culture - Uncover Liverpool

Blast! 2

Blast! is music, Spoken Word, magic and comedy – and features some of Merseyside’s most talented performers.

For Blast #2 they have spoken word from the brilliant The Queen of Heartache -one of Liverpool’s most outrageous performers!

Jennifer Vaudrey is an outstanding singer and performer – Jen curates her own nights at the Unity and the Neptune theatres, and will be sprinkling her magic at Jimmy’s on the 24th.

Speaking of magic, Steve Price is an outstanding comedy magician who hosts his own Magic on the Mersey monthly event.

Mark J’s columns for United We Stand are legendary, and he will be joined by talented wordsmiths Laura Ferries and Louise Evans, along with the ever-excellent Give Poetry a Chance poet and curator Dan Cullinan.

There will be laughs aplenty from the mysterious Barry Comedy, and after the Blast Pop Culture Quiz Spot the Bastard (answer number 7 is ‘Every Tory Ever’), there will be comedy and spoken word from Saint Vespaluus. Saint headlined downstairs at Jimmy’s in October, and will be debuting his new poems ‘The Old People’s Retirement Home Pie Company’ and ‘Haulin’ Oats’.

Please note that Jimmy’s Liverpool is strictly 18+. Anyone underage will not be granted entry. They strongly advise customers to bring ID as we enforce a ‘Challenge 25’ policy. No refunds will be issued to underage ticket holders.

Highlights Tour

Discover more about the Lady Lever Art Gallery and its collections on their fascinating tour.

The tour will recount the history of the gallery, which celebrates its centenary in 2022. Their guides will take you through their exemplary collection of Victorian and Pre-Raphaelite paintings, uncovering the secrets behind some of the world-renowned artworks on display.

Highlights include Bubbles and The Black Brunswicker by Millais, Lady Hamilton as a Bacchante by Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun, The Scapegoat by William Holman Hunt, alongside paintings by other masters including Turner and Burne-Jones.

Tour details

Tours are available at 11am and 2pm, 17 February, 3, 17 and 31 March. Each tour lasts up to an hour.

Magic Goes Wrong

Back with their biggest comedy catastrophe to date, multi award-winning Mischief (The Play That Goes Wrong, BBC One’s The Goes Wrong Show) return to the stage with their hilarious new show created with magic legends, Penn & Teller.

A hapless gang of magicians are staging an evening of grand illusion to raise cash for charity. But as the magic turns to mayhem, accidents spiral out of control and so does their fundraising target!

Raising the bar with their dare-devil stunts, jaw-dropping feats and irresistible comedy genius, Mischief’s Magic Goes Wrong heads to Chester direct from the West End. Book your tickets now, before they vanish out of sight (or sellout!).

Penn & Teller are co-creators of the show and won’t be appearing on stage.

5 Contemporary Liverpool LGBT+ Creatives

Posted on 07/02/2022 | by Uncover

By Tilly Foulkes

As a key cultural hub in the UK, Liverpool has a rich and delightful history when it comes to the creative arts. Music, art, literature and performance are key to Liverpool’s existence.

From the birth of the first official gay quarter in Britain – believed to have its origins in the Victorian era – to the fact it is today home to one of Europe’s largest Pride festivals; queer culture and history is undeniably weaved into Liverpool. Here are some of the LGBT people making the Liverpool creative scene what it is today.

Felix Mufti-Wright

Felix Muft-Wright is a multi-talented artist, working as an actor, activist, writer, performer and facilitator. Not only has he organised for Trans Pride Liverpool and Transgender Day of Remembrance, he’s also previously been commissioned by the Museum of Liverpool to write and perform a poem for the latter. He co-founded Transcend Theatre in the early days of 2020; writing about the everyday experiences of queer people that are often forgotten about when it comes to contemporary media and giving local LGBT+ people the opportunity to get involved in theatre.

Kiara Mohamed

Kiara Mohamed is a Somali, trans artist, using multiple disciplines to explore the intersections of identity – race, gender and sexuaity, as well as community and self-care. His work, which stretches from photography and filmmaking to poetry and artisanal handicraft, has previously been displayed at FACT. His short film ‘Home’ reflected on the concept and ideas of home during the COVID-19 pandemic, and used footage from Toxteth, where he’s based.

CRAWLERS

Combining the influences of Queens of the Stone Age and Nirvana, as well as the likes of Amy Winehouse and Joan Jett, CRAWLERS are Liverpool’s freshest musical talent. Self-described as a ‘silly little eyeliner band’, they’re an exciting addition to Liverpool’s scene, who seem to keep excelling further with every release. With only seven songs on Spotify, they’ve already amassed over 1 million monthly listeners, and have recently signed to a major record label.

House of Suarez

House Of Suarez – created by Darren Suarez – in their own words, ‘exists to recognise and celebrate vogue culture as an independent art form incorporating unique & specific dance technique, theatre, costume design/creation and drag performance.’ The organisation is fiercely anti-ractist, aiming to be inclusive and championing diverse talent. Since it’s first event in 2008 – as part of the Homotopia programme for European Capital of Culture – House of Suarez has gone on to host annual vogue events; celebrating ballroom culture and its connections to LGBT history, ballooning into a key cultural event the city holds in its diary.

