Event type: Performance

Leap Dance Festival Scratch

 

Three new dance works in development, created for Leap 2026, exploring identity, intimacy and liberation. This event takes place in Shakespeare North Playhouse’s Studio.

Taciturn | Women Holding Things  

In the rhythm of everyday life, their hands gather the things that keep the world moving. They carry the quiet responsibility of nurturing and sustaining the spaces where life unfolds. Within them rests a living archive of memories, joys, griefs and hopes. In their care, love becomes both weight and strength, something held gently yet carried forward. 

C(P)LAY | Price of Silence

What happens to the body when adapting and complying become the only way to maintain stability within a relationship?

Price of Silence examines the subtle and often invisible pressures that exist within unequal relationships. In many situations from intimate partnerships to wider social structures, stability is maintained through constant adjustment, and this adaptation is rarely shared equally.

Olena Hrabchak | Canvas of Becoming 

Canvas of Becoming is a symbolic exploration of personal growth and self-liberation. The dancer’s white costume represents openness and possibility. What begins as beauty evolves into visual and physical burden.

Produced by Chaos Arts CIC for Leap Dance Festival. Find out more about Leap 2026: leapfestival.co.uk

 

 

COMMS FAIL by Roy Claire Potter

Roy Claire Potter has worked with a team of fellow artists, radio astronomers, amateur radio operators, musicians and creative consultants to research and develop ‘COMMS FAIL’, a multicomponent artwork that will unfold throughout 2026.

Several iterations including, a performance, a live radio broadcast, an album with booklet, and a sculptural installation explore the grammar of communicative resilience and remote connection by amplifying autistic perspectives.

On Saturday 2nd May at the Bluecoat, a staged performance written for three voices with music composed by Carmel Smickersgill, will invite a live audience to help produce a radio broadcast for a remote audience. There will be gentle interaction with ushers and performers to pick your preferred spot to enjoy the action, and to contribute by making sounds or being quiet, moving props, or being a witness.⁠.

The performance and simultaneous radio broadcast lasts for 1 hour and begins with ushers welcoming guests into a large, dimmed performance space. Live audio description of the audience settling in and actors setting up their space will be audible in the room at first, before transferring to headsets. Throughout the performance soft white spotlights occasionally turn red, acting as a cue for the live audience to interact with sound-making props to herald listeners elsewhere.

COMMS FAIL is mixed live for broadcast on Resonance FM online and 104.4 FM in Central London Research and development has been generously supported by Art Explora, Paris, and informed by consultancy from Erik Chancy (LB1KJ) of Norsk Radio Relæ Liga, Philippe Zarka, CNRS Research Director at Paris Observatory, and by the work of Professor Philippa Browning at Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics at the University of Manchester.

Later in 2026, a live album documenting the performance will be released on Cafe OTO’s digital record label TAKUROKU along with a booklet published under their new imprint OTOHON, containing the script and the visual scores that informed the music. All proceeds will go to National Autistic Society, UK.

This project is an Unlimited UK Partner Award 2025 commission with Liverpool Biennial made possible thanks to funding from Arts Council England.

 

Spring/Summer Season Launch 2026

We’re thrilled to unveil a bold and vibrant summer season, bringing together standout local festivals like Leap and Liverpool Improvisation Fest alongside powerful new work from our associate companies, RAWD and 20 Stories High.

At its heart is A Radical Reimagining, Unity’s major heritage project, featuring exhibitions, events and performances that celebrate our radical past while championing the next generation of young theatre-makers shaping our future.

From 5:30pm in our bar. Launch begins 6pm.

Entry is free, please reserve your seat by booking tickets.

The Music of the Lord of The Rings: Tribute to Howard Shore

Experience the powerful music from the iconic The Lord of the Rings films.

Performed by the chamber ensemble Mystery Ensemble, the musicians’ virtuoso playing will transport you to a fantasy world of elves, hobbits, and dwarves. Loved by millions, this unforgettable music is guaranteed to give you goosebumps.

Featuring the mesmerising melodies of world-renowned Canadian composer Howard Shore, winner of three Academy Awards, two Golden Globes, and three Grammy Awards for the trilogy.

