Event type: Theatre

A new work is heading to the Unity Theatre in Liverpool next week in which a non-binary artist describes ‘the finding, the fallout and the freedom of finding their voice’.

Beyond Binary is an autobiographical performance from the perspective of 48-year-old Jay Farley aka Little Doll.

The show links spoken word performance, movement, film, visuals and music; bringing to life the experience of not being valid in the world for four decades.

Jay is an award-winning non-binary, queer, neuro­diverse filmmaker and digital artist, working in and with diverse communities at First Take in Liverpool.

Their work began as an international creative activist, fusing art and protest, and in 2020 they discovered the language for being non-binary. Since then, they have been prolifically writing honest, radical, working-class poetry with great success.

Audiences at Beyond Binary next week can ‘expect the unexpected’ as Little Doll explores the changing landscape and language of gender and sexuality.

Jay said: “It’s scary crossing the divide from behind the camera to performing, but I somehow feel compelled to do it. To get this story across to help others in my position, to contribute in a positive and creative way and to help bring about greater understanding of a much misrepresented community.

I’ve been working with the amazing Eli Randle from Tmesis Theatre who is just a genius; she is Directing the show. I’m learning so much and can’t wait for people to see what we’ve come up with. I’m so grateful to be working with Lynne Harwood on the films; Eliyana Evans for the music and sound design; Day Mattar for editing the poems; Xenia Bayer for running tech – what a dream team!”

This show is part of the Up Next series at Unity; a weekend festival series showcasing exciting new work from Merseyside performers.

Beyond Binary takes place on Friday 16th September at the Unity Theatre in Liverpool. Tickets from £6 are available now from the venue’s website.

Quiet Rebels shines a spotlight on the forgotten stories of white working-class women who crossed the colour line to marry men of the Windrush generation.

Defying race and class prejudice as well as social stigma, this quietly rebellious generation of women became part of the foundations of today’s multi-cultural communities.

The plot sees Detective Shade investigate the murder of Aileen Burnett – a white woman who married a Black man – in a dystopian England. Film, movement, and soundscapes with integrated creative access provide a powerful dramatisation of stories brought to life by Julie McNamara (The Knitting Circle) and Hassan Mahamdallie (The Crows Plucked Your Sinews) and a team of creative talent.

From Nana Funk, the great-great-grandmother of good times, comes a heartfelt musical journey of exploration, inspired by real life events and stories.

Tough Old Bird explores how women are viewed in society as they have the absolute gall to get older! Have you ever noticed those adverts promising to‘defy the effects of aging’? Ooh Nana hates them. What about when we get old? Where’s the instruction manual? Who deems what is ‘acceptablebehaviour’? What happens when your voice isn’t listened to, or you become slowly invisible?

Join Nana as she asks the big questions! Aging well doesn’t mean behaving yourself.

Tough Old Bird explores how women are viewed in society as they have the absolute gall to get older!

Have you ever noticed those adverts promising to ‘defy the effects of aging’? Ooh Nana hates them. What about when we get old? Where’s the instruction manual? Who deems what is ‘acceptable behaviour’? What happens when your voice isn’t listened to, or you become slowly invisible?

Join Nana as she asks the big questions! Aging well doesn’t mean behaving yourself.

From Nana Funk, the great-great-grandmother of good times, comes a heartfelt musical journey of exploration, inspired by real life events and stories.

Tough Old Bird explores how women are viewed in society as they have the absolute gall to get older! Have you ever noticed those adverts promising to ‘defy the effects of aging’? Ooh Nana hates them. What about when we get old? Where’s the instruction manual? Who deems what is ‘acceptable behaviour’? What happens when your voice isn’t listened to, or you become slowly invisible?

Join Nana as she asks the big questions! Aging well doesn’t mean behaving yourself.

Why is Tag Team Writing like Tag Team Wrestling? Because they both have to keep a grip on things.

This was the fighting challenge for nine writers in a Make it Write drama workshop who baton-changed their words to give an uplifting look at a park through the seasons and the people who go there. 

The result is a sideways view of life, love, loss and longing which you can see as a play at The Casa Theatre Bar, Hope Street, Liverpool, on October 4 and 5. It is part of the Liverpool Fringe Festival.

As well as the plants growing in all their glory we see the vandals who have blossomed into responsible parents. 

What stories of romance and dreams could that battered old park bench tell if it could talk?

Make it Write Productions is a Liverpool-based group dedicated to fostering new writing throughout the North West. As well as stage shows and workshops Make it Write produces sound and video recordings.

“The show was originally staged in May and featured some of our best writers and we have brought everyone back as they are such a great team,” said producer Sharon Colpman.

Tickets from £5 can be bought online at: https://www.openingnights.co.uk/tickets/backend/parklife

The piece is told by Kitty’s statue, come to life as a friendly ghost. It is a highly animated portrayal and physical performance, as Kitty relays her fascinating ‘against all odds’ story of how she has become the only female statue in St George’s Hall.

The audiences will leave with Kitty’s “I can” philosophy. They might also accept her challenge to help get more female statues in St George’s Hall and gardens!

History lovers, local, national and international, feminists, those from Irish backgrounds and Liverpudlians will all have a natural connection with this theatre piece.