Interest area: culture

Self-Entitlement

Mahmoud El Haddad is an Egyptian actor and dancer, based in Paris since 2018. Inspired by the artist’s own experiences moving from Egypt to France, Self-Entitlement questions how intersectional identity shifts between different cultures, and the problems of categorising people using often prejudiced labels.

Both challenging and comedic, this intimate performance is a UK premiere.

Mahmoud is a founder of Liberacts for Arts, a non-profit organisation based in France that aims to create an artistic bridge between East and West by creating, developing and promoting art projects in all forms.

 

What The Dog Said To The Harvest

This isn’t a story about plastic straws or bags for life, this is the tale of how we got to here, this is what the dog said to the harvest.

Tracing 400 years across multiple narratives, we confront the era of human displacement.

Lisa Luxx weaves poetry, fiction and memoir alongside critiques of Europe’s foundational philosophies. The inclusion of verbatim illustrates how climate crisis has long since arrived for Middle Eastern communities and the Global South, and leaves us asking how we can build towards a more progressive future across borders.

Jasmin Kent Rodgman’s installation and score blends sound art, contemporary x electronic music featuring field recordings, vocals, electric guitar, synths and percussion and surround sound.

 

Kitty: Queen of the Washhouse

Kitty: Queen of the Washhouse, the critically lauded one-woman show by ArtsGroupie about Liverpudlian icon Kitty Wilkinson, makes a triumphant return to the Shakespeare North Playhouse after delighting audiences in the Sir Ken Dodd Performance Garden in 2022.

The show, directed by Margaret Connell, and written by John Maguire, has been touring since 2018, and follows the ‘‘against all odds” story of how a working-class Victorian girl fought the cholera epidemic and became a community champion. 

This intricate story, told with humour and kindness, brings Kitty Wilkinson’s St. George’s Hall statue to life on stage. Be immersed in Kitty’s world and celebrate a true female hero of the North. 

Actress Samantha Alton’s turn as the famous heroine has cemented her as a theatrical tour de force, and one of Liverpool City Regions finest players. 

A powerful one-woman performance transporting you back to 1830s Liverpool to tell the story of Irish immigrant Kitty Wilkinson, whose pioneering approach to public hygiene helped stem the city’s 1832 cholera epidemic. 

Simon Says/Dadda: Film Screening

Simon Says/Dadda is a collaborative three-screen film exploring father/daughter relationships together with Black and Asian women and non-binary individuals from four host cities across the UK (Liverpool, Birmingham, Newcastle and London).

The ambitious largescale film project was developed during a Metal residency and highlights the deep impact that structural inequalities have within wider society.

Through a series of Gatherings hosted by Beverley at four UK socially engaged arts spaces (Metal, Liverpool, Grand Union, Birmingham, Lux, London and Newbridge, Newcastle), Beverley guided women and non-binary individuals through a therapeutic process, supported by a mental health practitioner, to explore their own family relationships and experiences of patriarchy. The workshops involved looking at film, listening to music, drawing, writing poetry and cooking together.

The three screens feature footage shot by Beverley supported by family, actors and a film crew, and a series of audio testimonies gifted by the project participants.

Trigger warnings: Family relationships, grief, family planning, abuse.

Physical Fest- International physical ...

Physical Fest brings local and national contemporary theatre performance, workshops and events to Liverpool.

They open with their own Tmesis Theatre premiering SealSkin at the Everyman, with live music from me + deboe, and the Netherlands dance, puppet theatre company Duda Paiva and Estonian clown Julia Masli at the Unity Theatre.

Performances elsewhere will include the world-renowned American artist, Doctor Brown who brings his award-winning clown show to the Invisible Wind Factory.

For younger families wanting to join in the fun, Tmesis Training Company will create a brand new outdoor show to be enjoyed for free over the first weekend. Performed by a cast of ten and accompanied by a vibrant, funky soundtrack, passers-by definitely won’t miss them.

As well as performance, the festival hosts an eight-day programme of workshops from local, national and international artists, including London’s Babel Theatre, and Colectivo Jat from Portugal, who will be exploring the Japanese Suzuki theatre technique.

The festival is held 29 June – 7 July, at various Liverpool venues.

