Event type: Theatre

Old Fruit Jar Presents…

The idea of a showcase event has always interested Old Fruit Jar Productions. It is a chance to perform 100% original work with no limitations or setbacks, and a chance to prove to an audience they are more than just a theatre company.

Inspired by the innovative ‘The Comic Strip Presents…’ OFJ aim to produce high-quality theatre in a short, anthology format all tied under the banner of OLD FRUIT JAR PRODUCTIONS. And so, after two tumultuous years, OFJ are back on stage and proudly present an evening of three short plays written by homegrown talent!

Climbing from Pluto by Jordan Barkley and Alex Carr

Isolated in his room and navigating the depths of his own psyche, Dan is visited by 3 guiding lights on his voyage
through his own internal battles in a struggle to survive.

Love Target by Mark Davoren

Cupid shoots wildly off target when a blind date crosses a planned euthanasia; can he strike love second time round in this farcical black comedy?

Fractured by Alex Carr

Following the disappearance of their daughter, Mark and Marie recall the events that followed and how their lives remain fractured forever.

The three plays are directed by Alex Carr, and feature: Florence King, Josh Ennis, Christina Rose, Anthony Roberts, Jordan Barkley, Rachel McGrath and Ciara O’Neill.

The Da Vinci Code

The curator of the Louvre has been brutally murdered, and alongside his body are a series of baffling codes.

Follow the pulse-racing journey as Professor Robert Langdon, played by Television favourite Nigel Harman (EastEnders, Hotel Babylon) and fellow cryptologist Sophie Neveu (Hannah Rose Caton) attempt to solve the riddles, leading to the works of Leonardo Da Vinci and beyond, deep into the vault of history.

With guidance from teacher and friend Sir Leigh Teabing, played by family favourite Danny John-Jules (Red Dwarf, Death in Paradise),Langdon and Neveu embark on a breathless race through the streets of Europe. The pair must decipher the labyrinthine code before a shocking historical secret is lost forever.

Based on the best-selling novel of this century, with over 100 million copies sold, unlock the secrets of The Da Vinci Code in the world premiere stage adaptation of the international phenomenon.

Translated into over 50 different languages, with author Dan Brown named as one of Time’s 100 most influential people and adapted into a smash-hit movie that grossed over $750 million, The Da Vinci Code surprises at every twist. Now you can experience the sensational story live on stage, as Langdon and Neveu follow the trail of clues and race to uncover the truth in the greatest thriller of the past 2000 years.

There are additional 1.30pm matinee shows 2 and 3 November plus 2pm show 5 November.

Sam Avery: Role Model

Sam needs to step up.

With two children looking to him for guidance, it’s high-time he evolved into the role model he always thought he’d be. But he didn’t sleep well last night and being a hero is harder than it looks. Plus, he forgot to put the bins out and now his wife hates him.

In this side-splitting new stand-up show, Sam explores what it means to be a role model in modern Britain, how the people he looked up to shaped his world, and how the struggle to help his kids find their moral compass often causes him to misplace his own.

Can you be a role model on four hours sleep?

Can you mentor someone who thinks you’re a moron?

And how do you change the world if you can’t even clean your kitchen?

Unity Winter Watch

Ahead of their new season and the launch of Unity On-Demand this January, they’re giving you the chance to catch-up on all the brilliant productions you may have missed online this year.

Until Saturday 15th January, the majority of their 2021 in-venue programme is available to watch online for a special, winter watch period.

Alongside the brilliant work that has previously been available to watch online this year, including work from their Open Call programme, they will also have 5 new premieres, including BlackFest, Elaine Collins and three Christmas-specials – The Secret Circus, Nana Funk’s Stocking Filler and Us Four: A Festive Folk Night.

The Unity Winter Watch not only allows you to enjoy great entertainment from your home and catch up on shows you have missed, but you will also be supporting Liverpool talent at the same time. All shows will be £5 to watch with all of your ticket money going directly to the artist or company.

So grab your blanket, quality street tin and mulled wine, settle in and enjoy some fantastic Liverpool productions (whilst supporting artists at the same time).

The Unity Winter Watch Line-Up Includes:

Blackfest’s Hip Hop Dance For All

NEW PREMIERE: BlackFest’s ‘Borderline Funk’ community group are proud to present a verbatim piece of Theatre For Social Change based on the theme of protest.

