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Tuesday 1 and Wednesday 2 July
Have you ever set out on a journey intending to arrive at one place but end up somewhere even your wildest imagination couldn’t have taken you?
If you haven’t, then let the Black Box Theatre School transport you to an enchanting world in this forty minute adventure, or maybe adventures... it depends!
Black Box provides an excellent opportunity for children aged seven and above to enjoy and experience drama workshops and theatre production through a year long programme of events.
Devised by the Company, scripted by Aoibheann Kelly and Lee Halliwell Williams
showtime 5:00pm
tickets £5.00
Tuesday 1 and Wednesday 2 July
The longest journey begins with a single step. Clutching a single red rose and a box of chocolates Melina rushes to the station to meet a friend.
Awaiting Akuji, and Zalika’s Return follow a sequence of events which occurs and reoccur revealing themes, conflicts, and characters which interweave to create a story that is at once chaotic and perfectly composed.
An exploration of Theatre of the Absurd, AtoZ is two comedic fifty minute pieces, full of characters caught in hopeless situations doing repetitive or meaningless actions.
AtoZ uses dialogue full of wordplay and nonsense and has plots that are cyclical as well as absurdly expansive. AtoZ is a dismissal of realism.
Devised from original ideas by the Company, scripted by Ian Moore.
showtime 7:00pm
tickets £7.00
Thursday 3 July
“There's no quicker way to sound like a wanker than being an actor talking about his work” - attributed to David Morrissey on a recently found website, David is about to risk it all by doing just that... talking about himself!
In this entertaining and laid back evening we will be looking at the career of one England's most in demand film, television and stage actors, when David will be joined by Liverpool born radio broadcaster, Janice Long for a chat about dodgy hairstyles, sequined catsuits and getting into character.
Born in Knotty Ash, David made his television debut in 1983 in Willy Russell’s TV series, One Summer and went on to train at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
David is a long standing unity supporter and patron. This evening is the first in a series of events featuring unity's patrons.
Recently seen as Colonel Brandon in Sense & Sensibility, he has turned in excellent performances in Blackpool & Viva Blackpool, Cape Wrath and as Gordon Brown in The Deal, which conicled the fabled meeting between Tony Blair and Brown during which the blueprint for New Labour was drawn up.
David also starred in the BAFTA-nominated State of Play with John Simm and Bill Nighy and his many other TV drama credits include Murder, alongside Julie Walters and Out Of Control with Tamzin Outhwaite. He narrated the family tree series Who Do You Think You Are? and has chalked up roles in a number of films,
including The Other Boleyn Girl, Captain Correlli's Mandolin, Born Romantic, Hilary and Jackie, Fanny and Elvis, Basic Instinct 2.
David’s also turned his hand to directing and his latest film, The Pool is in post-production. Our thanks to David for putting himself in the line of fire.
Janice Long began her radio career on Radio One in the 1980’s. Since then Janice has graced the airwaves of several radio stations such as BBC 6 Music, XFM, BBC West Midlands, BBC World Service and of course her regular show on BBC Radio 2.
showtime 8:00pm
tickets £15.00
By Jen Heyes & Anthony Brown
Tuesday 8 July
On this evenings journey of melody the traveller’s true companion is music and his language is always the song.
Liverpool producer/director Jen Heyes of Wall Talks and Cut To The Chase and 100 Heads Thinking As One artist Anthony Brown, step back into their original shoes of singer and musician to bring you an extraordinary gathering of friends, performers and special guests.
Travel with Jen and Anthony on a vagabond journey from original and classic song, film, verse and narrative to dance, music and interpretation. We don't often get the time to do the things we want, need or love to do, but this evening wears its heart on its sleeve and makes that time, and in the sharing it celebrates life & spirit.
This one night show will soar up from the sky, evoking memories that will shower reminisce and settle reflectively at our feet.
Narrated and led by the voice of Liverpool 2008 opening ceremony, Brian Dodd.
The evening will feature some special guests to be announced.