Performance venues:

Unity Theatre

Liverpool Everyman

Invisible Wind Factory

Workshop venues:

The Arts Bar

City Buildings (Rowena’s Workshop)

Check out the full programme at their website above.

Event

For any information, email: info@physicalfest.com

Geek Bazaar

Join Bluecoat for their first Geek Bazaar hosted by local independent business Empire Sector UK (@empire_sector_uk). This inclusive comic mart invites all self proclaimed geeks to peruse comics, manga novels, artworks and more from a whole host of friendly sellers. Expect plenty of fun with a cosplay competition and a few more surprises in store!

The market runs from 11:00am – 4:00pm and will be held in their Garden and Sandon rooms, which are fully accessible from the Hub.

Fair/Market

Minds Re-imagined: an art in science e...

Between Friday, July 7th and Thursday, July 27th, The Brain Charity will host Minds Re-imagined – an art in science exhibition.

The exhibition is a collaboration between artist Helen Lydon and neuroscientist Dr Josh Kearney.

The mixed-media artworks featured are a response to recent findings in cognitive neuroscience.

They reimagine our brains in different ways, using metaphors of mind.

This gives an imaginative perspective on how our brains are diverse, dynamic and extended: constantly working and thinking in tandem with our bodies, other people and the environment.

The artworks will be on display in The Brain Charity’s centre for anyone to view during our opening hours (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm).

On Friday, July 7th between 12pm and 2pm there will be an informal launch in The Brain Food Café – all are welcome.

To RSVP, please click the sign-up button today. For more information, email activities@thebraincharity.org.uk or call The Brain Charity on 0151 298 2999 and ask for Suzanne.

TRS Biennial 2023: Under the Cracked L...

The Royal Standard is proud to present the debut solo show of Freddy Francké.

Under the Cracked Lid of The Beetroot Man is an ‘earth shattering’ culmination of ‘interdisciplinary’ works exploring the artists’ attempts at self-identification and vulnerability from the last two years curated in a calming, sensory and accessible environment.

Expect more woeful themes than you can shake your fists at the clouds at.

PV will be held on 9th June at 6pm

Julia Masli – Choosh!

One of the best-reviewed and most in-demand debut shows of this year’s Edinburgh Fringe, from the award-winning Julia Masli.

An absurd homage to migration, in which a hungry Eastern European clown voyages to America for a hot dog. Choosh, by the way, means ‘bullshit’ – of all kinds. Julia Masli is an Estonian-born, London-based clown. She trained at the Ecole Philippe Gaulier, and now is a visiting teacher there.

Seaside Carnival at Knowsley Safari

Visitors will enjoy added entertainment when visiting Knowsley Safari this half term, as a Seaside Carnival takes over the Foot Safari. Expect acrobatic skills workshops, pier-themed games stalls, traditional performers, striped deckchairs, and of course, sand! All included in the regular ticket price.

The adventurous types can immerse themselves in a range of interactive workshops, including plate-spinning, aerial hoop and silks, hoola-hooping, and acrobatics. Giant stilt walkers will be overseeing the goings on, ensuring guests are entertained, while food outlets will be serving up delicious ice creams.

Between 11am and 4pm each day, seaside favourites including Coconut Shy, Bottle Ring Toss, Beat the Buzzer and Ball in a Bucket will excite all ages, while bringing a touch of nostalgia to older guests – and with an added challenge of collecting stamps for prizes.

Stephanie Costello, Events Manager, Knowsley Safari says: “The Great British Seaside is a national institution and a great way for families and friends to make memories.  Our very own Seaside Carnival is a fantastic way to bring a taste of this to the Safari during May half term. We can’t promise socks in sandals and knotted handkerchiefs – or even the weather – but we can ensure our guests enjoy a wonderfully fun day out!”

Seaside Carnival activities, including games and workshops, are included in the general admission ticket price. Please note that charges will apply for food and drink.  As well as making the most of the Seaside Carnival offerings, visitors can also enjoy the Safari Drive and the Foot Safari, with the chance to see animals including Amur Tiger, giraffe, African lions, white rhino, and Iberian wolves.

A day out at Knowsley Safari can be made even more interesting and inspiring by downloading the free Safari Drive app, which shares lots of interesting and fun animal facts during the five-mile route, as well as visitor maps to make sure nothing is missed.

 For further information and to book tickets visit here.