Elaine Collins’ DDDivas

NEW PREMIERE: Presenting a short extract from the work in progress DDDivas, Elaine Collins is a neuro-divergent singer and theatre maker who is passionate and committed to telling her story.

Out The Attic present That’s What She Said

That’s What She Said explores the experiences of six young women on holiday in Ibiza, how they navigate the divisions that have been forged between women of different class, race and background.

RAWD present Phone Home

This is RAWD to Ground Control. After getting lost in the lockdown blackhole, it’s time to shuttle up on the long journey back to earth and reality. After a long year of shielding, the disabled artists of RAWD crash land at Unity Theatre with their comeback performance; Phone Home.

Leianna Boodaghians presents The Weight of Repopulating a Nation

The Weight of Repopulating a Nation is an autobiographical performance that documents Leianna’s journey as she uncovers her own story and her community’s.

Sian Davies’ About Time

About Time is the debut hour of stand-up for the winner of Best Debut Show at Leicester Comedy Festival 2020. This is a coming of age tale about time, growing up and finding your place in this world.

Rickety Fidgets present The Masked Femme

Rickety Fidgets will piledrive British transphobia for the three-count in this silly but heartfelt tale of one trans wrestler’s rise and fall.

Transcend Theatre present How to Kill a Rose

How To Kill a Rose follows the story of a transgender couple; 16 year old ‘Me’ and 23 year old ‘Him’. Using a dynamic mix of Scouse humour and delicate spoken word poetry, the story follows the journey of their relationship and explores the often subtle and unnoticed aspects of abuse.

Katy-Anne Bellis presents Over The Garden Wall

Over The Garden Wall is a heart-warming shadow puppet show inspired by stories from Liverpool neighbours and a celebration of the communities they live in.

Victoria Oxley presents Stayin’ Alive

Drawing on the raw essence of scouse charm, humour and grit, Stayin’ Alive follows the story of Maggie as she confronts her mental health problems and the loss of her Grandmother.

Tom Kinney presents A Heavenly Way To Die

A Heavenly Way to Die is a love story about being in a relationship while suffering from Harm OCD. This rehearsed reading is supported by the Unity and the Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse.

Alice Bunker-Whitney presents A Greasy Spoon

A Greasy Spoon is a dark comedy set in an absurd heightened reality…a café in Liverpool. Mandy and Shannon’s day gets off to a rocky start and never gets back on track. All they want to do is clean up the mess they are in, but life keeps serving them up new problems.

One September present Out Of The Narrow Place

This is a meal, a ritual and a performance work in progress about what it means to be descended from African slaves. Born out of a desire to live fully, despite a painful history, and a difficult present, Artist Aleasha Chaunte is on a quest to create the perfect ritual to heal this most particular kind of pain.

Cherry Jezebel

Raw, rude and raucous, Cherry Jezebel is a dazzling new drama created for the Everyman by writer Jonathan Larkin and director James Baker. Hilarious and heart-breaking, it’s a champagne blowout and the hangover from hell, a spin under the glitter ball that lands in the gutter.

The bass is pounding, the audience are cheering, and Cherry Brandy is blinking back tears. Tonight’s the night she’s finally recognised as the Queen she is, with the crown to prove it. Is this the triumphant moment she’s always dreamed of?

Behind the mascara, the wigs and the six-inch stiletto heels, all that glitters isn’t gold. At least she’s always got her best mate Heidi. But growing up queer in Liverpool is grim, and the queer family they’ve forged is about to slip through Cherry’s nicotine-stained fingers.

From the boudoirs to the bathrooms of Liverpool’s gloriously gobby drag scene, Cherry Jezebel is a riot of lipstick and split lips, of bitching and bruises. It’s a play that celebrates queerness while spilling the tea on the pain behind the polish.

Image: Candy Smokes by Jon Larkin and Ben Youdan

The Liver Bird online

2021 has been a wonderful creative year for ArtsGroupie. Their first production out of lockdown was the outdoor theatre interactive extravaganza, The Liver Bird, a collaboration with the marvellous ‘The Bookworm Players.’

It opened in Incredible Edible, Court Hey Park in the Summer and was the first theatrical play to visit Walton Hall Park in over forty years. The piece was performed throughout the Liverpool City Region, including Norris Green Park, Springfield Park and Devonfield Gardens.