Please note that the programme may be subject to change

This concert will last approximately 1 hour with no interval

Promoted by Red Events & Distribution Limited

The Adam Buxton Band

Join Adam Buxton and his live band for an intimate evening celebrating the release of his debut album, Buckle Up, out now via Decca.

Buxton, our most beloved podcaster, seasoned veteran of GarageBand and the jingle, enlisted Metronomy’s Joe Mount as producer and band leader …”I hoped it would be a Metronomy record with my voice” Buxton initially pondered, also hoping the record might sound like “Berlin-period Bowie and Eno going for lunch with Radiohead and Nina Simone at Brian Wilson’s beach brasserie.” Instead came fifteen songs that inhabit the space between heartfelt and silly, where Buxton has comfortably set up shop.

Promoted by Splot

 

Sophie Lukacs

Sophie Lukacs masterfully blends Mandingue kora tradition with a modern singer-songwriter voice.

Her award-winning debut album, Bamako, follows seven years of study in Mali with kora legends like Toumani Diabaté. The Budapest-born artist delivers a unique fusion that proves music truly has no borders, only bridges waiting to be built.

Presented in partnership with Africa Oyé

 

Hayao Miyazaki’s Dreams by Mystery Ensemble

Miyazaki Dreams is a concert dedicated to the films of renowned Japanese director and Academy Award winner Hayao Miyazaki. Mystery Ensemble presents music from his animated films, as well as compositions inspired by his work.

The programme includes well-known pieces by composer Joe Hisaishi from My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, Laputa: Castle in the Sky, and other films. It also features works by other composers influenced by Miyazaki’s films.

The music introduces audiences to the worlds of Miyazaki’s stories, featuring memorable characters, heroines, and elements inspired by Japanese folklore.

Please note that the programme may be subject to change

This concert will last approximately 1 hour with no interval

Promoted by Red Events & Distribution Limited

 

James B Partridge – Primary School Bangers

Viral sensation and Britain’s favourite teacher James B Partridge is bringing his hit live show Primary School Bangers to Liverpool as part of his biggest ever UK tour.

What began as a few playful performances for his pupils has grown into a full-blown national phenomenon – from classroom singalongs to Glastonbury, BBC appearances and sell-out theatre shows across the country.

Join James for a joy-filled, tongue-in-cheek trip back to the songs, laughter and innocence of childhood. Expect massive singalongs, throwback mash-ups and plenty of heartfelt humour as James leads audiences through the unforgettable soundtrack of our school days – from He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands to Autumn Days and beyond.

Warm, funny and completely genuine, James has become the UK’s most beloved musical nostalgia act. Audiences leave beaming, singing, and feeling like they’ve shared something truly special.

Gather your mates, colleagues or family for a night of laughter, memories and pure nostalgic joy – the ultimate communal singalong for grown-ups who never quite grew up.

 

 

Bluey’s Big Play

 

 

Bring the whole family to M&S Bank Arena for Bluey’s Big Play, the official theatrical adaptation of the Emmy® award-winning children’s television series. Packed with music, laughter, and brilliant puppetry, this show is an unforgettable experience for children and adults alike.

Why Parents Love It:

⭐ Perfect for little ones: recommended for ages 2+

⭐ Runs around 50 minutes with no interval – easy to fit into your day

⭐Engaging puppets, original songs, and stories inspired by imaginative play

⭐Designed for family enjoyment – adults will laugh just as much as the kids

 

 

André Rieu

 

 

The world’s most beloved violinist and conductor, André Rieu, is bringing his spellbinding live show to M&S Bank Arena Liverpool on Saturday 12 September 2026.

Known globally as the “King of Waltz”, André Rieu will take the stage with his Johann Strauss Orchestra, promising an unforgettable evening of musical magic, laughter, romance, and joy. His Liverpool performance will be a highlight of a tour that includes some of the UK and Ireland’s most iconic venues.

Audiences can expect a spectacular concert filled with classical favourites, musical surprises, and, of course, the waltzes that have made Rieu a household name. From stunning costumes to dazzling stage production, every detail of the show is designed to captivate and inspire.

With over 40 million albums sold worldwide and more than 700,000 concertgoers each year, André Rieu is one of the most successful live performers of our time. His UK presence is nothing short of phenomenal, with 13 Top Ten albums and cinema concert films that have consistently smashed box office records.