighter future for the people of the North West.”

The award is part of a wider North West package announced today, which sees 17 cultural venues, museums and libraries in the region receive a share of £16.9 million to protect and improve cultural infrastructure.

Rebecca Ball, Area Director, North, Arts Council England, said:

“Our museums, libraries and arts organisations have the power to change lives, giving us access to new worlds, teaching us about our heritage and offering fresh perspectives. I’m pleased we can support so many cultural organisations in the North with this capital investment, ensuring they can continue to deliver incredible arts and culture to their communities.”

For one nights only, an immersive screening of psychological horror EXIT 8 will come to Liverpool on 14 April 2026.

The interactive screening feature a live actor and will unite Liverpool cinemagoers to find their way out of EXIT 8 and into the cinema for a truly unique screening experience.

EXIT 8 is already a hit in Japan and has grossed over $39 million worldwide. The Japanese horror is based on a cult video game that has been downloaded more than 2 million times since 2023.

This screening is among the first in the UK for the hit video game adaptation. The big screen adaptation transforms the game’s claustrophobic concept into a psychological horror mystery.

EXIT 8 is directed by Genki Kawamura and stars Kazunari Ninomiya, who first gained international recognition in LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA, directed by Clint Eastwood.

Last year, EXIT 8 premiered at the Cannes Film Festival to an 8-minute standing ovation. Gaming and horror fans have been anticipating the film’s global release since.

The immersive screenings are being hosted by entertainment specialists elevenfiftyfive.

Elevenfiftyfive founder David Kapur said: “We are always looking for ways to bring new audiences and experiences to the cinema. These screenings offer the chance to see one of the most exciting horror films of the year the week before it’s released in the UK in an immersive experience that won’t be repeated anywhere else.”

The immersive screening of EXIT 8 comes to FACT Liverpool on 14 April 2026. Tickets are available now.

L.Y.R. are UK Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, producer and multi-instrumentalist Patrick Pearson, and Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Richard Walters.

After sell-out shows in previous years, a breathtaking performance at the 2025 BBC Proms, and following two highly acclaimed albums, the trio are undertaking their most extensive tour to date.

Soaring vocals, ethereal soundscapes and extraordinary lyrics have made LYR shows an unmissable and unforgettable experience, from a group who are now an essential part of the contemporary music scene.

For tickets, visit here

The world premiere stage production of the 90s hit movie thriller Single White Female stars actor and singer Kym Marsh (Coronation Street) and TV presenter and author Lisa Faulkner (Holby City, The Girl Before). Single White Female will thrill audiences at the Liverpool Playhouse from Tuesday 28 April to Saturday 2 May.

Kym Marsh said: “I am so excited to be bringing this brilliant new play to theatres across England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. I remember being totally gripped by the movie when I first saw it in the cinema and could never have imagined back then that I’d be starring in the world premiere of its life on stage. Get ready to be thrilled, shocked and entertained and watch out for those stiletto heels!”

Single White Female is a bold and modern reimagining of the hit 1992 movie from Columbia Pictures and the bestselling book SWF Seeks Same by John Lutz. Adapted by author, journalist and broadcaster Rebecca Reid, this production updates the original story to the age of social media and all that it brings – a gripping tale of ambition, obsession, and the desperate need for belonging in an isolated world.

TV presenter, actor and author Lisa Faulkner returns to the stage for the first time in 21 years, she said: “Whether you are a regular theatre goer or someone who wouldn’t necessarily want to go to the theatre generally, I think people would love this as a night out. I can see mums going with their daughters, (the age guidance is 15+) and people going with groups of friends and having a great time.” 

Joining Kym Marsh (Hedy) and Lisa Faulkner (Allie) on stage are Andro as Graham, Jonny McGarrity as Sam and Amy Snudden as Bella. Understudies are Francesca McBride (Bella), Patrick McHugh (Graham and Sam) and Anna Ruben (Hedy and Allie).

Allie is a recently divorced mum, balancing being a single parent with the launch of her tech start up. When she decides to advertise for a lodger to help make ends meet, the delightful Hedy offers her a lifeline. But as their lives intertwine, boundaries blur, and a seemingly perfect arrangement begins to unravel.

Full of dark humour and stiletto-sharp suspense, this brand new adaptation is directed by Gordon Greenberg (Heart of Rock and Roll - Broadway, Guys & Dolls - West End, The Baker’s Wife - Menier, NYC) with Set and Costume Design by Morgan Large, Lighting by Jason Taylor, Sound and Composition by Max Pappenheim and from the producer of the hit stage adaptation of The Girl on the Train.

Single White Female is coming to the Liverpool Playhouse from Tuesday 28 April to Saturday 2 May. Ticket prices range from £17 to £47 and are available at everymanplayhouse.com/event/single-white-female.