Music, Word, Film & Song
Written by Anthony Brown and Jen Heyes
Original lyrics & music by Anthony and Lorraine Brown
Directed by Jen Heyes
All proceeds will be donated to Marie Curie, Cancer Research UK and Woodlands Hospice
showtime 8:00pm
tickets £10.00
By David Ellis
Thursday 10 to Saturday 12 July
Two local school children, Maz and Chloe, win an opportunity to explore the unique Williamson Tunnels.
They soon tire of the trip until their eccentric guide takes them into unexplored passageways.
What will the children discover about the city of their birth and what chronicles from their family histories will the tunnels yield?
As Liverpool celebrates 2008 European Capital of culture year, New Heys Community School present a humorous, if not altogether reliable, history of Liverpool. In their seventh year at unity they present an exciting blend of original music, dance and drama.
showtime 7:00pm
tickets £4.50/£2.50 concessions
Tuesday 15 July
As a boy growing up with cerebral palsy, comedian Laurence Clark dreamt of singing with a punk band called ‘Spastic Fantastic’... he never managed it, probably because he can’t sing!
Instead he became a comedian and, in this new show attempts to reclaim the word ‘spastic’ through a mix of hard-hitting stand-up, multi-media and ingenious hidden camera sketches.
Laurence Clark has a wit drier than the Navajo desert, a control of timing that would put Seiko to shame and scores upon scores of fizzingly funny one-liners. The Stage
...genuinely laugh-out-loud funny. I cannot think of another comic here who provokes so much thought and so much laughter at one and the same time. The Scotsman
showtime 8:00pm
tickets £8.00/£6.00 concessions
Wednesday 16 July
Soupkitchen comedy brings a one off night of superb stand-up comedy to the unity, with four of the Northwest's hottest new acts including:
Andy Watson, City Life comedian of the year 2005
A force of nature, grasped the crowd's attention and left them in hysterics. City Life Magazine
An irresistible, infectious style that has the audience rapt from the get-go. Chortle
Ste Porter, A ready wit, one to watch. BBC
showtime 8:00pm
tickets £6.00
Friday 11 to Sunday 27 July
This July Liverpool comes alive with the sites and sounds of the Arabic world, with the largest celebration of Arabic arts and culture in the UK; Liverpool Arabic Arts Festival
In partnership with venues and organisations across Liverpool the Arabic Arts Festival presents an exciting and varied programme of culture and entertainment.
To find out more visit www.arabicartsfestival.com
LAAF
A Cloud Nine and ARTS UK touring production
by Peter Mortimer
Friday 18 and Saturday 19 July
Following its highly successful production at The Customs’ House Theatre in South Shields, North East England, Liverpool Arabic Arts Festival is delighted to bring Riot to unity.
Riot revolves around the Yemeni seamen’s riots in South Shields in 1930. A mix of the serious and the comic in semi-naturalistic style with the narrative operating as a love story against the back drop of major social and political upheaval.
Although set in 1930, Riot is highly relevant to the UK today and tackles head on the sensitive matter of Muslim/West relations.
The controversial piece received great praise from the critics and in 2006 Peter Mortimer was given a special award by Yemeni Voice magazine.
Directed by Darren Palmer
An astounding piece of work. A genuinely brilliant piece of theatre
Newcastle Evening chronicle
The controversial piece received great praise from the critics and in 2006 the writer, Peter Mortimer, who spent three years researching the play and had a three week treck through Yemen itself.
To coincide with the tour, the text is to be published as a book in bi-lingual form by Five Leaves Publicatins and will serve as the plays programme.
To find out more visit www.arabicartsfestival.com
showtime 7:30pm
tickets £8.00/£6.00 concessions
Brouhaha International Festival
Brouhaha returns to unity for four nights giving you the chance to take a closer look at music and dance from across the globe.
Each night brings together a different combination of companies for a unique festival experience.
Previous years have played to sell out audiences and received rave reviews.
All Performances 7:30pm
tickets £8.00/£6.00 concessions
Traditional dance, that focuses on work from three island cultures.
Acrobats of Silence: Crete/Greece
A range of ceremonial dances that will have you up on your feet.