The Bird even flew indoors to land on stage at Liverpool Central Library as part of the Liverpool Year of Writing, Writers Bootcamp and Marketplace that saw 922 creatives and the public come together for a celebration of workshops and literary activities.

To say thank you to all their friends and supporters this holiday, for a limited period Thursday 23rd December to 3rd January our filmed play The Liver Bird will be available to view completely FREE.

https://www.artsgroupie.org/the-liver-bird-the-play/

https://youtu.be/RQZKtp4oO30

This interactive piece was captured in a Black Box Studio at Toxteth Tv by VideOdyssey.

All they ask in return is that you leave any feedback about the work.

If you have not been on one of the walking tours, you can support their work by attending or booking tickets for friends and family. A two-hour fun informative and entertaining tour is an ideal birthday gift or surprise for someone.

Also, if you purchase a ticket you will know that you are helping a small local company, a collective of creatives to make work that is meaningful and important to our City.

Private tours are available between January to March at the reduced rate of £75 for up to 12 people.

Email artgroupie@outlook.com for further details.

Zog and the Flying Doctors

Zog, super keen student turned air-ambulance, still lands with a crash-bang-thump.

Together with his Flying Doctor crew, Princess Pearl and Sir Gadabout, they tend to a sunburnt mermaid, a unicorn with one too many horns and a lion with the flu. However, Pearl’s uncle, the King, has other ideas about whether princesses should be doctors, and she’s soon locked up in the castle back in a crown and a silly frilly dress!

With a bit of help from some friends and half a pound of cheese, can Pearl make her uncle better and prove princesses can be doctors too?

Based on Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s bestselling sequel, Freckle Productions (Zog, Stick Man, Tiddler & Other Terrific Tales, Tabby McTat) bring the creative team behind Zog, Emma Kilbey and Joe Stilgoe, back together for this truly modern take on the classic fairy tale.

Most suitable for ages 3+ but all ages welcome.

Fantastically Great Women Who Changed ...

This Christmas, the Liverpool Playhouse stage will burst into life with a brand new kickass-pirational pop musical from the producer of the global hit SIX.

The story follows our inquisitive heroine Jade as she breaks away from her class to take a peek behind the scenes at the not yet open Gallery of Greatness in the local museum. Along her journey she is surprised to meet the original and incredible wonder women: Mary Seacole, Frida Kahlo, Rosa Parks, Amelia Earhart, Marie Curie, Emmeline Pankhurst to name just a few.

From explorers to artists, scientists to secret agents, hear the stories of some of history’s strongest mothers, sisters and daughters; all independent icons who really did change the world.

There are additional matinee shows at 1.30pm and 3pm on various dates. Check here for details.

The Da Vinci Code

The blockbuster story that captivated the world is now an epic stage thriller.

The curator of the Louvre has been brutally murdered, and alongside his body are a series of baffling codes. Follow the pulse-racing journey as Professor Robert Langdon, played by Television favourite Nigel Harman and fellow cryptologist Sophie Neveu (Hannah Rose Caton) attempt to solve the riddles, leading to the works of Leonardo Da Vinci and beyond, deep into the vault of history.

With guidance from teacher and friend Sir Leigh Teabing, Langdon and Neveu embark on a breathless race through the streets of Europe. The pair must decipher the labyrinthine code before a shocking historical secret is lost forever.

Based on the best-selling novel of this century, with over 100 million copies sold, unlock the secrets of The Da Vinci Code in the world premiere stage adaptation of the international phenomenon.

Translated into over 50 different languages, with author Dan Brown named as one of Time’s 100 most influential people and adapted into a smash-hit movie that grossed over $750 million, The Da Vinci Code surprises at every twist.

Now you can experience the sensational story live on stage, as Langdon and Neveu follow the trail of clues and race to uncover the truth in the greatest thriller of the past 2000 years.

Lou Sanders: One Word: Wow

It’s me again, your old internet friend Dr Giggles.

It’s time for a little get together; so pull up a chair, get all cosy and let me tell you about the time I gave this horse a boner. I’ll bring my skates, you bring your wallet and we’ll all take some piccies. Maybe this show is the real vaccine?

As seen on The Late Late Show with James Corden (CBS), Taskmaster (Channel 4), QI (BBC Two), Travel Man (Channel 4) and co-host of Mel Giedroyc’s Unforgivable (Dave). ‘