05 December 2016
Newsdesk
HOME today announces its new season of theatre and dance from February to September 2017, featuring international and national commissions and collaborations, including a major UK revival of Martin Sherman’s award-winning Rose featuring Dame Janet Suzman, the world premiere of Paul Auster’s City of Glass with 59 Productions, a new production of Chekhov classic Uncle Vanya, directed by HOME Artistic Director Walter Meierjohann, and the return of ¡Viva! Spanish & Latin American Festival 2017.
HOME Productions:
· The world premiere of Paul Auster’s City of Glass, presented by Tony Award-winning 59 Productions, HOME and Lyric Hammersmith in what promises to be a dazzlingly original and visually breath-taking stage adaptation. The production is directed by 59 Productions' Leo Warner and adapted by Olivier Award-nominated playwright Duncan Macmillan from the first novel of The New York Trilogy. Sat 4 – Sat 18 Mar (press night Thu 9). The production will be accompanied by an Auster-inspired film season, with titles chosen by the novelist. HOME is also excited to host a rare book reading and signing event with Paul Auster on Fri 10 Mar.
· ¡Viva! Spanish & Latin American Festival 2017 will feature two UK premieres from two of Spain’s most exciting companies, One-Hit Wonders by Sol Picó, the winner of the prestigious Spanish National Dance Award 2016, presenting some iconic pieces from her 23 year career; and Agrupación Señor Serrano’s Birdie, the hit show of the international festival circuit, an inventive multimedia performance using Hitchcock’s The Birds to explore the politics of global migration using absurd humour and sharp social criticism; Emma Frankland, in in collaboration with Juan Carlos Otero, Keir Cooper & Lola Rueda returns following last year’s Don Quijote with the world premiere of Republica, a fusion of anarchic theatre and dance, in which a flamenco dancer, a guitarist and a stripper will aim to reclaim the forgotten history of events leading to the Spanish Civil War (Fri 31 & Sat 1 Apr, press night Fri 31 Mar). Fri 31 Mar – Mon 17 Apr. Full details for ¡Viva! 2017 to be announced in 2017.
· HOME presents the first UK revival of the award-winning Rose by Martin Sherman, following its premiere in 1999 at London's National Theatre. One of the leading actors of her generation, Academy Award nominee Dame Janet Suzman will return to the stage for the first time in seven years as the eponymous Rose in this one-character theatre production. Rose is directed by Richard Beecham, whose recent production of Arthur Miller's epic Playing for Time at the Sheffield Crucible garnered rave reviews. Thu 25 May – Sat 10 Jun (press night Wed 31 May).
· Also announced: Artistic Director Walter Meierjohann will be directing a new production of Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekhov in November 2017 as part of a building-wide season focusing on Russia (to be announced in more detail next year.) Fri 3 – Sat 18 Nov (press night Wed 8 Nov).
HOME from HOME:
· Following the incredibly popular immersive Angel Meadow and On Corporation Street by ANU, HOME will host Operation Black Antler – a site-specific and experimental theatre piece for nine people at a time by four-times BAFTA nominated artists' group Blast Theory and critically-acclaimed theatre company Hydrocracker, inviting audiences to enter the murky world of surveillance and question the morality of state-sanctioned spying. By assuming the role of an undercover officer, Operation Black Antler encourages us to consider what is and isn’t acceptable in the name of security, across secret locations in Manchester. Wed 7 – Sat 17 Jun (press night Fri 9 Jun).
Dance:
· Olivier award-winning company Boy Blue Entertainment make their debut at HOME with a brand new hip hop dance triple bill Blak Whyte Gray, choreographed by Kenrick ‘H2O’ Sandy (Romeo & Juliet, HOME), making its Northern premiere following performances at Sadlers Wells. These three new works explore a world in flux and in the mood for change. Thu 9 – Sat 11 Feb (press night Fri 10 Feb).
· Following 5 Soldiers in HOME’s opening season, Rosie Kay returns with her new work MK ULTRA, a high energy, supercharged mash-up of thrilling dance, music and imagery, inspired by the bizarre realm of pop culture mind control conspiracies. Rosie Kay is one of the UK’s leading female choreographers, and her productions are renowned for their athletic movement, rigorous research and intelligent theatricality. Rosie Kay Dance Company won Best Independent Dance Company in the UK Critics’ Circle National Dance Awards 2016. Wed 3 & Thu 4 May (press night Wed 3 May).
Also heading to HOME’s stages in 2017:
· Rufus Norris, Director of the National Theatre, collaborates with Carol Ann Duffy, Poet Laureate, to create and direct My Country; a work in progress, which gave people across the UK a voice to share their views of the country and town they live in, their lives, their future and the EU referendum. This new performance will open at the National Theatre before heading to HOME. Tue 18 – Sat 22 Apr (press night Tue 18 Apr).