Dance Ensemble: Martinique
Affectionate dances of Bellair and Beguine mixing it up with the cheeky gender-switching antics of carnival time.
Belmont Freetown Cultural Arts and Performance Company:Trinidad & Tobago
Viey La Cou [theme for Liverpool International carnival 2008] features various characters from carnival folklore; Jammettes; Blue Devil; King Sailor; Bat; Dame Lorraine; Jab Jab; Fancy India; Imps; Pierrot Grenade; The Midenight Robber and Burrokeet.
showtime 7:30pm
tickets £8.00/£6.00 concessions
A night of old and new, traditional and contemporary music with influences from across the World.
Roots & Routes: Holland
A mix of hip hop, Jazz and urban beats accompanied by some of Holland’s finest Mc’s.
Don't Panic Brass Band: Gdansk/Poland
A young, fresh and stirring fusion of polish traditional compositions of Mazura, Polonaise and Ober. Don't Panic! Brass Band features various instrumentations and breaks from traditional styling.
La Paranza del Geco: Torino/Italy
Move your feet to the rhythmic and electrifying music and dance of Southern Italy, not for the faint hearted.
showtime 7:30pm
tickets £8.00/£6.00 concessions
Brouhaha has been able to develop a new music and dance performance with partners from Europe and India for Liverpool Mela, in Princes Park. Tonight you will see the individual work.
Diabo a Sete: Coimbra/Portugal
Fusing traditional Portuguese instruments and the contemporary rhythms of rock, reggae and Jazz.
House of Suarez: Liverpool/UK
A new contemporary dance ensemble who have developed several works under chorographer Darren Suarez.
Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts: Bangalore
One of India’s finest dance companies, headed up by choreographer and Artistic Director Jayachandran Palazhy, fuse physical traditions with contemporary dance.
showtime 7:30pm
tickets £8.00/£6.00 concessions
A night of dance work, travelling from Europe to Latin America in a cultural celebration of old and new.
Association Capoeira Senzala: France
Welcome to the creative game of Capoeira, where the performer frees not only his body but also his soul. An exploration, blending traditional and contemporary dance, acrobatics, afro-brazilian rhythms, combat, song, and axé [energy].
Universidad Nacional: Costa Rica
The Dance Group Award winners in the 2007 Festival of Costa Rica present Psicotopos, a fantastic dance aerial work.
Ballet Enteredanzas: Murcia Spain
This is Enteredanzas 11th Brouhaha and they continue to push contemporary flamenco into uncharted territories. They present several dances with castanuelas and rhythmic clapping.
showtime 7:30pm
tickets £8.00/£6.00
Sunday 27 July to Saturday 2 August
Twelve emerging theatre companies from across the globe journey to Hope Street to perform in one extraordinary festival.
After a year of exchanges and collaborations, companies from Berlin, Bethlehem, Gdansk, Istanbul, Kathmandu, Liverpool, London, Lusaka, Manchester, Mumbai, New York and Rio de Janeiro will all arrive in Liverpool to perform brand news shows, run workshops and animate the streets.
Contacting the World 2008 has been created for Liverpool's Capital of Culture year by Contact, working with unity. Supported by the Liverpool Culture Company, Arts Council England, British Council and the Granada Foundation.
Don't miss this chance to see the new international face of theatre.
Festival Saver ticket and other discounts available, please visit www.contact-theatre.org for up to date listings and information.
The collaborative CTW performances will all take place at LIPA. unity will be the home of additional performance work by current and former CTW companies:
Afro Reggae: Rio de Janeiro
Urucubaca
Kattaikkuttu Sangam: India
Dice and Disrobing
Evam Youth Forum: Mumbai
Body Pieces
Hand Made: London
Made in England A new play exploring Britishness
Bare Feet: Lusaka
How the Hippo Lost His Hair
Other Side of the Mirror: Gdansk
The Tempest
Performances take place at LIPA and unity
showtime at unity 2:00pm and LIPA 7:30pm
tickets: £6.00/£4.00 concessions
Workshops take place at LIPA
tickets £4.00/£2.00 concessions