Event type: Theatre

 7:30pm
By Sam Freeman

This is a story about passive aggressive letter writing, early morning jet washing and making a house a home. It’s about those who live, laugh and love meters from us, but who really, we barely know at all.

A couple run through the rain to catch a bus.
A man stares at a blank laptop screen in desperation.
A woman opens an envelope to find a photo inside.
A new house on a new street with new neighbours.

A roughly seventy-two minute show, read from a little black book, by a scruffy, bearded, glasses-wearing man in a red check shirt and black jeans who does not own a pressure washer.  A new storytelling show** by Sam Freeman (Every Little Hope You Ever Dreamed, Every Time I Close My Eyes).

**This show has minimal references to dogs.

 

A Unity Theatre Fundraising Event: All of the money from this event will go to supporting the work of Unity Theatre.

7:30PM
“The Invaders’ Fear of Memories” is a theatre piece based on the life and diaries of Yosef Nachmani – a Russian Jew who migrated from Tsarist Russia to Ottoman Palestine in 1907. Nachmani became Director of the Jewish National Fund in the Galilee and subsequently played a central role in the ethnic cleansing of Palestine’s indigenous people. The play offers a perspective into the origins of settler-colonialism and apartheid in modern-day Israel, exploring themes of loyalty, violence, ideology, and grief.

The Invaders’ Fear of Memories is performed by Benjamin Rivers, the great grandson of Nachmani. Over the course of the play, Rivers performs 12 characters and sings in Arabic, Hebrew, Ukrainian, and Yiddish.

The production is directed by Linda Wise, an original member of the iconic Roy Hart Theatre Company.

Since August 2023, The Invaders’ Fear of Memories has been performed to audiences across four continents.

 

 Audience reviews:

“The Invaders’ Fear of Memories” is a jaw-dropping tour de force through history that has never been more relevant. Ben Rivers deftly slips between characters to create a collage of voice and song that is both powerful and rich with devastating truth and subtly observed nuance.

Emily Conolan, Author and refugee advocate, Australia.

 

“The Invaders’ Fear of Memories,” a one-man play by Ben Rivers, is both an urgently needed piece of history and an extraordinary work of art. Rivers, portraying twelve characters, brings to life his own great-grandfather’s story, first as an oppressed Jew in Tsarist Russia and then his inexorable transformation into an active participant in the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from their homeland.  With gorgeous, stirring songs in Ukrainian, Yiddish, Hebrew and Arabic woven throughout, “The Invaders’ Fear of Memories” confronts us with the tragic cycles of history in which we are still caught. It could not be more relevant in today’s violent world.

Jo Salas, Author and co-founder of Playback Theatre, New York.

 

List of team and cast

Written and performed by Benjamin Rivers

Directed by Linda Wise

7:30pm
From the Producers of The Hammer and Helena and Kitty: Queen of the Washhouse, Artsgroupie return with a tale of winter terror, an acclaimed adaptation of the much-loved Charles Dickens supernatural classic, The Signalman

“As solitary a place as ever I saw…It struck a chill to me, as if I had left the natural world.”

 A ghostly figure has visited the signalman twice already, each time preceding a terrible disaster. When the apparition appears for the third time, it’s up to the signalman to decode its meaning and prevent another catastrophe.

A gripping slice of gothic horror from Charles Dickens, regarded as the greatest horror story ever written.

In the tradition of classic oral storytelling, a lantern and two players is all that is needed to tell the spine tingling tale of the Signalman.

“The Signalman is a powerful and haunting story about survivor’s guilt and isolation – something we believe will be of striking relevance to our audience following the pandemic. Our inability to control events around us can be more frightening than any ghost, as Dickens knew well. He wrote from experience, a survivor of the Staplehurst railway disaster – events that both inspired and haunted the author.”

David Griffiths, Writer and Director

ArtsGroupie CIC blends its acclaimed portrayal of historical events with a dramatic and frightening narrative worthy of their annual sell out performances of Ghost Stories for Christmas, which have been featured in the New York Times.

ArtsGroupie CIC aims to promote and provide access to the arts, particularly in areas with limited access, and to champion North West talent.

They develop and tour their own theatre and music productions.
Facilitate educational workshops in creative writing for both adults and children.
Offer heritage walking tours, such as the “Liver Bird Safari” and “William Roscoe Tour”, to raise funds for community initiatives.
Deliver free community events, including workshops, exhibitions, and performances.
Producing and promoting work that champions women, working class stories, and the LGBTQA+ community.

www.artgroupie.org

 

David Griffiths

David Griffiths is a writer and director from Liverpool. His plays Excess Baggage (“unmistakably authentic” Liverpool Echo) and Saving Grace (“brilliantly scripted… It’s impossible to fault a play that’s conceived and brought about with such sophistication” Fringe Guru) were originally written for Liverpool’s Write Now Festival before transferring to Edinburgh, Buxton and Camden. He recently directed an adaption of George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty Four (“a powerful production” North West End) and is currently collaborating with ArtsGroupie CIC on their annual Ghost Stories For Christmas.

 

6:00pm
 

Claire has been told to ‘go back home’ countless times, but where is home for them? An African island they’ve only visited once? Their parents’ unrecognisable house, falling apart in an increasingly gentrified London borough? Between memories of their childhood home, shaded by parental mental health difficulties; and memories of Liverpool, laced with dead friends and racial abuse, Claire doesn’t know if they’ll ever feel truly rooted. This darkly comic solo show celebrates intersectional identities, marginalised communities, and the unconventional ways that we find home.

 

Creative:

Claire Beerjeraz: Writer, Performer, Co-Director

Marcella Rick: Co-Director

Eleanor Randle: Movement Director

 

www.clairebeerjeraz.com

Stella is a high-octane, one-act comedy that brings to life the whirlwind journey of a young woman navigating her early twenties in and around the vibrant streets of Liverpool. Written by Robert Farquhar and performed by the dynamic Kalli Tant, this fast-paced solo show is a masterclass in multi-rolling, with the actor seamlessly portraying everyone from family to strangers—each character adding depth and complexity to Stella’s world.

Stella is a sharp-witted, restless soul, trapped in a turbulent relationship with her distant father and a constant search for meaning. Her inability to say no often lands her in absurd and chaotic situations, while her tough exterior masks a deeper vulnerability. Set against the backdrop of Liverpool’s bustling cityscape, the play moves through lively scenes that highlight both her independence and isolation. With relentless energy, Stella questions life, love, and her own identity, all while refusing to settle.

Directed by Chris Tomlinson, Stella is a compelling exploration of youth, self-discovery, and the fierce drive to keep going, no matter what. Wildly funny, brutally honest, and relentlessly real, Stella is a show that gurantees to keep you laughing and gasping in equal measure!

 

The Team 

Robert Farquhar – Writer

Kalli Tant – Performer

Chris Tomlinson – Director