· Following Institute, Gecko return with The Wedding, created by Amit Lahav, Artistic Director of Gecko, and co-commissioned with HOME. An extraordinary ensemble guides audiences through the struggle between love and anger, creation and destruction, community and isolation. Tue 12 – Sat 16 Sep (press night Thu 14).
· Multi award-winning duo Sh!t Theatre follow up their smash-hit show Women’s Hour with their Fringe First Award-winning and Total Theatre award-nominated Letters to Windsor House. With songs, politics, dodgy landlords and detective work, this national housing crisis gets deeply personal in a hilarious and heart-breaking show for Generation Rent. Wed 19 – Fri 21 Apr.
· Presented by THISISPOPBABY & Soho Theatre, the Queen of Ireland, Panti Bliss, invites you into her gender-discombobulating, stiletto-shaped world, exposing the stories behind the make-up – from performance giant to accidental activist – to reveal the National F***ing Treasure she is today. Hilarious and poignant, High Heels in Low Places traces her journey from small-town boy kicking against traditions; to towering plastique woman in false lashes making history. Tue 25 Apr.
· Greater Manchester’s youth theatres, schools and colleges perform at HOME in the National Theatre’s Connections festival, a celebration of young people, theatre-making and the importance of access to the arts. Each year the National Theatre commissions ten new plays for young people to perform, bringing together some of the most exciting writers with the theatre-makers of tomorrow. Wed 26 – Sat 29 Apr.
· Heralded as one of the most exciting young theatre companies making work today. Breach Theatre will present Fringe First-Award winning Tank, exploring the difficulties of bridging cultural divides, the politics behind the stories we tell, and what happens when a dolphin is injected with LSD. Thu 4 – Sat 6 May (press night Fri 5 May). Full details on homemcr.org from Fri 2 Dec.
· Nominated for Best Show by an Emerging Artist at Total Theatre Awards 2015, Soho Theatre present Jack Rooke’s Good Grief, a critically acclaimed debut blending comedy, storytelling and film to explore how we treat the bereaved and the state of welfare for grieving families. Wed 17 – Fri 19 May.
· Multi award-winner Kieran Hurley weaves a picture of a familiar city at its moment of destruction in critically acclaimed Heads Up, asking what would we do if we found ourselves at the end of our world as we know it. 2016 The Scotsman Fringe First-Award winner. Total Edinburgh Festival Fringe sell-out run. Thu 18 – Sat 20 May.
· Following a successful 2016, the Manchester Theatre Awards will return to HOME on Fri 17 Mar 2017 for another celebration of local theatre. Hosted by Justin Moorhouse, the nominees will be announced in the coming months.
Festivals:
· SICK! Festival 2017, being hosted by HOME, is the antidote to the physical, mental and social challenges of life and death. At the forefront of the arts and health agenda, the festival brings together an outstanding international arts programme with perspectives from academic research, clinical practitioners, public health professionals, charities and most importantly, those with lived experience of the issues we address. Full details to be announced later in 2016. Wed 8 – Sat 25 Mar. The Flare International Festival of New Theatre (FLARE17) sets out to find some of the most exciting new makers of experimental theatre working internationally, and brings them together to perform in Manchester. Full programme set to be announced in May. Thu 4 – Sat 8 Jul.
Walter Meierjohann commented: “We are delighted to present 59 Productions and Duncan Macmillan's adaptation of Paul Auster’s City of Glass, coming to life at HOME in March. The season continues with the first UK revival of Rose, an epic story of persecution, displacement and survival told with passion, pathos and wild humour, starring Dame Janet Suzman.
I’m particularly excited to see the return of ¡Viva! - with 2 UK Premieres of Spanish Work including the award winning dancer Sol Pico, Barcelona's hottest young company Agrupación Señor Serrano with their multimedia performance Birdie, and Emma Frankland and Keir Cooper back with the world premiere of Republica following the sold-out success of Don Quijote at last year’s festival.
HOME’s ongoing commitment to dance will see strong productions such as Blak Whyte Gray by award-winning hip-hop dance company Blue Boy Entertainment – both Kenrick H2O Sandy and Mikey J have worked alongside Danny Boyle as choreographers on the opening ceremony of London 2012, and leading choreographer Rosie Kay’s fast-paced new piece MK ULTRA, exploring conspiracies of mind control.
We continue to present work outside our four walls with Operation Black Antler, a site-specific, immersive theatre experience which sends you into an undercover operation at secret locations in central Manchester.
I am also preparing to direct a new version of Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya in October 2017 as part of a Russian focus to be announced in more detail next year.”
Tickets for the new season will go on general sale on Tue 6 Dec.
SICK! Festival tickets will be available later in 2016 at sickfestival.com.