Lo Tierney

Lo Tierney is an activist and illustrator based in Liverpool. Taking influence from drag culture, the Riot Grrrl movement, and the modernist style of Henri Matisse, Tierney creates fun and inspiring prints and illustrations. She has worked for the likes of the Walker Art Gallery and the Whitechapel Centre, as well as previously having a solo exhibition at Output Gallery.

Find out more about the amazing LQBT+ events happening across Liverpool in our What’s On section.

A Very Liverpool Love Story

On the eve of St Valentine’s Day, The Epstein Theatre plays host to a moving real-life story, a tale of love and loss, and the grief that follows.

Using the words of the late activist and poet Sandra Richardson, who passed away at Marie Curie Hospice in Liverpool last year, and the reflections of her artist wife Clare Beloved, the play weaves a testimony to the power of love and grief.

A Very Liverpool Love Story comes to The Epstein Theatre on Sunday 13 February 2022 at 7.30pm. Tickets are on sale now, with proceeds being donated to Marie Curie Hospice in Liverpool.

The play is staged on Sandra’s 58^th Birthday, and is a message of enduring love and hope while celebrating the power of creativity and community to help others through grief.

Six months on from Sandra’s death, Clare has gathered unpublished words, poems and love notes written by Sandra while in the hospice, along with her own writing and diary entries from that time, and crafted them into a powerful performance piece.

The play will include a mix of imagery, poetry and live music, providing theatregoers a gentle way in which to remember anyone close to them who may have passed away.

The second half of the evening will be hosted by Liverpool-born performance poet Gerry Potter, and will include an opportunity for the audience to write special Valentine’s cards to loved ones who have died and post into a Marie Curie postbox and light a candle. There will also be Birthday cake to celebrate Sandra’s life. The Marie Curie team will be on stage sharing their own creative reflections on love and loss, and members of the charity’s wellbeing team will be available to offer support.

Nightmare Alley

Academy Award-winning director Guillermo del Toro (The Shape Of Water) returns with a visually striking neo-noir adaptation based on William Lindsay Gresham’s 1946 novel Nightmare Alley.

In 1940s New York, down-on-his-luck Stanton Carlisle (Bradley Cooper) endears himself to a clairvoyant at a traveling carnival.

Using newly acquired knowledge, Carlisle crafts a golden ticket to success by swindling the elite and wealthy.

There are additional matinee shows, see here for full listings.

Irish Annie’s

Actor and comedian, Ricky Tomlinson is to return to the stage in a new musical comedy that celebrates the best of Irish culture.

Irish Annie’s will perform around the St Patricks Day celebrations at Epstein Theatre on Saturday 19^th March. Tickets are on sale and selling fast!

Irish Annie’s is a celebration of Irish culture, from the music to the comedy, featuring the well-known live 6-piece band The Shenanigans.

Meet landlady Annie and her regular madcap customers for a fun night out of comedy, music and mayhem, featuring original tracks written for the show by Asa Murphy, along with your all-time favourite Irish tunes including Galway Shawl, Tell Me Ma, Dirty Old Town, Whiskey In The Jar, Danny Boy and many more. The evening promises to have the audience laughing, singing, and dancing the night away.

Ricky Tomlinson will join the cast starring as Scouse Pete. Ricky is a much-loved actor and comedian living all his life in Liverpool, he is best known for his roles as Bobby Grant in Brookside, DCI Charlie Wise in Cracker and Jim Royle in The Royle Family, he also played the title character in the film Mike Bassett: England Manager. He is a very keen musician playing both the banjo and harmonica.

Up Close with Ancient Egypt

Join the World Museum team who will be out and about in the Ancient Egypt gallery.

For the Up Close with Ancient Egypt workshops, the team will have their trolley full of incredible stories and objects for you to enjoy and explore.

The Russian State Ballet of Siberia

The Russian State Ballet of Siberia will once again tour the UK marking the twentieth anniversary of the company’s first season in the UK.

Accompanied by the Russian State Ballet Orchestra, they will present the iconic and classical Romeo & Juliet, Snow Maiden and Swan Lake at the Liverpool Empire 14-16 February.

Showtimes are 7.30pm, with an additional 2.30pm performance of Swan Lake on 16 February.

The Russian State Ballet of Siberia – led by Artistic Director Sergei Bobrov, and Music Director Anatoly Tchepurnoi – has established itself as one of Russia’s leading ballet companies and has built an international reputation for delivering performances of outstanding quality and depth.

Since their first Christmas season at St David’s Hall in Cardiff in 2002, the Company has completed 18 UK tours and has had success in Italy, Spain, Slovakia, Japan, Turkey, Bulgaria, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates and Singapore.

On the Waterfront

Liverpool’s docks transformed the fortunes of the city. Their story is a 300 year journey that turned a small, regional port into one of the world’s great maritime centres.

From the opening of the world’s first commercial wet dock in 1715, this exhibition documents the changing fortunes of Liverpool’s waterfront and the impact the docks have had on the city.

A section dedicated to the Three Graces at the Pier Head includes reproductions of two recently donated Stewart Bale images of the Cunard building under construction during the First World War. One of the photographs, dated 1913, is now the oldest image held in the Stewart Bale collection.

The exhibition also recognises 21st century changes to the waterfront including another National Museums Liverpool venue, the Museum of Liverpool.

The waterfront has changed greatly in appearance and use since the construction of the Old Dock, but it remains an important symbol and focal point of the city.

Interest area: culture